Thank you MB Communications & Gallery Books, #partner, for the finished copy of The Close-Up in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Gallery Books
Published: December 3, 2024
Summary:
A struggling author discovers the dark side of fame when a stalker begins reenacting violent events from her thriller in this electrifying and twisty new novel.
When Zoe Ann Weiss moves to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of becoming a writer, her whole future is wide open. But then Zach, the bartender and aspiring actor she’s falling for, ghosts her. Her debut novel, a thriller, fails. And she has writer’s block worse than ever before. Now, three years later, Zach is famous and Zoe is… not.
She’s facing her thirtieth birthday, a dead-end job at a flower shop, and a demanding agent, terrified she’ll never get her life back on track. But when she goes to make a flower delivery and Zach is at the address, it’s like no time has passed at all. They start casually dating in secret, her writer’s block disappears, and Zoe begins to feel Zach inspired her first novel, so why can’t he inspire her second? But then the inevitable happens and photos are leaked, landing Zoe in the press. Her first novel goes viral, and now everyone seems to know her name. Except the problem with everyone knowing your name is that everyone knows your name—including the mysterious stalker obsessed with Zach. A stalker who begins reenacting violent events from Zoe’s book, step by step, against her…
My thoughts:
This was one of my most anticipated reads this year and it did not disappoint! I became a fan of Pip Drysdale after reading her book, The Sunday Girl, and was so bummed when her next few books were not published here in the states. As soon as I saw this new one was being released here, I’m jumped on requesting an early copy and not only that…I also was able to meet Pip!!!
This book was such a wild ride and I loved every second of it! It delves into the dark & gritty side of Hollywood, showcasing the harsh realities of showbiz and all the PR games that happen. I loved seeing that pitted against Zoe’s own personal battles with her writing. And let’s just talk about that for a moment.. she wrote a thriller about a stalker and then suddenly ends up with one herself! And not only that, but scenes from her book are actually happening to her in real life! Hello creepy!!!
The twists and turns this one takes keeps you fully engaged and while you might not always agree with the characters decisions — there were definitely moments I was shaking my head at Zoe’s choices — I found myself completely invested in what was happening and how it would all be resolved…and what an ending it was!
I love this book and cannot recommend it enough!
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