Chasing Stardust

A Novel

By: Erica Lucke Dean

Narrated by: Cicely Meadows

A funny and heartfelt novel about learning who your parents are as people, finding yourself, and falling in love in the strangest places—with a David Bowie soundtrack of a lifetime.

A crazy promise is still a promise. Zoey Jones is spreading her late mother’s ashes along a path her eccentric grandma G-Lo followed in 1972: David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust tour. G-Lo was no ordinary groupie. According to her, Zoey’s mom was conceived somewhere between Memphis and Malibu, and Zoey’s grandpa is the glam rock icon himself. Revving up G-Lo’s old Cutlass, complete with her mother’s journal and a Ziggy Stardust 8-track, Zoey hits the open road.

After breaking down outside Nashville, Zoey is weighing her next move when she makes an immediate connection with Dash Hammond at an all-night diner. Dash is a college graduate fleeing the expectations of his family just as fiercely as Zoey tries to make sense of her own family’s colorful past. He offers to drive Zoey on the remainder of a life-changing road trip, and it’s more epic than Zoey ever dreamed.

What lies ahead is a cross-country journey of self-discovery, first love, glittering revelations, and finding the heart of a rebel that’s been beating inside Zoey the whole time.

©2025 by Erica Lucke Dean. (P)2025 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Chasing Stardust is a sweet, funny, and emotional journey that leaves you feeling inspired (and maybe humming a little Bowie along the way).”—Kelly Stone Gamble, USA Today bestselling author of They Call Me Crazy

“A witty romp through rock and roll lore and collective grief that warmly encompasses the things we do to connect with our loved ones, even the ones we aren’t sure we like.”—Lesley Gray Streeter, Author of Life & Other Calamities

“A young woman’s pilgrimage to spread her mother’s ashes along the route of a long-ago David Bowie tour becomes something more than fulfilling a dying wish. With humor and a keen eye for life’s bittersweet moments, Erica Lucke Dean crafts a road trip story, a mother-daughter tale, and a coming-of-age narrative all rolled into one glitter-dusted package. Chasing Stardust is funny, fast-paced, and full of heart.”—Jennifer Klepper, USA Today bestselling author of The Last Road Trip

unique storyline

book had a good good storyline, moved along, characters were relatable. entertaining, would recommend this to friends

Cute Premise for a Bowie Fan

Okay this was the algorithm doing its thing. I live David Bowie and I enjoy a fluffy rom-com, too. This was both. There is a predictable plot here, but it takes some turns that you don’t see coming. The performer was solid, although I sped it up a bit.

Very enjoyable.

I agree with many of these reviews. I enjoyed it. A bit fluffy, but Bowie fans would enjoy this light hearted tribute. I like how the protagonist has the opportunity to transform herself, get to know her mother and herself as individuals, as well as make peace with her mother’s death and memory. This particularly grabbed me as it took a long time for me to make peace with my mother after her unexpected death from cancer.

Very fun!

The narrator was excellent - overall a fun, at times heartwarming book. And I did laugh out loud several times - if you’re looking for a light read with some road trip adventure, grief and healing, and an ending that’ll make you smile, this book’s for you. ❤️

talk about whimsical

This thing was a word child for the flower children of all ages. Hints at the greats are almost unbeknownst to the author, their subtlety so great.