and then there were no influencers
Ten influencers, one month, one Caribbean island. The premise is a reality show, where ten well-known young influencers will come together in one house on an otherwise deserted island. They have no phones. There is no way to contact them. They are getting away from their usual streams (although many have scheduled posts to keep their followers hungry), to take a breath and film a show called “In Real Life.” The show will bump up everyone’s followers.
Unless they get cancelled.
The influencers are brought to the island in boats, 5 in each boat. So they don’t realize until they get to the island who all is there. There are the 3 founders of the popular Bounce House, Zane, Graham, and McKayleigh. Then there is Logan, a woman with a comedic streak who had been a part of Bounce House and then fired. There is Kira, a fitness influencer who was on a dance reality show as a kid with McKayleigh, and had been mercilessly bullied by her. There is a gamer, a documentarian, a disgraced child star, a woman known for her stunning beauty, and a prankster.
The boats head back out, with a promise to be back the next day with producers and crew, so the ten are on their own for their first night. The kitchen is stocked with food and alcohol, and they settle in to have a good first night. But hurt feelings, unrequited crushes, and old resentments start to bubble up almost immediately, offering up that drama that fuels reality shows. The house is stocked with cameras in every room, and the influencers are ready.
But the next morning, the boats don’t show up. There are no producers or crew. There are no boats. The one cell phone that had been left behind in case of emergencies is missing. And one of the influencers lies dead on the concrete around the pool.
As the influencers try to figure out what’s going on, they realize how much trouble they are in. There is no way off the island except to swim fifteen miles, and as time goes by, secrets come out. Then another influencer ends up dead. And another. No one knows who to trust. No one knows who is next. All they can do is try to survive. Otherwise, all ten of the little influencers will get canceled.
People to Follow is a fun, feisty, modern take on the classic Agatha Christie And Then There Were None. The idea of a reality show for social media influencers means there is instant drama, and the stakes just go up from there.
The thing about this book is that none of these characters are particularly likeable. There are some that are less offensive, certainly, but I had a hard time feeling bad for any of them. They chose their own paths, and they decided to do the reality show. But don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying I disliked the book because of that. I liked the book—no, loved the book—because of that. As these people went down one by one, I didn’t have to feel bad in any way. I could just sit back with my popcorn and watch the drama play out, because when a bunch of bad people try to take each other down, it makes for great entertainment. And this book is great entertainment! Read it when you’re between seasons of Big Brother of Real Housewives, and you won’t be disappointed.
Egalleys for People to Follow were provided by Wednesday Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.
