Do Not Become Alarmed (2017) by Maile Meloy is a gripping thriller that unfolds through multiple perspectives and short chapters, depicting a family vacation that spirals into chaos. The story begins with cousins Liv and Nora boarding a cruise ship bound for South America, where they hope to lift Nora's spirits after her mother's recent death. Both families—Liv's, including her two children Penny and Sebastian, and Nora's, with Marcus and June—are reluctant to explore the foreign ports due to fears of danger. When they finally disembark, their adventure takes a tragic turn: the children go missing after a beach outing, leading to their abduction by a drug trafficker named Raúl. As the narrative shifts between the children and various adults, themes of privilege and vulnerability emerge. While the American children are seen as valuable and potentially ransomed, a local girl, Isabel, suffers greatly at Raúl's hands. The adults, including the children's parents and a diplomat, grapple with their powerlessness as they navigate a system hindered by poverty and corruption. Amidst the chaos, family bonds strain, and moral dilemmas arise, highlighting the disparities between their experiences. Ultimately, the story critiques how wealth and social status can insulate individuals from the harsh realities faced by others, as the American families return home relatively unscathed while the local children endure lasting trauma.
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