Shy and gawky, Ana has always daydreamed about living the life of her exotic half-sister, Bee, a pop singer who had a #1 hit single before she inexplicably vanished from the celebrity scene. When Bee turns up dead, Ana is dispatched to the big city to clear out her apartment. Instantly seduced by the secondhand glamour of Bee's baubles, bangles and bottles of Perrier-Jouet, Ana takes up with Bee's wild club-hopping cronies. News of a missing cat and a remote country cottage soon convince Ana that her sister was leading a secret life. Now Ana is on a mission to discover what really happened to Bee Bearhorn, the one-hit wonder-and what is about to happen to the unremarkable Ana Wills.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Tall and gangly Ana Wills has never felt comfortable in her own skin and has spent years dreaming of her beautiful older half-sister Bee's glamorous life. Bee, who had a falling out with their overbearing and neurotic mother, Gay, left over a decade ago and never looked back. She eventually made it big on the music scene as an '80s rock star, with a knockout number 1 song. When Bee dies in mysterious fashion perhaps by her own hand at the age of 36, Ana is forced to leave the quiet and predictable town of Devon and travel to London to collect Bea's effects. In Bee's huge but surprisingly run-down flat, Ana is consumed by the clues she discovers about Bee's longtime depression and angry with herself for not making more of an effort to stay in touch. Bee's best friends black singer and exotic dresser Lolita Tate and Flint Lennard, Bee's erstwhile chauffeur are anxious to help Ana discover the details of her sister's existence. Lol and Ana click immediately, and Ana can't help being attracted to the enigmatic and hulking hunk, Flint. The three soon learn that Bee was leading a double life, one that included a disabled adolescent boy and a secret place for their rendezvous. Devastated, Ana finally stands up to Gay, who believes that Bee led a charmed life. "She had looks, Mum. She had money. She had absolutely nothing else. Take it from me. I've seen her life." Hints throughout suggest that Ana, too, has musical talent; it is that talent, despite the pain of loosing Bee, that will be her instrument of self-discovery. Jewell, author of Ralph's Party and thirtynothing, sounds a series of secrets and gradual revelations that keep the narrative at high pitch and bring it to a satisfying conclusion.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Shy and unassuming, Ana Wills always looked up to the half sister she never really knew. Bee Bearhorn's one 1980s gold record indelibly etched her pop star image into Ana's mind, if not the rest of London's. But when Bee dies unexpectedly, Ana is left wondering who the sister was she thought she had all figured out. With the help of Bee's friends, Ana unearths her sibling's secrets and discovers the true staying power of a one-hit wonder. Jewell's third novel (after Ralph's Party and Thirtynothing) is an engaging coming-of-age tale skillfully told by interweaving the past and present. By turns funny and poignant, the book pulls no punches in dismantling the walls people build around themselves. Jewell's prose is focused and fluid; readers can expect unpredictable twists and turns as Ana gets closer to uncovering her sister's real life as well as some unrealized truths about herself. A substantial and welcome addition to women's contemporary fiction collections, it is recommended for public libraries. Amy Brozio-Andrews, Albany P.L., NY
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I just finished reading this book a few minutes ago, and I don't know what else to exclaim except "I totally loved it!"
Confession time... despite the scores of books I have read, I am one of those who will browse in a bookstore, see a flashy book cover or a catchy title and, like a fish to bait, grab it, and peek at what's inside (yeah, many of you probably do it too, but think you're too hep & packed full of intelligentsia to admit it, even to yourselves!). The title "One-Hit Wonder" and its day-glo cover lured me in, but what convinced me to buy it was to opening chapter, which consists of a former pop-star's letter to her estranged kid sister. Without knowing anything else about the plot, I was moved by the letter itself.
Out of the letter and into the story: young, tall, nerdy and awkward Ana Wills travels from her sleepy hometown of Devon to London, where her big sister was recently found dead. The original purpose of this trip is to clear out her sister's apartment and tie up loose ends. But after searching through her sister's belongings ---and making the seemingly simple discovery that her sister had a cat named John (who is MIA)--- Ana decides to search out people who were friends with the sister she barely knew. What is intended to be a one day clean-up trip into the big city turns into a belated coming of age novel.
And if one had to boil this story down to one category, that's how I would nail it: "belated coming-of-age." The cool thing is, we don't have to nail it down to one genre. This book can be categorized as a mystery, saga, pop-culture, slice of life, romance... Lisa Jewell encompasses quite a lot of stories in just one story.
What intrigued me throughout the story was the unpredictable nature of the characters as a whole. It's not that each character did things mind-blowingly against his or her nature. The unpredictability shows in the wide variety of characters strolling in-&-out of this novel; some are as simple and predictable as a Charles Dickens character or a Speed Racer villain; other folks have much more substance than meets the eye. Lisa Jewell will keep you guessing, which I found to be half the fun of the book.
"One-Hit Wonder" is both a fun and emotional read. And if you are one of those guys who can't get into "chick-flicks" and see this as a literary chick-flick, well... just like the occasional "Steel Magnolias," I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by this totally awesome tale!
Confession time... despite the scores of books I have read, I am one of those who will browse in a bookstore, see a flashy book cover or a catchy title and, like a fish to bait, grab it, and peek at what's inside (yeah, many of you probably do it too, but think you're too hep & packed full of intelligentsia to admit it, even to yourselves!). The title "One-Hit Wonder" and its day-glo cover lured me in, but what convinced me to buy it was to opening chapter, which consists of a former pop-star's letter to her estranged kid sister. Without knowing anything else about the plot, I was moved by the letter itself.
Out of the letter and into the story: young, tall, nerdy and awkward Ana Wills travels from her sleepy hometown of Devon to London, where her big sister was recently found dead. The original purpose of this trip is to clear out her sister's apartment and tie up loose ends. But after searching through her sister's belongings ---and making the seemingly simple discovery that her sister had a cat named John (who is MIA)--- Ana decides to search out people who were friends with the sister she barely knew. What is intended to be a one day clean-up trip into the big city turns into a belated coming of age novel.
And if one had to boil this story down to one category, that's how I would nail it: "belated coming-of-age." The cool thing is, we don't have to nail it down to one genre. This book can be categorized as a mystery, saga, pop-culture, slice of life, romance... Lisa Jewell encompasses quite a lot of stories in just one story.
What intrigued me throughout the story was the unpredictable nature of the characters as a whole. It's not that each character did things mind-blowingly against his or her nature. The unpredictability shows in the wide variety of characters strolling in-&-out of this novel; some are as simple and predictable as a Charles Dickens character or a Speed Racer villain; other folks have much more substance than meets the eye. Lisa Jewell will keep you guessing, which I found to be half the fun of the book.
"One-Hit Wonder" is both a fun and emotional read. And if you are one of those guys who can't get into "chick-flicks" and see this as a literary chick-flick, well... just like the occasional "Steel Magnolias," I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by this totally awesome tale!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A while back I read Lisa Jewell's other books: "Ralph's Party" and "Thirtynothing" and I must say, I was really disapointed. In each book Jewll showed that somewhere inside of her was an author capable of creating likeable (or at least memorable) chracters and plots, but somewhere along te way, each book simply sagged. However, I can finally say that with the reading of "One hit wonder" that Jewell's talent as an author is recognizable. The plot is somewhat original but what it lacks in this area is made up by the mystery that Jewell keeps readers in and the well developed protagonist, Ana. However, if I gave this book four stars instead of five it's only because I thought that Bee's story took too much precedence over everything else. I would have liked to have seen a more in depth look at Flint and Ana's relationship. Also, wile Ana was well developed ad Bee became more so as the book progressed, I thought that other chracters were still a bit two-dimensional.
Despite this complaint I really enjyed the book and thouroughly recommend it. It had humor,tragic irony, satire and was an all around good time. If you liked this book I would recommend anything by Marian Keyes (especially "Lucy Sullivan is getting married").
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I'm so glad that more books from the UK are being published here in the US, making it easier (and less expensive) for those of us who are hooked. One Hit Wonder is truly different from many of the books of this genre - it's all about solving a mystery. No, not a blood `n guts, running through the alley mystery. This is about Ana solving the mystery of herself, with her (dead) sister providing the guidance, if you will. It's sad in places, very funny in others, but engrossing throughout. From the synopsis, you can see that Ana comes to London to collect her dead (from apparent suicide) sister's things. She ends up staying on with Bee's friends and finding out more about herself (and her sister, her family) in a few weeks than she has in her whole life. Naturally, she find love, but even that is a quirky, odd story that adds to the charm of the book.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Not a hit or a wonder
I'm departing from my usual review format of the good, the bad, and the summary because I have to confess that I didn't finish this book ... but that's a review unto itself really. Read more
Published on January 18, 2009 by J. Cain
Definitely NOT A One-Hit Wonder
Having read Ralph's Party, I was a little worried that One-Hit Wonder would not live up to the writer's past successes. But I can happily say that I was wrong! Read more
Published on May 19, 2007 by Kristin Scott
A "Jewel" of a book!
I was originally attracted to this title because of the cover art, and the book's title. Being a guy who is totally into diva's, this title intrigued me. Read more
Published on April 30, 2007 by Guy V. De Rosa
Over the Top
I was again disappointed by Lisa Jewell with One Hit Wonder. This story was a bit out there and ends so unbelievably happy and perfect, it's sickening. Read more
Published on October 12, 2006 by E Anderson
A Wonderful Book
After leaving this to sit on my bookshelf for well over a year, I finally got around to reading it, I can only say I wish I had read it sooner. What a great book! Read more
Published on June 5, 2005 by Lisa Fischbach
Great writing, different story
I loved Ralph's Party and ThirtyNothing, and this one was more serious to me. I thought that Jewell's writing was fantastic, she really takes you in, it's just that maybe the main... Read more
Published on January 13, 2005 by Elise McD
Wonder-ful
An easily-digested, thoroughly enjoyable little gem of the so-called chick-lit genre. I read it in a day and was loathe to put it down once I'd started. Read more
Published on November 2, 2004 by E. Haston
A great mystery in an amazing novel
I picked this book out on a whim. I'm more of the light-hearted reader, my favorites books were the Shopaholic series, but this caught me. Read more
Published on June 6, 2004 by Megan Nemlich
One Hit Wonder is definitely a wonder.
Lisa Jewell has done it again. After her success with Ralph's Party and Thirtysomething, she manages to deliver yet another literary art. Read more
Published on May 22, 2004 by Shannon Wunderlich
I could "see" the characters !!!
I really enjoyed this book. The writing is relaxed and confident. Having the two perspectives of Anna and Bee was a great contrast. Read more
Published on May 4, 2004 by Staci Beasley
Inside This Book
(learn more)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
First Sentence:
Bee hissed under her breath at the sack-of-potatoes cabdriver sitting there in all his Rothman-breathed, greasy-haired splendor while she hoisted boxes and boxes of stuff from the back of his station wagon. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Bee Bearhorn, Lisa Jewell, High Cedars, Miss Wills, Ana Wills, Baker Street, Arnott Brown, Father Anthony, Ladbroke Grove, Turnpike Lane, Belinda Wills, Belsize Park, Earl Grey, Princess Bee, Vivienne Westwood, Dave Donkin, Janet Jackson, Jesus Christ, Bickenhall Street, Did Bee, Latimer Road, Rough Guide, Wendy the Reflexologist New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Bee hissed under her breath at the sack-of-potatoes cabdriver sitting there in all his Rothman-breathed, greasy-haired splendor while she hoisted boxes and boxes of stuff from the back of his station wagon. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Bee Bearhorn, Lisa Jewell, High Cedars, Miss Wills, Ana Wills, Baker Street, Arnott Brown, Father Anthony, Ladbroke Grove, Turnpike Lane, Belinda Wills, Belsize Park, Earl Grey, Princess Bee, Vivienne Westwood, Dave Donkin, Janet Jackson, Jesus Christ, Bickenhall Street, Did Bee, Latimer Road, Rough Guide, Wendy the Reflexologist New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 4
books:
3
books
cite this book:
- Notting Hill by Richard Curtis on page 102
- Friend of the Family by Lisa Jewell in Back Matter
- Together Again: A Relationship Story by Jay Bee on page 339
- Living With on page 107
- Ralph's Party: A Novel by Lisa Jewell in Front Matter
- Thirtynothing by Lisa Jewell in Front Matter
- A Friend of the Family by Lisa Jewell in Front Matter
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product).
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
So You'd Like to...
|
|
