LORD OF THE FLY FEST

Fyre Festival meets Lord of the Flies in this deliciously unhinged narrative.

Eighteen-year-old Rafi Francisco is proud to have her own podcast, Musical Mysteries, and will stop at nothing for a good true-crime story—including spending all her money on Fly Fest, a festival of nearly mythical proportions that has gone viral and promises to make headlines. Rafi isn’t there for the partying, the supermodels, or the yachts, though. She’s there for River Stone, one of the musical acts, hoping to uncover the real story behind what happened between him and his girlfriend, who disappeared years ago when both were 17. Rafi intends to prove that River is a murderer. When she arrives on the Caribbean island, though, she realizes no one from the festival is there to receive them. As it becomes increasingly obvious the whole event is a scam, Rafi’s desperation grows: She’s sure if they all stick around for longer, she’ll get an interview with River and her podcast will become a huge success. Full of humorous absurdities that mirror real-life subcelebrity culture and true-crime fandom, the story is a sarcastic and engaging modern take on William Golding’s classic. Rafi is, as another character puts it, a little unhinged; she is a delightful protagonist whose characterization makes the book a quick and compelling read. Names and other contextual details cue some diversity in the cast.

A hilarious, page-turning take on influencers and true-crime fandom.