I love this book – I probably shouldn’t love this book as much as I do, but I don’t care. Does it have something to do with when I first read it, and the type of books that have always intrigued me? Probably – still don’t care. I am going to age myself, but this book came out when I was 10 and that was the first time I read it (which I definitely was not old enough to read this book at that time), but it made a huge impact on me. I have read this book every few years since, and I am happy I now have it digitally so I can read it whenever I want.
This book is a mirror to the early 2000’s fascination with reality tv, as well commentary about the increase in instant gratification that came with the internet. While reading this book now, it might not seem as jarring/as shocking that the characters are glued to the TV/computer throughout this book, it was a much bigger deal when the book came out (from what I remember). This book is a combination murder mystery, Survivor TV show, governmental take-down, internet obsession conglomeration, and boy is it addictive. This book has twists and turns, and while I know how it ends, it is one of those books that I pick up again and again, just because the thrill of reading it is worth it to spend the few hours it takes to read.
Jim Brown is a former news anchor and he takes the knowledge he has of reporting the news and puts it to good use with this book. It has such an addictive quality, and you root for the characters while always being on guard that someone you care about is actually the murderer. The book switches between views of a few different characters, and always at the times where you least want it, which makes it impossible to put down. I highly recommend this book, with the caveat it was written 20 some years ago and the world is different now. But the fundamentals of this book still ring true – the psychology and human nature that are being commented and analyzed have not changed, and that should be unsettling to all who read this. This is worth your time.
Final Rating: 8.5/10
Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3106364-24-7