Book Review: THE INFLUENCER

Title: The Influencer
Author: Miranda Rijks
Pages: 308
My GoodReads Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Nathan Edwards is raising two daughters, 15yo Isla and 13yo Chloe, since the death of his wife, Sacha, of cancer ten years ago. He is now engaged to Marie, their former au pair. He runs Sacha’s Sanctuary, a charity for the homeless, in memory of his dead wife.

When Skye, a famous social media influencer with a multi-million following, offers to be a brand ambassador for the charity for free, Nathan is confused, even as his daughters are thrilled and completely enamoured with her. He wonders what such a famous person expects to get out of a tie-up with his charity.

Nathan knows that an association with Skye would change the fortunes of his charity, but he can’t help but think that it would not be good for him or his family.

Meanwhile homeless teen Skye, in the past, on the run from a dangerous ‘safe’ home for vulnerable teens, faces numerous threats posed by drug peddlers, potential rapists and wild animals, while living rough on the street. She is confused at the offer of friendship from teenage heiress Tiffany Larkin.

The novel is written in the first person present tense PoV of Nathan in the current time, and Skye Then, in alternate chapters. The Then is when Skye was 17 years of age, about 11 years ago. After a significant event in 2008, the point of view timeline changes to Skye in the present time, once again alternating with Nathan’s PoV in the present. 

I loved the style of the narration, the action sequences and the dialogue. Unlike the characters in the two previous books, The Arrangement and You Are Mine, by this author that I’ve read, here the characters don’t make any stupid choices just for the sake of advancing the plot.

There are unsaid lessons about the perils of social media fame, a world which supposedly prizes the need for authenticity, and yet revels in its fakery.

The characters are good and believable. The only one I didn’t care for was Marie. She seemed too passive and insubstantial. Nor did I care much for the relationship between Nathan and Marie.

The twist is a good one. What isn’t good is the manner in which it is revealed to us. The police figuring out the truth is organic and believable. But the perpetrator writing of their crimes in a letter to a person who will never get that letter doesn’t work at all.

The book ends on a high note, a cliffhanger of sorts. It’s not suggestive of a sequel, but is definitely an upping of the ante.

(I read this book on NetGalley. Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley.)