Kill Your Friends

by John Niven

Overview

 

AS the twentieth century breathes its very last, with Britpop at its zenith, twenty-seven-year-old A&R man Steven Stelfox is slashing and burning his way through London’s music industry. Blithely crisscrossing the globe in search of the next megahit—fueled by greed and inhuman quantities of cocaine—Stelfox freely indulges in an unending orgy of self-gratification. But the industry is changing fast and the hits are drying up, and the only way he’s going to salvage his sagging career is by taking the idea of “cutthroat” to murderous new levels.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061977718
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/17/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	338
Sales rank:	928,373
File size:	670 KB

About the Author

John Niven was born in Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland. He has written for The Times (London), The Independent, Word, and FHM, among others. He is the author of the novella Music from Big Pink and the novel Kill Your Friends.

Editorial Reviews

With the record industry in turmoil, this thoroughly twisted roman à clef from a former A&R insider couldn't seem timelier. Set in 1997, this debut novel follows the loathsome and morally bankrupt 27-year-old Steven Stelfox as he curses, drinks and snorts his way through a cutthroat career. Crass and bitter, Steven despises everything that originally inspired him, and as the bills pile up from his various illicit habits and ventures, he tries in vain to find the "next big thing" so he can secure another bundle of money. Satirizing Big Music, the novel brims with self-evident truths-as Steven explains, he usually only hits one in every 10 acts, but even that allows him to do better than most. As Steven's arrogance precariously struggles against a healthy dose of paranoia, he faces his ultimate nightmare: he might actually have to sober up, do some work and break out a decent record by a decent act. This is not for the easily offended, but readers with at least a slightly deranged bent will have a ball. (Jan.)

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Publishers Weekly

I loved Kill Your Friends. Who didn’t? Scorched earth humor at its finest.” — Douglas Coupland, author of Microserfs

“Hilariously dark and satirical.” — Library Journal

“A very dark, viciously funny novel.” — Booklist

“This is not for the easily offended, but readers with at least a slightly deranged bent will have a ball.” — Publishers Weekly

“Kill Your Friends is the most exciting British novel since Trainspotting.” — Word magazine

“Like the product of an unholy union between Bret Easton Ellis and Martin Amis...the reader is alternately shocked and left crying with laughter.” — Bookseller (London)

From the Publisher

Kill Your Friends is the most exciting British novel since Trainspotting.

Word magazine

Like the product of an unholy union between Bret Easton Ellis and Martin Amis...the reader is alternately shocked and left crying with laughter.

Bookseller (London)

A very dark, viciously funny novel.

Booklist

I loved Kill Your Friends. Who didn’t? Scorched earth humor at its finest.

Douglas Coupland

A very dark, viciously funny novel.

Booklist