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The Close-Up

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About The Book

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 wonder: 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...

About The Author

Katie Kaars

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.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Gallery Books (December 3, 2024)
  • Length: 352 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781668037942

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Raves and Reviews

"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

“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 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

“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

"Throughly 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

"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

"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, internationally best-selling author of High Society

“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

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