A mystery and a love-letter to the 90s music scene
A story of rock ‘n’ roll and star-crossed love — about grunge-era musician Jane Pyre’s journey to find out what really happened to her husband and partner in music, who abruptly disappeared years earlier.
He was the troubled face of rock ‘n’ roll… until he suddenly disappeared without a trace.
Jane Pyre was once half of the famous rock ‘n’ roll duo, the Lightning Bottles. Years later, she’s perhaps the most hated — and least understood — woman in music. She was never as popular with fans as her bandmate (and soulmate), Elijah Hart — even if Jane was the one who wrote the songs that catapulted the Lightning Bottles to instant, dizzying fame, first in the Seattle grunge scene, then around the world.
But ever since Elijah disappeared five years earlier and the band’s meteoric rise to fame came crashing down, the public hatred of Jane has taken on new levels, and all she wants to do is retreat. What she doesn’t anticipate is the bombshell that awaits her at her new home in the German countryside: the sullen teenaged girl next door — a Lightning Bottles superfan — who claims to have proof that not only is Elijah still alive, he’s also been leaving secret messages for Jane. And they need to find them right away.
A cross-continent road trip about two misunderstood outsiders brought together by their shared love of music, The Lightning Bottles is both a love letter to the 90s and a searing portrait of the cost of fame.
As a music fan who grew up during the 1990s, it was almost inevitable that I would be drawn to Marissa Stapley’s latest novel. Packed with nods to that era’s music history and mythology, The Lightning Bottles is an engaging tale of music, love, ambition, and fame; as well as what happens after an artist disappears (from the scene and, in this case, literally). I really enjoyed this.
Stapley’s previous novel, Lucky (2021), was an interesting, character-driven mystery. The author’s latest is another character-driven mystery, but less of a “crime” novel. It follows Jane Pyre, beginning with her childhood in Canada, living with a highly-religious mother (who is, of course, suspicious of the “satanic” influence of rock music). Adrift in a community in which she doesn’t belong, Jane turns to message boards to find her people, and connects with Elijah Hart: a young up-and-coming musician based in the US. A series of events lead Jane to drive across the continent, on a whim, to meet up with Elijah, and the start of a short, bright musical career.
The novel is told in two timelines. One follows Jane and Elijah’s relationship and musical career from the start; the second is “after” the Lightning Bottles’ success and mysterious disappearance of Elijah. The two threads eventually meet towards the end of the novel, as Jane’s unplanned investigation takes her on a journey — emotional and physical — through the Lightning Bottles’ history and career. We see the blossoming and unravelling of their relationship, the sinister impacts of addiction and fame, and how they can tear people apart. There were many times this story could have just descended into The Dirt-esque debauchery, but Stapley (thankfully) avoids this and keeps the novel focused on the characters. The ups-and-downs of Jane and Elijah’s relationship are slowly rolled out for the reader, taking us on a journey of what feels like a very real relationship — from the youthful romance to the fame- and substance-caused tensions later. We also join Jane for many of the moments that inform her actions — especially the too-frequent instances when she is dismissed as a factor in the band, despite being the primary song-writer. (Who’s surprised that Elijah, as the singer, is given all the attention?) Stapley channels much of Courtney Love’s experience through Jane (this is acknowledge, sort of, in the author’s foreword), and while good for the main, sometimes felt a bit cliché (which, in itself, is indicative of how common this experience is).
Joined by an unexpected companion, Jane’s investigation into what happened to Elijah was very well done. Stapley keeps the reader guessing about what really happened and why, and while I guessed some of it before it was revealed, I remained hooked throughout. The dual timelines were also deployed expertly to reveal the roots of tension and instigating events. (This is a bit cryptic, but I don’t want to spoil anything.)
The Lightning Bottles is a must-read for anyone who loves music and the stories behind the bands, warts and all. If, like me, you grew up reading the various music magazines packed with profiles then you’ll no doubt notice a fair few references, and enjoy the way Stapley tells the Lightning Bottles’ story. The author’s love of the era’s music is clear throughout, but it never overwhelms the story that Stapley is trying to tell. Jane’s story is paramount, and her relationship with Elijah is told with clear eyes and compassion. The mystery is well-written and the plot unfolds at an excellent pace.
Definitely recommended. I’m really looking forward to Stapley’s next novel, too.
*
Marissa Stapley’s The Lightning Bottles is out now, published by Simon & Schuster in North America, and Hodder in the UK.
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Review copy received via Edelweiss