In Hollywood, every pavement star tells a story. Not all of them shine.
Wannabe actor Kyle Macdonald is down on his luck. Working as a supply teacher in an inner-city Birmingham school, he's single again at 28, and sleeping in his childhood bedroom beneath a 'Hard Candy' Madonna poster.
He gets a call claiming he drunkenly married top Hollywood director Aaron Biedermeier in Vegas six years ago. Rather than panic, he sees a golden ticket to fame and the life he's always fantasised about.
But the glamorous veneer of Los Angeles - non-stop sunshine, celebrity actors and exclusive hotel suites - starts to crack, revealing a darker, corrupt underbelly to La-La Land. Kyle digs deeper into his so-called husband's past, unearthing disturbing allegations of abuse and underage sex parties.
With the help of Biedermeier's fianc, actor Noah Winters, he embarks on a cross-country race to unravel the mystery and expose the truth - finding love along the way.
"Brisk prose, sharp dialogue, and a strong sense of dark ironies."
Publishers' Weekly
"Punchy writing and appealing characters. Get it!"
Kirkus Reviews
"Heart-mangling with LOL moments. I thoroughly enjoyed this dark, romantic road trip."
Tina Baker, journalist, broadcaster and bestselling author of Call Me Mummy
"A head-snapping dive into a twisted and sexy tale of ambition, revenge and murder set against a sun-bleached tear-stained postcard sent postage-due from the heart of Hollywood Babylon."
Josh Lanyon, award-winning author of the Gay Mystery novels