The following roundup was published or updated in several Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia newspapers and magazines in November and December 2024. The review for this book will be updated upon publication date.

Booking a full year of reading

Review by Tom Mayer

If only us readers could just spend our days … reading. What would a year look like? Here, the editors of Home for the Holidays present their yearlong list of books, culled from the past 12 months of reading and reviewing. A few of the titles you’ll immediately recognize, and you’ll likely have more than few in your own library. But just in case you missed a title or two, we’re showcasing the whole year’s worth of books that we’ve read and reviewed, month by month.

Except for the first title, the list is simply a list. To find the reviews of many of these titles, visit our newspaper parent, The (Athens) News Courier at enewscourier.com — with a slight caveat. Our newspaper webmasters are currently working overtime to improve our content management system, the foundation of any website, and while many of our archives are now found there, it may be a few weeks before everything is fully re-uploaded — including the most recent editions of Limestone Life and Home for the Holidays. For now, though, enjoy our literary stroll through 2024.

And about that first title: Not every college professor can make statistical analysis approachable, let along interesting to their students and the general population, but Athens State University emeritus professor of psychology Mark Durm is not every college professor. After spending nearly five decades teaching thousands of students, the “ol’ psychology professor” decided that he’d best get around to writing the one book out of his nearly 100 published pieces that’s he always wanted to write. Call it a legacy piece, but what it really is is a “best of” Durm’s peer-reviewed, book reviews, non-peer reviewed and magazine articles from his 47 years in higher education.

The result is “Professional Publications of an Ol’ Psychology Professor” (Dorrance) with full previously published articles ranging from studies on the effects of glasses on a child’s self-esteem to his ever-popular parapsychology pieces, Durm presents his internationally recognized efforts with a twist.

“It’s a different kind of book because it doesn’t talk about the research, it presents the research,” the professor says from his second-career office at Durm Properties in Athens, about a half-mile from where he first presented that research in person. “I’ve spent hours on all of these articles, especially in the peer-reviewed journal articles.”

And so, articles on divorce, sex, religion and other topics now populate the pages of Durm’s most recent book in an effort to both continue his teaching and satisfy what has been a lifelong wonderment.

“You know, most people don’t understand statistics, so it’s all in there,” Durm said. “What I’m trying to do is a more critical approach to ‘just don’t believe everything you’re told.’ … It’s things that were in my life that I wanted to see if they were so, by using a psychological analysis.”

And like any good professor, Durm didn’t do that research on his own — or take all of the credit. Among the co-authors of many of his articles in the book were students — many of who he’s lost touch with, but all of whom who he credits by name in his acknowledgements and for each of who, if they look up their ol’ mentor, he has a signed book ready to hand over. For the rest of us, you can find the book at any online bookseller — just as you can with the remainder of our list, presented by the month in which the book was published, read and reviewed.

JANUARY

Unbound (Blackstone) by Christy Healy NG/F

The Devil’s Daughter by Gordon Greisman NG/ARC

FEBRUARY

Almost Surely Dead (Mindy’s Book Studio) by Amina Akhtar NG

The Chaos Agent (Gray Man 13) (Berkley) by Mark Greaney NG

The Lady in Glass and Other Stories (Ace) by Anne Bishop ARC

A Haunting in the Arctic (Berkley paperback) by C.J. Cooke NG

Ghost Island (Berkley) by Max Seeck

MARCH

Hello, Alabama (Arcadia) by Martha Day Zschock

The Unquiet Bones (Montlake) by Loreth Anne White

I am Rome: A novel of Julius Caesar (Ballantine Books by Santiago PosteguilloMarch 5: Murder Road (Berkley) by Simone St. James

The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry (Holiday House) by Anna Rose Johnson

Ferris (Candlewick) by Kate DiCamillo

After Annie (Random House, Feb. 27) by Anna Quindlen

Crocodile Tears Didn't Cause the Flood (Montag Press) by Bradley Sides The #1 Lawyer (Little, Brown and Company) by James Patterson, Nancy Allen

Lilith (Blackstone) by Eric Rickstad

Life: My Story Through History (Harper One) by Pope Francis

APRIL

Matterhorn (Thomas & Mercer) by Christopher Reich

Friends in Napa (Mindy’s Book Studio) by Sheila Yasmin Marikar

City in Ruins (William Morrow) by Don Winslow

The House on Biscayne Bay (Berkley) by Chanel Cleeton

Two Friends, One Dog, and a Very Unusual Week (Peachtree) by Sarah L. Thomson

For Worse (Blackstone) by L.K. Bowen

A Killing on the Hill (Thomas & Mercer) by Robert Dugoini

The Clock Struck Murder (Poisoned Pen Press) by Betty Webb

The Book That Broke the World (Ace) by Mark Lawrence

The Forgetters (Heyday Books) by Greg Sarris

Lost to Dune Road (Thomas & Mercer) by Kara Thomas

Warrior on the Mound (Holiday House/Peachtree) by Sandra Headed

Pictures of Time (Silver Street Media) by David AlexanderBare Knuckle (Blackstone Publishing) by Stayton Bonner

Murder on Demand (Blackstone Publishing) by Al Roker

Home is Where the Bodies Are (Blackstone) by Jeneva Rose

MAY

Matterhorn by Christopher Reich

The Hunter's Daughter (Berkley) by Nicola Solvinic

The House That Horror Built (Berkley) by Christina Henry

In our stars (Berkley) by Jack Campbell

Freeset (book 2) (Blackstone) by Sarina Dahlan

Southern Man (William Morrow) by Greg Iles

Camino Ghosts (Doubleday) by John Grisham

JUNE

Specter of Betrayal by Rick DeStefanis

Lake County (Thomas & Mercer) by Lori Roy

Serendipity (Dutton) by Becky Chalsen

Shelterwood (Ballantine) by Lisa Wingate

The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra’s Needle (Holiday House) by Dan Gutman

Jackpot (Penguin) by Elysa Friedland

The Helper (Blackstone) by M.M. Dewil

Winter Lost (Ace) by Patricia Briggs

Shadow Heart (Blackstone) by Meg Gardiner

Lake Country (Thomas & Mercer) by Lori Roy

The Out-of-Town Lawyer (Blackstone) by Robert Rotten

Love Letter to a Serial Killer (Berkley) by Tasha Coryell

Sentinel Berkley) by Mark Greaney

JULY

Three Kings: Race, Class, and the Barrier-Breaking Rivals Who Redefined Sports and Launched the Modern Olympic Age (Blackstone) by Todd Balf

The Night Ends with Fire (Berkley) by K.X. Song

Echo Road (Montlake) by Melinda Leigh

It’s Elementary (Berkley) by Elise Bryant

You Shouldn’t Be Here (Thomas & Mercer) by Lauren Thoman

Back In Black (Blackstone) edited by Don Bruns

The Recruiter (Blackstone) by Gregg Podolski

AUGUST

You Shouldn’t Be Here (Thomas & Mercer) by Lauren Thoman ARC

Not What She Seems (Thomas & Mercer) by Yasmin Angoe NG

Fatal Intrusion by Jeff Deaver/Isabella Maldonado

Death at Morning House (HARPERTeen) by Maureen Johnson

Fire and Bones (Scribner) by Kathy Reichs

Some Nightmares Are Real (University of Alabama Press) by Kelly Kazoo

The Brothers Kenny (Blackstone) by Adam Mitzner

Blind to Midnight (Blackstone) by Reed Farrel Coleman

The Wayside (Blackstone) by Carolina Wolff

Enemy of the State (Blackstone) by Robert Smartwood

You Will Never Be Me (Berkley) by Jesse Q. Sutanto

On Settler Colonialism: Ideology, Violence, and Justice (W.W. Norton) by Adam Kirsch

We Love the Nightlife (Berkley) by Rachel Koller Croft

Talking To Strangers (Berkley) by Fiona Barton

An Honorable Assassin (Blackstone) by Steve Hamilton possible interview see email

Dungeon Crawler Carl (1 of 6 but see next two months) (Ace) by Matt Dinniman

SEPTEMBER

Fatal Intrusion (Thomas & Mercer) by Jeffrey Deaver and Isabella Maldonado

When They Last Saw Her (Penguin) by Marcie Rendon

American Ghoul (Blackstone) by Michelle McGill-Vargas

First Do No Harm (Blackstone) by Steve Hamilton

A Quiet Life: A Novel (Arcade) by William Cooper and Michael McKinley

One More From the Top (Mariner) by Emily Layden

No Address (Forefront Books) by Ken Abraham.

Tiger’s Tale (Blackstone) by Colleen Houck

An Academy for Liars (Ace) by Alexis Henderson

Rewitched (Berkley) by Lucy Jane Wood

Gaslight (Blackstone) by Sara Shepard and Miles Joris-Peyrafitte

Counting Miracles (Random House) by Nicholas Sparks

The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society (Ace) by C.M. Waggoner

The Hitchcock Hotel (Berkley) by Stephanie Wrobel

In the Garden of Monsters by Crystal King

Carl’s Doomsday Scenario (2 of 6 see next month also) (Ace) by Matt Dinniman

OCTOBER

The Hushed (Blackstone) by K.R. Blair NG

A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer (Berkley) by Maxie Dara

On Settler Colonialism: Ideology, Violence, and Justice (Norton) by WSJ Weekend review editor Adam Kirsch

Framed (Doubleday) by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey

This Cursed House (Penguin) by Del Sandeen

The Puzzle Box (Random House) by Danielle Trussoni

Two Good Men (Blackstone) by S.E. Redfearn

Dark Space (Blackstone) by Rob Hart and Alex Segura

This Cursed House (Berkley’s open submission)by Del Sandeen

Vindicating Trump (Regnery) by Dinesh D’Souza

The Book of Witching (Berkley) by C.J. Cooke

The World Walk (Skyhorse) by Tom Turcich

The Waiting Game by Michael Connelly  ARC, possible interview see email

Beyond Reasonable Doubt (Thomas & Mercer) by Robert Dugoni

Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook (3 of 6, with bonus material) (Ace) by Matt Dinniman

Frozen Lives (Blackstone) by Jennifer Graeser Fronbush NG

Vincent, Starry Starry Night (Meteor 17 Books) intro by Don McLean

Paris in Winter: An Illustrated Memoir (PowerHouse Books) by David Coggins

NOVEMBER

The Waiting (Little, Brown) by Michael Connelly

The Teller of Small Fortunes (Penguin) by Julie Long

Shadow Lab (Blackstone) by Brendan Deneen

Trial by Ambush (Thomas & Mercer) by Marcia Clark

Devil Take It (Heresy Press) by Daniel Debs Nossiter

SerVant of Earth (Ace) by Sarah Hawley

All the other me (Blackstone) by Jody Holford

The Perfect Marriage (Blackstone reissue re-edit) by Jenny Rose

DECEMBER

Trial By Ambush (Thomas & Mercer) by Marcia Clark

The Close-Up (Gallery Books) by Pip Drysdale

The Silent Watcher (Thomas & Mercer) by Victor Methos

Leviathan (Lividian Trade HC) by Robert McCammon

The Silent Watcher (Thomas & Mercer) by Victor Method

Assume Nothing (Thomas & Mercer) by Joshua Corin

One example link:
https://enewscourier.com/2024/11/29/in-review-booking-a-full-year-of-reading/

Many thanks to NetGalley, Gallery Books and MBC Books for gifting me a digital ARC of this wonderful twisty book by Pip Drysale. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Zoe Ann Weiss moved to LA to pursue her dream of a writer. Her first book, Fractured, had great promise which sales didn’t support. She met Zach, a bartender, and felt such chemistry, but he ghosted her. Three years later, Zach is a famous movie star and Zoe is working at a flower shop. Her deadline for her sophomore book has come and gone and Zoe Ann has writer’s block in all caps. But when she meets Zach again on a flower delivery, things seem just as magical as they were before. Zoe felt Zach inspired her first novel and things he can once again be her muse. Until things fall apart in a very scary way.

This was such a twisty book, basically a book within a book, which is always fun, especially when it’s so well done. Plus, my mind was blown by the epilogue! The characters felt real to me, and I could feel Zoe’s frustration as well as her fear. The whole stalker theme is so scary and Zoe's fear felt palpable. You weren't sure quite what to believe and my feelings came and went about who I could trust. Another fabulous read by this author - I loved her previous book, The Sunday Girl, as well.

I had a feeling when I started reading this book that I had read it before. As I continued though, I started to see some really nuanced newness. A writer who falls on hard times is not new. The main character is not especially empowering. She makes so many ultra-stupid mistakes. The idea of a novel being acted out in real life is not new, but the stalker isn't being terribly strict. So what is happening with all of these convergences of the familiar? Take a nice weekend day and read about it. I was pretty satisfied by what happened with every single character. Maybe almost.

I am obsessed with this book! From the very first page I was absolutely enthralled and totally caught up in Zoe’s life. Her voice was so strong, even if she was a little bit frustrating at times and I could feel her emotions throughout the book. The premise was fantastic as well, Zoe wrote a thriller about a stalker and suddenly scenes from the book are happening to her in real life. So creepy and unique. This was unhinged and twisty and very addictive, I did not want to put it down and found myself rushing to get back to it anytime I had a chance. The ending was totally unexpected for me, I never saw it coming and that’s always a great thing when I’m reading a thriller. If you like books about obsession, Hollywood fame, and stalkers this was excellent and I’ll be seeking out the authors previous books asap.

What a wild ride through the gritty side of fame!

Zoe Ann Weiss falls for a bartender when she first moves to LA to finish writing her first novel. Then her novel flops, bartender Zach ghosts her, and he becomes wildly famous. Three years later, she can't shake her writer's block for the second book she's on contract to write, but finds her creativity re-ignited when she crosses paths with Zach again. When photos of her with Zach are leaked to the press, he shuts her out, and her first book goes viral. But along with the virality of the book comes a stalker who starts reenacting scenes from Zoe's novel Fractured. Now, she must figure out who is copying her book and why before she ends up in more and more dangerous situations.

I loved the voicey narration of Zoe as the main character, the sharp takes on fame and LA, and the increasingly creepy stakes of a violent stalker! Fans of Hollywood thrillers and books with books in them will love this one!

Holy amazeballs of craziness, what did I just read?! From the slow burn start to the adrenaline-fueled climax, Pip Drysdale and The Close-Up certainly had my attention. I mean, there simply are no words, but I promise that I’ll do my best just the same. Starting off as a tale of suspense, I quickly fell in love with the dynamite protagonist and original narrative voice. As the plot picked up speed, however, it transitioned into a heart-pumping tale of stalking and more. Plus, who doesn’t love that amazing book within a book feel? All told, I fell head over heels with this new-to-me author.

I’ve got to say, the premise had me hooked, but—for once—the reality managed to eclipse the synopsis. From the paparazzo to the McHottie movie star, there was that delicious L.A. setting that I absolutely love to binge. On top of that, the trajectory of the plot was simply divine. Starting off slow and ending with a multitude of fast-paced killer twists, there wasn’t a shot in hell of me figuring it all out before the final timely reveal. And let me tell you, that conclusion? It was *chef’s kiss* sublime. Finishing with a WTF move, I had quite the smile on my face as I read the last handful of pages.

All said and done, I’m now heading back and reading Ms. Drysdale’s entire backlist ASAP. With tons of foreshadowing, immersive storytelling, and just the right amount of over-the-top moments, it simply couldn’t have been better. Well, except perhaps for the few instances of too many extraneous details. Even that, however, didn’t bother me in the slightest. After all, with a mildly—and delightfully—unhinged writer taking center stage, it just couldn’t go wrong. I especially loved the metafiction angle and underlying web of deceit. All together? It was an utter home run, no ifs, ands, or buts. Rating of 4.5 stars.

Thank you to Pip Drysdale, Gallery Books, MBC Books, and NetGalley for my complimentary copies. All opinions are my own.

I have to say, this story felt pretty familiar—nothing I haven’t read before. It follows the classic mystery formula: a writer stumbles upon something significant, writes about it unknowingly, and that’s the end. Unfortunately, the characters didn’t really stand out for me. They weren’t particularly intriguing or relatable, and the plot lacked originality.

Zoe, the main character, was quite bland. I get that maybe the author was going for a dramatic effect by making her seem boring but still capable of uncovering something remarkable. Still, it just didn’t land for me. The whole thing felt unoriginal and left me wanting more depth and excitement. Not the most memorable read, in my opinion.


I would like to express my deep gratitude to Gallery Books and NetGalley for their generosity in allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love an unreliable narrator…& Zoe was a great one! She meets, Zach, a huge movie star (& her 3-day one night stand from a few years ago) & gets sucked into his celebrity life. She is a novelist struggling to write her 2nd big hit…but, when her photo is splashed on gossips mags she finds her self with a stalker…who is getting their moves from her book!!

This was soooo twisty! I loved it! Zoe was super unreliable & I loved it! I sometimes didn’t know if she was crazy or if the whole thing would end up being fake. I loved the ending & the epilogue was on point! Wow! Well done Pip!

📚 PRE-PUBLICATION BOOK REVIEW 📚

The Close-Up By Pip Drysdale
Publication Date: December 3, 2024
Publisher: Gallery Books

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

📚MY REVIEW:

"Wow. Wow wow wow. Wow."

-Actual quote from me as I finished this book

Friends, it's been a while since a book has captivated my attention in a way The Close Up just did. When I tell you this book was UNPUTDOWNABLE, I mean that - quite literally - I could not put it down and nothing else existed around me until I finished this book.

I was immediately sucked into the story and all of its suspense. This read just oozed that unhinged vibe we're all craving when we pick up a new thriller. It created a constant feeling that something terrible was waiting around every corner, and the pages turned ferociously as I held my breath to see what came next.

This story's protagonist is Zoe, an aspiring author whose first novel didn't do as well as predicted, and who is desperately searching for the next big idea for her sophomore book. Zoe is that every form, main character you genuinely root for from the very start. Set with the backdrop of the Los Angeles skyline and the warm orange-gold glows of Hollywood sunsets, the setting itself was a character that evoked a certain vibe across the pages. Throw in the gossip of a salacious Page Six storyline, the possibility of dreams coming true in Hollywood, a stalker, a secret relationship, Internet trolls, and the narcissisism of a host of shady supporting characters.... And well, it's easy to see how this book had me wrapped around its every brilliant word.

The Close-Up is a tantalizing deliciousness of unhinged and unexpected intrigue and suspense. Trust me when I say you will absolutely have serious FOMO if you don't get this book on your TBR list right now. Hang on, don't just add it to your TBR list - I recommend you read it right now. Seriously. If I knew this book was going to be as incredible as it was, I wouldn't have waited even one minute to start reading it.

Mark this one down on my short list of favorite reads of 2024 - it's ridiculously good! A huge thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and the author herself for this gifted advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest review. I'll be buying this gem of a read for my bookshelf when it publishes in December.

#TheCloseUp #PipDrysdale #GalleryBooks #fivestarreads #MUSTREADS #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #ARC #thrilleraddict #thrillerlover #unputdownable #booklover #bookreviews #bookrecs #bookrecommendations

Debut author Zoe starts seeing an ex who is now a Hollywood star. She soon discovers the dark side of fame when a stalker begins reinacting scenes from her thriller novel.

If you can get past a character making obviously bad decisions over and over, this is a great read. There’s a bit of “book about a book” subplot to it, plus a whole lot of other fun themes like stalking, celebs and paparazzi, and some major action at the end. I loved the ending, which completely shocked me but also wrapped up the theme of the novel perfectly.

“Every Hollywood day turns to Hollywood night, eventually. And every single one of us is lured there by the magic-hour light.”

The Close-Up comes out 12/3.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the advanced reader copy

This book had my heart racing with each page turn. It's hard to feel surprised by thrillers these days, with so many of them out there, but Pip Drysdale managed to keep me on my toes. There were really smart twists that felt surprising but also plausible and the ending surprised me in a way that I'm still thinking about.

This was a slow burn for me but once I got into it, I couldn't put it down. Zoe is turning 30 and she has a dream of becoming an author. Things start happening when she started to date a celebrity. I thought I figured things out but I was totally wrong. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy.

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Zoe Weiss moved from London to Los Angeles with the dream of publishing a book - and her dream came true! Unfortunately, her debut novel, “Fractured”, was a flop and now three years later, her agent and editor are on her back to give them a second story. Zoe has a tremendous case of writer’s block though, so until she can figure out a plot for her sophomore novel, she’s working at a flower shop…until fate comes knocking…

Right when she moved to LA, she met a bartender named Zach Hamilton. They had three phenomenal days together, then he completely ghosted her and became a huge movie star. Now, years later, Zoe is making a floral delivery when she runs into Zach, who is now a multimillionaire and household name. She’s hoping he won’t even remember her, but not only does he remember, he seems happy to see her and invites her to his house. After she signs a non-disclosure agreement, they begin dating again, and Zoe’s writer’s block is disappearing. Zach was her muse for her first book, and NDA or not, he will be the inspiration for her new book as well.

Things are fine until nude pictures of her and Zach in his pool end up on Page Six, and a heart is found on her windshield…just as the stalker in her first book put a heart on a car. Then, when Zoe is doxxed and gets a message asking if she would die for Zach, she realizes that’s the second threat from her book. It looks as though she now has a stalker of her own, who is reenacting every crazy thing from “Fractured”. This is scary, because at the end of that book, the stalking victim dies. Meanwhile, Zoe keeps writing about what’s happening to her, knowing her second book will be a bestseller because it’s all true.

I love books about writers, and Zoe was a good character. She feels out of place in LA, she knows some people but doesn’t really have any real friendships, and her frustration and fear over her second book is making her freeze up. She’s a slightly unreliable narrator, but she knows it and embraces it while writing her second book, which is eventually titled “The Close-Up”. The ending of this was also good, though I wish the epilogue went into more detail. This was a very quick and entertaining read with quirky characters and a great plot! 4.5 stars.

(Thank you to Gallery Books, Pip Drysdale and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on December 3, 2024.)

What a wild RIDEEE! I absolutely LOVED the journey we took with Zoe, from the beginning to the end, I really felt I was in the book, standing next to her, going through each trial with her. My jaw was on the FLOOR when the plot twists kept dropping! Just when I thought I saw it coming and had it figured out, I was WRONG! I love when a book keeps me on my toes! Really fun, great read, excellent pacing…just an overall great book!

The only thing I would have loved to have gotten more of, was Zach and Zoe’s 3 days together in the beginning, just to better understand why Zoe was so infatuated with him, outside of Will and Wills treatment of her. Otherwise, so good!

Are you ready for your close up? get set for a thrill ride into the dark side of Hollywood. Behind the glitz and glamour there is an ugly truth and you are going to love it. Pip, you absolute star, you have smashed it and then some with The Close Up, just sensational ❤️

What is not to love about this wild and twisty thriller. Set in Hollywood, a struggling writer with serious writers block is now working as a florist. Her 30th birthday changes everything for her, chance encounter with a former love sends Zoe on a crazy journey. With Hollywood stars, stalkers and danger, this is a book that you need to clear your schedule for. Believe me, you will not want to put it down.

Our protagonist, Zoe, is a frustrating character at times, but it hard not to love her and want her to do well. You will be yelling at her with some of her life choices. But at the same time, she knows what is right and wrong but situations make her act like a crazy woman at times.

Pip Drysdale has been on my must read list ever since her first book came out, and this book may be my favourite yet! If you haven’t read this author then you need to change that immediately.

This book was a solid three stars for me. Entertaining, interesting and the best part was last part of the book. It was slow to get to the excitement, but once there, I whipped through it!

This was a pretty easy read that sucked me in. The main character isn’t really the most likable person and she does make some questionable choices but you do sympathize with her. The one thing I kept going back and forth on was if she actually has feelings for Zach. The twist was a big one I didn’t see coming at all. The ending was a great way to tie everything together. I enjoyed this!

Fast moving, funny and ironic voice in the narrator as she struggles with writers block, her ambitions, her love life and a dangerous stalker. I think my students will like it, it has an unusual format which I don't want to spoil and left me thinking, which is always a good thing

I enjoy a slow burn but this one was a bit too slow for me. I wasn’t invested until about the last 20% of the book. I found it to be a little too wordy and descriptive but I loved the ending! Not at all what I expected and made the whole book worth it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Close-Up.

The premise sounded intriguing, but then when I realized it might be because I've read novels with similar plots.

A struggling (insert occupation) who was once a rising star (insert industry) gets caught up with a charismatic (insert name of sociality, frenemy, girl or boyfriend) and is soon (stalked, harassed) by a stalker (someone from the past or a person the main character definitely knows).

First, Zoe is annoying, She's not an interesting or compelling character. I didn't feel sorry for her, nor like or dislike her. She was just ordinary.

Second, the writing is wordy, overly descriptive, and repetitive; how many times can Zoe feel sick? Seriously, I read that line half a dozen times.

The pacing is slow and drags as Zoe keeps worrying about her draft, her writer's block, her writing group and nemesis, Sophie.

The narrative lacks urgency and suspense; you can see every 'twist' coming and so can Zoe since they're pulled right from her first book.

No one is interesting or likable, not Zach or Will. Maybe Vee.

The epilogue is a bit of a surprise but was the juice worth the squeeze? Not for me.