Everyone thinks Hillary starved to death - but Cat knows her friend's dieting wasn't a capital P problem. If beauty kills, it'd take more than that. Hot-headed and fiercely feminist, Cat's sure she can match the investigating skills of Detective Mark Hutton, solve the case, and achieve sartorial fulfillment.
But going undercover, Cat's in over her head, and soon becomes snared in a very stylish web of drugs, sex, lies and moisturizer that will change her look - and outlook - forever.
Cat's about to find out what it really means to be a fashion victim.

I was told this was a comedy, however, the subject matter bothered me and I found no humour in it.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

An interesting read. A satiricial take on the modelling and magazine industry. It was very wordy, making it hard to read at times, but if you enjoy something more chick-flick/chick-lit, this is the book for you!

Devoured (yes, another pun) this one. Couldn't stop laughing - but then, also made me look at things a little differently...

An entertaining and satirical take on the fashion and beauty industry which, in this book at least, is not as bitchy as you might be expecting in view of the fact that it is essentially a fun chick-lit read. The writing is bit too wordy with very long sentences that bothered me a little, as they distracted from the story at times, but overall this is an entertaining, darkly humorous murder mystery where the majority of the victims are more of the fashion kind than the murdered variety.

I went into this book thinking it would be more of a thriller, but it turned out to be a holiday read chick-lit novel instead. As someone who isn't really interested in the fashion world, I think the book catered to a reader with more knowledge of the industry than I do. I did enjoy the relationship between Cat and Bess, and found those segment more enjoyable than the romance between Cat and Detective Mark Hutton.

This story is a mystery story but also an amazing insight into the fashion world and a breakdown of what drives people to do what they do and how society affects those decisions. Very descriptive writing, some strong characters and a compulsive storyline and a good conclusion. Fascinating read.

Apologies. I did not get to review this book before it was archived and, of course, the PDF is now expired so I am unable to read it. Apologies for that, but I wish the book well.

I’ll Eat When I’m Dead begins with the death of Hillary Whitney in a locked office, at her workplace ‘RAGE Fashion Book’. The story follows her colleague and childhood friend Catherine Ono as she struggles to come to terms with Hillary’s death, fights to discover how she dies and battles with her feelings for the investigating detective.

Although the story begins as a typical ‘who done it’ it certainly doesn’t stay that way for long. The book is broken down into three parts, each part having a different focus spanning over several months. We are taken on a long winding journey, not always focusing on but eventually reaching the mystery behind Hillary’s death.

The book centers around Cat and Hillary’s friends both at RAGE and not. I found it hard to differential from one friend to another, they all rolled into one. Bourland never really delved into too much about them, intentional or not it did add to the feel of the book; all friend were slightly different versions of each other, obsessed with losing weight and looking youthful, fighting it out in the competitive world of fashion magazine editing. No one knowing each other too deeply, just a lot of fake personas and perfume.
I think that is why I enjoyed the detective so much. He was a refreshing break from the gaggle of girls and it helped to keep the story grounded.

I did enjoy the book and it will stick with me for a long time, even if that is just because of the strangeness. To begin with the book had a Devil Wears Prada feel about it, set in the fashion industry, focused on looks, weight and wealth. But as the book continues it feels more like I fallen down Alice’s rabbit hole.

But honestly I did enjoy the book. It had a great murder mystery running along side some important themes. I’ll Eat When I’m Dead is definitely different but in an easy, refreshing way and I would 100% recommend to any fans of Sex in The City and The Devil Wears Prada.

I'll Eat When I'm Dead

When a book is described as a cross between The Devil Wears Prada and American Psycho, it makes me want to jump in and read it straight away! This is a fantastic mystery read, a great mix of chick lit, mystery, fun and satire.
It's definitely worth a dip!

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, four shiny stars!

This was a DNf for me. It wasn't what I was expecting at all. I got 22% in. I didn't like Cat at all which didn't help. I may try this one at another time and if I do will be in touch with a review of the completed work.

I really liked the premise of this book and was excited to read a murder mystery with added glamour of the fashion world. However I really struggled to engage with the author's writing style; the frequent overly long descriptions interfered with the story for me and left me frustrated. I'm sure these are intended to highlight the focus on aesthetics within the world of fashion magazines, but for me, sentences that are half a page long and don't tell me anything about the story just don't work. I wasn't able to finish the book, which is rare for me. I have read some great reviews from other readers however so while it didn't work for me, it's still worth a look for anyone who likes the sound of the storyline.

I'll Eat when I'm Dead is a fabulous story ,part fashion part glamour and part mystery .It's The Devil Wears Prada meets Sex and The City with death and mystery and a hunky NYPD Detective adding to the mix .I loved the descriptions of the clothes and the make-up I very much liked Cat and Bess and Mark .The pace of the book was good I found it hard to put down which is always a good sign !!! The ending was very exciting I was sad when the book was finished !!!

I’ll Eat When I’m Dead is a fun read though can be exhausting at times since it was more focused on the fashion world since I was expecting for more mystery. It started out good, however after all that’s in the blurb happened, I grew quite bored and struggled to finish it. But everything picks up again on the last part where another mysterious death happened and everything finally come to light. The plot and setting are sure interesting. The author is knowledgeable in the fashion industry, as she is a fashion columnist, and it evidently shows all over the story. From dropping brand names to how the magazine people aim for a job considered by some as glamorous, how the competition is stiff and how it can take a toll on a girl to stay on top. What I like is the author didn’t only glamorize her characters, although they’re all part of the rich crowd, even the detective. It also shows the other side: crazy parties, drug use, casual sex, anxiety and the pressure to be liked by others. Cat is an interesting main character, but my favorite character is Bess. She is just so chill about everything and yet so smart, too.

Overall though, I still enjoyed this with its The Devil Wears Prada vibe but it was mainly because of the added mystery. Not your usual mystery story but still a nice change. A solid debut novel from Barbara Bourland. I’m pretty sure I’ll Eat When I’m Dead will appeal to fashion fans as there’s a lot of fashion stuff included.

I learnt so much about the inside-view of the magazine and fashion industries from this razor-sharp satire - like reading a book by Tyra Banks en pointe! Scathingly witty, with devastatingly well-dressed principals.

The fashion world and murder collide in this fast paced, darkly funny read set in the world of an exclusive fashion magazine. Part fashion satire, part crime thriller and part love story... this will have you guessing right until the end.

When the senior editor of the magazine is found dead, starved to death, in a locked room it is initially assumed that it is from natural causes. However all may not be what it seems...

The main characters are Cat Ono an editor on the magazine and Mark Hutton the detective assigned to investigate - both characters are well developed and I was genuinely invested in following their stories. I thought Cat was super interesting as she went into the business with ideals and dreams of what she wanted to achieve with regards to empowering women however she quickly got dragged along by the constant pressures of her job and the totally unrealistic expectations on her until she becomes part of the problem she wanted to fight against.

Bourland is an expert in the industry and takes the reader deep into the good and the bad.... drugs, celebs, fashion brands, models, beauty expectations... most especially the constant pressure to stay thin.

I really enjoyed this book and will be looking out for more from this author - I definitely think there is more to both Cat and Marks journey...

Fun book to read with all the background that the writer has on her, she might have written some things true (she might have seen or heard). Easy reading.

The comparison to The Devil Wears Prada and American Psycho is quite accurate. I'll Eat When I'm dead borders on satire while also revolving around a mysterious death leaving everyone wondering: death by eating disorder caused by pressuring society or something more sinister such as murder? The story is interesting bringing to the table an interesting commentary on the fashion industry, though it is never quite clear what the author is trying to say regarding the lifestyle. There are namedrops and brands throughout making it fun for fashion-buffs. The book itself borders on chick lit. If you're looking for a fun beach read, this could be a great one to check out.

A good solid fast paced read , the fashion industry shown at is most awful with hateful characters and cringe making descriptions of working conditions within a close network of evil secrets .

Barbara Bourland, a renowned fashion columnist and industry expert, has written a bitingly funny and canny satire on the huge behemoth that is the fashion industry. It begins with the death of Hillary Whitney in a locked room in the offices of the magazine. RAGE Fashion Book. She appears to have suffered from a heart attack induced by her extreme eating disorders. After a donation to NYPD and the discovery of a note written by Hillary, the case is reopened. The good looking and ambitious detective, Mark Hutton, investigates, aiming to ascertain whether there is more to the death of Hillary.

Catherine 'Cat' One had known Hillary since her schooldays and is a senior editor at the magazine. She wants to know what happened to Hillary and embarks on a rollercoaster of a relationship with Mark Hutton. Cat and Bess Bonner decide to get to the bottom of the mystery of Hillary's death, only to find themselves out of their depth and mired in trouble. There is the the illegal use of drugs in products that lead to addiction by a cosmetics company. We have Cat justifying the importance of the fashion conscious industry. There are non stop digs on brands, drug-taking, celebrity, socialites, party girls, models, the expectations to be ever thinner at all costs and be up to date on fashion trends. Cat's work turns out to develop, to be more driven, highly stressed, pressurised and competitive in the age of social media and new start ups like Mania.

This is a light-hearted and entertaining read packed with comic humour and cutting jibes, the subject matter treads similar ground to The Devil Wears Prada. There are numerous threads in the novel and the mystery aspect of it is downgraded as a sideshow to the central focus on the shortfalls of the fashion industry. Bourland comes at the story from a place with ethics and principles but on occasion it was tiring to be bombarded with endless satire. Nevertheless, I found the book to be an interesting and enjoyable read. Thanks to Quercus for an ARC.