“Rose looked up at the hotel, wishing she’d been allowed to save the image on her phone, that it wasn’t against the rules. This was definitely the place – although, as with everything in her life, she retained a niggle of doubt.”
The Blissfully Dead
By Louise Voss & Mark Edwards
The popular boy band, OnTarget, is drawing record crowds of teen girls to their concerts. All girls dream about meeting the singers and a killer will use the girls’ vulnerability to attack. Detective Inspector Patrick Lennon is called to a London hotel room after the body of one girl is found. The young victim was tortured and DI Lennon will do everything he can to bring a killer to justice.
But it isn’t until the second body of a young girl is found in nearly the same way as the first that the police are able to make a connection to the group OnTarget. The problem will be how to find the next target when there are so many girls who follow the band.
DI Lennon is also dealing with a lot of pressure at home as his wife has been released from a mental hospital. She had been taken in for trying to strangle their six month old baby. DI Lennon is unsure of how he feels and if he is willing to trust his wife again and rebuild their life.
As with a lot of police procedurals there are the internal office politics to deal with and another officer who is the thorn in Lennon’s side but this helps add more complexity to the story. The authors also had quite a few good red herrings to keep this reader guessing about the killer’s identity.
Perhaps the part I liked best about this book is that the premise felt like it could be real. Boy bands have had very successful marketing campaigns but now with social media you another way in which fans can come together mostly for good but this is a good reminder to be aware.
Overall the storyline had good pacing, like I mentioned, a few red herrings that did manage to keep me guessing about the killer’s identity and overall a main character who I found vulnerable and quite likeable. I would definitely look for another entry in this series.
Source: Advance Review Copy
I liked the several real life issues that this book commented on: postpartum depression/psychosis, celebrity worship, abuses in the entertainment industry.
Jenclair – I totally agree. I think this has a series to become better and I’m so curious what’s going to happen between Lennon & his family.
I think I’ve seen this book around but didn’t pick it up. Now that I’ve read your review I sure wish that I did! Onto the wishlist it goes. 🙂
Melody – I like that it was pretty timely too. Hope you’ll give it a chance!