by Stuart Woods
Part of Stone Barrington, book 2
First published 1997
Amanda Dart built her career on destroying reputations with her vicious gossip column. Her ice queen persona and poison pen made her wealthy and feared throughout New York's social circles. Then someone turns her own weapon against her. Anonymous faxes start circulating Amanda's most private secrets to anyone who will read them. Her carefully constructed empire begins to collapse as her darkest moments become public entertainment. Desperate to stop the leaks, Amanda hires Stone Barrington, a lawyer and private investigator who knows how to navigate New York's dangerous underbelly. Stone discovers that Amanda has created so many enemies that nearly everyone in tabloid journalism could be the culprit. The anonymous faxes grow more damaging with each delivery. Amanda grows increasingly desperate and reckless, taking matters into her own hands in ways that threaten to destroy what remains of her reputation. Stone races to identify the faxer before Amanda's actions spiral completely out of control, but he learns that some people will commit murder to protect their names from scandal.
Genres: mystery, crime, contemporary, thriller
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: New York
Period: Contemporary
448 pages · Mass Market Paperback · HarperTorch