Synopses & Reviews
Maggie Mars used to be a journalist on the East Coast, but now she's come to LaLa Land to make a name for herself as a screenwriter... and maybe live her fantasy of someday meeting Jack Nicholson.
When Maggie's dear mentor Roger, the Executive Director and Chief Negotiator for the Creative Artist's Union, is found dead in a bathroom, it makes big time news--especially when it's revealed that he was wearing a ladies' silky red garter belt and bra.
Maggie is determined to find Roger's killer. She's got a ton of help at hand, including two boyfriends (one current, one former), and her father, who is a former professor of chemistry with a penchant for blowing things up in the name of inventing Something Cool. And then there's the main character in Maggie's never ending screenplay, who seems to be, literally, taking on a life of her own. She's everything Maggie isn't: tall and shapely, with a mouth like a sailor and a taste for adventure.
As Maggie digs deeper into Roger's past, she realizes she was one of the few people who actually liked Roger--the list of folks who had it out for him is longer than the reception line at Grauman's during a premiere.
And if Maggie isn't careful, she could be the next hot item in the news...as the latest victim.
Review
"A sassy, sexy heroine...Maggie's debut could mark a great day for fans of Janet Evanovich."--
Kirkus Reviews "A frenetic and funny debut...Kalian milks plenty of stereotypes, but does so with panache and enough originality to be refreshing."--
Publishers Weekly
"An intriguing whodunit with plenty of humor, mystique and fascinating characters."
--Romantic Times BookReviews (4 stars)
"Kalian crafts a first-rate mystery while convincingly portraying Hollywood and its
shallow and neurotic denizens. An auspicious beginning to what is sure to become a popular series."--Booklist
Synopsis
Maggie Mars used to be a journalist on the East Coast, but now she's come to L.A. to make a name for herself as a screenwriter... and maybe live her fantasy of someday meeting Jack Nicholson. When Roger Urban, her long-time mentor and friend, is found dead--in a splashy red garter and bra--Maggie is determined to find his killer.
Helping Maggie are her legal eagle of a boyfriend and her batty father. Not to mention an L.A. cop who thinks Maggie just might identify the killer. Because of her curiosity and stubbornness--or because he is her ex-boyfriend?
Maggie's always wanted to see her name in lights--and sometimes a girl gets what she wants. She might find out who killed Roger and become a hot news item.
As the next victim.
About the Author
Cady Kalian has worked in Hollywood for eight million years and is the cleverest and most beautiful woman alive. All true, except for the fact that Cady Kalian is not alive. She is the pseudonym for two incredible Hollywood icons: Irma Kalish, who is an award-winning television writer with over 300 scripts to her credit and is a past Vice President and current Board member of the Writers Guild of America, and Naomi Gurian, screenwriter and former Executive Director of the Writers Guild of America.