This is a dark and complex story which will keep you absolutely riveted. The dual timeline takes you back and forth into scenarios which expose the dark side of a seedy industry. I loved the author’s writing style, which adds depth to the plot.

4⭐⭐⭐⭐




- first book read from this author and did not dissapoint . it gotten be hooked from the first chapter .
i think the ending was lacking and need more answer but probably best if there is a season 2 for this and it will be answered . well recommended thriller!

+thankyou netgalley for the opportunity

❤️shaye.reads

HOLD ME DOWN is a dark, propulsive thriller. It was a gripping read from start to finish. Though the book’s murder mystery is fascinating, the real standout is the character of Gal, who is beautifully realized.

The author is a former journalist who covered the music scene, and her research shows in the vivid details included in the flashbacks. I loved it and will be looking out for more of her work!

Thanks to NetGalley for an ebook copy.

This book was really well written and I enjoyed it a lot. It showed the darker side of fame, which we don't get to see much. I don't really relate to the music thing and I have DNFed books in the past due to that, but I powered through this one and it was definitely worth it.

Thank you Netgalley and Polis Books for the arc of this book. I loved the premise. When I was younger, live music was so important to me, and I have seen hundreds of shows. Unfortunately, the writing in the many live music scenes never captured the excitement of live music. The timeline was confusing and it took some time to determine if it was ‘past’ or ‘present’. If you want to read a story about the side of the music business most of us never see, you will love this book. If you want a thriller, maybe it isn't for you.

An aging rock star’s gig at her old band-mate’s memorial service-slash-benefit-concert brings back familiar faces and fractured memories of life on the road. Concerts and parties, long blurred into a drug-and-booze-filled kaleidoscope, begin to come back into focus. The past is at once poignant and unapologetically raw, raucous, and raunchy.

This book could be a straightforward trip down a fictional Memory Lane but it’s so much more: an interrogation of celebrity-worship, the music industry, the fractal nature of memory and the essential question of whether we’re really who we think we are.

When one of those old familiar faces is found dead outside the concert venue, the suspense, uncertainty, and mutual distrust rise along with Gal’s growing collection of returning memories and nightmares. Her inner vulnerability pulls the reader in early as she maneuvers through the crowd and later the financial and legal tasks needed to set up a trust for Aimiee’s daughter. Amid the police investigation and her own groping for some shreds of reliable truth, she must interrogate her memories of every event, every individual encountered during the band’s chaotic rise and sudden collapse. We’re right there in her claustrophobic motel room with the nightmares, walking through the midnight streets when she can’t sleep. Questioning everything.

This novel slides between past and present like a well-constructed concert set shifts on a single note from driving rock lyrics to soulful ballads of lost love and friendships gone wrong. The tension tightens mercilessly until we’re no longer sure whose word to trust over anything.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #CleaSimon #suspense #CrimeFiction #murder #rocknroll #concert #killer #memory #nightmare #party #danger #death #music #touring #roadie #guitar #drummer #bassplayer #frontman

To me, this was a painful and depressing book showing the seedy side of fame and how devastating repressed feelings were for Gal.

The writing is good except the constant jumping back and forth in time frames was confusing at times.

The mystery of T.K.'s murder was really somewhat of a side story - not the main event of the book.

3.5 stars
A suspense driven story that revolves around a female rock band who have been around and enjoyed the lifestyle and the mysterious events that make us question it all. A female perspective and a darker look behind the scenes is different from what we normally see. Some jumping around that was at times a bit distracting but overall a nice change of pace from what I'm used to.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley for my honest opinion.

A well-executed tale of suspense. This one kept me engaged and I enjoyed the unpredictability. The plot and characters are not always pretty. For those that are OK with some gritty content and like some mystery, this will likely work.

I really appreciate the free ARC for review!!.

HOLD ME DOWN by Clea Simon is not my normal type of reading, grittier than my usual, and I don’t relate easily to the music scene, and yet . . . and yet . . . 
I came to care about Gal and her band, felt a bit dizzy at the back and forth in time, the ups and downs in career, and found I could relate to bad decisions, regret, and efforts to put things right, or as close to right as possible. This was not an easy read, a bit like trying to see across a dim and smoky room, but there is inspiration in the idea of imperfect people helping each other find the way back on course.
We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.
Luciano De Crescenzo

Thank you for the opportunity to read this!
The story was great. About a 40+ former rockstar that comes back to her old stomping ground because her best friend has died. A murder has happened when she is back, and she has to get to the bottom of it. It will cause her to relive her rockstar days, and will bring up both good and bad memories.

The only 2 complaints about this book were:
-It took too long for me to really get “into” this book. I feel like it took until about the halfway point before I really understood where the story was going
- It was hard for me in the beginning to decipher what was the present and what was the past sometimes. No fault of the author, just how I read it.

Overall a great story! I loved the concept of the book, and the ending was a great conclusion.

Hold Me Down is a down and dirty portrayal of making it as a fictional band, the unglamorous life on a tour bus, the cutthroat greed of managers, labels and promoters. The story is told current day with memories & recollections from the bands beginning, on the road, and through changing band members.
This story isn't for the faint of heart, some graphic sexual, drug and alcohol content.
The band's lead singer, Gal, is performing a benefit concert honoring a recently deceased band member. After the concert someone associated with band's early days is murdered. As the story unfolds, Gal remembers details from those periods in her life with the band.
The history of rock bands in those early days seemed well researched and realistic. I'm an old rocker and appreciated the insightfulness of the book.
There were some twists in the story, one I figured out half way in. It didn't really deter me from reading the rest, there were several mysteries to figure out. The characters were all well developed and added to the overall story. There is drama, deceipt, sadness, and life after the band. The story also manages to address some timely and relevant issues.
I read another book, which will remain nameless, earlier this year about a very similar subject matter. Hold me Down was so much more well written and enjoyable!
I had not read anything by this author before, but I will consider her again.
Thanks to Netgalley, Clea Simon, and Polis Books for the advance digital copy. The opinions stated here are mine given voluntarily.

Hold Me Down, had a cover I could not resist and I am so grateful I took notice!

Hold Me Down, was a wild ride and had such great narration. This book follows Gal, a modern day rocker chick. Gal is performing at a benefit show for her late band mate and best friend. While performing at the show she sees a face in the audience she recognizes. Well, that same person ends up dead.

Painful memories are resurrected and Gal is reminded of past relationships and betrayals.

I absolutely adored this book from start to finish, I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes a suspenseful thriller.