Written by Elizabeth Smith
#MurderTrending is set in the very near future where reality television has been taken to a whole new level. The Postman is an anonymous television mogul who developed the idea for Alcatraz 2.0, an island in the San Francisco Bay, and the Postman App. People convicted of the most heinous crimes are sent to the prison island, Alcatraz 2.0 and then hunted down by government sanctioned serial killers. All of which is recorded on video and available for the public through the Postman App. This new “show” has become so popular that almost everyone in the country has a favourite serial killer that they follow and know everything about
The story begins with the main character, Dee Guerrera, as she wakes up on Alcatraz 2.0. She is dressed as a princess and immediately has to fight for her life because the executioner, Prince Slycer, is slated to kill her while America watches. But things don’t go as planned and Dee meets up with a group of fellow inmates that become known as the Death Row Breakfast Club.
The story follows them as they all try to survive on the island they were meant to die on. As they get to know each other better, they start to realise that things might be even more sinister and strange because none of them actually committed the crimes they were convicted of.
We see the story unfold on Alcatraz 2.0, but between chapters we also get glimpses of the forums where fans are discussing what they watch on the app. Some are brutal, disappointed when the deaths don’t go as planned and others are hinting at a conspiracy theory. This makes the story such a unique experience as we get to see the perspective from inside the prison as well as a glimpse of what is happening outside.
Throughout we get Dee’s flashbacks from when she was 11 years old and kidnapped as well. She was held captive for a period of time and has a lot of unresolved feelings from that time. So with all of this going on, you can imagine the number of twists and turns this story takes.
This book was such an interesting concept as it really highlights the excessiveness that we’ve come to expect from reality television as well as the way we interact online. It’s a near future that doesn’t really seem that far off. And some of the scenes even seem a bit over the top while still maintaining an excellent storyline.
Though it’s twisty and super interesting, it is also has some gore. Each time a murder takes place on the island it is described on the page and the characters are forced to watch it repeatedly on the TV screens throughout the island. So if you’re squeamish, know going in there may be scenes you need to skim.
Overall, this was a super interesting look at society and where we’re headed and I’ll definitely be picking up the sequel.
#MurderTrending is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.
Have you read #MurderTrending? Or will you be checking it out? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
WELCOME TO THE NEAR FUTURE, where good and honest 8/18 citizens can enjoy watching the executions of society’s most infamous convicted felons, streaming live on The Postman app from the suburbanized prison island Alcatraz 2.0.
When eighteen-year-old Dee Guerrera wakes up in a haze, lying on the ground of a dimly lit warehouse, she realizes she’s about to be the next victim of the app. Knowing hardened criminals are getting a taste of their own medicine in this place is one thing, but Dee refuses to roll over and die for a heinous crime she didn’t commit. Can Dee and her newly formed posse, the Death Row Breakfast Club, prove she’s innocent before she ends up wrongfully murdered for the world to see? Or will The Postman’s cast of executioners kill them off one by one?
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