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Jim McNamara is an former music A&R man-turned insurance investigator. He's certainly lived a full life, and is now clean after being a drug addict and an alcoholic. But trouble comes to him like a magnet as he is sent to look into the death of a roadie who fell off a catwalk on a shock-rocker's controversial tour. And trouble certainly seems to be accompanying Shirley Slaughterhouse's tour. Shirley, who has shades of Marilyn Manson, with irate Christians pursuing him round the country, also has a deeply bizarre girlfriend who appears to be cracking up. And there are a few too many guns and drugs floating around for comfort. Hiltbrand is a rock journalist with a sharp inside eye for detail. Some of his prose is a bit clunky, with too much information dumped on the reader rather inelegantly. But there's no doubting he captures the raw atmosphere of a rock gig. There are also a few too many characters -- I certainly had problems keeping band members and crew straight in my head. But one or two of them stand out as strong creations -- Jim's AA sponsor Chris Towle, cute publicist Paula Mansmann and the truly ghastly record label president Keith Fisher. And Hiltbrand keeps the reader's interest all through as he juggles the scenes with a band on the road, the religious lobby who are determined to stop the tour, and Jim's investigation into what's going on. His most compelling creation is undoubtedly that of Shirley Slaughterhouse, the enigmatic rock star with the usual quota of secrets and spoiled brat behaviour, but who strikes up an unlikely rapport with Jim. Hiltbrand plots pretty competently, clearly knows the music industry inside-out and has produced an engaging page turner. I'd certainly like to see some more books featuring Jim McNamara.
Reviewed by Sharon Wheeler, March 2004
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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