Cousins Katie and Aster decide to put a difficult year behind them by taking a forty-nine mile backpacking trek through the Utah desert—alone, no phones except for the GPS satellite phone for emergencies. Though they're experienced hikers, the trail proves much more treacherous than expected, with map problems, injuries, and a storm that leaves them short on supplies. So they're relieved to run into Riley a friendly young woman who shares food with them, though the guy she's with, Finn, is uncomfortably silent—brooding, even—and clearly the couple is fighting about something. In the middle of the night, Riley comes to the girls' tent, sobbing, saying, "Finn did something." Katie offers Riley their GPS satellite phone to call for help, and she flees with it. In the morning, there's no sign of Riley or Finn, their campsite is abandoned, and the GPS phone is found—deliberately smashed.
The nearest place to seek help is a two-day walk away, and if Aster and Katie lose the couple's trail, they're certain no one will ever see Riley alive again. Their only choice is to track Finn through the deadly desert—but he's already following them.
Introduction
Natalie D Richards has written several thrillers for teens. Her stories are (mostly) characterized by having her heroes struggle against a natural phenomenon, and (always) fast paced action and quick dialogue. They're a great read for anyone wanting an exciting, fast story.
Plot Summary
Katie and Aster have had a difficult year, for reasons I won't spoil here but are pretty serious. An underlying theme of the story is whether guilt is warranted when something bad happens you weren't aware of but could have prevented; the cousins struggle with this through their hike, which is already difficult enough, being on an unofficial and not well marked trail with extreme weather events. Their personal history also means that they read situations differently, especially with Riley and Finn.
Characters
Our two main characters, Katie and Aster, are teen girls who have grown up hiking together and want to go on one last hike before college and the inevitable changes it brings. They're both struggling, in different ways, with something huge that happened about nine months before the story proper, and them coming to terms with it is a large part of the story.
Writing Style
Natalie writes fast paced, easy to follow thrillers. There's no deep philosophy or intricate history to remember; these are solid, quick reads that will have you gripped and desperate to find out what happens next. She also sprinkles in some fun knowledge; for instance, I learned a lot about hiking in this one!
Setting
The story is set entirely in deeply rural areas of Utah, and the descriptions are amazing, capturing the beauty and terror of these remote places. Natalie makes sure to emphasise the danger as well as the beauty and the feeling of success and accomplishment on this kind of hike. For instance, there's a scene where the girls have to avoid a deadly rattlesnake, followed shortly after by a breathtaking description of a field of flowers they walk through.
Conclusion
This is a great thriller for teens, or for adults who want a fast paced, exciting story. The villain is very scary, the interjections from a mysterious character add to the tense atmosphere, and I didn't want to stop reading once I'd started.
Further Reading/Viewing
Any of Natalie's other works have the same tense, fast paced feeling. If you're curious about Utah or hiking, there are plenty of guide books; I've linked a couple above but there are literally hundreds of others.
49 Miles Alone publishes on the 2nd of July, 2024. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.
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