FIVE TOTAL STRANGERS is a thrilling ride that kept me guessing. Mira is on her way to her mother's house for Christmas, flying across the country on Christmas Eve. Her seatmate is a chatty college-aged woman named Harper who seems to be very used to travel. When turbulence hits, they are somewhat shaken, arriving at the airport to find out all flights are grounded for a blizzard coming through that night. Harper says she needs to get home and offers Mira a ride along the way.

Mira declines, but then she calls her stepfather to learn that her mother is keeping secrets and as this will be the first anniversary of her twin's death, Mira is afraid that her mother will fall back into a depression. Mira feels danger in her gut but decides to go with Harper and her three friends anyway, as she really needs to get to her mother. The brunt of the book follows their journey through the blizzard, strangers, and the knowledge that one of them may be sabotaging this perilous trip.

This was quite a ride, and I found it to be an excellent page-turner. We know the suspects and get tidbits of their thoughts along the way. Mira is an intriguing character - mix of girl and adult as expected for someone who recently turned 18. The journey is dangerous for the weather and for the secrets that are being kept along the way. The other characters are an interesting and secretive mix that really set the scene so well. With the Christmas Eve setting, this is a perfect thriller for a fall read.

I was completely enthralled the whole way through, and I would definitely recommend picking this up when you have a good chunk of time to read - it is hard to put down! Highly recommend for people who like YA thrillers with some poor decisions, dangerous characters, and compelling plot. Everyone is a suspect in this captivating read that will keep the reader guessing.