This one was a real page turner! Reunited lovers and a stalker make for endless nights of “just one more page” add this one to your list if you love a good read that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Here we are again with another Pip Drysdale novel that I could not put down! I would like to thank Simon & Schuster CA for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

If you have been here for any length of time you know that I am a big fan of Pip Drysdale's writing. Her characters are such realistic creations - you feel like they are people you would actually sit down and chat with.

Zoe is a novelist who has moved to Los Angeles with big dreams of selling her books to become hit movies. Unfortunately, since her first book published, she has been experiencing a huge block and can't seem to make her second novel a reality.

As with all of Drysdale's books, we have a character that makes choices that has you screaming at them and wanting to reach through the page and shake them into making a better choice. And I absolutely love every single moment of it.

If you love a twisted story with characters who may or may not be reliable narrators, then I highly recommend picking up this or any of Pip Dyrsdale's books.

The Close-Up is set to publish on December 3 and can be purchased from any of your local book sellers or borrowed from your local public library

this was my first book by pip, and i honestly didn’t know what to expect, but wow…it did not disappoint!

i don’t want to say too much and spoil the story, but let me say the plot of this story was amazing and all the plot twists had my jaw on the floor!

the only thing was i found it to be a little slow in the beginning…but when things started to happen the book flew by and i couldn’t put it down!

thank you to netgalley & pip for the arc of ‘the close up’ in exchange for my honest review!

what to expect:
- aspiring author
- famous mmc
- murder
- stalking
- MAJOR PLOT TWIST that you’ll never see coming!

3.5 stars.

I liked this author’s easy-to-read writing style but I found the story to be too slow-burn - the thriller part of it didn’t kick in until until well over halfway in. I didn’t particularly like the main character as she was a bit gullible at times. However, the ending and the epilogue were so good and had a great twist. I couldn’t stop turning the pages the last 25 percent.

Overall, this was a slow-burn read but with a great ending and epilogue.

Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

The Close-Up by Pip Drysdale was more than a 5-star read for me—it was absolutely unforgettable. As my first experience with Drysdale’s work, it left me completely captivated and eager for more.

Zoe Weiss is a debut author navigating the pressures of a second novel that’s overdue while battling a case of serious writer’s block. When she reconnects with her old fling, Zach Hamilton—now a globally famous movie star—their rekindled spark puts her in the spotlight. But fame has its dark side, and Zoe soon finds herself stalked by someone recreating chilling scenes from her first book, a story that ominously ends in death.

What I loved most was the incredible character development. Zoe is a hot mess in the best possible way—layered, complex, and fiercely compelling. The slow-burn pacing didn’t deter me at all; instead, it drew me deeper into her chaotic world, keeping me riveted from start to finish. The twists and turns felt organic yet utterly unpredictable, and the tension soared as the plot thickened.

Drysdale’s writing masterfully balances foreshadowing, suspense, and a touch of dark humor, with an L.A. setting that is vibrant and immersive. By the time I reached the mind-blowing finale, I couldn’t put the book down. It was a perfect blend of psychological intrigue, stunning revelations, and emotional depth.

The Close-Up is a must-read for anyone who loves a story that keeps you guessing while delivering unforgettable characters. It’s an absolute triumph and an introduction to an author whose backlist I’ll be devouring next!

Zoe is a “washed up” novelist working at a flower shop and feels like her life is going nowhere fast.

Enter stage left, Zach who she bumps into on a flower delivery job and he gets her to do him a favour. Go to a party with him to make his ex jealous.

After the party, Zach seems to fall away from Zoe and play it cool. Zoe is left to try to make her novels a success and isn’t having much luck. When her agent gives her an ultimatum, produce some work or pack it in, Zoe decides to write a revenge novel and her inspiration comes from Zach.

Meanwhile as Zoe’s personal life is up in flames some mysterious stalker keeps texting her. And they’re following the plot of her first novel “Fractured”. Does Zoe make it to the end of the book?

Overall I felt the book moved quickly through the story and gives readers just enough information to keep us on the edge of our seat. I found that the story did drag on a little bit close to the end and maybe did not have to be 300pages long. But holy there is a twist at the end I didn’t see coming! This was a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read.

Read if you enjoy main character POV, thrillers, and dark mysteries.

That ending - wow!

Zoe's life is a mess. People barely remember her birthday, her first book was a flop, she's been struggling to deliver the second book as part of her two-book deal with her publisher, and her love life is non-existing.

While working at an event as a florist, she bumps into Zach Hamilton - People magazine's sexiest man alive, and whom she spent three amazing days with back before he became famous. They immediately hit it off again and spends time together. Zoe finally feels inspired to write again, especially when the paparazzi are now speculating about their relationship and the buzz has attracted the unwanted attention of a crazy stalker who's been leaving behind threats that match the pattern of events from Zoe's first thriller novel.

And so, being the writer that she is, Zoe decides to use everything that's happening in her life right now to capture the dark side of Hollywood for her second novel. She decides to write about her life and use most of it in her second novel (which she'll fictionalize and blur the details later on). And pitches her novel to her agent as follows (which can also potentially be repurposed as the elevator pitch for this novel as well):
"A thriller writer who starts dating a celebrity has to deal with a psycho fan who uses everything in her first book against her. The police can't help her, nobody can help her... except maybe the man she loves..."

This was a very meta thriller where it feels like we're reading a draft of Zoe's second novel (as she jots down and writes about everything that's happening, as it happens) - which I loved, but often dragged (which is a reflection of the moments when Zoe was struggling with writer's block and figuring out the plot line of her novel and how to move the story along). The book was also full of fun foreshadowing and elements that show the dark side of Hollywood and fame.

I love a good thriller, and Pip Drysdale certainly knows how to write one. She has quickly become one of my favorite authors in this genre.

Zoe moved from London to Los Angeles with the dream of becoming an author. She had a bright future ahead of her, but when her love life takes a turn, and her debut thriller doesn’t do as well as anticipated, she finds herself working as a florist and trying to come up with her sophomore thriller that was already supposed to be submitted.

Zoe feels defeated. Her father wants her to move back home. Her creative juices have run dry. When she delivers a flower arrangement to a ritzy neighborhood, it ends up being the home of none other than Zach Hamilton, the action movie star and the man who ghosted her three years earlier. His life is shiny and impressive, his career has taken off, and he is at the top of his game. He also remembers her, and the sparks between them are still there. Not only is the chemistry between them sparking, but Zoe has also found her writing muse in Zach.

Zach is an “it man” in Hollywood. He has publicists, paparazzi, and fans circling him constantly. When photos get leaked of Zoe and Zach together, this throws Zoe’s life for a dangerous loop. Someone is stalking Zoe and using scenes in her own debut novel against her.

I was on pins and needles trying to figure out who was stalking Zoe. Sure, Zach had a lot of fans, some who were probably not all that level-headed (to put it nicely), but for someone to reenact scenes from her very own debut novel against her? Why, that would be utterly frightening. I doubted everyone. I even doubted our protagonist. I’m sorry, but in a book of this genre, you can’t trust anyone. There were many times in which I found my own heart racing as Zoe was living through this nightmare. I kept thinking Get on the next plane out of LAX and get back to London. Of course, if she had just run away, where would the fun be in that.

The Close-Up was intriguing, exciting, and kept my suspicions on high alert. It was everything that I expected from a novel by this author. Did I manage to figure out what was going to happen? Not at all. I can honestly say that I didn’t see that ending coming. I love it when that happens.

*4.5 Stars

The Close Up by Pip Drysdale

Another easily consumable thriller in what I now know is Pip Drysdale’s signature voice. This one centres around Zoe, a struggling author in LA who finds herself living out the plot of her first novel. It’s full of celebrities and sketchy people, and Zoe is a messy character who I couldn’t decide to root for or not.

I didn’t love this one, but I did find it engaging and easy to zoom through the pages. I didn’t love any of the characters, and the plot seemed tedious at times - which is why I don’t love thrillers in general. But I do think I’ll remember it and wouldn’t hesitate to binge her next novel.

Thanks to @simonschusterca for my early copy, this one is out on December 2nd.

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!