The Close-up

Sometimes dreams come true - but so do nightmares ... An electrifying, dark and twisty new thriller from the bestselling author of The Sunday Girl, The Strangers We Know and The Next Girl 'Drysdale shows once again that she is the undisputed queen of the sexy-cool thriller' Hayley Scrivenor Things have not been going well for Zoe Ann Weiss. Once a young novelist full of promise, now she has a failed debut under her belt, a mountain of debt, a dead-end job, and an agent who's about to drop her if she doesn't write something new and brilliant soon. Worst of all, she's blocked. Can't-write-a-word blocked. But all that changes one night when she runs into her old flame, Zach Hamilton. It's like no time has passed at all. They start casually dating, and Zach makes her feel like anything is possible. Like the stars have finally realigned themselves in her favour. Best of all, her writer's block has disappeared. The only issue is Zach isn't just some hot guy with a dream anymore. Now he's a movie star with billboards and PR people and fans and paparazzi ... and even though they're dating in secret, Zoe soon finds herself splashed all over the press. Now everyone seems to know her name. But the problem with everyone knowing your name is that everyone knows your name ... including the stalker who's obsessed with Zach. The stalker who's re-enacting violent, creepy plot twists from Zoe's first novel, exactly how she wrote them - except now, she's the victim. PRAISE 'The Close-Up tells the story of a novelist with what may turn out to be a killer deadline. With twists and turns set against an LA skyline, Pip Drysdale shows once again that she is the undisputed queen of the sexy-cool thriller' Hayley Scrivenor, bestselling author of Dirt Town and Girl Falling 'Thoroughly addictive, effortlessly cool and clever as hell, The Close-Up 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 one you start reading you can't stop. Perfectly thrilling, and so much fun.' Anna Downes, international best-selling author of The Safe Place and Red River Road 'Pip Drysdale is a genre unto herself, the queen of the sexy thriller. 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 'The Close-Up is smart, sexy, original and packs a powerful punch, especially those final few pages ... There was no way in a million years I would have seen that explosive ending coming' Nicola Moriarty, bestselling author of Every Last Suspect 'Dark, twisty, glamorous fun ... 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 '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 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' Starred review, BookPage...