BOOK REVIEW: Lost and Found

LOST AND FOUND by Carolyn Parkhurst takes us into the making of a reality show. The fictional television program is a global scavenger hunt where the contestants are given clues as to what the object is and where it is hidden. You are probably familiar with the idea from several shows that are currently running on television.

Parkhurst introduces us to the people who are involved in the show, some counting on the cool million dollars and some for more personal reasons. Slowly we learn the individual secrets that the producers are scheming to reveal.

Laura and Cassie are mother and daughter. One night Laura woke up to find that her daughter had given birth in her attic bedroom. Laura feels that the time spent together during the filming of the show will help to heal the rift between them.

Abby and Justin are newlyweds. They had met three years earlier through a Christian ministry to “cure” gays. We hear Abby’s voice more than we do Justin’s. Surprisingly, Justin turns out to be a very major character in the plot.

Juliet and Dallas are ex-child stars. Each had achieved a large fan base when they were very young. Juliet sees the show as a way to get back her earlier fame. She is afraid that the producers will show the two of them as “bratty child stars who grew up in la-la land.”

Carl and Jeff are brothers who provide some of the comedy relief for the show. Carl is the father of a son who has gone through a serious illness. He is not willing to allow the producers to make his son’s story part of the drama of the show.

The book has some surprising twists and you do get to know these people. It was easy to like and root for several of them. I am not familiar with this type of show, but I have wondered from the promotional ads how much the producers maneuver the outcome. Parkhurst may have given us some insight.