When a book-launch party turns ugly, B-list celebrity Robin Trainer has to find out who's targeting her in this latest from former Cosmopolitan editor-in-chief White.Robin is all aglow: A friend has thrown a fabulous launch party for her new book, and she's the center of attention. Along with a sure-fire best-seller, Robin can lay claim to a reinvigorated career as host of a tabloid-TV show and a fresh start after the dissolution of her marriage. Only thing is, someone keeps spoiling her day by putting nasty notes in her handbag, tearing the covers of her books, leaving battered Barbie dolls on her desk, putting annoying chemicals in her foundation and leaving a drugged brownie for her to ingest. Robin is just annoyed at first, but as the assailant's moves escalate, she finds herself weeding through her friends, suitors and work associates to try to figure out who's doing this to her before something worseeven deadlyhappens. White tries hard to make readers care about the gorgeous, alluring and brilliantly successful Robin, but it's rough going. The cast is full of stock characters: publicists; an agent; a careless intern; a drop-dead handsome co-star who wants to be more than that to Robin; and an evil stepmother who made Robin's childhood miserable. None of them ever develops into more than a cardboard cutout; and Whitewho seems obsessed with clichspeppers her prose with insider talk that, rather than providing atmosphere and a touch of reality, only serves to make the story less relatable and a little too glib.Readers who like their reading "lite" may enjoy this glimpse into the world of cable TV, but thriller fans won't find anything compelling in these cookie-cutter characters and dull, by-the-numbers plot. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Bestseller White's breezy style belies the sinister doings of an enemy determined to undermine the recently resurrected career of TV chat show cohost Robin Trainer, in this novel of suspense set against a New York-media-chic backdrop. At first, the small subversive antics appear merely the work of a sullen prankster. But a nasty message scrawled across her notes for a speech at her book launch party and slashed book jackets are just the beginning. All the while, White (The Sixes) maintains a fine balance between crafting credible characters and building tension, as Robin starts to fray around the edges. Naturally, Robin begins to suspect her coworkers. Could Carter Brooks, her hunky cohost, be afraid she'll overtake his lead on the show? Does news/talk-show host Vicki Cruz, aka "Cruz Missile," have eyes on Robin's enviable job? With pop culture references and attention to fashion detail, White keeps the story both timely and engaging. It's her devious mind, however, that puts the thrill in this thriller. Agent: Sandra Dijkstra, Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Things are finally looking up for cable TV host Robin Trainer. After losing her last job, her marriage, and dealing with the on-going effects of an evil stepmother and duped father, she just released a surefire hit book and sits alongside good-looking and flirty cohost Carter on The Pulse, a popular new daily show. But Robin's newfound happiness and success are sullied when someone starts trying to mess with her psyche and personal safety (e.g., leaving her a nasty note and a disfigured doll). The threats escalate and appear to be the handiwork of a colleague, although network security is skeptical. Faced with another career setback, Robin struggles to figure out who is doing these terrible things and whom she can and cannot trust. VERDICT The latest from best-selling author White (The Sixes) is fast-paced and keeps the reader guessing owing to the generous number of potential suspects. While the dialog is often flat or plain unnecessary, the premise is certainly compelling, and the glimpse inside a cable network is entertaining. Perfect reading for a boring airplane ride! For fans of showbiz fiction and psychological suspense/thrillers. [See Prepub Alert, 1/10/14.]-Samantha Gust, Niagara Univ. Lib., NY (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Someone is out to get Robin Trainer. After dealing with career problems and divorce, Robin is suddenly a success. As coanchor of a new TV show, she displays winning chemistry with handsome colleague Carter Brooks, and her new nonfiction book is climbing the charts. Then the sabotage begins: a nasty note left in her purse, book jackets torn through the photo of her face, a dead roach in her coffee cup, a Barbie doll with eyes poked out, makeup that inflames her face, a drugged brownie. Although Robin suspects station superstar Vicky Cruz, an internal investigation revealing private information about Robin's childhood with an abusive stepmother and a recent ill-advised fling with Carter points back to Robin herself. Desperate to clear her name, she accepts help from an unlikely quarter while wondering who, among the handful of people closest to her, she can trust. Former Cosmo editor White, author of the Bailey Weggins series, seems to thrive in an atmosphere of glitz, as she produces increasing levels of suspense and danger in what is her most compelling and snappiest stand-alone yet.--Leber, Michele Copyright 2010 Booklist