Advance praise for The Close-Up
‘A hotly anticipated debut novel, complete with a princely advance and a dreamy move to Los Angeles, equals lifelong success, right? Not quite. Books flop, money dries up and the city’s bright lights conceal both its dark underbelly and what those in the limelight will do to stay famous… With its colorful supporting characters and spectacularly twisty plot, The Close-Up is a fantastic addition to the neo-noir subgenre.’
★ BookPage, starred review, online as of 3 Dec 2024
‘A writer’s life takes a turn for the metafictional in this glossy neo-noir… Drysdale’s tale takes the form of an after the fact tell-all written by Zoe, characterized by clever foreshadowing and an intoxicating Hollywood buzz. This offers plenty of frothy fun.’
Publisher’s Weekly, October 7th 2024
‘The Close-Up tells the story of a novelist with what may turn out to be a killer deadline. With twists and turns set against an LA skyline, Pip Drysdale shows once again that she is the undisputed queen of the sexy-cool thriller.’
Hayley Scrivenor, bestselling author of Dirt Town and Girl Falling
‘Pip Drysdale is a genre unto herself, the queen of the sexy thriller. Gripping, sultry and ultimately shocking, The Close-Up will bathe you in magic-hour light before it haunts your dreams. Excuse me while I check my door locks.’
Ashley Kalagian Blunt, bestselling author of Dark Mode
‘Pip Drysdale’s riveting novel The Close-Up, set in celebrity-soaked Los Angeles, follows the irresistible Zoe whose desperate search for success leads her to the ugly underbelly of Hollywood. Gripping, dark, and thoroughly entertaining, you’ll read straight through to the shocking ending.’
Mary Dixie Carter, bestselling author of The Photographer
‘Thoroughly addictive, effortlessly cool and clever as hell, ‘The Close-Up’ is both a voyeuristic peek into the world of celebrity and a dark Gatsby-esque critique of the modern American Dream. From the glitter and grime of the LA backdrop to the irresistible voice of the protagonist, every page hums with an energy so delicious that one you start reading you can’t stop. Perfectly thrilling, and so much fun.’
Anna Downes, bestselling author of The Safe Place and Red River Road
“The Close-Up is dark, twisty, glamorous fun. It propels you headlong into a glossy world of fame and fortune, then takes a menacing turn to reveal the violence and darkness lurking behind the facade. A compulsive thriller that really gets under the skin, this book’s sure to keep you up all night frantically turning the pages until every last twist is revealed.”
Hannah Richell, author of The Search Party
‘Zoe’s problems and her florist-by-day, glam-girl-by-night bizarro life are realistic and absorbing, and the plot equally so. Twists and a totally unexpected epilogue are the cherry on top.’
Henrietta Thornton, firstCLUE
“Suspenseful and humorous, starring an irresistible underdog heroine, The Close-Up evokes the work of Ruth Ware or Lisa Jewell. A fun and propulsive read! I highly recommend it.”
Daniel Kalla, internationally bestselling author of Fit to Die and High Society
“The Close-Up is smart, sexy, original and packs a powerful punch, especially those final few pages … There was no way in a million years I would have seen that explosive ending coming.”
Nicola Moriarty, bestselling author of Every Last Suspect
‘The Close-up is an absolutely breathless ride from beginning to end. It’s a modern morality tale: be careful what you wish for – it may be too dangerous a price to pay. Pip Drysdale does it again in this twisty thriller with a total bombshell ending!’
Petronella McGovern, The Last Trace
‘A writer living on the edge, a sexy movie star and a stalker on the prowl. Pip Drysdale delivers her best yet with heart-hammering twists, relentless suspense and a conclusion that everyone will be talking about. I dare you to put this book down. The Close Up is a sexy and relentless thrill ride through LA’s shiny dark heart.’
Loraine Peck, author of Second Son and The Double Bind
‘A ripping tale about the fear of failure, the irresistible promise of making it big, and the glitz and grit of L.A. I completely devoured this dark, sexy and addictive thriller!’
Dinuka McKenzie, bestselling author of Tipping Point
‘I inhaled this cracker of a thriller! Tension simmers on every page. The Close-Up was impossible to put down until I reached the shocking ending!’
Rae Cairns, bestselling author of The Good Mother and Dying to Know
Praise for The Next Girl:
‘Pip Drysdale is one of the brightest new stars in the realm of first-person psychological suspense . . . Romantic suspense for the Netflix generation.’
— The Canberra Times‘
“Drysdale cleverly delivers an intelligent plot with strongly drawn characters. You’re constantly rooting for Billie to triumph, while at times questioning her version of events, which makes the ‘what if’s’ and twists and turns all the more exciting. There are also undertones of the impact of social media that will have you reflecting on your own relationship with technology. Drysdale has really hit her stride here and once again produced a compulsive domestic thriller which will you have you feeling the tension from page one. I read The Next Girl in one sitting, and suspect many of you will, too.”
Better Reading
“Take a breath and then be prepared to hold it as you race through the pages of Pip Drysdale’s latest, The Next Girl. Propulsive and unexpected, this is a must-read for thriller fans!”
Karma Brown, #1 national bestseller of Recipe for A Perfect Wife and What Wild Women Do
“This book grabbed me by the throat from the first page. Pip is always one step ahead of you in this thrill ride of a read. Bound to be a massive winner.”
Catherine McKenzie, USA Today bestselling author of Have You Seen Her and Please Join Us
“Unfolding petal-by-secretive-petal, Pip Drysdale’s The Next Girl unveils layers of justice, courage, and truth through an electric and terrifyingly fresh lens. Roses wear thorns for good reason, and those wrapping Drysdale’s tension-soaked thriller deliver a sharp and evergreen wisdom: When we choose to take from another, we pluck at our own peril.”
P.J. VERNON, author of Bath Haus and When You Find Me
‘A relentless and high-concept deep dive into the psyche of a dangerous young woman who is both vulnerable, loveable and scary as hell. Revealing her secrets with beat-perfect timing, Billie knows her fault-lines and her failings, but she has the nature of a soldier, someone you’d want in the trenches beside you during war. Ask yourself: If you had the skills and the courage, would you go all-in to take down bad guys? Set to a spectacular playlist, music is the spine of a thriller so propulsive I had to physically put the book down and walk away to coax my heart rate back to normal. Pip Drysdale always delivers heroines I recognise as though I’ve found a long-lost sister and The Next Girl is one fierce sister. Original. Breathtaking. Dangerous. The Next Girl is compulsory reading from an author at the top of her game.’
Loraine Peck, author of The Second Son and winner of The Ned Kelly Award
‘A wild rollercoaster of a ride where the twists keep coming and the stakes keep rising. It’s a complete adrenaline rush as Billie takes increasing risks to protect herself and other victims. This clever thriller questions power in relationships, technology and the justice system. It hooked me in and left me breathless. Set aside your weekend because you won’t be able to put it down.’
Petronella McGovern, author of The Liars and The Last Trace
‘Reading Pip Drysdale is like having cocktails with your savviest girlfriend – you know the one. Fierce, smart and packed with tension, The Next Girl grabbed me from the first page. Drysdale knows how to craft a badass heroine, and with The Next Girl, she turns her sharp eye on injustice, misogyny and surveillance.’
Ashley Kalagian Blunt, author of Dark Mode
Bookstagram quotes:
‘I was hooked from the very beginning.’ 5 stars – Mandy
‘Another fast moving and suspenseful novel. Highly recommend!’ 4.5* – Debbie
‘I love and continuously recommend all Pip Drysdale’s books and this one surpassed my high expectations!’ 5 stars – Emily
‘I loved this clever, modern mystery which features amazing characters and a touching back story.’ 5 stars – Louise
‘A fantastic holiday or beach read, or when you want a completely unputdownable escape.’ 4/5 stars – Katrina
‘The Next Girl is Pip Drysdale’s best book yet. I give this book five stars out of 5.’ – Tiarne
‘This was one cracking book! It was gripping, suspenseful and twisty.’ – Kirsty
Praise for The Paris Affair:
‘I found myself incredibly impressed by this thriller and its writer … a thought provoking and difficult to put down novel.’
The AU Review
‘Gripping, suspenseful and seriously addictive, The Paris Affair was yet another tantalising page-turner from the wonderful Pip Drysdale.’
BetterReading.com
‘Harper is savvy … she tacitly acknowledges the way seemingly innocuous male behaviour can become dangerous. This is a hugely topical thing to be discussed and it’s done in an engaging way.’
Andrew Pople, Final Draft on 2SER
‘It will dazzle and scare in turn.’
Readings.com.au
‘A riveting crime thriller from he author of The Sunday Girl.’
Who magazine
‘A very entertaining read, with a nice unpredictable plot, enjoyable characters… some clever twists and a touch of romance.’
Jeff Popple, Murder, Mayhem and Long Dogs
‘Another fabulous novel from Pip Drysdale.’
Debbie, @storiesandstacks
‘Pip Drysdale is the modern day thriller queen.’
@readinginmelbourne
‘The characters are great, the relationships build brilliantly, and the plot is unique.’
@bookscandlescats
Praise for The Strangers We Know:
“The Strangers we Know begins with a bang and doesn’t let up from there. Our heroine, Charlie, finds herself in a most awful predicament—she’s spotted her beloved husband, Oliver, on a dating app. And things only get worse from there. Pip Drysdale dabbles some wry humour into her wild-ride of a plot. Readers will fear and cheer for Charlie as life as she knew it unravels. A book I found impossible to put down!”
Amy Stuart, #1 bestselling author of Death at the Party
“The Strangers We Know is my first Pip Drysdale book, and she is now an auto-read author for me. Drysdale’s fresh, compelling voice and sharp wit captivated me through every delicious page. Wickedly fun and wonderfully structured with a hilarious, relatable heroine, this twisty suspense dazzles and delights.”
Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 national bestselling author of Woman on the Edge
‘A relatable heroine, a riveting mystery, and plot twists that will make you gasp. I loved it.’
Robyn Harding, bestselling author of The Party
‘I raced through this book and loved the sharp, sassy suspense story of a marriage on the edge.’
Sara Foster, bestselling author of The Hidden Hours and You Don’t Know Me
‘The Strangers We Know is simply phenomenal. Pip Drysdale is a brilliant storyteller. She has a long career ahead of her, and I will be eagerly awaiting every new book she releases.’
Better Reading Book of the Week
‘Reels you in from the first chapter … Set aside a weekend because you won’t be able to put it down after you start reading.’
Courier Mail
‘Another gripping psychological thriller from the home-grown author of The Sunday Girl.’
Who magazine
‘Twisty-turny domestic noir.’
New Idea Book of The Month
‘This addictive page turner enthralls from cover to cover … exposes a relationship marked by love, lies, betrayal, tragedy and deception. An author we need to watch.’
Mrs. B’s Book Reviews
‘The next Liane Moriarty.’
Stellar
Praise for ‘The Sunday Girl’:
‘A gripping psychological thriller.’
The Daily Telegraph
‘The Girls Club of psychological thrillers has a worthy new member.’
Herald Sun
‘A fascinating and addicting read into the psyche of a woman who’s in love with the idea of love and can’t see past the manipulation.’
Jamie Lynn Hendricks for Suspense Magazine
‘An abrasive thriller that will leave readers with a bit of a burn.’
Erin Holt for Booklist
‘A perfect beach read.’
The Glitter Guide.
‘Successfully explores the realities of domestic violence and the psychological warfare abusers use to confuse their victims.’
Mystery Scene Magazine
‘Addictive, clever, brilliantly written.’
Ali Berg, author of The Book Ninja
‘I was definitely hooked by the sharp, pacy writing and twisty plot of this intriguing psychological thriller.’
New Zealand Women’s Weekly, Book of the Week
‘Exciting, irresistible, and real.’
Good Reading
‘You know that things cannot end well, but you can’t turn away or stop reading this gripping novel.’
Canberra Weekly
‘An addictive debut psychological thriller which explores the darkness of abusive relationships.’
New Idea
‘A well plotted, crisply paced first novel.’
The Listener
‘A gripping rollercoaster ride of a story…exciting, darkly humorous, and at times disturbing, and I loved it.’
Better Reading
‘Explores abuse, victimisation, control and revenge in an accessible, and impressively sneaky manner…an impressive debut.’
AustCrime Fiction
‘Offers a storyline that is both different and very contemporary…a compulsive read!’
Mrs B’s Book Reviews
‘The Girl On The Train meets Before I Go To Sleep, you won’t be able to resist turning the page.’
Family Circle