Horror Book Pick: Theme Music by T. Marie Vandelly

 

THEME MUSIC By T. Marie Vandelly is this week's Horror Book Pick.

This book was first published in 2019 and has been on the bestsellers list for psychological thrillers and Suspense thrillers.

Readers thought the book was exceptional and well-crafted. They also enjoyed the author's approach in creating a creepy atmosphere by using descriptive words to create a vivid scene filled with dread.

There were readers who pointed out the obvious plot holes in the story and were not satisfied with the way the protagonist's responds to the circumstances that crop up in the story.

Many have called the protagonist the most unlikeable character they have ever come across.

THEME MUSIC Book Review

You have been warned. The prologue you will read for Theme Music is perhaps the most disturbing one you will come across.

It does start off innocently though.

The story is told through Dixie's viewpoint and so the first sentence adeptly fills the reader in on when the incident takes place and what horrors were about to take place.

You will feel your stomach clench when you read the next few sentences.

Dixie Wheeler was only eighteen months old, and on her high chair, when her father slaughtered her three brothers and her mother, right in front of her. He then slit his own throat.

Dixie has no clear memory of it. It was the neighbor boy, Rory, who had found Dixie. Rory mentions that the first thing he experiences isn't the gory scene but the music playing in the background. And hence the title of the book is born.

She is then sent to live with her Aunt Celia who had a daughter called Leah. When Dixie is eleven, her cousin Leah asks her to kill her. Leah is sick and tired of living in constant pain.

Dixie decides to help her but cannot go through with it. Eventually, Lean manages to kill herself.

Dixie is clearly plagued by these instances that have scarred her. She has a boyfriend called Garrett and plans to move in together with him. While they were looking for a house, Dixie finds that her old family home is up for sale.

While her Aunt is against the idea of her moving into that house. Her partner Ford sides with Dixie.

The rest of the premise is about Dixie trying to find out exactly what happened the day her family was slaughtered and why her uncle claimed that her father was innocent.

When she moves into the house, she begins to wonder if perhaps the ghosts of her family is haunting her.

The author captivates you with her writing style and immersive story-telling.

The prologue acts as the perfect hook to get you to read further. You may not have come across as something so gory and terrifying in a prologue of a book before.

The prologue sets the tone of the book and evokes imagery that will not be difficult to get rid of.

Dixie's character is complex and it makes sense that she is a traumatised person who desperately seeks closure. Yet, her argument with Garrett regarding his reservations about moving into her family home, is unjustified.

It is obvious that her boyfriend would have concerns about moving into not just any murder house, but the very house where his girlfriend's entire family was killed.

Dixie apparently doesn't care and hints that she may be okay breaking up with him if he doesn't back her up.

Her character, thus, becomes a contrast of what is stated in the beginning.

If she has lost her family, adopted by her aunt, asked by her sick cousin to kill her, and still manages to form relationships with another and is ready to manipulate them, then her personality simply doesn't make sense.

But this is just the sample and the rest of the book may provide more insight into the character's mentality.

To Read or Not to Read?

I'm not one for gory crime thrillers but I may just make an exception for Theme Music.

The prologue, like I mentioned before, is compelling enough to invoke curiosity. While there may be spoilers online by now, it still doesn't hamper the eagerness to read a well-written book with complex characters and a terrifying mystery.

I would definitely give Theme Music a read.

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