When a Portland, Oregon, mall is attacked by multiple armed shooters, six teenagers end up hiding behind a store's security shutter, and 17-year old Miranda, addicted to Oxy, finds herself their unlikely leader. Henry's vivid portrayal of the all-too-relevant issue of active shooters will have many readers riveted d sadly doubles as relevant training for possible steps to take to survive a shooting incident. Although character development is somewhat limited, with members of the large cast being primarily defined by their ethnicity, religion, substance abuse, or other "issue," the swift pacing and short chapters (which supply a minute-by-minute chronology) create a breathless, suspenseful read. As the disparate group of teens struggles to evade, escape, and subdue the killers, bonds are formed. It is both believable and heartwarming to see characters move beyond prejudice in order to aid one another. A map of the mall precedes the text, providing context for the very specific action. The title alone will grab readers, and the content feels chillingly real.

Six teens desperately try to survive a mass shooting and hostage situation.When shots ring out through the food court of a mall in Portland, Oregon, Miranda Nash has just shoplifted some mascaras to pay her Oxy dealer; undocumented Mexican immigrant Javier Ramirez and Somali-American hijabi Amina Omar (the only two main characters who are people of color) are at work; Parker Gray is reluctantly babysitting his 7-year-old sister, Moxie; Grace Busby is with her mom, who is secretly taking her to Mexico for alternative cancer treatment in contravention of a court order; and Cole Bond is a bystander. When the shooting begins, Parker races off to find Moxie while the others hide in the store where Amina works. Grace's mother has been killed and Javier was also shot. Now hostages, the teens struggle to stay calm as Javier bleeds out. Suspicion briefly and unfortunately rests on Amina because she is Muslim, and Cole and Grace share conspiracy theories. Parker's desperate search for his sister ratchets up the tension. As time advances, the captives seek ways to fight the hostage takers—but, as promised at the beginning of the novel, not all will survive. One plot twist is fairly well-telegraphed, and positioning Miranda and Parker as the main narrators, while Javier and, particularly, Amina remain underdeveloped characters, is a missed opportunity. Readers who aren't triggered by this novel will find it a readable thriller. (Thriller. 14-18)