Bex can’t deal with it any more. Her father has made it very clear what he thinks of her, wanting to marry her off as soon as possible so he doesn’t have to even look at her in their home. A chance to escape comes with an entry to The Pinnacle – a competition every planet in their system has heard of. Sure, she’s no athlete, and hardly a scholar, but anything is better than staying home. The prize money means escape… finally.

Zane is the son of a wealthy politician. But wealth does not mean happiness. On Zane’s planet, arranged marriages are the norm. He’s not sure about his upcoming nuptials, as he doesn’t want his bride’s family to know any more about his own. There is too much to hide.

Raya lives on The Moons. These are the planets mined for their minerals and riches, with none of the wealth going to the miners. In fact, it has proven itself again and again since Raya was eight years old and alone, that miners are to be worked to death, with little if any pay and no rights whatsoever. Raya is tough, street smart and loves her dog Zircon. If she could win The Pinnacle, her and Zircon could leave The Moons, buy a house and never have to fight or steal food again.

They are only three of ten contestants for the competition – all looking each other over as they buckle themselves into the shuttle that will take them to the venue. Will it be a desert, a jungle or an icy mountain? What will the challenges be, and should they find allies early?

All these concerns are soon forgotten when one of them dies. Then another. And another. Someone knows what they have all done at home. Someone wants justice.

Set 400 years in our future, this YA novel is a little Hunger Games, a little Lord of the Flies and a lot riveting! Ten teens, are all desperate to win a huge cash prize after eliminating their competition. But as the bodies pile up, the realisation that they might not be accidents, ups the tension ten-fold.

The stress is high as they try to figure out who the killer is, who to trust and how much to admit of their past lives. Three of the characters tell the tale, with the other seven as collateral damage in the plot.

A page-turning plot and contrasting characters make this a compelling read. 

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC of this exciting novel.

Author – Wendy Cross

Age – 12+

(2024, Penguin Books, Action, Dystopian, Sci Fi, Guilt, Aventure, Game, Competition, Murder, Crime, Secrets, Family, Island, Friendship, Future, Mystery, One by one, Revenge)