Books of the future: The Influencers

McLemore, Anna-Marie- The Influencers

I don't read lots of mysteries, books about rich people, or anything about influencers, but I was intrigued by this book when I saw a galley at a librarian convention. I'm glad I picked it up. It kept me entertained for over 400 pages, and helped me break a reading slump.

The premise is that a mommy vlogger has alienated her five grown daughters, who had their childhoods mined for content. So, when their step-father is killed, all five daughters are suspects. The five daughters all have varying commitments to their privacy and conflicting feelings about both their mother, May, and their stepfather. (BIT OF A SPOILER) All these things are teased out while someone is leaking private footage of them online. (/end spoiler)

The book switches back and forth between different POVs, including several collective "we" groups of people who were fans of May, the whole family, or the two daughters who have spun off into their own business online. Each chapter is labeled with which group is talking, so it's never confusing.

The book touches on the problems of living life online, hobby true-crime sleuthers trying to solve crimes on flimsy evidence, and how two sisters who came from the same family but have different looks (one taking after their blond mom, the other after their Latino dad), are perceived differently.

I recommend it. It's a good mystery (two, actually), and I liked reading about all the sibling relationships.