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Theme Music
An utterly propulsive and unpredictable psychological thriller from stunning new talent T. Marie Vandelly
For the lucky among us, life is what you make of it, but for Dixie Wheeler, the theme music for her story was chosen by another long ago, on the day her father butchered her mother and brothers and then slashed a knife across his own throat. Only one-year-old Dixie was left alive, infamously known as Baby Blue for the song left playing in the aftermath of the slaughter.
Twenty-five years later, Dixie is still desperate for a connection to the family she can’t remember, so when her childhood home goes up for sale, Dixie sets aside all reason and moves in, re-creating a macabre decor with her family’s salvaged furniture. But as the ghosts of her family seemingly begin to take up residence in the home that was once theirs, Dixie starts to question her own sanity and wonders if the evil force menacing her is that of her father, or a demon of her own making.
In order to make sense of her present, Dixie becomes determined to unravel the truth of her past and seeks out the detective who originally investigated the murders. But the more she learns, the more she opens up the uncomfortable possibility that the sins of her father may belong to another, and, perhaps most tragically, to Dixie herself. As bodies begin to pile up around her, Dixie must find a way to expose the lunacy behind her family’s massacre and redeem what little remains of her soul.
For the lucky among us, life is what you make of it, but for Dixie Wheeler, the theme music for her story was chosen by another long ago, on the day her father butchered her mother and brothers and then slashed a knife across his own throat. Only one-year-old Dixie was left alive, infamously known as Baby Blue for the song left playing in the aftermath of the slaughter.
Twenty-five years later, Dixie is still desperate for a connection to the family she can’t remember, so when her childhood home goes up for sale, Dixie sets aside all reason and moves in, re-creating a macabre decor with her family’s salvaged furniture. But as the ghosts of her family seemingly begin to take up residence in the home that was once theirs, Dixie starts to question her own sanity and wonders if the evil force menacing her is that of her father, or a demon of her own making.
In order to make sense of her present, Dixie becomes determined to unravel the truth of her past and seeks out the detective who originally investigated the murders. But the more she learns, the more she opens up the uncomfortable possibility that the sins of her father may belong to another, and, perhaps most tragically, to Dixie herself. As bodies begin to pile up around her, Dixie must find a way to expose the lunacy behind her family’s massacre and redeem what little remains of her soul.
387 pages, Hardcover
First published July 23, 2019
About the author
T. Marie Vandelly
5 books534 followersT. Marie Vandelly is a fulltime writer and the bestselling author of THEME MUSIC. She lives on Gwynn’s Island off the Chesapeake Bay with her husband. AN EVIL PREMISE is her second novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,701 reviews
March 4, 2019
2020 Halloween season update! This is one of those books I remember and I surprise myself by remembering it somewhat fondly.
******
I was attracted to this book by the cover, the title, and the description although the description also repelled me with it's mentions of throat slashing, a mother and her sons butchered by the husband/father, slaughter by axe, and other things gave me doubts if I could handle reading this book. In the end, I know I will be reading another T. Marie Vandelly book but I do hope that she writes about something with less gore, slaughter, and butchery. My "blood bucket" (a term the author uses to describe how much more violence a person can stand), was full before the prologue was over.
Twenty-seven year old Dixie Wheeler is the sole survivor of a family massacre. Her dad used a huge axe to butcher her mom and three brothers during breakfast and then her dad slit his own throat. For reasons unknown, two year old Dixie was left unharmed, sitting in her high chair. Dixie than spends her life wondering why she was spared and thinking that living on without her family is the worst thing that could happen to a person.
When Dixie sees that her old family home, the site of the slaughter, is for sale, she jumps at the chance to buy it. Not only that, Dixie moves in every piece of furniture and household goods that her late uncle had stored and places everything exactly where it had been before, based on crime scene and old family photos. Dixie is not mentally or emotionally stable, a state that she attributes to having a family murdering father. Prepare yourself for an unreliable narrator in Dixie, who drinks heavily, has blackouts at very suspicious times, and feels that her father lives through her sometimes. Dixie lies to herself so she definitely lies to others when it fits her needs.
This book has a lot liars, a lot of secrets, and yet I couldn't help laughing at the thoughts of Dixie. She has such a sarcastic, dry humor which she employs while speaking and thinking and my favorite parts of the book were when Mr Cullens, the former investigator on the Wheeler family murder case, is with Dixie. He never misses her play on words, enjoying them as much as I did. Other than Mr Cullens, everyone seems suspicious to me and I was afraid for everyone's lives. Dixie thinks that her dad may not have killed her family and if that is so, the murderer is probably still among the living.
I liked the epilogue of the book but I just want to say that Dixie is not okay in my mind. There are a lot of excuses, blame placed on others, and deflecting in this book and there is a part of Dixie that I don't think can ever be fixed.
Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Dutton and NetGalley for this ARC.
******
I was attracted to this book by the cover, the title, and the description although the description also repelled me with it's mentions of throat slashing, a mother and her sons butchered by the husband/father, slaughter by axe, and other things gave me doubts if I could handle reading this book. In the end, I know I will be reading another T. Marie Vandelly book but I do hope that she writes about something with less gore, slaughter, and butchery. My "blood bucket" (a term the author uses to describe how much more violence a person can stand), was full before the prologue was over.
Twenty-seven year old Dixie Wheeler is the sole survivor of a family massacre. Her dad used a huge axe to butcher her mom and three brothers during breakfast and then her dad slit his own throat. For reasons unknown, two year old Dixie was left unharmed, sitting in her high chair. Dixie than spends her life wondering why she was spared and thinking that living on without her family is the worst thing that could happen to a person.
When Dixie sees that her old family home, the site of the slaughter, is for sale, she jumps at the chance to buy it. Not only that, Dixie moves in every piece of furniture and household goods that her late uncle had stored and places everything exactly where it had been before, based on crime scene and old family photos. Dixie is not mentally or emotionally stable, a state that she attributes to having a family murdering father. Prepare yourself for an unreliable narrator in Dixie, who drinks heavily, has blackouts at very suspicious times, and feels that her father lives through her sometimes. Dixie lies to herself so she definitely lies to others when it fits her needs.
This book has a lot liars, a lot of secrets, and yet I couldn't help laughing at the thoughts of Dixie. She has such a sarcastic, dry humor which she employs while speaking and thinking and my favorite parts of the book were when Mr Cullens, the former investigator on the Wheeler family murder case, is with Dixie. He never misses her play on words, enjoying them as much as I did. Other than Mr Cullens, everyone seems suspicious to me and I was afraid for everyone's lives. Dixie thinks that her dad may not have killed her family and if that is so, the murderer is probably still among the living.
I liked the epilogue of the book but I just want to say that Dixie is not okay in my mind. There are a lot of excuses, blame placed on others, and deflecting in this book and there is a part of Dixie that I don't think can ever be fixed.
Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Dutton and NetGalley for this ARC.
June 12, 2019
"When no one answered his repeated knocks, he let himself in. He told the police that the music struck him first. Not the blood, not the savagery,..., but the heartrending desperation pouring from the speakers in the living room. He covered his ears before it even occurred to him to cover his eyes."
*Fun fact-I rode past the Franconia exit, the setting of the story, while reading this book!
I'm tired of waffling on various ends of the rating system regarding this book, so I think a middle-of-the-road 3 stars will be my best bet and most honest assessment. I did clearly have some issues here, but this story also had so many fabulous things going for it. I'm going to put all the information out there so that you can make an educated decision on whether this book is right for you or not, and as always, the review will be spoiler free, but if you'd like to go in blind I would stop here. No matter how you choose to go in, please note that this novel contains a multitude of graphic violence, gore, and disturbing content, and those readers who are sensitive to descriptive violence and murder may want to steer clear of this book.
Let's start with everything I loved. As stated above, this book is riddled with extremely detailed scenes of murder, graphic violence, and other disturbing content. I'm a twisted individual who stomachs this stuff well, so this was a plus in my book. No, Chelsea is not a glutton for sadistic torture and murder, but I felt this inclusion was done to further the emotional and harrowing aspect of the crime; not only did it bring a horrifying component to the narrative, but it also gives the reader a greater respect for the trauma Dixie has endured and the struggle to cope and heal from what has happened to her family. The portrayal of our main character's mental health and instability is one that is both engrossing and sobering; I cannot imagine someone reading this novel and not feeling for what she has been through and the struggles she has ahead of her. The creepy, atmospheric sense of this book is SO well done, and I enjoyed every second of its development.
I believe most of my issues with the book stem from the procedural aspect of the book. There is a relatively small pool of (living) characters in this story, so it's fairly easy to solve the whodunnit portion, but that wasn't a huge deal for me. My issues were more in the need to abandon all sense of reality in how a case is solved. The police make a poor attempt to solve the case; alibis are apparently taken at face value and never double checked, case files are tampered with easily, and the ending climax will be a hit or miss for thriller readers, as it arguably contains a bit of a paranormal component. For me, I'm neutral on the inclusion of the supernatural or magical realism in my thrillers, but I feel the need to mention it as some readers are very opinionated on the matter.
All in all, with a little extra research and development thrown in, Vandelly has the potential to be one of the next big time authors. This book took a classic serial killing plot and gave it a unique twist that brings the reader in by way of emotional investment. While this wasn't 100% enjoyable for me, I'm looking forward to what the author brings to the table next, and wish her and this book all the best. Highly recommended if you're looking for something with a similar vibe to Final Girls!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy via NetGalley.
*Fun fact-I rode past the Franconia exit, the setting of the story, while reading this book!
I'm tired of waffling on various ends of the rating system regarding this book, so I think a middle-of-the-road 3 stars will be my best bet and most honest assessment. I did clearly have some issues here, but this story also had so many fabulous things going for it. I'm going to put all the information out there so that you can make an educated decision on whether this book is right for you or not, and as always, the review will be spoiler free, but if you'd like to go in blind I would stop here. No matter how you choose to go in, please note that this novel contains a multitude of graphic violence, gore, and disturbing content, and those readers who are sensitive to descriptive violence and murder may want to steer clear of this book.
Let's start with everything I loved. As stated above, this book is riddled with extremely detailed scenes of murder, graphic violence, and other disturbing content. I'm a twisted individual who stomachs this stuff well, so this was a plus in my book. No, Chelsea is not a glutton for sadistic torture and murder, but I felt this inclusion was done to further the emotional and harrowing aspect of the crime; not only did it bring a horrifying component to the narrative, but it also gives the reader a greater respect for the trauma Dixie has endured and the struggle to cope and heal from what has happened to her family. The portrayal of our main character's mental health and instability is one that is both engrossing and sobering; I cannot imagine someone reading this novel and not feeling for what she has been through and the struggles she has ahead of her. The creepy, atmospheric sense of this book is SO well done, and I enjoyed every second of its development.
I believe most of my issues with the book stem from the procedural aspect of the book. There is a relatively small pool of (living) characters in this story, so it's fairly easy to solve the whodunnit portion, but that wasn't a huge deal for me. My issues were more in the need to abandon all sense of reality in how a case is solved. The police make a poor attempt to solve the case; alibis are apparently taken at face value and never double checked, case files are tampered with easily, and the ending climax will be a hit or miss for thriller readers, as it arguably contains a bit of a paranormal component. For me, I'm neutral on the inclusion of the supernatural or magical realism in my thrillers, but I feel the need to mention it as some readers are very opinionated on the matter.
All in all, with a little extra research and development thrown in, Vandelly has the potential to be one of the next big time authors. This book took a classic serial killing plot and gave it a unique twist that brings the reader in by way of emotional investment. While this wasn't 100% enjoyable for me, I'm looking forward to what the author brings to the table next, and wish her and this book all the best. Highly recommended if you're looking for something with a similar vibe to Final Girls!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy via NetGalley.
March 13, 2019
5, strong, strong stars for T. Marie Vandelly's debut novel, Theme Music.
Disclaimer: This book is extremely graphic. One of the most graphically violent books I have ever read in my life. If you can stomach extreme violence with graphic narration about it, then proceed with reading this amazing psychological thriller.
Once in awhile, you come across a novel that completely knocks you down, and shakes you to the core—and that is Theme Music . A family mystery, interwoven with sparks of suspense and horror, Theme Music is like the very seriously R-rated version of a novel that Ruth Ware would craft, and to believe that this is T. Marie Vandelly's first novel?! Remarkable.
Dixie Wheeler is searching the web for potential homes to purchase. She and her boyfriend Garrett have been saving for awhile, and they are ready to make the next step in their relationship. Dixie is nervous about settling down, but she's excited for this potential move. While browsing listings, Dixie comes across one that captures her attention—it's her old childhood home! Well, her very brief childhood home. She moved out of it at eighteen months when her Aunt Celia took her in. Aunt Celia's been raising Dixie almost her entire life. Dixie's home comes with a dark past that she's unsure if she's ready to face. When Dixie was a baby, her father brutally murdered(seriously, they go into detail) her mother and three brothers, and then killed himself. The house has been completely renovated, but the listing is still an issue with the town's superstitions.
Dixie believes that moving into this home will help unmask the demons of her past, and also come to terms with how her life turned out, so she decides to rent it and move in for the time being. It's like a test-drive to see if she could actually live in this notorious home. Once Dixie moves in, she starts unraveling. Why is she redecorating the house to resemble what it used to look like before her family's murder? As Dixie starts uncovering the mystery surrounding her family, she starts noticing oddities and peculiarities about her once family home. Is this house haunted or is her mind playing tricks on her? Ghosts of her family start appearing, and Dixie starts losing track of time, and losing track of, well, herself. As Dixie gets closer and closer to seeking the truth, demons from the past do indeed come to surface, and like it was in the past, they're deadly.
Ugh, what can I say about Theme Music , that you haven't already heard from my initial thoughts above? This book really captured my attention, literally from the prologue, all the way until it wrapped up. It's a long read, and has a slow building suspense, but it's definitely not a slow burn type of novel. This story just continues to grow and build as the narration goes on. Each and every character has an interesting role to play, no fluff here! I loved the doses of humor sprinkled throughout the horror as well (Dixie's sarcasm at time was on point!), because it played a part in breaking up the intensity—good to have a break from the craziness at times! The momentum behind the story's arc just continued to become more and more powerful and addictive, and once I got into the story, I was invested.
I really see big things about Theme Music this summer! I think it'll be one of those books that everyone will need to (or should need to) read if you call yourself a thriller or horror fan. Seriously folks, would I lie? Theme Music will be released July 23, 2019 and I received an advanced copy from Dutton Books in exchange for an honest review.
Disclaimer: This book is extremely graphic. One of the most graphically violent books I have ever read in my life. If you can stomach extreme violence with graphic narration about it, then proceed with reading this amazing psychological thriller.
Once in awhile, you come across a novel that completely knocks you down, and shakes you to the core—and that is Theme Music . A family mystery, interwoven with sparks of suspense and horror, Theme Music is like the very seriously R-rated version of a novel that Ruth Ware would craft, and to believe that this is T. Marie Vandelly's first novel?! Remarkable.
Dixie Wheeler is searching the web for potential homes to purchase. She and her boyfriend Garrett have been saving for awhile, and they are ready to make the next step in their relationship. Dixie is nervous about settling down, but she's excited for this potential move. While browsing listings, Dixie comes across one that captures her attention—it's her old childhood home! Well, her very brief childhood home. She moved out of it at eighteen months when her Aunt Celia took her in. Aunt Celia's been raising Dixie almost her entire life. Dixie's home comes with a dark past that she's unsure if she's ready to face. When Dixie was a baby, her father brutally murdered(seriously, they go into detail) her mother and three brothers, and then killed himself. The house has been completely renovated, but the listing is still an issue with the town's superstitions.
Dixie believes that moving into this home will help unmask the demons of her past, and also come to terms with how her life turned out, so she decides to rent it and move in for the time being. It's like a test-drive to see if she could actually live in this notorious home. Once Dixie moves in, she starts unraveling. Why is she redecorating the house to resemble what it used to look like before her family's murder? As Dixie starts uncovering the mystery surrounding her family, she starts noticing oddities and peculiarities about her once family home. Is this house haunted or is her mind playing tricks on her? Ghosts of her family start appearing, and Dixie starts losing track of time, and losing track of, well, herself. As Dixie gets closer and closer to seeking the truth, demons from the past do indeed come to surface, and like it was in the past, they're deadly.
Ugh, what can I say about Theme Music , that you haven't already heard from my initial thoughts above? This book really captured my attention, literally from the prologue, all the way until it wrapped up. It's a long read, and has a slow building suspense, but it's definitely not a slow burn type of novel. This story just continues to grow and build as the narration goes on. Each and every character has an interesting role to play, no fluff here! I loved the doses of humor sprinkled throughout the horror as well (Dixie's sarcasm at time was on point!), because it played a part in breaking up the intensity—good to have a break from the craziness at times! The momentum behind the story's arc just continued to become more and more powerful and addictive, and once I got into the story, I was invested.
I really see big things about Theme Music this summer! I think it'll be one of those books that everyone will need to (or should need to) read if you call yourself a thriller or horror fan. Seriously folks, would I lie? Theme Music will be released July 23, 2019 and I received an advanced copy from Dutton Books in exchange for an honest review.
September 26, 2022
I LOVED THIS so much. It was horrific and made me scared to turn off the lights but I don't care, I loved every chaotic minute of it. Our main character is a mess but I loved her and her snark, even if I wanted to shake her at times. This was the perfect mix of psychological thriller, horror and paranormal that I've been searching for and I can't wait to read what this author does next.
September 8, 2019
Freeeeeeaaakkkyyyy! This was one of my top five creepiest reads. Ever! I enjoyed this immensely. Not for everyone I'm sure, as it's very graphic. This is a perfect October read for horror enthusiasts! Anyone that enjoys Stephen King would probably enjoy this one, it's sinister on a whole other level and it impressed me to the point that I'm still thinking about this book, months after finishing it! I absolutely cannot wait until Vandelly publishes another novel!
March 19, 2019
For such an unassuming title and cover I was surprised at how dark a story lay within these pages.
"All the days became so long
Did you really think, I'd do you wrong
Dixie, when I let you go
Thought you'd realize, that I would know, I would show
The special love I have for you, my Baby Blue" ~ Badfinger
Dixie Wheeler was only a toddler sitting in her high chair enjoying her breakfast on Thanksgiving morning when her father slaughtered her entire family, mother and three brothers, with an ax in front of her very eyes. Her father then slit his throat in the nightmarish aftermath. Dixie was left to wail until a neighbor boy discovers the grisly scene and from then on Dixie is come to be known as Baby Blue because that song was blaring from the stereo speakers when police arrived.
Fast forward 25 years later and Dixie finds herself in a happy relationship with Garrett. When she discovers that her childhood home, and the scene of the murders, goes up for sale she can not resist the purchase even though Garrett refuses to move there. Though she is putting her relationship in jeopardy she still decides to move in. Having found her parents old furniture in storage at her uncle's house she even goes about making it an exact replica of the home from long ago with the help of crime scene photos that her uncle also had tucked away.
Once she begins to settle in the strange occurrences start and her nightmares become so overwhelming that she is forced into insomnia. When Dixie discovers new information regarding that day she begins to question if her father really murdered her family or if someone else is to blame.
This book had one of the best prologues I've read in awhile and I was so eager to flip the pages. However, I felt this loses steam through out the middle with a lot of repetition. Each chapter featured lurching, vomiting, things slipping down and / or getting stuck in her throat etc. etc. The ending, while I didn't figure it all out, seemed a little too over the top and definitely requires suspension of disbelief. The epilogue was a happily ever after disappointment if you ask me.
If decapitated heads rolling across floors is your thing then this is the book for you, if not, then you've been warned! 3.5 stars!
Thank you to Edelweiss and Dutton Books for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
"All the days became so long
Did you really think, I'd do you wrong
Dixie, when I let you go
Thought you'd realize, that I would know, I would show
The special love I have for you, my Baby Blue" ~ Badfinger
Dixie Wheeler was only a toddler sitting in her high chair enjoying her breakfast on Thanksgiving morning when her father slaughtered her entire family, mother and three brothers, with an ax in front of her very eyes. Her father then slit his throat in the nightmarish aftermath. Dixie was left to wail until a neighbor boy discovers the grisly scene and from then on Dixie is come to be known as Baby Blue because that song was blaring from the stereo speakers when police arrived.
Fast forward 25 years later and Dixie finds herself in a happy relationship with Garrett. When she discovers that her childhood home, and the scene of the murders, goes up for sale she can not resist the purchase even though Garrett refuses to move there. Though she is putting her relationship in jeopardy she still decides to move in. Having found her parents old furniture in storage at her uncle's house she even goes about making it an exact replica of the home from long ago with the help of crime scene photos that her uncle also had tucked away.
Once she begins to settle in the strange occurrences start and her nightmares become so overwhelming that she is forced into insomnia. When Dixie discovers new information regarding that day she begins to question if her father really murdered her family or if someone else is to blame.
This book had one of the best prologues I've read in awhile and I was so eager to flip the pages. However, I felt this loses steam through out the middle with a lot of repetition. Each chapter featured lurching, vomiting, things slipping down and / or getting stuck in her throat etc. etc. The ending, while I didn't figure it all out, seemed a little too over the top and definitely requires suspension of disbelief. The epilogue was a happily ever after disappointment if you ask me.
If decapitated heads rolling across floors is your thing then this is the book for you, if not, then you've been warned! 3.5 stars!
Thank you to Edelweiss and Dutton Books for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
May 21, 2020
Theme Music has been hyped as a dark, creepy, must read thriller. All those warnings are true ya’ll! This book was 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤, full of 𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 and very 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐲 characters doing all kinds of messed up things. Obviously, I enjoyed it immensely. 🤣
🔪 I suspected the bad guy early on & I was right so I couldn’t rate this 5 stars but it proved to be a total 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫. I was trying to tell my daughter about it and there were just soooo many little details that made it all come together. It really made me appreciate everything that went into the plot. There was pretty much one thing happening after the other, after the other. I was up till 1am one night, finishing this one up and it was totally worth it. If you aren't averse to gore - it's a must read. If you are - stay far, far away. 😬
🔪 I suspected the bad guy early on & I was right so I couldn’t rate this 5 stars but it proved to be a total 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫. I was trying to tell my daughter about it and there were just soooo many little details that made it all come together. It really made me appreciate everything that went into the plot. There was pretty much one thing happening after the other, after the other. I was up till 1am one night, finishing this one up and it was totally worth it. If you aren't averse to gore - it's a must read. If you are - stay far, far away. 😬
July 18, 2019
3.5 stars. This was just okay to me. It was real good in some parts and extremely boring in others. I've read a lot of reviews that talk about this being an extremely dark book but, I don't agree. I've read way darker books than this one. Overall, it's a decent debut novel.
June 17, 2019
Dixie Wheeler's entire family was brutally murdered on Thanksgiving Day in their kitchen by her father, who then killed himself. Baby Dixie was found unharmed in her high chair by a boy next door and then raised by her aunt and uncle.
It's been twenty five years and Dixie still bares the emotional scars of the horrific event that she was too young to even remember. The house goes on the market and Dixie decides to move in, pulling her family's furniture out of storage to recreate the home as it was at the time of the murders.
Readers soon learn that Dixie's past is littered with some suspicious events and blacks-outs at convenient times that raise major red flags about her sanity.
When Dixie realizes that her uncle, now deceased, believed her father was innocent, she begins looking in to the case file and contacts the detective (now retired) who worked the original investigation.
While searching for the truth, Dixie's grasp on reality begins to slip as people around her go missing and the ghosts of her past appear.
I had high hopes but Theme Music was a huge disappointment for me. It started strong with the chilling massacre described but then the story went downhill from there.
While I'm all about suspending my disbelief for an entertaining story, this one was built on far too many convenient circumstances, enough that I rolled my eyes a few times. The main character felt like a caricature as the quintessential unreliable narrator. The ending, which was supposed to be shocking, was instead predictable and unsatisfying.
Thanks to Dutton Books and Edelweiss for providing a DRC in exchange for my honest review. Theme Music is scheduled for release on July 23, 2019.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
It's been twenty five years and Dixie still bares the emotional scars of the horrific event that she was too young to even remember. The house goes on the market and Dixie decides to move in, pulling her family's furniture out of storage to recreate the home as it was at the time of the murders.
Readers soon learn that Dixie's past is littered with some suspicious events and blacks-outs at convenient times that raise major red flags about her sanity.
When Dixie realizes that her uncle, now deceased, believed her father was innocent, she begins looking in to the case file and contacts the detective (now retired) who worked the original investigation.
While searching for the truth, Dixie's grasp on reality begins to slip as people around her go missing and the ghosts of her past appear.
I had high hopes but Theme Music was a huge disappointment for me. It started strong with the chilling massacre described but then the story went downhill from there.
While I'm all about suspending my disbelief for an entertaining story, this one was built on far too many convenient circumstances, enough that I rolled my eyes a few times. The main character felt like a caricature as the quintessential unreliable narrator. The ending, which was supposed to be shocking, was instead predictable and unsatisfying.
Thanks to Dutton Books and Edelweiss for providing a DRC in exchange for my honest review. Theme Music is scheduled for release on July 23, 2019.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
July 24, 2019
VERY HONEST REVIEW - NOT FOR EVERYONE. Okay. Hear me out👂🏼 I’m a true crime lover, and because of this, I have an amateur understanding of procedural behaviors/guidelines that usually occur within an investigation.🕵🏻♀️ So when a crime thriller has a criminal case with lazy procedural elements, it’s like a date where a guy (or girl) only talks about himself all night long - A TURN-OFF 🤷🏻♀️
And that’s what happened here. You see, the prologue of Theme Music is pretty hardcore, so I was excited to read it. You have the main character, Dixie, who’s basically choosing to live in the same house her whole family was slaughtered in 25 years ago.😱 She wants answers and closure, and shit gets real. But for shit to seem “somewhat probable” (especially when shit also has a supernatural element to it) then a synergy between reality needs to be made. And the easiest way to do that (in my opinion 💁🏻♀️) is to follow some form of logic (ie police protocols). (Good example - Stephen King’s The Outsider.) But that didn’t happen. And it derailed me from the storyline because I was just irritated by a lack of follow-through.
Ugh, I’m bummed. Because this could have been a solid 4 star read, but instead I’m gonna give it 2.5-3 star rating. 🥴 I think with some research, it could have gotten there! Truly! And I won’t be deterred from reading another book from Vandelly, because she has epic imagination and charisma!
So here’s my assessment: if you are like me and either read a bunch of crime novels or watch/read a lot about true crime, then you NEED to throw all that procedural preemptive logic out the window. If you don’t read anything like that, then you might actually enjoy this book quite a bit!
Disclaimer: if you don’t like gore or guts or very descriptive language about brutal crimes, then I would suggest passing on this book. ☠️
And that’s what happened here. You see, the prologue of Theme Music is pretty hardcore, so I was excited to read it. You have the main character, Dixie, who’s basically choosing to live in the same house her whole family was slaughtered in 25 years ago.😱 She wants answers and closure, and shit gets real. But for shit to seem “somewhat probable” (especially when shit also has a supernatural element to it) then a synergy between reality needs to be made. And the easiest way to do that (in my opinion 💁🏻♀️) is to follow some form of logic (ie police protocols). (Good example - Stephen King’s The Outsider.) But that didn’t happen. And it derailed me from the storyline because I was just irritated by a lack of follow-through.
Ugh, I’m bummed. Because this could have been a solid 4 star read, but instead I’m gonna give it 2.5-3 star rating. 🥴 I think with some research, it could have gotten there! Truly! And I won’t be deterred from reading another book from Vandelly, because she has epic imagination and charisma!
So here’s my assessment: if you are like me and either read a bunch of crime novels or watch/read a lot about true crime, then you NEED to throw all that procedural preemptive logic out the window. If you don’t read anything like that, then you might actually enjoy this book quite a bit!
Disclaimer: if you don’t like gore or guts or very descriptive language about brutal crimes, then I would suggest passing on this book. ☠️
March 1, 2023
By page 65 I was hoping to be axe murdered so I didn’t have to finish this
July 29, 2024
I listened to the audiobook over 10 days or so. I have sooooo many thoughts and feelings. I think I'm going to review it for Patreon next Monday (8/5) but know this:
Theme Music by T. Marie Vandelly requires readers to fully and completely suspend disbelief. It is wildly over-the-top. The main character is unlikable and unreliable.
The graphic/explicit violence is almost cartoonish.
I don't know, I have to sort through my thoughts--something kept me going with this despite every instinct to quit, so I'll figure that out and write up a review.
*content warning for extreme graphic violence on an entire family, including very young children
Theme Music by T. Marie Vandelly requires readers to fully and completely suspend disbelief. It is wildly over-the-top. The main character is unlikable and unreliable.
The graphic/explicit violence is almost cartoonish.
I don't know, I have to sort through my thoughts--something kept me going with this despite every instinct to quit, so I'll figure that out and write up a review.
*content warning for extreme graphic violence on an entire family, including very young children
March 1, 2020
3.5 Stars
This was an engaging narrative that mixed together different genres including mystery, suspense, thriller and (my favourite) horror. The story was a bit larger than life and definitely required some serious suspension of disbelief. Yet this also made the story quite interesting because I had no idea what direction it was going. The audiobook narration was great so I would personally recommend that format. If you enjoy thrillers with a supernatural flair, then you might want to check out this one.
This was an engaging narrative that mixed together different genres including mystery, suspense, thriller and (my favourite) horror. The story was a bit larger than life and definitely required some serious suspension of disbelief. Yet this also made the story quite interesting because I had no idea what direction it was going. The audiobook narration was great so I would personally recommend that format. If you enjoy thrillers with a supernatural flair, then you might want to check out this one.
August 18, 2019
Theme Music was one of the most hauntingly bizarre tales that I’ve read in a very long time. There is a paranormal element to it that adds to the horror aspect of the story but the story line itself is macabre enough to frighten off those with weak constitutions. Never-the-less, I couldn’t put this book down!
Dixie was the sole survivor of a family massacre that occurred when she was two. The official story is that her father murdered the family with an axe before slitting his own throat, leaving only Dixie alive in her high chair. Dixie, who was raised by her aunt and uncle, has grown up with the stigma that surrounded her family as a result; so when the house – THE house – is put on the market, Dixie decides to buy it and move in. Not only that, but she gathers all of the old furniture and belongings that have been in storage and creates the house as near to the original as possible. Talk about a bit “off,” or perhaps just slightly obsessed. Of course, once inside the house, all hell breaks loose for Dixie. The problem for the reader is that we never are clear if Dixie is as crazy as her father allegedly was or if there is more to the story that Dixie – or us – even suspect.
Admittedly the story was brilliant until the midway point and then I found myself hurriedly reading through to the end to find out what was going on with the characters – all of them. I think there could have been a bit more editing, especially toward the end of the story. However, even with that in mind, Theme Music is a terrific book, frightening, suspenseful and definitely horrifying.
Dixie was the sole survivor of a family massacre that occurred when she was two. The official story is that her father murdered the family with an axe before slitting his own throat, leaving only Dixie alive in her high chair. Dixie, who was raised by her aunt and uncle, has grown up with the stigma that surrounded her family as a result; so when the house – THE house – is put on the market, Dixie decides to buy it and move in. Not only that, but she gathers all of the old furniture and belongings that have been in storage and creates the house as near to the original as possible. Talk about a bit “off,” or perhaps just slightly obsessed. Of course, once inside the house, all hell breaks loose for Dixie. The problem for the reader is that we never are clear if Dixie is as crazy as her father allegedly was or if there is more to the story that Dixie – or us – even suspect.
Admittedly the story was brilliant until the midway point and then I found myself hurriedly reading through to the end to find out what was going on with the characters – all of them. I think there could have been a bit more editing, especially toward the end of the story. However, even with that in mind, Theme Music is a terrific book, frightening, suspenseful and definitely horrifying.
October 17, 2020
A must-read Halloween horror/thriller! I’m not a huge reader of horror, but I do try to cram several in during October.
This very graphic debut is filled with dark and creepy horror elements. If you don’t like blood and gore, you better skip this one! But there is also a touch of humor mixed in with all the carnage, which I found very enticing. This would make a terrific Halloween movie. 👻
The cover grabbed my attention as soon as I saw it, then my brief review of the description closed the deal. A father slaughters his family with an axe. Baby Blue is the only survivor of this inexplicable massacre. Lots of blood and guts, and just enough mystery and thrill to peak my interest!
Thank you to Edelweiss, T. Marie Vandelly and Dutton, for this free digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
My Rating: 4 ⭐️’s
Published: July 23 2019 by Dutton
Pages: 400
@TVandelly @DuttonBooks @weiss_squad
#Edelweiss #InExchangeForReview #psychologicalhorror #NoRulesJustThrills #HalloweenRead
After publication, my reviews can be found:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amz...
Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/takemeaway21
BN.com, BookBub, Pinterest
This very graphic debut is filled with dark and creepy horror elements. If you don’t like blood and gore, you better skip this one! But there is also a touch of humor mixed in with all the carnage, which I found very enticing. This would make a terrific Halloween movie. 👻
The cover grabbed my attention as soon as I saw it, then my brief review of the description closed the deal. A father slaughters his family with an axe. Baby Blue is the only survivor of this inexplicable massacre. Lots of blood and guts, and just enough mystery and thrill to peak my interest!
Thank you to Edelweiss, T. Marie Vandelly and Dutton, for this free digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
My Rating: 4 ⭐️’s
Published: July 23 2019 by Dutton
Pages: 400
@TVandelly @DuttonBooks @weiss_squad
#Edelweiss #InExchangeForReview #psychologicalhorror #NoRulesJustThrills #HalloweenRead
After publication, my reviews can be found:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amz...
Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/takemeaway21
BN.com, BookBub, Pinterest
April 19, 2020
“Come on. Run screaming into the night with me.”
Theme Music is my kind of book. Admittedly, my kind of book changes with the wind but today my kind of book is snarky and bloody and emotional and a rollercoaster of “what the hell is happening here?!!”
The prologue was HORRIFYING and it completely hooked me. Read it, if you love it I think you’re going to love the book. If it’s too much to take, read the book anyway but don’t blame me! This book contains one of the best prologues I’ve read in maybe forever. It made me cringe, laugh and question my sanity for the laughter. That’s some skill right there and it continues throughout the book. I LOVED the dark humor of the heroine so much. Words cannot express how much. Without it, this book may have been entirely too dark to handle at this point in my life. As written, it was my kind of perfection.
I don’t want to spoil the book for you so I’m going to be my typical lazy self and tell you very little. Win/win, right? You should be spending your time reading the book instead of my stupid review, anyway. So here’s the plot. It’s a simple one on the surface but it’s really not simple at all. Dixie rents a house. It is probably haunted. This is why she moves in despite a brief moment where she thinks perhaps this maybe isn’t the best of plans.
“I don’t think it’s right for me... To disturb the dead”
But she does it anyway, haha! See why I love Dixie? She begins to investigate the decades-old murders and discovers the truth may not be the truth she’s always assumed was the truth. How’s that for a sentence?! Ha, reviewer of the year award right there. Anyway, that’s all I’m saying and it’s likely too much.
This book has echoes of The Amityville Horror and The Haunting of Hill House and all of those chilling and blood-splattered haunted house stories we all love so much but it is told from Dixie’s point of view and as much as we might love her, we’re not always sure we can trust her but through it all, I never doubted my kinship with her. She’s morbid and she’s obsessed and she keeps the reader, as well as everyone around her, a little off-kilter.
“I only lied to you because I didn’t want to tell you the truth” 😹
This is no doubt a wonderfully obsessive, creepy haunted house tale but it’s absolutely captivating and immersive because of the writing. Dixie drags you into her head and her whacked out world and you fall right in never quite knowing if Dixie is telling herself the truth. She also has a beautiful way of attributing scents to people, one that isn’t included nearly enough in the horror novels I typically read. “There was a warm, somnolent maple scent filling the air around him. Garrett smelled like that sometimes, too, as though he had been baking all night at a low temperature.” I don’t why but I LOVED that lovely sensory description so very much.
I loved this book with all that’s left of my heart if I haven’t made that clear enough yet. I will not say a negative thing. It kept me guessing throughout. My notes are filled with all the wrong guesses and here I was thinking I was getting better at this mystery game having read way too many lurid thrillers of late! The author was able to pull me in at a time when my brain was terribly distracted by - oh everything. She caught my attention with the creeps and the humor but she kept me with the strong emotional ties and the originally written heroine.
Amazing stuff. Go read it! And then make all of your horror pals read it.
Theme Music is my kind of book. Admittedly, my kind of book changes with the wind but today my kind of book is snarky and bloody and emotional and a rollercoaster of “what the hell is happening here?!!”
The prologue was HORRIFYING and it completely hooked me. Read it, if you love it I think you’re going to love the book. If it’s too much to take, read the book anyway but don’t blame me! This book contains one of the best prologues I’ve read in maybe forever. It made me cringe, laugh and question my sanity for the laughter. That’s some skill right there and it continues throughout the book. I LOVED the dark humor of the heroine so much. Words cannot express how much. Without it, this book may have been entirely too dark to handle at this point in my life. As written, it was my kind of perfection.
I don’t want to spoil the book for you so I’m going to be my typical lazy self and tell you very little. Win/win, right? You should be spending your time reading the book instead of my stupid review, anyway. So here’s the plot. It’s a simple one on the surface but it’s really not simple at all. Dixie rents a house. It is probably haunted. This is why she moves in despite a brief moment where she thinks perhaps this maybe isn’t the best of plans.
“I don’t think it’s right for me... To disturb the dead”
But she does it anyway, haha! See why I love Dixie? She begins to investigate the decades-old murders and discovers the truth may not be the truth she’s always assumed was the truth. How’s that for a sentence?! Ha, reviewer of the year award right there. Anyway, that’s all I’m saying and it’s likely too much.
This book has echoes of The Amityville Horror and The Haunting of Hill House and all of those chilling and blood-splattered haunted house stories we all love so much but it is told from Dixie’s point of view and as much as we might love her, we’re not always sure we can trust her but through it all, I never doubted my kinship with her. She’s morbid and she’s obsessed and she keeps the reader, as well as everyone around her, a little off-kilter.
“I only lied to you because I didn’t want to tell you the truth” 😹
This is no doubt a wonderfully obsessive, creepy haunted house tale but it’s absolutely captivating and immersive because of the writing. Dixie drags you into her head and her whacked out world and you fall right in never quite knowing if Dixie is telling herself the truth. She also has a beautiful way of attributing scents to people, one that isn’t included nearly enough in the horror novels I typically read. “There was a warm, somnolent maple scent filling the air around him. Garrett smelled like that sometimes, too, as though he had been baking all night at a low temperature.” I don’t why but I LOVED that lovely sensory description so very much.
I loved this book with all that’s left of my heart if I haven’t made that clear enough yet. I will not say a negative thing. It kept me guessing throughout. My notes are filled with all the wrong guesses and here I was thinking I was getting better at this mystery game having read way too many lurid thrillers of late! The author was able to pull me in at a time when my brain was terribly distracted by - oh everything. She caught my attention with the creeps and the humor but she kept me with the strong emotional ties and the originally written heroine.
Amazing stuff. Go read it! And then make all of your horror pals read it.
February 15, 2021
*****SPOILERS*****
Release Date: July 23rd, 2019
Genre: Psychological Fiction
Rating: ❄️
What I Liked:
1. Kind of reminded me of Amityville Horror.
What I Didn't Like:
1. Too fucking much to name!
Overall Thoughts: What a shitty book. There is so much going on that makes little to no sense. I kept reading hoping it would get better but nope. Dixie is a dick head who blames everyone. Garrett is according to her a jerk because he's upset she lied to him about the house. Plus she's keeping a secret that she doesn't want kids. Also she moves into the home without him. She chooses the House. Seriously Dixie is such a piece of shit character. Too many plot holes and things left no tied up. Ending was so fucking predictable. Though why he left her alive was ridiculous. He just left her alive to punish the man that killed his family. Okay why not kill his family and leave the dad alive but frame him for the murders? Why would you leave the baby alive who wouldn't know anything alive. Or hey how about even if Dixie wasn't the dads kid but the dudes and he had an affair with the mom but she wouldn't tell the dad she was leaving and who was the real dad and that's why he left Dixie alive because it was his real kid? Fuck I don't know... Anything could be better than the ending we were given.
Final Thoughts:
*How did she "rent" a house without using her name and the people finding out she's the daughter of the family? Stupid book. Just burn the house down with Dixie inside please.
Release Date: July 23rd, 2019
Genre: Psychological Fiction
Rating: ❄️
What I Liked:
1. Kind of reminded me of Amityville Horror.
What I Didn't Like:
1. Too fucking much to name!
Overall Thoughts: What a shitty book. There is so much going on that makes little to no sense. I kept reading hoping it would get better but nope. Dixie is a dick head who blames everyone. Garrett is according to her a jerk because he's upset she lied to him about the house. Plus she's keeping a secret that she doesn't want kids. Also she moves into the home without him. She chooses the House. Seriously Dixie is such a piece of shit character. Too many plot holes and things left no tied up. Ending was so fucking predictable. Though why he left her alive was ridiculous. He just left her alive to punish the man that killed his family. Okay why not kill his family and leave the dad alive but frame him for the murders? Why would you leave the baby alive who wouldn't know anything alive. Or hey how about even if Dixie wasn't the dads kid but the dudes and he had an affair with the mom but she wouldn't tell the dad she was leaving and who was the real dad and that's why he left Dixie alive because it was his real kid? Fuck I don't know... Anything could be better than the ending we were given.
Final Thoughts:
*How did she "rent" a house without using her name and the people finding out she's the daughter of the family? Stupid book. Just burn the house down with Dixie inside please.
September 22, 2022
I picked up “Theme Music” because initial reviews promised that it would be as terrifying as “The Haunting of Hill House.” Great! I love horror! However, not only is this book not as terrifying as “Hill House,” it’s not terrifying — period. It’s bland, insultingly predictable, and so on-the-nose that it gave me the impression that the author believes that the bulk of her audience is either suffering from severe brain damage or under the age of six. Any horror in “Theme Music” is derived from tired tropes, repetitive jump scares, and twists that are so obvious that I’d hesitate to call them “twists” as usage of that word would imply the existence of mystery and suspense. Even if any of this was remotely scary, the protagonist is so fucking stupid and annoying that I didn’t care whether she lived or died.
“Theme Music” is chock full of gore, but the biggest bloodbath by far is the author’s massacre of the English language. This book has so many run-on sentences, glaring plot holes, and sloppy grammatical errors that I initially believed T. Marie Vandelly to be a terminally ill seventh grader whose Make-A-Wish was to publish a novel. I mean, seriously! Who the fuck was this woman’s editor? She mentions in her author’s note that this book is her first, and like — no offense, babe — but we can tell!
“Theme Music” made me seriously consider taking up horror writing just to prove that I can do better than this. It gets a star and a half because I tore through it in less than a day — but it’s difficult to say whether or not I kept reading because the story hooked me or because I couldn’t wait until it was over so I could rip it a new asshole on goodreads.
And on the subject of goodreads — are you people fucking insane? Usually when I hate a book with this many five star reviews I assume it’s because I missed something. However, I did NOT miss something and it’s BECAUSE I didn’t miss anything that I know that this book is just really, really fucking bad!
If you’re into books where the antagonist spends nine pages explaining his master plan only to subsequently stand around doing nothing so that GHOST CHILDREN can possess the protagonist’s leg long enough to kick him to the ground, be my guest. Otherwise, stay away.
“Theme Music” is chock full of gore, but the biggest bloodbath by far is the author’s massacre of the English language. This book has so many run-on sentences, glaring plot holes, and sloppy grammatical errors that I initially believed T. Marie Vandelly to be a terminally ill seventh grader whose Make-A-Wish was to publish a novel. I mean, seriously! Who the fuck was this woman’s editor? She mentions in her author’s note that this book is her first, and like — no offense, babe — but we can tell!
“Theme Music” made me seriously consider taking up horror writing just to prove that I can do better than this. It gets a star and a half because I tore through it in less than a day — but it’s difficult to say whether or not I kept reading because the story hooked me or because I couldn’t wait until it was over so I could rip it a new asshole on goodreads.
And on the subject of goodreads — are you people fucking insane? Usually when I hate a book with this many five star reviews I assume it’s because I missed something. However, I did NOT miss something and it’s BECAUSE I didn’t miss anything that I know that this book is just really, really fucking bad!
If you’re into books where the antagonist spends nine pages explaining his master plan only to subsequently stand around doing nothing so that GHOST CHILDREN can possess the protagonist’s leg long enough to kick him to the ground, be my guest. Otherwise, stay away.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2019
Theme Music is T. Marie Vandelly's debut novel, and I loved it so much. This book is a fantastic blend of horror and thriller, and I would recommend it for fans of both. I could see this book still being on my favorites list at the end of the year. It's a fascinating and gruesome story. I think the bloodiness of it is much more on the horror side than thriller, so thriller fans, just be aware going in that this one is super graphic. Theme Music is well-written, grim, and entertaining. I was completely captivated the entire time I was reading it, and I can't wait to see what T. Marie Vandelly does next. This is a must-read for this summer!
March 11, 2021
Imagine being so enthralled by a house where a man savagely murdered his family 25 years earlier that you decide to buy it when you find out it’s for sale. Then imagine that the ghosts of this family begin to surface as you take up residence in your new space, although it isn’t really THAT new for you. You just don’t remember it well. You were only a toddler when your father killed your mother and brothers, leaving you in your blood drenched highchair, the sole survivor of this massacre.
Theme Music begins with a bang! Or maybe it’s more accurate to say that it begins with a swinging axe! Although brutally gory, it was also deeply unsettling, so I stomached the carnage, thinking this was the genuinely creepy read I’d been searching for.
Sadly, by the time I read the last page, I no longer believed that to be true.
Vandelly truly had a fascinating idea here, but the flawed execution eventually became a tedious task in reading. Perhaps I should have quit, but due to health issues and personal struggles, I initially chalked my disinterest up as the result of fatigue. It really wasn’t until I worked my way through the second half of the book that I fully accepted that I wasn’t a fan. By then, I’d gone too far to turn back.
There’s no denying that the prologue created certain expectations. I braced myself for a fast-paced, crazy ride, but everything slowed dramatically after that opening. There was some decent foreshadowing, but this was more of mystery with eerie suggestions dispersed like tiny dust particles throughout. The story also relied heavily on gore to qualify it as horror, and the graphic nature was quite repetitive, since only one family had been brutally murdered. I wanted things to get moving, but I never really felt the pacing picked up.
Dixie was not especially likeable, at least not in the traditional sense, but I did enjoy her snarky humor and felt amused by some of her terrible decision making skills. But it is worth mentioning that one of her most appalling choices was presented as humorous and I thought it was in very poor taste. How do I say this obscurely? Well, if it had been a male character, I think (hope) there would be more outrage.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t the terrifying ghost story I’d hoped for either. Many of the scenes that suggested the possibility of a haunting were odd and a bit annoying, but they definitely weren’t scary.
I did like Aunt Celia. I think the scenes with her, in particular, really captured the emotional depth of such a tremendous and horrific loss.
I could have settled on three stars if I’d liked the ending a bit more. I felt it was silly, though, and the details were drawn out for entirely too long. And forgive me for this repetitiveness, as I’ve said it in other reviews, but villain monologues will never score points with me. In the grand scheme of things, I don’t feel this was worth the time I spent with it.
Theme Music is Vandelly’s debut and while I had plenty of issues with the narrative, I do believe she holds promise as a writer. I think, more than anything, what this really lacked was maturity and I do believe this author has great potential to grow and excel in her craft.
Of course, and this probably goes without saying, many readers have loved this. It didn’t fit what I want in a book, but it could be the perfect thing for you.
You can find all of my book reviews, lots of other fun bookish content, and the occasional ramblings about movies right here: https://www.facebook.com/abookishbutt...
Theme Music begins with a bang! Or maybe it’s more accurate to say that it begins with a swinging axe! Although brutally gory, it was also deeply unsettling, so I stomached the carnage, thinking this was the genuinely creepy read I’d been searching for.
Sadly, by the time I read the last page, I no longer believed that to be true.
Vandelly truly had a fascinating idea here, but the flawed execution eventually became a tedious task in reading. Perhaps I should have quit, but due to health issues and personal struggles, I initially chalked my disinterest up as the result of fatigue. It really wasn’t until I worked my way through the second half of the book that I fully accepted that I wasn’t a fan. By then, I’d gone too far to turn back.
There’s no denying that the prologue created certain expectations. I braced myself for a fast-paced, crazy ride, but everything slowed dramatically after that opening. There was some decent foreshadowing, but this was more of mystery with eerie suggestions dispersed like tiny dust particles throughout. The story also relied heavily on gore to qualify it as horror, and the graphic nature was quite repetitive, since only one family had been brutally murdered. I wanted things to get moving, but I never really felt the pacing picked up.
Dixie was not especially likeable, at least not in the traditional sense, but I did enjoy her snarky humor and felt amused by some of her terrible decision making skills. But it is worth mentioning that one of her most appalling choices was presented as humorous and I thought it was in very poor taste. How do I say this obscurely? Well, if it had been a male character, I think (hope) there would be more outrage.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t the terrifying ghost story I’d hoped for either. Many of the scenes that suggested the possibility of a haunting were odd and a bit annoying, but they definitely weren’t scary.
I did like Aunt Celia. I think the scenes with her, in particular, really captured the emotional depth of such a tremendous and horrific loss.
I could have settled on three stars if I’d liked the ending a bit more. I felt it was silly, though, and the details were drawn out for entirely too long. And forgive me for this repetitiveness, as I’ve said it in other reviews, but villain monologues will never score points with me. In the grand scheme of things, I don’t feel this was worth the time I spent with it.
Theme Music is Vandelly’s debut and while I had plenty of issues with the narrative, I do believe she holds promise as a writer. I think, more than anything, what this really lacked was maturity and I do believe this author has great potential to grow and excel in her craft.
Of course, and this probably goes without saying, many readers have loved this. It didn’t fit what I want in a book, but it could be the perfect thing for you.
You can find all of my book reviews, lots of other fun bookish content, and the occasional ramblings about movies right here: https://www.facebook.com/abookishbutt...
March 28, 2021
THIS. BOOK. IS. AMAZING. I had to shout that out right at the top because shouting is the only way to accurately portray how much I freaking LOVED this book. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever read before, the perfect blend of horror and thriller, and I was glued to my seat from the very first page, quite literally. Seriously, I was so damn riveted by what I was reading. It’s just so dark and wild and warped and I haven’t enjoyed the hell out of a book like this in a damn long time. I literally sat with my jaw dropped to my chest for the last like, 100 pages. I haven’t been LEGIT shocked by a thriller like this in a long time, I can normally predict the ending and various twists from a mile away but this one absolutely floored me and shocked the hell out of me time after time. I DESPERATELY need more books like this in my life!
July 5, 2024
3.75 stars rounded up. Well, okay, a couple of first chapters in I wasn’t vibing it. I was like should I stop reading it or not? But I was really into her writing style. It was well done. But the storyline kinda felt meh almost half way through the book and then it picked up and the supernatural element kept me interested so to sum it up I kinda liked it.
April 9, 2023
REREAD REVIEW: December 2023
The last page of this book still gives me the chills!!!!! ♥️ This is a slow-burn mystery/horror that is as moving as it is haunting!
I truly appreciate the striking , detailed descriptions and how intense T. Marie Vandelly's writing is!
My one gripe is I do again feel as thought the final climax scene runs way too long and could have been really pulled back for a tighter execution. However, the story as a whole is both arrestingly mysterious and completely unforgettable!
*favorite of the year
Original review: 04/09/2023
As weird as it is to say, because this book is so macabre, "Theme Music" was pure enjoyment, entertainment, and happiness for me. If you like horror this is a MUST READ.
Right after finishing "Theme Music" I got that rare and special feeling you get when you find a really great book and are filled with gushing emotion and satisfaction and bubbly happiness. I thought about this book for the rest of the weekend and listened to nothing but Fleetwood Mac after.
Despite disliking real life true-crime, this book that centers heavily around a true-crime-esque plot hooked me. I was fascinated by the inconsistencies with the murders and the why behind everything. Since I love an unreliable narrator, I was also completely obsessed with the main character who from the beginning displays these off-hand, subtle red flags. The whole book I didn't know what was up and what was down and it was delightful.
This book is certainly disturbing and contains a lot of gore and really gross imagery. I would definitely be mindful if body horror is triggering for you before going into this one. Despite it being completely disgusting at times I was engrossed. Right at a major PLOT TWIST my headphones died and I was DEVESTATED. I needed to keep reading like I needed air and I so rarely feel that immersed and engaged by a story.
One of the most impressive aspects about "Theme Music" was the way the author was able to weave so much wit and humor into such a dark story. Going into this I did not expect to burst out loud laughing at so many points. The author seamlessly created levity in what would have otherwise been a very heavy and dense read.
I also loved the vivid and descriptive writing. For example there is a scene where the main character is talking about not wanting to drop the crime scene photos in her hands and she thinks "holding tight to the pictures so they wouldn't slip from my abdomen like entrails".... I mean that's the perfect sentence to illustrate and further the tone.
I did think that certain scenes run a little long (especially the climax towards the end) and I did predict part of the twist but these minor things do not diminish from the awe I felt when finishing "Theme Music." The epilogue chapter....that last sentence.....absolute perfection.
What more can I say. This book had everything for me. Morbidly comical at times, spooky, mysterious, and beautifully written. Why has T. Marie Vandelly not written anything since this book. I need more.
The last page of this book still gives me the chills!!!!! ♥️ This is a slow-burn mystery/horror that is as moving as it is haunting!
I truly appreciate the striking , detailed descriptions and how intense T. Marie Vandelly's writing is!
My one gripe is I do again feel as thought the final climax scene runs way too long and could have been really pulled back for a tighter execution. However, the story as a whole is both arrestingly mysterious and completely unforgettable!
*favorite of the year
Original review: 04/09/2023
As weird as it is to say, because this book is so macabre, "Theme Music" was pure enjoyment, entertainment, and happiness for me. If you like horror this is a MUST READ.
Right after finishing "Theme Music" I got that rare and special feeling you get when you find a really great book and are filled with gushing emotion and satisfaction and bubbly happiness. I thought about this book for the rest of the weekend and listened to nothing but Fleetwood Mac after.
Despite disliking real life true-crime, this book that centers heavily around a true-crime-esque plot hooked me. I was fascinated by the inconsistencies with the murders and the why behind everything. Since I love an unreliable narrator, I was also completely obsessed with the main character who from the beginning displays these off-hand, subtle red flags. The whole book I didn't know what was up and what was down and it was delightful.
This book is certainly disturbing and contains a lot of gore and really gross imagery. I would definitely be mindful if body horror is triggering for you before going into this one. Despite it being completely disgusting at times I was engrossed. Right at a major PLOT TWIST my headphones died and I was DEVESTATED. I needed to keep reading like I needed air and I so rarely feel that immersed and engaged by a story.
One of the most impressive aspects about "Theme Music" was the way the author was able to weave so much wit and humor into such a dark story. Going into this I did not expect to burst out loud laughing at so many points. The author seamlessly created levity in what would have otherwise been a very heavy and dense read.
I also loved the vivid and descriptive writing. For example there is a scene where the main character is talking about not wanting to drop the crime scene photos in her hands and she thinks "holding tight to the pictures so they wouldn't slip from my abdomen like entrails".... I mean that's the perfect sentence to illustrate and further the tone.
I did think that certain scenes run a little long (especially the climax towards the end) and I did predict part of the twist but these minor things do not diminish from the awe I felt when finishing "Theme Music." The epilogue chapter....that last sentence.....absolute perfection.
What more can I say. This book had everything for me. Morbidly comical at times, spooky, mysterious, and beautifully written. Why has T. Marie Vandelly not written anything since this book. I need more.
April 15, 2021
4.5 stars, rounded up because this is apparently a debut??
When I was still in diapers, yet to be stripped of my innocence and tooth hopeful, my father excused himself from the breakfast table, made a casual exit out the back door, crossed to a fabricated shed hunkered in a bone-dry cradle of honeysuckle in the far back corner of our lot, fetched an axe, and dragged a muddy rut back across the dormant lawn. He reentered the kitchen, extra warm and cozy thanks to a turkey in the oven, looked upon the bewildered faces of his adoring family, and butchered them all. Well, not all, of course. I lived. Though I do believe I died a little that day.
This was the first horror that's really affected me in a long time. Maybe it's reading so much, but I haven't found much that really gets under my skin and keep me up at night, lately. This though, this is going to creep around in the back of my mind for ages - and I loved it. I will warn that some of this is gory stuff - not for shock value or out of any reasonable context, though, which to me makes all the difference. No, this fitted right in with every other unsettling moment, feeding back and increasing the horror without feeling like it was a lazy writer's shortcut to "horror".
Seriously, for a debut this is really, really strong. The writing itself is great - T. Marie Vandelly may be new, but she's already got a style all of her own that makes for really easy, enjoyable reading, no matter the subject matter. Dixie may be an unreliable narrator, but that too felt natural and well done - she's a mess, but one you want to root for.
Thoroughly enjoyed this, and I'll be looking forward to more from this author.
When I was still in diapers, yet to be stripped of my innocence and tooth hopeful, my father excused himself from the breakfast table, made a casual exit out the back door, crossed to a fabricated shed hunkered in a bone-dry cradle of honeysuckle in the far back corner of our lot, fetched an axe, and dragged a muddy rut back across the dormant lawn. He reentered the kitchen, extra warm and cozy thanks to a turkey in the oven, looked upon the bewildered faces of his adoring family, and butchered them all. Well, not all, of course. I lived. Though I do believe I died a little that day.
This was the first horror that's really affected me in a long time. Maybe it's reading so much, but I haven't found much that really gets under my skin and keep me up at night, lately. This though, this is going to creep around in the back of my mind for ages - and I loved it. I will warn that some of this is gory stuff - not for shock value or out of any reasonable context, though, which to me makes all the difference. No, this fitted right in with every other unsettling moment, feeding back and increasing the horror without feeling like it was a lazy writer's shortcut to "horror".
Seriously, for a debut this is really, really strong. The writing itself is great - T. Marie Vandelly may be new, but she's already got a style all of her own that makes for really easy, enjoyable reading, no matter the subject matter. Dixie may be an unreliable narrator, but that too felt natural and well done - she's a mess, but one you want to root for.
Thoroughly enjoyed this, and I'll be looking forward to more from this author.
March 20, 2022
4 stars
"Heated and focused, and just a little insane", this quote pulled from Theme Music itself perfectly captures the overall reading experience — a ballsy blend of The Haunting of Hill House style psychological horror and ferocious, in-your-face violence — this is nightmare-inducing material at its peak.
There's an unhinged quality permeates throughout the entirety of Theme Music, from character behavior, writing style, to direction of its plot. Meant to be slightly larger-than-life, the story follow the sole survivor of a family tragedy, who chose to move back to her childhood home where her family was axed to death, and intentionally reconstructs every detail to match that fateful day. Readers who prefer a 'clean-cut' horror (it's either supernatural or hallucination) would be annoyed by the novel's commitment that it could be both simultaneously, and if you need a sympathetic, relatable protagonist in order to enjoy a book, this one would definitely be too neurotic to connect.
Even though Theme Music might be 50-60 pages too long in the middle, I applaud for its determination for the extreme, particularly the finale, which reaches a level of crazy, almost black comedic insanity I've not felt since watching the last act of 1974's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Don't be turned off by its vague title, this is a solid, memorable horror debut.
"Heated and focused, and just a little insane", this quote pulled from Theme Music itself perfectly captures the overall reading experience — a ballsy blend of The Haunting of Hill House style psychological horror and ferocious, in-your-face violence — this is nightmare-inducing material at its peak.
There's an unhinged quality permeates throughout the entirety of Theme Music, from character behavior, writing style, to direction of its plot. Meant to be slightly larger-than-life, the story follow the sole survivor of a family tragedy, who chose to move back to her childhood home where her family was axed to death, and intentionally reconstructs every detail to match that fateful day. Readers who prefer a 'clean-cut' horror (it's either supernatural or hallucination) would be annoyed by the novel's commitment that it could be both simultaneously, and if you need a sympathetic, relatable protagonist in order to enjoy a book, this one would definitely be too neurotic to connect.
Even though Theme Music might be 50-60 pages too long in the middle, I applaud for its determination for the extreme, particularly the finale, which reaches a level of crazy, almost black comedic insanity I've not felt since watching the last act of 1974's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Don't be turned off by its vague title, this is a solid, memorable horror debut.
August 28, 2020
Holy chalupas another 5 star read! THEME MUSIC sits at just under 400 pages and I finished it in a matter of hours. I could NOT stop myself! It's the story of Dixie Wheeler, whose mother and brothers were butchered by her father before he ran a knife across his own throat when she was 18 months old. It's 25 years later and she's moved BACK into that house.
With a mixture of haunting/creepy elements, a bloody mystery, and a psychological horror story with a growing body count, this book has EVERYTHING! *insert SNL Stefon gif* Spicy as hell, this book had my heart racing and freaked me out more than once. My house, like many, makes weird and random noises quite often... so...
And the TWISTS in this, oh my goodness... the twists! Like The Isley Brothers, this book had me twist and shout over and over! I love when a book can still do that. This book is STELLAR! A must-read!
With a mixture of haunting/creepy elements, a bloody mystery, and a psychological horror story with a growing body count, this book has EVERYTHING! *insert SNL Stefon gif* Spicy as hell, this book had my heart racing and freaked me out more than once. My house, like many, makes weird and random noises quite often... so...
And the TWISTS in this, oh my goodness... the twists! Like The Isley Brothers, this book had me twist and shout over and over! I love when a book can still do that. This book is STELLAR! A must-read!
March 15, 2021
The main character is .... an idiot. Yes, I’ll stick with that description. How one human can make it to adulthood and be this dumb is the most fantastical thing in this book- not ghosts, not a crazy killer. I forced myself to finish this because I started it, but the main character is so unbelievably ill equipped to deal with reality, and her responses to the situations in which the found herself so far outside the way any other human would respond, that the book was pretty much a waste of time.
November 10, 2022
IM FREE IM FINALLY FREE
December 31, 2022
to me, reviewing an average 3 star book is easy: liked this, disliked that and so on. this, however, is no average book, as it made me feel a whole array of emotions. the writing and the humor were great throughout the novel, but the plot and the characters were an absolute rollercoaster. i was intrigued by the story, it was giving strong Dark Places vibes, but then it evolved into something vastly different. slight spoiler ahead:
my huge fiction pet peeve is when the plot revolves around a character maybe-or-maybe-not hallucinating, tripping, dreaming or going insane. however, this book was able to offer a few things that made me want to forgive that particular aspect. as i mentioned, the writing was really solid and imaginative. the main character was absolutely unhinged, to the point of actually becoming truly unlikeable to me (and god knows i love insane women). i really appreciate this book's boldness and relentless dedication to being absolutely deranged.
BUT. the ending, and the epilogue especially, really lost me. i just don't like that kind of resolution. the finale wasn't... easy and it didn't happen to quickly, but it felt like too much. i'm willing to suspend my disbelief, but i won't do that for free. give me something to work with, please. this time, a bigger spoiler:
i am still excited to check out the author's future works, though.
my huge fiction pet peeve is when the plot revolves around a character maybe-or-maybe-not hallucinating, tripping, dreaming or going insane. however, this book was able to offer a few things that made me want to forgive that particular aspect. as i mentioned, the writing was really solid and imaginative. the main character was absolutely unhinged, to the point of actually becoming truly unlikeable to me (and god knows i love insane women). i really appreciate this book's boldness and relentless dedication to being absolutely deranged.
BUT. the ending, and the epilogue especially, really lost me. i just don't like that kind of resolution. the finale wasn't... easy and it didn't happen to quickly, but it felt like too much. i'm willing to suspend my disbelief, but i won't do that for free. give me something to work with, please. this time, a bigger spoiler:
i am still excited to check out the author's future works, though.
July 16, 2019
I started this book before I had to leave for a weekend upstate to be a part of a wedding. I didn't want to put this book down but I had to so I would read snippets here and there as I found time. One of the reasons I like to binge read is because it's like watching a movie. If you watch a movie in a lot of sections, then we don't get quite the same impact like we would had we watched it all the way through in one fell swoop. I do think that had I read this in one sitting it would've likely been a five star read since I review with my emotions and this book is absolutely bananas and I LOVED IT.
However, since I've had time to stew on it with the traveling and activities, and because I read it in parts as I could.... I feel like there were certain things that kept me from giving this five stars. I know some thriller readers are opposed to bringing in paranormal *things* to these stories. Personally, as a lover of horror, I have absolutely no problem with this and quite frankly, the finer line a thriller book walks to horror, the better!
I couldn't imagine being the only witness to my family's massacre at the hands of my own father. I certainly couldn't imagine being a baby when this happens so the only thing I know about the event is what I've been told about or veered away from. Would I move back into that house once I saw it on the market. I'm pretty sure that's a hell to the NO, but then we wouldn't have this book so thank you Dixie for being so damn curious!
There are certainly some elements where you need to suspend some belief. Strangely enough this is on the living side rather than the dead. Dismiss the legal/law side of the book and concentrate on the paranormal/psychological side and I think avid thriller readers will really enjoy this ride into the absolutely insane... or is it? **wink**
However, since I've had time to stew on it with the traveling and activities, and because I read it in parts as I could.... I feel like there were certain things that kept me from giving this five stars. I know some thriller readers are opposed to bringing in paranormal *things* to these stories. Personally, as a lover of horror, I have absolutely no problem with this and quite frankly, the finer line a thriller book walks to horror, the better!
I couldn't imagine being the only witness to my family's massacre at the hands of my own father. I certainly couldn't imagine being a baby when this happens so the only thing I know about the event is what I've been told about or veered away from. Would I move back into that house once I saw it on the market. I'm pretty sure that's a hell to the NO, but then we wouldn't have this book so thank you Dixie for being so damn curious!
There are certainly some elements where you need to suspend some belief. Strangely enough this is on the living side rather than the dead. Dismiss the legal/law side of the book and concentrate on the paranormal/psychological side and I think avid thriller readers will really enjoy this ride into the absolutely insane... or is it? **wink**
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