Dylan Read is a mega-star. The singer/songwriter has won numerous Grammy awards and has legions of devoted fans. She rose to fame in country music and transitioned to pop music, where she is beloved for her confessional lyrics. A truth that she has never revealed was that she owed everything to her best friend Kelsey, who disappeared while they were in high school. Fifteen years later, while working on her next album, Dylan learns that Kelsey's body has been found at the bottom of their local lake in Upstate New York. With flashbacks to their high school years as friends exploring their love of music, to the emergence of a superstar's career, the truth about what happened to Kelsey is uncovered.
Emily Layden's novel Once More from the Top is a well-done tale of the rise of a musical artist (the comparison to Taylor Swift is inevitable) and the challenges along the way including the scrutiny of the press, pressures from the record label, and the struggle to maintain a personal life. The long-buried pain from the loss of her friend brings up feelings of guilt and self-doubt as she has the career that Kelsey had dreamed of. It's an engaging story and should appeal to those who enjoy books set within the music world.
Many thanks to Mariner Books for the opportunity to read this book in advance.
Rated 4 out of 5 stars.
Contemporary Fiction | Mystery.
Publication Date; September 10, 2024.
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