Book Review: A Survival Thriller

49 Miles Alone by Natalie D. Richards

Publication Date: July 2, 2024

Summary from Goodreads:

Four days alone in the desert. Except they’re not as alone as they think. A year ago, Katie and her cousin Aster survived a night that left their world and easy friendship fractured. Desperate to heal and leave the past behind them, they tackle four days of hiking in the Utah backcountry. But the desert they’ve loved for years has tricks up its sleeve. An illness, an injury, and a freak storm leave them short on confidence and supplies. When they come across a young couple with extra supplies on the trail, they’re grateful and relieved―at first. Riley exudes friendliness, but everything about her boyfriend Finn spells trouble. That night, after some chilling admissions about Finn from Riley, Katie and Aster wake to hear the couple fighting. Helpless and trapped in the darkness, they witness Riley’s desperate race into the night, with Finn chasing after. In the morning, they find the couple’s camp, but Riley and Finn? Vanished. Katie is sure Riley is in trouble. And with help a two-day hike away, they know they are the only ones who can save her before something terrible happens. The clock is ticking and their supplies are dwindling, but Katie and Aster know they have to find Riley before Finn―or the desert―gets to her first.

Confession:

This was a very well crafted thriller that I really enjoyed reading. It had a lot of suspense, characters that I could root for and a thrilling conclusion. If you enjoy thrillers and survival stories than this is a book you should take a look at.

The story is mostly told through alternating chapters between Katie and Aster. I liked both of these girls and was rooting for them from the start. I struggled a little bit with some of the choices that Aster kept making, but she at least was a fighter and kept going despite everything that went wrong. Katie was also a strong character, but she often deferred to what ever decision that Aster made, which wasn’t always a good idea. The incident that fractured their friendship affected Katie more than Aster, and made her less trustful of those she met on the trail. She often jumped to conclusions about the people they met, which often didn’t help the situation.

There are also a few chapters scattered throughout the book by an unknown female character. This character is badly hurt somewhere on the trail and I found myself really worried that she wouldn’t make it. She proved to be the strongest of the three characters and really smart in the ways she worked for her own survival.

The writing and the pacing were solid, with a steady pace that slowly built up to a fast and thrilling conclusion. The author did an excellent job with the descriptions of the desert and the backpacking experience. I really felt for Aster as everything that went wrong for her did. If it had been me, I would have turned around on the first day. The plot and the twists will keep you reading and wanting to know if everyone survives. I did have most of the twists figured out before the end, but that was ok as it was a fun ride getting there.

If you enjoy thrillers and survival stories this is definitely one to have on your radar. This is only my second book by this author, but I am looking forward to reading more of her work.