Thrill Girl
by Jack Curran
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Pub Date Jun 01 2018 | Archive Date Nov 01 2018
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Description
In the decade before Mad Men, there was Thrill Girl…
It’s June of ‘51, and a vigilante is stalking the streets of LA. On four separate occasions a beautiful blonde came to the rescue of citizens being mugged, saving their lives while mercilessly dispatching their attackers. When the cops arrive on the scene, she has disappeared like a whisper in the rain, leaving no clues to her identity behind.
Journalist and WWII hero, Jack Curran, stuck the nickname ‘Thrill Girl’ on the mystery woman the first time she struck. He’s been tracking and writing about her since with one goal in mind, to file the exclusive revealing who she is.
When Jack discovers a society heiress with ties to each of the victims, he is drawn to her in a way that is dangerously unprofessional. The more he learns about the tragic details of her life with her disabled younger brother, the more pressure he receives to back off the story.
When another, even more lurid murder occurs, Jack realizes the facts of the crimes he has reported on are not what they seem. He becomes convinced there is a conspiracy behind the Thrill Girl murders, and that he is in danger himself. He is shadowed day and night by mysterious men in a black Cadillac. He's arrested for a murder he didn’t commit. He's threatened by the heiress’s step-brother, the cops, his lawyer, and eventually even his own publisher.
When Jack uncovers the true nature of the crime and the monstrous criminals behind it, he confronts a final challenge that could cost him his career. And his life.
Advance Praise
KIRKUS REVIEW
It is anything but a typical day on the job for a seasoned reporter when two sensational cases grip Los Angeles in this debut thriller.
During the summer of 1951, a series of four attacks on the streets of Los Angeles leaves six men dead. The culprit’s victims are not random and the killer is not a deranged maniac; rather, a well-dressed blond woman rescues innocent citizens by slaying their assailants. For Jack Curran, a reporter for the tabloid the Eyes of LA, the case is more than a hot story; it is an obsession. He gives her the nickname Thrill Girl and tracks her every move, determined to uncover her identity. His probe leads him to Alana Maxwell, a beautiful heiress caring for her partially paralyzed brother, Tomas. An attraction quickly develops between Jack and Alana as he seeks to connect her to the Thrill Girl cases. When a gruesome murder leaves residents fearful, Jack initially believes people are overreacting to an animal attack. As he delves deeper into Alana’s family, a series of shocking discoveries upends everything he thought he knew about Thrill Girl, and he wonders whether there is a connection between the two investigations. Author Curran delivers an arresting mystery and love story wrapped in an irresistible noir whose twists continue to the final page. He is particularly adept at creating dynamic and well-developed characters who provide a solid foundation for the propulsive narrative even in its most outlandish parts. The tale’s hero, Jack, a World War II veteran-turned-journalist-and-aspiring-screenwriter, is an effective protagonist who employs some unorthodox tactics in his pursuit of Thrill Girl. He meets his match in Alana, whose guilt over her brother’s condition sends her on a spiritual quest and leads to some of the most poignant moments in the book. Setting is an important aspect of the story and the author’s depiction of postwar Los Angeles pops with vivid details, from the lavish nightclubs and residences to the daily news cycle of the Eyes of LA.
A well-crafted tale that, like Thrill Girl herself, is full of intrigue.
"The mean streets of Los Angeles are familiar terrain to tabloid journalist Jack Curran. War hero and wannabe screen writer, Jack hooks the story of the century when he gets on the trail of a female vigilante he dubs Thrill Girl. She’s blonde, stacked, and lethal, and she shows up to help citizens in distress. As Jack peels back the layers of secrecy and intrigue surrounding Thrill Girl, he lays bare a bizarre and brilliant scheme that includes the very worst of post WWII America. With a plot that twists and slithers, Thrill Girl brings the dark side of the 1950s to life from the pen of Jack Curran. Grab a drink and a cigarette and kick back for a wild ride." Carolyn Haines, USA Today bestselling author of the Sarah Booth Delaney series
Marketing Plan
Paperback giveaway coming on Amazon and Goodreads in June, 2018.
Kindle giveaway with signed paperback - drawing now live at Thrill Girl FaceBook page. Like and follow and you could win! https://www.facebook.com/jackcurran.author/
Local indie Bookstore signing events now open for VA, MD, DC, NJ and DE. Contact for appearances and more information. mlg619@aol.com
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9781732199712 |
| PRICE | $7.99 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Kay (K’Tee) H, Media/Journalist
Pure Magic: THRILL GIRL, with all its picturesque setting, mystical plot line, and nostalgic dialogue will keep you glued to the pages of this story. Get it, read it, love it, live it! #ThrillGirlGrabADrinkAndACigaretteAndKickBackForAWildRide”
#NetGalley
Sharon M, Reviewer
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this book.
It is an unique & original mystery/thriller that grabs you from page one and won’t let you go until the very end.
It has that authentic noir feel that makes believe that you are really there in the 1950’s.
Wallace L, Reviewer
Super old fashioned yarn full of the atmosphere of 50s L.A a la Marlowe or Spillane. A reporter versus dodgy cops,establishment figures,evil doctors and aided by his editor,junior reporter,cool blonde they're all here told at rip roaring pace . Pure entertainment!
Sheri O, Reviewer
What an interesting noir-styled thriller/mystery. I love the time period (the 50s)and the author does a fantastic job with character development and descriptions. This book took me by surprise. I didn't know how I would feel about it but it quickly pulled me in and wouldn't let go. I really enjoyed reading it and totally recommend it!
*I would like to thank the author/publisher/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review*
Debra K, Reviewer
THRILL GIRL is thrilling, suspenseful and kept me hanging on till the last page. I loved the plot: it was fast paced, intriguing and always moving. A gorgeous setting in California, 1951, and the cast of characters were beautiful and brave. Mr. Curran’s writing style made me feel like I was right inside the story. One of my favorite Authors highly recommended this book, I am so glad I read it. This was my first book by Jack Curran and I loved it!
Joe K, Reviewer
Thrill Girl has all the ingredients of a great genre read. Set in 1950’s LA, you got the war-hero-turned-beat-reporter, a leggy blonde, gruesome murders, ex-Nazis, and smoking. A lot of smoking. So much that the pages are saturated with tobacco. Stirred, definitely not shaken, within, author Jack Curran mixes an exciting tale of murder, vigilantism, the quest for truth, and, why not, even a monster. The plot is original, the characters are entertaining, but man, Curran doesn’t quite pour out the voice for the hard-boiled tale Thrill Girl has every right to be.
Curran, working with a pseudonym, places himself in the story as a reporter looking into the vigilante known as Thrill Girl. He wants to get the As for all the Qs, or at least all the journalistic Ws surrounding this woman. Is she a hero? Or a threat? A typical femme fatale, or a beauty who’s a beast? Curran, the reporter, works through the story as Curran, the author, cleverly reveals pieces of the mystery at the right times. The wrong times are what drags the tale down. The dialogue can be plain jane dull as are frequent scene set ups. Curran might have the right recipe, but needs to work on the flavor. Missing is the quick rat-a-tat pulse of a Chandler or the immoral vulgarity of Elroy. Thrill Girl could be Glenfiddich instead of Old Grandad.
What Curran might lack in style, he rips right ahead with plot, and in all honesty, makes the read entertainingly fun. The mystery is tight and remains good to the last drop. And Curran the reporter, is actually a good egg, one you don’t want to see crack on a desolate alleyway in old-time Hollywood.
Many thanks to NetGalley for the advance edition and the hard-boiled fun.
Kimberly M, Reviewer
Thrill Girl! What a ride!
I have to say the intertwining stories grabbed my attention and loved the layout of this book. The characters and their personalities flew off the page! I am not going to lie.. I was 100% stunned at the ending! Way to go Jack! I want more! I want more Alana. I want more Eddie and I want more Jack!
Thank you NetGalley, Jack Curran and La Verita Publishing.
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