Released: 28/03/2020
ISBN: 9781838592981
eISBN: 9781838598020
Format: Paperback/eBook
Life hasn’t turned out how Danny Owen expected it to. Formerly an investigative journalist, today a radio reporter reluctantly covering celebrity and the music industry, focusing on glitz, glamour and the gaudy stars.
BANDWAGON
Danny Owen, former investigative journalist, today a music and celebrity reporter, stumbles upon a people smuggling racket concealed within the massive Martha Moving Out UK, European and African concert tour.
All is not going well during rehearsals and then Martha, the star, disappears. Kidnapped and held to a bizarre ransom.
The tour cannot go ahead with the promoter blackmailed and owing the dirty-money financiers millions. Once enemies, Danny and the promoter are thrown together to save Martha. But in saving Martha, is Danny becoming involved in the murky underbelly of international organised crime leading his friends and his lover into danger? There are twists, turns and red herrings. Can you trust anyone?
This is Hello magazine meets the thriller. Romance and intrigue, perfect for the beach or aeroplane.
It begins in the world of show business, but soon the tension romps to a climactic murderous ending.
Just finished reading this and enjoyed every minute of it. The main characters of Danny and Daisy felt like real people, I loved the interaction between them and the story couldn't be more current (won't give away any more). It also felt like a good inside look at how these big events by touring artists are actually staged and their relationship with the all important press.
I liked all the twists and turns and enjoyed the references to many of the clubs and venues in London - some of which I knew about and some I didn't. Enjoyable crime thriller with a really human touch and I'm hoping Danny and Daisy have more adventures to come. Really perfect holiday read.
by Kevin
A great read, romping along through London, Wales and Europe, giving so much detail that I imagined I was right there with Danny, Daisy and the other characters. A world of the music business, radio, TV and the high life, all expertly portrayed in a good story.
I felt there was slightly too much of what I regarded as rather superfluous detail, as in what brand of clothing, where the food was sourced, what the drinks were, which sometimes distracted me from the narrative.
And it’s a wonder they managed to do any sleuthing, considering the amount of alcohol they all put away!
But I really enjoyed it, and I’m looking forward to the follow up!
by Pat
A great debut novel about the music industry and the ‘circus’ surrounding it.
From the off, I knew I was going to enjoy this book - a detective story but the police were almost peripheral figures. The real detectives here are Danny, a disgraced journalist working on local radio and Daisy, the PR for the tour company.
The story is about a star, Martha, who having been at the top, slid into obscurity after becoming addicted to drink and drugs, something which she’s now dealing with. During the final rehearsals she disappears and Daisy and Danny delve into her disappearance whilst trying to hide it from the rest of the media. We also find dodgy promoters, dirty money and links to organised crime.
It does flip backwards and forwards to explain the back story, how Danny ended up in radio after “canning” a huge story, how Danny, Martha and Daisy know each other and very importantly, how Danny know Nowak, the dodgy promoter and money man behind the comeback tour. All these stories are essential for the novel to coalesce and they segue seamlessly without detracting from the pace of the novel.
It’s a fast paced book, without feeling rushed and the ending left me wanting more - I let out an audible aargh as I read the final words of the final chapter!
The links that the writer so obviously has to this world are used to great effect and adds to the authenticity of the whole thing.
All in all, a very enjoyable debut novel and I was glad to see that Daisy and Danny are set to return - I will be watching for that.
by Sunny Book Review
A great read, romping along through London, Wales and Europe, giving so much detail that I imagined I was right there with Danny, Daisy and the other characters. A world of the music business, radio, TV and the high life, all expertly portrayed in a good story.
I felt there was slightly too much of what I regarded as rather superfluous detail, as in what brand of clothing, where the food was sourced, what the drinks were, which sometimes distracted me from the narrative.
And it’s a wonder they managed to do any sleuthing, considering the amount of alcohol they all put away!
But I really enjoyed it, and I’m looking forward to the follow up!
by Pat
A must read that you don’t want to put down..... looking forward to the next one.
by Greg
Richard Cobourne writes with a production background in the broadcast, corporate, music and global events industries.
He began his career working for the BBC. In 1990 he co-formed On Screen Productions Ltd, which he sold five years ago to pursue a career as voice artist, conference facilitator and consultant creative producer and, more recently, to enable him to write full-time.
He has worked in the business-of-show all over the world for over thirty years (one year taking 91 flights!) and as a result has a deep understanding of the shenanigans of the industry.
He lives with his wife in the Wye Valley and Fuerteventura.
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