Comfortably Numb

JP Kinkaid Chronicles #8

by Deborah Grabien

When the Emir of Manaar offers Blacklight a huge sum to play a New Year's Eve show in his capital city, he's immediately refused. There are good reasons: the band's prior experience with al-Wahid and his decadent twin daughters, the razor-thin timing, a band member's impending rehab. But the Emir makes an offer they can't refuse, and Blacklight prepares to play the biggest live show in their history. From the moment their plane sets down in Manaar, guitarist JP Kinkaid and his wife Bree are aware of disturbing undercurrents beneath the formality and opulence. When their personal equerry is found with his throat slashed just days before showtime, Blacklight's head of security, Patrick Ormand, is barred from the investigation. As the civilised facade around the event begins to crumble, it becomes clear that sending a quarter of a million fans home happy will be a lot simpler than getting themselves out of Manaar alive.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

310 pages, Paperback

First published November 24, 2013

About the author

Deborah Grabien is a world traveller, retired medieval historian, and lifelong rocker chick. Her short fiction, reviews, and essays can be seen in many diverse venues.

Reviews

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased a book -- not an ARC, a real book -- prepublication due to my longtime appreciation of Deborah Grabien's writing. I paid full price plus shipping to get it, This is in no way a bought review. However, I really think you should try the series, starting with Rock and Roll Never Forgets. Now.

Aging rock superstars Blacklight reluctantly agree to play a one shot gig in Manaar, despite bad feeling toward the Emir and his family. Unfortunately, circumstances prove their forbodings correct. (Well, it is a mystery, after all.)

Suspense builds nicely to a logical (if unforeseen by me) climax. Loose ends get neatly tied up.

The usual music themes are kept to a minimum here, and I did miss them.

The personal lives of the band, the wives, and the band's management team, however, were nicely handled. Since I read the series beause of the music and the musicians, that made me happy.

Not the strongest of the Chronicles, but I suspect it will bridge nicely to the next one. Glad that I bought it. Glad that I read it. Just sorry that I must need wait until #9 is ready.

[Melissa Riggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Series finished. Liked this one better than #6 and #7, but think the first 3 books were the best.

"When the Emir of Manaar offers Blacklight a huge sum to play a New Year's Eve show in his capital city, he's immediately refused. There are good reasons: the band's prior experience with al-Wahid and his decadent twin daughters, the razor-thin timing, a band member's impending rehab. But the Emir makes an offer they can't refuse, and Blacklight prepares to play the biggest live show in their history.
From the moment their plane sets down in Manaar, guitarist JP Kinkaid and his wife Bree are aware of disturbing undercurrents beneath the formality and opulence. When their personal equerry is found with his throat slashed just days before showtime, Blacklight's head of security, Patrick Ormand, is barred from the investigation. As the civilised facade around the event begins to crumble, it becomes clear that sending a quarter of a million fans home happy will be a lot simpler than getting themselves out of Manaar alive."

[GraceAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite bad history and bad feelings with the Emir of Manaar, JP Kinkaid and Blacklight accept his offer to play New Year’s Eve in his capital city. So we get to see how the band and its team get that gig together on short notice. We get to understand why they choose to take this gig against their better judgment. The logistics of planning, the force of the music and decades’ worth of playing together, and the effect of playing before a quarter of a million people is brilliantly conveyed. It’s all told in the voice of JP himself, as he indulges us by sharing how it feels to make that music, and how it feels as he and Bree, his wife, learn ever more deeply to support and trust and respond to each other through age, and illness, and the steady beat of rock & roll. It’s a good mystery besides, and a sad one. As always, I can barely wait for the next book.
This is not an ARC, I did get it prepublication, paid for direct to me, because I love this series beyond description.

[Glen U · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Comfortably Numb" is Deborah Grabiens eighth foray into the world of big time rock and roll. Her J. P. Kincaid novels continue to entertain and inform the reader to a high degree. Loosely resembling The Rolling Stones, Grabien's creation, Blacklight, continues to find themselves successful but with an inordinate amount of dead bodies that seem to turn up wherever they play. In this latest book, they travel to the Middle East for another huge concert and, of course, the body count continues to go up around them. Grabien's writing is compelling enough to carry the story and the reader continues to enjoy the characters she creates. There is one thing I don't care for in her books, though, and that is her focus on J.P.'s and Bree's illnesses. It seems she is bent on educating the reader about MS and Diabetes. But no matter what, I will always look forward to the next J.P. Kincaid Chronicle and Deborah Grabien's very creative mind.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first started reading the JP Kinkaid Chronicles out of desperation, because there were no more of Grabien's Ballad Series to read. I'm not much of a rock fan (my listening to it having pretty much ended with Cream) so occasionally I am not quite sure what Kinkaid, as narrator, is talking about. But the characters and plots make up for any confusion I may feel, and I have grown to enjoy these books very much. It's also fascinating to have a peek into the life of a rock star, or actually a group of rock stars. Comfortably Numb (apparently this has something to do with Pink Floyd) starts when Blacklight, the band Kinkaid belongs to, agrees, against their better judgment, to perform a celebratory concert for a Middle Eastern potentate whose twin daughters have caused trouble for the band in the past. Murder happens and JP is concerned to protect his wife and solve the crime. Another good story from the incomparable Deborah Grabien.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blacklight, the band JP Kinkaid is a member of, is offered an astronomical amount to play a New Year's Eve show by the Emir of Manaar. But no one really wants to — they have had issues with the al-Wahid family in the past, in particular the Emir's twin daughters. But in the end they agree, after making it clear that the twins are not to come anywhere near them. At first things go well, but the sudden, violent death of their personal equerry shocks JP and his wife, Bree. Especialy when Blacklight's head of security is shut out of the investigation. Suddenly they all begin to realize they are in the Emir's territory, a place where whatever he says, goes. But the entire group is determined to discover just what happened before they leave. Another excellent book in a thrilling series. Recommended.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

J.P. Kinkaid and the band are back on the road, playing a big concert in Manaar for the Emir, whose path they had crossed during a previous concert series. Although no one is fond of the Emir, he promises them enough money to fund several free concerts for the fans around the world, so they agree to do it. As happens all too often with the band tours, two different people are murdered while they are in Manaar, including one of the Emir's twin daughters. As is common with this series, I probably was more interested in the character development through time than the mysteries, but I still think it is worth reading for mystery lovers.

[Jo Mandinach · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent addition to Grabien's other works. It was so good that I reread some of her earlier works to remind myself of the characters' back stories,

I also tried to post about it on Amazon but, alas, they wouldn't net me post the link from Goodreads.

[Pongo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable Blacklight tale.

JP Kincaid, the band, and their families are off to the exotic Middle East to do a gig that turns dangerous.