Publishers Weekly
12/18/2023
Tomlinson (Good Girl, a memoir) draws on her ghostwriting career for a breezy story about a woman who gets paid to write the memoirs of aging rock stars. Mari Hawthorn has grown tired of living in the shadow of her famous subjects. Her fortunes seem to be turning, though, when she gets an opportunity to coauthor a book with former model and socialite Anke Berben, whose mystique was amplified in the 1960s when she married Mal Walker, leader of the Midnight Ramblers, a fictional rock band analogous to the Rolling Stones in their popularity and libidinous excess. Like many famous rockers, Walker “lived too hard and died too young,” but mystery has always shrouded his death by drowning in 1969. Now Berben claims she’s willing to share the true story of what happened to her husband. Recognizing that this could be the big break she’s been desperate for, Hawthorn digs in deep to coax out the truth from Berben and Walker’s bandmates. Tomlinson ably parlays her knowledge of the ghostwriting trade into an entertaining tableau of rock and roll’s grit and glamour. Classic rock fans will find much to enjoy. Agent: Kirby Kim, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
Praise for Sarah Tomlinson’s The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers
“An exploration of the many ways celebrities can wield their wealth and power, especially against each other.” —Booklist
“The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers is an irresistible foray into the private lives of the world's most famous rock icons, as observed by the woman hired to curate their secrets. Sarah Tomlinson writes with devastating insight and intimacy about what it takes—and what it takes from you—to be a ghost. I couldn’t look away from this story about art, ambition, power, and our ultimate human desire: to be known.” —Katie Gutierrez, bestselling author of More Than You'll Ever Know
“A racy, modern, fast-paced read that is equal parts murder mystery, psycho-study of ghost writers, and the extravagant lifestyles of rock’n’roll royalty. Tense, scary, and joyous all at once. California, booze, caffeine, drugs, murder, the desert, Vegas, and rock’n’roll. A fast-paced joy to read.” —John Doe, musician, actor, writer, and founding member of X
“A twisty, dazzling dive into the intoxication of fame and the hangover that follows. Sarah Tomlinson’s experience as a ghostwriter infuses her novel with emotional depth and juicy insider details. If you’ve ever wondered what it's really like to work with celebrities, Tomlinson’s smart, nuanced novel is for you.” —Nina Simon, author of the Reese Pick Mother-Daughter Murder Night
“A seductive tale of fame, power, and celebrity. Tomlinson casts a spell over the reader while asking fascinating questions about ways we exchange money for access, secrets, and sometimes even love.” —Jenny Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Pineapple Street
“The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers is an observant, suspenseful novel about an ambitious ghostwriter and the celebrities she manipulates, coddles, and sometimes loves. Sarah Tomlinson writes with compassion and sizzle, using her own skills as a ghostwriter to lend earth and substance to larger-than-life characters.” —Steph Cha, author of Your House Will Pay
“Tomlinson’s punky noir about rock stars and the quiet women behind them had me turning pages late into the night. Whether ghostwriters or talented groupies, it's about the voices in the silence, the devastation that the entitled leave behind.” —Sarah Langan, author of Good Neighbors
Kirkus Reviews
2023-11-17
A ghostwriter finds herself pulled into the mysterious past of a legendary rock band.
When ghostwriter Mari Hawthorn gets the opportunity to work with legendary model Anke Berben, she knows that this could be the boost her career needs. Anke is most famous for having had romantic relationships with three members of the Midnight Ramblers—one of the defining rock acts of the 20th century and still going strong today—and she needs someone to help tell her story. Mari, whose career has stalled, needs to be that somebody. She’s desperate for this job, but she finds herself immediately charmed by Anke—even as she works to uncover what really happened the night the band’s lead singer, who was married to Anke at the time, drowned in 1969. As Mari gets to know Anke, the band’s lead guitarist, Dante Ashcombe, and the rest of the musicians, she finds herself drawn into their world and eager to uncover the band’s mysteries. Tomlinson, a bestselling memoir ghostwriter herself, makes Mari’s job and desire to hunt down the truth feel realistic. As the prologue states, “Ghosts do it for three reasons: money, access, praise.” Although Mari starts out needing the money, it’s easy to understand why she soon wants to be part of the band’s inner circle. The plot itself, though, is quite slow-moving, likely because much of it takes place in conversation rather than action.
An in-depth but sometimes repetitive look at the world of rock ’n’ roll.
