From Natalie D. Richards, the New York Times bestselling author of teen suspense books, comes a pulse-pounding thriller about a group of teenagers being hunted through the woods, perfect for fans of Natasha Preston and Karen McManus. While on a mandatory hike in the woods, a flash flood cuts off Sera and three classmates from their group with no way to call for help. But they're not as alone as they thought… Someone is stalking them through the woods―drugging them, stealing their supplies, and inking words onto their skin. Damaged. Deceptive. Dangerous. Darling. Are they labels? A warning? As their hunter grows bolder, Sera must find the truth before the killer finds them. The perfect pick for buyers looking for: Mystery books for teens - Scary books for teens - Edge-of-your-seat reads Praise for Natalie D. Richards: "As addictive as it is unpredictable. Natalie will keep you second guessing until the nail-biting end."―NATASHA PRESTON, New York Times bestselling author of The Cabin on My Secret to Tell "Brimming with suspense and intrigue."―MEGAN MIRANDA, New York Times bestselling author of All the Missing Girls on My Secret to Tell Also by Natalie D. Richards: Five Total Strangers Six Months Later Gone Too Far One Was Lost We All Fall Down What You Hide Gr 9 Up—A school hiking trip turns deadly in Richards's dark, contemporary stand-alone thriller. Participation in a hike through the West Virginia woods is mandatory for graduating high school seniors. Sera's misery is compounded by Lucas, the crush she's avoided. A flash flood strands the campers and their teachers Mr. Walker and Ms. Brighton on either side of a river. The next day, Sera wakes up from a drugged sleep, discovering evidence that the campers were attacked. Mr. Walker is found unconscious, and the campers are marked on their wrists: Jude, Deceptive; Emily, Damaged; Lucas, Dangerous; and Sera, Darling. Someone is targeting them for crimes, imagined or real, and they must work together to survive the hunt. Richards delivers a solid page-turner for readers who want to keep the lights on all night. With its predatory atmosphere, this book feels like The Breakfast Club folded into a Christopher Pike novel's fight for survival. The characters' ethnicities are refreshingly inclusive. However, the plot suffers from a weakness that holds it back from rising above average. The backstory behind the attack is based on a ghostly tale that readers are never sufficiently privy to, weakening the tension and at times causing actual confusion. The attacks are quite graphic and may be unsuitable for sensitive readers. VERDICT An enticing thriller that, despite some defects, remains a general purchase recommendation.—Jessica Bushore, formerly at Shelf Awareness, Xenia, OH " If you enjoy fast paced thrillers with a plot line you can really get lost in, then definitely pick up One Was Lost by Natalie D. Richards! It comes out in October, just in time for Halloween, so mark it on your calendar and prepare to get lost!" ― Under the Book Cover Natalie D. Richards writes books that will keep you up way past your bedtime. She lives with her family in Columbus, Ohio and when she’s not writing or reading, you can probably find her wrangling Wookiee, her enormous dustmop of a dog. Visit her on Instagram @natdrichards or at nataliedrichards.com.