Kate Alice Marshall has once again proven her knack for crafting edge-of-your-seat suspense with We Won’t All Survive, a fast-paced YA thriller that blends the tension of a locked-room mystery with the deadly stakes of a survival reality show. Known for I Am Still Alive and Rules for Vanishing, Marshall dives into the darker side of human nature, exploring trauma, guilt, and the lengths people will go to survive when trapped in isolation.

The story follows Mercy Gray, a young woman still haunted by the trauma of a mall shooting two years earlier. Once hailed as a hero for saving lives, she’s now left with chronic pain, a mountain of medical debt, and an unshakable sense of guilt. So when billionaire-turned-TV host Damien Dare offers her a chance to compete on his new survival reality show, Mercy sees it as her only shot at redemption and a way to pay for her sister’s college tuition.

But what begins as a chance to start over quickly becomes a nightmare. When Mercy and the other contestants arrive at the remote filming site, they find no production crew, no instructions, and no way out once the gates lock behind them. What’s supposed to be a test of endurance soon turns into a fight for survival as contestants begin dying one by one. Mercy must navigate deadly challenges, uncover the truth behind the show, and figure out who among them is a murderer before she becomes the next victim.

Marshall excels at creating claustrophobic tension. The isolated setting, coupled with the eerie silence of an empty set, amplifies the characters’ paranoia and distrust. Each contestant has a past marred by survival plane crashes, natural disasters, or personal tragedies and these experiences shape how they react when faced with danger once again. The psychological depth Marshall brings to her cast makes the story far more compelling than a typical survival thriller. You care who lives, who dies, and who’s hiding something darker than fear.

Mercy is a powerful protagonist resilient yet vulnerable, brave but burdened by trauma. Her internal struggles add a layer of realism that keeps readers emotionally grounded amid the chaos. The supporting cast is equally well written, with distinct personalities and secrets that unfold gradually, keeping the reader guessing about everyone’s motives.

While some seasoned thriller fans may predict certain twists, the book’s execution keeps it engaging throughout. Marshall’s pacing is relentless, with short, sharp chapters that make it impossible to stop reading. The atmosphere feels like a mix between The Hunger Games, And Then There Were None, and a particularly sinister episode of Survivor.

Thematically, We Won’t All Survive explores not only physical survival but also the emotional cost of trauma and the way guilt shapes our decisions. Beneath the suspense and shocking reveals lies a thoughtful commentary on exploitation, media sensationalism, and the performative nature of reality TV.

By the time the final twist lands, readers are left breathless both from the rapid pacing and from the realization that survival sometimes has less to do with strength and more to do with trust, instinct, and courage.

Verdict: A tightly woven, adrenaline-fueled thriller that combines the pulse of a slasher mystery with the psychological tension of a survival game. Perfect for fans of Karen McManus, Holly Jackson, and anyone who loves stories that keep you guessing until the last page.

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