THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH

A rich teen hopes that participating in a reality TV show set on an uninhabited Brazilian island can rehabilitate her damaged reputation.

Twenty teens are dropped on deserted Black Rock Island, where they will compete in two teams for a cash prize and the chance to find a long-lost stolen Inca treasure. Riley Ozment knows all about the treasure, as her godfather was the last hunter to get close to discovering it—in fact, she visited the island with him shortly before he was murdered. She sees this trip as a chance to prove herself to the world after a series of mistakes led to her suspension from her private school and the very public humiliating fallout when she tried to defend herself. But Riley’s plans are upended by back-stabbing, double-crossing, mysterious accidents, and her own inner demons. This thriller mixes the ins and outs of filming a reality show with a mystery, a side of romance, developing friendships, and, above all, Riley’s journey of self-discovery. However, the convergence of all these disparate storylines doesn’t form a cohesive whole, and the supporting characters are not as well developed as the protagonist. Interestingly, Riley is unlikable for her naïveté about her privileged background but still sympathetic as a teen girl finding her place in the world. Riley is assumed White; other competitors are described as being “Indian, African American, [and] Asian.”

An uneven novel that is as flawed as its protagonist.