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Hold Me Down
A riveting work of dark suspense from acclaimed author Clea Simon Gal, a middle-aged musician, is back in Boston to play a memorial for her late drummer/best friend, when she finds herself freezing on stage at the sight of a face in the crowd. The next day, she learns that the man she saw has been killed – beaten to death behind the venue – and her friend’s widower is being charged in connection with his death. When the friend refuses to defend himself, Gal wonders why and, as the memories of begin to flood back, she starts her own informal investigation. As she does so, she must reexamine her own wild life, her perception of the past, and an industry that monetizes dysfunction in a dark tale of love, music, and murder.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 5, 2021
20 people are currently reading
206 people want to read
About the author
Clea Simon
57 books403 followersBoston Globe-bestselling author Clea Simon is the author most recently of
The Butterfly Trap,
a sinister slow-build "he said/she said" that will definitely surprise you.
This follows Bad Boy Beat a fast-paced amateur sleuth mystery featuring a novice crime reporter with a nose for news who is convinced a series of street-level killings are connected.
In a different mood, Clea's most recent cozy is To Conjure a Killer, the fourth in her "Witch Cats of Cambridge" series.
She is also the author of the psychological suspense novels, Hold Me Down and World Enough, both named "Must Reads" by the Massachusetts Book Awards, as well as the dystopian Blackie and Care black cat series (The Ninth Life), the Dulcie Schwartz feline/academic mysteries (Shades of Grey), the Pru Marlowe pet noir mysteries (Dogs Don't Lie), and the Theda Krakow cats & crime & rock & roll mysteries (Mew is for Murder), as well as three nonfiction books: Mad House: Growing Up in the Shadow of Mentally Ill Siblings; Fatherless Women: How We Change After We Lose Our Dads; and The Feline Mystique: On the Mysterious Connection Between Women and Cats.
The recipient of multiple honors, including the Cat Writers Associations Presidents Award, she lives in Somerville, Massachusetts, with her husband, Jon Garelick, and their cat, Thisbe. Find her at Clea Simon.com
This follows Bad Boy Beat a fast-paced amateur sleuth mystery featuring a novice crime reporter with a nose for news who is convinced a series of street-level killings are connected.
In a different mood, Clea's most recent cozy is To Conjure a Killer, the fourth in her "Witch Cats of Cambridge" series.
She is also the author of the psychological suspense novels, Hold Me Down and World Enough, both named "Must Reads" by the Massachusetts Book Awards, as well as the dystopian Blackie and Care black cat series (The Ninth Life), the Dulcie Schwartz feline/academic mysteries (Shades of Grey), the Pru Marlowe pet noir mysteries (Dogs Don't Lie), and the Theda Krakow cats & crime & rock & roll mysteries (Mew is for Murder), as well as three nonfiction books: Mad House: Growing Up in the Shadow of Mentally Ill Siblings; Fatherless Women: How We Change After We Lose Our Dads; and The Feline Mystique: On the Mysterious Connection Between Women and Cats.
The recipient of multiple honors, including the Cat Writers Associations Presidents Award, she lives in Somerville, Massachusetts, with her husband, Jon Garelick, and their cat, Thisbe. Find her at Clea Simon.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
November 13, 2021
As Clea Simon's latest book,
Hold Me Down
, shows us, sometimes painful memories confront us even when we have no idea they’ve been hiding within us.
Gal remembers what it was like to command an audience as the singer of a once-popular band. But life on the road, particularly for three women in a band, was tough, full of drugs, alcohol, sex, and those who believed women were inferior in the music world.
Now middle-aged, it’s been a while since she’s performed, but she agrees to participate in a tribute for her former drummer and best friend. She is shaken when she spots a familiar face in the crowd, and that shock intensifies when she finds out that man was killed not far from the concert venue later that night—and her best friend’s widower is accused of the murder.
Gal can’t believe her friend would murder anyone, but when he refuses to fight the charges, she needs to understand why. She learns the dead man had been asking about her, but why after all these years? But the deeper she digs, the clearer memories of her past become, memories she had hidden so deeply she didn’t realize they existed.
While some of the blurbs promoting this book have called it a thriller, I’d say it’s more a story about survival, how memory can both protect and hurt us, and the immense responsibility we feel toward those we care about. The story shifts between past and present and almost feels as if things are being revealed like memories becoming clearer.
Thanks to Suzy Approved Book Tours, Clea Simon, and Polis Books for inviting me on the tour, and providing me a complimentary advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review!
Hold Me Down publishes 10/19.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Gal remembers what it was like to command an audience as the singer of a once-popular band. But life on the road, particularly for three women in a band, was tough, full of drugs, alcohol, sex, and those who believed women were inferior in the music world.
Now middle-aged, it’s been a while since she’s performed, but she agrees to participate in a tribute for her former drummer and best friend. She is shaken when she spots a familiar face in the crowd, and that shock intensifies when she finds out that man was killed not far from the concert venue later that night—and her best friend’s widower is accused of the murder.
Gal can’t believe her friend would murder anyone, but when he refuses to fight the charges, she needs to understand why. She learns the dead man had been asking about her, but why after all these years? But the deeper she digs, the clearer memories of her past become, memories she had hidden so deeply she didn’t realize they existed.
While some of the blurbs promoting this book have called it a thriller, I’d say it’s more a story about survival, how memory can both protect and hurt us, and the immense responsibility we feel toward those we care about. The story shifts between past and present and almost feels as if things are being revealed like memories becoming clearer.
Thanks to Suzy Approved Book Tours, Clea Simon, and Polis Books for inviting me on the tour, and providing me a complimentary advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review!
Hold Me Down publishes 10/19.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
April 3, 2022
Music
Murder
Mayhem
Hold Me Down is an edgy and suspenseful read about one woman’s past as a musician leads to a murder, told in dual timeline, flashbacks, and back stories. This is a dark story that combines music, trauma, addiction, and a murder mystery. The writing really pulled me in, especially with the complex dynamics of a middle- aged woman and making amends with her younger self. I enjoy this unique take on a women’s fiction that had mystery, suspense, and of course, rock and roll.
Murder
Mayhem
Hold Me Down is an edgy and suspenseful read about one woman’s past as a musician leads to a murder, told in dual timeline, flashbacks, and back stories. This is a dark story that combines music, trauma, addiction, and a murder mystery. The writing really pulled me in, especially with the complex dynamics of a middle- aged woman and making amends with her younger self. I enjoy this unique take on a women’s fiction that had mystery, suspense, and of course, rock and roll.
January 12, 2022
Hold Me Down by Clea Simon is a highly addictive suspense novel set in the rock music world, marked by love, dysfunction, and murder. Will pin you to your seat until the last page. Wow! Out now.
Thanks to the author and Polis Books for the review copy; opinions are mine.
Thanks to the author and Polis Books for the review copy; opinions are mine.
October 29, 2021
Clea Simon’s latest suspense thriller, Hold Me Down, is set in a world I’m really fond of: the Boston local rock scene of the previous century. It was loud, and filled with all kinds of misfits and savants, and Clea has accurately and enthusiastically captivated the spirit of “la rock d’antan.”
Her protagonist, Gal, is a formerly-star-bound singer/songwriter who was nearly done-in by the lifestyle. But she comes out of her self-imposed exile to attend the funeral of a beloved bandmate. And that’s where the mystery begins. This is a richly detailed suspenseful thrilled with strongly developed characters, a shifting point-of-view (the ‘90s and the present).
Gal is a sturdy protagonist, curious and rough-edged. She’d spent her post-musician years away from urban life in the northern woods with an understanding boyfriend met at rehab. However, once Gal is back in the mix, figuring out the murder, she dives back in to the most compelling parts of her life as a musician. As she unravels the murder mystery, she finds new opportunities to understand her own demons and angels as a singer/songwriter.
Many chapters of Hold Me Down end with a cliff-hanger, and the growing cast of characters who may have been responsible for the murder are well-drawn and realistic. And Gal struck me as a character who could definitely sustain another storyline. Well done!
Her protagonist, Gal, is a formerly-star-bound singer/songwriter who was nearly done-in by the lifestyle. But she comes out of her self-imposed exile to attend the funeral of a beloved bandmate. And that’s where the mystery begins. This is a richly detailed suspenseful thrilled with strongly developed characters, a shifting point-of-view (the ‘90s and the present).
Gal is a sturdy protagonist, curious and rough-edged. She’d spent her post-musician years away from urban life in the northern woods with an understanding boyfriend met at rehab. However, once Gal is back in the mix, figuring out the murder, she dives back in to the most compelling parts of her life as a musician. As she unravels the murder mystery, she finds new opportunities to understand her own demons and angels as a singer/songwriter.
Many chapters of Hold Me Down end with a cliff-hanger, and the growing cast of characters who may have been responsible for the murder are well-drawn and realistic. And Gal struck me as a character who could definitely sustain another storyline. Well done!
March 31, 2022
Sex Drugs and Rock & Roll!
Being a lover of rock music, I was excited to read this novel about a female rockstar! I was expecting a Daisy Jones vibe, but this was way more grittier and darker…which I dig.
A suspense filled book that was spoken by the protagonist, Gal, in dual timelines from today and when she was living that rockstar lifestyle! I loved this character.
She begins having flashbacks of suppressed memories that slowly reveals the darkness of that lifestyle and how it can affect her moving forward.
I would say not to go into this book expecting a strong thriller/mystery. It read more like a suspenseful woman’s fiction novel.
Being a lover of rock music, I was excited to read this novel about a female rockstar! I was expecting a Daisy Jones vibe, but this was way more grittier and darker…which I dig.
A suspense filled book that was spoken by the protagonist, Gal, in dual timelines from today and when she was living that rockstar lifestyle! I loved this character.
She begins having flashbacks of suppressed memories that slowly reveals the darkness of that lifestyle and how it can affect her moving forward.
I would say not to go into this book expecting a strong thriller/mystery. It read more like a suspenseful woman’s fiction novel.
September 30, 2021
Not a true mystery per se, at least not as I define it; but that is not necessarily a bad thing, unless you're looking for a straight on, follow the clues, reach a solution. That's not what this is about. It's more of a psychological study of a woman who was once a rock star in the Boston music scene, literally: she and her bandmates, all women, never saw themselves as a girl band but as rockers. Trouble is, sexism, drugs, unscrupulous agents, groupies, and the pressures of fame and creativity all took a toll. Gal, our heroine, found herself in some dark places. Now years later she's come back to do a concert to benefit the family of a former bandmates who was once Gal's best friend. Aimee got out of the scene, married, and left behind a daughter and a grieving ex-husband. It's heady stuff, being back on stage, but then a glimpse of a face from her past causes her to falter. She recovers, but is shaken for reasons she can't explain. Things get even more complicated the next day when she finds out the man she saw was murdered-- and Aimee's ex has confessed. It makes no sense. Gal is going to have to go into the past, relive those wild days, and come to terms with what has happened. Great choice for those who like some grit and some music in their mysteries; more than that, Simon does a great job of conveying the rush that singers get from the audience, from the creativity, and the drugs and fears that can destroy it all.
September 3, 2021
HOLD ME DOWN by Clea Simon is not my normal type of reading, grittier than my usual, and I don’t relate easily to the music scene, and yet . . . and yet . . .
I came to care about Gal and her band, felt a bit dizzy at the back and forth in time, the ups and downs in career, and found I could relate to bad decisions, regret, and efforts to put things right, or as close to right as possible. This was not an easy read, a bit like trying to see across a dim and smoky room, but there is inspiration in the idea of imperfect people helping each other find the way back on course.
We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.
Luciano De Crescenzo
We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.
Luciano De Crescenzo
August 13, 2021
Hold Me Down, had a cover I could not resist and I am so grateful I took notice!
Hold Me Down, was a wild ride and had such great narration. This book follows Gal, a modern day rocker chick. Gal is performing at a benefit show for her late band mate and best friend. While performing at the show she sees a face in the audience she recognizes. Well, that same person ends up dead.
Painful memories are resurrected and Gal is reminded of past relationships and betrayals.
I absolutely adored this book from start to finish, I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes a suspenseful thriller.
Hold Me Down, was a wild ride and had such great narration. This book follows Gal, a modern day rocker chick. Gal is performing at a benefit show for her late band mate and best friend. While performing at the show she sees a face in the audience she recognizes. Well, that same person ends up dead.
Painful memories are resurrected and Gal is reminded of past relationships and betrayals.
I absolutely adored this book from start to finish, I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes a suspenseful thriller.
September 12, 2021
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Simon, prolific author of the Witch Cats of Cambridge series, here mines her past as a rock critic. The tale looks at former rockers visiting their own past when they reunite for a benefit after former bandmate Aimee dies. During the concert, Gal Raver, frontwoman of the band and of the book, sees a familiar face in the crowd. It’s TK, the band’s old roadie, who’s later found dead in an alleyway behind the club. Walter, Aimee’s husband, is charged with murdering TK and seems curiously apathetic when Gal tries to help him fight the accusation. Finding out what happened involves numerous murky flashbacks to Gal’s past as a messy, angry drug and alcohol addict, and her behavior and the battle for fleeting success give the book a feeling of darkness.
Simon’s evocative writing puts readers inside sweaty clubs that stink of beer and vomit (so much vomit!), and reaches its first height when describing the moment the fledgling band finally gels onstage. The music fades in the last part of the novel, which explores hard truths and the differing ways they can be remembered, with Simon’s depiction of Gal’s slowly unfurling memories a second high point. Note that rape is described here in some detail. For readers who enjoy dark stories and fans of music-themed mysteries.—Henrietta Verma, First Clue
Simon, prolific author of the Witch Cats of Cambridge series, here mines her past as a rock critic. The tale looks at former rockers visiting their own past when they reunite for a benefit after former bandmate Aimee dies. During the concert, Gal Raver, frontwoman of the band and of the book, sees a familiar face in the crowd. It’s TK, the band’s old roadie, who’s later found dead in an alleyway behind the club. Walter, Aimee’s husband, is charged with murdering TK and seems curiously apathetic when Gal tries to help him fight the accusation. Finding out what happened involves numerous murky flashbacks to Gal’s past as a messy, angry drug and alcohol addict, and her behavior and the battle for fleeting success give the book a feeling of darkness.
Simon’s evocative writing puts readers inside sweaty clubs that stink of beer and vomit (so much vomit!), and reaches its first height when describing the moment the fledgling band finally gels onstage. The music fades in the last part of the novel, which explores hard truths and the differing ways they can be remembered, with Simon’s depiction of Gal’s slowly unfurling memories a second high point. Note that rape is described here in some detail. For readers who enjoy dark stories and fans of music-themed mysteries.—Henrietta Verma, First Clue
July 25, 2021
This is an enticing mystery with a twist of personal drama. Aging rocker Gal Raver puts on a benefit show for a deceased band member’s family and sees someone from the past in the audience, who is then found dead behind the venue. This brings up painful memories of lost relationships and betrayals, all set in the Boston music scene. Noted author Clea Simon writes with exquisite clarity about music, performing, and coming to terms with the past. Highly recommended.
September 28, 2021
A well-executed tale of suspense. This one kept me engaged and I enjoyed the unpredictability. The plot and characters are not always pretty. For those that are OK with some gritty content and like some mystery, this will likely work.
I really appreciate the free ARC for review!!.
I really appreciate the free ARC for review!!.
February 5, 2022
HOLD ME DOWN is a dark, propulsive thriller. It was a gripping read from start to finish. Though the book’s murder mystery is fascinating, the real standout is the character of Gal, who is beautifully realized.
The author is a former journalist who covered the music scene, and her research shows in the vivid details included in the flashbacks. I loved it and will be looking out for more of her work!
Thanks to NetGalley for an ebook copy.
The author is a former journalist who covered the music scene, and her research shows in the vivid details included in the flashbacks. I loved it and will be looking out for more of her work!
Thanks to NetGalley for an ebook copy.
January 3, 2022
A whole lot of nonsensical dialog for an end that was known a quarter way in.
Read
April 15, 2022Gal is a middle-aged mucisian, who, at the height of her career, lived out the typical sex, drugs, and rock and roll culture. When her best friend and former drummer passes away and Gal plays a memorial in her honor, she freezes on stage at the sight of a man's face in the crowd. One she hasn't seen since her glory days. When he turns up dead the next day and her best friend's widower is charged with the death, memories start resurfacing for Gal.
In Hold Me Down, Clea Simon did a wonderful job used the darker side of rock and roll culture to cultivate a mystery. I do love an unreliable narrator in a suspense novel, and that's exactly what we get here, as Gal doesn't quite remember everything that happened when she was at the height of her career. This is a quick read and good mystery, great for a weekend trip if you need to bring along a book! Note there are quite a few trigger warnings in this book, so please DM me if you want to know what they are.
Thanks to the author and Suzy Approved Book Tours for the gifted copy of this book!
In Hold Me Down, Clea Simon did a wonderful job used the darker side of rock and roll culture to cultivate a mystery. I do love an unreliable narrator in a suspense novel, and that's exactly what we get here, as Gal doesn't quite remember everything that happened when she was at the height of her career. This is a quick read and good mystery, great for a weekend trip if you need to bring along a book! Note there are quite a few trigger warnings in this book, so please DM me if you want to know what they are.
Thanks to the author and Suzy Approved Book Tours for the gifted copy of this book!
July 29, 2021
I love this book! It brought me back into the club/music scene that I used to inhabit, by capturing the feeling with details and characters that are true to life. The story in engrossing and timely. Read this book!
July 28, 2021
I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this one. Clea Simon excavates the sins of the past to a punk rock beat. 'Hold Me Down' packs a wallop.
November 15, 2021
The why-dunnit narrative of "Hold Me Down" is occasionally bumped by the suspense of who-really-dunnit uncertainty, delivered in a quick, solid, descriptive style that cuts out slack as it bounces between scenes and eras.
Looking back at the highs times of protagonist Gal and her band and then the memorial reunion for a lost member and friend two decades later, Gal reveals dark, subtle twists of struggle, damage, pity, and reward within herself.
Exploring the ins and outs, both typical and peculiar, in the life of a club-playing rock band in Boston, and the special quirks that being an all-female group brings, author Simon provides perceptive readings on how on-stage interplay and ego, or lack of, can power as well as confuse individual performances and group relationships; how stage fright can cripple one minute before players are swept to heights by the sheer redeeming power of song the next; and the contrasts between joyful nostalgia of short-lived fame and dark trauma of guilt-fed pain.
Simon's brisk, energetic style never lets the story drift as it circles around the musical memories of two decades ago, the death of Gal's drummer and best friend, and how the tragic suspense of what happened at the memorial reunion leads to Gal's long suppressed epiphany. "Hold Me Down" is such a gratifying read we can only hope that Simon considers more musical mysteries in addition to her well-known cat-powered "chat noir" series. •
-- Tristram Lozaw
Looking back at the highs times of protagonist Gal and her band and then the memorial reunion for a lost member and friend two decades later, Gal reveals dark, subtle twists of struggle, damage, pity, and reward within herself.
Exploring the ins and outs, both typical and peculiar, in the life of a club-playing rock band in Boston, and the special quirks that being an all-female group brings, author Simon provides perceptive readings on how on-stage interplay and ego, or lack of, can power as well as confuse individual performances and group relationships; how stage fright can cripple one minute before players are swept to heights by the sheer redeeming power of song the next; and the contrasts between joyful nostalgia of short-lived fame and dark trauma of guilt-fed pain.
Simon's brisk, energetic style never lets the story drift as it circles around the musical memories of two decades ago, the death of Gal's drummer and best friend, and how the tragic suspense of what happened at the memorial reunion leads to Gal's long suppressed epiphany. "Hold Me Down" is such a gratifying read we can only hope that Simon considers more musical mysteries in addition to her well-known cat-powered "chat noir" series. •
-- Tristram Lozaw
March 25, 2022
This was such an intense and suspenseful page turner! It was fascinating to learn more about the rock music world and I really enjoyed reading about Gal and her band's rise to fame. This was a quick read for me. The short chapters and dual timelines worked well and many chapters ended with a cliffhanger so it was impossible to stop reading! The murder happened early in the book and I loved that the further I got into the story the more characters there were who had a something against the victim. I appreciated Gal's self reflection as she thought back on her days in the band and some of the bad choices she made and I loved how she stepped in to come to her friend's defense when he wouldn't defend himself. If you like music and a good murder mystery I recommend adding this one to your TBR asap!
September 29, 2021
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“Hold Me Down” is a suspense novel that showcases the chaotic lives of musicians, and I enjoyed reading it.
The first aspect that drew me to the story was the setting. I loved the whole atmosphere of the band concerts and musicians. The author depicts the life of the musicians and their journey to popularity wonderfully. Moreover, as the story includes a few deaths, I liked how the author seamlessly added a possible murder investigation. The author writes the story in a unique manner where you don’t know what will happen. The story toggles between the past and the present as Gal recounts their band during their golden years.
I also liked reading about the characters and felt the author portrayed them realistically. Gal, Aimee, TK, Walter, and Lina all bring something new to the table. I particularly liked the flashbacks between Gal and Aimee and how they take in their newfound success. The author does not shy from portraying the hardships of fame, and the band starts releasing hits. Moreover, as the story progresses, you see secrets, betrayals, and other shocking moments that change your perspective of the characters. Some moments truly shocked me, like the flashback with TK and the climax.
However, the only minor criticism of the story is how the plot takes time to set up the suspense. The book markets itself as a suspense novel, and I expected more from that perspective. While the story becomes suspenseful and gripping in the second half, the first half is more about the band and the drama that takes place (which I also enjoyed reading about).
Overall, “Hold Me Down” is a captivating novel and worth reading.
October 13, 2021
Thank you Clea for my complementary copy. I am including a review just because it was gifted doesn't effect my opinions all opinions are
Genres: Suspense, Psychological
Trigger Warnings: Murder , Sexism , Drugs
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#holdmedown
Synopsis: A riveting work of dark suspense from acclaimed author Clea Simon Gal, a middle-aged musician, is back in Boston to play a memorial for her late drummer/best friend, when she finds herself freezing on stage at the sight of a face in the crowd. The next day, she learns that the man she saw has been killed – beaten to death behind the venue – and her friend’s widower is being charged in connection with his death. When the friend refuses to defend himself, Gal wonders why and, as the memories of begin to flood back, she starts her own informal investigation. As she does so, she must reexamine her own wild life, her perception of the past, and an industry that monetizes dysfunction in a dark tale of love, music, and murder
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Thoughts: It is classified as a Thriller but to me it's more Suspense mixed in with Genres Drama and Psychological. It's fast paced, great character development, however the topics won't be for everyone. Overall, the author crafted up a brilliant,and dark story. If you like gritty stories once you start reading this one you won't want to put it down !
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☆☆☆☆
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Genres: Suspense, Psychological
Trigger Warnings: Murder , Sexism , Drugs
--
#holdmedown
Synopsis: A riveting work of dark suspense from acclaimed author Clea Simon Gal, a middle-aged musician, is back in Boston to play a memorial for her late drummer/best friend, when she finds herself freezing on stage at the sight of a face in the crowd. The next day, she learns that the man she saw has been killed – beaten to death behind the venue – and her friend’s widower is being charged in connection with his death. When the friend refuses to defend himself, Gal wonders why and, as the memories of begin to flood back, she starts her own informal investigation. As she does so, she must reexamine her own wild life, her perception of the past, and an industry that monetizes dysfunction in a dark tale of love, music, and murder
-
-
Thoughts: It is classified as a Thriller but to me it's more Suspense mixed in with Genres Drama and Psychological. It's fast paced, great character development, however the topics won't be for everyone. Overall, the author crafted up a brilliant,and dark story. If you like gritty stories once you start reading this one you won't want to put it down !
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☆☆☆☆
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August 20, 2021
Hold Me Down is a down and dirty portrayal of making it as a fictional band, the unglamorous life on a tour bus, the cutthroat greed of managers, labels and promoters. The story is told current day with memories & recollections from the bands beginning, on the road, and through changing band members.
This story isn't for the faint of heart, some graphic sexual, drug and alcohol content.
The band's lead singer, Gal, is performing a benefit concert honoring a recently deceased band member. After the concert someone associated with band's early days is murdered. As the story unfolds, Gal remembers details from those periods in her life with the band.
The history of rock bands in those early days seemed well researched and realistic. I'm an old rocker and appreciated the insightfulness of the book.
There were some twists in the story, one I figured out half way in. It didn't really deter me from reading the rest, there were several mysteries to figure out. The characters were all well developed and added to the overall story. There is drama, deceipt, sadness, and life after the band. The story also manages to address some timely and relevant issues.
I read another book, which will remain nameless, earlier this year about a very similar subject matter. Hold me Down was so much more well written and enjoyable!
I had not read anything by this author before, but I will consider her again.
Thanks to Netgalley, Clea Simon, and Polis Books for the advance digital copy. The opinions stated here are mine given voluntarily.
This story isn't for the faint of heart, some graphic sexual, drug and alcohol content.
The band's lead singer, Gal, is performing a benefit concert honoring a recently deceased band member. After the concert someone associated with band's early days is murdered. As the story unfolds, Gal remembers details from those periods in her life with the band.
The history of rock bands in those early days seemed well researched and realistic. I'm an old rocker and appreciated the insightfulness of the book.
There were some twists in the story, one I figured out half way in. It didn't really deter me from reading the rest, there were several mysteries to figure out. The characters were all well developed and added to the overall story. There is drama, deceipt, sadness, and life after the band. The story also manages to address some timely and relevant issues.
I read another book, which will remain nameless, earlier this year about a very similar subject matter. Hold me Down was so much more well written and enjoyable!
I had not read anything by this author before, but I will consider her again.
Thanks to Netgalley, Clea Simon, and Polis Books for the advance digital copy. The opinions stated here are mine given voluntarily.
October 26, 2021
Dark and gritty with murder and mystery at it's core.
Gal, now middle aged, was once a rock and roll star some twenty years ago. After the death of her best friend and bandmate she returns to Boston for a benefit reunion concert. When she sees a face from her past in the crowd it causes her to lose focus while performing. When this same person is found murdered behind the venue and her friends ex-husband is charged with the crime, Gal finds herself reliving her past, trying to help however she can to find the truth.
This is one hell of a journey. Powerfull and gripping, this well written novel takes you inside the life of a touring all girl band. With plenty of drink, drugs and sex along the way, (we're talking about a rock band after all) it's a compelling read from start to finish. With well drawn characters and accessable prose I found myself invested in said characters with a need to know what happened and why.
This one will appeal to both music lovers and psychological suspense fans and as such I highly recommend it.
.
Thank you to the author, Polis Books and Suzy Approved Book Tours for the gifted copy and including me on this tour.
Gal, now middle aged, was once a rock and roll star some twenty years ago. After the death of her best friend and bandmate she returns to Boston for a benefit reunion concert. When she sees a face from her past in the crowd it causes her to lose focus while performing. When this same person is found murdered behind the venue and her friends ex-husband is charged with the crime, Gal finds herself reliving her past, trying to help however she can to find the truth.
This is one hell of a journey. Powerfull and gripping, this well written novel takes you inside the life of a touring all girl band. With plenty of drink, drugs and sex along the way, (we're talking about a rock band after all) it's a compelling read from start to finish. With well drawn characters and accessable prose I found myself invested in said characters with a need to know what happened and why.
This one will appeal to both music lovers and psychological suspense fans and as such I highly recommend it.
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Thank you to the author, Polis Books and Suzy Approved Book Tours for the gifted copy and including me on this tour.
August 28, 2021
Thank you for the opportunity to read this!
The story was great. About a 40+ former rockstar that comes back to her old stomping ground because her best friend has died. A murder has happened when she is back, and she has to get to the bottom of it. It will cause her to relive her rockstar days, and will bring up both good and bad memories.
The only 2 complaints about this book were:
-It took too long for me to really get “into” this book. I feel like it took until about the halfway point before I really understood where the story was going
- It was hard for me in the beginning to decipher what was the present and what was the past sometimes. No fault of the author, just how I read it.
Overall a great story! I loved the concept of the book, and the ending was a great conclusion.
The story was great. About a 40+ former rockstar that comes back to her old stomping ground because her best friend has died. A murder has happened when she is back, and she has to get to the bottom of it. It will cause her to relive her rockstar days, and will bring up both good and bad memories.
The only 2 complaints about this book were:
-It took too long for me to really get “into” this book. I feel like it took until about the halfway point before I really understood where the story was going
- It was hard for me in the beginning to decipher what was the present and what was the past sometimes. No fault of the author, just how I read it.
Overall a great story! I loved the concept of the book, and the ending was a great conclusion.
July 26, 2021
As a fan of Clea Simon's mysteries and a longtime denizen of Boston's fertile rock scene, I was overjoyed to hear that she was setting a book in the 80s club world. This is a mystery with a difference, dealing with the joys of musical creativity and the challenges that confront women, then and now, within this supposedly freewheeling milieu. As always, Simon is a masterful plotter who keeps you guessing as the story unravels; she also treats her characters with sensitivity and insight. She was there when Boston was really happening, and for newcomers she's the perfect tour guide.
October 28, 2021
This was such an interesting rock and roll story along with being a murder mystery. The timeline went from present to past and back again so that the true picture slowly came into focus. It's dark, it's edgy, it's cleverly put together. I enjoyed seeing events unfold through the eyes of the lead singer, Gal, and getting to know a bit about life after the music. There are some heavy topics in the story, but it's an amazing behind the scenes, truth in flashbacks, and watch the puzzle pieces fall into place kind of book.
I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 12, 2021
This riveting dark suspense novel about a hard-driving punk rocker dragged into the trauma of her wild past by a murder in her present, will grab you by the heart even as it makes you grip the edge of your seat. Life as a successful rock musician has taken its toll Gal Raver, the protagonist in this intense and compelling read. When she plays a benefit for her close friend and former drummer who succumbed to cancer, she believes all of that is in the rear-view mirror. But a glimpse of a man in the audience who later turns up dead sends her reeling back into a time she can’t escape. Hold Me Down is a mystery and a thriller, but it’s also a novel about grief, the glorious joy of making music, and what it takes to put a broken life back together. Highly recommended!
January 23, 2022
Simon delivers a good piece of crime fiction in Hold Me Down. The story is revealed between a timeline in the present paired with flashbacks to a past muddled by alcohol, drugs and bad memories. The way the story is told reflects the confusion the protagonist is dealing with as she copes with the loss of her friend while remembering the trauma of her past. While I guessed the ending about halfway through I did find this to be a fun, quick read.
Thanks to Kate Rock Book Tours and Clea Simon for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
My reviews can also be seen at www.instagram.com/justonemoorebook.
Thanks to Kate Rock Book Tours and Clea Simon for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
My reviews can also be seen at www.instagram.com/justonemoorebook.
October 4, 2021
This book felt like a dark and twisty episode of MTV's Behind the Music. A peek inside the lives of bands on tour shows the gritty underbelly that no one ever sees. Throw in a murder to solve and you've got yourself a really interesting read right here.
It took me awhile to get into this one but once I did, it was a heck of a ride.
It took me awhile to get into this one but once I did, it was a heck of a ride.
September 12, 2024
I loved the premise of this book but did find myself getting a little confused as to the timeline on occasions.
What seemed to be a light hearted novel about an old rock group actually deals with some heavy issues in a sensitive way.
A good read.
I was given an ARC in exchange of a review but all views expressed are my own.
What seemed to be a light hearted novel about an old rock group actually deals with some heavy issues in a sensitive way.
A good read.
I was given an ARC in exchange of a review but all views expressed are my own.
April 25, 2022
Anyone else remember MTV's Behind the Music or any music-based show on VH1?
Hold Me Down is a dark and twisty episode-like drama about a woman on a quest to clear her friend. This story is intense and riveting and I found myself on the edge of my seat the entire time. If you love a story about music, murder, and mayhem (anyone watch Bailey on YouTube???) then you will want to check out this novel now. Perfect thrilling read for your summer travels.
Hold Me Down is a dark and twisty episode-like drama about a woman on a quest to clear her friend. This story is intense and riveting and I found myself on the edge of my seat the entire time. If you love a story about music, murder, and mayhem (anyone watch Bailey on YouTube???) then you will want to check out this novel now. Perfect thrilling read for your summer travels.
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