Millicent DeGroenfeld Rice

by Richard Sanders Polin

Melvin “the Troll” Horgan—lead singer and lyricist of the grunge band Billy Goat’s Gruff; self-loathing, angry little gargoyle, and a spiritually and literally impotent loser; a musician devoid of talent and artistry—finally gets his big break after one fleeting burst of creativity while squatting in the bathroom of a Popeye’s restaurant just outside of Washington, D.C. Knowing his career is in freefall, Melvin desperately wrenches together a song for his next album—his last shot at success—based on a newspaper story about a stripper’s untimely death. If the album flops, it could be back on the streets again. Curiously, the song, “Millicent DeGroenfeld Rice,” catapults Melvin and his band into fame—not due to its quality, but because of a chilling during each live performance of this song, a random audience member dies.

The growing fascination with the victims and the real-life story of Millicent DeGroenfeld Rice draws Melvin, an FBI agent, and a corporate lawyer into separate quests to either seek, reject, or ignore the truth behind the song’s deadly effect. How can one song born of desperation kill a member of the audience every time it’s played live? Is it just a bizarre coincidence, or is something more sinister at play?

288 pages, Paperback

Published January 14, 2025

Reviews

[Christopher Scott Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cool book! I've never read anything quite like this. Polin is a master of dialogue and one-liners. In the tradition of Pulp Fiction (though totally different), this one's an entertaining hard-hitter with dark comedy and a creative timeline. Serious language warning! Not for the easily offended. I enjoyed this one.