31 Reads of Terror: 'The School Trip' by Miranda Smith

I stumbled upon a ten-cent paperback of The School Trip nestled inside a dusty cardboard box at my local thrift store. The name on the cover, Miranda Smith-I, rang a bell. I’d seen her mentioned in countless Kindle sales, yet I’d never ventured into her world of words. Why, you ask? Well, her covers and titles seemed to blend into the mysterious crowd, nothing beckoning me to pick them up. But on a whim, fueled by curiosity, I decided to give The School Trip a shot.

As the pages turned, I found myself wading into a plot that would chill the marrow of any parent’s bones—though, to be fair, I don’t have kids—none that I know of, anyway (just a little dark humor to lighten the mood). This story is every parent’s worst nightmare, a terrifying tale that feels ripped from the headlines and thrust into reality.

Picture this: it’s a crisp October day, the kind that wraps around you like a cozy blanket. A class of six-year-olds, snug in their coats and gloves, flit about a local farm, their laughter ringing out as they pet the animals and hunt for perfect Halloween pumpkins. Among them is Claire, a bright little spark racing off with her friends, the pink ribbon in her hair dancing like a flag in the breeze. Watching her, a mother exhales a sigh of relief. Life has been a daunting challenge since her husband passed away, and her sweet girl deserves every moment of happiness she can get.

But as dusk descends and the teachers begin gathering the children, Claire is nowhere to be found.

Panic erupts like a storm as they call the police and scour the fields and playgrounds, the mother’s heart shattering piece by piece as she cries out for her daughter. And just when despair threatens to consume her, a detective appears, leading Claire back—skipping, giggling, hand in hand with an adult in a bulky coat, their face obscured by a cap pulled low.

The mother’s blood turns to ice. Claire would never leave with a stranger. Is the person with her a friend or a shadow from her past—someone harboring unknown ill will? The questions twist like vines around her thoughts. Who would want to punish this innocent child? Is it connected to the haunting night she desperately tries to forget—the night her husband died? Could her own secrets and mistakes put her little girl in peril? Can she find the courage to confront the ghosts of her past, or will the truth unravel all that she holds dear?

Miranda Smith’s prose weaves through suspense with the finesse I often enjoy in the works of Freida McFadden. Weaving clichéd yet gripping thrillers, McFadden has earned a special place in my guilty pleasure collection—don’t judge! However, with The School Trip, Smith seems to elevate that familiar tone, crafting a narrative that’s more intricate than a simple checklist of twists and turns. The plotting here felt far superior; perhaps it’s the only work I’ve read by her, but it left me intrigued.

I found myself quite taken by The School Trip. It’s an engaging thriller, its intensity palpable, with a premise that felt chillingly realistic and a few unexpected twists that kept me on my toes. My only minor quibble? The descriptions. I wished they had more color; a few more brushstrokes of vivid imagery would have painted the scenes more vibrantly. The dialogue does take center stage, and while it’s sharp and engaging, I always find myself longing for those enchanting descriptions that linger in the mind. Still, I accepted the book for what it is and moved on.

In the end, The School Trip is a worthwhile read, one that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. So, if you come across it on a bookstore shelf, grab it—you never know what thrills await in the pages. ╌★★★★✰

〜B.J. Burgess