by Joan Rivers
First published 2010
Maxine Taylor knows how to work the Academy Awards red carpet. She has the quick wit and razor tongue to handle any celebrity drama that comes her way. But when young actress Halsey Hamilton approaches the microphone, fresh from rehab and clearly struggling, Max expects nothing more than an awkward interview. Instead, Halsey mutters a few strange words and collapses dead right at Max's feet, staining her designer Michael Kors gown. The police treat it as an overdose, but Max suspects murder. She decides to investigate on her own, going undercover in twelve-step programs to uncover the truth about Halsey's death. Max must navigate Hollywood's dangerous underbelly of addiction and recovery while dodging suspicious characters who want her to stop asking questions. As she gets closer to the killer, Max realizes that someone will do anything to keep Halsey's secrets buried.
Genres: mystery, crime, contemporary, thriller
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-detective, investigation
Setting: Academy Awards
Period: Contemporary
384 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Pocket Books
Content warnings: addiction, drug-use