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Book Review of The Triumph of Katie Byrne

The Triumph of Katie Byrne
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Seventeen year old Katie Byrne stands shivering in the cold Connecticut woods, her flashlight illuminating a scene out of a nightmare. Carly, one of her two closet friends, lies beaten and unconcious, her face covered in blood. Moments later, the horror escalates when Katie's brother discovers the lifeless body of Denise, the third member of their inseparable trio. Nearby is the old barn where only hours before the three girls joyfully rehearsed Shakespearean speeches for an upcoming school performance. For Katie, who returned to the makeshift theater to retrieve schoolbooks she had forgotten in her haste to get home early, the tragedy marks the end of a long-shared dream. The girls began acting together as ten-year olds with stars in their eyes, fantasizing about the day they would all move to New York and take Broadway by storm. Now, only Katie can realize the dream.
Ten years later, Katie, a tall, lanky beauty with reddish-gold hair, is a struggling actress in New York. Haunted by the memory of Denise's death and by thoughts of Carly, who still lies in a coma, she longs for the fame and celebrity they imagined together so long before. After an acclaimed performance, Katie finally wins a starring role on Broadway and begins a promising love affair. But before she can step into the spotlight, Katies must escape the dark shadows of the past.