Five Total Strangers

The YA mystery novel “Five Total Strangers” by Natalie D. Richards left me feeling both fulfilled and yet slightly disappointed. The book is great for a middle of winter, snowy day while drinking hot chocolate as it makes you feel further attuned with the nature of the story! This book is great if you’re looking for a quick, easy read that is also not too deep. I enjoyed my time reading this novel and felt the plot was smooth to get through; the characters Mira, Harper, Josh, Breckon and Kayla all held their own secrets and mysteries, and it was fun to take on the role of detective through this book and try to uncover who the perpetrator was while reading. However, with the easy plotline, I felt the predictability that followed. While reading, I possessed this underlying feeling of already knowing who the villain in the story would be and was just waiting until the end to see if I was correct. This book was a great read and a page turner, albeit not with such magnitude that leaves you sweating and you feel your heart will fall out your chest and you might stop breathing. Nonetheless, I would definitely recommend this book if you are interested in a fun new mystery book you can get through smoothly!