Seven oddly matched pairs--a mother and daughter, two business partners, two flight attendants, a born-again Christian couple, two former child stars, and other unlikely couples--are thrown together to compete in a high-stakes, televised contest. It is the new reality show, Lost and Found, a global scavenger hunt whose initial purpose is entertainment, but with each challenge, the drama builds as the number of players is whittled down.

In a brilliant take-off of 'The Amazing Race,' Carolyn Parkhurst pokes gentle fun at the overwhelming number of reality shows, and the lengths the contestants will go to for fame and money. This is a literary copy of these shows, down to the greedy producer and win-at-all-costs contestants. As with any of these shows, you will find one character to love and root for...and the one you can't stand, waiting hopefully for them to be left in the dust. Oh, and the omnipresent greedy producer waiting for the big reveal of a secret which could turn the show -- and lives -- upside down.

Fortunately, it's not about the race or "air time," but a cover for a well-written sketch of human nature. Both heart-warming and humorous, this race to the finish is a treasure.

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Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown (June 13, 2006)
ISBN: 0316156388