Dead Girl Walking
By Chris Brookmyre, Little, Brown, 384 pages, £18.99
This is the first time I’ve ever read one of Brookmyre’s novels, so that might come off as a slight shortcoming. But on engaging myself with the book, I figured that I would come back for another of his novels soon.
It starts off with a very “sarcastic” yet valid interview with Parlabane (and two police officers) for getting him to admit to being involved in a scandal related to hacking and slowly yet very distinctly goes on about Jack Parlabane taking on work as a private detective looking for Heike Gunn, a missing pop star.
Brookmyre has written this book in two voices, most of which is told in flashback, alternating between that of Parlabane and the newcomer band violinist, Monica Halcrow. Halcrow’s innocence and her view of the band shows us the various happenings in a music group and that the life behind the scenes is not always about glamour and fame but also about the hardships and uneasiness that comes with it.
The shift of storyline between Parlabane and Halcrow provides its reader with various ways to engage in the story. Firstly, it give us readers a perspective from both genders, thus helping all readers empathise with the feelings of the said character. Secondly, it helps bring in a wider audience because of the difference in mindset; Parlabane being more experienced, as compared to the young violinist.
Overall, it’s a well written book with a lot of twists and turns. I especially enjoyed the parts where its narrative was by Halcrow, as I myself am a teenager involved in music. Her nervousness and insecurities portray what every upcoming musical star goes through due to unwanted pressures from peers, the audience and the industry. Initially I found her to be a shy and awkward girl who had no idea what she was doing, but on reading on, I found that her times spent with Gunn were very interesting indeed. Overall, she was my favourite character as her view of the story was very well done. Also, Parlabane’s attitude and character makes him one of the finest fictional characters I’ve come across.
Brookmyre has proved to be an excellent writer to me, and I hope I get to read more of his work very soon.
–The reader is a student based in Dubai.
