Smile for the Cameras: A Novel

An actress desperate to reclaim her fame must survive the real-life plot of the horror movie that made her famous in this psychologically twisted locked-room thriller.

“A gloriously glossy solid slasher with more unexpected twists than a roller coaster . . . Fans of ’90s horror flicks (like me) are going to lap this up.”—John Marrs, USA Today bestselling author of The Family Experiment

A CRIMEREADS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

Twenty years ago, Ella Winters was the it girl. She made a name for herself in Hollywood and throughout America as the sole survivor in the cult-classic slasher Grad Night. But the real horror is what happened when the cameras weren’t rolling—something terrible that Ella and her co-stars agreed never to speak of again. Shortly after the movie’s premiere, Ella disappeared from the acting scene under the pretense of caring for her ailing mother, hoping for a quiet life out of the spotlight to ease her guilty mind.

Since her mother’s passing, Ella has decided to return to the silver screen. And with the cast and crew of Grad Night in the process of filming a reunion documentary, Ella has an express ticket back into Hollywood’s good graces. Weighed down by the secret she’s been keeping all these years, Ella apprehensively makes the trip to the original set—a cabin in rural Tennessee—to reunite with her castmates for the first time in more than a decade. But when the actors begin to meet the same gruesome fates as the characters they originally played, falling victim to someone dressed as the Grad Night villain, it’s clear their secret is out.

Now, the question is: Can the final girl survive one last nightmare?

About the Author :
Miranda Smith writes psychological and domestic suspense novels. Her work often focuses on complicated women, dark impulses, and Southern settings. She is drawn to stories about ordinary people in extraordinary situations.

Review :
“A gloriously glossy solid slasher with more unexpected twists than a roller coaster . . . Fans of ʼ90s horror flicks (like me) are going to lap this up.”—John Marrs, USA Today bestselling author of The Family Experiment

“Miranda Smith takes full command of horror tropes and the ‘final girl’ archetype to tell a story worthy of the big screen. Grab some popcorn and settle in for the isolation thriller of your horror-loving heart.”—Tessa Wegert, author of Death in the Family

“The ideal read for anyone nostalgic for the self-aware camp of ʼ90s slasher films or fans of page-turning psychological thrillers with twists you’ll never see coming.”—Kristen L. Berry, author of We Don’t Talk About Carol

“Utterly addictive . . . This campy, riveting, and bingeworthy novel puts a fresh, bold take on the genre . . . A delicious must-read for summer!”—May Cobb, author of The Hunting Wives