As books go, this is a solid decent read. But it was also a little tamer than I was expecting. It's like the author wants to test the water before going in all guns blazing. Which is unusual for a "celebrity" book, the majority of which I have read usually cross the line of trying too hard. But that's not necessarily a bad thing as, in my opinion, it actually makes for a better foundation to a career change/addition.
Johnny Klein is a washed up, ex-1980s-pop star. Broke and alone, his marriage having also just broke down. When we first meet him, he is packing up his remaining stuff before he closes the door on his mansion and moves in with the family of a longtime friend. Fortune appears to be on his side when an old musician friend drops him a lifeline but, when he meets with him, he finds out that it is not his musical skills that are required but those of a very different nature indeed.
And so begins a, medium octane thrilling ride which mostly held my attention nicely but also did have me rolling my eyes as it skirted credibility.
That said, the characters were all top notch, especially Mona and her father who go out of their way to help an, often ungrateful, Johnny. The story was a wee bit wayward through the mid section as it branched off into a couple of threads but, thankfully, and skilfully, the author managed to rein it all in and deliver a wholly satisfying ending.
So, To Cut A Long Story Short, and not go Round And Round, it's True that this wasn't total Gold to me but I'll throw the author a Lifeline and not (The) Freeze him out just yet. #sorrynotsorry
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

An interesting enough book but did seem very drawn out and seemed to go over the same ground many a time. The main character was enjoyable enough and likewise the rest of the main characters, the gangster type ones seemed very stereotypical.

Johnny Klein was a rock star, a member of the 1980’s band Klein. Now he’s down and out, having his house repossessed, with his separated wife and daughter living at his mother in laws. Johnny is sometimes still recognised when out in public and this goes a long way with him cadging a room with a bed and free taxi rides along the way, which is just as well as he is totally skint.
In a bid to make some money, Johnny is drawn into an unsavoury task, which snowballs and leaves not only him, but his family and close friends in danger.
I was a little sceptical about reading this book as celebrity authors don’t usually sit well with me. I decided to give it a go as there was a positive quote from one of my favourite authors. I found it really slow, despite there being some really colourful characters, I don’t feel that the author explored them enough or made the most of them. The main character had no redeeming features and I didn’t particularly like him or feel that I wanted to champion him at all during my reading of this book. I didn’t find the story either gritty or compelling and the way that it’s written and my subsequent reading didn’t flow easily. Martin Kemp has done an ok job with this book, but I wish I had listened to that sceptical voice in my head.

Gangland is not my first choice of read but I’ll admit that I had a bit of a crush on MK back in the day. I would say this is more cosy than most gangland reads which for me was a good thing. The main character is Johnny Klein. A rock star who has gone from fame and fortune and is now virtually at rock bottom. His wife has left him, he has sold all his assets and is living over an Indian restaurant for free, courtesy of the uncle of a young journalist. It’s a good start to a new series from a debut author. I did find it a bit slow to start but it is an easy read and will resonate with anyone growing up in that period.

Briefly, Johnny is offered a lifeline by an old friend Pete James. All he has to do is get a compromising photograph of a reporter who is about to release a story about Pete. If successful he will earn five thousand pounds. However, things don’t go to plan and Johnny gets mixed up in all manner of things, including a brutal gangster who wants something Johnny has.

There are a number of different threads running in this story, all tied to Johnny in some way. There were a few loose ends but as there is a second book coming that will probably be addressed. I’d love to know how much of this is autobiographical, however, I just can’t see the author as a hard-hitting, booze and drugs addict. Maybe I’m being naive. It was an enjoyable read, not too violent, good storyline and I’ll definitely read the follow up.

So you can tell the author was in a band in the 80s and from the west end from the story
But I hope the character is not too autobiographical as this guy really is inn need of help. It’s an exciting read from someone who lived the rock and roll lifestyle.

I’d like to thank HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Game’ written by Martin Kemp in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Eighties rock and roll legend Johnny Klein has lost everything, his wife, daughter, house and money, and is squatting in the attic above Graceland restaurant owned by his friend Mona’s Uncle Rishi. An old acquaintance Pete James has offered Johnny a job but he doesn’t realise what he’s getting himself into or who might get hurt in the process.

As a fan of the author’s music I’ve been keen to read ‘The Game’ and see if his writing is as good as his music. It’s an interesting debut novel and better than I’d expected with the main character of Johnny who needs to turn his life around and start thinking of what he can do for others rather than what they should do for him. The storyline is set in and around London’s underworld and includes unsavoury characters, danger, intrigue and suspense. I like Mona who’s a good friend to Johnny and a great addition to the story as are Uncle Rishi and Ravi the Elvis impersonator, and although it hasn’t ended well for all the characters the conclusion is perfectly fitting.

I do like Martin Kemp & was looking forward to reading this book. I found the story entertaining and loved the 80’s references. A fun and easy read. Recommended.

I was a little skeptical about reading this book, having grown up in the times when Martin Kemp was part of Spandau Ballet, then watching him become an actor, however I was pleasantly surprised and really loved this book.
Even though Johnny Klein had fallen on hard times (after a sucessful pop career) and most of it because of his own making, I felt that I was behind him all the way and kept hoping his luck would change. I really look forward to reading the next installment. A couple of heartbreaking moments too.
It was easy to read and a complete page turner - well done Martin Kemp. Will definitely recommend this one!

Thank you to HarperCollins UK, Harperfiction, Martin Kemp and Negalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Fallen pop star Johnny Klein has lost everything and finds the opportunity to get some work, however it turns out to be slightly shady and sees him being dragged into London’s dark underbelly.

I was looking forward to seeing what Martin Kemp could offer and intrigued to see what his writing style was like. He definitely has not done a bad job and has created an entertaining look into the pop world, with added knowledge. However, the story seemed a bit slow and I found my attention often waning. Overall, there are some interesting characters and lots of detail, just some pacing issues, so for me this was a mixed bag thriller. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

As an 80’s teen and a lover of ‘gangland’ books of course was keen to read this and see how pop icon had translated to author
Firstly gangland genre book lovers this is in no way the usual fayre, its much tamer than usual reads and nothing as brutal as you are used to….not saying thats a bad thing but its worth mentioning
It’s difficult not to read an ex pop stars fiction book that is based around an ex pop star and not wonder how much is semi autobiographical/based on things experienced but I know in my mind as reading the author WAS the main character
It has a slow start, much chest beating re the life now has compared to the one used to have ( a theme that repeats throughout ) but things do get feistier towards the second third and a few plot lines start to appear
The problem for me was the various plot lines although all featuring the main character go off on tangents and are not linked nor all end satisfactorily ( for me at any rate )
The writing is however very readable and it does give a good insight into how the mighty fall and how they cope, or don’t
The best way for me to judge a new author is would I read another book by them? And it’s a yes but would expect a bit more on all fronts, a good start in a writing career

Really was not sure what to expect from this book. I think sometimes when a big name publishes a book we tend to think it's not going to be up to much, that it's one of those reads that only gets anywhere because of who the author is.

I ended up really enjoying this book. It felt some things were over described at the beginning of the book, it felt a little slow but feel it picked up the pace as the book when went.

Johnny Klein was a huge hit in the 80's, now he's a huge flop. But once you hit the bottom it's a hard slog to try and get back up.
For Johnny life has well and truly changed and he has to change with it. It was a great insight into how a celeb can one day be on top of his game then have everything taken from him. It could be absolutely anyone.

An easy read, it kept my interest for the most part,

I was a big fan of Spandau ballet in the 80’s. So, I was excited to get a copy of this debut novel from Martin Kemp. I know he has done some acting and presenting so I was curious to know what kind of author he is, and I am surprised how good this is.
In the 80’s Jonny Klein was at the top of his game as a rock star. Himself and his group where always on the TV and their records were at the top of the charts. But present-day Jonny has hit rock bottom and is bankrupt. He is also split up from his wife. He has had to give up his mansion and the only person who will take him in his friend Mona who is a music journalist Uncle called Rishi in a room in an attic above an Indian restaurant called Graceland in Brick Lane.
There is so much to like about this story regarding Jonny Klein. This is an interesting and nostalgic story of Jonny Klein finding his new path in his life after him being in the music industry back in the 80’s but it also showed that it was not all glamour trying to get to the top. It brought back memories to me of the days of Spandau ballet. This is a realistic story as you can tell that the author must have put in own experiences into the story. It had great likeable characters and added a bit of humour to the storyline too. At the end of the book, it tells us there is going to me more of Jonny in 2024. I can’t wait to find out what is in store for him. 5 stars from me,

Johnny Klein was the superstar of the 80s but now he needs help after hitting the bottom. He needs money and gets embroiled into some shady ongoings.
This was a good fun popcorn read and I enjoyed it. Easy to read and lots of little references to the time.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my review.

Johnny Klein is a rock casualty, a fallen 1980s pop star who has lost everything - his money, his family, his fame. Thrown a lifeline by an old contact in the music business, Johnny doesn't care what he's getting himself into. Dragged down into East End London's dark underbelly, Johnny discovers there is more at stake than his own shattered ego. Johnny hates being yesterday's man, but now he's wishing he could disappear altogether.

Martin Kemp - bass guitarist with Spandau Ballet, actor, and now a fiction writer.

I felt like I was reading some of the things Martin Kemp has actually been through, mixed with fiction. Johnny Klein is about to lose his mansion. He's been offered a room to stay in the East End Indian restaurant called "Graceland." Johnny was a hide hit in the 80s and 90s, and now he is having to start over. His wife has left him, and he doesn't know what he can do to get out of the situation he is in, and he makes some bad decisions along the way.

The book's pace starts off steady, then around the middle, it slows down for a bit. It's a really easy book to read. The characters are likable. There's some humour too. The forword on the origin of Johnny Klein was quite interesting. It also tells us about life beyond the glamour and the spotlights.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #HarperFiction and the author #MartinKemp for my ARC of #TheGame in exchange for an honest review.

I requested The Game from Netgalley purely because of the author. Martin Kemp comes across as a genuine and likeable guy and I wanted to love this book even though my expectations weren't that high after all he's a musician and actor not an intellectual.
At first I thought he'd either overused a thesaurus or employed a ghost writer and I admit I felt duped. I carried on though and eventually the language changed and although at times, still clunky, the story grew on me and it was relatively entertaining, it certainly wasn't awful. I'm sure it will do well because others too will buy it because of the author but I think he should stick to what he knows best, sorry.

Johnny Klein is an ex-rock star who has drunk sand snorted his way through all his money. Bankrupt, house sold under him, wife and daughter left him, he is taken in by a young music journalist and given a garret flat in her uncle's restaurant in Brick Lane. Hitting on old friends to try to get a gig, he accepts a dodgy assignment, to try and get compromat on a journalist before a negative story is published. This jobs gets him into a world of trouble, violent gangsters, beatings and eventually a death. An ingenious plot and plenty of action.

I wasn 't sure I would finish this- it took a while to get used to the writing style. I thought it was just too full of adjectives.
I persevered and enjoyed the story, though Johnny Klein was not a likeable character initially.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Being a bit of a Spandau / Martin Kemp fan back in the day, I was intrigued to read this and see what his writing was like. I loved the 80s nostalgia references (although made me feel old!) and this was a decent story about an ex-rocker whose fame has waned and life is crumbling around his ears. I enjoyed the glimpses into life as a 'famous' person and wondered how much was drawn from the author's own experiences. It felt a little clunky at the start as characters were being introduced and the scene was being set but it does all come together eventually and makes for a good read, if a little cliched in places. Likable characters and easy to read.

The book follows the story of Johnny Klein – 1980s popstar (write what you know and all that!) – who has fallen on hard times having partied his fortune away and lost his wife and teenage daughter in the process. He ends up lodging with an acquaintance’s family in their Indian / Elvis themed restaurant (yes. as random as it sounds!). He then, in an attempt to get some cash and raise his profile within the industry again, gets sucked into an underworld drama of sex, drugs and rock and roll.

Some parts of the book were pacey and kept my interest, but some were a bit repetitive and I hate to say it, just a bit boring.

Now I know I can be a bit of a dick about consistency / editing mistakes – but there were two in quick succession in this book which jumped out at me (although maybe they will be corrected before the final version!) One character is shopping in Harvey Nicks when she speaks to Johnny and he goes to meet her – but a page later it refers to Johnny meeting her outside Harrods. Clearly she could be shopping in both – however it read like a continuity error. Within the very next chapter Johnny reminisces about walking home across London in the early hours of the morning, to a paragraph later saying he’d spent all of his cash on a taxi back the night before. Whilst neither of these errors ruins the storyline – it just feels a bit lazy? Sorry, I appreciate I am a tw*t………

Overall it was ‘fine’ – and I wanted to continue to read it to see how everything turned out for everyone involved – but it did not set the world alight. I do wonder if it would have been published at all if it weren’t for the fact that the author is already famous? I’m sure many people – like me requesting the ARC – will do it based on the Martin Kemp name anyway.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not my usual genre but wanted to read because of the author Martin Kemp.
I enjoyed this story and its characters, Jonny Klein has been pop star looses everything, self indulgent ego driven big star reduced to nothing. This story is a quick read with interesting characters. A good story line that makes you wonder about the life of a pop star. I enjoyed and wanted to turn the page waiting to see if Jonny came good. Easy reading and entertaining also felt like the opening of more to come from Jonny Klein.