Starred review from January 17, 2022
Bram Stoker Award–winning YA author White (Camelot Rising) makes her adult debut with an enthralling, high-energy thriller grounded in supernatural horror. Fourteen contestants are dropped off in an abandoned amusement park for a weeklong game of extreme hide-and-seek with a massive cash prize. Among them is Mackenzie “Mack” Black, recruited through the homeless shelter where she’s been staying. Mack is skilled at making herself invisible, having survived her father’s massacre of her family by hiding. But as players develop alliances and rivalries, it becomes clear to some that there’s more than money at stake, while others uncover the horrors lurking in the park. White’s depictions of players other than Mack begin in stereotype, but she gradually reveals enough emotional depth in each that, by the time they become a team determined to survive, the reader is ready to cheer them on in both their escape and their satisfying revenge against those who would treat them as disposable. White skillfully balances the terrifying solo experiences of individual characters, the tense group dynamics, and the park’s backstory to create a constantly shifting narrative backed by a growing sense of dread. With this exhilarating outing, White proves she has a finger on the pulse of millennial horror.
September 1, 2022
Young adult author White (The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein) makes her adult debut with this intricately plotted horror full of supernatural and terrestrial terrors. Fourteen contestants gather to compete in a weeklong hide-and-seek competition at an abandoned amusement park with a dark history. A dangerous mix of ambition and desperation has each hoping to win the promised $50,000 prize, but the stakes quickly become higher than they could possibly imagine. As the competitors are eliminated under increasingly suspicious circumstances, they realize that they are connected by more than just coincidence and begin to question just who--or what--is seeking them. Eschewing the prize money, they must band together if they hope to leave with even their lives. Narrator Emma Galvin's edgy, almost androgynous voice shifts seamlessly between the multiple points of view. Her urgent delivery amplifies the fast-paced narrative and enhances the tension and menace. VERDICT This audio will appeal to listeners seeking a spine-tingling and suspenseful tale of survival, full of creepy, compelling twists. Recommended for fans of David Moody, S. A. Barnes, and Matthew Lyons.--Lauren Hackert
Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from September 25, 2023
This stylish and spooky comics adaptation of White’s novel from Peterson (Truckus Maximus) with artwork by Fish (the Sabrina the Teenage Witch series) reveals the horrors society will sink to in order to uphold the status quo. Mack’s a quiet survivor, but she’s at the end of her rope—and the limit of her time allotment at a women’s shelter. She and 13 other quirky hopefuls (including a social media influencer, a YouTube prankster, a military vet, and a cult survivor) learn of a competition with the life-changing prize of $50,000. To win, they have to spend a week hiding in an abandoned amusement park. From dawn to dusk, the only objective is to stay unseen, but what happens if someone’s caught out? When blood and the abandoned belongings of missing participants are found, suspicions arise about how cruel this game could get—and who benefits in the end from these folks staying invisible. Some players find a clever spot to stay safe together, while others risk everything to save one another. The bold art captures the creepy, run-down carny vibe with aplomb, and dramatic coloring (by Andy Fish) punches up action sequences. This Hunger Games–esque saga feels destined for the big screen.