Petra – An organiser. Called bossy by her stepbrother Nolan and by pretty much anyone else who ever meets her. She likes to be on top
of things, so when her best friend Maylee suggests a camping trip to Salvation Creek the following weekend, Petra is a little annoyed it’s so soon, but is quickly into action organising everything they might need and more. She is the daughter of a cop, knows how to use a gun, has learnt wilderness skills over the years and feels prepared.

Maylee – a free spirit. Or this is how she likes to think of herself. She is spontaneous, disorganised, Queen of the social ladder at high school and incredibly keen to be an influencer. She and Petra are polar opposites but besties. Maylee likes to turn conversations on their head, just to get a reaction. She is constantly taking photos or looking for opportunities to do so for her followers, but also knowing she needs something different for her feed. She takes a tent for the trip but is not properly prepared otherwise as is her carefree, don’t give a care nature.

Nolan – Petra’s stepbrother who is mocked at school for his quiet, insular personality. He’d much rather be holed up in his room on his computer than anywhere else. Ever since he had a terrifying experience on another trip, he has also been mocked for his insistence he saw a bigfoot only feet in front of him. He’s certain of the sighting even though it’s widely believed he just had a nightmare, and now he’s keen to look for one at Salvation Creek. This is one of the hotspots for bigfoot according to cryptid experts, and where people have disappeared.

John – Maylee’s boyfriend. More like Petra than Maylee, John is a good student and a sensible guy, especially after an event years previous that changed him for life. Blamed for a near tragedy because of the colour of his skin made him realise what society is really like underneath. Maylee’s chaotic personality helps bring him some of the spark he lost before the event. But still, he can’t understand why he came camping as he hates the outdoor wilderness, getting away from it all vibe. He’s much happier with a vibrant city around him.

Abigail – Daughter of a man thought to be pure gun-toting hillbilly, Abigail has learnt her own wilderness skills and knows the area well. They have spent a lot of time in the outdoors. Living in a trailer park, and with her father’s anti-establishment take on life, she is used to other’s opinion of him. She ignores them as she is close to her loving, patient father as he is the only family she has. She is pleased to be invited along, but is wary.

Five teens arrive at the camping ground together, but by morning there is only four being interviewed by the police after something goes terribly wrong.

I couldn’t put this book down. Told in four viewpoints by the way of police interviews, I felt like I was there in the wilderness with the teens as their camping trip turns into a nightmare.

The interview style of storytelling allows readers to get to know each character, and I enjoyed the different ways each character perceived behaviour of others. Eg. One character thought someone was thinking something, but in fact it was the opposite.

Having one character absolutely convinced a bigfoot was nearby upped the tension, and made me wonder… could there be a creature in the wilds with them or is it something else?

A fast paced, entertaining read.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for the ARC of this title.

Author – Chelsea Sedoti

Age – 12+

If you liked this novel you might like these

(2024, Sourcebooks Fire, Outdoors, Camping, Bush, Wilderness, Bigfoot, Cryptid, Mystery, Guns, Secrets, Plan, Social media, Influencer, Prejudice, Police, Interviews, Misconceptions, Thriller, Tension, Disappearances, Missing girls, Crime,  Who is guilty, Toxic friendship, Action, Popularity, Betrayal, Gripping)