The Beaches are everywhere these days — winning at the JUNOS, playing festivals across the country, and on the cover of Exclaim!'s Summer 2024 issue. It's only natural, then, that the group's influence is even entering the literary world, as they helped to inspire Oakville, ON-based author Hannah Mary McKinnon's new suspense novel Only One Survives, out July 16 through HarperCollins Canada.
Combining the rock 'n' roll drama of Daisy Jones & the Six with the thrills of a whodunnit, Only One Survives is about a pop rock group called the Bittersweet who take shelter in an abandoned cabin after crashing their tour van. There, the band members are then picked off one by one, making the novel a twist-filled page-turner with all of the musical excitement of the best Behind the Music episodes.
It's the latest thriller from McKinnon, who was born in the UK and raised in Switzerland before moving to Canada in 2010. Her seven thriller novels include recent releases Never Coming Home (2022) and The Revenge List (2023), and she also writes holiday rom-coms under the name Holly Cassidy.
Before Only One Survives hits shelves and we inevitably disappear for a marathon summer reading session on the beach, we caught up with McKinnon to discuss the real-life bands who inspired her depiction of the Bittersweet, must-see music movies like Almost Famous, and the memorably creepy Ontario property that gave her the idea for a murder mystery set in an abandoned house.
What inspired you to focus your new novel on a rock band?
After attempting to build a story featuring an abandoned lodge and work colleagues, it didn't sit right. I wanted to write about a group of female friends, so I played around with a book club idea, but it felt too quiet. In conversation with one of my author friends, she said, "You could make them a band." Her comment gave me an immediate oooh reaction, followed by the idea that one of them thinks the band's worth more dead than alive. That was it — I was onto something. Writing a thriller featuring a band felt fresh and cool, and the band name the Bittersweet came to me quickly. The story shifted significantly compared to my initial idea, but funnily enough, the abandoned house remained a constant. That was inspired by a derelict dwelling not far from where I live. It had the words "come play" written in red paint on the front door. It still gives me the creeps.
What real-life bands influenced the fictional one in Only One Survives?
None when it comes to the murderous parts, thankfully! I listened to a lot of music, but to get the vibe right for the Bittersweet, I focused mainly on female bands, such as the Runaways, the Bangles, and the more recent Torontonian band the Beaches. I saw the Beaches in concert last November at Massey Hall, and they were excellent. They certainly know how to get the audience going and the place was sold out!
Various artists and songs are name-checked in Only One Survives. How did you choose which ones to include?
It's really a list of artists I love, and which went with the story, and then it came down to where and how I'd include them. Joan Jett, for example, is mentioned early on when Vienna's wearing a "Bad Reputation" shirt, which was perfect for her kick-ass drummer character. "Wherever You Will Go" by the Calling is one of the first songs Vienna and Madison perform together when they form their initial band EmVee, and the lyrics represent their friendship wonderfully. I added the reference to Otis Clay and Yazz and the Plastic Population immediately, when one of the characters says, "The only way is up." I had incredible fun working music into the novel, and readers can discover the entire Only One Survives playlist here.
What are some of your favourite books (and movies) about fictional bands?
There are so many! A classic is The Commitments by Roddy Doyle, and the movie is brilliant. Almost Famous, Bohemian Rhapsody and Blinded by the Light have to make my list. I thought Yesterday was uniquely hilarious, A Star is Born broke my heart, and Taron Egerton, one of my favourite actors, was astonishing in Rocketman. And, of course, Daisy Jones & the Six is already legendary.
Who are your personal favourite bands and musicians?
Play any of the songs on the Only One Survives list above and I'll be smiling. Give me anything by P!nk, whom I admire greatly, and I'll dance around my living room until my feet hurt. But I'll only sing along to anything when I'm alone in my car because my voice is appalling. You'll never see me at karaoke, that's for sure!