A refreshing take on “And Then There Were None.” A group of influencers on a remote island, all with something to hide. When their mysterious sponsor begins sending them messages and puts their deepest, darkest secrets they think that’s as bad as it will get. And then they find the first dead body.

Cut off from the mainland & without phones, the group must play the sponsors game or suffer the consequences.

This book had a lot to say about influencer culture and the damaging effect it has, not only on the impressionable people watching, but on the influencers themselves. Lots of twists and turns which were well executed.

Set on a remote private island, “People to Follow” stars ten teen influencer on a new concept reality show, In Real Life (IRL). IRL ask all contestants to fully unplug for three weeks during their time on the show with no contact to the outside world. What starts out as an idyllic island getaway and an opportunity to make a new name for themselves, quickly turns into a nightmare as a dead body appears and a mysterious sponsor threatens to expose dark secrets.

Worley’s mystery follows five of the ten contestants on the IRL game show in a rotating 1st person format. The novel picks up quickly and never stops. Each chapter from a new character’s perspective allows the reader to dive into the minds of the teen influencers and they seek to figure out what exactly is going on on this island before it’s too late and they themselves are canceled. 4/5 stars for a fun read, an interesting concept, and a great setting.

When a group of influencers arrive on a secluded island to film a reality tv show they're cut-off from society and forced to unplug, the premise being play the game or risk be cancelled for good. They must work together to figure out who's pulling the strings but that's easier said than done when everyone is harboring secrets, who can you really trust?

From page one the author drops you into a very modern take on a classic locked room mystery storyline. There were multiple narrators but I found it fairly easy to differentiate each influencer by niche and individual voice. The characters were flawed and overall semi unlikeable at times but it worked really well with the storyline.

I think that this book will resonate very well with its intended audience, I would absolutely recommend this to someone who enjoys a twisty suspense filled YA Mystery Thriller.

Thank you Olivia Worley, Net Galley and St. Martin's Press - Wednesday Books for providing me with and ARC of this book.

It’s a modern day Agatha Christie tale. Ten guilty souls brought to an island to reckon with their misdeeds. Picked of one by one until there were none. Except not exactly. This novel was fast paced, I thought the characters were distinct and well enough developed. I may be slightly outside the target demographic For this story but I would recommend it to any teen or new adult reader who loves a good page turning “whodunit.”

I didnt know how I was going to feel about this book when i started reading it but I kept coming back to it , it just had me hooked! it had Drama, and Murder !

In Olivia Worley's debut novel, "People to Follow," she skillfully combines the allure of reality TV with a suspenseful murder mystery, creating a gripping and addictive story that explores the dark side of social media's influence.

The premise of the book takes us to a remote Caribbean island where ten influential teenagers come together to star in the hottest new reality show, "In Real Life." These rising stars, with their large followings and carefully curated online personas, are eager to seize the opportunity of a lifetime. However, their dreams quickly turn into a nightmarish ordeal when the production crew fails to show up, and one of their own is tragically found dead.

Worley has crafted a cast of characters that both embody and challenge the archetypes prevalent in the world of social media. From Elody, the impulsive Instagram model, to Kira, the former child star-turned-fitness influencer, each character brings their own unique perspective and baggage to the story. As the narrative unfolds, tensions rise among the group as they find themselves stranded with a corpse and no means of contacting the outside world.

What sets "People to Follow" apart is the additional layer of mystery introduced by the enigmatic Sponsor who starts sending threatening messages, promising to expose their darkest secrets. The realization that the influencers have been lured into a dangerous game where one of them might be pulling the strings adds an intriguing dynamic to the story. Worley's writing effectively maintains a feeling of constant suspense, leaving readers guessing as to who can be trusted and who is orchestrating their downfall.

The pacing of the book is well-executed, with the body count steadily rising, and the cameras capturing the creators' every move. The inclusion of social media elements, such as hashtags and followers, adds authenticity to the narrative and serves as a reminder of the high stakes involved in their pursuit of fame.

While the book dives into the dark underbelly of the social media world and touches on themes of identity, fame, and the consequences of our online actions, it does not shy away from delivering an entertaining and thrilling experience. The author's attention to detail and ability to keep readers on the edge of their seats make "People to Follow" an engrossing read from start to finish.

Olivia Worley's "People to Follow" is a compelling debut that successfully merges the toxic allure of social media with a suspenseful murder mystery. Fans of fast-paced thrillers with a contemporary twist will find themselves captivated by the book's engaging plot and well-developed characters.

A group of 10 influencers arrive on a secluded island to film a reality tv show with the promise of a break from the constant pressure of social media. Suspicious things begin to happen on the island, and they start to see the fellow influencers die one by one (And Then There Were None vibes, anyone??).

The story is told from multiple points of view, and it follows 10 different characters. At times, I found it hard to follow each character’s storyline.

I appreciated that the pace kept the book suspenseful from start to end.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars rounded down

A whodunnit in the vein of the iconic 'And Then There Were None' with a social media twist. Multiple first person POVs help keep the mystery alive, but at the cost of suspending our disbelief. Unreliable narrators galore, as to be expected, with mostly positive results.

Also all unlikable characters, babe.

A remote Caribbean island. Ten influencers. Ten Secrets. One dead body.

Got my interest!

Debut author Olivia Worely explores what happens when those hungry for fame and fortune realize that (1) the price of being ‘canceled’ could be their lives and (2) they are expected to ‘live’ without social media and completely unplug.

Ten influencers willing to unplug for THREE weeks come to a remote island … I could stop here and it would still be a great book. Imagine what life for them would be like with nobody to ‘watch’ them and nothing worth scrambling to the top for!!! Just watching them know what to do with themselves without their phones would be fun to watch. But, I digress. And show my age! They come to this island to star in a reality show, “In Real Life,” and one of them ends up dead. The realization that they’ve got no way to communicate with the outside world ramps up the tension and adds fuel to the pacing. Who really is the reigning king? Is it one of them? They desperately try to uncover the identity of the one who’s cancelling them. Will their #1 follower strike again?

I quickly discovered that I’m, like, too old for this book, babe. 😅

While there was too much drama and too many characters with not enough differentiation between them FOR ME, I was ultimately entertained. Isn’t that the purpose?!

I know that with direction, this author will appeal to younger social media influencers and will undoubtedly be successful as a writer.

I was gifted this copy by St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

10 Influencers arrive on a remote island to film a new reality show. When things take a darker turn and secrets of revealed, it's only a matter of time until someone ends up cancelled for real.

***

*3.5 stars* rounded down

I thought this was a really great YA read for a debut author! The beginning had me hooked, and I was dying for all of the dirt to be exposed on these influencers.

One thing that irked me was the behavior of these teens and young adults when things started to go south. They all definitely would have been more freaked out from the get-go. And while the end was satisfying, there was a lot of deus ex machina thrown in there.

But not is all that actually appears, and I think the twists were done well. All in all, a great beach read, and a debut author that's worth a chance! Definitely one to watch.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would describe this book as Pretty Little Liars meets The Most Dangerous Game meets something totally new and different! Although some aspects might’ve seemed far fetched, I don’t care; this one was FUN! Pub date is 10/31/23, and I will definitely be getting a physical copy for my classroom to recommend to my students. Fast paced, binge-able, and all the characters have very distinct personalities which makes the multiple POV storyline easy to follow. Bravo to Olivia Worley for this debut novel!

People to Follow is a classic locked room mystery. Very modern take on the classic Agatha Christie And Then There Were None. I adore locked room mysteries and anything set on an island. This version is focused on a group of young adults who are influencers: fitness guru, gamer, designer, etc.. Unfortunately this didn’t really have anything that set it apart from the other recent versions of this classic. This is at least the 5th book like this I’ve read in the past two years that has used a bunch of influencers trapped on an island. If this had been random people and not influencers or a group of coworkers or friends it might have felt different. The focus on influencer culture in books is starting to wear very thin. Very much a trend I am losing interest in. All of these books including this one try to make the point that influencers are “lying” and make people feel bad when they can’t achieve the perfect life they have. I think we’ve lived with social media long enough, most of us know that influencer life and most things on social media are glamorized perfection.
The way the POV shifted mid-scene also threw me off. I would have to pause and get back into the scene in the new character’s mind. I did like the use of technology to keep the group on their toes. The ‘contestants” in the reality “show” wore watches that the Sponsor communicated with them through. We also got transcripts from the watches. Overall felt like something I had already read. Wanted a different spin on the classic tale.

Many others are enjoying this book! If you like locked room stories and influencer culture, you might love this!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’m going to go ahead and give it 4’stars because I’m not a YA and this is a YA book, so I’m trying to think like a younger person. That audience would probably appreciate the story more than an older person.

The story did keep me engaged because I wanted to see who was behind it all, and I am a little ashamed that I didn’t figure it out. I usually can figure out the mystery and thriller books pretty early on.

I enjoyed the influencer and realty show premise, as well as the mystery/thriller theme, of course.

There were quite a few characters to have to keep up with and I found myself getting confused sometimes throughout trying to keep everyone straight.

Sometimes there wasn’t quite enough difference between the characters voices for me to realize that a point of view had changed. I’d have to go back and check and see that I missed the character change.

It did keep me turning the pages though. It never really got slow and it was a pretty quick read.

I could see this as a tv show for teens on Hulu the same channel Pretty Little Liars was on.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this arc!

Pub date: 10/31/23
Genre: YA thriller
Quick summary: Ten influencers are excited to create content on a remote island, until one dead body turns into two, and it's looking like no one will be getting back to real life.

Influencer island thrillers seem to be a new subgenre, and, yes, I am usually up to read one! This is one of the better ones I've read - there was a good group of characters, and their secrets were compelling. Worley included some nice twists, and the ending kept me guessing! I'm kind of surprised this one is coming out in October because it would be a fun beach read (as long as you know no one you're vacationing with will try to murder you). I read it quickly over two days.

If you enjoy YA thrillers, this is a good one to pick up!

Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this one! I read a review that said this was YA leaning and I disagree. This was a solid 4 stars for me, I didn’t want to put the book down and it was not at all predictable. A very fresh take on the influencers get taken out trope!

A whodunnit in the vein of the iconic 'And Then There Were None' with a social media twist. Multiple first person POVs help keep the mystery alive, but at the cost of suspending our disbelief. Unreliable narrators galore, as to be expected, with mostly positive results

⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

🎧Song Pairing: Kill Bill - SZN

💭What I thought would happen:

I really expected this to be a 5. Plus loved the cover and figured it had to do with influencers sooo drama out the bahama

📖What actually happens:

Several influencers are brought to a luxury island to shoot a reality show and to promote their brands as each individual has had an issue with their audience as of late.

When one of the obnoxious members ends up dead after night one…they start realizing this isn’t about promoting their instas and tik toks…they’ve been gathered to be cancelled…maybe a little too literally.

🗯Thoughts:

I got a bit of a Bodies Bodies Bodies vibe. Most because it’s Gen Zs in a lavish place then next thing you know it gets a little…bloody 😏 oh and Pete Davidson would be cast in the movie…for promotional sake (obviously)

This was very much a modern day And Then There Were None concept and I was digging it until the characters with the best drama lost their screen time. Ugh. I just grew sooo bored and over the story by the end but at least I was able to predict it down to a T…

The problem with the central group of douches was that their influence fame came from something called the Bounce House. Honestly can’t convince me otherwise that their channel isn’t for kids with that stupid name yet they’re a social media sensation?! But also after writing this i hear there is something called the Hype House…I am old and out of touch. Forgive me 👵🏻

So it seems like a regular cover but there was something about it that made me really want to read it. I’m glad I did because even though it felt like way too many characters that still somehow all seemed the same I could not stop reading it. I didn’t think it would go down the way it did but the pressure in the house about who was up next kept me glued to this one. The beginning and end was just sort of meh but I loved that middle so much it was worth it. A definite must read.

My students will greatly enjoy reading a book they can relate to in regards to social media. I was a bit concerned about the idioms and various phrases used because they’re already outdated in teenage standards. It’s constantly changing! The author seemed to have a great grasp on influencers and the added addition of mystery was great! Reminded me a lot of And Then There Were None.

I love closed door murder mysteries but this one was hard to get in to. None of the numerous characters are particularly likable and the amount of Gen Z lingo was over kill. The characters were kind of hard to tell apart and could use some more fleshing out.