Four Found Dead by Natalie D. Richards is a YA mystery/thriller in which a group of teenagers gets stuck in a mall with their psycho manager.

The story felt a little raw to me, like it wasn't properly edited. It felt repetitive at times and slow paced even tho I tore through the book quite quickly. I didn't like Jo, the main character. If she spoke up a few times, most deaths could be avoided but for some reason she kept her mouth shut. To be honest, I did not care for any of the characters and knowing that 4 of them die, I could care less who survived.

I did enjoy the setting, one night in a dilapidated mall ready to be torn apart - it's always fun to see how much can go wrong one night (in books!). I also felt like it was anxiety inducing at times. I wanted to get out so bad out of that mall and take a breathe of fresh air,.

Overall, this was a 3 star read for me, I loved the overall idea but felt like the execution wasn't for me.

Thank you Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Some secrets can be deadly.

Fast paced, and delightfully suspenseful, Four Found Dead follows the final closing crew of a now permanently closed movie theater as the secrets they've kept start coming out.

I really enjoyed how well each of the characters were written, even the the one I wasn't supposed too, because they were all so believably put together.

Was the ending a bit predictable if you put together the hints revealed throught the story? Yes; however, I could not put the book down, and read it in one sitting. This will definitely be a go to recommendation for readers looking for a new YA thriller.

Thank you Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS fire for the ARC!

Four friends have stolen aboard the Titanic. They're after the Rubaiyat - a book inlaid with priceless jewels. Josefa is a charismatic thief, Hinnah a daring acrobat, Violet an outstanding actress and Emilie a talented artist.

It is Josefa's plan, but she needs all of their skills. Despite their very different backgrounds, in a world of first-class passengers and suspicious crew members, the girls must work together to pull off the heist of their lives.

This book was fast paced and gripping. I was able to read it in a few hours as I needed to know how it would end. I initially went into this thinking it was going to be a YA mystery but it was a YA thriller. However, there were mystery aspects of the book that tied in with the plot and ending. I really enjoyed all the characters and their interactions with each other, especially Jo as she was calm and confident in a bad situation .

The only reason that this book is not a five star read from me is because the ending was a little predictable, when putting together all the pieces. Overall, this was quick and easy read, and if you're looking for a YA thriller this is the perfect book for you.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this e-Arc!.

Did I love this book, no not quite. However, I did like it and it was a quick and easy read. I don't necessarily think that this is a bad book but unfortunately I read far too many thrillers and suspense novels to be surprised by the endings. The twist, wasn't really a twist as I felt it was pretty obvious what was going on but again this could be just me and I may have become rather jaded about suspense novels. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Source Books Fire for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.

This is my third novel from Natalie D. Richards but Four Found Dead is probably my least favorite. "It" all seemed to start up out of nowhere with very little motive. The writing was very repetitive and the ending sad with no surprise where I think it was intended to be one. This didn't turn me off from future books of Natalie D. Richards but this book seemed like low effort.

Thank you yo the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my opinion..

Jo and her six coworkers have the final shift at Riverview Theaters before they close their doors forever. Their manager, Clay, is acting strangely, and when the power goes out and with their phones locked away, the situation becomes deadly when Jo discovers one of her co-workers is dead.

I enjoyed this book and the non-stop action and suspense. I kept trying to guess what was going to happen and who else may have been "in" on it, but I was wrong until the very end. The setting of an abandoned mall really ramped up the tension, although I do think that there were too many scenes and descriptions of them running around the mall from store to store. Those parts felt a little repetitive.

Our main character, Jo, had trauma from an event that happened to her as a child, and I liked that representation. She found her inner strength, even when she doubted herself. I liked the other characters as well. This wasn't really a character-driven book (except for Jo), but we got enough information about each of our main characters so that we, as the reader, wanted to make sure these teens made it out alive.

There was a cute romance that I didn't see coming at first, and it worked well within the story.

3.5 stars

Four Found Dead hooked me in from the first page and didn't let me go until the very end. I didn't want to put the book down and I found myself reading it any chance I had. The premise of the book was very intriguing to me and I found myself picturing the book happening in the dying mall in my town. I liked how the suspense came from knowing that four people were going to die but not knowing which four until the very end. I also thoroughly enjoyed the short news articles after most of the chapters. I can easily see this being a must read for every thriller lover in 2023!

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC!

This is a perfect book to binge read.
I love books that take place in one setting, it made me keep guessing what was going to happen, there was also a bit of romance, which i easily saw, but i did not expect the ending. It made me more curious about the characters and since the end i wonder how they will deal with what happened that night for the rest of their lifes.

favourite quotes-

-"Death is absolute.Its always accepted in the end, because there arent any other options on the table."

-" ive never seen Naomi afraid like this. And ive defenitly never seen her lie. Then again, ive never seen Quincy so calculating. Or Summer so silent. When you brush this close to death, the trauma messes with you."

- "It’s easier to talk about my father’s death with people who don’t understand. There are polite ways to talk about it. You use words like lost or passed because dead and died make people squirm. They’ll inevitably tell you they’re sorry, and then you’ll assure them that it’s been a long time or he didn't suffer or whatever other bullshit line works. You can always find a line that will hit the brakes on the whole topic. People who haven’t lost anyone are happy to pretend death doesn't exist at all."

- "The would have, could have game isnt going to help any of you."

Four Found Dead is a peek into the lives of several teenagers as they close down the movie-theater in which they all work, one final time before the Mall that they're located in shuts down. This routinely mundane night turns dangerous, when someone starts killing them one by one.

I've noticed a theme lately in YA Thrillers, in which the title hints at how many people you're going to end up with left, that kind of pushes you to keep guessing who's next. (See: Five Survive). I enjoy a book with a lot of characters, especially when you don't know which ones you can trust. I also like a story that unfolds in one night. You don't have to get overly attached to any characters, and you're able to kind of just ride the thrills as they come.

As far as this story goes- without trying to spoil anything, I didn't love that you kinda know who the killer is from the very beginning...so you aren't really surprised much throughout. The mall was a good setting, but the way it was described with the water and the bridges, etc- made it really hard to picture in my mind. And the characters themselves, I didn't really love. There wasn't one in particular that I was rooting for and I didn't really care which ones made it on in the end...

As far as it being YA- it felt fairly appropriate for that genre, and the thrills aren't too much that your teens will be too freaked out. I will look for more from this author- as like I said, the premise was a good one and her writing was interesting enough that I actually binge read this one in a couple of sittings.

I adore creepy novels... this wasn't super creepy, more psychological and more a mystery about the why behind the crimes than anything. You know pretty quickly the who so that I think took some of the suspense out of the story and it was glaringly obvious (to me at least) some of what else was going on.

That said, it was a fun romp through a crazy, hazardous mall with co-workers!

Thanks for the early copy!

This was my first ever thriller read and it was definitely a great one to start with! My heart was racing the whole time and I binged it so fast that if I had the ability to stay up late like I used to I would have finished it in one go. I really had a morbidly great time!

The story takes place in a movie theater and a mall. I found the setting to be really interesting as it would be incredibly difficult to hide in a movie theater. As well, the fact that everything was under construction and all the exits were barred just added to the fear factor (like who in their right mind does this?)

I really enjoyed the 'in between' chapters with vague newspaper articles and a mysterious narrator. The fact that we were told immediately that four die only increased my worry. I loved how it all played out in the end though and am so glad I read this.

While I am interested in the horror genre, I find humans tend to be ten times more frightening than monsters because while monsters have zero emotions, humans do. The fact that a human can hurt another and not feel remorse (or even still) is terrifying.

I highly recommend this for anyone craving a fast paced, binge-worthy read!

** SPOILERS SECTION **

While I was really sad about Lexi's death, it was Hannah's that I found truly sad. She seemed like such a fun and interesting character that I would have loved to get to know her more. I'm glad she was furious enough about Clayton messing with Summer to chase him. I just wish she could have finished it.

Summer's character was really sad because looking back now, you can tell that her relationship with Clayton was an abusive one. The end, when he punched her right where the bullet was, killed me. I hate that she died.

I do feel like the ending was sudden. I would have liked seeing everyone get free, how they handled their sudden freedom, and the police finding them.

Somethings did irritate me in this book. Like for one, I think Jo should have warned everyone about Clayton as soon as she got a feeling that something wasn't right. Even if no one listened, at least she would have tried because there was still plenty of time for them to take the keys and leave at that point.

Also, there was a really weird and awkward moment where it felt like the author just wanted everyone to know that she was a feminist, but her comment didn't even make much sense:
Naomi: "So they literally nailed us into this damn hellhole?. . .I can't with you men."
Quincy: "Couldn't there be women on the crew?"
Naomi: "No woman is nailing an emergency exit closed, I promise you that."

Firstly, how can she promise that when there are billions of women on this planet and its impossible to know every single one? Secondly, every single human has varying degrees of logic based intelligence. Some (both men and women) have basically none while others (both men and women) have a lot. Thirdly, what did this even have to do with gender in the first place? You guys are running for your lives but it is somehow necessary to make an illogical 'feminist' comment?

I won't lie, I thought for the longest time that it was Hudson and Clayton who had been sneaking around together and Ava just assumed it was a girl. It was a big shock to find that wasn't true but I am relieved because Hudson and Jo are so good together.

Lastly, if they would have just stuck with Summer and went into the arcade Quincy wouldn't have gotten hurt and Summer wouldn't have died. Also, they could have pulled the alarm before Clayton knew what they were even doing.

** END SPOILERS **

I really enjoyed this book and would gladly read more from this author.

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Fire for approving me for this ARC!

First ebook and first ARC of 2023 done! ✔️

FOUR FOUND DEAD follows the horrific night where eight movie theater workers are trapped inside the defunct mall the movie theater is attached to. The book is a cat and mouse YA Thriller that leaves you on the edge of your seat.

WHAT I LIKED:
- I could not put this book down. It keeps your attention throughout and has great pacing.
- I legitimately felt anxious reading this book. The author does very well at painting a picture in reader's minds.

WHAT I DIDNT:
- The beginning is a bit rough. It feels repetitive at times, such as Jo repeating that she sees another character with a gun. It didn't need to be mentioned multiple times, so I think the beginning could have used a bit more editing.
- I hate when they throw in the whole "I've always liked/loved you" confession. Not every story needs a romance involved.

Overall it was a solid YA Thriller. I admit that it was predictable, and the killer is apparent from the beginning, but sometimes an easy read is what you need. The book didn't try to be smarter than it was by throwing crazy twists in it, but it was still very enjoyable.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book had me gasping, almost going into cardiac arrest at least 8 times and sobbing my eyes out. It's been ages since a YA thriller book has actually made me feel scared because they always seem to tone it down for the audience, but I was literally terrified for over 75% of this book.

I'll start with why this book didn't receive 5 stars. Character development for all the characters was lacking a bit, particularly Clayton. After what he did, it would have been nice to see why he actually chose the path he chose, and how he reached the decision to lash out. He could have made for a really complex and interesting storyline, but it never really flourished into the thing that would have elevated this book to another level.

The thing I loved most about this book was the setting. The setting lent itself really well to the tension of the book, and it was super clever of the author to incorporate the idea of the building being boarded up for demolition into the reason the characters couldn't get out. I also really appreciated the initial tension created by the theatre itself after the first body was found.

Jo was a surprisingly good MC. She was strong but not in an obnoxious way, she wasn't overly heroic or 'I'm not like the other girls'. She was logical, with a well-founded motivation and backstory and I really admired the way the author used her as a way of keeping the story grounded and not too over-the-top that the thriller part of it lost its effect.

I also really appreciated the complex character relationships and personalities. Having Quincy and Jo being the logical planners while Naomi and Hudson were more intent on confronting Clayton was a really interesting dynamic. Even though the others weren't a huge part of the story, their personalities tied in really well with the main circle of characters and the plot as a whole.

The ending was definitely a bit of a surprise because I definitely didn't expect the finish to come at the hands of the characters it did, but it was actually really nice to see all the characters get a relatively similar amount of 'screen time' and for each of them to have an impact.

Overall, I was super impressed with this book! It made me feel really strong emotions and had a great cast of characters and a fantastic setting, but lacked a little character development for everyone except Jo.

Thank you Netgalley & SOURCEBOOKS Fire for an eARC of Four Found Dead by Natalie D. Richards in exchange for an honest review!

3.5⭐️

This was a fast-paced read. The idea of the storyline intrigued me, but reading it reminded me a lot of other YA tropes. This made it somewhat predictable. I was waiting for a major storyline twist or a motive, but neither happened. The motivation seemed a little clichéd and unconvincing to me. It felt so cliché to snap in such a random and ironic manner.

Clayton, the book's antagonist, was the issue of one of my comments. Despite being immediately recognized as the bad guy, he never receives a convincing reason  that would explain why he acts the way he does. There was no inkling of what awful secrets he might have been keeping.

Even after everything, I enjoyed the writing style and the protagonist Jo. She was brave and acted confidently despite her past experiences despite being in a scary circumstance.

Four Found Dead is the latest YA thriller by Natalie D. Richards and focuses on the last night of the Riverside Theatres in the soon to be redeveloped defunct mall. While Jo and her six coworkers finish their final shift at the theatres, what was once routine tasks quickly turn into a nightmare. A stranger arrives and the tension from that leads to a downward spiral of a power outage and the discovery of one of the crew members' dead body. Clayton, their moody and creepy manager has the doors’ locked and is acting strangely and is more hostile than usual. With their keys and phones locked up in the safe, as well as all the entrance doors locked, the group's only chance of survival is to escape via the entrance to the shuttered, boarded up mall. However, many places in the mall have hazardous items, with inaccessible exits and inoperative alarms which is hard to navigate in the darkness, especially with a killer on the loose. In order to survive they must trust and work together so they can navigate through this nightmare of a ruined mall and live to see another day without being killed.

What I liked about this book:
-I absolutely love, love loved the setting of a defunct, crumbling mall and Richard’s rich description of the place words transplanted there
-the start of the book instantly peaked my interest and I loved the tensioned filled chapters
-the sense of dread and the hopelessness the characters felt at times
-the locked room scenario
- the twists and turns and fast paced action
-the protagonists Jo and Hudson

What I didn’t like about the book:
-lack of character development of the other characters particularly Clayton, I would have liked to see more backstory and motivation for his actions

My rating: 4 ½ stars out of 5

Trigger warnings: PTSD, violence and gore, inappropriate relationships with minor, gun violence

My final takeaway : I loved this YA thriller from the start of reading the intriguing premise and first words. I’d highly recommend this book to fans of locked room, tension filled novels. My only complaint is that I would have loved to see more character development for the secondary characters and for that reason I knocked ½ a star off my rating.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this eARC.

I liked the idea of this book and it really tried to give us a scary and murderous adventure through a mall but for me it didn't really work. The characters felt quite one-dimensional and I even forgot the name of some characters thorough the book. We knew who the killer was from the very beginning and we know they're dangerous but we only get their backstory at the end which still felt lackluster. I get that the title gives away not everyone will survive but I still wish we got more character development to feel attach to the characters dying. I didn't even feel anything for the characters surviving the story. The love stories between some of the characters were just not necessary. The pieces of hints put thorough the book were a good idea and once you put them together they make sense. I give this book 3 stars out of 5 because even from the lack of character development, the deaths gave me goosebumps which is a good thing for a thriller book.

I really wanted to enjoy this book. It seemed to promise high tension and a creepy, adrenaline-rushing plot, but it just didn’t deliver. I liked the premise a lot, but that’s all it ended up feeling like - a premise played out over a couple hundred pages but never really developed. It didn’t feel like there was anything behind the initial idea. From the characters - about whom there was nothing significant to learn - to the danger - of which there felt relatively little, this entire book left me feeling unconvinced. Even our protagonist, Jo’s, past trauma doesn’t come to anything beyond the same allusions used in the same way over and over. Her arc is very shallow and basic and seems more obligatory than something a lot of heart went into. Repetition was a big issue for this book, from the prose to the action beats. After a while, it felt like the same things were happening over and over again with no real payoff or consequence, and paired with the complete lack of atmosphere, that caused the story to drag.

One of my first criticisms of the book was about the book’s antagonist, Clayton. He was immediately identified as the villain, but we’re never given any real explanation or characterization that tells us why he’s the way that he is or doing the things he’s doing. There is nothing sinister about him. No indication that evil was already lurking beneath the surface or hints at what dark secrets he may have been hiding. He’s the veritable boogeyman in the dark but is never fleshed out beyond that. He carries no sense of dread for the reader, and quite frankly, I struggled to care about anything he did or be scared of him. His storyline nothing sinister about his character. I was left feeling unconvinced. His storyline was nothing but loose ends either left dangling, never to be referenced again, or to be hastily and shoddily tied at the book’s conclusions. He was simply the villain for the sake of the book having a villain. Again, I remain unconvinced.

In short, this book should not have been boring and flat, but it was. It was a great idea, and I was very excited to read it. I just with it had been developed with more depth. Overall, I would rate this book 2.75 stars.

I was expecting more tension from this book. It seemed that maybe there would be a twist with the killer but that never panned out like it looked like it was leading to. I did enjoy it and wanted to get to the end to find out everything! I wish that the mall parts had more suspense.

I wasn’t sure I would like it by the description seemed a little to much lol but I ended up really liking it was nerves well reading and I love that 😂