Rachel West and the Fallen Starlet
By: Emma Mills
Published Year: 2026
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 336
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Tis in no way shape or form influence my opinion of this novel.
Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Celebrity gossip can cut to the quick, but when it turns deadly it’s up to an aspiring reporter and her quirky neighbors to close the case in the first of a witty and nostalgic new mystery series.
Baby doll top, gladiator sandals, and fully loaded iPod at the ready—it’s 2008 in Los Angeles, and Rachel West is a little less starry-eyed than your average ingenue. There’s never been a better time to be an entertainment journalist, but the road to writing glossy profiles starts with copyediting a celeb gossip rag. Hey, it pays her bills. Most of them, at least.
Everything changes when Rachel befriends Molly Byrne—former child star and current tabloid fave due to her drunken escapades and rotating cast of boyfriends—in a nightclub bathroom.
When Molly is found dead, all of Hollywood accepts her death as an overdose. But Rachel knows for a fact her friend was clean, so when Molly’s favorite paparazzo, Casper, tells her he thinks Molly was murdered, she believes him.
With the help of a ragtag group of residents from her apartment building, a handsome detective, and her trusty flip phone, Rachel must solve the mystery of Molly’s death before she’s written off for good.
First Impressions
This cover is so fun. I was immediately intrigued between that and the cover. Very solid first impressions. The summary also caught my eye as I’m always down for a light mystery. I also didn’t initially realize this was an author I had read and enjoyed about 10 years ago so that made me extra excited.
What I thought
This book was so fun.
Rachel has recently become friends with Molly Byrne, a former child star and current paparazzi darling. When she winds up dead of an apparent overdose, Rachel is beside herself. But then Casper, Molly’s favorite paparazzo, finds Rachel and convinces her that Molly didn’t overdose- she was murdered.
This book is the perfect mix of all the things I like. Drama, a fun group of ragtag side characters, banter, and a little mystery. Rachel did get on my nerves a tiny bit, but everyone else more than made up for it. This book is set in 2008 which I think is perfect for the story. 2008 was such a time of crazy paparazzi following all of the young starlets from club to club. It caused so much drama and the celebrity media was so hard on all of the actresses. This book captured that time period perfectly.
I was a little iffy on the Casper/Rachel dynamic. Casper confused me until the end and Rachel was a little unstable which sometimes made her unlikable. I loved the people in her apartment building, her friend/co-worker Anton, and the detective. I could see them coming together again for another book, but I worry that it would get a little too silly for the sake of getting them back together to solve another mystery.
What I found most intriguing about this book was it’s commentary on stardom, mental health, and how people view you. While this is mostly a light mystery, it has a strong underlying message which I think takes it one step above other novels within this genre.
I can’t remember at what point in the novel I solved the mystery, but I wasn’t completely taken by surprise. I found the resolution to be a little disappointing, but everything was wrapped up which I greatly appreciated. It also never felt like Mills was writing twists just to write twists and confuse readers.
If you are looking for a cozy mystery that’s a step below cozy but a step above thriller, this is the perfect book for you. I remember enjoying Mills’ previous novels and I enjoyed her writing just as much with her debut into the adult fiction world. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys ragtag characters with heart, even if the resolution of the mystery felt a little unsatisfying.