4.5 stars rounded up

Headlines
Egos
Shocks from start to finish
What is filmed lives forever
Behind the scenes of influencers

Dead Lucky started with a big boom that basically sealed my allegiance from the get go. My reading experience was that I couldn't put this down and I loved the wild ride.

This story is centred around a group of ex-high school friends who started a dare/stunt channel on the popular PlayMii site that went viral. This rocketed these kids to fame and they all went their seperate influencer way. This lifestyle, the individual personalities of the influencers and their insipid and occasional genuine ways were addictive reading. From Xav to Maxine, this was a hold your breath while judging read.

Most of the story was told from Maxine's pov. She was heralded the dumb influencer but she was more mature and insightful that most of them; I enjoyed her character growth. As to the who-dunnit, that consumed the book...and me. I didn't figure it out until late on and my initial guesses were off base.

This YA/NA thriller is well written, it doesn't poke too much at the concept of influencers but it does expose some elements that we all wonder at. What it does do, is it brings the real person behind the influencer to the fore, what's behind the camera, the campaigns, the videos. There's much to unpick here about this element of contemporary society if that's your thing.

I highly recommend this thriller, I enjoyed it front to back.

Thank you to Atom Books for the early review copy.

I enjoyed reading 'Dead Lucky'. It had a tense atmosphere that revealed the pressure and toxic environment of the world of influencers.

Social media is discussed and used in many different ways throughout the book. Between maintaining a social presence in the face of a tragedy, all while helping a group of amateur enthusiasts try to solve the crime, the main character, Maxine, went through a lot. While coming to terms with the death of a once close friend, Maxine had to deal with her fading love for a community that built her to be the person she is.

Beyond the social media aspect of the plot, the story is well-told. Using multiple perspectives really worked to draw the plot together. The ending was a little predictable, but still well done. Maxine experienced real character growth, and her relationships end up stronger because of it.

It's the sort of book that doesn't require too much thought to read, the groundwork is fairly basic and it's definitely easy to follow. I wasn't a huge fan of some of the twists, but the author rounded them out nicely to make them a little more believable (even though some were quite far-fetched).

If you're looking for a fast-paced, thrilling, easy read, I recommend 'Dead Lucky'.

I liked this book, it felt modern and relevant, though a little unbelievable in parts. Not being able to recognise someone who they went to school with two years previously is something I couldn't quite get my head around. I liked the psychological horror aspects.

In Dead Lucky Andreina Cordani sets up a thrilling YA murder mystery set in the world of influencers. Dead Lucky is full of surprising twists and turns that catch you off guard and keep you guessing.

Dead Lucky follows influencers Xav, Maxine, Leni & Ed. They’re stars of video sharing platform PlayMii (essentially they’re YouTubers with influence across all of the other social platforms). On the surface they seem to have it all, but behind the screens there is more going on that meets the eye. Ed’s heart has been broken, Maxine is being crushed by the weight of expectations, Leni’s friendships are being destroyed and it’s all gone to Xav’s head. But then a masked figure walks into Xav’s apartment and murders him, and then uploads the video to PlayMii. But what will happen to the secret files about his fellow creators that Xav was compiling, Maxine needs to find it or she might be next.

Dead Lucky was an entertaining and fast paced read. Cordani keeps you guessing until the end, cleverly throwing us read herrings and misdirections as we go. This is a tightly plotted murder mystery that all came together brilliantly.

Cordani uses multi person narrative to tell this story which works brilliantly. For the most part we follow Maxine in the present and Sam in the past. Later in the novel there are other perspectives woven in that add to the twists and reveals within the story. The mixture of voices and use of past and present narrative really helps to build the tension.

Setting this story in the world of influencers works very well. Through the novel Cordani highlights both the good (the sense of community and belonging) and the much darker side of influencers (the pressure, expectations, sense of always being on and watched etc). Whilst PlayMii is a fictional platform, other real social platforms are mentioned adding to the authentic feel of the story.

The characters are all well drawn and each have their own distinct voice and personality. Each character has a lot of depth to them and we are shown just how much is going on behind what they present on screen.

Overall this is a fast paced and entertaining read. A great YA thriller and murder mystery.

I started Dead Lucky today - and I finished it today too, so looking for a fast-paced, tightly plotted thriller that's a addictive as the social media platforms it's critiquing (and perhaps slightly parodying), look no further!

Without giving too much away, the book follows Youtuber (sorry, "Playmeep") Maxine, who trades on her ditzy persona to bring the laughs, likes and sponsorship deals. When her one-time friend Xav (a Jake Paul-style prankster with a massive ego where his heart should be) is murdered during a livestream - Maxine finds herself questioning everything she thinks she knows about her online 'fam', as she sets out to uncover who the killer could be - and which influencer might be next.

Told from multiple points of view, Dead Lucky is fantastically moreish thriller that keeps you guessing until the end. The constant presence of social media - from influencer "reactions" on the unfolding murder mystery, and the comment section creepiness, to the constant ping of notifications from chat groups playing detective and ever present need for 'brand-marketing - add a fantastic sense of claustrophobia to the creeping dread. Throw in obsessive fans, fake-friends, untrustworthy managers and "squads" that are just there for the freebies, and you've got a world full of 'lucky' online celebs who' can't trust anyone, can't be themselves - and might just be willing to kill to maintain their status.

Dead Lucky was just the book I need to pick me up during miserable, sofa-bound sick day - I've ordered my copy and will definitely be reading again!! '

Dead Lucky is addictive as the social media it comments on!

Following multiple viewpoints, Dead Lucky is an incredible read and despite not coming out till the 13th January, is easily one of my top reads this year.

Full of plot twists and with incredibly developed characters and a mystery thats sure to keep you hooked, you’ll struggle to put it down. Not only is this novel is a classic who done it, but the dive into the world of social media is so fascinating, exploring the realities of the emotional strain that always living in the spotlight has on individuals. As well as how influencers work behind the scenes.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW!
Many thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this one and it was exactly what I needed to read when I read it.
Set in a modern world of internet influencers this is a fun (?) story of life In the limelight for a group of friends who started out together and then went their own ways. Starting out with a murder witnessed by millions of viewers around the world this book hooked me from the start.
It was a really easy read and I have ordered my copy. Dead Lucky is out in January 2022 and I really recommend you give this a go.

Dead Lucky is one of those books that you can’t tear yourself away from. Cordani holds you in her iron grip and refuses to let you go.

As I read the first page, I was hooked instantly. Even just the first sentence was impactful and left me wanting more. It was so pulse-pounding and gripping. You really felt as though you were on that deadly livestream. It’s that slow realisation that something is very, very wrong. From then on, that uneasy sense of distrust never goes away. I found myself doubting every single character that appeared and wanting to discover their true motivations. All this made for a genuinely captivating story that I read in almost one sitting.

Cordani really delves into the dark side of Internet fame in this book. The toxicity that permeates a lot of online fandoms is exhibited here, particularly with pranks that escalate. There’s a constant sense of danger and being watched at all times. In that way, there’s a lot to play with in terms of perception and reputation. However Cordani also powerfully emphasises the joy and passion communities can form, with it being like a found family feel.
This is an excellent murder mystery. I really enjoyed the pacing and constant suspense Cordani kept throwing at us. In particular, the twists are really well done. Cordani deliberately leads you down one path, only to pull the floor out from under your feet. Cleverly, she utilises the two distinctive narrative voices in order to fully achieve that sense of paranoia and buried secrets. It’s no surprise that these voices fascinated me and formed some really well-developed, nuanced characters. No one here is perfect, fractured by their insecurities and actions in the past.

Dead Lucky is a deep dive into modern fame and the cost of celebrity, told through a superb narrative lens and containing a thrilling mystery.

A powerful story that is so fitting for our a time where social media has such a massive influence.

Told through the voices of a group of online influencers - friends / enemies or caught somewhere in between. Their lives unfold infront of us.

Flash backs to their school days keep feeding small details that bring the pieces of the mystery together until we are faced with the dramatic and somewhat shocking conclusion.

A story filled with drama that doesn’t stop - I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Dead Lucky is a book that tackles an area of which I have little knowledge and - if I’m being honest - regard with some bemusement…the life of the social media influencer. For those in the know, having millions of followers seems to offer some kind of affirmation and having a platform to share your views certainly encourages some. But what do you do when people aren’t listening? How do you maintain a following? How do you live your life immersed in your public persona without losing sight of yourself?
For so many, this is not an issue. But for many, the need to be liked on a public forum is compulsive. Dead Lucky encourages us to reflect, briefly, on the cost involved in cultivating such a persona. However, it focuses wholly on a group of teens who have found their niche and fully embraced this online lifestyle and all it involves. What can they learn?
From the outset, the focus is on shock value. One of the group, Xav, is murdered online. Immediately, people want to know what happened and are monitoring the reactions of those left behind. Will they work out who is behind the Face that killed Xav…or are they all in danger?
Part of the difficulty for me with this book was the reliance on caring about a group of people obsessed by how they appear on social media platforms. I can’t understand why they wouldn’t walk away when things stopped being fun. The shallowness of their lives was never challenged, and the confusion over the characters involved made it difficult (initially) to feel invested in what was happening. The adults involved were shadowy or neglectful through their own wants, and it felt like this need for public approval stemmed from some serious mental health and emotional issues. The scenario we were focusing on stemmed from an event that I can’t help but feel should have been addressed long beforehand.
I’m grateful to NetGalley for giving me access to this. Sadly, I don’t think I’m really the right person for it.

Dead Lucky follows Maxine, and her various influencer frenemies, in the aftermath of the murder of fellow influencer, Xav, which was filmed and uploaded for millions to see. Xav had a lot of enemies and a tendency to provoke, but nobody could have predicted that something so brutal would happen to him. And as Maxine and her friends try to figure out the whodunnit of it all, it becomes clear that this may not have been a one-off event. What’s even worse: Maxine could easily be the killer’s next target.

This is a very quick and easy read. Like most books I’ve read about influencers, it comes across perhaps more light-hearted than it should for a book about a brutal murder, but it was really fun to read about their lives and struggles as internet celebrities. Although it’s difficult to sympathise with a lot of the characters, Maxine is quite a down to earth protagonist who is aware and appreciative of her supporters, and at least somewhat concerned about everyone around her.

The suspense in this book was really well done. With the bursts of narrative that were scattered throughout from Sam (one of the influencers’ former best friends and an incredibly suspicious presence), I felt nervous the entire way through, like something bad was always about to happen. There weren’t that many pivotal climaxes in the story and I think there could have comfortably been a few more, but the build up throughout was really good and I did like a lot of the plot twists and reveals that were thrown in. The big ‘whodunnit’ reveal was handled well too and, although I wasn’t hugely convinced by the killer’s motivation, it was entertaining and quite unexpected.

Overall, this was a good read with a unique set of somewhat caricature-ish characters and a fun combination of tension and celebrity. It’s an easy book to finish in a couple of days and an interesting commentary on influencer culture.

Dead Lucky is a young adult thriller about the murder of an influencer on camera and the secrets it unravels. Xav, Ed, Maxine, Leni, and Andy started a channel on PlayMii when they were in school, but now they've got separate fame and loyalties. When Xav is murdered in a video, Maxine wonders what she really knew about him and the others, who her connections to are fraying, and with the help of her new friend Frida, she tries to unravel what has happened with Xav and the secrets he had collected about other influencers.

This was a classic teenage thriller, with rivalries and dark secrets alongside ridiculous streaming platform drama. The narrative is as you'd expect, with a few red herrings and a revelation about the past as well as the present, but it is fun to watch it play out. There were some weird elements, like a character pretending to be a boy in an attempt to help a parent's mental health, and some threads that didn't seem to be resolved, but with the premise it felt like a trashy Netflix teen film that you could enjoy without thinking too much about.

Sadly this just wasn't the right book for me. I love reading books about influencers, I think the whole culture is as fascinating as it is ridiculous, but this didn't click. The characters were all terrible and annoying, and I didn't enjoy the mystery aspect. Even the big 'reveal' didn't amaze me...it was more of a 'huh. ok' moment.

I hope this does really well, I think it will find an audience, it's just not the right one for me.

A really interesting and enjoyable story that is so current given how it is based on influencers. It was twisty and dark and I loved it.