Up Next - Softcover

A debut outing for neophyte sleuth May Morrisona divorced, loving mother of two small girls, and the newly promoted producer of the Paula Live talk-show. Mays life is hecticwhat with commuting from Manhattan to her old Victorian house in New Jersey, a money pit in constant need of repair; dealing with a succession of unsatisfactory au pairs; meeting the demands of bosses Paula Wind and executive producer Gil Lee; and doing the ratings battle with rivals like Tell Tanya and Simon Says. Now, James Barnett, a producer on Simon Says, has jumped to his death from the balcony of his lush apartment--apparently a suicide, but Police Detective Paul O'Donnell and his abrasive partner Paradiso are haying doubts. Which is not surprising when Barnett's demise is followed by the strangling of Tell Tanya producer Iris Ehrlick and, soon after, by the discovery of Chuck Mills, fired from Paula Live some months back, whos found dead in Paula's studio bathroom. Paradiso, for various insufficient reasons, has pinpointed May as a major suspect, over Detective O'Donnell's objections; but after yet another killing--the victim this time one of the Paula Live staffMay starts investigating in earnest, with near-fatal results. An over-the-top, overpopulated plot that zigzags wildly, and confusingly, as the author paints an entertaining, gossipy picture of the world behind the cameras. The picture of her heroine--a truly caring mother taking insane risks to trap a killer--is also completely unconvincing. No shortage of writing talent here, then, but it just needs to get real. -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

If you've ever wanted to kill someone responsible for a TV talk show, this book's for you. Star, a former entertainment-industry executive, ably combines mystery and romance with an insider's look at the high-pressure daytime talk-show circuit. May Morrison, newly promoted executive producer of Paula Live, is a competitive, stressed-out, divorced mother of two daughters with a dilapidated suburban house and a string of unsatisfactory au pairs. When James Barnett, producer of a rival program, is killed, May, who vied with Barnett for guests, tops the police list of suspects. After two more talk-show producers who gave May trouble are murdered, she is forced to clear herself before her ex-husband demands custody of the girls. Meanwhile, the cops investigating the cases are giving May fits: young, pushy Paradiso is determined to prove May guilty; the more experienced Paul O'Donnell thinks she's innocent but knows his judgment may be blinded by the sparks that fly between him and May. Star packs in too many subplotsAlegal entanglements, nagging mother, child-care disasters, suspicious co-workersAbut keeps the reader guessing until the suspenseful climax. A promising relationship between May and Paul should enhance the sequel, especially if Star continues to portray the cutthroat world of daytime TV with the wit and verve evident here.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.