British author Alan Glynn's third thriller "Bloodland" (Picador 2011) is about a rising star who's death captures the imaginzation of the nation (if not the world). The fun begins when struggling journalist Jimmy Gilroy is asked by a publisher to write her story. He is warned off by people he respects which makes him dig into her death to find out why powerful people would want her story stopped.

What he finds is a vast conspiracy that almost destroys him.

The most appealing part of what might otherwise be a mundane story (beautiful starlet dies in a car crash, nation feeds on the story--think Princess Diana) is the author's voice. It is a mix between a somewhat dark stream of consciousness and a non-formulaic approach to the wild ride of a thriller. It kept me reading despite the wealth of characters I had to sort through and the complexity of the plot Glynn wove. It made me wish I had the ebook so I could search. If not for the back summary, I don't think I could have followed it.

But that's part of the fun, isn't it?