What Happened To Rachel Riley?

The podcast recordings are an important plot device and recurring motif in the book. The narrative structure of the book encompasses multiple different forms of media, including text messages, notes that students pass in class, school assignment briefs, newspaper articles, emails between different people, and transcriptions of podcast recordings. Each form of media offers a different lens into the story of what happened to Rachel Riley. The podcast recordings, featuring conversations between Anna and key characters in the book, offer an objective perspective on other characters’ sides of the story without Anna’s feelings or commentary influencing what is narrated.

As a recurring motif, the recordings specifically highlight the theme of The Pursuit of Justice and Truth in the Face of Social Resistance. Anna begins recording conversations for the podcast as part of her investigation into what happened to Rachel. This investigation, in turn, is born from Anna’s strong sense that what is happening to Rachel is unjust; she believes that uncovering the truth will help right this injustice. She also chooses the format of a podcast because the fictional podcaster Mimi Miller, who interviews people from different walks of life and features their stories on her show, inspires her.