Heather’s Bookshelf: Limelight
Author: Joshua Crosson
Released: 02/20/23
Genre: Crime/Mystery
“Chris caught his face in the mirror, his cheeks pale, his eyes wide in shock. Reality felt surreal. The outside world was nothing but a swirl of light and shadow. He hoped that this was all just a nightmare and that he’d soon wake up. He could almost hear the journalists on their laptops, that almost reptilian clicking, spreading his lies to the world.”
“Limelight” introduces Chris Flowers, a famous popstar on the brink of releasing his latest album when he receives a threatening phone call. The anonymous caller demands Chris confess to a past misdeed or risk the safety of those he loves.
Five years ago, Chris’s protégé Tray Mansfield was tragically killed after getting hit by a drunk driver while meeting his fans before a concert. Now, Chris continues to work with Tray’s mother to carryon his memory. Chris’s wife, Andrea, who is also an artist, supports the cause, but something hasn’t been quite right between them (even with their marriage being less than a year old). He’s lost some of his friends along the way, and then there’s his mom…
So when the threats begin and turn more serious, Chris must decide what’s really important to him and what he’s willing to give up in order to keep his secrets from being exposed, or worse...
Trigger Warning: violence, death, drug use, sexual situations, suicide, infant death, reference to sexual assualt
Overall, I loved the concept and enjoyed this crime/mystery tale. The story flips between timelines- mostly set in the present with flashbacks to past events that reveal what happened along the way and how we arrived to 2023. Told through the perspective of Chris, his character is first presented as a good and loyal, married man, mentor and friend. As the story unravels, so does this façade and it becomes up to the reader to decide/decipher what’s true, what’s a lie, and what’s a matter of perspective. While Chris’s character was developed clearly and over the course of the tale, the ancillary characters were not as well developed and I just didn’t feel a connection to them as I wish I would have. Due to events that occur but won’t be revealed here, that’s a major setback for what could be emotionally driven scenes packing a punch. As it is, there are some truly terrible things that happen in this story- past and present- and it’s easy to see how many of the characters end up in the situations they do. The evolution seemed natural, albeit dire. The ending ties everything up together nicely, though seemed abrupt for the pacing of the ride to get there (which was a good combination of tension, action, and prose). I do wish there was an epilogue! Maybe a short story or sequel could be in the future? I’d be up for it!
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A mystery with a well-developed protagonist popstar wrapped in tragedy. Underwhelming ancillary characters and an abrupt ending steal a little from what could be an emotionally charged tale.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with Joshua Crosson
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Find it for purchase here
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