Lisa Scullard

Living Hell Lisa Scullard

Kim Blackshields is Jericho's blackmailer, keeping an eye on who's doing what, or to whom, never mind the reason - so long as it pays. But even in a modern-day Satanic, small-town society rife with crime, espionage and corruption, there are still those who'll try and take advantage of the weak and impressionable. Even here, some things are frowned upon... Post-adolescent grunge fiction... Enter, one teenage blackmailer, one troubled band frontman, one questionably unresolved suicide, and an alternative religious history, for an irreverent and unpredictable swipe at youth culture, and the power of the small-time Media. As the town's most notorious blackmailer, 19-year-old Kim Blackshields has plenty on her plate. Unscrupulous journalists trying to rummage through her stuff, two best friends and blood brothers whose main hobby is tapping phones - even in cohorts with the local police - and a younger brother also into blackmail, whose friends seem to think she's an easy target. And the small matter of the Halloween fiasco... When the youth club Halloween event has to replace the live band at short notice, Kim tracks down The Hellraisers to step in, fronted by the charismatic, Harley-riding Alastair Brash. Who manages to live up to their name. Not that anyone's complaining. The youngsters of Jericho already know far too much about explosives and burying things under concrete, and day-to-day Satanism is a way of life - even if no-one practises much these days (there's always the goat pinata on Black Mass to look forward to). There's just an ongoing drama in the local Press about an unresolved 'suicide' of a young model, and who they're likely to pin the blame on. But when the Halloween party ends violently and abruptly, and Alastair disappears leaving behind a large puddle of blood, it looks like there's more to this town than just nosey hacks, dodgy old videotapes, and blackmail... Contains adult humour.