Soul Music

First published in 1994 by Victor Gollancz in the UK. It is the sixteenth Discworld novel and the third in the Death sub-series, after Mort and Reaper Man.

Soul Music is primarily a parody of rock and roll's mythology — the 27 Club, the idea of music as a possessing force, the Elvis phenomenon, Buddy Holly, and the general narrative of rock gods destroyed by their own legend. The band's name 'Insanity' and the character 'Buddy' are direct nods to Buddy Holly.

Susan is Death's granddaughter — the daughter of Mort and Ysabell from the earlier novel Mort. She is rational, competent, deeply irritated by the supernatural, and trying to be normal. She becomes a major recurring character in the Death sub-series.

It rewards knowledge of rock history — references to specific musicians, legendary deaths, and the mythology of rock stardom are richest for music fans. But the story works independently; Susan is one of Pratchett's most compelling new characters regardless of musical background.