Dead Famous

Title: Dead Famous

Author: Ben Elton

Published in: 2001

Date read: 20th April 2010

Score: 4/5

Genre: Fiction, Comedy, Thriller, Mystery

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Dead Famous" by Ben Elton is a satirical whodunit set within the confines of a popular reality television show called "House Arrest," a clear parody of "Big Brother."

The premise is established: one house, ten contestants, thirty cameras, and forty microphones, broadcasting every moment of their lives to a voracious public. The contestants are a motley crew of aspiring celebrities and attention-seekers, each with their own quirks, secrets, and agendas. The show's producers, particularly the ambitious Geraldine Hennessy, ruthlessly manipulate the footage and the housemates' interactions to create compelling, often scandalous, narratives for higher ratings.

However, the show takes a shocking and unprecedented turn when one of the housemates is murdered inside the house. The impossible has happened: a killer has struck despite constant surveillance, and the identity of the victim is initially withheld from the reader, adding to the mystery.

Chief Inspector Stanley Spencer Coleridge, an old-fashioned, somewhat bewildered detective, is tasked with solving the case. He and his team are forced to pore over thousands of hours of video footage, an overwhelming and often mundane task, trying to piece together what happened and identify the killer from the seemingly endless recordings.

As the police investigate, the show itself continues, with the remaining housemates trapped in a bizarre and increasingly tense environment, aware a killer is among them. The novel highlights the absurdity and manipulative nature of reality television, where tragedy can be exploited for ratings and the line between entertainment and genuine human experience becomes dangerously blurred.

Coleridge's investigation uncovers the various secrets and interpersonal dynamics among the housemates, revealing potential motives for murder from multiple angles. The narrative cleverly jumps between the police investigation and the unfolding events within the "House Arrest" house. Ultimately, Coleridge, using his keen deductive skills and even drawing inspiration from classic literature and amateur dramatics, manages to unmask the killer in a climactic revelation that exposes a meticulously planned, shocking betrayal designed to achieve the ultimate level of "dead famous."

Comments:
This book was an eye-opener to the other side of reality TV. Brilliantly written and unable to put it down.

Books that we've read by Ben Elton (1):
Dead Famous (2001)