Book cover of Hold Me Down

Book description

A riveting work of dark suspense from acclaimed author Clea Simon

Gal, a middle-aged musician, is back in Boston to play a memorial for her late drummer/best friend, when she finds herself freezing on stage at the sight of a face in the crowd. The next day, she learns that…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

2 authors picked Hold Me Down as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I’ve always been really into crime fiction, and when you throw in a gritty concert setting, I’m all in. This book nailed that feeling, the sound, and the unspoken tension between past and present. It’s very cool how the concert setting wasn’t just the background noise but part of the mystery itself.

It felt like being backstage at a show where something’s just a little off. It kept me flipping pages way too late, and honestly, that’s when you know a crime novel really delivers.

From Michael's list on attitude from a punk photographer.

A dark, suspenseful, page-turner from acclaimed novelist Clea Simon.

Middle-aged rocker Gal must grapple with memories of the past as she investigates a murder—and as she does so, she has to reexamine her own darker-than-dark past and the mistakes she made. Love. Music. Murder. What more could any lucky reader want? Simon is known for her cozy mysteries about cats—but make no mistake, this isn’t cozy! Instead, you’ll be gripping the pages so hard, they might tear!

If you love Hold Me Down...

Book cover of These Blue Mountains

These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas,

A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.

German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…

Want books like Hold Me Down?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Hold Me Down.

Browse books like Hold Me Down

Book cover of Just Kids
Book cover of Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys.
Book cover of The Flicker of Old Dreams

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,366

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like Hold Me Down, you might also like...

Book cover of The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea

The Go-Giver by John David Mann,

The Go-Giver tells the story of an ambitious young man named Joe who yearns for success. Joe is a true go-getter, though sometimes he feels as if the harder and faster he works, the further away his goals seem to be.

Desperate to land a key sale at the end…

Book cover of The Last Whaler

The Last Whaler by Cynthia Reeves,

This book is an elegiac meditation on the will to survive. Tor, a beluga whaler, and his wife, Astrid, a botanist specializing in Arctic flora, are stranded during the dark season of 1937-38 at his remote whaling station in the Svalbard archipelago when they misjudge ice conditions and fail to…

5 book lists we think you will like!