Blog Tour: The Thunder Girls

The Thunder Girls
Melanie Blake

It’s the 1980s. Chrissie, Roxanne, Carly and Anita are ordinary girls with extraordinary lives. They are better known as eighties pop sensation The Thunder Girls. This girl group is dominating the pop scene, their faces on every magazine cover, millions of fans worldwide, constantly at the top of the charts.

Until one of them brings the band’s dream run to an abrupt end.
Three of their careers are over – and so is their friendship.

Fast forward thirty years. Their old record label lands a bombshell by asking them to reunite for a series of huge concerts. These would be the gigs of a lifetime with a pay check to match – some need it more than others – and old wounds leave deep scars. A lot has happened since The Thunder Girls were ruling the charts. Addiction, breakdowns, bankruptcy and divorce have led them far from the lives they once lived.

If they are to move forward, the past needs to be laid to rest – but there is more to this reunion than meets the eye. Each Thunder Girl is hungry to revive their past success, but what they don’t know is that someone is watching their every move – and is determined to stop them succeeding – in the deadliest way possible.

The Thunder Girls is a page-turning tale of friendship, betrayal, revenge and murder. It’s the perfect read for readers who miss the bestselling blockbusters of Jackie Collins and Shirley Conran and will take you on a thrilling ride back to the days of shoulder pads, glamour and original girl power.
These four girls have been to hell and back - and some of them are still there.

~ My Review ~

The Thunder Girls isn't my usual kind of read. I'm very much a YA reader but I've been trying to broaden my horizons and when I was asked if I was interested in reviewing this book for the blog tour, I jumped at the chance. I'm a huge fan of thriller/mystery type books and hearing this book was a thriller/mystery based around a girl band, I couldn't say no. This sounded right up my street... and I was not wrong. I really enjoyed The Thunder Girls, it had me gripped right from the very start.

The Thunder Girls follows the story of a legendary 80s girl group, whose career abruptly ended when one of the girls decided to go solo. Thirty years later, they're all thrown back together to revive their former glory. But someone is after them. Can they all survive this comeback?

The Thunder Girls is the debut novel by Melanie Blake and I was so surprised to learn this was her first novel. It does not in any way read like a debut. The storytelling is so superbly done, it reads like someone who has been honing their craft for years. I really liked that about this book. It grabbed my attention right from the start and I couldn't put this book down. I was continuously guessing and I didn't trust any character at all. It definitely kept me guessing right from the start and I was surprised by the ending as well. I love books that can surprise me as I often figure things out early on and the fact that I didn't with this one made me enjoy this book all the more.

The Thunder Girls was a fantastic debut, and one that I definitely recommend. Melanie is clearly very knowledgable about the music business and I learnt a lot from reading this book. It really gives you an insight into that business and I loved that. I was completely taken by this story from the start to the very end. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for Melanie's future books. If you enjoy books that keep you guessing, this is definitely a must-read for you.

About the Author

Melanie Blake was born in Manchester (the only survivor of twins). Up to the age of 6 she had a relatively ‘normal’ childhood. Then everything changed. 

Melanie’s father got involved with an extreme religious group which meant family life would never be the same again. Almost overnight, most TV programmes were banned and music posters and toys, which were considered false idols, were destroyed in front of her young eyes. 

Melanie’s mother was a cleaner who worked all hours for little pay. She’d take Melanie with her on her cleaning round, letting her read library books while she worked. This is how she discovered the woman who inspired Melanie to change her life – Jackie Collins. 

Melanie found other ways to escape by sneaking over to neighbours houses and immersing herself in 80s TV classics such as Dallas, Dynasty, Knots Landing and her absolute favourite – Top Of The Pops. Little did she know, one day she would be working on that show, which would open so many doors for her future career as a top music manager. 

Now a multi-millionairess, Melanie is living her dream – from living off food bank handouts, wearing second hand clothes, being told by her teachers she’d never amount to anything and being homeless – to living in her own mansion. It’s the ultimate rags-to-bitches story – they say write what you know, and The Thunder Girls is a tale Melanie has lived and breathed from the ground up. She hopes that somehow, the late, great Jackie Collins knows that she inspired Melanie to follow her dreams. She also hopes that Jackie would have enjoyed reading The Thunder Girls as much as Melanie enjoyed writing it.