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All it takes is a single glance at the latest gossip magazine headlines to realize that the entertainment business isn’t for the faint of heart. But in her latest thriller, Eyes on You, former Cosmopolitan editor turned bestselling author Kate White takes the usual gossip and backstabbing to deadly extremes.
Eyes on You follows rising TV star Robin Trainer as she battles a dangerous—and mysterious—enemy. With her first book already a hit and her talk show’s ratings on the rise, Robin seems to be at the top of her game. But then a threatening note left in her purse throws everything off-balance—and that’s just the beginning of a series of sinister tricks that quickly escalate from unsettling to just plain vicious.
The clues seem to point to one of her co-workers—maybe a bitter producer or a jealous competitor. But it soon becomes clear that more than just Robin’s job is in danger.
Like her previous novels, White’s latest whodunit is hip and stylish and loaded with possibilities. Robin’s world is a glamorous one. She attends fabulous parties and eats at the most fashionable restaurants. She’s waited on by drivers and doormen and stylists and makeup artists. And her smiling face appears on billboards and buses. At times, it may seem a bit shallow, but this is the world that White knows best—and she covers it in the kind of details that fashion magazine subscribers will relish.
At the same time, Robin’s fashionable—and highly-competitive—surroundings give way to the kind of back-stabbing and betrayal that you can read about in your favorite gossip magazine. Competitors battle for ratings; co-hosts battle for air time; producers battle for recognition; interns battle for attention. And those battles sometimes get dirty. So when Robin becomes the target of nasty pranks, there are plenty of possibilities to keep readers guessing. No matter how well-liked Robin may seem to be, she’s surrounded by people who are vying for the attention that she’s getting—and White fills the story with hints and red herrings, ensuring that, after weighing all of the options, you’ll all but give up on guessing who’s to blame.
Meanwhile, to give the story an eerie twist, White also includes some psychological touches, dredging up some disturbing memories from Robin’s past to make the assaults feel more personal—while also making readers begin to question Robin’s stability, too. It’s an angle that could have been explored in a little more detail, but it still adds to the novel’s allure.
With its stylish setting and its endless possibilities, Eyes on You is a light and delightfully dishy mystery. If you’re looking for a longer, more involved alternative to your favorite magazines, this is a good place to start.
Listen to the review on Shelf Discovery:
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