After reconnecting with an ex--now a Hollywood star--a struggling author discovers the dark side of fame when a stalker begins reenacting violent events from her 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 facing 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 makes a flower delivery and unexpectedly finds Zach at the address, it's like no time has passed. They start casually dating in secret and Zoe starts writing again--the first time she's felt inspired in months. Then the inevitable happens and photos are leaked, landing Zoe in the press. Her first book goes viral, and everyone seems to know her name.
Except the problem with everyone knowing your name is that everyone knows your name--including a mysterious stalker obsessed with Zach. A stalker who starts re-creating violent scenes from Zoe's book, step-by-step. And Zoe knows exactly how this story ends...
About the Author :
Pip Drysdale is an author, musician, and actor. She grew up in Africa, Canada, and Australia, became an adult in New York and London, and lives on a steady diet of coffee, dreams, and literature. All four of her previous novels--The Sunday Girl, The Strangers We Know, The Paris Affair, and The Next Girl--have been bestsellers in Australia. Connect with Pip at PipDrysdale.com or on Facebook and Instagram @PipDrysdale.
Review :
"A dark, witty romp that nails toxic celebrity culture." --People magazine "A hotly anticipated debut novel, complete with a princely advance and a dreamy move to Los Angeles, equals lifelong success, right? Not quite. Books flop, money dries up and the city's bright lights conceal both its dark underbelly and what those in the limelight will do to stay famous . . . With its colorful supporting characters and spectacularly twisty plot, The Close-Up is a fantastic addition to the neo-noir subgenre." --BookPage, starred review
"Steamy, suspenseful, surprising, and meta." --Associated Press
"A writer's life takes a turn for the metafictional in this glossy neo-noir . . . Drysdale's tale takes the form of an after the fact tell-all written by Zoe, characterized by clever foreshadowing and an intoxicating Hollywood buzz. This offers plenty of frothy fun." --Publishers Weekly
"A warped tale of fame and revenge that delivers some real surprises as it answers the question posed by Zoe's stalker: 'R U willing to die for him?'" --Los Angeles Times
"The Close-Up beautifully melds a classic Hollywood thriller with a delightfully modern feat of metafiction." --Criminal Element
"Pip Drysdale's The Close-Up is a brisk, clever story of stalled ambition, celebrity worship, and betrayal." --Shelf Awareness
"Powerful, realistic, and heartbreaking . . . You will be up all night reading this not-to-be-missed novel, which I can say from personal experience." --Bookreporter
"A fast-paced domestic-suspense thriller set in Los Angeles . . . Drysdale portrays the dark side of Hollywood in a book perfect for readers of Jessica Knoll and Megan Collins." --Booklist
"Thoroughly addictive, effortlessly cool, and clever as hell, TCU is both a voyeuristic peek into the world of celebrity and a dark Gatsby-esque critique of the modern American Dream. From the glitter and grime of the LA backdrop to the irresistible voice of the protagonist, every page hums with an energy so delicious that once you start reading you can't stop. Perfectly thrilling, and so much fun." --Anna Downes, international bestselling author of The Safe Place and Red River Road "Pip Drysdale's riveting novel The Close-Up, set in celebrity-soaked Los Angeles, follows the irresistible Zoe whose desperate search for success leads her to the ugly underbelly of Hollywood. Gripping, dark, and thoroughly entertaining, you'll read straight through to the shocking ending." --Mary Dixie Carter, national bestselling author of The Photographer
"Suspenseful and humorous, starring an irresistible underdog heroine, The Close-Up evokes the work of Ruth Ware or Lisa Jewell. Fun and propulsive." --Daniel Kalla, international bestselling author of High Society
"The Close-Up is dark, twisty, glamorous fun. It propels you headlong into a glossy world of fame and fortune, then takes a menacing turn to reveal the violence and darkness lurking behind the facade. A compulsive thriller that really gets under the skin, this book's sure to keep you up all night frantically turning the pages until every last twist is revealed." --Hannah Richell, author of The Search Party
"With twists and turns set against an LA skyline, Pip Drysdale shows that she is the undisputed queen of the sexy-cool thriller." --Hayley Scrivenor, bestselling author of Dirt Creek
"A ripping tale about the fear of failure, the irresistible promise of making it big, and the glitz and grit of L.A. I completely devoured this dark, sexy, and addictive thriller!" --Dinuka McKenzie, bestselling author of Tipping Point
"Gripping, sultry, and ultimately shocking, The Close-Up will bathe you in magic-hour light before it haunts your dreams. Excuse me while I check my door locks." --Ashley Kalagian Blunt, bestselling author of Dark Mode
"An absolutely breathless ride from beginning to end. A twisty thriller with a total bombshell ending!" --Petronella McGovern, author of The Last Trace
"A writer living on the edge, a sexy movie star and a stalker on the prowl. Pip Drysdale delivers with heart-hammering twists, relentless suspense, and a conclusion that everyone will be talking about. I dare you to put this book down." --Loraine Peck, author of Second Son and The Double Bind
