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The Scoop: A Novel
A piercing satire about a journalist working the night shift at a tabloid and the explosive consequences of her “harmless” clickbait.
Washed-up New York journalist Frankie Miller is getting desperate. Since the twenty-nine-year-old lost her dream job at a glossy magazine three months ago, her days have been filled with overdue bills, cereal for dinner, and a flood of rejection emails (not to mention her ex has a new girlfriend). So when she’s offered a job at The Scoop, a tabloid website run by tyrannical editor-in-chief David Brown, she can’t exactly afford to say no—even if it means swallowing her pride for clicks. Besides, for Frankie, it’s just a paycheck, a temporary detour. It’s not forever.
But the deeper she’s pulled into the breakneck world of tabloid journalism, the blurrier the line between ambition and morality becomes—until she crosses it. When her reporting humiliates a beloved pop star and dredges up grief over her late mother, Frankie sets off a chain reaction that spirals beyond her control. In an industry where reputation is currency and outrage sells, how far is Frankie willing to go—and how much is she willing to lose—to win at this ruthless game?
Sharp, witty, and unflinchingly bold, The Scoop is a searing exploration of ambition, exploitation, and the human toll of the 24/7 news cycle.
Washed-up New York journalist Frankie Miller is getting desperate. Since the twenty-nine-year-old lost her dream job at a glossy magazine three months ago, her days have been filled with overdue bills, cereal for dinner, and a flood of rejection emails (not to mention her ex has a new girlfriend). So when she’s offered a job at The Scoop, a tabloid website run by tyrannical editor-in-chief David Brown, she can’t exactly afford to say no—even if it means swallowing her pride for clicks. Besides, for Frankie, it’s just a paycheck, a temporary detour. It’s not forever.
But the deeper she’s pulled into the breakneck world of tabloid journalism, the blurrier the line between ambition and morality becomes—until she crosses it. When her reporting humiliates a beloved pop star and dredges up grief over her late mother, Frankie sets off a chain reaction that spirals beyond her control. In an industry where reputation is currency and outrage sells, how far is Frankie willing to go—and how much is she willing to lose—to win at this ruthless game?
Sharp, witty, and unflinchingly bold, The Scoop is a searing exploration of ambition, exploitation, and the human toll of the 24/7 news cycle.
315 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 21, 2026
28 people are currently reading
11130 people want to read
About the author
Erin Van Der Meer
2 books40 followersErin Van Der Meer is a writer and former journalist whose work has appeared in publications including The New York Times, The Daily Beast, and Elle. She was a Spruceton Inn Artist Resident in 2024. Born in Sydney, Australia, she now lives in Brooklyn. The Scoop is her debut.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
December 27, 2025
4⭐️
Thrilling, crazy, but funny!
From the jump, this book had me intrigued. Francesca Miller takes on a job as a night editor at a publication called The Scoop, “reporting” and publishing stories in the dead of night. But, all of it goes awry when Frankie puts out a story that upends everything. Dealing with backlash, judgement, and insane circumstances, she must decide what to do in the face of controversy.
This was a fantastically crafted story that kept my interest throughout the whole book. The characters are deep and human, flaws and all, but you can’t help sympathizing with them, even when they make more than questionable decisions. The trajectory of this plot was both funnily satirical and eerily thrilling; I wasn’t sure how the ending was going to happen. The crowning glory for this, in my opinion, is the voice of the author; genuine moments of laughing-out-loud commentary and descriptions, mixed with witty and sharp barbs of layered truth. Overall, a whirlwind of a ride, and one that I won’t forget for a long time.
A huge thank you to Rachel Rodriquez at Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC!
Thrilling, crazy, but funny!
From the jump, this book had me intrigued. Francesca Miller takes on a job as a night editor at a publication called The Scoop, “reporting” and publishing stories in the dead of night. But, all of it goes awry when Frankie puts out a story that upends everything. Dealing with backlash, judgement, and insane circumstances, she must decide what to do in the face of controversy.
This was a fantastically crafted story that kept my interest throughout the whole book. The characters are deep and human, flaws and all, but you can’t help sympathizing with them, even when they make more than questionable decisions. The trajectory of this plot was both funnily satirical and eerily thrilling; I wasn’t sure how the ending was going to happen. The crowning glory for this, in my opinion, is the voice of the author; genuine moments of laughing-out-loud commentary and descriptions, mixed with witty and sharp barbs of layered truth. Overall, a whirlwind of a ride, and one that I won’t forget for a long time.
A huge thank you to Rachel Rodriquez at Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC!
April 23, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an eARC in exchange for honest feedback.
I absolutely loved this book! It was dark…it was funny…and uncomfortably felt a little too real. I was 100% invested in Frankie’s journey and could definitely relate to her in so many ways. It was equal parts fascinating and horrifying to watch her essentially trade her integrity as an upstanding journalist, for relevance one trashy headline at a time. Watching her justify each step was painful, yet I couldn’t look away!
The author somehow managed to tell a darkly comedic tale using clickbait, gossip, and workplace toxicity, while also weaving in genuine grief and insecurity providing emotional heart to the story along the way. It was messy and morally grey…just the way I like it! Such a fun read.
I absolutely loved this book! It was dark…it was funny…and uncomfortably felt a little too real. I was 100% invested in Frankie’s journey and could definitely relate to her in so many ways. It was equal parts fascinating and horrifying to watch her essentially trade her integrity as an upstanding journalist, for relevance one trashy headline at a time. Watching her justify each step was painful, yet I couldn’t look away!
The author somehow managed to tell a darkly comedic tale using clickbait, gossip, and workplace toxicity, while also weaving in genuine grief and insecurity providing emotional heart to the story along the way. It was messy and morally grey…just the way I like it! Such a fun read.
November 8, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy.
This book left a lot to be desired, for me. I felt like it was attempting to talk about ethical gray areas and human nuance, but so much of felt almost cartoonish in how clearly Good v Bad it was. The “bad guys” were all supervillain-level evil. And the (very few) “good guys” were really half-baked characters. A majority of the main cast attempted to exist somehow between the two extremes, but largely felt too faux self-aware to feel realistic in what decisions they grappled with— often making the very clearly Bad one. This would be fine if we as the readers were not expect to follow along with their “redemption” arcs with any semblance of believability.
It also felt like characters were all given some level of tragic backstory just to make the protagonist (though she was included in this) understand them more, but these stories largely fell very flat to me.
I found that the tone of this whole book was a bit too embittered and cynical to ever meaningfully land its satire. I find this issue with a lot of Millennial fiction; characters all constantly articulate every feeling they have and every issue they grapple with to paint a very clear moral picture for the reader. In the case of this book, it just didn’t work for me. How many stories do we need about how bad legacy media is? We get it. You tell us that on page one. Why don’t you take a step to talk about what’s next?
2.5 stars, rounded down.
This book left a lot to be desired, for me. I felt like it was attempting to talk about ethical gray areas and human nuance, but so much of felt almost cartoonish in how clearly Good v Bad it was. The “bad guys” were all supervillain-level evil. And the (very few) “good guys” were really half-baked characters. A majority of the main cast attempted to exist somehow between the two extremes, but largely felt too faux self-aware to feel realistic in what decisions they grappled with— often making the very clearly Bad one. This would be fine if we as the readers were not expect to follow along with their “redemption” arcs with any semblance of believability.
It also felt like characters were all given some level of tragic backstory just to make the protagonist (though she was included in this) understand them more, but these stories largely fell very flat to me.
I found that the tone of this whole book was a bit too embittered and cynical to ever meaningfully land its satire. I find this issue with a lot of Millennial fiction; characters all constantly articulate every feeling they have and every issue they grapple with to paint a very clear moral picture for the reader. In the case of this book, it just didn’t work for me. How many stories do we need about how bad legacy media is? We get it. You tell us that on page one. Why don’t you take a step to talk about what’s next?
2.5 stars, rounded down.
April 23, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Scoop follows Francesca “Frankie” Miller as she navigates her career after being let go from Marie Claire. Unable to find another journalism job and needing to pay rent, Frankie sells her soul to the British devil David Brown and works as a night editor at the tabloid paper The Scoop, hoping to work her way up to a journalist at Business Day, a well-respected financial newspaper. She battles with her morals, torn between needing to please her boss in order to receive a promotion, and not wanting to tear apart people’s lives just to write a story. She gives in to the whispering dollar signs after receiving attention for her bylines on Amanda Myles. In her chase for success, to prove herself worthy to work at Business Day, she becomes as ruthless as her boss, pushing to push the juiciest story first without disregard for any parties affected. I felt a thrill every time Frankie fell deeper into the ugly world of tabloid news, and I was chewing my nails reading Frankie publish the Halloween costume article of Amanda. I cringe yet can’t wait to see how Frankie cannonballs into messes after misunderstanding others’ intentions. I admit it’s so satisfying to see situations blow up in her face. Erin van Der Meer gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at the tabloid publishing world, commenting on the exploitation of lives in an era where people can record others at any moment for their own advantage.
The Scoop follows Francesca “Frankie” Miller as she navigates her career after being let go from Marie Claire. Unable to find another journalism job and needing to pay rent, Frankie sells her soul to the British devil David Brown and works as a night editor at the tabloid paper The Scoop, hoping to work her way up to a journalist at Business Day, a well-respected financial newspaper. She battles with her morals, torn between needing to please her boss in order to receive a promotion, and not wanting to tear apart people’s lives just to write a story. She gives in to the whispering dollar signs after receiving attention for her bylines on Amanda Myles. In her chase for success, to prove herself worthy to work at Business Day, she becomes as ruthless as her boss, pushing to push the juiciest story first without disregard for any parties affected. I felt a thrill every time Frankie fell deeper into the ugly world of tabloid news, and I was chewing my nails reading Frankie publish the Halloween costume article of Amanda. I cringe yet can’t wait to see how Frankie cannonballs into messes after misunderstanding others’ intentions. I admit it’s so satisfying to see situations blow up in her face. Erin van Der Meer gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at the tabloid publishing world, commenting on the exploitation of lives in an era where people can record others at any moment for their own advantage.
November 13, 2025
Frankie, an inspiring journalist, is affected by the slow death of the publishing industry. Having lost her job at Marie Claire, with very little leads, she gets hired as a night editor by a sleazy tabloid. But is a paycheck and a sliver of hope for a future promotion enough to sell your soul?
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. The writing was interesting, character development worked enough for me. Decent plot that made me wanna know how it all works out.
The part with her mom's passing was a bit daunting but I can see how it helped to convey Frankie's loneliness.
Thank you, Netgalley, publisher, and author for the ARC
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. The writing was interesting, character development worked enough for me. Decent plot that made me wanna know how it all works out.
The part with her mom's passing was a bit daunting but I can see how it helped to convey Frankie's loneliness.
Thank you, Netgalley, publisher, and author for the ARC
April 26, 2026
SThe Scoop by Aaron Vandemere, Francesca is having a horrible summer she’s been laid off by Marie Claire magazine and it doesn’t help that her best friend Audrey got hired by the times thanks to nepotism. She also recently lost her mother and of course broke up with her longtime boyfriend due to him cheating. So once she gets hired by a company a kin to Fox News she takes the job due to her financial situation but it’s totally embarrassed by it. She works a night shift and to make matters worse they’re the tabloid portion of the magazine. Her boss David said if she does good he’ll get her in with Business Week something she is banking on. The only problem is she wasn’t prepared for the icky feeling some of the articles gave her having to defend her new job and how she can come to a peaceful place and still be able to pay her rent. this book was just OK and I did find it interesting at times and I thought her friends really had no clue what it was like to have to pay your own rent and really should’ve kept their judgement to their self. As for Patrick he was just a jerk it’s nice to make an ethical stand into defend people when you can also feed and clothe yourself so I guess I saw this book different than most people. The days of being poor with little children and me and my husband scraping to to buy food for everyone. there was times my husband rode his bike 7 miles there and 7 miles back just so he could get a paycheck so yeah I think I’m the wrong person for this book. Being poor and going without is deeply woven into my psyche and I know how hard that is so someone working at a magazine so she can pay rent when she has no other family I don’t see that justified way to judge her. I still found the book only OK but someone may like it it really was written by someone with talent intelligence and wit but I just found it almost pointless. Only somebody who’s wealthy could write a book that makes working or not working an ethical issue. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview,
April 24, 2026
(rounded up from 4.5)
This wasn't anything particularly groundbreaking or novel (we all hope, in the year of our lord two thousand and twenty-six) about the vultures that are tabloids and the skeevy business of selling your words and photos to them to churn out for clicks. What is truly engaging here is the story of Frankie (Francesca), a thirty-year-old journalist who was laid off from a relatively prestigious assignment at Marie Claire and is now forced to reckon with poverty and no support from familial money or family connections to get a job.
Frankie takes a job at an online-only gossip rag called The Scoop to try and work her way to the promised land: Business Now, an esteemed financial publication acquired by the parent company. The author does an excellent job of making Frankie an interesting character to follow despite the many concessions she's making to get to a respectable assignment. As the night editor for The Scoop, she has multiple tests of her morality, an abusive boss yelling at her about any moral qualms, and striving to balance journalistic integrity with needing money to live.
I had a great time reading this, and it's a solid, if not surprising, look into the inner workings of gossip publications and how they cause real harm.
This wasn't anything particularly groundbreaking or novel (we all hope, in the year of our lord two thousand and twenty-six) about the vultures that are tabloids and the skeevy business of selling your words and photos to them to churn out for clicks. What is truly engaging here is the story of Frankie (Francesca), a thirty-year-old journalist who was laid off from a relatively prestigious assignment at Marie Claire and is now forced to reckon with poverty and no support from familial money or family connections to get a job.
Frankie takes a job at an online-only gossip rag called The Scoop to try and work her way to the promised land: Business Now, an esteemed financial publication acquired by the parent company. The author does an excellent job of making Frankie an interesting character to follow despite the many concessions she's making to get to a respectable assignment. As the night editor for The Scoop, she has multiple tests of her morality, an abusive boss yelling at her about any moral qualms, and striving to balance journalistic integrity with needing money to live.
I had a great time reading this, and it's a solid, if not surprising, look into the inner workings of gossip publications and how they cause real harm.
Want to Read
September 26, 2025{pre-read note to self: author is my former coworker from an old tabloid job… writing a novel about working at a tabloid job 😆}
November 19, 2025
"The Scoop" offers up a timely bit of commentary on the media, especially the corner of modern journalism focused on the foibles of minor celebrities. What's a young writer to do: Stick to her principles or bend her ethics in service of a much-needed paycheck? It's a great premise, but the book just does not deliver on it. First-time novelist Erin Van Der Meer brings a heavy hand to basically every part of the story. Francesca, our plucky heroine, loses her job at Marie Claire magazine and — after a long summer of unemployment — lands at a tabloid website that's run by a company much like News Corp. As Frankie morphs from Serious Writer to Hack Who'll Do Anything for a Scoop, the story sticks to an all-too-predictable arc. I wanted to love this book, but it just didn't fulfill its potential.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book from Netgally in exchange for my honest review.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book from Netgally in exchange for my honest review.
April 23, 2026
2.5 rounded up. Decent but nothing that really stood out. Easy characters with morals at each extreme, no gray areas. There was some interesting color with Frankie slowly being seduced into being good at her awful job and sinking into the muck, but she basically just bounced right back afterward. One thing that was strange was how much the summary gave away. I feel the bit about "beloved pop star and grief over her dead mother" happens so late in the book to be included. But that may be a personal opinion that others wouldn't even blink an eye at.
September 24, 2025
Loved the plot and especially Frankie as a main character. Her desperation is relatable as she has to do what she doesn’t truly want to in order to get by as a tabloid reporter. The themes of morality in reporting were very well explored in this book. Given the times we live in now, this really had me stop and think about the effect it can have on the reporter not just the reported. Certainly a must read! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Want to Read
October 25, 2025A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
November 28, 2025
This book was great! I thought the desperation of the journalist and the themes of class, ethics in capitalism and ethics of media were really interesting. I also loved the inner conversation Frankie has at the end with herself and the reminder to be brave despite what others may think. (This is a cheap summary of what it was) I found the plot and character development entertaining. All that said this book was probably a 3.5 for me. I would still recommend it though!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Frankie Miller is a journalist living in NYC, was recently let go from her magazine job and is desperate for another one. She ends up taking a job as the night editor at The Scoop, an online tabloid. She finds her journalistic ethics quickly slipping away as she tries to make it in the cutthroat world of tabloids and clickbait. A pop star from the past gets in the crosshairs of The Scoop, and Frankie has to decide if there is a line she won't cross to keep her job.
Okay, I get it. This is a satire. It's skewering media in general and tabloid media in particular, and how ruthless they can be to get views and clicks, and that's a very valid perspective and an important thing for people to understand. As far as this aspect of the book goes, the author did a great job conveying this side of the media. Sometimes novels these days feel like the writing is kind of "dumbed down," for lack of a better term, but that was not the case here. This author is talented when it comes to crafting a story.
However, this book was painful to read. Frankie's moral compass skewed off course ridiculously fast, and the things she was willing to do within a matter of days were concerning. The lines she was willing to cross were quite honestly disturbing. It's a satire, I know, I know! But she was not a very good person even before she took this job. She was mooching off of her roommate with a "secret tab" of all of the food she was eating without even asking her roommate if she could or confirming with her roommate that she would replace it. (Did she ever? We never find out.) She was nursing a bad breakup by having sloppy afternoon sex with newly-separated-but-not-yet-actually-divorced dads in Brooklyn. She had a really big chip on her shoulder about her best friend's wealthy upbringing and job connections, and it came through in how she assumed the worst about her friend's judgments toward herself. Her mother's death was hard on her, and I really feel for her, but almost a decade later, she was almost using it as an excuse for her poor choices and bad attitudes. She wasn't really likable before the job, and she became a monster after she took it. And she acted like she had no choice but to take this job because her only options were this horrible job or becoming a sex worker, yet I am sure there were many other alternatives.
On top of all of this, there was a LOT of swearing, including copious amounts of f-words and c-words. Lots of talk of sex, no actual sexual content.
The book itself was well-crafted, and the author is a talented writer (that's the only reason I'm not giving this one star), but the unsavory content and the unredeemable main character made this book a huge miss for me.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for the ARC through a Goodreads Giveaway.
Okay, I get it. This is a satire. It's skewering media in general and tabloid media in particular, and how ruthless they can be to get views and clicks, and that's a very valid perspective and an important thing for people to understand. As far as this aspect of the book goes, the author did a great job conveying this side of the media. Sometimes novels these days feel like the writing is kind of "dumbed down," for lack of a better term, but that was not the case here. This author is talented when it comes to crafting a story.
However, this book was painful to read. Frankie's moral compass skewed off course ridiculously fast, and the things she was willing to do within a matter of days were concerning. The lines she was willing to cross were quite honestly disturbing. It's a satire, I know, I know! But she was not a very good person even before she took this job. She was mooching off of her roommate with a "secret tab" of all of the food she was eating without even asking her roommate if she could or confirming with her roommate that she would replace it. (Did she ever? We never find out.) She was nursing a bad breakup by having sloppy afternoon sex with newly-separated-but-not-yet-actually-divorced dads in Brooklyn. She had a really big chip on her shoulder about her best friend's wealthy upbringing and job connections, and it came through in how she assumed the worst about her friend's judgments toward herself. Her mother's death was hard on her, and I really feel for her, but almost a decade later, she was almost using it as an excuse for her poor choices and bad attitudes. She wasn't really likable before the job, and she became a monster after she took it. And she acted like she had no choice but to take this job because her only options were this horrible job or becoming a sex worker, yet I am sure there were many other alternatives.
On top of all of this, there was a LOT of swearing, including copious amounts of f-words and c-words. Lots of talk of sex, no actual sexual content.
The book itself was well-crafted, and the author is a talented writer (that's the only reason I'm not giving this one star), but the unsavory content and the unredeemable main character made this book a huge miss for me.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for the ARC through a Goodreads Giveaway.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I requested this on Netgalley and was fortunate to be given the opportunity to read it. I will be purchasing a copy.
Francesca (Frankie) Miller, our main character, once employed in her dream job at Marie Claire’s glossy magazine, has found herself unemployed and desperate. She has been searching for another journalistic position for three months, has a pile of overdue bills, lives on cereal and is dealing with the fact her ex-boyfriend now has a new girlfriend. She has had more rejection emails than anyone's self-esteem can handle.
The Scoop, a tabloid website, has offered her a night editor position and she battles with the ethics of taking it or holding out for something better. The tabloid is run by a despotic editor-in-chief that has a history of scandalous behavior in reporting. She can't exactly afford to say no so she decides she'll take the temporary diversion.
It doesn't take long and the line between ambition and morality begins to blur. Once she crosses it, a chain reaction is set off and she loses all control of the situation. The 24/7 news cycle is ruthless. Outrage sells. Killing someone's reputation is gold.
The book concentrates on how far Frankie will go and how much she's willing to lose. Will she mentally survive this merciless game?
I was on the edge of my seat for most of this read. I was a journalism major and worked for multiple newspapers before I realized the career wasn't for me. I have a byline on numerous articles and have had a photograph published alongside a story. The rush is sweet but then you're immediately on to the next story, which may not be near as exciting as the former. I was naive in the thought I would graduate and head to Rolling Stone. It doesn't quite work that way.
I relate to Frankie and empathize with what she is going through. I can't say I wouldn't have done the same if I were in her position. Peer pressure can be overwhelming in that environment and Frankie fell victim. But…victim she was not. After her first moral failure, she knew exactly what she was doing and was ruthless in the process. I had some pretty unfavorable feelings toward her and her decisions but it was easy for me to judge, lounging on my chaise and reading her story.
I love this book! I will highly recommend it and I think it's important and relevant concerning today's news cycle. You definitely sit with it and consider what your place would be if you were in that position. I will be purchasing a copy for my shelves as I think it might be one I revisit at some point. The ending was unexpected but perfect. I think any avid reader will feel the same.
Francesca (Frankie) Miller, our main character, once employed in her dream job at Marie Claire’s glossy magazine, has found herself unemployed and desperate. She has been searching for another journalistic position for three months, has a pile of overdue bills, lives on cereal and is dealing with the fact her ex-boyfriend now has a new girlfriend. She has had more rejection emails than anyone's self-esteem can handle.
The Scoop, a tabloid website, has offered her a night editor position and she battles with the ethics of taking it or holding out for something better. The tabloid is run by a despotic editor-in-chief that has a history of scandalous behavior in reporting. She can't exactly afford to say no so she decides she'll take the temporary diversion.
It doesn't take long and the line between ambition and morality begins to blur. Once she crosses it, a chain reaction is set off and she loses all control of the situation. The 24/7 news cycle is ruthless. Outrage sells. Killing someone's reputation is gold.
The book concentrates on how far Frankie will go and how much she's willing to lose. Will she mentally survive this merciless game?
I was on the edge of my seat for most of this read. I was a journalism major and worked for multiple newspapers before I realized the career wasn't for me. I have a byline on numerous articles and have had a photograph published alongside a story. The rush is sweet but then you're immediately on to the next story, which may not be near as exciting as the former. I was naive in the thought I would graduate and head to Rolling Stone. It doesn't quite work that way.
I relate to Frankie and empathize with what she is going through. I can't say I wouldn't have done the same if I were in her position. Peer pressure can be overwhelming in that environment and Frankie fell victim. But…victim she was not. After her first moral failure, she knew exactly what she was doing and was ruthless in the process. I had some pretty unfavorable feelings toward her and her decisions but it was easy for me to judge, lounging on my chaise and reading her story.
I love this book! I will highly recommend it and I think it's important and relevant concerning today's news cycle. You definitely sit with it and consider what your place would be if you were in that position. I will be purchasing a copy for my shelves as I think it might be one I revisit at some point. The ending was unexpected but perfect. I think any avid reader will feel the same.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group for the ARC of "The Scoop" in exchange for an honest review.
Fasten your seatbelts for this one......a book that takes a reader on a cringe-filled safari through the most vicious Heart-of-Darkness contemporary jungle imaginable......the absolute abyss of a tabloid website. It's where the moral compasses of journalists spin faster than helicopter blades in the pursuit of click-bait dirt. It's where misery, tragedy and celebrity collide and we just can't help ourselves if we stop in to munch on a few tasty McNuggets of bad news for the Rich and Famous among us.
29 year old magazine writer Frankie Miller, unemployed and desperate to continue living her dream of a journalism career, sells her soul to 'The Scoop' an on-line tabloid ruthlessly overseen by its Editor-in-Chief David Brown. Newly installed as the 'The Scoop's night editor, Frankie at first tries holding on to what's left of her scruples but....fat chance. David's brutal tirades give her a boot camp schooling in the world of the take-no-prisoners tabloid meat grinder. that needs constant feeding.
When a long forgotten pop singer's spotted in less than flattering photos, David targets her for non-stop humiliation, contrived scandal and around the clock paparazzi stalking. And Frankie, now enraptured with the nationwide and worldwide attention her bylines earn for her, succumbs and embraces her notorious success, even at the cost of losing her closest friends. But what happens when the repercussions of her choices finally come back to shake her to her core?
I can only say that you do NOT want to miss Frankie's response and ultimate ironic fate. .
Author Erin Van Der Meer not only eviscerates the tabloid world but takes a knowing, unflinching look at the challenges faced by ambitious, talented working women in a Patriarchal marketplace.. And I was amazed at how absorbed I became with Frankie's calamities given that her shifting morality renders her unlikable and the book spends a little too much time with her repetitious internal anxieties.
There's real live wire energy in the storytelling here and a sense of cruel wit runs through the entire book. Not a pretty picture of the way we digest news these days, but you won't want to stop reading till Frankie (and author Van Der Meer) have the last word.
(My other reviews can be found at www.thesandyquill.blogspot.com)
Fasten your seatbelts for this one......a book that takes a reader on a cringe-filled safari through the most vicious Heart-of-Darkness contemporary jungle imaginable......the absolute abyss of a tabloid website. It's where the moral compasses of journalists spin faster than helicopter blades in the pursuit of click-bait dirt. It's where misery, tragedy and celebrity collide and we just can't help ourselves if we stop in to munch on a few tasty McNuggets of bad news for the Rich and Famous among us.
29 year old magazine writer Frankie Miller, unemployed and desperate to continue living her dream of a journalism career, sells her soul to 'The Scoop' an on-line tabloid ruthlessly overseen by its Editor-in-Chief David Brown. Newly installed as the 'The Scoop's night editor, Frankie at first tries holding on to what's left of her scruples but....fat chance. David's brutal tirades give her a boot camp schooling in the world of the take-no-prisoners tabloid meat grinder. that needs constant feeding.
When a long forgotten pop singer's spotted in less than flattering photos, David targets her for non-stop humiliation, contrived scandal and around the clock paparazzi stalking. And Frankie, now enraptured with the nationwide and worldwide attention her bylines earn for her, succumbs and embraces her notorious success, even at the cost of losing her closest friends. But what happens when the repercussions of her choices finally come back to shake her to her core?
I can only say that you do NOT want to miss Frankie's response and ultimate ironic fate. .
Author Erin Van Der Meer not only eviscerates the tabloid world but takes a knowing, unflinching look at the challenges faced by ambitious, talented working women in a Patriarchal marketplace.. And I was amazed at how absorbed I became with Frankie's calamities given that her shifting morality renders her unlikable and the book spends a little too much time with her repetitious internal anxieties.
There's real live wire energy in the storytelling here and a sense of cruel wit runs through the entire book. Not a pretty picture of the way we digest news these days, but you won't want to stop reading till Frankie (and author Van Der Meer) have the last word.
(My other reviews can be found at www.thesandyquill.blogspot.com)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
‘The Scoop’ by Erin Van Der Meer is an okay read, as far as debuts go, but it isn’t as engaging, thought-provoking, or memorable as many other novels. I’m not sure why it has been categorised under Literary Fiction, as there is nothing literary about it, and this will inevitably to lead to disappointment for anyone hoping for something with more depth and nuance and a higher quality of writing.
The novel is described as “sharp, witty, and unflinchingly bold”, and it is said it “pulls back the curtain on tabloid culture and the human toll of the 24/7 news cycle”. I didn’t get any of this when reading it. I found the discussion of class issues to be one-sided and lacking in nuance, and just like the discussions of the portrayal of women in the media and what is fair game when it comes to reporting on celebrities, it didn’t say anything new. Sure, the novel is set in 2014, but it would have been nice to have seen a fresh take on these debates.
The writing itself is readable, but not great. The story is very heavy on the backstory, and includes details from the protagonist’s past, such as the account of her break-up with her most significant ex, that aren’t relevant to the story being told in the present. The details that are more relevant, such as the death of her mother, are too long and suffer from extreme repetition. The book could easily have been trimmed to half its length.
Repetitiveness is a common theme in this novel, with the author feeling the need to frequently restate what has already been said, rather than trusting the reader to remember events from one chapter to the next. This slows the pace of the story, and causes a dip in interest. The author also has a bad habit of jumping forward to after an event, then using narrative summary to catch the reader up on how the character got there, rather than allowing the story to play out in direct scene; this technique draws attention to itself, so feels repetitive when overused, and it also distances the reader from the story, reducing potential for engagement.
Overall, an intriguing premise, but a failure to deliver on the promises. ‘The Scoop’ feels to me like one of those books that got taken up due to contacts rather than its strengths.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Erin Van Der Meer and Wildfire for the ARC.
⚠️ Misogyny, body shaming, death of a parent, drug use, suicide attempt
The novel is described as “sharp, witty, and unflinchingly bold”, and it is said it “pulls back the curtain on tabloid culture and the human toll of the 24/7 news cycle”. I didn’t get any of this when reading it. I found the discussion of class issues to be one-sided and lacking in nuance, and just like the discussions of the portrayal of women in the media and what is fair game when it comes to reporting on celebrities, it didn’t say anything new. Sure, the novel is set in 2014, but it would have been nice to have seen a fresh take on these debates.
The writing itself is readable, but not great. The story is very heavy on the backstory, and includes details from the protagonist’s past, such as the account of her break-up with her most significant ex, that aren’t relevant to the story being told in the present. The details that are more relevant, such as the death of her mother, are too long and suffer from extreme repetition. The book could easily have been trimmed to half its length.
Repetitiveness is a common theme in this novel, with the author feeling the need to frequently restate what has already been said, rather than trusting the reader to remember events from one chapter to the next. This slows the pace of the story, and causes a dip in interest. The author also has a bad habit of jumping forward to after an event, then using narrative summary to catch the reader up on how the character got there, rather than allowing the story to play out in direct scene; this technique draws attention to itself, so feels repetitive when overused, and it also distances the reader from the story, reducing potential for engagement.
Overall, an intriguing premise, but a failure to deliver on the promises. ‘The Scoop’ feels to me like one of those books that got taken up due to contacts rather than its strengths.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Erin Van Der Meer and Wildfire for the ARC.
⚠️ Misogyny, body shaming, death of a parent, drug use, suicide attempt
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received a NetGalley eARC of this book.
The Scoop is the story of Francesca "Frankie" Miller, a former Marie Claire journalist who is at the end of her rope after being downsized and unable to find a new job. Taking on the role of night editor for the online tabloid The Scoop is her last chance- she is promised a role at the esteemed Business Day paper if she sticks it out for a few months. At first, Frankie is appalled at the stories that The Scoop covers (a girl who sells her jarred farts, really?), but as she settles into her new role, she is willing to scrape the bottom of the barrel for any "breaking news" story that will get her into her boss's good graces. Frankie finds herself going above and beyond to generate the newest "scoop", even if it means ending friendships, using shady business practices and humiliating former celebrity idols. Eventually she goes a step too far- and has to decide what's more important, her integrity or her dreams.
Well well well, Ms. Van Der Meer, you've written yourself a Very Good Main Character. Frankie is at first a sympathetic character: down on her luck, dreaming of bigger things, and maybe a bit naive about what it will take to survive in the cutthroat world of journalism. As I read, I found myself agreeing with a lot of Frankie's decisions: Wouldn't I take the last job left in the field? Wouldn't I hold my nose and hit "post" on a story I didn't 100% agree with if it meant a shot at my dream job? As the story continues and Frankie continues to make hard choices, I found myself souring on Frankie and actively avoiding picking up this book because I didn't want to see the consequences of Frankie's actions. On the second day of saving this book until last, I realized that Van Der Meer had written such a good character that I was having a visceral reaction to her actions (mainly disgust at that point) and that I needed to see this story through, because Frankie is so well-written that whatever her final action, it would make sense for Frankie and all that she'd been through. I was not disappointed: Frankie has a powerful character arc, and her insight into the world of sensationalist journalism is spot on.
This was a good book, folks. Definitely recommend!
The Scoop is the story of Francesca "Frankie" Miller, a former Marie Claire journalist who is at the end of her rope after being downsized and unable to find a new job. Taking on the role of night editor for the online tabloid The Scoop is her last chance- she is promised a role at the esteemed Business Day paper if she sticks it out for a few months. At first, Frankie is appalled at the stories that The Scoop covers (a girl who sells her jarred farts, really?), but as she settles into her new role, she is willing to scrape the bottom of the barrel for any "breaking news" story that will get her into her boss's good graces. Frankie finds herself going above and beyond to generate the newest "scoop", even if it means ending friendships, using shady business practices and humiliating former celebrity idols. Eventually she goes a step too far- and has to decide what's more important, her integrity or her dreams.
Well well well, Ms. Van Der Meer, you've written yourself a Very Good Main Character. Frankie is at first a sympathetic character: down on her luck, dreaming of bigger things, and maybe a bit naive about what it will take to survive in the cutthroat world of journalism. As I read, I found myself agreeing with a lot of Frankie's decisions: Wouldn't I take the last job left in the field? Wouldn't I hold my nose and hit "post" on a story I didn't 100% agree with if it meant a shot at my dream job? As the story continues and Frankie continues to make hard choices, I found myself souring on Frankie and actively avoiding picking up this book because I didn't want to see the consequences of Frankie's actions. On the second day of saving this book until last, I realized that Van Der Meer had written such a good character that I was having a visceral reaction to her actions (mainly disgust at that point) and that I needed to see this story through, because Frankie is so well-written that whatever her final action, it would make sense for Frankie and all that she'd been through. I was not disappointed: Frankie has a powerful character arc, and her insight into the world of sensationalist journalism is spot on.
This was a good book, folks. Definitely recommend!
April 18, 2026
A highhh 3.9.
The premise for this was really cool, and a topic that I don’t see often talked about in books but is relevant to the publishing industry as a whole and we should pay more attention to. It was a propulsive read, and I found myself itching to get back to the story whenever I was doing something else. I also had pretty high hopes for this one bc I’m seeing this author in conversation with an author I really like who wrote a similar book, Victim, but ultimately I think this comparison downgraded the book a little for me because I think Victim pulls off the grifter story better.
The main thing I didn’t like was how tell-y it was and how I don’t really believe that Frankie truly felt the massive consequences to her actions. When the 3rd act happens, we get a whole chapter basically just explaining her psyche to us when I think it should’ve been explored through a longer mental breakdown. I agree with the ending in which 1) she runs a tabloid story on The Scoop itself and 2) turns down that NYT “job” (only an interview, but the implication is clear) but I think we moved on far too quickly from the extreme shame, guilt, and anger that she felt after Amanda Myles nearly dies. Like I just don’t think everything could be emotionally tidied up the way that it was after knowing that you could’ve been a direct cause for someone’s suicide. I think the actions Frankie took should’ve stayed the same, but she should’ve been a wreck of a person for far longer. I also think we could’ve lingered a little longer on the ways in which legacy media is complicit and in its underbelly, not much better. This argument is made multiple times in the book but we don’t get a real example as to why that is apart for maybe the end.
Also, I was expecting to get something about the dubious ethics of journalism in general (because there are dynamics that really should be examined i.e read the New Yorker story “The Journalist and the Murderer“) but the book only focuses on the big bad of tabloid media and not nearly as much Legacy media or journalism in general.
Overall, a fun interesting journey that should be examined in this social media news age, but the execution falls a bit short for me. Still excited for the event tho
The premise for this was really cool, and a topic that I don’t see often talked about in books but is relevant to the publishing industry as a whole and we should pay more attention to. It was a propulsive read, and I found myself itching to get back to the story whenever I was doing something else. I also had pretty high hopes for this one bc I’m seeing this author in conversation with an author I really like who wrote a similar book, Victim, but ultimately I think this comparison downgraded the book a little for me because I think Victim pulls off the grifter story better.
The main thing I didn’t like was how tell-y it was and how I don’t really believe that Frankie truly felt the massive consequences to her actions. When the 3rd act happens, we get a whole chapter basically just explaining her psyche to us when I think it should’ve been explored through a longer mental breakdown. I agree with the ending in which 1) she runs a tabloid story on The Scoop itself and 2) turns down that NYT “job” (only an interview, but the implication is clear) but I think we moved on far too quickly from the extreme shame, guilt, and anger that she felt after Amanda Myles nearly dies. Like I just don’t think everything could be emotionally tidied up the way that it was after knowing that you could’ve been a direct cause for someone’s suicide. I think the actions Frankie took should’ve stayed the same, but she should’ve been a wreck of a person for far longer. I also think we could’ve lingered a little longer on the ways in which legacy media is complicit and in its underbelly, not much better. This argument is made multiple times in the book but we don’t get a real example as to why that is apart for maybe the end.
Also, I was expecting to get something about the dubious ethics of journalism in general (because there are dynamics that really should be examined i.e read the New Yorker story “The Journalist and the Murderer“) but the book only focuses on the big bad of tabloid media and not nearly as much Legacy media or journalism in general.
Overall, a fun interesting journey that should be examined in this social media news age, but the execution falls a bit short for me. Still excited for the event tho
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a thoroughly impressive debut novel that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire way through. It’s written so well and keeps you pulled into the story.
Francesca’s character path is such an interesting one and asks the question of how much of your morals are you willing to sacrifice to get ahead in life? At first, you really feel her dilemma, here is this opportunity that comes along at such a low point in her life, is she really in a place to say no to it? She lives in New York, one of the most expensive cities in the world and doesn’t have any income to support herself.
Sure, The Scoop is basically the TMZ equivalent in this fictitious version of the world, (TMZ is actually one of their direct competitors) but when she accepts the job as their nighttime editor, she truly has no other options and genuinely believes that this job is paying her dues until she gets moved over to the more reputable newsroom of the parent company that owns them both.
But then comes Amanda Myles into the fold, a former celebrity turned private citizen, and everything changes. One heavily edited story turns into another and the praise from her boss plus the viral aspect of the stories brings out something in Francesca that she never realized was in her. She pretty much sells her soul to the devil and becomes everything that she hates, but she’s so far gone that she can’t even really see it. Until she’s SO far gone that she sees it and chooses not to care.
It is a FASCINATING character study of how far Francesca ends up willing to go for the sake of a story. You start as very sympathetic towards her but it very quickly turns into no, no, no, what are you doing???
Even before I read at the end that Erin Van Der Meer was a former journalist, you could absolutely tell from the writing that she knew what she was talking about and had experience in the field. Really excited to see what she comes out with next!
Francesca’s character path is such an interesting one and asks the question of how much of your morals are you willing to sacrifice to get ahead in life? At first, you really feel her dilemma, here is this opportunity that comes along at such a low point in her life, is she really in a place to say no to it? She lives in New York, one of the most expensive cities in the world and doesn’t have any income to support herself.
Sure, The Scoop is basically the TMZ equivalent in this fictitious version of the world, (TMZ is actually one of their direct competitors) but when she accepts the job as their nighttime editor, she truly has no other options and genuinely believes that this job is paying her dues until she gets moved over to the more reputable newsroom of the parent company that owns them both.
But then comes Amanda Myles into the fold, a former celebrity turned private citizen, and everything changes. One heavily edited story turns into another and the praise from her boss plus the viral aspect of the stories brings out something in Francesca that she never realized was in her. She pretty much sells her soul to the devil and becomes everything that she hates, but she’s so far gone that she can’t even really see it. Until she’s SO far gone that she sees it and chooses not to care.
It is a FASCINATING character study of how far Francesca ends up willing to go for the sake of a story. You start as very sympathetic towards her but it very quickly turns into no, no, no, what are you doing???
Even before I read at the end that Erin Van Der Meer was a former journalist, you could absolutely tell from the writing that she knew what she was talking about and had experience in the field. Really excited to see what she comes out with next!
April 25, 2026
Insightful and dark media story that rings true.
Much as we don't want to face/believe it, we all know really that we are manipulated daily by what we read around us, that can only now be easier with advances in technology.
Here we have an inside story of this, with an ex-magazine journalist desperate for work taking on a job as a night editor at a notorious publication that prints celebrity gossip and tacky contact, stopping at nothing to encourage higher clicks. Even when it's not substantiated.
Promised the carrot of a role in a reputable publication later, Frankie takes the job at the Scoop, rationalising it to herself and her friends in the industry as something temporary, harmless, a means to an end.
We see straightaway the depths the night staff go to for stories, for approval from their constantly whip-wielding editor in chief. And when one story hits a home run, a former celebrity with *gasp shock horror* cheese in her shopping bag, it starts a chain of stories and events that lead to moral quandaries, potential real harm, and life-changing decisions to be made for Frankie.
This was a devourable short read for me, fascinating inside look at the industry and sadly all too believable as what really does happen behind all those ridiculous headlines we scroll past multiple times a day. And we are probably part of the problem.
Great story, I liked the characters and I just loved the ending, was really pleased with the last-minute turns that were incredibly satisfying. Well told and gave a lot of pause for thought.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
Sharp, witty, and unflinchingly bold, The Scoop is a searing exploration of ambition, exploitation, and the human toll of the 24/7 news cycle.
Much as we don't want to face/believe it, we all know really that we are manipulated daily by what we read around us, that can only now be easier with advances in technology.
Here we have an inside story of this, with an ex-magazine journalist desperate for work taking on a job as a night editor at a notorious publication that prints celebrity gossip and tacky contact, stopping at nothing to encourage higher clicks. Even when it's not substantiated.
Promised the carrot of a role in a reputable publication later, Frankie takes the job at the Scoop, rationalising it to herself and her friends in the industry as something temporary, harmless, a means to an end.
We see straightaway the depths the night staff go to for stories, for approval from their constantly whip-wielding editor in chief. And when one story hits a home run, a former celebrity with *gasp shock horror* cheese in her shopping bag, it starts a chain of stories and events that lead to moral quandaries, potential real harm, and life-changing decisions to be made for Frankie.
This was a devourable short read for me, fascinating inside look at the industry and sadly all too believable as what really does happen behind all those ridiculous headlines we scroll past multiple times a day. And we are probably part of the problem.
Great story, I liked the characters and I just loved the ending, was really pleased with the last-minute turns that were incredibly satisfying. Well told and gave a lot of pause for thought.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
Sharp, witty, and unflinchingly bold, The Scoop is a searing exploration of ambition, exploitation, and the human toll of the 24/7 news cycle.
March 16, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of The Scoop by Erin Van Der Meer.
This sharp, darkly humorous debut throws readers into the frantic world of tabloid journalism, where clicks often outweigh truth and outrage fuels the headlines. After losing her dream role at a glossy New York magazine, journalist Frankie Miller reluctantly accepts a night-shift job at a notorious celebrity gossip website run by a cut-throat editor. What begins as a stopgap soon drags her into a morally murky environment where ambition and ethics start to blur.
The author writes with clear insider knowledge, and the newsroom feels vivid, chaotic and convincingly ruthless. The novel shines as satire, skewering the excesses of the modern click driven media landscape while raising uncomfortable questions about our appetite for celebrity scandal and the price of chasing a story.
Frankie is a compellingly flawed protagonist. As she wrestles with career setbacks, personal grief and the seductive pull of landing a major scoop, the tension builds steadily. When a story involving a much-loved pop star escalates beyond what she anticipated, the consequences force Frankie to confront how easily professional lines can be crossed.
Witty, biting and sometimes deliberately uncomfortable, The Scoop is both entertaining and thought-provoking. The satire occasionally feels a touch heavy-handed, but overall this is a confident and engaging debut that lifts the curtain on the messy realities of modern media.
A clever, provocative read and well worth 4 stars.
This sharp, darkly humorous debut throws readers into the frantic world of tabloid journalism, where clicks often outweigh truth and outrage fuels the headlines. After losing her dream role at a glossy New York magazine, journalist Frankie Miller reluctantly accepts a night-shift job at a notorious celebrity gossip website run by a cut-throat editor. What begins as a stopgap soon drags her into a morally murky environment where ambition and ethics start to blur.
The author writes with clear insider knowledge, and the newsroom feels vivid, chaotic and convincingly ruthless. The novel shines as satire, skewering the excesses of the modern click driven media landscape while raising uncomfortable questions about our appetite for celebrity scandal and the price of chasing a story.
Frankie is a compellingly flawed protagonist. As she wrestles with career setbacks, personal grief and the seductive pull of landing a major scoop, the tension builds steadily. When a story involving a much-loved pop star escalates beyond what she anticipated, the consequences force Frankie to confront how easily professional lines can be crossed.
Witty, biting and sometimes deliberately uncomfortable, The Scoop is both entertaining and thought-provoking. The satire occasionally feels a touch heavy-handed, but overall this is a confident and engaging debut that lifts the curtain on the messy realities of modern media.
A clever, provocative read and well worth 4 stars.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐
The Scoop
Author: Erin Van Der Meer
Source: NetGalley
Publication Date: April 21, 2026
FICTION
CONTEMPORARY
TABLOID JOURNALISM
GOSSIP
ADULT
The Scoop is a scathing story about the price of tabloid journalism and the decline in serious reporting and dumbed-down 24-7 news. All of us fall prey to reading salacious news scoops that may or may not be true. There is little integrity across all levels of journalism, from newspapers and magazines to blogs, TikTok, and Facebook. It’s an obvious example of the decline of truth. It’s hard to figure out what to believe anymore. We have so few people that we can trust, and gossipy, salacious news sells.
Frankie (female) loses her job at Marie-Claire magazine and is broke. She does not come from wealth and has to take a job at the Scoop to pay rent and eat. She makes a deal with the devil. When they receive a paparazzi photo of a former musical legend looking less than perfect and (gasp) fat, they take the photo and make up a story to go with it. The star, living a quiet retirement, is hounded until she lands in the hospital. Who is to blame?
The story was interesting, but to me it felt like beating a dead horse. I didn’t enjoy reading it because we all know what these maggots are doing, and we still read Page Six. It is a cautionary tale of being careful what you wish for because some jobs are not worth selling your soul.
#TheScoop
@netgalley
@grandcentralpub
#tabloids
#journalism
#gossip
#lies
The Scoop
Author: Erin Van Der Meer
Source: NetGalley
Publication Date: April 21, 2026
FICTION
CONTEMPORARY
TABLOID JOURNALISM
GOSSIP
ADULT
The Scoop is a scathing story about the price of tabloid journalism and the decline in serious reporting and dumbed-down 24-7 news. All of us fall prey to reading salacious news scoops that may or may not be true. There is little integrity across all levels of journalism, from newspapers and magazines to blogs, TikTok, and Facebook. It’s an obvious example of the decline of truth. It’s hard to figure out what to believe anymore. We have so few people that we can trust, and gossipy, salacious news sells.
Frankie (female) loses her job at Marie-Claire magazine and is broke. She does not come from wealth and has to take a job at the Scoop to pay rent and eat. She makes a deal with the devil. When they receive a paparazzi photo of a former musical legend looking less than perfect and (gasp) fat, they take the photo and make up a story to go with it. The star, living a quiet retirement, is hounded until she lands in the hospital. Who is to blame?
The story was interesting, but to me it felt like beating a dead horse. I didn’t enjoy reading it because we all know what these maggots are doing, and we still read Page Six. It is a cautionary tale of being careful what you wish for because some jobs are not worth selling your soul.
#TheScoop
@netgalley
@grandcentralpub
#tabloids
#journalism
#gossip
#lies
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"The Scoop" grabbed me from page one, vividly capturing the syncopation of New York and the media world. And for the first third or so, it maintained its hold. But narrator and protagonist Frankie wore on me. Her repeated mentions of being an editor at "Marie Claire" magazine felt like being stuck at a party with that middle-aged guy who insists on referring to his near-perfect SAT scores decades after the fact. I found it especially galling because it's not as if "Marie Claire" is known as a bastion of journalistic expertise; it's a women's glossy beholden to cosmetics and fashion advertisers, for goodness' sake!
Her self-pity and insistence on her own exceptionalism might have been part of the point, but listening to it ad nauseam was not my idea of a good time. And her epiphany at the end, especially in the epilogue, didn't ring true for me.
I understand Frankie's dilemma: I was a writer and editor at B2C and B2B magazines before switching over to marketing as the media ecosystem imploded. Despite that, or maybe because of that, I wanted to shake her, or at least muzzle her, well before the book's ending. All that said, I'll keep an eye out for Erin Van Der Meer's next novel.
Thank you, NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Her self-pity and insistence on her own exceptionalism might have been part of the point, but listening to it ad nauseam was not my idea of a good time. And her epiphany at the end, especially in the epilogue, didn't ring true for me.
I understand Frankie's dilemma: I was a writer and editor at B2C and B2B magazines before switching over to marketing as the media ecosystem imploded. Despite that, or maybe because of that, I wanted to shake her, or at least muzzle her, well before the book's ending. All that said, I'll keep an eye out for Erin Van Der Meer's next novel.
Thank you, NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Scoop by Erin Van Der Meer is a debut novel set in New York City. Francesca (Frankie) is a journalist let go from prestigious Marie Claire, and takes a job with a digital tabloid The Scoop because she has no other option. Frankie is embarrassed to let her journalist friends know about her new job and reluctant to write useless articles about celebs and non celebs. Yet as the digital clicks start climbing and her boss keeps demanding more, she gets caught up in the process and goes after a once famous singer Amanda for the juiciest gossip. But things go too far, and Frankie realizes she needs to make a real change.
First of all, this book is so realistic to today’s media circus. I can picture everything in this book really happening and that made it an easy read. Second, at the surface, it’s a guilty pleasure type read. It is true that while most of us will say we turn our noses up at click bait articles, many still secretly enjoy them. But as the story develops, there are much deeper issues discussed. Morality and guilt are big topics infused throughout the read. I really empathized with Frankie’s plight, and her turn around felt very real to me. Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for my ARC.
First of all, this book is so realistic to today’s media circus. I can picture everything in this book really happening and that made it an easy read. Second, at the surface, it’s a guilty pleasure type read. It is true that while most of us will say we turn our noses up at click bait articles, many still secretly enjoy them. But as the story develops, there are much deeper issues discussed. Morality and guilt are big topics infused throughout the read. I really empathized with Frankie’s plight, and her turn around felt very real to me. Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for my ARC.
April 30, 2026
The Scoop though is supposed to be a satire is an insight into the world of tabloids, news and journalism. Where morals, principles, rules, boundaries and ambitions clash, when and how much is enough?
Frankie, a New Yorker and a journalist after being fired from Marie Claire is desperate for a job. However, rejection after rejection are all she gets. In a bind, she accepts an offer at a tabloid where gossip is the bread and butter. Morals and scruples are nonexistent as long as the story sells. For Frankie, this is not a long term commitment. But when ambitions clash with morals, what will she lose first.
The plot is not unpredictable. However, I was really interested to see how far Frankie goes to achieve her ambition. And she doesn't disappoint. In a generation where news and gossip spread like wildfire, to stay relevant in a cutthroat world, you do what you need to survive and The Scoop shows what exactly goes on behind the curtain. In my view, I like Frankie with her grey shades and reflecting in that in the end would be perfect rather than the current ending. In her imperfections and ambitions, Frankie could be anyone who is trying to fulfill her ambitions and survive.
Thank you Grand Central Publishing for this book.
Frankie, a New Yorker and a journalist after being fired from Marie Claire is desperate for a job. However, rejection after rejection are all she gets. In a bind, she accepts an offer at a tabloid where gossip is the bread and butter. Morals and scruples are nonexistent as long as the story sells. For Frankie, this is not a long term commitment. But when ambitions clash with morals, what will she lose first.
The plot is not unpredictable. However, I was really interested to see how far Frankie goes to achieve her ambition. And she doesn't disappoint. In a generation where news and gossip spread like wildfire, to stay relevant in a cutthroat world, you do what you need to survive and The Scoop shows what exactly goes on behind the curtain. In my view, I like Frankie with her grey shades and reflecting in that in the end would be perfect rather than the current ending. In her imperfections and ambitions, Frankie could be anyone who is trying to fulfill her ambitions and survive.
Thank you Grand Central Publishing for this book.
March 20, 2026
Journalistic integrity? Nope. That’s not what you’re going to find here.
If you’ve ever read a single tabloid headline while waiting in line to pay for groceries, you might not see Erin Van Der Meer’s novel as hyperbole. She gives the scoop on The Scoop (a fictional tabloid), and despite its over-the-top nature, it’s all too easy to believe in.
But this isn’t just a behind-the-scenes exposé. Van Der Meer deftly wove in a nuanced emotional background for the narrator, and provided balance to many of the supporting characters. We see Frankie’s heart, and as it gradually morphs into something hideous, we understand how it became crushed and misshapen.
Furthermore, The Scoop is just as insightful about public consumption. Are we not willing participants when we digest celebrity gossip or, worse, help it gain visibility by spreading it on social media?
Van Der Meer brilliantly brought this all together in a shocking climax, leading readers toward a satisfying conclusion. She successfully humanized the target of the most scandalous reveals and, through that, she gave readers an opportunity to redirect their disdain. Is it not the gossips who are worthy of our reproachful attention? Even if we already believe that on a logical level, The Scoop can help us feel it on an emotional one.
I am immensely grateful to Grand Central Publishing for my copy. All opinions are my own.
If you’ve ever read a single tabloid headline while waiting in line to pay for groceries, you might not see Erin Van Der Meer’s novel as hyperbole. She gives the scoop on The Scoop (a fictional tabloid), and despite its over-the-top nature, it’s all too easy to believe in.
But this isn’t just a behind-the-scenes exposé. Van Der Meer deftly wove in a nuanced emotional background for the narrator, and provided balance to many of the supporting characters. We see Frankie’s heart, and as it gradually morphs into something hideous, we understand how it became crushed and misshapen.
Furthermore, The Scoop is just as insightful about public consumption. Are we not willing participants when we digest celebrity gossip or, worse, help it gain visibility by spreading it on social media?
Van Der Meer brilliantly brought this all together in a shocking climax, leading readers toward a satisfying conclusion. She successfully humanized the target of the most scandalous reveals and, through that, she gave readers an opportunity to redirect their disdain. Is it not the gossips who are worthy of our reproachful attention? Even if we already believe that on a logical level, The Scoop can help us feel it on an emotional one.
I am immensely grateful to Grand Central Publishing for my copy. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Well written debut novel that takes on misinformation journalism and exposes the harm it can do. It’s not a thriller but the storyline has thriller impact.
Twenty-nine year old Francesca “Frankie” Miller has lost her position as features editor at Marie Claire; she’s down in her luck. Her best friend, Audrey, makes it big at the New York Times while she’s considering the night desk at The Scoop, a rag of a digital magazine run by Johnson Publications (think the Murdoch empire). Believing her new editor, David Brown, that if she does well she’ll be transferred to Business Day (think WSJ). Eager to get that prize nothing will stop Frankie from running after a scurrilous story about a fading pop star of the 90s. She takes it too far with devastating results only to turn the tables on her editor and publisher.
This is more of a plot-driven novel. Frankie’s character is the most well developed in the book because she’s the one charged with being ruthless to keep up the story and the digital tabloid relevant. The satire is great and the story is “incendiary.”
This is good read and points out the disturbing nature of social media where facts can be skewed or lied about. An important fictional read.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC.
Twenty-nine year old Francesca “Frankie” Miller has lost her position as features editor at Marie Claire; she’s down in her luck. Her best friend, Audrey, makes it big at the New York Times while she’s considering the night desk at The Scoop, a rag of a digital magazine run by Johnson Publications (think the Murdoch empire). Believing her new editor, David Brown, that if she does well she’ll be transferred to Business Day (think WSJ). Eager to get that prize nothing will stop Frankie from running after a scurrilous story about a fading pop star of the 90s. She takes it too far with devastating results only to turn the tables on her editor and publisher.
This is more of a plot-driven novel. Frankie’s character is the most well developed in the book because she’s the one charged with being ruthless to keep up the story and the digital tabloid relevant. The satire is great and the story is “incendiary.”
This is good read and points out the disturbing nature of social media where facts can be skewed or lied about. An important fictional read.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC.
April 22, 2026
First-person singular, ego-driven, repetitive, narcissistic, disappointing.
Frankie has lost her prestigious job at Marie Claire (and never lets us forget it). When her money starts running out, and she has exhausted all other leads, she takes a job with The Scoop. The Scoop is a sleaze gossip site/newspaper. The reason she did so is that her boss promised her (sort of) that she would be promoted to a better, more prestigious job in a few months.
Her friends, well, what can I say about them except that they hate the job she has taken and never let her forget it. One friend even managed to stab her in the back. Very low blow.
Eventually, Frankie finds herself rolling around in the sty with all the other pigs (voluntarily) and nearly ends someone's life.
I truly got tired of the misogynistic White man trope. That anyone with power is going to poop on the "little people". If you think about it, there are plenty of women in that top-tier category, and I would have to assume they are painted by the same brush.
*ARC was supplied by the publisher Grand Central Publishing, the author, and NetGalley.
Frankie has lost her prestigious job at Marie Claire (and never lets us forget it). When her money starts running out, and she has exhausted all other leads, she takes a job with The Scoop. The Scoop is a sleaze gossip site/newspaper. The reason she did so is that her boss promised her (sort of) that she would be promoted to a better, more prestigious job in a few months.
Her friends, well, what can I say about them except that they hate the job she has taken and never let her forget it. One friend even managed to stab her in the back. Very low blow.
Eventually, Frankie finds herself rolling around in the sty with all the other pigs (voluntarily) and nearly ends someone's life.
I truly got tired of the misogynistic White man trope. That anyone with power is going to poop on the "little people". If you think about it, there are plenty of women in that top-tier category, and I would have to assume they are painted by the same brush.
*ARC was supplied by the publisher Grand Central Publishing, the author, and NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book*
I can't even begin to explain why I am still thinking about this one. I finished it at like 3am, wondering why media twists within this vicious cycle of relishing in promoting bad news just for a few clicks and what the point is to thrive on the misfortune of others...
This is the sort of book that starts out slow, and you don't truly know where its going until you see the snowball effect of these night shift people who work at a gossip site end up ruining the life of a former celebrity. The way they get twisted into looking like villains for reporting news, the commentary on how media twists words just to build the narrative that suits them-- a distortion of truth overall, truly was one of those things you couldn't really look away from.
There were some parts that dragged on, but all in all, still an interesting read.
I can't even begin to explain why I am still thinking about this one. I finished it at like 3am, wondering why media twists within this vicious cycle of relishing in promoting bad news just for a few clicks and what the point is to thrive on the misfortune of others...
This is the sort of book that starts out slow, and you don't truly know where its going until you see the snowball effect of these night shift people who work at a gossip site end up ruining the life of a former celebrity. The way they get twisted into looking like villains for reporting news, the commentary on how media twists words just to build the narrative that suits them-- a distortion of truth overall, truly was one of those things you couldn't really look away from.
There were some parts that dragged on, but all in all, still an interesting read.
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