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Exposé
Sleazy journalists. Breaking news. When skeletons come out of the closet, will someone end up in the ground?
Amazon Bestseller (July 2020)
Amazon Bestseller (July 2020)
Adam Jaymes owns the public eye. Riding an incredibly successful career and married to a totally loaded husband, the powerful actor never forgave the gossip columns for their role in his dear friend’s suicide. And all that bad blood comes to a boil when he launches a deliciously mischievous plot to publicize their own dark deeds in a ticking time bomb of scorching scandal.
Turning his sights first on the tabloid’s self-proclaimed ‘Kiss-and-Tell King’, Adam soon has the public eating out of his hand - but has he taken his meticulous scheme too far?
Can Adam reveal the toxic cost of salacious journalism, or will he become the same slanderous evil he sought to destroy?
Exposé is a sensational thriller dripping with black humor. If you like characters you love to hate, sizzling satire, and hilarious surprises, then you’ll adore Paul Ilett’s red-hot story.
Buy Exposé for the full scoop today!339 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2014
99 people are currently reading
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About the author
Paul Ilett
5 books38 followersHi, I'm Paul and I've been writing my whole life. I spent more than a decade working as a journalist, which gave me plenty of material for my first two novels (Exposé and Exposed), but it's my experience of growing up in a large, multi-generational family that gave me the inspiration for my new novel, Five Siblings at 23. It's the story of a family with many, many secrets!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
March 13, 2020
Exposé by Paul Ilett is the story of The Daily Ear tabloid newspaper in London and a celebrity that decides he has had enough of their stories and decides to turn the tables on them. Reporters must have secrets, too. Right? The journalists and the public were kept on pins and needles as every three days there is a new revelation.
Most of the characters in this book are unsympathetic. However, they did have distinct voices with their own flaws and virtues. The internal and external conflicts for each main character were well defined and arose out of characterization and circumstance rather than feeling contrived or forced. There were a couple of plot twists and turns that were not expected.
Despite this being well-written, I felt it was just an okay read for me. I am obviously in the minority of reviewers and feel that I am not the intended audience for this book. It was interesting, but not for me.
I won a digital copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thanks go to Goodreads, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
Most of the characters in this book are unsympathetic. However, they did have distinct voices with their own flaws and virtues. The internal and external conflicts for each main character were well defined and arose out of characterization and circumstance rather than feeling contrived or forced. There were a couple of plot twists and turns that were not expected.
Despite this being well-written, I felt it was just an okay read for me. I am obviously in the minority of reviewers and feel that I am not the intended audience for this book. It was interesting, but not for me.
I won a digital copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thanks go to Goodreads, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
August 23, 2016
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
"Hello, this is Adam Jaymes. I just called to let you know its your turn. "
Ever wondered what it would be like to get one back on the newspapers? The Daily Ear is the worlds most infamous tabloid newspaper and the reporters there dont care who they hurt, they only care about getting a story. Feared by celebs & politicians, its left a trail of shattered lives in its wake as they expose the private lives of the rich and famous.
However, reporters are people too. And they have their own secrets.
Adam Jaymes is a tv golden boy. He's been in Dr who, Eastenders and a bunch of other tv shows. He's loved by the public all over the world. He's also had enough of the Daily Ear and the destruction it causes to families so he decides that now is the perfect time to switch things round and play the Daily Ear at their own game.
Nobody knows who the next target will be, but everyone will be watching as the clock strikes 9pm.
I found myself torn between wanting to read as much as possible in one sitting and wanting to put it down so i could enjoy it for longer. Pick this book up!! Read it!!! Its fast paced, it grabs you from the first few pages and you never know who's next on Adams hitlist or why they're on it.
I am praying theres a second book - PRAYING. I also think this should be turned into a movie!
"Hello, this is Adam Jaymes. I just called to let you know its your turn. "
Ever wondered what it would be like to get one back on the newspapers? The Daily Ear is the worlds most infamous tabloid newspaper and the reporters there dont care who they hurt, they only care about getting a story. Feared by celebs & politicians, its left a trail of shattered lives in its wake as they expose the private lives of the rich and famous.
However, reporters are people too. And they have their own secrets.
Adam Jaymes is a tv golden boy. He's been in Dr who, Eastenders and a bunch of other tv shows. He's loved by the public all over the world. He's also had enough of the Daily Ear and the destruction it causes to families so he decides that now is the perfect time to switch things round and play the Daily Ear at their own game.
Nobody knows who the next target will be, but everyone will be watching as the clock strikes 9pm.
I found myself torn between wanting to read as much as possible in one sitting and wanting to put it down so i could enjoy it for longer. Pick this book up!! Read it!!! Its fast paced, it grabs you from the first few pages and you never know who's next on Adams hitlist or why they're on it.
I am praying theres a second book - PRAYING. I also think this should be turned into a movie!
June 19, 2017
Funny and witty. Gives the inside scoop of the tabloid industry. Describe the routine of gossip writers and how they keep up with tracking the celebrity they try to cover. Unputdownable!
Read
June 25, 2019Unpleasant and boring. Skim-read looking for dialogue, characterisation or a moral centre. 0/3.
August 12, 2017
This book skewers Britain's celeb obsessed Tabloids and their employees. Very few American newspapers would put a celebrity above the fold but in the UK it is an industry and the Daily Ear has spent the past 20 years going from boring to must read with the assistance of a dedicated staff of celeb muckrakers. Using the philosophy that if one is a celeb one is therefore opening all aspects of their life to examination; they have ruined lives, marriages and more. One celebrity is mad as hell and he's not going to take it anymore. Adam Jaymes, a child star, turned Doctor Who companion turned musical theater star has the whole world in his hand. He is just about universally beloved and when he turns the tables on the staff of the Daily Ear the people are cheering.
First Colin the 'King of Kiss and Tell' who has uncovered celebrity and non celebrity scandals for years is unmasked as being a cheating husband, then Valerie the vitriolic columnist who rails against gay marriage and other 'crimes against society' is show to be a bitter resentful hypocrite. The entire world is watching as Adam's website releases the truth behind the people who hide behind their Press passes to wreck lives. The author adds fun bits of fictional twitter excerpts and articles and story comments following each unmasking so you get a feel for the public's feelings.
It is easy to sit back and be gleeful as the nasty people seem to get their comeuppance but in reality this book asks the same question many people grappled with 20 years ago following the death of Princess Diana. Do you blame the Press for writing these stories and hunting the people who they put in the publication? Do you blame the people who read these stories; if no one bought a magazine or paper that splashed a celebrity scandal across the front page then the papers would stop reporting on them. And what about the celebrities themselves? In a culture where one can be famous for being famous; Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, cast of the shows like the Bachelor and Big Brother, is there a trade off of privacy for fame? And lastly what gives the Press the right to pass judgment upon people and what constitutes news? And what percentage of a story needs to be truthful?
The final chapter unmasks the person who truly wanted revenge and why, but I actually felt this detracted from the book.
First Colin the 'King of Kiss and Tell' who has uncovered celebrity and non celebrity scandals for years is unmasked as being a cheating husband, then Valerie the vitriolic columnist who rails against gay marriage and other 'crimes against society' is show to be a bitter resentful hypocrite. The entire world is watching as Adam's website releases the truth behind the people who hide behind their Press passes to wreck lives. The author adds fun bits of fictional twitter excerpts and articles and story comments following each unmasking so you get a feel for the public's feelings.
It is easy to sit back and be gleeful as the nasty people seem to get their comeuppance but in reality this book asks the same question many people grappled with 20 years ago following the death of Princess Diana. Do you blame the Press for writing these stories and hunting the people who they put in the publication? Do you blame the people who read these stories; if no one bought a magazine or paper that splashed a celebrity scandal across the front page then the papers would stop reporting on them. And what about the celebrities themselves? In a culture where one can be famous for being famous; Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, cast of the shows like the Bachelor and Big Brother, is there a trade off of privacy for fame? And lastly what gives the Press the right to pass judgment upon people and what constitutes news? And what percentage of a story needs to be truthful?
The final chapter unmasks the person who truly wanted revenge and why, but I actually felt this detracted from the book.
June 15, 2019
3 stars
This story revolves around skeezy tabloid journalists/editors/owners getting some comeuppance for all the grief, fear and terror they’ve wrought on people over the years by having the tables turned on them. The hunter becomes the hunted so to speak. Perhaps this might resonate more with folks who live in tabloid heavy countries, but I think we can probably all appreciate it when morally ambiguous people are hit with a bit of karma.
I thought this book had a great premise, but I feel like the focus was on the wrong people. By far, the most interesting character was Adam Jaymes. But while integral to the whole plot, he remained almost completely unknowable. His story would have been way more fun to read. Also, the fat shaming of one character could have been left out entirely. It was gross and unnecessary.
This story revolves around skeezy tabloid journalists/editors/owners getting some comeuppance for all the grief, fear and terror they’ve wrought on people over the years by having the tables turned on them. The hunter becomes the hunted so to speak. Perhaps this might resonate more with folks who live in tabloid heavy countries, but I think we can probably all appreciate it when morally ambiguous people are hit with a bit of karma.
I thought this book had a great premise, but I feel like the focus was on the wrong people. By far, the most interesting character was Adam Jaymes. But while integral to the whole plot, he remained almost completely unknowable. His story would have been way more fun to read. Also, the fat shaming of one character could have been left out entirely. It was gross and unnecessary.
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March 17, 2020
I'm not sure how this could have been awarded #1 Amazon best seller in gay fiction. What I mean is that there are gay characters but they are not of the MC category ... and the only prominent gay sometimes came across as an avenging antagonist. By midway through the book, I had come to accept that there would be no M-M action, no gay romance. I wouldn't call this a comedy even though there are some absurd/ironic moments. Some reviewers have called it a satire and I agree the author shines a harsh and unflattering light on people who staff a popular trashy tabloid rag in the UK (the fate of the News of the World gets some mention in fact).
For me, this read more like the Agatha Christie title And Then There Were None, whereby a cast of generally unlikable characters are trapped awaiting their 'doom' ... in this case, having the tables turned on them by a powerful and popular media star - exposing their humiliating secrets online one by one. No-one dies ... but reputations are destroyed, careers & egos killed, the powerful are brought low. One can almost call it redemptive insofar that some characters get a chance to take stock of their lives, re-evaluate their raison d'etre, take a cold hard look at their life choices and actions and the impact they have had on loved ones and colleagues.
Nearing the end, there is an unexpected plot twist regarding a fairly innocuous character in a confrontational showdown ... but the Agatha Christie-like surprises kept coming with the epilogue giving readers a reveal on the hidden machinations of a minor character, throwing the events of the book into a whole new light! A 3.5 stars read.
For me, this read more like the Agatha Christie title And Then There Were None, whereby a cast of generally unlikable characters are trapped awaiting their 'doom' ... in this case, having the tables turned on them by a powerful and popular media star - exposing their humiliating secrets online one by one. No-one dies ... but reputations are destroyed, careers & egos killed, the powerful are brought low. One can almost call it redemptive insofar that some characters get a chance to take stock of their lives, re-evaluate their raison d'etre, take a cold hard look at their life choices and actions and the impact they have had on loved ones and colleagues.
Nearing the end, there is an unexpected plot twist regarding a fairly innocuous character in a confrontational showdown ... but the Agatha Christie-like surprises kept coming with the epilogue giving readers a reveal on the hidden machinations of a minor character, throwing the events of the book into a whole new light! A 3.5 stars read.
February 3, 2015
Full disclosure: The author is a friend of mine. But that kind of made the prospect of reading and reviewing his book more worrying. What do I say if it's really terrible?
Within a few pages I realised that wasn't going to be a problem. Paul has delivered a delightfully intriguing book right from the off.
It tells the story of TV golden boy Adam Jaymes, who turns the tables on the British gutter press - namely The Daily Ear - that has hassled him and his friends for years, printing thousands of lies and tall tales.
Unearthing the deepest, darkest secrets of the paper's star employees, Jaymes gets the nation gripped on his vengeance and baying for more blood as The Daily Ear tries to salvage something from the mess.
Although he controls the plot, Jaymes flits in an out the story as we see it from the eyes of others - the newspaper's kiss-and-tell king, vicious columnist, sleazy photographer, all-powerful owner, inept chief exec, evil editor and all manner of staff members as panic spreads through the newsroom.
The story is excellent and written in an original way - with plenty of twists and turns right up until the final exposé. Paul has also taken time to develop all of his many characters. As sleazy as he is, we see the kiss-and-tell king's fragile human side and the same goes for many of the others.
There's humour, sadness and - of course - revenge.
A cracking debut novel and one that could easily be converted into a screenplay for TV. Great job Paul!
Within a few pages I realised that wasn't going to be a problem. Paul has delivered a delightfully intriguing book right from the off.
It tells the story of TV golden boy Adam Jaymes, who turns the tables on the British gutter press - namely The Daily Ear - that has hassled him and his friends for years, printing thousands of lies and tall tales.
Unearthing the deepest, darkest secrets of the paper's star employees, Jaymes gets the nation gripped on his vengeance and baying for more blood as The Daily Ear tries to salvage something from the mess.
Although he controls the plot, Jaymes flits in an out the story as we see it from the eyes of others - the newspaper's kiss-and-tell king, vicious columnist, sleazy photographer, all-powerful owner, inept chief exec, evil editor and all manner of staff members as panic spreads through the newsroom.
The story is excellent and written in an original way - with plenty of twists and turns right up until the final exposé. Paul has also taken time to develop all of his many characters. As sleazy as he is, we see the kiss-and-tell king's fragile human side and the same goes for many of the others.
There's humour, sadness and - of course - revenge.
A cracking debut novel and one that could easily be converted into a screenplay for TV. Great job Paul!
May 24, 2017
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review
And I can honestly say that I really enjoyed this book! In a nutshell, a celebrity turns the tables on a tabloid newspaper by digging the dirt on its employees, exposing their secrets in a public way, complete with sensationalist headlines. However, these employees are not cardboard cutout stereotype sleazebags. In fact the story mostly comes from their perspectives as flawed human beings, who have their owns problems and issues which the reader can (sometimes) sympathise with. Also, the book weighs in with vox pops in some chapters comprised of tweets, posts and interview snippets to gauge public opinion of the events as they unfold, which I thought was a nice touch. The only criticism I have is that there were a few too many characters and I found myself backtracking now and again to remember who was who. Otherwise, great story which I could see being effortlessly adapted into a TV miniseries without losing any impact of the original.
And I can honestly say that I really enjoyed this book! In a nutshell, a celebrity turns the tables on a tabloid newspaper by digging the dirt on its employees, exposing their secrets in a public way, complete with sensationalist headlines. However, these employees are not cardboard cutout stereotype sleazebags. In fact the story mostly comes from their perspectives as flawed human beings, who have their owns problems and issues which the reader can (sometimes) sympathise with. Also, the book weighs in with vox pops in some chapters comprised of tweets, posts and interview snippets to gauge public opinion of the events as they unfold, which I thought was a nice touch. The only criticism I have is that there were a few too many characters and I found myself backtracking now and again to remember who was who. Otherwise, great story which I could see being effortlessly adapted into a TV miniseries without losing any impact of the original.
July 30, 2023
Brilliant set of corkscrew plot twists
Even when everything is explained to you, and you think you’ve got a handle on it, the epilogue turns everything upside, again. We’ve all read stories about the ‘gutter’ press, but in the race to get a story, I often wonder how honest and trustworthy the so called quality news outlets really are. Misery sells in the news industry, there’s almost no ‘good’ news on tv. This story is horribly believable, with nasty things happening to unlikeable characters that truly deserve to know what it’s like, when they themselves are a news item. There isn’t a HEA as such, and some questions go unanswered, but the huge reveal at the end is magnificent.
Even when everything is explained to you, and you think you’ve got a handle on it, the epilogue turns everything upside, again. We’ve all read stories about the ‘gutter’ press, but in the race to get a story, I often wonder how honest and trustworthy the so called quality news outlets really are. Misery sells in the news industry, there’s almost no ‘good’ news on tv. This story is horribly believable, with nasty things happening to unlikeable characters that truly deserve to know what it’s like, when they themselves are a news item. There isn’t a HEA as such, and some questions go unanswered, but the huge reveal at the end is magnificent.
September 7, 2024
I wasn’t sure about this book at first. The newspaper title, “The Daily Ear” irked me somewhat but then on reflection, this was probably quite appropriate for a tabloid and I went along with the idea. The characters too seemed a little shallow and two dimensional but the telling of the story, in which it became a real page turner, made up for this shortcoming. The unexpected twist at the end of the tale , from the one and only character who turned out to have any real depth, added to my enjoyment . I wouldn’t necessarily save this book from the waves but I might recommend it to someone embarking on an international flight to while away the hours.
May 23, 2021
I wasn't sure I was going to like this book when I started reading. But the farther into the story I got, the harder it was to stop reading. The ending was awesome!
August 18, 2017
Fabulous frothy read, read in a couple of sittings. Delicious characters getting up to dubious shenanigans.
I would love there to be a follow up, those characters can't just be left like that.
I would love there to be a follow up, those characters can't just be left like that.
March 7, 2021
Thoroughly enjoyed!
Well written and hard to put down. Great story! Left me wanting more by the end. Would read again and recommend.
Well written and hard to put down. Great story! Left me wanting more by the end. Would read again and recommend.
June 19, 2016
I give this book 3.5 stars. It wasn't a bad book at all.
This book came up on Twitter, and the cover intrigued me immediately. Reading into it, I knew this was a book that I would probably enjoy - I love celebrities, love journalism, and I love exposés. It had a really great premise, so I bought a copy as soon as possible.
Let's start with, not the bad - as this was not a bad book at all - but the 'let downs'. I sometimes felt like the exposés were a bit boring. I wanted scandal, I wanted shock, I wanted disbelief, but for most of them I was just a bit bored of them. I suppose they were quite personal to the characters, but to me I felt like if that came out about someone in the public eye it would be news for less than an hour.
There were quite a few characters, and I lost track of a few of them. Some of them didn't really have much depth, either. I was hoping to see more of Adam Jaymes, follow more of his life, but unfortunately despite him delivering the exposés, he wasn't in it that much. I thought Adam Jaymes was quite a dynamic character, and one that had some interest and backstory to him.
Now to the good - Paul's writing is very good, and whilst it does miss punctuation at times, he did manage to keep me gripped. I know I said the exposés were a little boring, but they weren't boring enough to lose my interest. I also really liked how Paul grasped the media industry and journalism. The Daily Ear reminded me greatly of News of the World, and some of the journalists reminded me of the likes of Katie Hopkins and Dan Wootton. The sad tale of Pearl was a reoccurring theme, and it made me feel like what happened to her - a life humiliated by The Daily Ear - could really happen in real life. Sadly, people will do anything to get their 'exclusives' and that's exactly what these journalists did in this.
Another good thing is the premise. Can you imagine one day waking up to find that celebrities were hunting down journalists and exposing their secrets?! Is it bad I kind of hope that does happen?! I'd love Dan Wootton to get a taste of his own medicine one day.
The final thing I really liked, which nudged this story to a close 4 star rating, was the final exposé and the big twist at the end. If this had gone on a little longer it would have really got me interested! It was so cleverly written. The character in question was always around, but they never raised my suspicion and that's perfect. I was genuinely shocked but it all started to fall in to place. I really enjoyed the end.
I hope that maybe soon, Paul will write a story solely on Adam Jaymes - his rise to fame and meeting his husband perhaps? I liked the LGBT themes. I would love to read more books by Paul in the future.
This book came up on Twitter, and the cover intrigued me immediately. Reading into it, I knew this was a book that I would probably enjoy - I love celebrities, love journalism, and I love exposés. It had a really great premise, so I bought a copy as soon as possible.
Let's start with, not the bad - as this was not a bad book at all - but the 'let downs'. I sometimes felt like the exposés were a bit boring. I wanted scandal, I wanted shock, I wanted disbelief, but for most of them I was just a bit bored of them. I suppose they were quite personal to the characters, but to me I felt like if that came out about someone in the public eye it would be news for less than an hour.
There were quite a few characters, and I lost track of a few of them. Some of them didn't really have much depth, either. I was hoping to see more of Adam Jaymes, follow more of his life, but unfortunately despite him delivering the exposés, he wasn't in it that much. I thought Adam Jaymes was quite a dynamic character, and one that had some interest and backstory to him.
Now to the good - Paul's writing is very good, and whilst it does miss punctuation at times, he did manage to keep me gripped. I know I said the exposés were a little boring, but they weren't boring enough to lose my interest. I also really liked how Paul grasped the media industry and journalism. The Daily Ear reminded me greatly of News of the World, and some of the journalists reminded me of the likes of Katie Hopkins and Dan Wootton. The sad tale of Pearl was a reoccurring theme, and it made me feel like what happened to her - a life humiliated by The Daily Ear - could really happen in real life. Sadly, people will do anything to get their 'exclusives' and that's exactly what these journalists did in this.
Another good thing is the premise. Can you imagine one day waking up to find that celebrities were hunting down journalists and exposing their secrets?! Is it bad I kind of hope that does happen?! I'd love Dan Wootton to get a taste of his own medicine one day.
The final thing I really liked, which nudged this story to a close 4 star rating, was the final exposé and the big twist at the end. If this had gone on a little longer it would have really got me interested! It was so cleverly written. The character in question was always around, but they never raised my suspicion and that's perfect. I was genuinely shocked but it all started to fall in to place. I really enjoyed the end.
I hope that maybe soon, Paul will write a story solely on Adam Jaymes - his rise to fame and meeting his husband perhaps? I liked the LGBT themes. I would love to read more books by Paul in the future.
June 21, 2016
I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
I thought it was pretty good. The cast of characters were pretty unlikeable, and it felt kinda good to watch the tabloid media (even a fake media) get a taste of their own medicine. I really liked the epilogue.
I did find the way the author wrote the POVs to be a bit distracting and hard to follow at first, but I got used to it by the end.
I thought it was pretty good. The cast of characters were pretty unlikeable, and it felt kinda good to watch the tabloid media (even a fake media) get a taste of their own medicine. I really liked the epilogue.
I did find the way the author wrote the POVs to be a bit distracting and hard to follow at first, but I got used to it by the end.
February 21, 2024
Exposé
By Paul Ilett
Published by the author, 2014
Five stars
This is a brilliant book, sly and satirical, with vivid, beautifully wrought characters who keep you slightly off-balance as you try to figure out what’s going on. I realized as I dug into it that it was not quite what I thought it was. This is not really a “gay book” at all, although the entire plot is driven by a gay man whose character actually appears on page just three times. What it is, after all, is a book about tabloid journalism, specifically about the English “gutter press” and its fraudulently self-righteous war on personal privacy.
Like most Americans, I’d say that my entire knowledge of British tabloid journalism is based on watching the later seasons of “The Crown” and also watching Meghan and Harry’s multi-part television series. This is to say that I know enough to know that even the appalling Fox News in the USA isn’t as bad as The Daily Ear in Paul Ilett’s book. Come to think of it, the Daily Ear’s owners, a family named Harvey, are possibly meant to evoke the Murdoch clan.
The book is largely written from the various perspectives of the key players in the Daily Ear’s newsroom, as one by one the paper’s most celebrated and successful writers are targeted by young gay celebrity Adam Jaymes. Jaymes has been a target of the Daily Ear’s pen-wielders but has never been hurt by them. His reason for launching his attack on the paper is on someone else’s behalf, and his goal is to inflict the kind of damage on the Daily Ear’s masthead that they have inflicted on countless innocent people. What the Daily Ear does is not about simply embarrassing a celebrity; this is about destroying lives and reputations for fun and profit.
If it weren’t so engagingly written, Ilett’s book would be chilling. It’s chilling anyway, especially in those moments where you find yourself almost liking one of the central characters, and then realize how truly awful they are. The author builds up little moments of sympathy for these characters as we see the world through their eyes, and then reminds you of what they’ve done, and how much they’ve relished doing it. These are all people, with a couple of exceptions, who have become rich and powerful on the misery of others.
This would make a brilliant limited series for television. I’m glad I bought it, because for all its entertainment value, it tells a valuable and unpleasant truth even as it makes you shiver with the pleasure of revenge.
By Paul Ilett
Published by the author, 2014
Five stars
This is a brilliant book, sly and satirical, with vivid, beautifully wrought characters who keep you slightly off-balance as you try to figure out what’s going on. I realized as I dug into it that it was not quite what I thought it was. This is not really a “gay book” at all, although the entire plot is driven by a gay man whose character actually appears on page just three times. What it is, after all, is a book about tabloid journalism, specifically about the English “gutter press” and its fraudulently self-righteous war on personal privacy.
Like most Americans, I’d say that my entire knowledge of British tabloid journalism is based on watching the later seasons of “The Crown” and also watching Meghan and Harry’s multi-part television series. This is to say that I know enough to know that even the appalling Fox News in the USA isn’t as bad as The Daily Ear in Paul Ilett’s book. Come to think of it, the Daily Ear’s owners, a family named Harvey, are possibly meant to evoke the Murdoch clan.
The book is largely written from the various perspectives of the key players in the Daily Ear’s newsroom, as one by one the paper’s most celebrated and successful writers are targeted by young gay celebrity Adam Jaymes. Jaymes has been a target of the Daily Ear’s pen-wielders but has never been hurt by them. His reason for launching his attack on the paper is on someone else’s behalf, and his goal is to inflict the kind of damage on the Daily Ear’s masthead that they have inflicted on countless innocent people. What the Daily Ear does is not about simply embarrassing a celebrity; this is about destroying lives and reputations for fun and profit.
If it weren’t so engagingly written, Ilett’s book would be chilling. It’s chilling anyway, especially in those moments where you find yourself almost liking one of the central characters, and then realize how truly awful they are. The author builds up little moments of sympathy for these characters as we see the world through their eyes, and then reminds you of what they’ve done, and how much they’ve relished doing it. These are all people, with a couple of exceptions, who have become rich and powerful on the misery of others.
This would make a brilliant limited series for television. I’m glad I bought it, because for all its entertainment value, it tells a valuable and unpleasant truth even as it makes you shiver with the pleasure of revenge.
September 1, 2019
Love this tables-turning novel about a man bringing all the paparazzi’s secrets to light.
Adam is a famous actor, married to his American husband. He’s been dogged by the Daily Ear’s employees for years, trying to dig up dirt on him. But they never could. They did, however, do many other despicable things, including push Adam’s friend and co-star to suicide.
So, one fine day he announces that the laws being battled upon to limit paparazzi hounds are still too loose, and he’s going to expose various members of the Daily Ear for their own unethical behaviours.
He spends the next few weeks sharing secrets, some scandalous, some embarrassing, some illegal. Each Ear employee has to face their demons, few learn the lesson he’s trying to send.
This is such a powerful, hilarious, yet sad and serious look at the world of tabloids and what media, including mainstream, social and trashy, put out to sell stories.
I never felt bad for the ‘victims’ of Adam’s stories, even Leonard, where Adam wouldn’t have known what could happen. I knew where some things would lead, and love the Justice wrought on these hacks.
The last chapter was a surprise, but made total sense, a fitting end to this great exposé.
KU
Adam is a famous actor, married to his American husband. He’s been dogged by the Daily Ear’s employees for years, trying to dig up dirt on him. But they never could. They did, however, do many other despicable things, including push Adam’s friend and co-star to suicide.
So, one fine day he announces that the laws being battled upon to limit paparazzi hounds are still too loose, and he’s going to expose various members of the Daily Ear for their own unethical behaviours.
He spends the next few weeks sharing secrets, some scandalous, some embarrassing, some illegal. Each Ear employee has to face their demons, few learn the lesson he’s trying to send.
This is such a powerful, hilarious, yet sad and serious look at the world of tabloids and what media, including mainstream, social and trashy, put out to sell stories.
I never felt bad for the ‘victims’ of Adam’s stories, even Leonard, where Adam wouldn’t have known what could happen. I knew where some things would lead, and love the Justice wrought on these hacks.
The last chapter was a surprise, but made total sense, a fitting end to this great exposé.
KU
September 8, 2024
Didn’t enjoy this one.
I didn’t find anyone sympathetic & wasn’t rooting for anyone - so was a little bit ‘who cares’.
Many sections feel padded with unnecessary dialogue & descriptions- which I skimmed & found intently boring.
No spoilers - but the denouement felt just as morally awash as the actions that led them there.
Having worked in n/p ad sales for a short while, this captures the inner workings of popularist media in the 80-00s quite well - although I doubt an intern could wander so freely or so far.
It highlights how intense, myopic industrial competitive rivalry & short term objectives such as daily sales can corrupt individuals perspective and distort their moral compass.
Especially, as is repeated many times in the book, those unethical exposes sell more newspapers because sufficiently large numbers of people seem to like reading exposes.
The papers may have declined due to tech disruption- but that ability for power, greed & myopia to corrupt thrives everywhere & in an age of pure fake & growing fraud, it will be interesting to see where we head next.
I didn’t find anyone sympathetic & wasn’t rooting for anyone - so was a little bit ‘who cares’.
Many sections feel padded with unnecessary dialogue & descriptions- which I skimmed & found intently boring.
No spoilers - but the denouement felt just as morally awash as the actions that led them there.
Having worked in n/p ad sales for a short while, this captures the inner workings of popularist media in the 80-00s quite well - although I doubt an intern could wander so freely or so far.
It highlights how intense, myopic industrial competitive rivalry & short term objectives such as daily sales can corrupt individuals perspective and distort their moral compass.
Especially, as is repeated many times in the book, those unethical exposes sell more newspapers because sufficiently large numbers of people seem to like reading exposes.
The papers may have declined due to tech disruption- but that ability for power, greed & myopia to corrupt thrives everywhere & in an age of pure fake & growing fraud, it will be interesting to see where we head next.
May 17, 2019
I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway. I really enjoyed this story! I am not a fan of tabloid news or the hounding of celebrities and the intrusion into private lives of others; therefore, I found the whole idea of revenge against a the Daily Ear to be extremely satisfying. While I liked the mention of average people buying papers being the primary motivator for the practices those journalists employ, I would have liked to see that brought up as a main point rather than just a passing comment. The characters were well-developed and each reveal was perfectly scripted. I had to somewhat suspend disbelief for the last one and how that was discovered, but truth is often stranger than fiction and I thought it could happen that way in real life as well, so I didn't dwell on it.
I would love to see a sequel to this book!
I would love to see a sequel to this book!
July 4, 2024
A sharply funny, superbly characterised world of tabloid journalism, closeted queers and nefarious outings of many kinds. I absolutely loved how Paul's strong narrative allowed characters to breathe and establish themselves. Gossip columnist Valerie Pierce is absolutely horrid and so intensely pleasing to read. Her dialogue is perfection, as are her interactions with the other characters. It was easy to dislike her but also revel in how she navigated her way in and out of drama.
I was most impressed at how comfortable I felt reading this, in terms of where the author was taking me and what they chose to reveal at different points in the story. Paul's narrative is robust and confident, but the wry, sardonic humour appealed to me the most. I was happy to let Paul take me wherever the story led and thoroughly enjoyed the twists, turns and secrets of his world.
I was most impressed at how comfortable I felt reading this, in terms of where the author was taking me and what they chose to reveal at different points in the story. Paul's narrative is robust and confident, but the wry, sardonic humour appealed to me the most. I was happy to let Paul take me wherever the story led and thoroughly enjoyed the twists, turns and secrets of his world.
March 3, 2019
Excellent book
I am a retired local newspaper editor and many of the colleagues I trained with in the Sixties went on to work in the national press, as did young reporters who I mentored. Some of these journalists ended up on the trashy red tops, hardened their hearts and lost their moral compass. I know they now look back on the dirty tricks that they played and regret it. This book has a light-hearted veneer but I can feel the author’s anger underneath. Maybe it should be required reading for those on NCTJ courses, before they lose their innocence and forget that they have real people’s lives in their hands.
I am a retired local newspaper editor and many of the colleagues I trained with in the Sixties went on to work in the national press, as did young reporters who I mentored. Some of these journalists ended up on the trashy red tops, hardened their hearts and lost their moral compass. I know they now look back on the dirty tricks that they played and regret it. This book has a light-hearted veneer but I can feel the author’s anger underneath. Maybe it should be required reading for those on NCTJ courses, before they lose their innocence and forget that they have real people’s lives in their hands.
April 28, 2019
Thank you to Paul Ilett for this Kindle copy of Expose. Thanks also to Goodreads for hosting the opportunity.
I liked it. I thought it a little on the slow paced side, but not bad. The numerous editing issues are still there after all these years. Interesting story, turning the tables on the rag mag industry, but what I think was of most interest, as noted in the book, is the fact that the industry exists for a reason. This kind of 'stuff' exists, along with many other things (Barbie and dog Tanner, pet rocks, Hollywood worshiping, etc, etc...), because people buy [into] it. But, one persons trash is another treasure, so there ya go.
I liked it. I thought it a little on the slow paced side, but not bad. The numerous editing issues are still there after all these years. Interesting story, turning the tables on the rag mag industry, but what I think was of most interest, as noted in the book, is the fact that the industry exists for a reason. This kind of 'stuff' exists, along with many other things (Barbie and dog Tanner, pet rocks, Hollywood worshiping, etc, etc...), because people buy [into] it. But, one persons trash is another treasure, so there ya go.
March 16, 2020
British sheet takedown
Principal characters from the newspaper's masthead become target/victim of a hidden investigation. An inside view of a British scandal sheet as one of the tabloid's targets uses celebrity and wealth to apply the reveals in reverse. An excellent read with surprise twists.
As I am a gatherer of books, I collect books and ebooks from a variety of sources: Goodreads wins, Bookhub, BookFunnel, emails from authors and publishers, and others. I do lose track of their sources. But, as a reader, I feel I should give an honest, unencumbered review for all I read. This was a recent result of a Goodreads' drawing.
Principal characters from the newspaper's masthead become target/victim of a hidden investigation. An inside view of a British scandal sheet as one of the tabloid's targets uses celebrity and wealth to apply the reveals in reverse. An excellent read with surprise twists.
As I am a gatherer of books, I collect books and ebooks from a variety of sources: Goodreads wins, Bookhub, BookFunnel, emails from authors and publishers, and others. I do lose track of their sources. But, as a reader, I feel I should give an honest, unencumbered review for all I read. This was a recent result of a Goodreads' drawing.
March 20, 2019
Well plotted, presented and written from start to finish. Was initially unsure that having the victims as the POVs was going to work, but it did - brilliantly - and while it gave the reader valuable insight into what was going on you didn't ever feel sorry for them.
I had the pleasure to work with the author, briefly, many years ago (there was even a shout-out for the employee we shared) and only really picked this up out of curiosity for what he had written. I am very glad I did - I enjoyed it immensely.
I had the pleasure to work with the author, briefly, many years ago (there was even a shout-out for the employee we shared) and only really picked this up out of curiosity for what he had written. I am very glad I did - I enjoyed it immensely.
May 9, 2019
I received this book as part of a Goodreads give away.
I enjoyed the premise of this book - What happens when roles are reversed and celebrities expose the private lives of the reporters who are constantly invading their privacy? Do two wrongs make a right? Ultimately, this is a story about horrible people doing horrible things. None of the characters are likeable, and I both felt sorry for them but also liked seeing their downfall. If anything the book is witty and entertaining, and made me think about the value of privacy.
I enjoyed the premise of this book - What happens when roles are reversed and celebrities expose the private lives of the reporters who are constantly invading their privacy? Do two wrongs make a right? Ultimately, this is a story about horrible people doing horrible things. None of the characters are likeable, and I both felt sorry for them but also liked seeing their downfall. If anything the book is witty and entertaining, and made me think about the value of privacy.
February 14, 2024
This is a really great revenge story! It was written with great humor, clever plotting, and a pretty awesome twist I should have, but didn’t see coming.
There aren’t too many characters that you want to root for in this, but in a macabre way that’s kinda what’s great about it. Flawed characters are more interesting! There were some characters that I wish had gotten a bit more justice done to them. Guess I’m a flawed person, too.
I did find it interesting that some reviews I read of this deride Adam as a hypocrite. Did they not read the Epilogue?
There aren’t too many characters that you want to root for in this, but in a macabre way that’s kinda what’s great about it. Flawed characters are more interesting! There were some characters that I wish had gotten a bit more justice done to them. Guess I’m a flawed person, too.
I did find it interesting that some reviews I read of this deride Adam as a hypocrite. Did they not read the Epilogue?
September 7, 2024
This was the very first book recommended by our new book club - a club I was interested in for intelligent discussion and to to broaden my reading, exposing me to genres I wouldn't normally dip into.
I didn't dip into this book - I took a deep dive. It is compelling reading. The narrative backbone of exposing the double-standards of a tabloid newspaper is clever, but the way it allows multiple stories to hang from that structure is brilliant. It reminded me of how clever Rad Bradbury's, "The Illustrated Man," was as a way to bring continuity to a set of different stories.
I didn't dip into this book - I took a deep dive. It is compelling reading. The narrative backbone of exposing the double-standards of a tabloid newspaper is clever, but the way it allows multiple stories to hang from that structure is brilliant. It reminded me of how clever Rad Bradbury's, "The Illustrated Man," was as a way to bring continuity to a set of different stories.
March 11, 2021
Wow. What an expose on the press
Loved every minute of it. The book was superb, looking at both sides of the news story, the press and the person being reported on. Its not a book I would normally buy, but the story line peaked an interest and I am so glad it did. Can't wait to see if Felicity stays in journalism and what's next. Even if this is a 'one off' I fully intend to read the author's next book.
Loved every minute of it. The book was superb, looking at both sides of the news story, the press and the person being reported on. Its not a book I would normally buy, but the story line peaked an interest and I am so glad it did. Can't wait to see if Felicity stays in journalism and what's next. Even if this is a 'one off' I fully intend to read the author's next book.
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