The Close-Up

Zoe was once a promising author with her whole life ahead of her; now, her first novel flopped, she’s a year behind on her sequel, suffering from writer’s block, and has already spent her advance. As she struggles to find her muse, inspiration hits in the form of Zach Hamilton, a former flame and People’s reigning Sexiest Man Alive. Writing about Zach’s secretive celebrity world gives Zoe her groove back until a stalker starts recreating the frightening plot of her first book. Drysdale (The Sunday Girl) presents a slow-building suspense; though the action doesn’t start in earnest until almost halfway through, it quickly becomes a tumult of tension and twists. Narrator Billie Fulford-Brown gives an engaging performance of Zoe’s first-person perspective, especially expressive in moments of fear and panic. Unfortunately, however, her American accents fall flat, and her attempts at American men border on farcical. Even so, as the narrative occasionally breaks the fourth wall and addresses listeners directly, Fulford-Brown becomes listeners’ compelling confidante.