The word "burnout" has several connotations. One type is someone who ingests a vast quantity of drugs, culminating in an unfortunate end. Another type is someone who rises to fame quickly, only to fizzle professionally by not meeting the expectations created by the fast rise to stardom. A Bahama Burnout is a lovely rum drink whose recipe is provided at the start of this thrilling novel of the same name that includes elements of each kind of burnout. In this novel, rock 'n' roll reporter Mick Sever is trailing a story about a recording studio attempting to rise from the ashes, Phoenix-style, from the literal burnout of its previous building on the same site.
Jonah and Rita Britt are trying to rebuild their reputation after Johnny Run's second album tanked after being recorded in their original studio. The musicians are leery, particularly after strange events keep occurring in the building, but their own futures are riding on the recording of a successful album.
Mick Sever goes from intrigued, to frustrated, to over-his- head, as his friend Jonah Britt keeps asking for elements of the story to stay "off the record," until "off the record" becomes a matter of public record when the strange events include murder. Possible ghosts, probable vandals and an improbable Cadillac purported to belong to the King of Rock 'n' Roll twine more and more tightly to the events surrounding the original fire that burned out the studio.
This fifth mystery featuring rock 'n' roll journalist Mick Sever is a captivating tour into the world of music, egos and Bahamian life.
For rock and roll writer Mick Sever, another story, another deadly island paradise is all in a day's work. This time, Mick heads to Nassau, Bahamas, home of the legendary Highland Studio. Known for pumping out hits that burn up the charts, Highland is where the magic happens-or rather, where the magic happened until a devastating fire destroyed the entire studio. No one knows how the fire started, who started it-or whose body was found among the charred ruins. Sent to get the inside story on the opening of the new Highland Studio, Mick finds this is hardly the Phoenix-rising-out-of-the-ashes story he expected. Some say the studio's haunted, some say it's cursed, but one thing is for sure: someone-or something-wants to stop the music. A smashed guitar and erased tracks send a subtle warning, but murder? That's an entirely different tune. If Mick doesn't act fast, Highland Studio, along with everything and everyone in its path, could go up in smoke.It's not always better to burn out than to fade away.
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