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What Remains of Me
Nobody’s perfect. Everybody’s got a drawer somewhere with something hidden in it.
On June 28, 1980—the hottest night of the year—Kelly Michelle Lund shoots and kills Oscar-nominated director John McFadden at a party in his home. . . . And instantly becomes a media sensation, her chilling smile fodder for national nightmares. For years, speculation swirls over the enigmatic seventeen-year-old’s motives, information she’s refused to share. Convicted of the murder, she loses her youth and her freedom—but keeps her secrets to herself.
Thirty years later—and five years after her release from prison—the past has come back to haunt Kelly. Her father-in-law, movie legend Sterling Marshall, is found in a pool of blood in his home in the Hollywood Hills—dead from a shot to the head, just like his old friend John McFadden.
Once again, Kelly is suspected of the high profile murder. But this time, she’s got some unexpected allies who believe she’s innocent—of both killings—and want to help her clear her name. But is she?
Written with masterful precision and control, What Remains of Me brilliantly moves forward and back in time, playing out the murders side by side—interweaving subtle connections and peeling away layers of events to reveal the shocking truth.
On June 28, 1980—the hottest night of the year—Kelly Michelle Lund shoots and kills Oscar-nominated director John McFadden at a party in his home. . . . And instantly becomes a media sensation, her chilling smile fodder for national nightmares. For years, speculation swirls over the enigmatic seventeen-year-old’s motives, information she’s refused to share. Convicted of the murder, she loses her youth and her freedom—but keeps her secrets to herself.
Thirty years later—and five years after her release from prison—the past has come back to haunt Kelly. Her father-in-law, movie legend Sterling Marshall, is found in a pool of blood in his home in the Hollywood Hills—dead from a shot to the head, just like his old friend John McFadden.
Once again, Kelly is suspected of the high profile murder. But this time, she’s got some unexpected allies who believe she’s innocent—of both killings—and want to help her clear her name. But is she?
Written with masterful precision and control, What Remains of Me brilliantly moves forward and back in time, playing out the murders side by side—interweaving subtle connections and peeling away layers of events to reveal the shocking truth.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published February 23, 2016
387 people are currently reading
8026 people want to read
About the author
Alison Gaylin
44 books1,768 followersUSA Today and international bestselling author Alison Gaylin has won the Edgar and Shamus awards, and has been nominated for many more, including the L.A. Times Book Prize, the ITW Thriller, the Strand Book Award, the Anthony and the Macavity. She is currently at work on her 15th novel.
Series:
* Samantha Leiffer Mystery
* Simone Glass Mystery
Series:
* Samantha Leiffer Mystery
* Simone Glass Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 674 reviews
February 29, 2016
When Kelly Lund was seventeen years old she shot and killed director John McFadden. She went to prison and served thirty years. Where our story picks up, she has been out for five years and lives with her husband Shane. When Kelly’s father-in-law gets murdered in the exact same way John McFadden did, she immediately becomes a suspect. Her father-in-law also happens to be famous movie legend Sterling Marshall. Would Kelly really have done this? Or is she getting framed?
The story alternates between dual timelines. One is set in 1980, when Kelly Lund is seventeen years old before John McFadden is murdered. The other is set in 2010, thirty years later. We get numerous perspectives throughout, but mainly we follow Kelly in both timelines. There’s Shane, a detective on the case, and a couple others added throughout as well. In 1980, our story picks up about 4-5 months before the murder. We see Kelly’s life leading up to it, which starts with her just wanted to blend in and come out of high school unscathed. She slowly makes friends with the cool, rich daughter of a famous actor, succumbs to peer pressure and starts doing drugs, skipping school, doing things she never would have done before. And her life changes forever.
Sporadically, there are articles, news/TMZ reports, excerpts from a book, etc. This helps add insight as to how the public views the murder cases and Kelly Lund. I enjoyed the format of this story and found it made the book more of a page turner. Both timelines constantly left me wanting more making it hard to put down.
I’m not particularly happy with the Gillian Flynn comparisons even though she is one of my favorite authors. I see where they come from with the murder mystery. Other than that, I found it to be entirely entertaining, just not in particularly the same way if that makes sense. Flynn’s are a lot less Hollywood.
This is a full blown Hollywood murder case that made me feel like I was watching one of those E! True Hollywood Story murder episodes. Yes, I spent my teenage years well. Seriously, though! It covered that whole guilty pleasure side of me, while also really pulling me deep into the mystery. I constantly found myself flipping back to reread passages I’d already read seeing how things matched up. I was pretty hell-bent on solving this mystery. I admit..even though I had my suspicions, I did not solve it. There were plenty of twists and red herrings. Good luck :)
If two murders playing out next to each other in glamorous Hollywood appeals to you, I wouldn’t hesitate to pick this up.
The story alternates between dual timelines. One is set in 1980, when Kelly Lund is seventeen years old before John McFadden is murdered. The other is set in 2010, thirty years later. We get numerous perspectives throughout, but mainly we follow Kelly in both timelines. There’s Shane, a detective on the case, and a couple others added throughout as well. In 1980, our story picks up about 4-5 months before the murder. We see Kelly’s life leading up to it, which starts with her just wanted to blend in and come out of high school unscathed. She slowly makes friends with the cool, rich daughter of a famous actor, succumbs to peer pressure and starts doing drugs, skipping school, doing things she never would have done before. And her life changes forever.
Sporadically, there are articles, news/TMZ reports, excerpts from a book, etc. This helps add insight as to how the public views the murder cases and Kelly Lund. I enjoyed the format of this story and found it made the book more of a page turner. Both timelines constantly left me wanting more making it hard to put down.
I’m not particularly happy with the Gillian Flynn comparisons even though she is one of my favorite authors. I see where they come from with the murder mystery. Other than that, I found it to be entirely entertaining, just not in particularly the same way if that makes sense. Flynn’s are a lot less Hollywood.
This is a full blown Hollywood murder case that made me feel like I was watching one of those E! True Hollywood Story murder episodes. Yes, I spent my teenage years well. Seriously, though! It covered that whole guilty pleasure side of me, while also really pulling me deep into the mystery. I constantly found myself flipping back to reread passages I’d already read seeing how things matched up. I was pretty hell-bent on solving this mystery. I admit..even though I had my suspicions, I did not solve it. There were plenty of twists and red herrings. Good luck :)
If two murders playing out next to each other in glamorous Hollywood appeals to you, I wouldn’t hesitate to pick this up.
September 12, 2016
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review*
There's a fish market somewhere that's missing its supply of red herrings -I know this because Alison Gaylin has used them all up in 'What Remains of Me'!
Kelly Lund has spent 30 years in prison for the murder of famous movie director John McFadden. The story begins some 5 years after her release. She's now living a quiet life out in the desert with her husband Shane, but then something happens that throws her life into complete turmoil once again. Her father-in-law Sterling Marshall is found dead in exactly the same way as his late friend John McFadden. The two had worked on movies together and had formed a close friendship. Naturally, Kelly comes under suspicion and is brought in for questioning.
The storyline moves between the dual timelines of 1980 and 2010, with Kelly being the main narrator. I'm not always a fan of dual timelines but in this case I felt it was not only essential, but also engaging at the same time.
In 1980 Kelly is still in school and has become friendly with 'Hollywood Royalty' - the rich kids of Hollywood celebs. Her mother is far from pleased to discover that one of those friends is Bellamy Marshall, daughter of movie actor Sterling. Kelly doesn't know or care why her mother is so against this friendship, but what she does know is that nobody, not even her mother will stop her seeing her friends. After being bullied at school for so long, she now has people she loves and trusts in her life.
In 2010 is Kelly going to be charged yet again with murder?
If you like your thrillers with twist after twist, then this will definitely fulfill that requirement in bucket loads. It's a very complex, but I have to say, clever and riveting storyline, although most of the characters are not ones that you could have much empathy for, it was a very enjoyable read.
There's a fish market somewhere that's missing its supply of red herrings -I know this because Alison Gaylin has used them all up in 'What Remains of Me'!
Kelly Lund has spent 30 years in prison for the murder of famous movie director John McFadden. The story begins some 5 years after her release. She's now living a quiet life out in the desert with her husband Shane, but then something happens that throws her life into complete turmoil once again. Her father-in-law Sterling Marshall is found dead in exactly the same way as his late friend John McFadden. The two had worked on movies together and had formed a close friendship. Naturally, Kelly comes under suspicion and is brought in for questioning.
The storyline moves between the dual timelines of 1980 and 2010, with Kelly being the main narrator. I'm not always a fan of dual timelines but in this case I felt it was not only essential, but also engaging at the same time.
In 1980 Kelly is still in school and has become friendly with 'Hollywood Royalty' - the rich kids of Hollywood celebs. Her mother is far from pleased to discover that one of those friends is Bellamy Marshall, daughter of movie actor Sterling. Kelly doesn't know or care why her mother is so against this friendship, but what she does know is that nobody, not even her mother will stop her seeing her friends. After being bullied at school for so long, she now has people she loves and trusts in her life.
In 2010 is Kelly going to be charged yet again with murder?
If you like your thrillers with twist after twist, then this will definitely fulfill that requirement in bucket loads. It's a very complex, but I have to say, clever and riveting storyline, although most of the characters are not ones that you could have much empathy for, it was a very enjoyable read.
March 23, 2017
"People don't need to know you're a murderer. They just need to think you could be....."
Not until you finish this highly captivating and atmospheric book that you realise the true meaning to that blurb sentence.
"What Remains Of Me" by Alison Gaylin is a highly entertaining and absorbing thriller that keeps you on your toes to the very last page! I thoroughly enjoyed this and once started could not put it down.
There are two timelines running through the story, flashbacks to Kelly in 1980 and the more recent 2010, 5 years after her release from prison for the murder of a famous movie director. I love dual timelines and I was addicted to the 1980 timeline reading about Kelly's younger years and the build up to the murder she is accused of. It's not until the very end of the book that we learn all the true facts relating to the murder but on the way - oh my! - the twists and turns are unbelievable, first sending you one way then sending you the other!
I'm the same age as Kelly is in 2010 and personally loved all the references to the music in 1980 bringing back memories from that time. I also enjoyed the newspaper articles and interviews interspersed throughout, very much reminiscent of Minette Walters books that I so enjoy.
It is a complex storyline that does require the readers attention and although the characters aren't really likeable you still have empathy for them, and I was particularly moved by one of the characters at the end. There is a slight dip in pace in the middle of the book but maybe it was just the calm before the stormy twists!
I would happily read more by this author, I like her style of writing, and if you like good solid thrillers with plenty of twists then you will certainly enjoy and appreciate "What Remains Of Me"
I won this book in the Goodreads Giveaways.
Not until you finish this highly captivating and atmospheric book that you realise the true meaning to that blurb sentence.
"What Remains Of Me" by Alison Gaylin is a highly entertaining and absorbing thriller that keeps you on your toes to the very last page! I thoroughly enjoyed this and once started could not put it down.
There are two timelines running through the story, flashbacks to Kelly in 1980 and the more recent 2010, 5 years after her release from prison for the murder of a famous movie director. I love dual timelines and I was addicted to the 1980 timeline reading about Kelly's younger years and the build up to the murder she is accused of. It's not until the very end of the book that we learn all the true facts relating to the murder but on the way - oh my! - the twists and turns are unbelievable, first sending you one way then sending you the other!
I'm the same age as Kelly is in 2010 and personally loved all the references to the music in 1980 bringing back memories from that time. I also enjoyed the newspaper articles and interviews interspersed throughout, very much reminiscent of Minette Walters books that I so enjoy.
It is a complex storyline that does require the readers attention and although the characters aren't really likeable you still have empathy for them, and I was particularly moved by one of the characters at the end. There is a slight dip in pace in the middle of the book but maybe it was just the calm before the stormy twists!
I would happily read more by this author, I like her style of writing, and if you like good solid thrillers with plenty of twists then you will certainly enjoy and appreciate "What Remains Of Me"
I won this book in the Goodreads Giveaways.
May 18, 2020
It isn’t what you do that makes you lose people, she reminded herself. It’s what they think you’ve done.What they think 17-year-old Kelly Michelle Lund did was shoot famed Hollywood director John McFadden dead. And they thought it strongly enough that she would spend the next 25 years of her life in prison. Kelly became a cause célèbre of the wrong sort when the paparazzi caught her in what they called a “Mona Lisa Death Smile,” putting her on par, at least in public perception, with sociopathic murderers like Charles Manson and Ted Bundy. But when, five years after she served her time, a-list movie star, and Kelly’s father-in-law, Sterling Marshall, turns belly up with some lead-generated aeration, all eyes look her way again. Did she or didn’t she?
inspiration came from several news stories where the press created a persona because the accused didn’t act according to some prescribed script. The trial of Amanda Knox comes to mind. That story inspired me. If your exterior isn’t viewed as likable, or if you don’t seem as contrite as people think you ought to be, a narrative builds up around you, and you become a ‘monster.’ - from the Mark Rubinstein interview in Huff-PoBe careful how you smile. Not all publicity is good publicity, even in Tinsel Town.
Allison Gaylin - from her Myspace pages
You might want to fasten your seat belts for this one. There are hairpin turns, and changes of direction that will put you at risk of whiplash. But that happens mostly at the back end. The ride up the coaster is somewhat more deliberate. There are two narrative lines. We follow Kelly in 2010 as she contends with fresh accusations. And Gaylin shows us how Kelly was drawn into the glitterati world of A-listers and their families in 1980. We follow her through her friendship and adventures with several Hollywood kids, the kind her mother had warned her to stay away from, the kind her glitzier sister Catherine couldn’t resist, and maybe the kind that drove Catherine to suicide.
I am an only child and because of that I keep writing about sisters. Maybe I always wanted a sister. By having Kelly a twin, I was able to have a strong part of Kelly’s life where she feels loss. I thought what better than a fraternal twin whose shadow Kelly lived in, since she was more glamorous. - from the Crimespree interviewGaylin may live in Woodstock these days, but she started out on the other coast.
I’ve always been fascinated by pop culture and crime. My mom was very interested in pop culture, and was a huge reader, followed all the stars and celebrities in Hollywood Reporter, Variety, People,” says Gaylin of growing up in Los Angeles. And, while no one in her family was in the movie business, its allure took hold of her, too. “When I was seven years old, I was reading Army Archerd’s column. My parents weren’t policing my reading so, at 10 years old, I read Helter Skelter. I thought it was about The Beatles, but it was so fascinating to look under that rock. I’ve been a big fan of true crime ever since then.” - from the Woodstock Times articleGaylin adds a bit of true crime feel by tossing in occasional faux news pieces.
So, we have a woman who may or may not have committed a murder thirty years ago, just trying to live her life now, when she gets dragged back into some old miseries, and finds herself in the spotlight again. This makes her pretty bloody sympathetic. This is one maybe-killer you really can root for, without making her all innocent and gooey.
The supporting cast is pretty interesting. Kelly’s pals from adolescence cover a range, from total tool, to surprisingly interesting. Kelly is pretty clearly an innocent (well, relatively) among wolves. Seeing how she gets caught up in the madness is fascinating. There is a chainsaw sculptor, some commune-dwellers, an exposee writer, a cop with a fixation on Kelly’s original case and enough extras to keep the moving parts lubricated.
Gaylin will keep you guessing. About identity, for example. Could this person in 2010 have been that person in 1980? People cannot be relied on to tell the truth, making them unreliable witnesses if not necessarily unreliable narrators. And she offers you a talisman to follow through the tale in the form of a necklace of mysterious origin and significance.
Gripes? Few. I would have liked at least something about Kelly’s life in prison. I am not 100% convinced that Kelly would have held on to the secret she kept all those years. It takes at least a hop of faith to accept that the shifting identities would have gone undetected for so long. And there is just no accounting for such poor aim. None of these are close to deal-breakers.
What Remains of Me is not just a page-turner of a thriller, it has things to say. Sniping at corruption among the A-listers is pretty low-hanging fruit, but there are more serious considerations in play. Gaylin’s take on the impact of flashbulb media on public perception of guilt is spot on, and her look at how good writers can impact how criminals or the accused are perceived is also astute.
I have always been fascinated with pop culture and having crimes tried in the media. I even wrote into the plot the journalistic character Sebastian Todd’s interview with the killer, Kelly Lund. It is based on an interview I read that Truman Capote did with Bobby Beausoleil, a former associate of Charles Manson, at San Quentin Prison. Beausoleil came across as very articulate. It seemed quite clear to me that Capote took poetic license to say and phrase things for this thug. What I wanted to get across is how an esteemed writer can put words in the killer’s mouth - from the Crimespree interviewShe looks at how secrets can define one’s life, something we can probably all relate to, although hopefully to a lesser extent than the characters here.
Gustave Flaubert may have been right when he wrote “There is no truth. There is only perception.” Whether the world’s perception of Kelly Lund turns out to be of the keen or mis variety, it is very easy to perceive, quite accurately, that What Remains of Me is an outstanding thriller of a read. Alison Gaylin is ready for her close-up now.
Published – February 23, 2016
Review posted – May 27, 2016
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to the author’s personal, Twitter, and FB pages
Actually, Gaylin has had a few close-ups already. Her first novel, Hide Your Eyes, was nominated for an Edgar award. And her Brenna Spector series has landed her on the best-seller lists both in the USA and abroad. What Remains of Me is her 9th book.
Interviews
-----Huffington Post - ‘What Remains of Me,’ A Conversation with Alison Gaylin - by Mark Rubinstein
-----ALISON GAYLIN: THE WHAT REMAINS OF ME INTERVIEW
- by Elise Cooper
-----From Gaylin’s Q&A with Laura Lippman on Author Interviews
And check out this article in the Woodstock Times - Gaylin dishes True Crime and Hollywood glamour
by Debra Bresnan – 2/26/16
September 20, 2017
Seventeen-year-old Kelly Michelle Lund shot and killed director John McFadden at a party 30 years ago. Kelly is now living with her husband, Shane Marshall, after being released from prison five years earlier. But then her father-in-law gets shot in the same way as John McFadden was shot and the public and the police seem to think that Kelly is the one behind the murder.
I was instantly captivated by the story when I started to read the book. I liked that as we follow Kelly in present time we also get flashbacks to the past, to 1980 when she was just a young girl who had lost a sister and felt outside in school. As the story progress in the present time, it also progresses in the past as we slowly learn what really happened 30 years ago when John McFadden was killed. Nothing is as it appears. Everyone seems to have dark secrets. I was surprised to find out who killed Sterling Marshall. I had my thoughts set on another person, to be honest. But the ending was really good.
There are a lot of twists in the story, some easier to figure out than others. To be honest, there weren't really any big surprises in the story, but that didn't make the book less interesting to read. On the contrary, it was satisfying to be able to figure things out before it happened, to have one's suspicions proven right. It's like a jigsaw and all the pieces are falling into place. I loved the fact that the story took place in Hollywood among actors and directors. A privileged world, but among all the glitter and fame are there people with dark secrets...
This is the first book I have read written by Alison Gaylin, but I will keep an eye out for other books by her. I enjoyed reading this book very much and if you like thrillers is this a book for you.
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through Edelweiss for an honest review.
I was instantly captivated by the story when I started to read the book. I liked that as we follow Kelly in present time we also get flashbacks to the past, to 1980 when she was just a young girl who had lost a sister and felt outside in school. As the story progress in the present time, it also progresses in the past as we slowly learn what really happened 30 years ago when John McFadden was killed. Nothing is as it appears. Everyone seems to have dark secrets. I was surprised to find out who killed Sterling Marshall. I had my thoughts set on another person, to be honest. But the ending was really good.
There are a lot of twists in the story, some easier to figure out than others. To be honest, there weren't really any big surprises in the story, but that didn't make the book less interesting to read. On the contrary, it was satisfying to be able to figure things out before it happened, to have one's suspicions proven right. It's like a jigsaw and all the pieces are falling into place. I loved the fact that the story took place in Hollywood among actors and directors. A privileged world, but among all the glitter and fame are there people with dark secrets...
This is the first book I have read written by Alison Gaylin, but I will keep an eye out for other books by her. I enjoyed reading this book very much and if you like thrillers is this a book for you.
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through Edelweiss for an honest review.
January 22, 2025
Am ales cartea doar pentru că mi s-a părut interesant subiectul, dar mă bucur că am riscat. Uciderea cu sânge rece a unei legende de la Hollywood scoate la iveala secrete atât de adânc îngropate care distrug viața și visurile celor implicați. Autoarea chiar a creeat o atmosferă și o poveste tipică Hollywood.
February 8, 2017
Thank You To Net Galley, the publishers and the author for an ARC copy for an honest review.
June 1980: 17-year-old Kelly Lund is jailed for killing Hollywood film director, John McFadden
Thirty years later, Kelly is a free woman. Yet speculation still swirls over what really happened that night.
And when her father-in law, and close friend of McFadden is found dead - shot through the head at point-blank range - there can only be one suspect.
But this time Kelly has some high-profile friends who believe she's innocent of both crimes.
There are a lot of twists in the story, some easier to figure out than others. To be honest, there weren't really any big surprises in the story, but that didn't make the book less interesting to read. On the contrary, it was satisfying to be able to figure things out before it happened, to have once suspicious proven right. It's like a jigsaw and all the pieces are falling into place. I enjoyed the fact that the story took place in Hollywood among actors and directors, I am sure a world, full of the razzmatazz and glitter and fame but are there people with dark secrets...
Reasons for three star...1980 flashbacks, were a little too heavy going, many characters to follow which 1980 and 2010.
The 2010 story was much more interesting. Pace was too slow and heavy, characters not always believable, no great shocks that I had not guessed. A rather long and slow start to the book.
An okay book for me
June 1980: 17-year-old Kelly Lund is jailed for killing Hollywood film director, John McFadden
Thirty years later, Kelly is a free woman. Yet speculation still swirls over what really happened that night.
And when her father-in law, and close friend of McFadden is found dead - shot through the head at point-blank range - there can only be one suspect.
But this time Kelly has some high-profile friends who believe she's innocent of both crimes.
There are a lot of twists in the story, some easier to figure out than others. To be honest, there weren't really any big surprises in the story, but that didn't make the book less interesting to read. On the contrary, it was satisfying to be able to figure things out before it happened, to have once suspicious proven right. It's like a jigsaw and all the pieces are falling into place. I enjoyed the fact that the story took place in Hollywood among actors and directors, I am sure a world, full of the razzmatazz and glitter and fame but are there people with dark secrets...
Reasons for three star...1980 flashbacks, were a little too heavy going, many characters to follow which 1980 and 2010.
The 2010 story was much more interesting. Pace was too slow and heavy, characters not always believable, no great shocks that I had not guessed. A rather long and slow start to the book.
An okay book for me
June 30, 2021
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I thought that this book was really well done. I have had this book for years but somehow never got around to reading it until now. I thought that story was really interesting and I couldn’t wait to see how things would work out. I am so glad that I finally decided to make this book a priority.
There are really two main mysteries in this book. As a teenager, Kelly Lund shot and killed a famous Hollywood director. She went to jail for twenty-five years and has been free for the past five years when her father-in-law is found dead. Kelly is immediately a suspect in the new murder but there are questions about what really happened when she was a teen. It was really interesting to go back and see what happened in the past and its impact on everyone connected to the events.
I think that the two timelines worked really well to tell this story. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing throughout the book. I wanted to know all of the secrets that this group of characters was keeping from each other and I couldn’t wait to find out what really happened to both of the men that were murdered. There were a lot of layers to the story and smaller questions to be answered that kept things really interesting.
I believe that this was the first time that I have listened to Ann Marie Lee’s narration work. It did take me just a bit to adjust to her reading but I ended up really enjoying her narration. I thought that she brought a lot to the story and handled the voices of the different characters very well. I feel like her narration added to my overall enjoyment of this story and wouldn’t hesitate to listen to her work again in the future.
I would recommend this book to others. I found this to be a rather complex mystery that captured my attention early on and never let go. I definitely plan to read more of Alison Gaylin’s work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this book from William Morrow via Edelweiss and borrowed a copy of the audiobook from my local library.
I thought that this book was really well done. I have had this book for years but somehow never got around to reading it until now. I thought that story was really interesting and I couldn’t wait to see how things would work out. I am so glad that I finally decided to make this book a priority.
There are really two main mysteries in this book. As a teenager, Kelly Lund shot and killed a famous Hollywood director. She went to jail for twenty-five years and has been free for the past five years when her father-in-law is found dead. Kelly is immediately a suspect in the new murder but there are questions about what really happened when she was a teen. It was really interesting to go back and see what happened in the past and its impact on everyone connected to the events.
I think that the two timelines worked really well to tell this story. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing throughout the book. I wanted to know all of the secrets that this group of characters was keeping from each other and I couldn’t wait to find out what really happened to both of the men that were murdered. There were a lot of layers to the story and smaller questions to be answered that kept things really interesting.
I believe that this was the first time that I have listened to Ann Marie Lee’s narration work. It did take me just a bit to adjust to her reading but I ended up really enjoying her narration. I thought that she brought a lot to the story and handled the voices of the different characters very well. I feel like her narration added to my overall enjoyment of this story and wouldn’t hesitate to listen to her work again in the future.
I would recommend this book to others. I found this to be a rather complex mystery that captured my attention early on and never let go. I definitely plan to read more of Alison Gaylin’s work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this book from William Morrow via Edelweiss and borrowed a copy of the audiobook from my local library.
July 1, 2016
Kelly Lund is an unhappy, bullied and lonely young teenager when she first meets Bellamy Marshall. Although Kelly’s family live in L.A. and her mother was a make-up artist, while her father is a stunt man; she is constantly warned away from the world of movies. That is less than easy though, especially when you go to school at Hollywood High. At first, it seems impossible that the beautiful, seemingly super confident, and wealthy Bellamy, daughter of actor Shane Marshall, will even notice Kelly, let alone befriend how. However, amazingly, she does and Kelly feels that life is suddenly looking up.
Kelly’s parents have split up, and her twin sister committed suicide; plus money is tight. Suddenly, though, Kelly is welcomed by Bellamy and her friend Vee, son of director John McFadden, and the close friend of Shane Marshall. Before long, Kelly is introduced to a new life – the opulent lifestyle, the famous friends, the excess of wealth and success and drugs… Kelly embraces it all, but gradually learns that, beneath the surface, all is not as perfect as it looks.
When we first meet Kelly, she has been released from prison; having served a long sentence for the murder of John McFadden when she was just seventeen. Now, Shane Marshall has been killed in a similar way and Kelly is the chief suspect. During this novel, we discover what happened in 1980 when John McFadden was murdered and gradually learn whether Kelly was guilty of the murders of either, or both, McFadden and Marshall. This is less of a fast paced crime thriller though, and more about the character of Kelly herself, her family and her relationship with Bellamy and her family and friends.
This is a solidly good read, which certainly has a lot of plus points. There are lots of plot twists, some interesting characters and a few surprises. I really liked Kelly herself and also her father, Jimmy; the stunt man who suffered from chronic pain after an accident for which he was never compensated and who struggles with a whole host of secrets. In fact, just about every character we meet has a skeleton, or two, in their closet and there are some very unattractive secrets under cover of the gloss and glamour on the Hollywood Hills. I would certainly read more by this author and look forward to investigating Alison Gaylin’s previous novels.
Kelly’s parents have split up, and her twin sister committed suicide; plus money is tight. Suddenly, though, Kelly is welcomed by Bellamy and her friend Vee, son of director John McFadden, and the close friend of Shane Marshall. Before long, Kelly is introduced to a new life – the opulent lifestyle, the famous friends, the excess of wealth and success and drugs… Kelly embraces it all, but gradually learns that, beneath the surface, all is not as perfect as it looks.
When we first meet Kelly, she has been released from prison; having served a long sentence for the murder of John McFadden when she was just seventeen. Now, Shane Marshall has been killed in a similar way and Kelly is the chief suspect. During this novel, we discover what happened in 1980 when John McFadden was murdered and gradually learn whether Kelly was guilty of the murders of either, or both, McFadden and Marshall. This is less of a fast paced crime thriller though, and more about the character of Kelly herself, her family and her relationship with Bellamy and her family and friends.
This is a solidly good read, which certainly has a lot of plus points. There are lots of plot twists, some interesting characters and a few surprises. I really liked Kelly herself and also her father, Jimmy; the stunt man who suffered from chronic pain after an accident for which he was never compensated and who struggles with a whole host of secrets. In fact, just about every character we meet has a skeleton, or two, in their closet and there are some very unattractive secrets under cover of the gloss and glamour on the Hollywood Hills. I would certainly read more by this author and look forward to investigating Alison Gaylin’s previous novels.
December 6, 2016
3.5 stars. Kelly Lund has spent 30 years in jail for shooting John McFadden.
The story begins 5 years after her release. She is now married and living the quiet life. Then her father-in-law has been found dead in the exact same way as John McFadden.
I found this story drew me in very quickly with its fast pace but it's pace seemed to dip a little half way through. Don't let that put you off as it is a good read.
The story begins 5 years after her release. She is now married and living the quiet life. Then her father-in-law has been found dead in the exact same way as John McFadden.
I found this story drew me in very quickly with its fast pace but it's pace seemed to dip a little half way through. Don't let that put you off as it is a good read.
August 6, 2019
Wow!! This is the first book by Alison Gaylin
I've read and I immediately want to read another! The characters come to life, and the plot thickens at every turn. This book has more twists than a Slinky! Really great stuff!! I strongly recommend it!
This book has an excerpt for a new untitled book to be published in 2018. I'm looking forward to it!
I've read and I immediately want to read another! The characters come to life, and the plot thickens at every turn. This book has more twists than a Slinky! Really great stuff!! I strongly recommend it!
This book has an excerpt for a new untitled book to be published in 2018. I'm looking forward to it!
January 27, 2017
Kelly was convicted of murder in 1980. In 2010, she is a suspect in the death of her father-in-law. Is she innocent or guilty--of one or of both murders?
October 22, 2016
What Remains of Me is an atmospheric and well written novel with an intriguing mystery element.
We follow Kelly over two points in her life - leading up to her being imprisoned for murder and then after her release when she is soon suspected of another. The glitz and glamour and dark side of movie making is the backdrop, with some elements of family drama.
For about half of What Remains of Me I was entirely engaged, but if I had one little bugbear it was that this book could have been shorter. There were points when I felt things were going around in circles becoming a little too angst heavy. Having said that the characters are entirely fascinating and I really liked that it genuinely was not clear whether Kelly had committed these murders or not, until the truth was ultimately revealed.
Overall a great read. I'm a fan of novels with the past/present vibe and this was a good one.
We follow Kelly over two points in her life - leading up to her being imprisoned for murder and then after her release when she is soon suspected of another. The glitz and glamour and dark side of movie making is the backdrop, with some elements of family drama.
For about half of What Remains of Me I was entirely engaged, but if I had one little bugbear it was that this book could have been shorter. There were points when I felt things were going around in circles becoming a little too angst heavy. Having said that the characters are entirely fascinating and I really liked that it genuinely was not clear whether Kelly had committed these murders or not, until the truth was ultimately revealed.
Overall a great read. I'm a fan of novels with the past/present vibe and this was a good one.
July 4, 2020
Settling on 3.5 stars for this one, rounded down. The second half of the book was more engaging/enjoyable for me, as by that point I had started to feel more than irritation for the characters, and the plot unraveling was sort of cool. But it also lost me a little at the end, because one of the main twists/reveals does not make sense!
The book follows Kelly Lund, who in 1980 at the age of seventeen was convicted of the murder of famous film director John McFadden. After spending twenty-five years in prison, she is released. The book picks up five years after that, when she is implicated in the murder of another famous Hollywood man, this time her father-in-law, beloved movie actor Sterling Marshall, and once John McFadden's best friend.
The book is told in two timelines, mostly from Kelly's POV. The first is from several months before the first murder, and the second starts as Kelly is driving home from the crime scene of the second. The plot is pretty twisty, and the twists were genuinely surprising for the most part. My problem is that one of them, the biggest one that the entire plot was based on, doesn't hold water.
I don't know if I will be reading any more of this author's books. There's so many books out there I could love, and I didn't love this one, but never say never I guess.
[3.5 stars]
The book follows Kelly Lund, who in 1980 at the age of seventeen was convicted of the murder of famous film director John McFadden. After spending twenty-five years in prison, she is released. The book picks up five years after that, when she is implicated in the murder of another famous Hollywood man, this time her father-in-law, beloved movie actor Sterling Marshall, and once John McFadden's best friend.
The book is told in two timelines, mostly from Kelly's POV. The first is from several months before the first murder, and the second starts as Kelly is driving home from the crime scene of the second. The plot is pretty twisty, and the twists were genuinely surprising for the most part. My problem is that one of them, the biggest one that the entire plot was based on, doesn't hold water.
I don't know if I will be reading any more of this author's books. There's so many books out there I could love, and I didn't love this one, but never say never I guess.
[3.5 stars]
February 5, 2016
What Remains of me is a standalone mystery/thriller.
The story is told in third person narration. The main narrator is Kelly Michelle Lund. The book goes back and forth in time between 1980 (when Kelly was 17) and 2010.
We learn right away that Kelly is a murderer. When she was 17 she shot and killed wealthy director John McFadden. She went to prison and was released in 2005. So the main part of this story takes place in 2010, five years after she was released from prison.
The chapters go back and forth in time. As a general rule I do not love when this is done unless it is done perfectly. Both time periods have to be equally interesting. In this case it was definitely necessary for the book to be structured this way. However, I was definitely much more interested in the 2010 timeline than I was in the past.
In the past Kelly's twin sister has died. Kelly is befriended by rich girl Bellamy Marshall. I found a lot of these scenes disturbing. A lot of the teens in this book are allowed to skip school and do whatever they want, including drugs. The book in the past does feature a lot about Hollywood and rich people (as these were the people that Kelly was hanging out with).
The second narrator is Kelly's husband Shane.
There are a lot of twists and turns in this book. I definitely enjoyed most of them. A lot of them were unpredictable. There was one that I predicted early on.
There is another murder that takes place in the present. I was definitely curious to see who committed this murder.
The other narrator is Kelly's mom, Rose/Ruth.
This book is extremely interesting. There is much happening, especially towards the end of the book. There is however one thing that the author did which I don't love. The narrator and scenes changed a lot mid-chapter. I do not love the switches of POV mid-chapter. Or when the writer goes from one scene to a totally different day and time from one paragraph to the next with only a blank line to let the reader know. I find this can get super confusing.
The last part of the book was by far the strongest. There was a lot happening. And I loved the unpredictability of it. There were definitely a lot of interesting characters. I enjoyed the reporter Sebastian Todd, Kelly's friend in the present Rocky, Bellamy, Shane, and Kelly's parents (Jimmy and Rose).
It was definitely fascinating to see two murders explored simultaneously (one in the past and one in the present). I really enjoyed the last part of this book a lot. There were so many reveals in this last section. I could barely keep up with what was happening. There were secrets, lies, betrayals and so much more. It was really quite mind-blowing. The reader does not know what is happening until the very end. If you like a good psychological thriller then this book is crazy!
Thanks to edelweiss and William Morrow for allowing me to read this book.
August 29, 2016
People don't need to know you're a murderer.
They just have to think you could be...
June 1980: 17-year-old Kelly Lund is jailed for killing Hollywood film director, John McFadden
Thirty years later, Kelly is a free woman. Yet speculation still swirls over what really happened that night.
And when her father-in-law and close friend of McFadden is found dead - shot through the head at point-blank range - there can only be one suspect.
But, this time, Kelly has some high-profile friends who believe she's innocent of both crimes.
But is she?
I found it very hard to embrace this book. It has all the credentials to be an outstanding read, but it just didn't hit it for me!
The writing is superb and the plot is clever, but it all seems a little jumbled up and doesn't create any form of atmosphere or suspense.
It's okay!
3.0/5.0*
They just have to think you could be...
June 1980: 17-year-old Kelly Lund is jailed for killing Hollywood film director, John McFadden
Thirty years later, Kelly is a free woman. Yet speculation still swirls over what really happened that night.
And when her father-in-law and close friend of McFadden is found dead - shot through the head at point-blank range - there can only be one suspect.
But, this time, Kelly has some high-profile friends who believe she's innocent of both crimes.
But is she?
I found it very hard to embrace this book. It has all the credentials to be an outstanding read, but it just didn't hit it for me!
The writing is superb and the plot is clever, but it all seems a little jumbled up and doesn't create any form of atmosphere or suspense.
It's okay!
3.0/5.0*
December 21, 2016
Being a fan of contemporary American crime fiction, and particularly those featuring ‘damaged’ female protagonists, such as Jax Miller’s Freedom’s Child and Emma Cline’s The Girls , I’m incredibly pleased to report that the trinity is now complete with this truly compelling novel from A.L. Gaylin, What Remains of Me.
Front and centre of this tale of redemption, revenge and murder, is the figure of Kelly Lund, convicted of murder at a young age, but now having served 25 years for the crime, still battling with her readjustment to life on the outside. Lund is a powerfully constructed and multi-faceted character who gets under your skin, and toys with your empathy as the tale unfolds. Her naivety as a seventeen year old girl, finding herself enveloped in the starry world of Hollywood and its nefarious temptations, is beautifully balanced with our view of her post-incarceration, and the damage this has wreaked on her emotional make-up. The barren emotion and dark shadows of her marriage is set against the frail and tentative emotional connection she makes with her neighbour Rocky, as she struggles with her past actions coming to impact on her new life. I found the lines drawn between the teenage and adult Lund with those connected to her past and present lives, with some particularly nasty skeletons emerging from the closet, were never less than utterly believable, and emotionally engaging throughout. The frailty and imperfections of Lund, as she seeks to make sense of the deeds attributed to her, drive the plot on, and her surrounding cast of characters, and their own failings both in their actions towards her, and their own pernicious acts are constantly surprising, and sometimes deeply disturbing. Gaylin’s fearless and uncompromising eye on the world of celebrity, and those that grow up in its shadow with their attendant emotional problems, is crucial to the playing out of this twisted tale, and grips the reader as our alliances to the main players shifts and changes.
What I liked most about this book is the control of pace and reveal that Gaylin uses, echoing the central theme of the seedy underbelly of the Hollywood crowd, who lie at the centre of the book. There is a real sense of zoom and focal adjustment, as Gaylin seems to anticipate perfectly how closely to bring the reveals into focus, and when to leave the reader hanging slightly by pulling away from certain story strands at exactly the right time. and then bam, another twist socks you right in the kisser.
Equally, Gaylin’s description of location, offsetting the glamourous Hollywood world of Lund’s teenage cohorts, against her new existence in the barren desert flats is beautifully realised, and providing another surreptitious reference to the morally bankrupt excesses of the movie fraternity, against the cleaner moral life of frugality, and engagement with the natural world. There is also a wonderfully dispassionate style to Gaylin’s writing, so it feels that the moments of revelation and emotional intensity are slightly dampened down, to add to the overarching feeling of sadness that permeates the story. In this way, the book exhibits the twin attributes of a nod to the best of hardboiled noir, fused with the emotional sparseness and literary prowess of contemporary American fiction.
So with its blend of strong characterisation, assured plotting, attention to location, and moral ambiguity, What Remains of Me, ticked every single box for this reader. It loitered in my head for some while after finishing it, and that for me is further testament to how good it was. No hesitation in the Raven’s mind that this is one highly recommended read. Excellent.
Front and centre of this tale of redemption, revenge and murder, is the figure of Kelly Lund, convicted of murder at a young age, but now having served 25 years for the crime, still battling with her readjustment to life on the outside. Lund is a powerfully constructed and multi-faceted character who gets under your skin, and toys with your empathy as the tale unfolds. Her naivety as a seventeen year old girl, finding herself enveloped in the starry world of Hollywood and its nefarious temptations, is beautifully balanced with our view of her post-incarceration, and the damage this has wreaked on her emotional make-up. The barren emotion and dark shadows of her marriage is set against the frail and tentative emotional connection she makes with her neighbour Rocky, as she struggles with her past actions coming to impact on her new life. I found the lines drawn between the teenage and adult Lund with those connected to her past and present lives, with some particularly nasty skeletons emerging from the closet, were never less than utterly believable, and emotionally engaging throughout. The frailty and imperfections of Lund, as she seeks to make sense of the deeds attributed to her, drive the plot on, and her surrounding cast of characters, and their own failings both in their actions towards her, and their own pernicious acts are constantly surprising, and sometimes deeply disturbing. Gaylin’s fearless and uncompromising eye on the world of celebrity, and those that grow up in its shadow with their attendant emotional problems, is crucial to the playing out of this twisted tale, and grips the reader as our alliances to the main players shifts and changes.
What I liked most about this book is the control of pace and reveal that Gaylin uses, echoing the central theme of the seedy underbelly of the Hollywood crowd, who lie at the centre of the book. There is a real sense of zoom and focal adjustment, as Gaylin seems to anticipate perfectly how closely to bring the reveals into focus, and when to leave the reader hanging slightly by pulling away from certain story strands at exactly the right time. and then bam, another twist socks you right in the kisser.
Equally, Gaylin’s description of location, offsetting the glamourous Hollywood world of Lund’s teenage cohorts, against her new existence in the barren desert flats is beautifully realised, and providing another surreptitious reference to the morally bankrupt excesses of the movie fraternity, against the cleaner moral life of frugality, and engagement with the natural world. There is also a wonderfully dispassionate style to Gaylin’s writing, so it feels that the moments of revelation and emotional intensity are slightly dampened down, to add to the overarching feeling of sadness that permeates the story. In this way, the book exhibits the twin attributes of a nod to the best of hardboiled noir, fused with the emotional sparseness and literary prowess of contemporary American fiction.
So with its blend of strong characterisation, assured plotting, attention to location, and moral ambiguity, What Remains of Me, ticked every single box for this reader. It loitered in my head for some while after finishing it, and that for me is further testament to how good it was. No hesitation in the Raven’s mind that this is one highly recommended read. Excellent.
August 18, 2016
Kelly has spent twenty-five years in prison for homicide. We go back to her teenage years, after her fraternal twin Catherine's suicide, to her friendship with Bellamy and her brother Shane, Kelly's eventual husband. It all takes place in Hollywood, but Kelly's mother is keen to prevent her from getting close to the so-called Hollywood Royalty. Then, her father-in law, the film star, is killed and, as Kelly has form, she's under suspicion.
I initially found the story slow. The back and forth from 1980 to 2010 made me feel my attention was being dragged about from scene to scene. Once I got over half way through, it all began clicking into place. It's like a jigsaw puzzle you begin with the edges. You work on it for a long time before you get the picture. As the pieces fit together, nothing is as it appears. A great, complex and twisty plot. I want to give it 4.5 stars for the slow start but really, that may just have been me.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book.
I initially found the story slow. The back and forth from 1980 to 2010 made me feel my attention was being dragged about from scene to scene. Once I got over half way through, it all began clicking into place. It's like a jigsaw puzzle you begin with the edges. You work on it for a long time before you get the picture. As the pieces fit together, nothing is as it appears. A great, complex and twisty plot. I want to give it 4.5 stars for the slow start but really, that may just have been me.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book.
May 4, 2016
I won this book through Goodreads.
A real page turner that kept me guessing constantly. Loved the strong women in the story.
A real page turner that kept me guessing constantly. Loved the strong women in the story.
August 25, 2017
A page turner from start to finish! 2016 is definitely shaping up to be the year of the psychological thriller!
November 24, 2016
In brief - Not a bad book I guess. However it seemed overly drawn out to me. Equally there really were too many twists to be believable.
In full
In "What remains of Me" the author tells the story of Kelly both in the 1980s and in the present day. Set in Hollywood and using the setting and films as part of the theme I found it easy enough to read. In the 1980s Kelly was found guilty of murdering a Hollywood mogul although she never admitted directly to the crime. Now she is out of prison and married to someone whose father is also heavily involved in the film industry. When he is found dead at a time when Kelly may have been visiting him she is a prime suspect. The story moves between the different times as it gathers the threads involved in the overall story.
Initially this wasn't quite the book I was expecting. There is none of the usual "proving myself innocent" which tends to be a theme in such stories. Indeed Kelly appears to accept what has happened. Are the secrets of the past in the Hollywood film industry linked to the murder in the 1980 and the one in the present time? Kelly had a sister, Catherine, who committed suicide - is this an influence on the events? And what part does Kelly's best friend, Bellamy and the person who will be her sister-in-law, have to play?
The basic idea of this book really did appeal to me. Overall I found it quite readable and some aspects worked well for me. I did like Kelly as a character and enjoyed her relationships with various people, in particular her father and Rocky Three who were also intriguing characters. Other characters felt less developed maybe although Bellamy was quite strong in some ways. I did feel that the story was rather drawn out. However, much though I like twists, the end of the book just had increasingly unbelievable twists and turns in it and that didn't work for me. Not a bad read but not as good as I thought it would be.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
http://viewson.org.uk/fiction/what-re...
In full
In "What remains of Me" the author tells the story of Kelly both in the 1980s and in the present day. Set in Hollywood and using the setting and films as part of the theme I found it easy enough to read. In the 1980s Kelly was found guilty of murdering a Hollywood mogul although she never admitted directly to the crime. Now she is out of prison and married to someone whose father is also heavily involved in the film industry. When he is found dead at a time when Kelly may have been visiting him she is a prime suspect. The story moves between the different times as it gathers the threads involved in the overall story.
Initially this wasn't quite the book I was expecting. There is none of the usual "proving myself innocent" which tends to be a theme in such stories. Indeed Kelly appears to accept what has happened. Are the secrets of the past in the Hollywood film industry linked to the murder in the 1980 and the one in the present time? Kelly had a sister, Catherine, who committed suicide - is this an influence on the events? And what part does Kelly's best friend, Bellamy and the person who will be her sister-in-law, have to play?
The basic idea of this book really did appeal to me. Overall I found it quite readable and some aspects worked well for me. I did like Kelly as a character and enjoyed her relationships with various people, in particular her father and Rocky Three who were also intriguing characters. Other characters felt less developed maybe although Bellamy was quite strong in some ways. I did feel that the story was rather drawn out. However, much though I like twists, the end of the book just had increasingly unbelievable twists and turns in it and that didn't work for me. Not a bad read but not as good as I thought it would be.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
http://viewson.org.uk/fiction/what-re...
February 2, 2017
This was a good psychological thriller, with lots of great twists... up until the very end. The story unraveled through past and present experiences and the web of secrets and lies kept me engrossed.
August 7, 2017
Her bloody wine-smile directly under Kelly on the wall. One of those moments when positioning shows you something you could never put into words.
Drugs. Glitter. Murder. Secrets.
Not everything in Hollywood is as glitz and glam as it seems.
Released from prison after serving 25 years for murder, Kelly Lund can finally move forward from the events that plagued her youth. However, when another powerful movie exec is murdered in the same manner as Kelly’s murder- she’s once again a suspect and caught in the public eye. Little to her knowledge, secrets can’t be buried forever and there are people behind the scenes looking to clear her name.
I loved the dual timelines of this book as we are thrust into the present with alternate viewpoints from the police, Kelly, and people involved in her past. We also learn over the course of the book more about each person in younger years and how Kelly became entangled with the individuals she did. An accurate portrayal of drug use, rebellion, and wanting to fit in no matter the cost.
Some parts of this book were SOOO frustrating to me because usually I can pick up on clues and make predictions but this one was almost like reading in the dark. For every clue given there was another mystery and potential twist. I STILL didn’t have everything figured out by the last 20 page or so.
However, I do wish there would have been a little more of the big reveals along the way. I felt the end was almost over the top with its reveals. Yes, every thread was tied and figured out, but with so much over so little pages- I think at least one of the big showstoppers should have been earlier in the book.
Overall, this was an absolutely AMAZING crime & psychological thriller. I already have 2 friends lined up to borrow my book- I have to share it with everyone! Not one dull moment & a story that will stay with me for a very long time. 5 stars xx
Drugs. Glitter. Murder. Secrets.
Not everything in Hollywood is as glitz and glam as it seems.
Released from prison after serving 25 years for murder, Kelly Lund can finally move forward from the events that plagued her youth. However, when another powerful movie exec is murdered in the same manner as Kelly’s murder- she’s once again a suspect and caught in the public eye. Little to her knowledge, secrets can’t be buried forever and there are people behind the scenes looking to clear her name.
I loved the dual timelines of this book as we are thrust into the present with alternate viewpoints from the police, Kelly, and people involved in her past. We also learn over the course of the book more about each person in younger years and how Kelly became entangled with the individuals she did. An accurate portrayal of drug use, rebellion, and wanting to fit in no matter the cost.
Some parts of this book were SOOO frustrating to me because usually I can pick up on clues and make predictions but this one was almost like reading in the dark. For every clue given there was another mystery and potential twist. I STILL didn’t have everything figured out by the last 20 page or so.
However, I do wish there would have been a little more of the big reveals along the way. I felt the end was almost over the top with its reveals. Yes, every thread was tied and figured out, but with so much over so little pages- I think at least one of the big showstoppers should have been earlier in the book.
Overall, this was an absolutely AMAZING crime & psychological thriller. I already have 2 friends lined up to borrow my book- I have to share it with everyone! Not one dull moment & a story that will stay with me for a very long time. 5 stars xx
March 1, 2018
Mi-a plăcut acest roman, a fost construit bine, iar finalul fost bun. Foarte întortocheat, multe personaje, fără să fie niciunul neglijat, multe detalii, secrete, minciuni, trădări. O lume dominată de oameni influenți, bani, droguri și abuzuri foarte bine redată. Nu pot să spun că mi-a plăcut de Kelly, personajul principal, însă acțiunile ei sunt scuzabile. Toate personajele au acționat din motive bine întemeiate, însă niciunul nu și-a asumat răspunderea. Relația dintre părinți și copii e prezentată într-o manieră dură și realistă. Greșelile părinților îi bântuie toată viața și devin moștenire copiilor. Mi-a părut rău de ei că au fost prinși în plasa asta de minciuni și manipulări. Evident că nu au știut cum să iasă din ea și s-au afundat și mai tare. E un roman ce merită citit, pentru că prezintă o lume reală, la care mulți tineri visează, fără să știe cât de distrugătoare ajunge să fie. O industrie a filmului plină de abuzuri, în care nimeni nu e ce pare a fi și banii controlează totul.
January 5, 2017
On a hot summer night in 1980 Kelly Lund killed John McFadden, a famous film director. Kelly is imprisoned for the crime at aged just seventeen, and she does her time. Thirty years later, five years after Kelly’s release from prison, her father-in-law, Sterling Marshall, a movie star, is murdered. In 1980 following her appearance in court she was pictured with a half-smile on her face, that picture has accompanied every story written about Kelly and John McFadden ever since, it looks like it may need another airing now.
The book uses the setting of Hollywood itself to underpin a book which shows us the events of 1980 in flashback. It is a tale of a poor kid mixing with the elite and not fitting in. at school not helped by the fact that Kelly had a sister who committed suicide after getting in with the rich and famous and her mother is terrified that Kelly will follow in her footsteps. That doesn’t seem likely at first with Kelly being of a far quieter nature, but then Bellamy choses her to be her friend and soon she is mixing with her famous friends. We get to see the progression where Kelly doesn’t really feel like she belongs; she lives in Hollywood because her father was a stunt man and her mother a make-up artist, a life where the huge houses and free access to drink and drugs has never been part of her world, but once she teams up with Bellamy, it is.
In 2010 the police don’t immediately swoop in on Kelly Lund their approach being far more stealthy, which is just as well because she has a backer, someone who doesn’t believe she is guilty of the latest murder and will fight to prove it. Her husband Shane is welcomed back into the family bosom, his marriage to Kelly having caused a little bit of consternation, and they are all pointing the finger at the former killer.
Kelly Lund was a bit of an enigma throughout this book, understandably so as part of the mystery is whether she is a murderer or not, but for me, this device meant that it was quite hard to connect with her, and perhaps, not being interested in being rich or famous myself, I wasn’t as impressed by the Hollywood lifestyle as Kelly was. On her release from prison Kelly isn’t that impressed either and she lives a quiet life with her husband Shane some distance away from the scene of the first crime, but the links, however weak, are still there.
This book had many of the individual elements that make for a good read, a strong, well-thought out plot, an interesting protagonist, a whole boxful of secrets and a heap of red-herrings, but for me, it just didn’t culminate in the type of absorbing read I expected. This wasn’t helped by the slow start, the numerous cruel characters and the absence of any real information about what it was that meant that Kelly was convicted of the first murder. It was just all a little too elusive for my tastes. For all that the events that led to both deaths, once revealed meant that a lot of the earlier confusion was cleared up, ideal for readers who enjoy a slow burn and are more patient than me at sitting it out until the conclusion.
The book uses the setting of Hollywood itself to underpin a book which shows us the events of 1980 in flashback. It is a tale of a poor kid mixing with the elite and not fitting in. at school not helped by the fact that Kelly had a sister who committed suicide after getting in with the rich and famous and her mother is terrified that Kelly will follow in her footsteps. That doesn’t seem likely at first with Kelly being of a far quieter nature, but then Bellamy choses her to be her friend and soon she is mixing with her famous friends. We get to see the progression where Kelly doesn’t really feel like she belongs; she lives in Hollywood because her father was a stunt man and her mother a make-up artist, a life where the huge houses and free access to drink and drugs has never been part of her world, but once she teams up with Bellamy, it is.
In 2010 the police don’t immediately swoop in on Kelly Lund their approach being far more stealthy, which is just as well because she has a backer, someone who doesn’t believe she is guilty of the latest murder and will fight to prove it. Her husband Shane is welcomed back into the family bosom, his marriage to Kelly having caused a little bit of consternation, and they are all pointing the finger at the former killer.
Kelly Lund was a bit of an enigma throughout this book, understandably so as part of the mystery is whether she is a murderer or not, but for me, this device meant that it was quite hard to connect with her, and perhaps, not being interested in being rich or famous myself, I wasn’t as impressed by the Hollywood lifestyle as Kelly was. On her release from prison Kelly isn’t that impressed either and she lives a quiet life with her husband Shane some distance away from the scene of the first crime, but the links, however weak, are still there.
This book had many of the individual elements that make for a good read, a strong, well-thought out plot, an interesting protagonist, a whole boxful of secrets and a heap of red-herrings, but for me, it just didn’t culminate in the type of absorbing read I expected. This wasn’t helped by the slow start, the numerous cruel characters and the absence of any real information about what it was that meant that Kelly was convicted of the first murder. It was just all a little too elusive for my tastes. For all that the events that led to both deaths, once revealed meant that a lot of the earlier confusion was cleared up, ideal for readers who enjoy a slow burn and are more patient than me at sitting it out until the conclusion.
February 20, 2016
This review was originally posted on [www.125pages.com]
What Remains of Me made me think of what could have been for Marissa on the O.C. I loved me some twisty drama on that show and I could picture the characters at place in that world. A teen party girl on the fringes of Hollywood society, Kelly Lund enters a party and shoots a prominent director three times. Thirty years later she is free and another man, this time a famous actor, is shot in the same manner. Is Kelly up to her old tricks, or is someone setting her up?
I enjoyed the world Alison Gaylin created in What Remains of Me, a glittering eighties Hollywood world of excess countered with a modern Hollywood full of TMZ and bloodthirsty reporters. The plot was unique and I enjoyed the guessing games created. Gaylin's writing was crisp and each line made sense within the scope of the story. Descriptions were just enough to enable you to picture the scene but not bog down the action. The characters were well thought out and most fit extremely well in the world created. A few side characters seemed placed for no real reason, but they could mostly be overlooked.
I enjoyed the ride Gaylin took me on in What Remains of Me. A nice twisty thriller that kept me guessing what was real and what was imagined till the end. A few things I guessed before the end, but most I did not and I really enjoyed the guessing game created. A dark version of a True Hollywood Story, What Remains of Me played out like one of my favorite soapy nighttime dramas.
Favorite lines - Amazing how many stars you could see out here in the desert, the sky crowded with them like rhinestones on a black velvet shawl, every night here so beautiful it bordered on gaudy. To this day, it was hard for Ruth to wrap her mind around the fact that at this moment, this very same sky was starless in Hollywood, rendered a dull purple from bright lights and automobile emissions. Those same stars that took Ruth’s breath away now had always been out there.
Biggest cliché - As long as I never open up, I'll be fine.
Have you read What Remains of Me, or added it to your TBR?
What Remains of Me made me think of what could have been for Marissa on the O.C. I loved me some twisty drama on that show and I could picture the characters at place in that world. A teen party girl on the fringes of Hollywood society, Kelly Lund enters a party and shoots a prominent director three times. Thirty years later she is free and another man, this time a famous actor, is shot in the same manner. Is Kelly up to her old tricks, or is someone setting her up?
I enjoyed the world Alison Gaylin created in What Remains of Me, a glittering eighties Hollywood world of excess countered with a modern Hollywood full of TMZ and bloodthirsty reporters. The plot was unique and I enjoyed the guessing games created. Gaylin's writing was crisp and each line made sense within the scope of the story. Descriptions were just enough to enable you to picture the scene but not bog down the action. The characters were well thought out and most fit extremely well in the world created. A few side characters seemed placed for no real reason, but they could mostly be overlooked.
I enjoyed the ride Gaylin took me on in What Remains of Me. A nice twisty thriller that kept me guessing what was real and what was imagined till the end. A few things I guessed before the end, but most I did not and I really enjoyed the guessing game created. A dark version of a True Hollywood Story, What Remains of Me played out like one of my favorite soapy nighttime dramas.
Favorite lines - Amazing how many stars you could see out here in the desert, the sky crowded with them like rhinestones on a black velvet shawl, every night here so beautiful it bordered on gaudy. To this day, it was hard for Ruth to wrap her mind around the fact that at this moment, this very same sky was starless in Hollywood, rendered a dull purple from bright lights and automobile emissions. Those same stars that took Ruth’s breath away now had always been out there.
Biggest cliché - As long as I never open up, I'll be fine.
Have you read What Remains of Me, or added it to your TBR?
March 27, 2020
I really need to stop reading thrillers. I just...can't anymore. Why must they always be populated with dysfunctional assholes? Why do they always have more drama than a Spanish soap opera? Why the sex and the drugs and the angst?
I'm also finding I doubly don't care much for books that involve the criminal justice system, so the very plot elements I thought would draw me into this story (main character was behind bars for 25 years) just further alienated me with incompetent lawyering and borderline bumbling police officers.
I'll touch on more detailed complaints in the spoilers. But to summarize...if you like thrillers like those written by Gillian Flynn, you'll like this one. And if you don't...well, you won't.
I'm also finding I doubly don't care much for books that involve the criminal justice system, so the very plot elements I thought would draw me into this story (main character was behind bars for 25 years) just further alienated me with incompetent lawyering and borderline bumbling police officers.
I'll touch on more detailed complaints in the spoilers. But to summarize...if you like thrillers like those written by Gillian Flynn, you'll like this one. And if you don't...well, you won't.
August 28, 2021
Un roman întortocheat a carui actiune se petrece pe doua planuri: trecut si prezent. Kelly Lund a fost acuzata la varsta de 17 ani pentru uciderea unui celebru regizor hollywoodian, petrecându-si jumatate din viata in inchisoare pentru aceasta crima săvârșită aparent fara niciun motiv.
Dupa 25 de ani, aceasta este eliberată si isi reface viata alaturi de fiul unui alt regizor aclamat, insa cand tatal acestuia este împușcat subit, Kelly devine principala suspecta intr-un caz aparent fara rezolvare.
Mi-au placut răsturnările de situatie si deznodamantul insa paralela dintre trecut si prezent este destul de greu de urmarit. Cu toate acestea, romanul ofera ceea ce promite: un final neasteptat oferit de dezlegarea misterelor adanc ingropate in trecut.
Dupa 25 de ani, aceasta este eliberată si isi reface viata alaturi de fiul unui alt regizor aclamat, insa cand tatal acestuia este împușcat subit, Kelly devine principala suspecta intr-un caz aparent fara rezolvare.
Mi-au placut răsturnările de situatie si deznodamantul insa paralela dintre trecut si prezent este destul de greu de urmarit. Cu toate acestea, romanul ofera ceea ce promite: un final neasteptat oferit de dezlegarea misterelor adanc ingropate in trecut.
August 3, 2016
It took me a bit to read this book as the plot moved somewhat slowly. The plot being about Kelly Lund, who spend 25 years on prision for killing a famous director, and just now she stands practically accused of killing her father-in-law.
To present the reader with the full story, the book moves on jumps from past and present, providing us with little clues and understanding about the characters and they motives. The only downside is that for me the plot never quite build up as, IMO, there was a bit of dragging. Also I couldn't stand ANY of the characters on the book, so I didn't care for any of them.
To present the reader with the full story, the book moves on jumps from past and present, providing us with little clues and understanding about the characters and they motives. The only downside is that for me the plot never quite build up as, IMO, there was a bit of dragging. Also I couldn't stand ANY of the characters on the book, so I didn't care for any of them.
December 1, 2016
At first, I was initially gripped by the opening of this novel. However, the pace slowed down and you were left with a thriller which is set both in the 80’s and more recent. When Kelly Lund murders a film director, she is sent to prison where she later marries her ex best friend’s younger brother. A decent read.
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