Anyone with a love of music will be delighted with this book. Having enjoyed the sixties myself I can relate to the music mentioned and wholeheartedly agree with the ides that music can take you back to an exact time and place. A really enjoyable read.

I loved this book! Mature, authentic and evocative about music, fame, love, loss and parenthood. The structure of dividing between one day in the present and the whole of Cass Wheeler's life through several decades worked beautifully. Can't wait to hear the accompanying album created with Kathryn Williams.

I've just finished a great contemporary, Greatest Hits by Laura Barnett!

3 Stars! - I got Greatest Hits to read through NetGalley so thanks to them for allowing me access. It was published on 15th June 2017 so is now available to buy.

NOTE: Greatest Hits has some content to do with drugs. It's set in the mid 1990's when I believe drugs were seen as cool, though. There are some deaths of characters that are emotional scenes as well.

Greatest Hits tells a biography, I suppose of this fictional singer named Cass Morgan. It tells the story from when she was born, in 1950 to present day. It describes all of the struggles that she has to cope with as well as the highs she experiences, throughout her career.

Spoilers below...

Cass doesn't get on with her mother at all when she's young. Her mother called her Maria but she doesn't like this name. Her father calls her Cassandra, her second name so she goes by Cass. When her mother abandons her and her father, she doesn't understand what she's done wrong. She finds her only peace when playing the piano, which a friend's Mum teaches her. She has to move in with her aunt and uncle when she's still young because her father can't cope.

When she meets Ivor at a gig a few years later, she instantly falls for him. Cass and Ivor both have struggles in being together and this causes some friction. Ivor does drugs and is a bit of a wild boy, which Cass doesn't like. They disagree on lots of things, particularly when they start collaborating musically.

There are happy, romantic things as well as heartbreaking things that happen to Cass.

What did I like about Greatest Hits?
I liked how the stories main focus was Cass and I liked seeing her grow up around music.

I liked how the story had one main focus, Cass' life and music. There wasn't anything confusing about it.

I liked seeing Cass' loves from her being a child. First we see her mother abandoning her, then we see her aunt taking her in, then her father declining to mental health, then we see Ivor take over her thoughts etc.

What didn't I like about Greatest Hits?
I found I was skipping over some of the music producing parts, which I could do and still keep up with what was going on in the story. This, I think meant the book didn't have to be so long in my opinion.

I thought that the chapters were too long. Most chapters seemed to take 50 or more pages to finish (on my iPhone 6+). In fantasy, that's okay but in contemporary I enjoy and expect shorter chapters.

Overall, I enjoyed Greatest Hits. The biggest drawback for me was how long the chapters are. I ultimately enjoyed seeing Cass' life though. If anything I would have made the chapters a lot shorter and maybe cut out some of the music producing parts as I don't think these were necessary to the overall story. That's why I'm giving Greatest Hits 3 Stars!

This is about a fictional musician as she muses over her back caalogue and the songs that have shaped her life.

It took me quite a while to actually enjoy this book. Initially, I was not invested in the characters at all, nor was I really enjoying the lyrics to the songs that opened up each chapter.
However, as the book progressed so did my feelings. I started to really enjoy the concept and was really drawn to some of the more minor characters (like Johnny, and Lily, and Irene).

Each chapter is opened with the lyrics of one of the songs that Cass, our protagnist, has chosen. This is where the book falls slightly flat for me as the lyrics that Barnett has written are not as good as her actual prose. I suppose if this wasn't fiction and about a musician I loved and whose lyrics I knew, I could see this concept working a lot better.

I found the writing style itself rather clunky and it took me a long time to get into a reading flow. There are a lot of flashbacks and with the copy I have, it really wasn't obvious initially when these flashbacks had started or ended. Again, this discord disrupted the reading flow.

After finishing the book, I listened to Kathryn Williams album that accompanies it. I listened to this album three times in full, back to back. The music is beautiful and quite frankly, Williams has brought this book and lyrics alive for me.

A disjointed read, but would recommend this and the accompanying album.

My thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.

A fictional biography of singer/songwriter Cass Wheeler.

After spending the last decade in retirement, Cass Wheeler is making a comeback with a album of selected hits from her past.

Each chapter begins with a song & the story behind the song. The defining moments of Cass's life, love, heartbreak, friendships, deaths, which led to her breakdown.

I loved this book. Written beautifully with authentic characters, it's hard to believe it's fiction.

Laura Barnett's second novel Greatest Hits tells the story of singer-songwriter Cass Wheeler from her early days playing in dingy pubs on the folk circuit to her mid sixties when she is about to emerge from years as a recluse to release an album of new material.  The book takes the form of a look back at the major events of Cass's life, each of them marked by a significant song from her repertoire (which have been turned into an album by singer Kathryn Williams who collaborated with Barnett on the book).   

It's an interesting concept and the structure works well, but the problem for me that I just couldn't warm to Cass or feel any empathy or interest in her life story.   She is surrounded by interesting and well developed characters (her free-thinking aunt and uncle, cold and depressive mother, weak and self-involved husband) but Cass herself is a bit of an enigma, someone to whom life's events just seem to happen without her having to do too much about it.

I usually enjoy books about bands and musicians but sadly this one just didn't engage me.

How often to read a book and listen to the music mentioned in the pages in your head? Only me? Well if I’m not alone and you do too GREATEST HITS by Laura Barnett is for you. For author has collaborated with musician Kathryn Williams who has put music to the words. You can listen to the album while reading the book.

Cass Wheeler is a great singer song writer, in my mind she’s a cross between Mary Hopkin and Stevie Nicks. We meet her sat in her Kent recording studio preparing for a party to celebrate the launch of her greatest hits album. She is in a contemplative mood, reflecting back over the old songs and some new ones. We join her in her remembrance of things past. Flitting between the deep past and the present party preparation.

Each chapter begins with song lyrics, complete with author and recording details, that song triggers a slew of memories. We follow Cass from being tiny scrap of a Vicar’s daughter in South London, to a bit of wild child in Sussex and onwards through love, stardom and motherhood. Some elements of the story are told over and over again, just like you do when you are puzzling over the depths of your past. Why did you do that? Would it be different if you hadn’t?

Whilst I’m not a big fan of the audio book (although I do love a good serialisation on Radio 4) I can imagine that this would make an excellent one with the songs weaving in and out. I hasten to add that at the moment there is no audio book and that I have no idea if this how it will be done, but why wouldn’t you?

With or without music GREATEST HITS is a compelling tale. Laura Barnett captures well the quest for success, love and happiness and all the regrets about things that go wrong. She is especially strong on places, I want to live in Atterley the Arts and Crafts house of her aunt and uncle. Much like a cat, once I’m happy in a place I can stay and enjoy the story.

Second books can be tricky and I’m always fretful that an author I loved first time round might not be so good second time around. I loved Versions of Us, Laura Barnett’s first book and have been equally spellbound by her second. Most of all I have enjoyed reaching into the deep recesses of the Sonos and listening to Mary Hopkin, Fleetwood Mac and, of course, Kathryn Williams, whilst the story spun around me.

An author and a musician collaborate to tell a story. Laura Barnett, the author, embarking on that difficult second novel. Kathryn Williams, a singer songwriter, provides the songs that will unravel the life story of Cassandra Wheeler.

Cassandra Wheeler, singer songwriter, now in her sixties is coming out of retirement, after many years living as a recluse.

Cass will launch her greatest hits album with a number of new songs at a launch party, but before that she is going to sit in her studio and listen to the songs that have shaped her life. No matter how painful the memories Cass is going to confront the past,  and relive the events that have led her to this important day.

It is a life that has had many twists and turns, many highs and lows. A childhood marred by an unloving absent mother, a marriage doomed from the start and a career that has led to all the wealth and material possessions that Cass could ever want. But what sacrifices , what has it cost her?

Barnett, is clever and uses the lyrics from Cass's past songs to begin each chapter as well as to signify a different phase in Cass's life.

The lyrics tie in beautifully.  I particularly loved the poignant lyrics of 'Common Ground' used to describe her mother leaving without saying goodbye.

As I read I tried to imagine the accompanying melody, the sound of Cass's voice and I cannot wait to hear Kathryn William's interpretation.

The characters portray both the good and bad side of the music industry.  From Cass's husband, Ivor Tait, losing himself in drugs, alcohol and abuse as their marriage falls apart to her wonderful personal assistant, Kim, who tries to protect her. Then there is the beautiful fragile daughter, Anna, caught in the middle of her warring parents, struggling to deal with life.

Barnett's writing has the capacity to stir up a myriad of emotions in her reader and once or twice, I had to wipe away the odd stray tear.

It was hard to turn the last page, to leave Cass and all the wonderful characters behind in what is a truly unique and memorable novel.

Definitely one of the best novels so far this year.

Thank you so much to Rebecca Gray for sending a proof copy for me to read and review.

The Versions of Us, Laura Barnett’s debut novel, is one of my absolute favourites. It made me do big, gulping sobs as I read the final chapters, is a book I have recommended frequently, one I still think about regularly and one of the very few books I have read for a second time so Greatest Hits, Laura Barnett’s second novel had quite a lot to live up to! I am very pleased to say I was not disappointed. Charting the life of Cass Wheeler a singer-songwriter, from her childhood as the daughter of a Vicar to the present day as a successful artist who has sold millions of tracks but has become somewhat of a recluse, we learn through sixteen of her songs the pivotal moments of her life and the people who have been part of it.

Laura Barnett has such a beautiful writing style, it is richly textured and the characters are so well drawn; I could see beautiful Kate, fell in love with Kim and in my mind’s eye saw a gorgeous bad boy in Ivor, a man you know you should stay away from but he is too intoxicating to do so. One of Laura Barnett’s skills is weaving a story that is multi layered with a whole host of characters who, no matter how small a role they play in the book you identify with them. There are moments in the book that are heartbreaking, moments that are uplifting, others that made me angry and some which made me want to break out the pom-poms and do a big old cheer. If a book can make me feel like that then it is, in my opinion, a good one!

I loved reading about the music scene of the 1960s and 1970s and the mentions of bands like Fleetwood Mac. The descriptions of Cass, luminous on stage were so evocative that I could almost hear the songs and smell the cigarette smoke as she sang in bars and clubs.

Greatest Hits is more than a book about music, it is a saga about relationships, family (both those you are born with and those you make for yourself), love, hate and addiction. I couldn’t put this book down and had to ration it as it was so beautifully written and the temptation to gobble it up in one sitting was strong. This is a book that should be savoured.

Wow! What can I say about this book? It is my best read so far this year. It took me a chapter to get into the book, but from then on I couldn't put it down. The book is the story of Cass Wheeler's life, a singer songwriter with a life full of ups and downs. The story is told as flashbacks when the old Cass is creating a soundtrack of her life from her old songs. I was so caught up in the story that I caught my self thinking I should check out Cass's songs and see if she still played at Union Chapel. Clearly silly thoughts as this is fiction novel, I was so surprised and happy to learn in the end notes that a soundtrack to this book actually had been recorded by Kathryn Williams and it will be released on the same day as the book! I will purchase the soundtrack when released.

Once a famous singer/songwriter, a British rival to Joan Baez or Joni Mitchell, Cass Wheeler has been living a lonely, reclusive life following a personal tragedy and time spent in re-hab. Now she's ready to make a come back. A new album is recorded, a launch party planned, but first Cass wants to spend a day in the studio listening to her old records and picking out the ones that she considers to be her 'greatest hits' - not the ones that sold best but those that are more personal and private, representing key moments in her life. Over the course of the day, listening to her old songs, Cass revisits her fractured childhood, headstrong teenage years, meteoric rise to fame, and the troubles that seemed to follow fast on its heels.


Now, I loved Laura Barnett's debut novel, The Versions of Us, and the minute I heard there was another on the way, I was eager to read it, but at the same time a little cautious as I often am with second novels, plus I thought the theme of ex-rock-star-making-a comeback was maybe a little predictable. How wrong could I have been? I absolutely love Greatest Hits!

For me, this is a story that comes with a huge slice of nostalgia - Cass is the sort of singer I'd have listened to as a young teen, followed in the music magazines of the day, maybe even dreaming of living a life such as hers - but Greatest Hits isn't just a story of music and fame.

I think without the various time-lines of The Versions of Us, there's more opportunity this time to appreciate the author's writing style, and skill at story-telling. Starting in the present day, Cass's life story unfolds in a series of flashbacks; one thread follows her life from childhood to present day; another the more recent events of the past few months. Moving between the two, like adding the layers and depths to a painting, Barnett builds an intimate portrait of a woman and the events that have shaped her.

From a childhood that feels deprived of love, Cass moves through teenage rebellion, an over-confident belief in her own decision making, and rejection of the people who care most for her, to the heady heights of stardom, with its jealousies and betrayals, till she ends up feeling she may have failed at everything - as daughter, wife, mother, musician. Although there are hints at the tragedy that changed her life, there's still enough mystery shrouding it, and the hope that Cass may find happiness at last, to lure the reader on.

Something that really intrigues me is the way that, not only does each chapter start with the lyrics to one of those 'greatest hits', but Laura Barnett has worked with singer/songwriter Kathryn Williams to have them brought to 'musical' life. An album is to be released shortly after the book's publication but for now you can hear the first song "Common Ground" by following the links on Kathryn Williams web site.


Although the story takes Cass on a journey through loss and grief, the overwhelming mood is upbeat. If you haven't discovered Laura Barnett yet, do read it. It's definitely one for fans of Maggie O'Farrell, but with a musical setting reminiscent of Tiffany Murray's Diamond Star Halo, and deserves to be a huge hit itself!

4.5 stars.

Have you ever read a book featuring a fictional musician and thought 'I wish I could hear their work in real life?' 

Cass Wheeler, the lead character in Laura Barnett's new book, Greatest Hits, had such an interesting, attractive and authentic voice. I felt sure she had to be real and was so disappointed when I discovered that wasn’t the case. Then I read about an innovative project between the author and singer songwriter Kathryn Williams, which will bring the songs from the book to life.

An album of 16 tracks, entitled Songs From The Novel Greatest Hits, with music by Mercury-nominated Kathryn and lyrics by them both, is being released alongside the book. 

How cool is that? I've listened to the first song, Common Ground, from the collaboration and it's perfect. There’s no other way to describe it.

Before we get into more detail, here's the blurb for the book:

One day. 16 songs. The soundtrack of a lifetime...

Alone in her studio, Cass Wheeler is taking a journey back into her past. After a silence of ten years, the singer-songwriter is picking the 16 tracks that have defined her - 16 key moments in her life - for a uniquely personal Greatest Hits album.

In the course of this one day, both ordinary and extraordinary, the story of Cass's life emerges - a story of highs and lows, of music, friendship and ambition, of great love and great loss. But what prompted her to retreat all those years ago, and is there a way for her to make peace with her past?

Daughter. Mother. Singer. Lover. What are the memories that mean the most?

This is Laura’s follow up to the hugely successful The Versions Of Us and I think she has another hit on her hands.

It was one of those books where I was frustrated and, at times, a little bit cross to have to put it down and do real life things.

It’s complex and intense but still flows beautifully. Although it covers several decades, it doesn't feel like there are massive jumps. The book is well researched and steeped in nostalgia (for some reason it made me think about my first clunky old Walkman, which I adored, for the first time in years). It's an altogether unique experience – and that’s before you even get to the music.

As I got further engrossed, I longed to hear Cass sing, which is why I went looking to see if she was a real artist. Instead I discovered the fantastic project between Laura and Kathryn, which surely has to be the next best thing.

When announcing the album, Laura, who is also a freelance journalist, feature writer and theatre critic, said: “From the earliest moment of coming up with the idea for Greatest Hits, it was clear to me that I wanted my character’s musical output to have a life beyond the page. I’ve been a fan of Kathryn’s music for years and I’m so thrilled to be working with her - she’s an absolute magician, and I’m so excited about the creative possibilities posed by drawing literature and music together in this way.”

I’m intrigued to see how the album, which is realeased under the One Little Indian label, does, but one thing is for sure - it’s safe to say Laura, like Cass, is no one hit wonder.

A heart wrenching and emotional read, Cass Wheeler looks back over her life as a musician as she picks her Greatest Hits. Really nicely written, this was a lovely read. I really enjoyed the tie in with the songs and look forward to hearing the accompanying album.

This is a really unusual book it is a memoir about a fictional singer songwriter. The amount of detail that the book gives about the life of Cass and the people in her life it is hard to believe that it is fiction. Cass is looking back over her life and career. Like with most lives there are ups and downs. Cass had some definite hard spells in her life but she was lucky to have some good people in her corner holding her up. An amazing book you don't have to be into music to read this book it is a story of life, relationships ,loves and losses. Fantastic

I loved the idea of this book portraying the soundtrack to someone's life and thought it was fantastic when I found that there is indeed a soundtrack courtesy of Kathryn Williams.
The music is the thread that is used to link Cass Wheelers life story and as we meet each song we learn about the events of that time. I did not always find these jumps in time to flow seamlessly and occasionally backtracked to make sure I was clear on what/where we were. All of Cass' relationships are explored, both personal and professional, and she does not always come out well.
The story belonged to Cass although I warmed to other supporting characters more (such as Johnny, Francis,Irene and Lily) and I really wanted to explore them a little more. Interaction with these characters also made Cass more sympathetic as a character than I often felt she was.
This was an intriguing book but one that I liked rather than loved.

Tender, emotional and gorgeously written, Greatest Hits is a completely compelling read. I was drawn into Cass' world and felt every twist and turn of her life. I particularly loved the use of music to frame the story of her life. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

This was an interesting read for me, I love music as much as I love reading so reading a book about the music industry was bound to be a good fit for me.We all have a musical soundtrack to our lives and this was a good take on an artists soundtrack .I love all sorts of music from quite hard rock to the vast array of singer/songwriters some old school and some more modern ones, I thought this was realistic if a little self indulgent and refreshingly different ,great idea and well executed.Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Cass Wheeler, a much revered and talented singer songwriter, looks back over her life. Now well into her sixties she has arranged to spend a single day all alone in her recording studio preparing her latest and long awaited new album of sixteen of her songs. She is arranging her back catalogue into an honest and unforgiving musical autobiography straight from her heart. It will include tracks from her meteoric rise to stardom tours and some new songs that will tell of her loves, her losses, her highs and her lows, her joy and her heartbreak; each song written and performed by her, reflecting the various milestones in her life.
A massive party has been arranged for afterwards by her loyal and loving PA and friend. Invited are her friends, her fellow musicians, people who have supported her act and journalists. It is a fully fledged reunion to end all reunions and is the first house party she has hosted for a long, long time. It is set to become the party of all parties and to herald the beginning of her musical and emotional comeback after a sabbatical of a decade. Her fans are ecstatic that she is releasing a new album after all of her trials and tribulations.
I really loved the idea of this novel. It was highly original, very emotional and also well written. The story was told through flashbacks, memories, letters and through the songs Cass had written throughout her life. As she said herself, she had no power over what she wrote as the lyrics just came to her. I particularly loved the story of Maria Cassandra’s early life at the vicarage and also the story of her and her daughter. I thought the relationships were very interesting and well observed. I also felt very sorry for Cass as overall her life was sad and filled with drama, not always of her own making. However none of the main characters particularly endeared themselves to me and I found some of them extremely unlikable.
I would like to thank NetGalley and publisher Weidenfeld & Nicolson for my copy of this book sent to me in return for an honest review. It gave great insight into the pressures of celebrity, of jealousy and of ambition. It made me feel quite downhearted but nevertheless I did enjoy reading it.

I really wanted to love this character driven novel. From the title, cover and blurb I expected to love this book, but sadly it was not meant to be. I think one reason may be that I recently read such a beautifully emotional book that I struggled to let go of and failed to fully throw myself into this story. I also wasn’t really that keen on Cass, so I’m sure that shaped my enjoyment of the book. My favourite character was actually her dad, so if anything I wanted to read more about him.

The way this book was written was an interesting one. Cass is in the process of putting together a greatest hits album, and she doesn’t want to choose the most obvious famous songs, but the ones that mean the most to her. Each chapter starts with a song title and lyrics, which then leads on to her memories linked to that song. Her memories cover subjects such as her childhood, relationship with her parents, her first love and beyond.

A singer preparing a comeback looks back on her life, linking in with the songs she wrote at the time. I loved the flashbacks telling the story of her early life but found the parts set in the present day a little dull and the names of the characters confusing, probably because I wasn't engaged enough to concentrate. By the end I didn't really care about her.