3.5⭐️
this follows zoe, a struggling writer, and her attempt to write a novel about the dark side of fame using zach, an old fling, as inspiration. however, as she’s writing her novel, a mysterious stalker appears and reenacts events from her first novel. i really enjoyed this at first, but it did get a bit repetitive throughout. thankfully the ending was really well done and pulled it all together. a good popcorn thriller, with a few twists, that can be read in a weekend!

thanks to netgalley and simon & schuster canada for my advance copy of the close-up by pip drysdale. all opinions are my own.

I always struggle with writing reviews for books I didn’t enjoy. Especially for books that have been generously gifted to me - thank you @simonschusterca for my early copy! I am sorry to say I didn’t enjoy this one.

The Close Up was a story about Zoe, who is a struggling writer living in LA. Her first book bombed, and because of a personal connection, she finds an opportunity to write her next novel about the inner circle of a very famous actor. But soon she finds herself in a whole lot of trouble…

I read all the way through this book without realizing that it was a thriller. It just didn’t feel like a thriller to me at all. The narration was overly casual, it felt like a friend describing her life to me.. but not in a good way? The parts that were somewhat “thriller-y” felt forced and the story just moved along in a strange fashion. I will say, however, that the very end of the book was quite good so I’m glad I stuck around for it!

This one publishes December 3!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Zoe Ann Weiss is a writer who is way overdue on her second book's deadline, accepting that it just won't happen, when she runs into someone from her past: Zach Hamilton - once ghosted her, now a movie star. When photos of them end up in the press, Zoe starts getting a lot of new attention, both online and in real life - in a bit of a stalkery way. With Zach telling her to let "his people" handle it but Zoe overheating reasons why she shouldn't, she doesn't know who to trust or if she's safe. And she still has that book to write...

Zoe bugged me for part of this book because I felt like she was just not helping herself out but I forgave her by the end. Not a new favorite but still a pretty good time.

CW: blood, murder, death, gaslighting, kidnapping, violence

🌟 Step into the dark side of Hollywood and prepare for a heart-pounding, twisty thrill ride! Behind all the glitz and glamour lies an ugly truth—and trust me, you’re going to be hooked! 😱 Pip Drysdale, you absolute star 🌠, you've totally nailed it with The Close-Up! This book is sensational! ❤️
This thriller has everything you could want—Hollywood stars, stalkers, mystery, and a struggling writer caught in the middle of it all. Zoe’s hit a serious writer's block, and now she’s working as a florist 💐. But a chance encounter on her 30th birthday with an old love turns her life upside down, setting her off on an adventure filled with danger and intrigue! Clear your schedule, because once you start, you won’t want to stop! 📚✨

Zoe is such a captivating character! At times, she’ll have you yelling at her choices (seriously, girl! 🤦‍♀️), but you can’t help rooting for her. She might make some questionable decisions, but she’s doing her best in the chaotic world of Hollywood! 🌴🤩

Ever since I read my first Pip Drysdale’s book, she’s been on my auto-buy list, and The Close-Up might be my favorite yet! 💖 If you haven’t dived into her books, it’s time to fix that ASAP! 📖✨

I’ve been wanting to read something by Pip Drysdale for quite some time, so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to read The Close-Up. But, unfortunately, this one wasn’t a hit for me 😢.

The ending was SO GOOD. It was completely unexpected, and left me with my jaw on the floor. I also really liked that it showed the dark side of fame and fortune.

However, it was too much of a slow burn for me. The suspense really didn’t start to ramp up until nearly the 50% mark. I also struggled to connect with any of the characters and found them pretty unlikeable.

Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster Canada and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC.

Read if you like:

✨Stalker vibes
✨Morally grey characters
✨Suspense with a hint of romance
✨Explosive endings

The Close-Up is a gripping and thought-provoking read. Drysdale's writing is engaging, and the plot is full of surprising twists and turns. While some readers may find the subject matter unsettling, fans of suspenseful thrillers will appreciate the book's edgy style and timely themes. With its unique premise and well-crafted characters, The Close-Up is a compelling addition to the thriller genre.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

This book was easy, fast-paced and twisty. While the end felt obvious due to some crumbs laid throughout, it was still satisfying. The unreliable narrator always gives a bit more zest to books like this—like you want to believe them and sympathize but also maybe they don’t deserve it?

Some of the stream-of-consciousness writing was a bit challenging to get through, but overall I really enjoyed this book.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an arc!

Well I was not expecting that. The Close-Up will keep guessing what's going to happen next. Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for my ARC.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for the ARC.

I really liked the premise of this book. It had a lot of promise. However, the book was very slow in developing the characters and plot.

I persevered through the book. The story was ok, but I hated the ending.

I've read several books by this author, and ghis is honestly my least favorite. 2.5 out of 5 ⭐️

This was right up my alley: a Tinseltown mystery where a stalker/maybe more follows the crimes of the lead character's own novel WHILE she smooches a hot celebrity.

Honestly, I didn't dislike a single thing about this book. Pip Drysdale continues to impress me over and over - truly no misses! If you want a thriller where you actually will not see where this is going, this is the one for you.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital arc!

😎 F A M O U S F R I D A Y review 😎 featuring “The Close-Up” by Pip Drysdale!

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

Zoe Ann Weiss is an inspiring novelist who moves to LA in hopes of pursuing her dreams! Her first thriller novel “Fractured” turned out to be a crash and burn and now she is facing major writer’s block while trying to start her second novel. In the meantime she works as a florist and during a delivery she runs into a past flame: Zach Hamilton. Three years ago they had a fling when Zach was just a bartender … and now he is a famous heartthrob actor!

Zach and Zoe start hanging out again and although Zoe has to sign a NDA, finally her ability to write comes back! But SOMEONE isn’t happy about their relationship … and Zoe begins to think that she has a STALKER on her hands 👀!

Threatening notes and situations hit close to home with Zoe because they are total re-enactments from HER first novel! Zoe is desperate to find out who her stalker is … especially since she knows exactly how the story ends ☠️!!!

I am SUCH a huge fan of Pip Drysdale and I freak out whenever I can get my hands on her upcoming releases! I loved the insight into the lifestyles of the rich and the famous and how deadly the pressure can be! This book is full of shocking twists and a savage game of cat and mouse!

Thank you kindly to @pipdrysdale @simonschusterca @netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This book releases on December 3, 2024!

I wanted to like this book more than I did! It had a lot of potential that it didn't quite live up to. It was fast paced in places and really dragged in others. The concept was somewhat "meta" and innovative but just fell a bit short. I don't want to give a way details as I think it overall is an ok and entertaining read. I did like the structure of the conclusion of the story and found that well done - although I kinda wish it had ended differently.... Read it and see what YOU think!

I really wanted to love this one, but it was so slow and it dragged so much for me, I just couldn't get through it. Unfortunately I had to DNF.

It was a solid 3.5 stars for me. While it was good, I found it dragged in places. It picked up at the end and I felt it was rushed. Too many things resolved in a very quick amount of time!