The Compound

Rawle debuts with an addictive tale of a fiercely competitive and increasingly dangerous reality TV show. It’s narrated by Lily, a beautiful 20-something contestant lured by the promise of luxury consumer goods and hot men. In the beginning, she and the show’s nine other women await the arrival of the 10 male cast members at a beautiful but unfurnished desert compound. Only nine arrive—while the women were shuttled there by the producers, the men have been trekking for miles across the desert—leaving the women at a disadvantage in the show’s dating challenge (each day, a contestant is sent home if they haven’t managed to spend the night with a member of the other gender). The gender split is kept unbalanced as cast members participate in competitions and tasks for rewards such as a coveted hair straightener. As Lily sees other cast members dismissed, some of whom she mistook for friends, she strives to be the last one standing, even at the risk of betraying the one man she feels a genuine connection with. Rawle’s fast-paced plotting keeps the reader turning pages, as does Lily’s intriguing character development. This portrait of a vapid world contains remarkable depth. Agent: Mollie Glick, CAA. (June)