American Barbara Bourland was formerly a freelance writer for magazines like Conde Nast, Oprah Magazine, Forbes Traveler and worked in web production for the O Network. Her debut novel I’ll Eat When I’m Dead (2017) and is the perfect murder mystery that combines Bourland’s love of the fashion industry with her colorful imagination. The book is set at a high-end fashion magazine and throughout, readers get a glimpse into the “Devil Wears Prada” cutthroat environment that is a mix of glamour and horror. Satirical, sharp, witty, and impossible to put down this is a book you can’t miss.
Drugs, lies, sex, fashion, murder, and moisturizer are all part and parcel of life at RAGE Fashion Book where the protagonist, Catherine Ono, works. Every morning the shiny, beautiful, and fashion-forward staff enter the Sixth Ave office in New York City in order to craft a posh fashion magazine. Most days are high-paced until the death of a co-worker slows things down exponentially and shines a light on toxic diet culture. Hillary Whitney’s death is ruled as a diet-related misfortune but how did 37-year old Hillary really die? Catherine Ono, or Cat, is not buying it and knows her best friend was a victim of something more sinister.
Set over three months, the book is fast-paced with a lot of twists and turns— plus insider details into the world of fashion and the multi-million dollar industry behind it. Boruland uses her savvy to comment on the contradictory nature of the fashion world using Cat and Hilary as “fashion victims” in a compelling read. The impact of social media, the cult of celebrity, eating disorders, drugs use, and the productions of garments are all woven into the narrative giving the book the glitz and glamour readers want with the essential questions about ethics, honesty, and sustainability necessary for us to be asking in 2021.
