Heartstream by Tom Pollock

I just wanted to see you. Before the end. A taut psychological thriller about obsession, fame and betrayal, for fans of Black Mirror.

Cat is in love. Always the sensible one, she can’t believe that she’s actually dating, not to mention dating a star. But the fandom can’t know. They would eat her alive. And first at the buffet would definitely be her best friend, Evie.

Amy uses Heartstream, a social media app that allows others to feel your emotions. She broadcasted every moment of her mother’s degenerative illness, and her grief following her death. It’s the realest, rawest reality TV imaginable. But on the day of Amy’s mother’s funeral, Amy finds a strange woman in her kitchen. She’s rigged herself and the house with explosives – and she’s been waiting to talk to Amy for a long time. Who is she? A crazed fan? What does she want? Amy and Cat are about to discover how far true obsession can go.

How did I get the book? Received from author in exchange for an honest review

Genre: Thriller

Review: #Heartstream took a little longer to get into than I anticipated, especially given the blurb. However it’s worth it. There last third had me turning the pages without a thought for what was going on around me.

Narrated by Amy and Cat the story follows two timelines that converge. Set a little in the future when livestreaming has a new meaning. The first chapter ends with Amy finding a woman in her house with a bomb strapped to herself. Meanwhile Cat’s story is more teen romance in the beginning and initially I wasn’t really sold on this dual narrative. As Cat’s story progresses the book becomes more engaging, as her story isn’t a break from what is happening with Amy anymore but its own drama.

Heartstream reminded me of thriller film. The kind that are filled with people who are truly awful to each other but there is a ‘good’ person(s) at the center.

You have to turn the page to find out what happens…

Review by Luna