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From School Library Journal

August 1, 2022

Gr 9 Up-Ten teen influencers are invited on an all-expenses paid trip to Unknown Island, a new, exclusive resort generating social media buzz for its air of mystery and curated guest list. Anticipating a week of poolside luxury, the group-which includes an environmental activist, a start-up CEO, a gamer, a TikTok dancer, a beauty vlogger, and a chef, among others-arrives to find no staff, no internet connectivity, and rustic accommodations unlike the glossy promotional images. Feeling as though they have little in common in terms of interests or follower counts, each member of the group wonders why the others were invited. At the first breakfast on the island, they each receive letters accusing them of being murderers. Then, trans beauty vlogger Chelsea Quinn dies of an apparent poisoning and Unknown Island's feed is updated with a sinister caption that foreshadows additional deaths. As the teens scramble to identify the killer in their midst and seek ways to escape the island, they are picked off one by one. While references to current social media platforms and celebrities will date the book quickly, the And Then There Were None-inspired thriller nevertheless offers a fun, atmospheric murder mystery with a hook that will appeal to reluctant readers. The group is somewhat racially diverse, and point of view characters are easily differentiated in their narration, although character development is otherwise limited and superficial. VERDICT A summery, social media-focused murder mystery with light gore, perfect for fans of the "#MurderTrending" series or the work of Karen M. McManus.-Elizabeth Giles

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From Publisher's Weekly

June 27, 2022
Ten teen social media influencers are invited on a tropical island getaway that turns deadly in Williams’s (Spells Like Teen Spirit) captivating murder mystery, a retelling of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None that recalls the real-life Fyre Festival. In exchange for free advertising, 10 social media influencers—dubbed the First Ten—are invited on an all-expenses-paid, weeklong vacation to Unknown Island, an ultra-exclusive tropical resort. The group, which includes a pro gamer, a transgender model, a young politician, and others, is excited for the opportunity to grow their respective followings. But upon arriving, they find the un-air-conditioned accommodations unfinished and not a single island employee. Instead, an envelope left for each of them reveals they’ve been invited to Unknown Island because they’re all murderers. With no Wi-Fi and no conceivable means of rescue, their vacation is plagued by fear as distrust brews among them. And when someone winds up dead, their plans for escape turn into a struggle for survival. Via an ominous third-person perspective, Williams literalizes social media’s sometimes suffocating omnipresence, blending it with frightening thrills to cultivate an atmosphere steeped in dread. Ages 14–up. Agent: Kerry Sparks, Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary.

From Booklist

May 1, 2022
Grades 9-12 The influencer scene is on deck in this mystery-laden thriller that places a group of 10 young social media creators on Unknown Island, an invite-only, 21-and-under resort. Among this competitive group is a strong and dedicated female CEO, an energetic video gamer, a football player who found his true calling through creating viral dance videos, a transgender model, and a rich and pretty TikToker. The problem is, all of these bright young things harbor secrets, and it turns out this free vacation comes with sinister strings attached. When the vacationers arrive, they realize they are stranded in a hotel with no staff, no Wi-Fi connection, and nothing to eat but unhealthy snacks. What follows is a twisted and twisting lesson in the consequences of being overly hungry for fame. Gory moments intersperse this Christie-esque study of the dark side of social media, and readers will find themselves wondering if any of the characters will survive. Highly recommended for fans of horror, suspense, and narratives that get the brain spinning.

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From Kirkus

April 1, 2022
Ten young influencers go on an all-expenses-paid tropical vacation. Will any of them return alive? Unknown Island, an invitation-only luxury resort where everything is free and the philanthropic owner wishes to remain anonymous, is trending on social media. The carefully curated inaugural group, which includes some racial diversity, is made up of a feminist CEO, a famous video gamer, a football player-turned-dance influencer, a transgender model, a Princeton undergraduate elected to local office, a restaurateur with a YouTube following, a TikTok-famous beauty, a rich party girl, an environmentalist, and a drug-dealing DJ. None of them are over the age of 20. Ambitions run high as they approach the island, each hoping to grow their following and monetize the resulting fame with this single activation. Hope quickly turns to fear and anger, though, as they find themselves stranded at a less-than-luxurious motel with no staff, little to eat except junk food, and no Wi-Fi to contact the outside world. They soon discover that it wasn't their influencer status that got them invited but their deepest, darkest secrets. In a modern retelling of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, with nods to the infamous Fyre Festival, the unexpected twists and nonstop tension will keep readers grasping for explanations. Mildly graphic scenes add to the horror, while the finale is as surprising as it is frightening in its plausibility. Social media has never been this scary. (Thriller. 14-18)

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