Playing with Fire

by April Henry

Overview

When a fire cuts off a popular trail in the Oregon forest, a small group trapped by the flames must find another way out—or die—in Playing with Fire, an unrelenting teen-vs-nature YA thriller by New York Times bestselling author April Henry.

Natalia is not the kind of girl who takes risks. Six years ago, she barely survived the house fire that killed her baby brother. Now she is cautious and always plays it safe. For months, her co-worker Wyatt has begged her to come hiking with him, and Natalia finally agrees.

But when a wildfire breaks out, blocking the trail back, a perfect sunny day quickly morphs into a nightmare. With no cell service, few supplies, and no clear way out of the burning forest, a group of strangers will have to become allies if they’re going to survive. Hiking in the dark, they must deal with injuries, wild animals and even a criminal on the lam—before the fire catches them.

Christy Ottaviano Books

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250234070
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	01/19/2021
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240
File size:	4 MB
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

April Henry is the New York Times–bestselling author of many acclaimed mysteries for adults and young adults, including the YA novels The Girl in the White Van; Girl, Stolen; The Night She Disappeared; The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die; The Girl I Used to Be, which was nominated for an Edgar Award and won the Anthony Award for Best YA Mystery; Count All Her Bones; The Lonely Dead; Run, Hide, Fight Back; and The Body in the Woods and Blood Will Tell, the first two books in the Point Last Seen series. She lives in Oregon.
April Henry is the New York Times bestselling author of many acclaimed mysteries for adults and young adults, including the YA novels Girl, Stolen; The Girl I Used to Be, which was nominated for an Edgar Award; The Night She Disappeared; and Body in the Woods and Blood Will Tell, Books One and Two in the Point Last Seen series. She lives in Oregon.

Editorial Reviews

April Henry's YA mysteries have collectively been awarded over fifty state honors and awards.

Playing with Fire:

"Inspiration abounds, though, as the teens work together, making this read adventurous as well as satisfying." —Booklist

"Well written and undeniably, regrettably relevant given the inevitability of future West Coast conflagrations." —The Bulletin

The Lonely Dead:

"Taut and suspenseful, with a hint of the supernatural. [Henry’s] clear, lucid prose and well-paced action scenes make for a fast, accessible read . . . Hand to anyone in search of a page-turner." —Booklist

"Henry delivers a compelling thriller that weaves supernatural elements into a topical tapestry of loss, betrayal, and family drama. A thriller that manages to be both creepy and fun." —Kirkus Reviews

The Girl I Used to Be:

Winner of the Anthony Award for Best Young Adult Mystery Novel
An Edgar Award for Best YA Nominee
A Texas Lonestar List Selection

"Henry has done it again with another edge-of-your-seat mystery/thriller. Recommended for middle school and high school mystery/thriller/suspense collections and for April Henry fans." —VOYA, starred review

"A must-have for YA mystery-thriller collections." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2020-10-12
A group of strangers searches for a path to safety as a forest fire encroaches on them in this adventure thriller.

Natalia and Wyatt, two teens from Portland, Oregon, venture on a short hike which goes awry when a fire breaks out, blocking the trail. Wyatt’s wilderness experience and Natalia’s aspirations to become a doctor prove to be boons for the people they encounter and join forces with as they are trying to escape. These include a family—Ryan, Lisa, and their toddler, Trask; a man called Darryl and his grandson, Zion; Beatriz and Marco, a young couple; an older woman named Susan; and two men, AJ and Jason. In an escalating accumulation of bad luck that strains credulity, the group members in turn experience extraordinary injuries, health problems, and psychological challenges during the ill-fated journey. Natalia struggles with tragic events from her past that are explained in several interspersed flashbacks. The fast-paced action described through Natalia’s anxious but practical third-person voice will initially hook readers, and for those able to suspend their disbelief, it may carry them through the novel. However, the shallow presentation, particularly of the secondary characters, may lessen the title’s appeal. Natalia and Wyatt seem to be White by default; there is ethnic diversity in the supporting cast.

A frantic and harrowing but predictable tale of group dynamics and survival. (Thriller. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews