Ransom (Duncan novel)

For other novels, see Ransom (disambiguation) § Books.

Ransom (reprinted under the title Five Were Missing)^[1] is a 1966 thriller novel by Lois Duncan.^[2][3] Its plot follows a group of children who are kidnapped and held hostage on a school bus. It marked Duncan's first foray into the suspense and thriller genre, and was nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award.^[4]

Ransom

First edition cover art
Author	Lois Duncan
Language	English
Genre	Thriller young adult
Publisher	Doubleday
Pages	172
OCLC	1286149
LC Class	66013196

Plot

Marianne Paget, Bruce Kirtland, Glenn Kirtland, Jesse French, and Dexter Barton, students in Albuquerque, New Mexico, are abducted on their school bus by a gang of kidnappers. The criminals demand $15,000 ransoms for each child, which their respective parents scramble to produce. Meanwhile, the five high schoolers attempt to find a way to escape the situation themselves. The high schoolers are forced to work together to escape, and while doing so, some relationships are created, while others are destroyed.

Adaptations

Main article: Held for Ransom (2000 film)

Held for Ransom was written and directed by Lee Stanley and Nickolas Perry. Production began in 1999 and was filmed over a period of 3 weeks, releasing November 14, 2000.^[5]

Accolades

• Nominated – Edgar Award (1967)^[4]