Miranda Smith’s Smile for the Cameras is a chilling and suspenseful locked-room thriller that blends the eerie atmosphere of Scream with the psychological depth of a Hollywood comeback story. Twenty years after starring in the cult-classic slasher Grad Night, former "final girl" Ella Winters is ready to reclaim her career—only to find herself trapped in a real-life horror movie when the cast members of the original film start dying in gruesome, eerily familiar ways.

Smith does a fantastic job weaving past and present, revealing the dark secret that has haunted Ella and her co-stars for decades. The setting—a remote cabin in Tennessee, where the original movie was filmed—adds to the tension, creating an isolated, claustrophobic atmosphere that enhances the slasher vibe. The pacing is strong, delivering twists at just the right moments to keep readers hooked.

While some character development feels a bit shallow, particularly among the supporting cast, Ella is a compelling protagonist—flawed, haunted, and determined to survive once again. The blend of Hollywood commentary, nostalgic horror references, and psychological suspense makes this an engaging, fun, and eerie read.

So I love this author and have read many of her books and this one is certainly a Paige Turner. I would say that the only thing that brought it down from five stars is the difficulty of keeping the story straight when you’re dealing with the same characters, just many years apart and then interspersed with a movie script. There’s just a lot of moving pieces and the changing of time periods can be a little difficult to follow. The story is a great one, though, we have a group who filmed a slasher movie that became a cult, classic together many years ago, and now they have reunited for the reunion. Unfortunately, though this group has a secret and someone knows the truth and is determined to make it all come out. What follows is a slasher movie written in book form that keeps you turning pages to find out who is behind all of it. I will say that I had no idea who the killer was until the very end.

As a sucker for slasher movies, this book was a thrill! The scenes felt so cinematic, like I was watching the horror unfold. The tension was nonstop, the deaths cleverly mirrored the original movie, and Ella’s fight for survival kept me hooked. Some twists were predictable, but that only added to the fun. A true page-turner for horror fans!

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

Thank you Netgalley and Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Miranda Smith’s “Smile for the Cameras” is a nostalgic, slow-burning thriller that pays homage to classic 90s and early 2000s slasher films. With themes of Hollywood exploitation, revenge, and buried secrets, this book blends past and present timelines to create an atmospheric and engaging read—especially for fans of films like “I Know What You Did Last Summer.”

The story follows Ella, once the “Final Girl” of Grad Night, a cult classic horror film that launched her acting career. Now, twenty years later, she has spent her time away from the spotlight caring for her ailing mother, avoiding the fame (and trauma) that came with the movie. When she’s convinced to return for a documentary celebrating Grad Night, Ella finds herself back on set with old castmates, confronting memories she’d rather forget. But what starts as a nostalgic reunion quickly turns into a nightmare as the past refuses to stay buried.

The novel unfolds in alternating timelines, switching between the present-day documentary shoot and flashbacks to the original film’s production. The inclusion of Grad Night's screenplay adds a meta layer, reflecting on Hollywood’s treatment of women both in front of and behind the camera. However, while these transcripts offer an interesting structural element, they aren’t particularly unique or engaging for a horror movie, especially with the kill scenes. The early sections of the book also move at a slow pace—much of the first half is filled with Ella’s guilt and vague allusions to a dark secret without much actual development.

The turning point comes in the last third of the book when the slow-burn tension gives way to a full-blown slasher revenge story. The reveal of what really happened during the filming of Grad Night delivers a twist that, while somewhat predictable, is still effective in its execution. Ella, an unreliable narrator for much of the book, finally finds strength and resolution as the truth comes to light. The final act takes a strong stance against Hollywood’s history of abusive directors, making the conclusion feel not only satisfying but also thematically relevant.

While the book struggles with pacing in its first half, the payoff in the final 30% makes up for it. The horror elements—though initially subdued—eventually come to the forefront, and the book’s nostalgic, campy slasher vibes make it a fun and engaging read. If you love slow-burning mysteries with a satisfying revenge arc, “Smile for the Cameras” is worth checking out.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I really liked the split timeline of this book and the flashes between what happened the first time the cast was on set to the reunion. I thought they were weaved together well and each timeline was strong and interesting.

The mystery throughout the book was well done and I couldn’t guess what happened, which was fun for me!!

I really liked all the references to slasher films and I think the tone of the book showed some really great appreciation for that source material.

Wow! Talk about a book you don’t want to put down. Ella is the Final Girl from a fan-loved horror movie Grad Night filmed 20 years ago. She and her costars have been harboring a secret from set for 20 years, that comes to light when they’re all back at set for a Grad Night reunion documentary when it seems like their set is becoming real life.

Suspenseful, twists, and classic 90’s slasher vibes made this book one of my favorites of the year so far.

Smile for the Cameras by Miranda Smith is a fast-paced and engaging thriller that keeps readers hooked with its alternating plotlines and unexpected twists. The dual timeline structure adds intrigue, seamlessly weaving past and present to build suspense. While this approach keeps the momentum going, it occasionally disrupts the pacing, making some moments feel less impactful.

The characters are well-developed, with distinct personalities that add depth to the mystery. The protagonist's growing paranoia is convincingly written, and the supporting cast creates just enough doubt to keep readers second-guessing their motives. While some character arcs could have been explored further, they still contribute to the novel’s gripping tension.

One of the novel’s greatest strengths is how it cleverly misleads the reader. Just when you think you have everything figured out, Smith delivers a twist that flips expectations upside down. While some twists are truly surprising, a few feel slightly convenient, making the resolution not as satisfying as it could have been.

A unique highlight of the novel is the chapters written in a script-like format, which really help to visualize what the movie set would have looked like on film. This stylistic choice adds an immersive quality, making the behind-the-scenes aspects of the story feel cinematic and real.

Overall, Smile for the Cameras is a quick, entertaining read with a clever structure, compelling characters, and plenty of surprises. It’s the kind of book that’s easy to devour in one sitting, making it perfect for fans of twisty thrillers.

I would recommend this book to any fellow horror movie fan. It reminds me of a classic slasher film with a “who done it?” element. I enjoyed it!

This book was a lot of fun to read! The protagonist, Ella, has been out of the acting game for 20 years after playing the Final Girl in a horror film that created an enduring cult following. 20 years later, the cast and crew reunite to film a reunion special. Reluctant to attend due to an unknown tragedy that occurred during filming, Ella eventually agrees to attend in order to get back in the good graces of the studios and dip her toes back into the acting world.

The book alternates between "Now" and "Then" chapters (punctuated by snippets of the original screenplay) which swap between the original filming and the current events of the reunion special. Over the lat 20 years, it becomes clear that each actor has faced their own personal struggles (substance abuse, anxiety, success, etc.). Throughout the book we are introduced to old cast and crew and all the infighting and drama that occurred during the month long original filing. It becomes clear that they are all keeping a deadly secret and someone is coming for revenge.

The premise of this book reminded me of Scream - a movie within a movie, of sorts. I thought the pacing of the book was perfect, it let out enough information at a time to keep the reader hooked and the mystery was enticing. The character development sometimes felt a stagnant, but that could be due to the time frames we are dealing with - a month long filming of the original movie, possibly interacting during the a press tour, then 20 years of minimal contact. Overall, the end contained one major twist related to Ella's friendship with Petra during the reunion that I didn't see coming, but some of the other revelations felt a bit too easy and unrealistic to me.

(Spoilers hidden in Goodreads Link)

Otherwise, I really liked this book for what it was. I would definitely recommend it for someone looking for an easy fun read and especially if they like the scream queen teen horror movie tropes. Actually, in that way, the end sooooort of fit the trope. Would definitely read more of this author's work!

Thank you, NetGalley and Bantam/RandomHouse for the eARC! <3

I enjoyed this one! Anyone who loves slasher films like Friday the 13th or Scream will like this book! There were a few twists I did not see coming and kept me on my toes.

The original cast members of the hit cult classic horror film, Grad Night, are getting back together for a reunion. It’s been 20 years since the movie hit theaters and quickly skyrocketed the majority of the cast into major stars. The only cast member that has turned down reunion requests time and time against is Ella. But, with the prospect of her career taking off again if she agrees, everything in her that was screaming not to accept decides to anyway.
It's meant to be a weekend of group and one-on-one interviews, ending in a memorial for Ben, who played the titular killer in the original film who had recently passed away from cancer. But, it quickly turns into a horror of it’s own.
Miranda Smith provides us with a fun campy horror novel that is quite the page turner. It has your normal horror tropes that we all enjoy, and it definitely gave me “Scream” vibes, which is a major plus for a franchise junkie like myself! I went into this as a first time Miranda Smith reader, and I definitely would read another from her. It kept my attention, and I did not see the twist coming.
Thank you to NetGalley, Miranda Smith and Random House Publishing Group for an ARC of Smile for the Cameras. The opinions aforementioned are my own.

DNF. She is one of my all time fav authors, but I couldn’t stomach this one. The subject matter being a horror film just isn’t my thing and she usually doesn’t have spice in her books so, it disappointed me to read so much spice. I just wasn’t connecting with the characters and read over half of the book and decided to move on.

I want to sincerely thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

I enjoyed the plot of this book. It's told in alternating timelines, past and present, with some inserts of the original screenplay. I particularly enjoyed the last 25% of the book. It was twisty, engaging, and action packed. The story wraps up solidly and in a satisfying way. The majority of my issue came from the first 60% of the book being extremely slow moving. This was a quick read (I finished it within 7 hours) but I found myself struggling through the first 55-60% of the book. The main character wasn't very strong/likeable until the end of the book. They kept vaguely mentioning this "horrible thing" that happened 20 years ago but never mentioning what the "horrible thing" was. By 60 %, I almost didn't care what they had done.

I will say that the ending redeemed the book for me. The writing was good, the twist was unexpected, and the atmosphere was totally nostalgic.

I posted my review on Fable, Goodreads and Instagram. I did rate this read at 3.5 stars.

OMG! The twists! The turns! The unexpected! This book kept me on my toes the whole time. I loved how it went back and forth from then and now. It was a nice to get some background without a block of backstory, instead it was broken up. I also loved how the script for the movie is in the book. Gives the audience a bigger picture on what each then part is based on. The ending was chefs kiss. I loved the redemption arc for each character and was so happy the big bad is gone. No spoilers! Who deserved a redemption arc? Who’s the big bad? Read for yourself!

Ah such a quick read for me. Smile for the Cameras, is a thrilling locked-room mystery inspired by ’90s slasher films. It follows Ella Winters, a former Hollywood star returning to the cabin where her cult-classic horror movie was filmed. As the reunion unfolds, cast members begin to die in ways mirroring their on-screen deaths, suggesting that a long-buried secret has resurfaced.

A fun read for fans of slashers and how they are made!

At the heart of it all is our former “final girl”, Ella. She’s desperate to save her acting career after taking a long break from the spotlight, even if that means facing her haunting past and reprising her role in a much more terrifying and real way.
There’s a dual timeline— when the slasher film, Grad Night, was made (including a script for the movie in between chapters) and present day as they make a reunion documentary at the secluded Tennessee cabin where the movie was shot 20 years ago.
While the story took a minute to fully take off, I was really invested when it did! Absolutely recommending this book to all of my friends who enjoy celebrating “slasher summer”!! Thanks so much for allowing me to read this early!

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of Smile For The Cameras.
If you love horror slasher movies well you’re in luck. This book right here is it! You get a little bit of Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and Friday the 13th throughout the book.
The thing I love the most about the book is you get the past story, the present story, and the movie script (which the book is based around.)
Yes it was your average slasher movie scrip but that twist was great. It honestly made you think it was about a bunch of kids killing someone and disposing of the body only to come back to the site 20 years later. But you are so wrong. It’s not who you think it is. I will not elaborate on that last sentence but just know that you won’t guess it.

*Smile for the Camera* by Miranda Smith is an intriguing and darkly captivating memoir-style novel that explores themes of identity, deception, and the lengths people will go to for fame. The story follows a young woman who becomes the subject of a highly publicized and invasive photo project, unraveling a journey of self-discovery, vulnerability, and the impact of being thrust into the public eye.

On the positive side, Smith’s writing is powerful, with an intense emotional undercurrent that pulls the reader into the protagonist’s world. The exploration of personal identity and the psychological toll of public scrutiny is thought-provoking and well-executed. The author’s ability to create tension around the protagonist’s inner conflict is one of the book’s strongest points, and the premise itself is fascinating, offering an insightful critique of the societal obsession with image and perfection.

However, while the concept is compelling, the pacing can feel uneven at times. The middle of the book tends to drag, with moments of repetition that may cause some readers to lose interest. Additionally, the protagonist's emotional journey can feel disconnected at times, making it hard to fully empathize with her struggles, despite the depth of the themes.

Some readers may also find the resolution of the story somewhat unsatisfying, as the book leaves certain aspects of the protagonist’s journey unresolved, which can be a bit frustrating for those who enjoy more conclusive endings.

Overall, *Smile for the Camera* is a thought-provoking read with a powerful exploration of fame, identity, and the pressures of public life. While the pacing and character development may not be perfect, the book offers a compelling, if somewhat unsettling, look at the cost of living under the scrutiny of the camera lens. Fans of character-driven stories with social commentary will likely find it an interesting, if imperfect, read.

Ella Winters hit it big with her first starring role in the horror film Grad Night. However, she didn’t keep ascending and, instead, stopped working to take care of her dying mother.

20 years later, she’s looking to rekindle her career. However, the only way she can do it is by giving a Grad Night reunion interview at the same place where the film was made. Ella would do almost anything to get a second chance, but she and her cast mates did something bad on that site 20 years ago. And now, it seems like it’s come home to roost.

This was an enjoyable book that had a couple of nice twists. Recommended for horror and thriller fans.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.