What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wannabes
His friend has been murdered, but he can’t be responsible… Can he?
John has returned to London and rekindled the spark with his gorgeous ex, Belinda. But, after a vivid dream in which he seems to brutally murder an old friend, John is shocked to discover that said friend has indeed been slaughtered.
As the dreams continue and the bodies start to pile up, John and Belinda investigate. Both horribly conscious that John himself might be the number one suspect…
A London murder-mystery with a difference from supernatural thriller author, F.R. Jameson.
John has returned to London and rekindled the spark with his gorgeous ex, Belinda. But, after a vivid dream in which he seems to brutally murder an old friend, John is shocked to discover that said friend has indeed been slaughtered.
As the dreams continue and the bodies start to pile up, John and Belinda investigate. Both horribly conscious that John himself might be the number one suspect…
A London murder-mystery with a difference from supernatural thriller author, F.R. Jameson.
- GenresMystery
332 pages, Paperback
First published March 18, 2012
1 person is currently reading
612 people want to read
About the author
F.R. Jameson
37 books222 followersF.R. Jameson was born in Wales, but now lives in London with his wife and young daughter. He writes both historical thrillers and supernatural thrillers.
His books are, at the moment, mostly sorted into two different – but complimentary – series. The first, ‘Screen Siren Noir’, currently comprises of three novels: ‘Diana Christmas’, ‘Eden St. Michel’ and ‘Alice Rackham’. All of which tell the stories of beautiful British film stars caught up in Noir tales of blackmail, obsession, scandal and death. He is currently working on both the fourth and fifth books in the series.
The second series is more disturbing and scary, and lives under the moniker: ‘Ghostly Shadows’. Right now there is only one book published, a tale of supernatural revenge – ‘Death at the Shadows’. However, 2019 will bring four more entries to terrify and intrigue.
His blog - https://frjameson.com/ - is regularly updated with information about his writing, as well as film and book reviews. You can follow him @frjameson on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest, and you can find him on Facebook.
His books are, at the moment, mostly sorted into two different – but complimentary – series. The first, ‘Screen Siren Noir’, currently comprises of three novels: ‘Diana Christmas’, ‘Eden St. Michel’ and ‘Alice Rackham’. All of which tell the stories of beautiful British film stars caught up in Noir tales of blackmail, obsession, scandal and death. He is currently working on both the fourth and fifth books in the series.
The second series is more disturbing and scary, and lives under the moniker: ‘Ghostly Shadows’. Right now there is only one book published, a tale of supernatural revenge – ‘Death at the Shadows’. However, 2019 will bring four more entries to terrify and intrigue.
His blog - https://frjameson.com/ - is regularly updated with information about his writing, as well as film and book reviews. You can follow him @frjameson on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest, and you can find him on Facebook.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 8, 2018
Why This Book
To be honest, I'm not exactly sure what made me download The Wannabes by F.R. Jameson earlier in the year. I know I saw the Kindle version was free on Amazon, but it was either recommended to me or I connected with the author. Either case, I did... and in my quest to close out by the end of January 2018 all my commitments for ARCs or authors I know, it was one of the many reads on my many flights over the holidays this year. And now it's time for the review...
Plot, Characters & Setting
The story takes place in London, where main character John Clay has returned after a number of years absence. He was part of a group of entertainers/friends who dated one another, played tricks on one another and competed for meeting life goals in their various careers and family situations. John begins dating a former girlfriend from the group, but he awakens after strange dreams where he murders one of the friends in the group. As the nights go by, more dreams where he is killing various friends. But it doesn't end there... he's so startled by each dream that he goes to the friend's house in the middle of the night to assure himself he didn't commit murder, only to find the friend died in the exact way it occurred in the dream. Very strange! As the story progresses, readers learn of the intricate relationships in the group, a book that someone was about to publish and suspicion of witchcraft. Nothing is really as it seems, and you know there's some sort of magic going on, but you won't figure it out until the end -- at least not the full story.
Approach & Style
The book is written in third person with a focus on John Clay. I read the Kindle version in my iPad in about 2 hours on a flight - it's relatively short and easy to digest. Chapters are short and keep you focused through suspense and intrigue.
Key Opinions
This is a tough one to classify... it's a good book, but at the same time, I couldn't tell what readers were supposed to know and not supposed to know. I liked being a bit in the doubting range, as it forced me to focus intently on word choice and style. You need to in order to understand what's real and pick up on specifically what's not being said.
The characters were definitely not likable -- none of them. They were a bit mean-spirited or over-the-top, but that's the point and why it makes it a fun read. Dialogue is witty, clever and sarcastic -
very British. You'll know from fairly early on what's probably going on, but you still want to see where it's going and what the key missing piece to the story is -- that's the fun of the journey. All in all, I'd give it a 3.5, but because of the intention behind the book, how it lent itself to a humorous take, and what I think the author was doing with the approach, it rounds up to a 4 for me.
Final Thoughts
In some ways, the book bordered on a bit of old school English tradition and classic American camp - in a good way. I enjoyed the premise, liked the writing style and bounced along with the plot. It's a fun read, but it's the type of book that doesn't completely push you on being a serious thriller. Despite some of the ways people died or are killed, it's not graphic but it's not lighthearted. It's something to add a little levity to the way people react when meeting a group they were formerly friends with. I like the author's style and will read more of his work in the future.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I’m Jay, an author who lives in NYC. My debut novel, Watching Glass Shatter, can be purchased on Amazon. I write A LOT. I read A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll find the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge – words and humor. You can also find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
To be honest, I'm not exactly sure what made me download The Wannabes by F.R. Jameson earlier in the year. I know I saw the Kindle version was free on Amazon, but it was either recommended to me or I connected with the author. Either case, I did... and in my quest to close out by the end of January 2018 all my commitments for ARCs or authors I know, it was one of the many reads on my many flights over the holidays this year. And now it's time for the review...
Plot, Characters & Setting
The story takes place in London, where main character John Clay has returned after a number of years absence. He was part of a group of entertainers/friends who dated one another, played tricks on one another and competed for meeting life goals in their various careers and family situations. John begins dating a former girlfriend from the group, but he awakens after strange dreams where he murders one of the friends in the group. As the nights go by, more dreams where he is killing various friends. But it doesn't end there... he's so startled by each dream that he goes to the friend's house in the middle of the night to assure himself he didn't commit murder, only to find the friend died in the exact way it occurred in the dream. Very strange! As the story progresses, readers learn of the intricate relationships in the group, a book that someone was about to publish and suspicion of witchcraft. Nothing is really as it seems, and you know there's some sort of magic going on, but you won't figure it out until the end -- at least not the full story.
Approach & Style
The book is written in third person with a focus on John Clay. I read the Kindle version in my iPad in about 2 hours on a flight - it's relatively short and easy to digest. Chapters are short and keep you focused through suspense and intrigue.
Key Opinions
This is a tough one to classify... it's a good book, but at the same time, I couldn't tell what readers were supposed to know and not supposed to know. I liked being a bit in the doubting range, as it forced me to focus intently on word choice and style. You need to in order to understand what's real and pick up on specifically what's not being said.
The characters were definitely not likable -- none of them. They were a bit mean-spirited or over-the-top, but that's the point and why it makes it a fun read. Dialogue is witty, clever and sarcastic -
very British. You'll know from fairly early on what's probably going on, but you still want to see where it's going and what the key missing piece to the story is -- that's the fun of the journey. All in all, I'd give it a 3.5, but because of the intention behind the book, how it lent itself to a humorous take, and what I think the author was doing with the approach, it rounds up to a 4 for me.
Final Thoughts
In some ways, the book bordered on a bit of old school English tradition and classic American camp - in a good way. I enjoyed the premise, liked the writing style and bounced along with the plot. It's a fun read, but it's the type of book that doesn't completely push you on being a serious thriller. Despite some of the ways people died or are killed, it's not graphic but it's not lighthearted. It's something to add a little levity to the way people react when meeting a group they were formerly friends with. I like the author's style and will read more of his work in the future.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I’m Jay, an author who lives in NYC. My debut novel, Watching Glass Shatter, can be purchased on Amazon. I write A LOT. I read A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll find the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge – words and humor. You can also find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
March 5, 2018
Looking back at THE WANNABES, ten years or so after I wrote it, I find – with a baffled smile – that I’m not quite sure where it came from.
Whereas for my other novel, HELL’S SECRETS, I can remember the exact moment when I started to type down the story, for THE WANNABES it’s a strange blank.
I can certainly recognise some of the inspirations that wind through the pages. Undoubtedly, there’s a bit of Patrick Hamilton’s HANGOVER SQUARE, which is a book I loved at the time; there’s a great dollop of THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH, although – if I’m honest – probably more of the Roger Corman film than the Edgar Allen Poe story. I saw that movie on BBC2 when I was about fourteen and the images have never left me. The character’s lead name comes straight from William Faulkner’s LIGHT IN AUGUST. Although, since Stephen King made the same steal for THE GREEN MILE, maybe it came from there too. I had read both, after all.
There’s a lot of that’s autobiographical within the pages. People I knew who made their way into the book, stories from my own life, things that were happening to me which barged their way in.
Then there are the pubs.
Both THE WANNABES and HELL’S SECRETS feature a hell of a lot of pubs, and back then – I will confess – I was something of a frequenter. Today, as a new dad, I imagine my fiction will contain noticeably fewer public houses.
Write what you know, they say. So if you are someone who frequently has a pint in their hands, write about someone who frequently has a pint in their hand.
What I don’t remember though is where the story came from. I don’t recall any moment of inspiration. I just remember writing it and it suddenly being there.
However, what I do remember is the moment before. That flash of realisation when I decided to become a genre author.
Until then I’d been scribbling away with a mindset that was self-consciously literary. With a mind full of Philip Roth and Richard Ford, I was trying to write books that said something.
This period went on for a while, as when you’re young you have a tendency to self-importance and can easily convince yourself that you do have something meaningful to say. But when I wrote in that way I could never create anything I truly liked. The stories I wrote were okay, but they were not brilliant and what I really wanted to do – with my self-important literary poseur head on – was write something brilliant.
Something brilliant and something important and something meaningful and something poetic and all so many somethings.
But one day I took a step back and looking at my bookshelves and saw the Raymond Chandlers, the Stephen Kings, the James Herberts, the Agatha Christies and wondered what the hell I was doing. Yes, I liked reading literary fiction, but what I really enjoyed – what really gave me pleasure – was horror, mysteries, crime, thrillers.
This was not only the stuff I liked, but in odd idle moments I would write little sketches of stories designed to be as scary, creepy and gruesome as hell.
What I needed to do was so obvious that I was annoyed at myself for weeks for not thinking of it earlier. I needed to be writing horror, to be writing mysteries, books with a crime at their centre, which wanted to do nothing more important than thrill.
That’s what was going to make me happiest.
And THE WANNABES is the first full-length ripe fruit of that realisation – a book where I tried to cram in so much of the stuff I liked, that it can’t help but amuse me as I read through and see a check-list of all the things I was into and how I reinterpreted them.
It’s a supernatural thriller, certainly, but it’s also a genre compendium – one shot through a psyche just excited to be bringing all these things together.
Whereas for my other novel, HELL’S SECRETS, I can remember the exact moment when I started to type down the story, for THE WANNABES it’s a strange blank.
I can certainly recognise some of the inspirations that wind through the pages. Undoubtedly, there’s a bit of Patrick Hamilton’s HANGOVER SQUARE, which is a book I loved at the time; there’s a great dollop of THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH, although – if I’m honest – probably more of the Roger Corman film than the Edgar Allen Poe story. I saw that movie on BBC2 when I was about fourteen and the images have never left me. The character’s lead name comes straight from William Faulkner’s LIGHT IN AUGUST. Although, since Stephen King made the same steal for THE GREEN MILE, maybe it came from there too. I had read both, after all.
There’s a lot of that’s autobiographical within the pages. People I knew who made their way into the book, stories from my own life, things that were happening to me which barged their way in.
Then there are the pubs.
Both THE WANNABES and HELL’S SECRETS feature a hell of a lot of pubs, and back then – I will confess – I was something of a frequenter. Today, as a new dad, I imagine my fiction will contain noticeably fewer public houses.
Write what you know, they say. So if you are someone who frequently has a pint in their hands, write about someone who frequently has a pint in their hand.
What I don’t remember though is where the story came from. I don’t recall any moment of inspiration. I just remember writing it and it suddenly being there.
However, what I do remember is the moment before. That flash of realisation when I decided to become a genre author.
Until then I’d been scribbling away with a mindset that was self-consciously literary. With a mind full of Philip Roth and Richard Ford, I was trying to write books that said something.
This period went on for a while, as when you’re young you have a tendency to self-importance and can easily convince yourself that you do have something meaningful to say. But when I wrote in that way I could never create anything I truly liked. The stories I wrote were okay, but they were not brilliant and what I really wanted to do – with my self-important literary poseur head on – was write something brilliant.
Something brilliant and something important and something meaningful and something poetic and all so many somethings.
But one day I took a step back and looking at my bookshelves and saw the Raymond Chandlers, the Stephen Kings, the James Herberts, the Agatha Christies and wondered what the hell I was doing. Yes, I liked reading literary fiction, but what I really enjoyed – what really gave me pleasure – was horror, mysteries, crime, thrillers.
This was not only the stuff I liked, but in odd idle moments I would write little sketches of stories designed to be as scary, creepy and gruesome as hell.
What I needed to do was so obvious that I was annoyed at myself for weeks for not thinking of it earlier. I needed to be writing horror, to be writing mysteries, books with a crime at their centre, which wanted to do nothing more important than thrill.
That’s what was going to make me happiest.
And THE WANNABES is the first full-length ripe fruit of that realisation – a book where I tried to cram in so much of the stuff I liked, that it can’t help but amuse me as I read through and see a check-list of all the things I was into and how I reinterpreted them.
It’s a supernatural thriller, certainly, but it’s also a genre compendium – one shot through a psyche just excited to be bringing all these things together.
April 2, 2009
As the back cover boldly states, this is "A blood soaked tale of sex, murder and ruthless ambition." I found this one to be a real page-turner. It is well paced, has well developed characters, the leading information that makes it a page-turner is meted out in just the right quantities, and it kept me up late.
I didn't like all the questions in the first couple of paragraphs, they were a bit off-putting. But, the story recovered from that initial stumble and it was soon forgotten. The bludgeonings, the ruthless gossip and backstabbing, and the sex were all tastefully done.
In the end, I wished that Clay swallowing his own heart would have been more consequential (without giving too much away). I suppose that would have been a bit too corny though. At least he had the chance to unsettle a few cops for their trouble.
So, ummmm, does the good witch bring Clay back for a sequel?
I didn't like all the questions in the first couple of paragraphs, they were a bit off-putting. But, the story recovered from that initial stumble and it was soon forgotten. The bludgeonings, the ruthless gossip and backstabbing, and the sex were all tastefully done.
In the end, I wished that Clay swallowing his own heart would have been more consequential (without giving too much away). I suppose that would have been a bit too corny though. At least he had the chance to unsettle a few cops for their trouble.
So, ummmm, does the good witch bring Clay back for a sequel?
April 4, 2010
I am sure this is one of the better books with witches and that kind of stuff in it. So it gets the max. numbers of stars for books of this genre. But except of Douglas Adams I won't read any fantasy novels again. Promised.
August 21, 2022
Well, shit on a shingle!
*HUGE sigh ... {shiver} * .... that waaasss ...... DISTURBING ..... to say the least!! 😱 Sort of like watching a car accident and being mind fucked at the same time, seen through a veil of a shitty acid trip. You know you shouldn't look ...... but you feel drawn and can't help yourself ....... and everything is muddled .... and nothing makes sense! 😵 And that's just the main character's viewpoint. Still, I couldn't help but finish the book just to see how it would end, although I did skip a few pages in my rush. The writing itself isn't bad but at the end of it I feel like I need to scrub myself with a Brillo pad ..... and gargle with holy water. And NOT dream - NOPE - none of that now!
*HUGE sigh ... {shiver} * .... that waaasss ...... DISTURBING ..... to say the least!! 😱 Sort of like watching a car accident and being mind fucked at the same time, seen through a veil of a shitty acid trip. You know you shouldn't look ...... but you feel drawn and can't help yourself ....... and everything is muddled .... and nothing makes sense! 😵 And that's just the main character's viewpoint. Still, I couldn't help but finish the book just to see how it would end, although I did skip a few pages in my rush. The writing itself isn't bad but at the end of it I feel like I need to scrub myself with a Brillo pad ..... and gargle with holy water. And NOT dream - NOPE - none of that now!
February 20, 2017
I found this story to be quite predictable, but enjoyable nonetheless. The only surprise was one event I assumed to be a future event actually happened in the past. It was an interesting premise.
[received via GoodReads First Reads giveaway]
[received via GoodReads First Reads giveaway]
September 12, 2010
A wonderfully original and unique novel- the characters and plot stay with youlong after you finish!!
February 10, 2018
At first I wasn't too sure about this one, i felt that things kept getting repeated.. But i stayed with it and was very pleased i did..
A very good read, which i did manage to finish within 24 hours..
A very good read, which i did manage to finish within 24 hours..
May 10, 2021
This book is excellent! The author states it was his first novel - I found that hard to believe. The premise of this book is weird. In a good way. It's very genre-bending and I definitely enjoyed it. At its core, it is a mystery. But there's also fantasy and (it may as well be) pornography. There is A LOT of sex and nakedness. Seriously, if that bothers you, do not read this.
The story itself is really interesting. Clay shows up back in London after two years away and he can't seem to tell anyone where he has been or what he's been doing. Then he starts dreaming he's murdering his friends. But it can't be him because his girlfriend says he's with her every night and he never left her bed....
The story itself is really interesting. Clay shows up back in London after two years away and he can't seem to tell anyone where he has been or what he's been doing. Then he starts dreaming he's murdering his friends. But it can't be him because his girlfriend says he's with her every night and he never left her bed....
July 15, 2019
I didn’t enjoy this at all. This book took a good plot and made it predictable. In itself the writing was good. The sentence structure etc was good. Technically its well written, much more so than many books I have enjoyed more.
What should have been a suspenseful and riveting story was instead obvious and boring.
What should have been a suspenseful and riveting story was instead obvious and boring.
August 31, 2019
This is a chilling story that will give you goosebumps and haunt you for a time. The characters are all very realistic until you realize that maybe they aren't. A growing realization of what is happening and why forces you deeper into the book until it suddenly ends the only way it can.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews