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Hold Me Down Hardcover – October 19, 2021

by Clea Simon (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 32 ratings
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A riveting work of dark suspense from acclaimed author Clea Simon Gal, a middle-aged musician, is back in Boston to play a memorial for her late drummer/best friend, when she finds herself freezing on stage at the sight of a face in the crowd. The next day, she learns that the man she saw has been killed - beaten to death behind the venue - and her friend's widower is being charged in connection with his death. When the friend refuses to defend himself, Gal wonders why and, as the memories of begin to flood back, she starts her own informal investigation. As she does so, she must reexamine her own wild life, her perception of the past, and an industry that monetizes dysfunction in a dark tale of love, music, and murder."HOLD ME DOWN is a joyous novel about friendship and survival, but what dark, bitter joy. Simon has gone deep into a world many women know all too well, where pride, guilt and pain do battle inside the stories we tell. A cracking plot in a rich setting round out this important, timely novel to perfection." Catriona McPherson, Edgar-shortlisted author of A Gingerbread House.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    320 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Polis Books
  4. Publication date
    October 19, 2021
  5. Reading age
    18 years and up
  6. Dimensions
    5.75 x 1 x 8.5 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1951709519
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1951709518
  9. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Clea Simon knows how to capture the texture of the rock club — its heat, sex, power, energy, and danger, too. ... In electric prose, Simon conjures the rock-and-roll world, its drink, drugs, and band-dynamics, and the twin seductresses of excess and success, as she makes a penetrating portrait of friendship." — Boston Globe

With HOLD ME DOWN, Simon "stakes her claim as crime fiction's foremost purveyor of tales that blend mystery with music. ... this is a character that demands to be invested in." — BOLO Books

"Hold Me Down is terrific. Its power lies in the vitality of Clea Simon's prose and her insider savvy."— ArtsFuse

"Lyrical, layered, and full of surprises. Simon has penned a raw and emotional thriller with a heartbeat, about lost dreams and missing friends, regrets and buried memories, the final note reminding us that it's never too late to start again. Provocative, moving, and suspenseful."
-Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of Last Girl Ghosted



"Gripping and intense, a darkly suspenseful dive into friendship, fame, murder, and the thrilling power of rock music. I couldn't put it down." —Meg Gardiner, author of the UNSUB series



"This devastatingly powerful mystery hits like a punch to the heart." —Caroline Leavitt, author of Pictures of You



"Simon perceptively illustrates the sacrifices one makes for art. Simon's tour of the Boston music scene will make readers wish "Hold Me Down" included a link to iTunes." —Oline Cogdill, Sun-Sentinel



"A mystery that expires character motivations ... For fans of Alexander McCall Smith and Janet Evanovich." —Library Journal



"Simon draws on her career as a journalist, in particular her reporting on Boston's music scene in the 1990s, for the setting, concert scenes, and flashbacks, bringing a gritty reality to this dark suspense tale." —Booklist



"A flat-out, stoked-up, red-alert blistering justice-gets-done story that you can't put down." —E. Jean Carroll, author of What Do We Need Men For?



"The big mystery in this exquisite novel is not the one in the story but the one in the way Clea Simon tells it. We hear music that never existed, pine for memories we couldn't have, and mourn for the survivors." —David Hajdu, author of Lush Life and Positively 4th Street



"This pitch-perfectly dark psychological suspense underscores the price of fame, the price of friendship, and the temptations of success. Sharp and insightful, and written with exquisite detail, this story has a soundtrack that will linger long after the final page." —Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today-bestselling author of Her Perfect Life





"HOLD ME DOWN is a joyous novel about friendship and survival, but what dark, bitter joy. Simon has gone deep into a world many women know all too well, where pride, guilt, and pain do battle inside the stories we tell. A cracking plot in a rich setting round out this important, timely book to perfection." —Catriona McPherson, Edgar-nominated author of A Gingerbread House



"Powerfully written and compulsively readable. Part murder mystery and part wistful history of a one-time rock star and her deeply buried secrets." —Dave Zeltserman, award-winning author of Small Crimes, now a Netflix film



"A hard-rocking riff of a novel, HOLD ME DOWN explodes with a passion for music while also probing the intimate betrayals buried under a haze of alcohol and pills. Simon expertly explores how music seeks to embody truth, even when musicians hid their own pain behind the melodies." —Joanna Schaffhausen, winner of the MWA/St. Martin's Minotaur first crime novel award for The Vanishing Season

About the Author

Before turning to a life of crime (fiction), Clea Simon was a journalist. Starting as a rock critic, she ended up writing about books and other arts for publications such as the Boston Phoenix, Boston Globe, New York Times, Ms., Yankee, and Rolling Stone. A native of New York, she came to Massachusetts to attend Harvard University and never left. The author of three nonfiction books and 29 mysteries, ranging from traditional mysteries to psychological suspense novels like the Mass. Book Award "must read" World Enough and her new Hold Me Down. she lives with her husband, the writer Jon S. Garelick, and their cat, Thisbe in Somerville, Mass. She is the author of the Witch Cats of Cambridge mysteries from Polis Books: A Spell of Murder, An Incantation of Cats, and A Cat on the Case. You can find her online at or on Twitter @Clea_Simon.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Polis Books (October 19, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1951709519
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1951709518
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.75 x 1 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 32 ratings

About the author

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Clea Simon

Clea Simon

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Hi! Welcome to my Amazon Connect page. I'm thrilled to be celebrating TO CONJURE A KILLER, a Witch Cats of Cambridge cozy mystery. "If you enjoy feline-centric mysteries, fantasy, and a touch of magic, you will love this book" – Purrs of Wisdom. Coming in 2024: BAD BOY BEAT, which follows a tough rookie reporter as she investigates a series of killings in Boston.

Also the author of HOLD ME DOWN, a novel of psychological suspense. This "devastatingly powerful mystery"* "shines a light on tough, struggling, and brilliant women"** brings me back to the rock and roll underground of my Massachusetts Book Award "must read" WORLD ENOUGH. The Massachusetts Center for the Book has also labelled HOLD ME DOWN a "must read," and NYT bestseller Lisa Unger calls this psychological thriller "Provocative, moving and suspenseful. Don't miss it!"

*NYT bestseller Caroline Leavitt, **Kingdom Books,

Or maybe you prefer an academic setting (my Dulcie Schwartz series). You'll find animals in all of them - and in my Blackie & Care mysteries, "The Ninth Life" and "As Dark As My Fur," which take a darker turn than any of my previous books, too (with a black cat, naturally). Maybe you remember me as a rock music critic – I used to write for everyone from the Boston Phoenix to Rolling Stone.

You might be wondering about my "Dogs Don't Lie." Yup, it's got a dog in it, and many of the Pru Marlowe books feature other animals. But Pru, an animal psychic, couldn't function without her sidekick, an irascible tabby named Wallis. They both appear in "Cats Can't Shoot," "Parrots Prove Deadly," and the latest Pru "Panthers Play for Keeps," and "Kittens Can Kill." (Look for "When Bunnies Go Bad" in March 2016! All from Poisoned Pen Press) Meanwhile, I hope you are enjoying my Theda Krakow series - "Mew is for Murder," "Cattery Row," "Cries and Whiskers," or "Probable Claws" - and my Dulcie Schwartz series (think cats AND ghosts!) with "Shades of Grey," "Grey Matters," "Grey Zone," "Grey Expectations," "True Grey," "Grey Howl," "Stages of Grey," and "Code Grey" (all from Severn House). Or perhaps we share some family issues, and you're looking at "Mad House" or "Fatherless Women." Or maybe you just love cats and are interested in my "The Feline Mystique." At any rate, good to meet you! I'm a writer and journalist, an avid reader, and am looking forward to making this page lively and fun.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
32 global ratings
Way More Than Just A Mystery
4 Stars
Way More Than Just A Mystery
This is a mystery that is slowly revealed during the course of the read. It is also an incredibly moving character study into one woman’s past and present.The book tells the story in the timelines of the then and now of Gal, whose rock and roll star rose then fell partly due to substance abuse.Gal is back in the city performing a benefit concert to help the family of her best friend (and old band member), Aimee who recently died.TK one of the band’s roadies from back in the day is killed after the performance. Aimee’s husband, Walter, confesses to the crime.Walter is such a gentle soul and Gal doesn’t believe he could commit murder.As Gal remembers more about those days in the band, much is revealed.This is one you don’t want to skim because important details are nestled into the narrative.You get a lot more than just a mystery in this one.I received a gifted copy of this book. The thoughts and opinions are honest and my own!
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Top reviews from the United States

Julia Sullivan
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Mystery with a Memorable Protagonist
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2021
Verified Purchase
Twenty years after they toured together with a rock band, a singer returns to Boston to play a benefit concert in memory of her late best friend’s family. Violence at the show unearths some old secrets that flawed, fiercely loyal Gal vows to track down in her dead friend’s honor. Beautifully moody and evocative.
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V. M.
4.0 out of 5 stars Down and dirty rock n roll
Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2021
What a ride! Deadly Game by Steve Frech is a fast-paced, chilling adventure. I have not read this author before, but will add to my list now.
This story is a race to find the killer who is framing bartender, Franklin Davis, nicknamed Clay. The setting is in oceanside Avalon, CA. This is a murder/crime story, so there is obviously violence.
Emily Parker is an occasional patron of the Gryphon bar where Clay works. She's unhappily married to wealthy, arrogant Henry. Her murder sets off a chain of events all pointing to Clay as her killer. The overwhelming evidence against him has detective Mendez ready to arrest him early in the investigation. Even his friend and Co-worker, Katie, will begin to doubt his innocence.
Clay adamantly proclaims his innocence and attempts to prove it by finding the real killer. The murders don't stop with Emily and they all lead back to Clay as the perpetrator. He's now hiding and running from the law and a killer. I read lots in the fictional murder/suspence genre. It can be disappointing to figure the plot out early on. I got so caught up in this psychological thriller that I must have missed clues. I didn't guess the twists or see the surprises coming. It was fast-paced and easy to read, while full of secrets, deceit, lies and drama.
Thanks to Netgalley, HQ Digital, and Steve Frech for the advance digital copy. The opinions stated here are mine alone, given voluntarily.
One person found this helpful
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Elizabeth S. Pollock
5.0 out of 5 stars Depth beyond the riveting music scene.
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2021
Verified Purchase
The collective burying of bad acts was extremely powerful. I found these sequences to be memorable and beautifully constructed, leading to discoveries, both within the plot line as well as within the characters’ development.
2 people found this helpful
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Subakka.bookstuff
4.0 out of 5 stars A rock n roll murder mystery
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2021
𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐌𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧 is a dark thriller shrouded in the hazy memories of life in a rock band, where past crimes come calling and give rise to murder.

After twenty years, Gal is on stage again, playing a tribute concert to Aimee, her drummer and best friend who has passed. As she looks out over the crowd, she is shocked to see one face, a man from her past.

The following day, Gal receives the news that the man from the crowd was beaten to death. She is shocked to hear that Aimee’s widower, Walter is a suspect in the murder. What possible motive could he have? As Gal tries to help Walter, she must open up wounds from her past.

I have to admit, at times, I was a bit confused. But I think this may have been due to the “hangover” feel (for lack of a better term) that the story had. Like when you know the party was great, but the details are slow in coming back.

The story has a lot of Gal’s flashbacks to her time with the band. When she drank, they all drank, and nights were a crazy blur. But this present-day act of violence causes Gal to focus on her past and realizes she was not alone in her pain.

TW: rape, alcohol abuse
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an old guy on skis
5.0 out of 5 stars This is a novel you will stay up late to finish.
Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2024
I really enjoyed this complex novel about a former punk-rock star who, after a benefit honoring a close friend and former band member who has passed away, confronts repressed truths about her own experience during her drink-and-drug-filled touring days. Very well-written, it gives you a pungent sense of the local club scene and, beyond that, what it's like being on tour and on stage. That's a world that has always fascinated me, and Clea's knowledge of music and what makes it work really comes through. (There are times when you almost feel as though you yourself are up there playing.) The added layer of complexity of a crime that occurs at the benefit concert drives the story forward -- and brings you back to the book at every free moment until you finish it. Very well done and compelling.
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David Morgan
4.0 out of 5 stars A Walk on the wild side
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2021
Dark and gritty with murder and mystery at it's core.
Gal, now middle aged, was once a rock and roll star some twenty years ago. After the death of her best friend and bandmate she returns to Boston for a benefit reunion concert. When she sees a face from her past in the crowd it causes her to lose focus while performing. When this same person is found murdered behind the venue and her friends ex-husband is charged with the crime, Gal finds herself reliving her past, trying to help however she can to find the truth.
This is one hell of a journey. Powerfull and gripping, this well written novel takes you inside the life of a touring all girl band. With plenty of drink, drugs and sex along the way, (we're talking about a rock band after all) it's a compelling read from start to finish. With well drawn characters and accessable prose I found myself invested in said characters with a need to know what happened and why.
This one will appeal to both music lovers and psychological suspense fans and as such I highly recommend it.
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EBR
5.0 out of 5 stars This dark suspense will grab you by the heart even as it makes you grip the edge of your seat.
Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2021
This riveting dark suspense novel about a hard-driving punk rocker dragged into the trauma of her wild past by a murder in her present, will grab you by the heart even as it makes you grip the edge of your seat. Life as a successful rock musician has taken its toll Gal Raver, the protagonist in this intense and compelling read. When she plays a benefit for her close friend and former drummer who succumbed to cancer, she believes all of that is in the rear-view mirror. But a glimpse of a man in the audience who later turns up dead sends her reeling back into a time she can’t escape. Hold Me Down is a mystery and a thriller, but it’s also a novel about grief, the glorious joy of making music, and what it takes to put a broken life back together. Highly recommended!
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Top reviews from other countries

DS
5.0 out of 5 stars Beauty in Life's Complexities
Reviewed in Canada on November 26, 2021
Verified Purchase
The beauty of this book is that it isn't a cozy. We experience Gal's life in its complexity and ugliness. We travel with her as she comes to terms with who she was them, who she is now, her mistakes and compromises and see her finally move on stronger.
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