Killer Line

Former Showaddywaddy lead singer Dave Bartram has already written two non-fiction books; now he turns his hand to fiction.

2023 sees the 50th anniversary of Dave and the other members of Showaddywaddy turning pro and beginning an astonishing run of chart success, alongside a prolific touring career that continues to this day. Although he stepped down as the band’s front man in 2011, Dave continues to manage the band’s affairs and remains the driving force behind their success.

Fantom has already published two acclaimed travelogues by Dave. The Boys of Summer is the hilarious journal of the band’s 2005 summer tour of Britain’s holiday parks, while All Mapped Out is an entertaining guide to every one of the UK’s official and unofficial cities.

For his first novel, Killer Line, Dave has written a thrilling roller-coaster story that takes place against a backdrop of the world he knows best – the popular music business. Jonathan Jacob McGoldrick, known to his legions of fans around the globe as JJ Gold, is a singer-songwriter who seemingly can do no wrong. Behind the scenes, however, Jon’s world is in danger of coming apart at the seams. Between the pressures put on him by music bosses, the unwelcome attentions of a dangerously unstable fan, and the needs of his elderly parents, Jon is struggling to keep everything together. When tragedy strikes, he finds himself in deep trouble. Maybe the easiest option would be to simply – disappear…

So begins an epic journey that takes Jon from rural Leicestershire, to the wild Scottish coast, to the other side of the world. Populated by a large cast of vividly drawn characters, this is a time-hopping, multi-layered novel that builds like a jigsaw to an immensely satisfying and moving conclusion.

Part thriller, part romance, Killer Line is a story of one man’s fight to clear his name and – ultimately – to find redemption in the arms of the woman he loves.

Killer Line is released now; you can pre-order a signed copy which will be dispatched at the beginning of June. Dave’s previous titles The Boys of Summer and All Mapped Out are still available.