Breakout by Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, Dhonielle Clayton, Nic Stone, Nicola Yoon, Tiffany D. Jackson
Published by Quill Tree Books on June 2, 2026
ISBN: 0063217503
Pages: 343
Genres: Mystery, Suspense
Format: Young Adult
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Torn apart by their former queen bee Keisha “Key” White’s drowning a year before, what’s left of Key’s crew, The Six – a tight-knit circle of high-powered Black youths at a prestigious DC prep school – join Gatsby-ish, enigmatic newcomer Anthony “Ant” Brooks on his dad’s yacht for a trip to the Brooks’ exclusive, near-empty resort in the Florida Keys. After Ant appears to drown under suspicious circumstances on the anniversary of Key’s death, the remaining Five find themselves slammed by back-to-back hurricanes, effectively trapped on the island with the resort’s skeleton crew – while it becomes increasingly evident a serial killer is on the loose. The stress of it all causes already frayed loose ends to unravel, and everyone sinks to their absolute worst. 

Like the sinister spring break at its center, this book gets off to a rough start. While the bulk of the book is a deliciously creepy, impossible-to-put-down thriller, the fragmented narration and out-of-touch, hyper-wealthy (and often deplorable!) characters make for a slow start. Later on, some truly cringeworthy lines leave the storytelling feeling amateurish. Agatha Christie-savvy readers may pick up on subtle clues about the first of several late-stage plot twists, but the final surprise will likely leave most readers cold. The all-star writing team, now on their third collaboration, doesn’t quite slam-dunk this dark portrait of rich kids behaving badly.

Reviewed by Emily Ender, Oxford Hills Middle School Library, South Paris