Book Review: The Boyband Murder Mystery by Ava Eldred

AD* | 'I have long believed that loving a boyband brings with it a wealth of transferable skills, but I'd never imagined solving a murder would be one of them...'

Harri and her best friends worship Half Light - an internationally famous boyband. When frontman Frankie is arrested on suspicion of murdering his oldest friend Evan, Harri feels like her world's about to fall apart. But quickly she realises that she - and all the other Half Light superfans out there - know and understand much more about these boys than any detective ever could.

Now she's rallying a fangirl army to prove Frankie's innocence - and to show the world that you should never underestimate a teenage girl with a passion...

The Boyband Murder Mystery is a novel all about boybands, fangirls, and the relationship between them.

Main character Harri is a massive fan of the boyband Half Light. They shape her friendships, her chosen degree, and her spare time. So, when news breaks that frontman Frankie has been arrested for murder, Harri and her fangirl besties waste no time wading in to help solve the mystery. Determined to prove Frankie's innocence and return her favourite band to the spotlight, it isn't long before Harri's devotion to Half Light is put to the test once and for all. 

Although Half Light is a fictional band, it's all too easy to picture them in your mind. Jack, Kyle, and Frankie - the charismatic frontman. The beauty is that this trio could easily be swapped out for any one of a number of boybands with dedicated fans all over the world. 

The fangirl community in this book is intense, yet true-to-life. From the girls who camp outside the member's homes and studios to the army of fans watching their every move over the internet, these are the people who know every last little thing about the boys they idolise. Interestingly, though, the shared experiences bond these girls together like nothing else could. They come from all over the world, from different cultures, countries, and backgrounds, yet they all have one thing in common - and it's incredible to see this spirit put into words.

I actually found reading this book to be quite an emotional experience. At its heart, this is a love letter to all the boybands we worship, and the friendships those boys have given us. Those special bonds between fangirls are a boyband's greatest gift - even more so than the music. 

Fifteen-year-old me would have enjoyed this book, but twenty-something-year-old me loved it. From the nostalgia to the community and the sense of being part of something so much bigger, this book made me feel all of the feels!  

Rating: 5 stars

The Boyband Murder Mystery is available to buy now.

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* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Will you be reading The Boyband Murder Mystery? Let me know in the comments below!