A gritty insight into the nature of fame and how women are treated once they are in the media spotlight. Essie Lay was everyone's darling until she wasnt- and the press and fans have turned on her with no mercy at all.
April has known Essie for a long time, always in the shadows, but as April's fame as a film producer has grown, she has become the one in the position of power, able to direct Essie's fortunes again.
The story jumps back and forth through varying perspectives, telling the story of first Essie and then April as their fortunes rise and fall.
Clever and insightful storytelling.

The premise of this story is an interesting one, and Essie as a character is so vibrant on the page - I'm sure I won't be the only reader who will get a haunting sense of Paula Yates. The plot in itself has an exciting inciting incident which sets in motion a very tense string of events, and I was keen to find the explanation of What Really Happened. While the flashbacks to the history of Essie and April's friendship definitely help shape and explain the story, I did struggle a lot with the procession of events. Some of the directions the story took seemed contrived or, at times, nonsensical. One of the characters gave off such dodgy vibes from the beginning that it made me quite cross after a while that April - who by dint of being a nominee female film director I would think needed to have "balls" - kept spending time with this person and going along with things with very little protest or questioning. I was pleased with the ending, which I didn't see coming, but I still felt frustrated by some of the things characters said or did because they so often didn't seem to match up with their motivations. That being said, there were some really on-the-nose moments here about what it means to be a woman in the spotlight, and more specifically a successful one. I'm just sorry I couldn't enjoy it more, I was really ready to do so.

The rise and fall of Essie Lay, an actress not without her traumas and issues. April Eden, film director, who is a long ago friend of Essie’s, also a troubled woman. Their rekindled friendship and working partnership is fraught, neither can quite forgive the other, but the film they make together is an amazing success, though it does bring all their old issues to the surface.

I appreciated the plot of this this story, and welcomed the twists and turns.

This is the second book I have read by this author and again I thought it would be a DNF, but persevered and the outcome was ok. The characters were unpleasant, but that is the skill of a good author, making the reader like/dislike the protagonist.

I think that the problem I have is that whilst the plot (and the message, if a little didactic) is good, I don’t like the author’s writing style and that makes reading a chore rather than a pleasure. At times unrealistic and arduous, I did skip some passages.

A slow start, but with a fair ending.

2.5*

Thank you NetGalley and HQ.

Helen Monks Takhar's latest novel is a powerful and impactful narrative that revolves around the intertwined stories of April Eden and Essie (Esther) Lays. April, now a accomplished writer and film director, sees her debut film, "The Vanished Woman," gaining acclaim and earning award nominations. Essie, once a prominent figure in daytime TV, experiences a spectacular downfall in her career. This becomes a chance at redemption for Essie and a significant opportunity for April.

As the story unfolds, April receives a distressing phone call from Essie on the night of an award ceremony, leading to a tragic confrontation at Essie's home, with April and her boyfriend, Jags (Jagdeep), left to grapple with the aftermath. The narrative seamlessly shifts between the present day and several years prior, exploring the origins of the two women's connection on a daytime television set.

The novel's intricate and unpredictable plot examines the steep cost of fame, particularly for women, delving into the 'cult' of celebrity and the relentless pressures it imposes. The narrative unfolds as a slow burner, gradually building alongside a palpable sense of foreboding. Cleverly woven metaphors serve as signals for elements of genuine significance, leading readers through twists and turns that add depth and complexity to the story. The writing captivates, providing a compelling exploration of the multifaceted aspects of fame, relationships, and the weight of societal expectations.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

This one was difficult to read at times. I found this story to be quite harrowing and there were lots of moments that made me feel quite uncomfortable. Which it was 100% supposed to do. This was more than just a thriller, it was a story about heartache, relationships, abuse and females. There are so many wrong doings in this book, by both. males and females, but when I think hard about it, all of them stemmed from a male character somewhere down the line.

Both April and Essie were extremely flawed characters. Neither of them were particularly strong women, but April was definitely better at covering her emotional scars and her insecurities. Essie was much more vulnerable, but I don't think she was necessarily more hurt than April. I can't say that I particularly liked either of them, but I could definitely empathise with them both.

I flew through this book and there were binge sessions where I didn't put it down until I could no longer keep my eyes open. The characters were complex, the plot was twisty and I enjoyed every moment.

From other reviews, this seems like quite a marmite love it or hate it book.
However, I think I'm probably in the middle finding it quite an average read, I enjoyed the writing style but some of the plot was very far fetched.
Also, whilst I applaud the highlighting of the abuse of women in its many guises, I did feel that, at times I was being preached at and all the author's points had been made many times before and she didn't add a new viewpoint.
Thank you to netgalley and HQ for an advance copy of this book.

A very slow burn and whilst I liked the premise and the fact its told over duel timelines, it all just felt very...... overly complicated and unrealistic I guess? I know its a fiction so it doesn't have to be remotely real but this just felt a bit too much of a stretch for me. Its certainly cleverly written with oh so many layers but I just struggled to really get invested. I'm sure that reader who favour a character based story over an action one will love this be ause it certainly does dive deep into the characters and who they are and why

I'm sorry to say that I tried really hard to like this but it wasn't successful. I know is fiction but is quite unrealistic how things were moving and the plot in itself.

4.5 rounded up

Wow, this latest novel from the talented Helen Monks Takhar sure packs a punch or two. This is April Eden and Essie (Esther) Lays’s story. April is now a writer and film director with her debut film “The Vanished Woman” being well received and up for awards. Her leading lady is Essie, once the darling of daytime TV, whose success spectacularly derails. This is Essie’s chance of redemption, an opportunity to re-kickstart her stalled career, but it’s also Aprils big chance. On the night of an award ceremony, April receives a disturbing phone call from Essie. April rushes to her home, accompanied by her boyfriend, Jags (Jagdeep), and there is faced with tragedy. What to do? The story is told in the present day and backtracks to several years ago when the two women meet on a daytime television set. The twisty and unpredictable novel looks at the high price of fame that is often paid by women, at the ‘cult’ of celebrity and all the pressure that comes with that especially the demands and judgements.

I don’t quite know where to start with this because there are so many layers to the storytelling. I suppose it begins and ends with all the characters whose portrayal is excellent. Essie has a magnetic personality and April is drawn to her like a moth to a flame but she is also very vulnerable and as the plot progresses you realise just how damaged she is. This is also true of April and although her motives are often questionable they can equally be understood. Essie’s family dynamics shock to the core, leaving a sour and bitter taste in the mouth. There are blurred lines between Essie and her role in The Vanished Woman and I love the way this plays out.

April and Essie encounter and endure things they should never have to, there is lack of choice, who ‘owns’ you, the toll that fake it till you make it has on mental wellbeing and the frequently exorbitant price of media scrutiny. They navigate rejection, exploitation, gaslighting, betrayal and lies on an enormous scale. Yet the burden of guilt they carry is huge - often when others should bear that load. It becomes a truly shocking twisted tale with some creepy, messy gameplay although who is the cat and who is the mouse is a ‘moveable feast’. Do they fall into the dangerous traps set and tumble into snake pits? That would be telling but what I can say is that it becomes dark, extremely powerful and my jaw drops on several occasions especially towards the end. My suspicion antenna twitches furiously back and forth as revelations emerge but I certainly don’t figure it all out by any means. Once the truth is out in the open it makes you feel both angry and sad - as it should.

I love the way this is written, it’s a slow burner that builds alongside a feeling of dread. There are clever metaphors which signal things of real significance and I love the way you are led this way and that. What price fame, eh.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

I’m sorry, I tried really hard with this book but it did absolutely nothing for me. I thought it was very unrealistic and over-complicated. Oh, and Una isn’t April’s mother, she’s Essie’s (chapter 10). Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc.

I have read (including this one) all 3 books by Helen Monks Takhar and I would recommend her work to anyone. It really keeps you hooked and I always read her books in one sitting because I NEED to know what happens next!