The Twenty Seven Club

by Lucy Nichol

A darkly comic tale of friendship, hope and fandom

Genres: Music, Humor

231 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 20, 2021

About the author

Lucy, whose author names are Lucy Nichol and Lucy Roth, writes fiction and non fiction with a love of comedy, nostalgia, music and busting mental health myths.

She is also a freelance writer, mental health advocate and PR consultant whose work has appeared in The Independent, The I Paper, NME, Red Magazine, Den of Geek, Huff Post and many more. She is passionate about challenging mental health and particularly addiction stigma, has worked with the media in PR and marketing for over 18 years and has experienced anxiety for even longer.

Reviews

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life has its moments when you remember exactly what you were doing when you hear someone in the public eye has passed. When Kurt Cobain died in 1994—the year I morphed from A grade student to nightclubbing, Taboo drinking, Lambert & Butler inhaling social animal—I was having a more mature moment and watching the news with my dad.

What if all of us, rock stars or not, had something terrible happen when we turned 27, and we just never made the link?”

As she approaches the age that claimed many of the greats, Emma begins to get a tad twitchy and decides to re-evaluate her lifestyle choices. She’s real, relatable and the path she travels is filled with nostalgia and humour whilst acknowledging the more serious obstacles any one of us could have and indeed have faced. I may have only been 17 in 1994 but this book invoked so many memories of the time when you dealt with your feelings by hiding in your bedroom making a mix-tape.

The finger needs to be hovering over the pause button on high alert, ready to estimate the exact time when the voice of Bruno Brookes will come barging into your perfect audio love letter.”

I loved this, Lucy Nichol has an easy, engaging writing style that worked perfectly for me, balancing heavier-hearted content with light, and the fact it’s set on my doorstep added to the entire feel. If 1994 was your era, The Twenty Seven Club will seriously strike an appreciative chord, from Oasis to D:Ream, Gordon the Gopher to Mr. Bronson and Bodyshop Dewberry to Hai Karate, and if not you’ll get an insight as to what life was like for those of us who are now older than our parents were back then but who are mentally still in our 20’s, half-wishing we could rewind to the time when a fumble on the settee watching a video from Blockbuster was the epitome of romance but thankful for some of the things the future brought.

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although the death of Kurt Cobain didn't have as much of an impact on me as it did on Emma, a working-class rock music fan from Hull, I still really enjoyed reading The Twenty Seven Club by Lucy Nichol.

Emma works as a sales admin assistant ordering bathroom supplies at the local caravan company, Shaw's Static Holiday Homes, which isn't challenging enough for her. Emma is 26 when her dad, Tel, informs her that Kurt Cobain has killed himself aged 27, triggering feelings of anxiety. It leads to Emma dwelling on the reasons why other rock musicians have died, aged 27.

This novel certainly had me reflecting on my own past times and fond, and some not so fond memories! I felt a great deal of affinity with Emma having lived in Hull myself for a short period. Many of Lucy Nichol's references to bands and brands took me right back to 1994 and that general time period of reminiscences such as dewberry scent, Right Said Fred, D:Ream, Diamond White cider and crispy pancakes.

Regardless of all of Emma's anxieties, the novel exudes warmth and has humour, wit and comedic moments in spades. Lucy Nichol's writing style is an excellent fit for me and makes this compelling tale an easy read. I adored the author's characterisation and found myself rooting for Emma, wanting everything to work out well for her. She had a great way with people and her friendships and relationships, with Dave (Emma's BFF) and her work colleague, Claire, as well as John from Newcastle were all fantastically portrayed.

This moving and side-splittingly funny tale is well worth a look. Very highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Lark via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

[Kate Henderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a strange book!
As soon as I saw the title of this book I knew I had to read it! I've been fascinated with the idea of the 27 club for as long as I can remember. I was super intrigued by this book.
The book opens with the death of Kurt Cobain and the way Emma (our protagonist) deals with it.
The book just felt a bit ploddy, with nothing major really happening. I was just hoping for some sort of drama or problem. It just felt like a diary... 'then i went to work, then I went to the pub, then i took some cocaine.' The book was probably 75% of the way through before Dave drops a bit of a bombshell and finally there was a bit of drama. But then after that it went back to being ploddy again.

I really didn't enjoy this book, and don't quite get what the author was trying to achieve with it. I felt it was very poorly written, and just didn't go anywhere.
Disappointing and boring!

[Sarah Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really should have enjoyed this more than I did...it was right up my alley in terms of subject matter and era. The trouble was, it took such a long time to get going. I read for ages thinking - something will happen soon. The plot revolves around the protagonist Emma's obsession with rock stars dying at 27, after Kurt Cobain's suicide, which is admittedly an interesting idea.

There is a lot - a LOT of nineties brand and name dropping. References to brands from the nineties, TV shows, music, but it felt a bit overdone and contrived, as if the author was trying to prove how authentically nineties the book REALLY was. There's an odd tangent with her dad and his mate getting involved in politics which I won't spoil, which seemed to come out of nowhere and disappear again. I also found the references - in 1994 - to political events that have happened in the 2010s/20s a bit odd. References to people in the public eye at the moment as if giving us some ironic look into the future. I can see what she was trying to do, but it grated and I think it could have been left out.

I gave it three stars because the story started to pick up after a while and I enjoyed it. Something happened to make me care about the characters, and the story developed a bit more substance than just nostalgic music references and a love interest. There's huge potential here and I think Lucy is a good writer but I just got the feeling she was trying a bit TOO hard with this one...sorry!

[Martin Brabazon · Rating 4 out of 5]

26-year old Emma has a bit of an early midlife crisis. Driven by the tragic death of Kurt Cobain, she becomes obsessed with the mythical '27 Club' and tries to work out the mystery of why Cobain and so many other musicians died aged 27 and what she needs to do to avoid joining that club.

Hull 1994 is a place and time I know very well. I will have been two years younger than Emma and enjoyed the same music and frequented many of the same places. I grew to enjoy this book and particularly liked the sections on how to make a great mix tape and the implausibility of Boris Johnson. But maybe my life was too similar to Emma's to really enjoy the book though. After all, I perhaps need a bit of escapism in my reading.

[Darren-lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.2

[Guy Mankowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 27 Club is a dazzlingly funny, dark and insightful novel- a must for anyone who came of age in the nineties. A brilliantly nostalgic blast from an era where shoe choice was everything, Townies were a thing, and the bands you followed told the world who you were about to become. Lucy Nichols is a stunning new voice in fiction.

[Michelle Ryles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow! This book is simply awesome! After reading the blurb, I knew I was going to enjoy it but I didn't expect so many laugh out louds, gasps of shock and eyebrow-raising nostalgic reminders.

Lucy Nichol's writing is very fresh, raw, honest and edgy and, with an underlying sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll beat, it reminded me of Irvine Welch's Trainspotting but with nicer, funnier and more relatable characters. Emma is such a multi-dimensional character that it is impossible to keep her on the page; I felt like she was talking to me and she could have popped out of the book at any moment, especially if I had any Drambuie in the house (which I don't).

As we follow Emma's life as she struggles with anxiety in the period after Kurt Cobain died, it's like being inside her head and walking in her shoes. I loved reading about her drunk nights out with her friend Dave but her whippet Trev provided the best entertainment; his shenanigans providing many laugh out loud moments. It's probably not a good idea to be drinking anything while reading this book as I frequently couldn't contain my laughter and there would have been drink spurting everywhere if I'd been drinking and reading.

Set in 1994, I expected some nostalgia but my eyebrows virtually shot up into my hairline when Emma meets John, a Geordie who reminisces about nights out at the Mayfair in Newcastle. Although it wasn't part of my Friday night out, I knew all about the infamous rock club at the Mayfair and having been demolished in 1999, it's almost obligatory (for anyone old enough to remember it) to say: 'eeeh remember when this was the Mayfair' when visiting the cinema or restaurants at The Gate. I didn't know that the Mayfair was such an historic music venue until I googled it following Lucy Nichol's reminder. Although it's my local city, and I knew it hosted The Tube in the 80s, I didn't realise Newcastle had such a renowned music scene but then again, any excuse for a party in the toon.

Nostalgic, hilarious and surprisingly feel-good, The Twenty Seven Club is an absolutely fantastic read. You will read it and weep, both tears of laughter and sorrow as a full rollercoaster of emotions is experienced in this awesome book. I really can't recommend it highly enough; just buy it, immerse yourself in the 90s music scene and get a guaranteed smiley face.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Rachel_loves_to_read · Rating 4 out of 5]

The blurb:

Emma is hurtling towards her 27th birthday, riddled with anxiety that her idols Joplin, Hendrix and Morrison all died aged 27, and now Kurt Cobain has gone too. Will Emma be next to join The Twenty Seven Club?

Emma, a rock music fan from Hull, with a penchant for a flaming Drambuie and a line of coke with her best mate Dave down The Angel, is troubled. Trev, her whippet, has IBS, and her job ordering bathroom supplies at the local caravan company is far from challenging. So when her dad, Tel, informs her that her music idol, Kurt Cobain has killed himself aged 27, Emma is consumed with anxiety.

Why have so many legendary musicians gone aged 27? Is there a link between the members of the so-called Twenty Seven Club? Is this why her mum had an affair and left them? And could Emma be about to join The Twenty Seven Club too?

My thoughts:

A great 90’s nostalgic read. So many 90’s references.

The story was told from Emma’s pov and followed her friendship with Dave and her obsession with “the 27 club”

The story had many funny laugh out loud scenarios, as well as quite a few heartfelt moments too.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it...

I felt immersed in this story and really involved/invested in the characters lives as they were written with a good deal of depth and love. It kind of reminded me of my own life and youth. I guess we are probably a similar kind of age. It made me reminisce in a good way. Not afraid to deal with difficult at times subjects I felt the truth was laid bare and charmingly honest but also funny and entertaining. Felt kind of almost beat style stream and flow of consciousness from mind to paper. Very natural writing style with good clear composition which I appreciate because I can loose my attention quickly. 100% recommend.

[Peter Doherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply brilliant

You know I kind of love Emma, and if you read this wonderful affectionate and witheringly funny tale of life , love and anxiety of a young woman, her dad, her best friend and her dog who has IBS, then you too can laugh out loud and worry and cry as you read her story as she contemplated her approaching 27th birthday.

I cannot recommend this highly enough.

[Rachel Park · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tbh I finished it just so I could add it to my Goodreads challenge. It was... OK. Pretty slow, not much of a storyline or what there was wasn't developed enough for me. Predictable ending. Some glaring spelling/grammatical errors which jarred, and random mentions of Boris Johnson which were also a bit odd and seemed shoehorned in.

[Sharon Rimmelzwaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

'The Twenty Seven Club' by Lucy Nichol is a story that is dark, comical and nostalgic all at the same time. A story that highlights mental health while captivating the reader while doing so.
We meet Emma a young woman who lives in Hull. She is deeply affected by the death of Kurt Cobain one of her idols at twenty seven. She is affected to the point that she starts a journey of researching into the deaths of other rock idols at the age of twenty seven.
She is almost twenty seven and she starts to question everything, from her choices to her way of life and her lifestyle and the way she behaves. Her research soon becomes an obsession and she is convinced she will die at twenty seven too. This knock on effect makes her not want to be interested in anything and it could almost be a self-fulfilling prophecy you could easily say.
I found this a very compelling story, the fact that mental health can impact on a person such as Emma, and it all began with one person dying at twenty seven. Just proves how easily triggered a person can be and almost everyone is one step away from experiencing mental health issues. I really could understand Emma and really did empathise with this woman who begins to dig into things that created bigger issues for herself than she could imagine.
The other side of the story I was so at home! As soon as I started reading, being set in the North and the 1990s! The waves of nostalgia hit me! All the memories of my own came flooding back from being a twenty odd year old (same as Emma). Loved it , although it is really a serious subject Lucy Nichol has woven the story with humour, maybe a dark humour but a laugh is a laugh...isn't it? She has managed to weave everything into one great story that really tackles anxiety and that is something we will always need in life. She has done it in a way that we can empathise and even recognise ourselves within this book. A superbly written stort about a sensitive subject.
Thank you to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours, Lark and NetGalley for the copy of the book.

[Chanel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, it's not everyday you pick up a book and go, "Bloody hell, this is Northern to the core" but The Twenty Seven Club is absolutely the story of a young woman, in a Northern town who finds that the thrill of music, her mates and the local is enough to keep her going.

I wan't born when Kurt Cobain died. I popped out 2 years later, oblivious to the fact that I came into a decade where so many public figures were leaving it. I've always had a fascination to The 27 Club (maybe it's the PR brain) and as soon as I seen this book synopsis I knew it would be a bit of me. I've spent the last few years getting to know the tragedies and the stories that lead to their demise.

This book is a delight. It's not promising to have you on the edge of your seat and for a novel like this, heavy drama and fantastical characters would be immensely out of place. Instead, we find Emma, a few months off turning 27, questioning her own mortality after the death of grunge God, Kurt Cobain. Emma's life is mundane and repetitive but it is EXTREMELY relatable to those of us just trying to get through life and enjoy the special moments we get with our loved ones. Being 24 myself, and edging closer to 27, the age I've obsessed over for years now, I can absolutely understand not just the fear of dying young and leaving no real legacy but also the worries and expectations of being in your late 20's.

The references to the popular culture of the time and the 90's echoing through the bones of this book makes for a nostalgic story, jam-packed with points that will make you go, "eee god, remember those".

I read another review of this novel that said that the book had no plot and went nowhere and I completely disagree. We really see the growth of Emma throughout and just because it's set over a short few months, does not make it any less credible as a book with substance, emotion and some genuine laugh out loud moments.

[Lekha reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Responsibility is a heavy burden to carry. So I needed the occasional weekend blowouts – even though the aftermath reinforced my negative thinking patterns, I had to let off steam at some point or I’d simply blow."

" He was like a strangely comforting bed of nails, like most punk artists i guess…...You find comfort in them purely because they remind you that you're not alone in your discomfort"
➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖
This is my first book by the author. Set in the 1990's, this dark humourous story revolves around Emma who is a working-class rock music fan from Hull and is going to hit 27 soon. The death of her idol, Kurt Cobain makes her anxious and she goes on a research to find out why most of the rock stars die at the age of 27. She obsesses over her research and starts thinking she will die at 27 too. Hence, she starts questioning everything about her lifestyle and choices.

I loved how the author has handled a serious subject like mental health and managed to make me laugh. It took the death of some celebrity to trigger Emma's mental issues and this emphasizes on the fact that mental health problems are very common and not to be joked about. This is one of the most unique stories I have ever read. The narrative feels like a diary of a girl who is writing about her day-to-day life, fears, love interest and best friends. Although it becomes boring at some places, I felt this book needs to be read at a slightly slower pace. You would want the dark, yet funny, bits to sink in. Some stuff are pretty heavy but the author has said in such a lucid way. The writing style is great and at many places I felt Emma is talking directly to me and she is going to come out of the book. The mention of rented movies, mixtapes etc opens the box of sweet nostalgic memories. However, some of the repetitive daily life narrative could have been avoided to make this book shorter and more interesting. Nevertheless, i liked the book and would highly recommend it for its unique story.

[Jason Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

April 5th 1994, the day Grunge and Music in general changed forever...The day Kurt Cobain killed himself. That's where we begin Lucy Nichol's THE 27 CLUB. Here we meet Emma, 26 (creeping up on 27). living in Hull with her best mate Dave, her dad and her beloved Whippet Trevor. For Emma, Kurt Cobain dying aged 27 hit Emma HARD and got her thinking about the 'infamous' 27 club and about life in general. And what does it all really mean?
From here we go on a Journey with Emma, Dave, and yes even Trevor the Whippet as Emma begins to 'stumble' her way through the 'ins and outs' of her life, dealing with anxiety, drunken nights at the Angel and trying to keep her head above water, in her life and her job.

I first came across Lucy Nichol through social media a few months ago and over the past few months have begun reading her books (I'm almost at the end of PARKLIFE- the sequel to THE 27 CLUB) as well as her first book- A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE STEREOTYPES, NAMING AND SHAMING MENTAL HEALTH STIGMAS- and through Lucy's words in THE 27 CLUB we are taken deep into the world of 'mental health' (and early Brit-pop) through the eyes of a twenty-something young woman in mid-nineties Hull and as we take this journey with Emma and her friends and family, Lucy Nichol paints an emotional and sometimes scary picture of mental health rarely talked about. As someone who does suffer with mental health problems Emma's struggles (through Lucy's words) resonated VERY true with me and by the end of the book- no spoilers- I was overcome with emotions of joy, sadness and an overwhelming urge to go 'crack' open a can of Carlsberg Super and listen to LOTS of Brit-pop. (I was 14 in 1994 and listened to the Shamen, the Prodigy and East 17- shut up!)

The 27 club is an amazing book that 'tugs' and your heartstrings and leaves you wanting more.

I can't recommend this book enough.

[Victoria Wilks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is undoubtedly one of the most unique stories I have read in quite some time. In The Twenty Seven Club we meet Emma. She is a young woman who, after being deeply affected by the death of Kurt Cobain, who is one of her biggest idols, finds herself jumping headfirst down the rabbit hole of information available at the local library as she begins researching the deaths of other rock idols who also passed away at the age of twenty seven.

As Emma’s twenty seventh birthday is fast approaching, she finds herself questioning everything in her life, from her own behaviours and her life choices. As Emma becomes more obsessed with the deaths, and almost convinced she could meet the same fate, suddenly everything seems rather unappealing to her.

This was such a complex, interesting story that highlighted the huge and incredibly life changing consequences mental illness can have on a persons life. I know I could certainly relate with Emma on several occasions, as I am sure many others will too.

The author has such a fascinating writing style that really draws the reader in and keeps them well and truly invested to the very end. I thought the attention to detail was marvellous, and really allowed me to picture the scenes vividly within my mind.

The voice that is given to Anxiety is exactly what we needed. So often people will play down the affects of it, however when you live with it yourself, you will come to relate to so much the character experiences, and the battle to just get through the day. A marvellous read that really deserves so much credit for tackling subjects that so many will steer away from.

[Rebecca Jamison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny, laugh out loud read with a deep undertone.

It's 1994 and one of Emma's idols, Kurt Cobain, is dead. A member of the 27 Club. Emma becomes a little obsessive over this. Is it to do with rock music? Pop stars don't die at 27, do they?

Emma herself is 26 and is stuck in a bit of a rut. Her life consists of going to her local pub The Angel with lifelong best mate Dave, having some beers (maybe taking some cocaine on the side) and working a 9-5 job that doesn't challenge her. Her 27th birthday is coming up fast and she is convinced that she will end up in the 27 Club.

We learn a lot about Emma's family, her mum who cheated on her dad when she was a young child and that fact that her dad has been single ever since.

I love the political tone throughout this book and honestly, it seems like nothing has changed in 2021! Quote of the book about Boris Johnson: "Thank Christ he's a journalist and not a politician." Eek!

The reason I liked this book so much is because I can relate quite a bit. I listened (and still do!) to a lot of the bands mentioned throughout the book and it is just so my scene - even if I was only 2 years old in 1994!

Although it is hilarious and I laughed out loud a lot, it is mainly about Emma finding her place in life, overcoming anxiety and coming to terms with a trauma that she experienced in childhood.

[Jas Gra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspired by the famous 27 Club—a group of musicians who died at the age of 27, including Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse, and Jimi Hendrix. The tale interweaves the fictional narrative around the 27 club legend.

The story centers on a woman named Sophie struggling with her mental health, due to her obsession with the idea of the 27 Club. and the impact for her and her friend as they approach that particular milestone. Covering families, relationships, subcultures, everyday drudgery and losing the feeling of emotional safety we should all have as a child.

Although the story looks at tough subjects like depression, anxiety, and the stigmas surrounding mental health it is done with empathy and a healthy dollop of humour all of the way through. The characters are relatable and throw in some musical references and a sprinkle of rock n roll fantasy and it makes for a very engaging read.

While the novel includes elements of suspense and a bit of rock-and-roll fantasy, it's ultimately a story about self-discovery and finding a way out of the darkness. The book’s pacing is steady, and it builds toward a powerful conclusion that leaves readers reflecting on the impact of fame and personal identity.
Will be moving onto Parklife by the same author in the next few weeks and will report back when finished.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Twenty Seven Club by Lucy Nichol - I read it in one day, even staying up past my bedtime to finish it! I loved being privy to Emma’s stream of consciousness over the course of the story. Her voice is so funny, endearing and human, as you can see when her best intentions repeatedly go awry. There were so many moments where I laughed out loud at things that happened, as well as things Emma thought or said.

But the reader is also witness to Emma’s fraying mental state. While the primary trigger point is Kurt Cobain’s suicide, there are a few other events in the novel that signal big shifts in her life, and all of this brings anxiety and unresolved issues from her childhood to the surface. The reveal of what Emma had been pushing down for so many years is breath-taking and heartrending, and it explains so much about her.

I could really relate to Emma’s thought patterns. Seeing her getting bogged down in black-and-white thinking and obsessing over the negatives while disregarding the positives (for example, thinking of all the artists who died aged 27, and not the ones who hadn’t), which I also tend to do, was so validating. I found the conclusions she was working towards at the end of the novel comforting and reassuring.

The ’90s setting of the book was something I also found comforting. Even though I was a bit young at the time for the music Emma listens to, the pop culture references took me back to a period when the world felt safer and more predictable. I appreciated the Right Said Fred cameo because I was randomly obsessed with them for a short time when I was five!

The feelings of comfort The Twenty Seven Club evoked in me might be because at that time I wasn’t aware of current affairs, and hadn’t yet encountered any real/insurmountable adversity, though. Nichol doesn’t paint the ’90s as a halcyon period by any means - Emma would probably quicker to realise that it was panic attacks she was experiencing today, being gay is still something to hide, and sexual harassment goes largely unchallenged. There’s no love for the Tory government, although at least then they were more dreary than dangerous. I very much enjoyed the wry nods to subsequent developments!

The Twenty Seven Club is an insightful, comforting and funny novel that I adored.

[Terry Medford · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1994 I was 22 and lost. Hair down to my backside, 10 hole Doctor Martins and working!?!
as a roadie for the short lived Bang Bang Machine. I was living the dream but feeling
extremely lost. Where was I going? As it turns out not very far but i am waffling now. This
is a book review not my autobiography.

So this book sang out to me when I read about it somewhere or other. A 26 year old
who could have been me. It was my voice in the writing . Unsatisfied and feeling
overwhelmed with the whole living and growing up thing.

It may have been an emotional rollercoaster of nostalgia for me but the book is
so much more than that and you really don't have to gone through the 90s to enjoy this book.
The writing and story transcend any timeline. Its a book about anxiety, finding your place
in this crazy world, friendship and life. If you are reading my review you know you want to read
the book. Do it. I never like to read books quickly, but The 27 Club had me hooked from the
start and if it wasn't due to life getting in the way I would of read it in one go.

So to sum up, its a funny, engaging and extremely well written book. Buy it.

[Marc Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Twenty Seven Club. I was 25 in 1994, so some of the events depicted in the book are still pretty clear. And I think that's what attracted me to it initially. I don't think I was as wild as Emma, the book's narrator, but it was certainly a nostalgic rollercoaster. I loved the references to all the bands I listened to at the time, a dangerous strategy because it can often feel forced. But this wasn't the case with The Twenty Seven Club because the music is an integral part of the story (and who hasn't dreamt about sharing a tour bus with Right Said Fred? No, me neither). I laughed out loud on a few occasions, felt decidedly uncomfortable at other times (the 'lunchbox incident' was a classic depiction of squirming discomfort - I squirmed).
But it's not only played for laughs, and I think Lucy Nichol manages to balance the comedy and the drama particularly well, but also understands how people use humour to mask something scarily serious. What I found particularly refreshing was the acknowledgement that Gen X struggled, and weren't that different to their successors, even though Millennials and Gen Z seem to take most the flack. And this is why I don't think The Twenty Seven Club is just a Gen X story, because its themes cross the generational divide.

[Sara O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a child of the nineties, this novel peaked my interest when I saw it available for review. Lucy Nichol is not an author I have heard of before and after further investigation I found out this is her first work of fiction, I feel I may need to keep an eye out for her. The Twenty Seven Club is dark where it needs to be, funny where it needs to be and just brings a sense of nostalgia for me, I have often wondered about some of the most famous musicians and their untimely deaths at 27, I almost feel like Lucy read my diary entries from way back when as I questioned why the god ones always go so early. Drugs, friends, booze and a time capsule back to one of the most influential periods for rock music, I enjoyed every moment of this read and highly recommend it. Rumor has it this story is set to be adapted to stage as well, so keep on the lookout for that. Overall I give the Twenty Seven Club a 5 out of 5 stars

[Chris Limb · Rating 5 out of 5]

The death of Kurt Cobain by suicide at 27 was Generation X's assassination of JFK – we all remember where we were when we heard about it. For the protagonist, alternative music fan Emma, it sets her thinking about her own mortality. She's due to be 27 next birthday. Why had so many famous musicians died at that age?

Emma is genuine, well-meaning and flawed, the kind of person any reader can instantly relate to and root for. As she travels through this fateful year life throws all sorts of obstacles in her way, some partly of her own making and others beyond her control. The characters around her – work colleages, dad, best-friend – are all authentic, becoming quickly familiar as the reader is drawn ever onward through the story, eager to find out what's next.

A heartfelt, satisfying and funny reflection on life and anxiety.

[F. Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

A relaxed stroll through anxiety.

I have 2 Nirvana tattoos and write comedy books about mental health so I was sold on this before I read the full synopsis.
Emma is an easy-to-like character whose inner turmoil and inability to talk openly about it is far too common. It is in her private thoughts rather than the main plot that the reader gets lost. There were as many poignant moments as humorous ones and at no point did picking it up to read feel like a chore, rather a chance to check in on a friend.
As with so many mental health stories, The 27 Club delves into so many other important life events that shape (or misshape) us, but never dwells on them for too long.
I would recommend the novel to everyone, and likely will, as it has an important message about self care, friendship and the important things in life.

[Kelly Younghorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. Set in the 1990s, it's an era I wish I was 'properly alive' in, i.e. the age of going to indie gigs as opposed to playing with Polly Pockets. I felt endeared towards the protagonist Emma and her mate Dave; the characters were believable and easy to see in my mind's eye. At times, it felt a bit name-droppy for name-dropping's sake which I felt slowed the action; almost like it had to prove that it was a genuine 90s chronicle which wasn't really needed. The topic of mental health was covered brilliantly; as an individual who suffers from panic attacks and EUPD, I could relate to the feelings that were depicted, feelings that are very difficult to put into words. The author certainly has an informed insight on such issues. I will definitely be reading more of Nichol's novels; canny mint 👌

[Hannah Symonds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the 90's, where the music scene is pumping, the main character is Emma and she is worried that with her upcoming twenty seven birthday will she end up like all the great musicians that did not live past that age? Emma has a lot going on in her life right now and has terrible anxiety about things to come but will her life change for the better once her birthday is over. I have not read any of Lucy's books before but I really liked the sound of this one. The story brought back a lot of memories about that era with the music side of things. You almost feel as though you want to read the book whilst listening to some of the music mentioned. There is a dark side to this story concerning Emma and some of her thought processes, I loved all the characters and I thought the story line was great.

[Lucy Hodgson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got what this book was about and trying to do, however being 27 and from Hull it almost felt too difficult to read. Even though it was nice to see parts of Hull mentioned like Spiders and Fraisthorpe beach which only someone from Hull would understand. I found Emma really annoying as it almost felt stereotypical person from hull especially with her working at a caravan site. I did like her relationship with her Dad, dog and friend Dave however when she was given the promotion opportunity and turned it down really annoyed me as it felt she was using Daves illness as an excuse. I did appreciate the twist at the end that her mother actually died when she was a kid and not just that she had ran off with the man she was having an affair with plus how panic attacks had been dealt with. However, it almost felt a bit too much trying to cover so much in such a short period of a book.

[🌶 peppersocks 🧦 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reflections and lessons learned:
Sun in and DMs, Marlborough red and Silk Cut, Diamond White and shorts, Body Shop and dewberry, Teletext and Bamboozle, cassettes and vinyl, library book and video shops - these and a plethora of other early nineties nostalgic nods to those in the know that, for me and I’m sure many others, evoked happy memories. I loved the referencing of so many recognisable and relatable elements (I remember hearing about Spiders from Hull based friends!). A book with a real heart for music, family and friends and something that not enough books have - an accompanying Spotify playlist! Definitely up for reading more from Nichol

[Kalliste · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a book that is only 200ish pages long, this book felt like forever.

I saw all the great reviews and the 90s nostalgia so I bought and its sequel. I'm not sure that was wise.

The Twenty Seven Club kind of just plods along between Emma's work, house and the pub. Rinse and repeat.

There are some variations that cause slight conflict for a few pages and then it's back to normal. It's all wrapped up very quickly and just sort of, ends. You expect the next chapter but it is finished.

I might have enjoyed it more if I were into regular heavy drinking at dive bars, chain-smoking and occasional drug taking.