Book review - Stay Dead

 

Title: Stay Dead

Author: April Henry

Genre: thriller

Similar books: I Am Still Alive by Kate Alice Marshall

                     The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Rating:

 

solidly entertaining

Summary (provided by publisher): Sometimes, the only way to live is to make sure the world thinks you’re dead . . .
In the aftermath of a car accident that claimed the life of her senator father, sixteen-year-old Milan finds herself adrift, expelled from her third boarding school. Milan’s mother, who has assumed the senate seat, diverts her private plane to pick up her daughter. But on their way home, a bomb rips off a wing and the plane crashes in the mountains. In her final moments, Milan’s mother entrusts her with a key. She reveals it will unlock the evidence that so many people have already died for—including Milan’s father. The only way Milan can survive, her mom tells her, is to let everyone believe she died with the other passengers.
​Milan is forced to navigate a perilous descent in freezing conditions while outwitting everything from a drone to wild animals. With relentless assassins on her trail, she must untangle the web of deceit and save herself and countless others. Will she piece together the truth in time?

My opinion: Henry hits the pacing nearly perfectly with this book. Combining a survival story with a political thriller we see Milan up against nature and murderers in equal measure. While some of the plot elements are a bit heavy-handed, the constant movement and new questions raised keep the reader engaged. Its a book that might not hold up to multiple reads but for a vacation or weekend at the cabin this is a strong choice.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley