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I Am Dust
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The Dean Wilson Theatre is believed to be haunted by a long-dead actress, singing her last song, waiting for her final cue, looking for her killer…
Now Dust, the iconic musical, is returning after twenty years. But who will be brave enough to take on the role of ghostly goddess Esme Black, last played by Morgan Miller, who was murdered in her dressing room?
Theatre usher C ...more
Now Dust, the iconic musical, is returning after twenty years. But who will be brave enough to take on the role of ghostly goddess Esme Black, last played by Morgan Miller, who was murdered in her dressing room?
Theatre usher C ...more
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Paperback, 300 pages
Published
April 16th 2020
by Orenda
(first published February 16th 2020)
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Start your review of I Am Dust

Jul 09, 2020
Bren
added it
I’m still here; I am dust. I’m those fragments in the air, the gold light dancing there, that breeze from nowhere…
I Am Dust
by Louise Beech
EDIT:
Phantom of the Opera vibes.
I originally DNFED. Not because it is not good but because I was not in the mood for this type of book.
I went back to try to finish. I can see why people would like this. One can gasp over the exquisite writing which is gorgeous.
But I am just tired of Ghost stories and Gothic in general. I will try to read this at a later date ...more
I Am Dust
by Louise Beech
EDIT:
Phantom of the Opera vibes.
I originally DNFED. Not because it is not good but because I was not in the mood for this type of book.
I went back to try to finish. I can see why people would like this. One can gasp over the exquisite writing which is gorgeous.
But I am just tired of Ghost stories and Gothic in general. I will try to read this at a later date ...more

As always this review can also be found on my blog The Tattooed Book Geek: https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress...
I really don’t know where to begin with this review, that sounds great for a blogger doesn’t it?!?! When I finished I Am Dust I was in awe. I was speechless and I had to sit back and take a few minutes to reflect on what I had just read and the profound journey that I had just been taken on. I cannot rate or recommend this book highly enough and I know that whatever words I now find ...more
I really don’t know where to begin with this review, that sounds great for a blogger doesn’t it?!?! When I finished I Am Dust I was in awe. I was speechless and I had to sit back and take a few minutes to reflect on what I had just read and the profound journey that I had just been taken on. I cannot rate or recommend this book highly enough and I know that whatever words I now find ...more

Feb 06, 2020
Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings)
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
orenda,
lovereading
Louise Beech’s latest psychological thriller is ghostly, mysterious, emotional, atmospheric and has a touch of the supernatural. After enjoying her previous unique novel ‘Call Me Star Girl’ and always having enjoyed her beautifully written stories, I was just desperate to read ‘I Am Dust’. Set within a working theatre involving secrets, betrayals and hauntings this was a fabulous read. I particularly enjoyed the story being told from the perspective of an usher working in the theatre whilst the
...more

I AM DUST is a dark psychological thriller/ghost story by Louise Beech. It is a tale of magic and murder. This is the first book I have read by this author, and while it is not my usual genre, I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it so much.
My mother always told me to never mess around with a Ouija board…and it was for a good reason. You never knew what you could stir up. While some of us have been intrigued by the idea, few have proceeded any further.
Twenty years ago, actress Morgan Mille ...more
My mother always told me to never mess around with a Ouija board…and it was for a good reason. You never knew what you could stir up. While some of us have been intrigued by the idea, few have proceeded any further.
Twenty years ago, actress Morgan Mille ...more

Let me just tell you up front that this review, if I can even call it that, will not do this novel any justice at all as Louise Beech’s novels always leave me speechless. I Am Dust is one of those stories that left me in need of a breather, some time to reflect, to let it all sink in before even trying to compile thoughts and put words to what I was feeling. But as I start writing this review, I’m still very much speechless and the only word my brain seems to be able to come up with is WOW.
One o ...more
One o ...more

A Declaration of Personal Interest and Bias
Yes, this book is amazing and so is the author and her daughter and her grandfather. I feel like I know them all, though we've never met. And I'm unable to give an objective opinion because this book as well as her debut How to Be Brave will forever be etched into my heart and mind as reads I somehow experienced and have a very personal connection to.
A Dedication
This book was dedicated by the author to my 17 year old daughter Allia Jen who passed away ...more
Yes, this book is amazing and so is the author and her daughter and her grandfather. I feel like I know them all, though we've never met. And I'm unable to give an objective opinion because this book as well as her debut How to Be Brave will forever be etched into my heart and mind as reads I somehow experienced and have a very personal connection to.
A Dedication
This book was dedicated by the author to my 17 year old daughter Allia Jen who passed away ...more

For once I’m lost for words, or rather the written word, I’m not sure I can put my thoughts into a coherent review for I Am Dust by Louise Beech. So how about you just buy the book and save me the trouble of trying to write a review that can do justice to this extraordinary, haunting novel. Louise Beech is such an extraordinary author, she doesn’t just write a book; she gives each book a heart, a heart that gives life to her stories and her characters. I Am Dust takes you on a journey of magic a
...more

I Am Dust hops between three time periods. 1999: the musical Dust opens at the Dean Wilson Theatre and is a roaring success; during its run, the lead actress is murdered in her dressing room, shutting down the production but making the musical infamous. 2005: three teenage drama club members – Chloe, Jess and Ryan – experiment with ouija boards and get more than they bargained for. 2019: Chloe works as an usher at the Dean Wilson Theatre. When a revival of Dust is announced, she's brought back i
...more

Feb 20, 2020
Linda Strong
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
tbc-reviewer-request,
read-in-2020
3.5 STARS
The well known Dean Wilson Theater is thought to be haunted by an actress, long dead. Rumor is she wanders through the theater singing the last song she ever sung, looking for the person who killed her.
After 20 years, the production of DUST, a musical, is returning. So who will play the part of Esme Black, last played by the murdered Morgan Miller?
Are the eerie sounds and sightings backstage real or just her imagination? Is someone playing games? ? Is the role of Esme Black cursed?
This ...more
The well known Dean Wilson Theater is thought to be haunted by an actress, long dead. Rumor is she wanders through the theater singing the last song she ever sung, looking for the person who killed her.
After 20 years, the production of DUST, a musical, is returning. So who will play the part of Esme Black, last played by the murdered Morgan Miller?
Are the eerie sounds and sightings backstage real or just her imagination? Is someone playing games? ? Is the role of Esme Black cursed?
This ...more

The art of magic aka being careful what you wish for.
I know magic – the authentic kind – inside out and back to front. In I Am Dust, Louise Beech reveals that she does too. Whether from experience or instinct is irrelevant. On the page, Beech’s innate grasp of the nature of magic glitters. She understands the consequences. The law of karma and how what goes round inevitably comes round…
In 2005, three friends embark on a game – a youthful experiment with an Ouija board. What begins as a half-hear ...more
I know magic – the authentic kind – inside out and back to front. In I Am Dust, Louise Beech reveals that she does too. Whether from experience or instinct is irrelevant. On the page, Beech’s innate grasp of the nature of magic glitters. She understands the consequences. The law of karma and how what goes round inevitably comes round…
In 2005, three friends embark on a game – a youthful experiment with an Ouija board. What begins as a half-hear ...more

I Am Dust is a haunting story (literally) of magic, obsession, betrayal and murder. All wrapped up as a psychological thriller in that unique style that Louise Beech has to make her characters and story come to life.
Actress Morgan Miller was murdered in her dressing room whilst playing the part of Esme Black when Dust was last shown at the Dean Wilson Theatre. It is rumoured that she haunts the theatre and the gold star on her dressing room door with her name on still remains in place.
Chloe Dee ...more
Actress Morgan Miller was murdered in her dressing room whilst playing the part of Esme Black when Dust was last shown at the Dean Wilson Theatre. It is rumoured that she haunts the theatre and the gold star on her dressing room door with her name on still remains in place.
Chloe Dee ...more

The blurb on this sounded so good. Sadly the reality was that it was a pretty boring read. Felt more like a YA read. An old play is about to be re-staged at the Will Dean theater in Hull. The play sells out in record time due to the public's ongoing fascination with the original production during which the lead actress was murdered in her dressing room. Will lightning strike twice. Found it boring.
...more

So pretty much all I have to do is see "thriller from Orenda Books" on an email and I'm sunk. I've had such great luck with the books I've read for their blog tours and I am thrilled to say I Am Dust is no exception.
Dust was the first show for the Dean Wilson Theatre. And it definitely put the theatre on the map because the lead actress, Morgan Miller, was murdered during its run. Miller's murder was never solved and such a tragedy left a haunted imprint on the venue. Now, twenty years since the ...more
Dust was the first show for the Dean Wilson Theatre. And it definitely put the theatre on the map because the lead actress, Morgan Miller, was murdered during its run. Miller's murder was never solved and such a tragedy left a haunted imprint on the venue. Now, twenty years since the ...more

Novel set in a theatre (Hull)

The Dean Wilson theatre opened in 1999 with a production of Dust, a musical. The production looks set to be a real winner until, only four days into its run, the leading lady, Morgan Miller, is murdered in her dressing room. No one is convicted of her murder and, from that date, her ghost is said to haunt the theatre; her wraith-like figure has been glimpsed lurking in the gloomy rooms backstage and her beautiful voice can often be heard delivering songs from the mus ...more

The Dean Wilson theatre opened in 1999 with a production of Dust, a musical. The production looks set to be a real winner until, only four days into its run, the leading lady, Morgan Miller, is murdered in her dressing room. No one is convicted of her murder and, from that date, her ghost is said to haunt the theatre; her wraith-like figure has been glimpsed lurking in the gloomy rooms backstage and her beautiful voice can often be heard delivering songs from the mus ...more

You know you are in trouble when your first thought after finishing an epic book is how on earth are you going to review it? How on earth can I do it justice? Never has dust been so visible. I am Dust is outstandingly perfect!
This was an amazing read. This is a book that you don’t want to review straight away. You need to take a breather and relish in the absolute mastery that is I am Dust. It is a story that envelops your soul, becomes at one with your psyche and knows at your senses. This book ...more
This was an amazing read. This is a book that you don’t want to review straight away. You need to take a breather and relish in the absolute mastery that is I am Dust. It is a story that envelops your soul, becomes at one with your psyche and knows at your senses. This book ...more

Normally I write reviews as soon as I finish a novel but with this one I wanted to wait a few weeks to let my thoughts settle, because, as with Louise Beech's other novels, this is one helluva trippy ride! She has always been at her best writing about misfits – strange, slightly awkward characters with traumatic pasts – and Chloe is in this vein. When she was a child, her grandmother told her she had a gift but it is only when she is persuaded to take part in Ouija board sessions with two friend
...more

Apr 08, 2020
Cathy
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
mystery,
contemporary-fiction
“I’m still here; I am dust. I’m those fragments in the air, the gold light dancing there, the breeze from nowhere.”
The tagline on Louise Beech’s website is ‘Making Magic With Words’ and there’s more than a touch of magic, including of a dark kind, woven into I Am Dust.
With its numerous superstitions, the theatre naturally lends itself to being the setting for a story with a generous sprinkling of spooky goings-on, including radio messages that no-one else hears, writing on mirrors that no-one el ...more
The tagline on Louise Beech’s website is ‘Making Magic With Words’ and there’s more than a touch of magic, including of a dark kind, woven into I Am Dust.
With its numerous superstitions, the theatre naturally lends itself to being the setting for a story with a generous sprinkling of spooky goings-on, including radio messages that no-one else hears, writing on mirrors that no-one el ...more

I am a massive fan of Louise Beech’s writing and have loved her previous books. Few novelists are as diverse, yet there are certain recognizable Louise Beech hallmarks. Glorious writing, for one. Also, she is a captivating storyteller with the power to draw you into her fictional world and to make you emotionally invested in her characters. I AM DUST is another triumph. Part ghost story, part murder-mystery, there are enough of twists and turns to keep you guessing, layers of meaning, and emotio
...more

Review to follow once I've recovered from that ending.
Safe to say though, I loved it. ...more
Safe to say though, I loved it. ...more


Visit the locations in the novel I am Dust
This book will give you all the tingles and more. The ethereal ghostly quality whispers at you from the very first page and makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on edge. I was transported to a dark theatre, trapped backstage with the noises, the smell of greasepaint, the heat of the lights and the ghostly whispers of the past.
Just read this paragraph in particular and listen to your own voice:
‘I’m still here; I am dust,
I’m those fragments in t ...more

** edited to add review**
I think this is the first time where I am at a loss of how to review a book to do it justice. I really really enjoyed I Am Dust and was engrossed with it from the start. The story is told in duel timelines that intertwine flawlessly. The Dean Wilson Theatre is set to host the production of I Am Dust 20 years after it first took to the stage and also when tragedy struck, our main character Chole is working here as an Usher and she remembers seeing the play all those years ...more
I think this is the first time where I am at a loss of how to review a book to do it justice. I really really enjoyed I Am Dust and was engrossed with it from the start. The story is told in duel timelines that intertwine flawlessly. The Dean Wilson Theatre is set to host the production of I Am Dust 20 years after it first took to the stage and also when tragedy struck, our main character Chole is working here as an Usher and she remembers seeing the play all those years ...more

Wow. What the heck was that? I don’t really know what I was expecting when I picked up I Am Dust, but it was not that. I’m one of those weird people who rarely reads blurbs for books, especially if they are by an author whose work I trust, and so I really was going into reading blind. I knew it was set around a theatre and that was about it. I certainly didn’t expect to be so caught up in the book that I read for six straight hours. It was the first book I have read in a long while where, no mat
...more

'I'm still here; I am dust,
I'm those fragments in the air,
the gold light dancing there,
that breeze from nowhere.'
I read I Am Dust over two days, cocooned on the sofa, under a fleecy throw, as Storm Ciara did its worst outside. This story is the perfect storm companion. I became so consumed by the characters and the haunting lyrical writing; I was transported to the shabby back rooms of a theatre that once knew glitter and glamour and now only knows dust.
Dust was the biggest musical of its time. ...more
I'm those fragments in the air,
the gold light dancing there,
that breeze from nowhere.'
I read I Am Dust over two days, cocooned on the sofa, under a fleecy throw, as Storm Ciara did its worst outside. This story is the perfect storm companion. I became so consumed by the characters and the haunting lyrical writing; I was transported to the shabby back rooms of a theatre that once knew glitter and glamour and now only knows dust.
Dust was the biggest musical of its time. ...more

A truly emotional rollercoaster of a book with exceptional characters. Told in flashbacks to 2005 and 2019 it tells the story of three friends who meet up to play a game in a theatre where a star was murdered 20years ago. Stunning descriptions, I felt I was actually in the theatre and could smell the dust. Brilliant concept for a book and so beautifully written. If you haven't read any of Louse Beeches book I thoroughly recommend you start now .
...more

Couldn't finish...DNF at over halfway through. Read more like a YA novel with very poor execution. So much teen angst that was unnecessary and didn't add to the storyline. So much potential but didn't follow through. Bleh.
...more

I’m not very attracted to the supernatural, and the mention of witches, magic or ghosts in a novel makes me shiver horribly, and usually not how I want it to. But, newsflash!, this novel was able to enthrall me, and I really have to credit the wonderful author for being able to do so. I Am Dust is very, very different from the psychological thriller Call Me Stargirl, which was my first novel by this author and made me an instant fan, and is much more of a mix between mystery and teenage drama wi
...more

I Am Dust is a story of two halves which are brought together seamlessly as the story evolves—the events of 2005 and the impact they have on the present day. During that summer three friends and aspiring actors played a dangerous game, experimenting with an Ouija board, while rehearsing for their school production of Macbeth.
Out of the three Ryan was the driving force filled with need for wealth, Chloe was wary of dabbling in the unknown and Jess went along just because she fancied Ryan. Regardl ...more
Out of the three Ryan was the driving force filled with need for wealth, Chloe was wary of dabbling in the unknown and Jess went along just because she fancied Ryan. Regardl ...more

After reading 'Call me Star Girl' by this author I knew I wanted to read more of her work and after meeting Louise at the Orenda Road Show and hearing her read an extract of this I knew I HAD to read this book!!
This is the story of Chloe Dee, a theatre usher who longs to be on stage but feels she is not good enough, that she is one of those blend into a crowd kind of girls and not a leading lady. She is working in a theatre where she first saw the musical 'Dust', a musical which she knew all the ...more
This is the story of Chloe Dee, a theatre usher who longs to be on stage but feels she is not good enough, that she is one of those blend into a crowd kind of girls and not a leading lady. She is working in a theatre where she first saw the musical 'Dust', a musical which she knew all the ...more
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Louise's debut novel, How to be Brave, was a Guardian Readers' pick in 2015 and a top ten bestseller on Amazon. The Mountain in my Shoe longlisted for the Guardian's Not The Booker Prize 2016. The Sunday Mirror called Maria in the Moon 'quirky, darkly comic, original and heartfelt'. It was also a Must Read in the Sunday Express and a Book of the Year at LoveReadingUK. The Lion Tamer Who Lost was d
...more
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