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Trashed
Getting trashed can make or break you.
Scandal-sheet cub reporter Simone Glass has posed as a cater-waiter at a gala benefit, eavesdropped from a Dumpster, and sneaked onto the set of the hottest new TV series. But how many lies and betrayals can Simone live with - especially if they lead to murder?
When a soap opera star commits suicide and a stripper with sordid celebrity connections is found dead, Simone’s most reliable sources begin acting paranoid. There’s a remorseless killer ripping Tinseltown apart. Can Simone expose the murderer? Or will she become just the latest casualty of Hollywood’s brutal deceptions?
Scandal-sheet cub reporter Simone Glass has posed as a cater-waiter at a gala benefit, eavesdropped from a Dumpster, and sneaked onto the set of the hottest new TV series. But how many lies and betrayals can Simone live with - especially if they lead to murder?
When a soap opera star commits suicide and a stripper with sordid celebrity connections is found dead, Simone’s most reliable sources begin acting paranoid. There’s a remorseless killer ripping Tinseltown apart. Can Simone expose the murderer? Or will she become just the latest casualty of Hollywood’s brutal deceptions?
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First published January 1, 2007
14 people are currently reading
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About the author
Alison Gaylin
44 books1,752 followersUSA Today and international bestselling author Alison Gaylin has won the Edgar and Shamus awards, and has been nominated for many more, including the L.A. Times Book Prize, the ITW Thriller, the Strand Book Award, the Anthony and the Macavity. She is currently at work on her 15th novel.
Series:
* Samantha Leiffer Mystery
* Simone Glass Mystery
Series:
* Samantha Leiffer Mystery
* Simone Glass Mystery
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
November 25, 2018
Soooo many too-similar characters to keep track of.
August 19, 2025
A very creative plot. The journey to find out who the villain is takes a few twists and turns. My biggest complaint is the cast of secondary characters. I had a very hard time keeping them apart from each other.
October 9, 2020
This is a new-to-me author that I found during a library booksale a while back.
The main character of this book reminded me a little of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum because she is a young woman who lost her job and is embarking on a new profession. Although it is a new job, it is one which she studied, a journalist. The paper she is working for is a tabloid and her step in the door and helps her pay her bills. Simone Glass, the main character, is entertaining as she roots around in a garbage dumpster and finds a clue to a murder of a famous actress. The story takes off from there and you get a little story and some misadventures in Los Angeles. This, I discover, is one of the author’s earlier titles. I have another more recent title on my bookshelf to read and am curious to see how the author's writing style develops.
The main character of this book reminded me a little of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum because she is a young woman who lost her job and is embarking on a new profession. Although it is a new job, it is one which she studied, a journalist. The paper she is working for is a tabloid and her step in the door and helps her pay her bills. Simone Glass, the main character, is entertaining as she roots around in a garbage dumpster and finds a clue to a murder of a famous actress. The story takes off from there and you get a little story and some misadventures in Los Angeles. This, I discover, is one of the author’s earlier titles. I have another more recent title on my bookshelf to read and am curious to see how the author's writing style develops.
November 10, 2009
Simone Glass is a cub reporter or an insider . for a super market type tabloid . she,s posed as a caterwaiter at a gala benefit dug through trash looking for secrets of the stars. . but when a soap opera star commits suicide by cutting her own throat and a stripper with sordid celebrity connections is found dead drenched in her own blood. Simones most reliable sources begin acting paranoid. there,s a remorseless killer ripping tinsel town apart. can Simone expose the murderer or will she be the next victim ?
April 17, 2009
For a fluff pieces, this book was surprisingly well done. The characters were likable and realistic (for Hollywood). Bravo Gaylin. Very entertaining.
March 11, 2017
I just could not get interested in this book.
May 22, 2025
I have read a ton of books by this author and really enjoy her. I'm so glad I found this author. All her books start off in the action right away which I love just get right to it! This one was good but a lot of characters so hard to keep all of them straight but plenty to choose from when trying to figure out who the killer was. It was fast paced and plenty of twists and turns and not predictable like many books. This was a good one because so many people kept getting killed which was great because so many books are so predictable these days and people are hesitant to not kill off people so easily and this one was great to just keep getting rid of people all the time. This was definitely a quick and great read!
June 5, 2019
An quick reading whodunnit with an ending that isn’t totally predictable.
November 11, 2020
Registered on Bookcrossing - http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/1...
July 19, 2021
2.5. Audible
December 16, 2021
Will definitely read more by Alison Gaylin. Good plot, keeps you interested til the end.
January 8, 2024
Je ne distingue plus les personnages qui sont des vedettes de ceux qui sont journalistes ou producteurs... Trop de personnages, difficile à suivre.
September 19, 2016
Thriller part of the book was fun, the mystery not so much. Too slow to unravel.
January 23, 2009
In Hollywood, a trashing in the tabloids can make or break you, and dirty little secrets are the lifeblood of the media machine. Working for an infamous scandal sheet, Simone Glass is learning what they didn't teach her at journalism school: Always wear gloves when digging through the trash, never give your real name...and above all, trust no one.
When a soap opera star commits suicide, and her emotionally unstable assistant insists someone killed her, Simone sets out to uncover the real untold story. But before she can put the pieces together, will she become the latest casualty of Hollywood's brutal deceptions?
I sure wish we could give books a 3.5 rating. This is a well-written, nicely paced novel with an ending that is hard to see coming. I like that in a book.
When a soap opera star commits suicide, and her emotionally unstable assistant insists someone killed her, Simone sets out to uncover the real untold story. But before she can put the pieces together, will she become the latest casualty of Hollywood's brutal deceptions?
I sure wish we could give books a 3.5 rating. This is a well-written, nicely paced novel with an ending that is hard to see coming. I like that in a book.
May 17, 2008
Simone Glass has a Journalism degree from Columbia but still competes with her older sister--a cable TV gossip reporter.
On her first night assignment at the L.A. tabloid Asteroid, Simone picks through TV star Emerald Deegan's trash, finding a silver sandal. Soon after, Emerald is murdered and Simone finds a bracelet belonging to her in another star's trash. As Simone tracks a possible serial killer,
her on-the-job reporter encounters are laugh-out-loud funny.
A fresh, fun read.
Highly recommend
On her first night assignment at the L.A. tabloid Asteroid, Simone picks through TV star Emerald Deegan's trash, finding a silver sandal. Soon after, Emerald is murdered and Simone finds a bracelet belonging to her in another star's trash. As Simone tracks a possible serial killer,
her on-the-job reporter encounters are laugh-out-loud funny.
A fresh, fun read.
Highly recommend
December 14, 2016
Alison Gaylin's thriller, Trashed, is set in the tawdry world of tabloid reportage. Desperate for a job in her field, Simone takes a job for one of the least respected celebrity-focused tabloids and in the process of learning how to steal trash and sneak into private parties she finds evidence that the suicide of a has-been starlet might have been murder.
This isn't literary fiction by any stretch, Gaylin isn't pushing any boundaries or subverting the genre, but the writing is solid, the plot does not insult the reader's intelligence and the novel was fun to read.
This isn't literary fiction by any stretch, Gaylin isn't pushing any boundaries or subverting the genre, but the writing is solid, the plot does not insult the reader's intelligence and the novel was fun to read.
April 27, 2008
The author gets points for writing a good fast-paced story. But her characters (especially male) suffer from one-dimension-itis (there's nothing there to flesh them out, or to suggest real-life complications or contradictions). Her protagonist is a writer for Hollywood tabloids, which should be a great environment for a strong story. But the book lacks humor and realism, and the content doesn't live up to the promise.
July 11, 2009
the main character, Simone Glass, is a reporter for a tabloid newspaper who learns the lengths that one has to go to get the dirt on movie and television stars. she is in on the beginning of a serial killer story which gets rather close to home. she starts out grubbing in trash bags, works as a cater-waiter at a party, and learns how to get the goods.
it's interesting to learn how these people get their information.
it's interesting to learn how these people get their information.
February 26, 2008
Simone, who has a degree in journalism from a great college, finds herself in L.A. writing for a tabloid as the job she hoped for fell through. She finds herself trying to solve the murder of two young women in the film industry. Alison Gaylin is one of those writers whose books are hard to put down.
July 4, 2012
New Columbia journalism graduate finds the only job she can get is with a tabloid. She uses her skills to solve a mystery! I was a journalism major in college, and this story rings very true to me. It was also funny! My problem was the end seemed a little rushed--almost like the editors wanted the length shorter.
December 28, 2013
I would actually give this book 3 and 1/2 stars. It was a good book...almost like a guilty pleasure read. It moved quickly, especially once I got to the last 100 pages...couldn't wait to see how it would end! My only criticism is that I thought there were too many characters, and it got a bit confusing trying to keep everyone straight.
February 20, 2009
A young reported gets a job with a tabloid in Los Angeles, chasing Hollywood "stories"... she finds murder, mayhem and adventure along with a share of parties that are wilder than wild. The plot is well-developed and the characters diverse enough to hold your interest. Great winter reading!
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August 7, 2011I love love love this book... It had me guessing all the way through.
I wanted to work for Asteriod so I could work with Simone!
I could have done with a little more romance but I think that may have spoiled the pace.
I wanted to work for Asteriod so I could work with Simone!
I could have done with a little more romance but I think that may have spoiled the pace.
April 25, 2016
It's official. Alison Gaylin is now on my Must Buy list. Murder, mayhem, trust, betrayal, sex, lies, and videotapes, presented in a tightly written well-plotted package - what more could a reader ask for? I'm ready to go back and read it again.
September 10, 2007
A Hollywood whodunit. I don't often read mysteries, but this kept me guessing to the end. Which made it OK.
January 25, 2008
This satirical thriller about a tabloid reporter in L.A. shows the seamy and creepy side of Hollywood, but it's also laugh-out-loud funny.
November 2, 2008
A quick, saucy hollywood modern noir. Think Raymond Chandler meets Perez Hilton.
January 31, 2009
I just happened to pick this up at the library, and i really enjoyed it. It was a fast paced, easy read...
March 10, 2009
gaylin is supposed to be an "up and comer" mystery writr, but i am too old for this one! hollywood, parties, etc.............
May 3, 2009
a bit gory for my liking. plus i didn't really understand the ending. but i suppose it kept me guessing at least...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews