Title: Video Killed The Radio Star by Duncan MacMaster
Publisher: Fahrenheit Press
Date Published: 26th July 2018
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Money in the bank and his dream girl on his arm – life was looking pretty sweet for Kirby Baxter.
Of course it couldn’t last. Where would the fun be in that? This is a sequel after all.
After solving the murder of a movie starlet the previous year, Kirby is doing his best to live down his burgeoning reputation as part-time Interpol agent and amateur sleuth.
Then reality TV comes knocking next door.
Million Dollar Madhouse is a reality TV show where a bunch of washed up celebrities are thrown together in a dilapidated mansion while their attempts to renovate the building are broadcast 24/7 for the viewers delight.
Kirby’s quiet town is thrown into chaos by the arrival of camera crews, remote control video drones and a cast of characters including disgraced actress Victoria Gorham, political shock-jock Bert Wayne and reality TV royalty Kassandra Kassabian.
When one of the cast members turns up dead the local police turn to the only celebrity detective in town for help and draft an unwilling Kirby into their investigation.
The first body is only the beginning of another rip-roaring adventure for Kirby Baxter and with Gustav his loyal driver/valet/bodyguard/gardener//chef/ass-kicker at his side, our hero plunges into the fray with his usual stunning displays of deductive reasoning and sheer bloody luck.
Review:
Kirby Baxter is a millionaire comic book designer turned sleuth who would quite happily never get involved in another mystery ever again, much preferring to spend time with his girlfriend Molly and his friend/bodyguard Gustav. That is until Molly’s cousin and journalist Shelly Flugen shows up.
She wants the inside scoop on new reality TV show, Million Dollar Madhouse, which washed up celebrities renovate and old house while being watched constantly. Using Kirby’s celebrity status after a previous case, they gain access to the house but soon a body shows up of one the celebrities and Kirby is thrust back into his sleuthing ways.
So this is actually the second in the Kirby Baxter series which I didn’t realise until I started reading it but frankly I really didn’t notice as the author gives sufficient background on the characters so I could jump straight into the story.
I’m probably going to classify this as a cozy mystery just because there’s not a whole lot of blood and guts but there is plenty of action and mortal peril for each of the characters.
Kirby has a slightly Sherlock Holmes vibe about him, with deductions you think come out of nowhere but when he explains them it makes total sense. I also liked his girlfriend Molly who may worry for Kirby’s safety a lot but also can kick ass. Also an honourable mention goes to Gustav who doesn’t actually have any dialogue which I found unusual but I don’t think the novel would have been quite the same with out him lurking menacingly in the background.
This is one of those books were the less I say about the story line the better, because I don’t want to give any spoilers away but I will say there’s plenty of murder, mayhem and blackmail to get your teeth into.
Video Killed The Radio Star is a fun and fast paced detective novel with plenty of red herrings and a good dose of quirky characters.
About Duncan MacMaster:
Duncan MacMaster is a writer, pop-culture blogger, and film school survivor from the untamed wilds of Eastern Canada.
When he’s not concocting plots for Kirby Baxter to unravel he’s posting rants and rages about the business behind pop-culture on his blog.
Social Media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FuriousDShow
Purchase Links:
Fahrenheit Press: http://www.fahrenheit-press.com/books_video_killed_the_radio_star.html
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