Marc Bolan Killed in Crash: A musical novel of the 1970s

In Marc Bolan Killed in Crash, an ordinary schoolgirl in 1972 London is pulled into the world of a fading rock star and becomes the secret weapon in a plan to revive his career. As playful glam rock is busy upending the bluesy and serious sounds of the late ’60s, 15-year old Laila Russell makes a serendipitous entry into the cutthroat music business via a handbag accidentally left on the Tube. Laila picks it up and takes it home, hoping to locate the mysterious – and attractive – woman who it belongs to. The mysteries of sex and songwriting, connivance, fame, family, and the music business collide to bring Laila to a high-flying life she could never have imagined. But there are consequences. Filled with detailed and knowing musical history as its backdrop, Marc Bolan Killed in Crash is a colorful romp through an extraordinary era of chart pop. Written with a deep knowledge of the city, its music and its vernacular, the story draws together a number of colorful characters whose shifting loyalties, ambitions and status come to a head with two stunning acts: one of betrayal, the other of violence.