From Publishers Weekly
The fifth novel by British author Moggach ( You Must Be Sisters ) is an exciting, deftly executed thriller with considerable psychological intrigue. Jules Sampson, 38, is an intelligent English actress who's never had a big break. Her would-be novelist boyfriend Trevor uses her for sex and her theater connections. Jules gets the thankless job of London film-shoot stand-in for American star Lila Dune. A product of the Hollywood star system, Lila is awed by Jules's superior education and acting ability, just as Jules is entranced by the aura of fame and power surrounding Lila. Following Lila to New York, Jules serves not just as stand-in but as the neurotic, insecure actress's drama coach and confidante; able to become the star in looks and manner, Jules constructs a dream life inside that glamorous image. Meanwhile Trev and Lila have begun an afair, with Trev keeping Lila ignorant of his involvement with Jules. As her career takes off, Jules's obsessive jealousy and rage drive her to act out her fantasies of revenge. In flashbacks, Jules tells her story with eerie insights and powerfully evoked emotions; passages describing the present subtly heighten suspense.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Jules Sampson, a British actress long on talent but short on fame, is the protagonist of this smoothly written psychological thriller. When Jules is signed as a stand-in for her lookalike, vacuous American movie star Lila Dune, she finds her private life, as well as her screen role, merging with that of her alter ego. Obsessed with Lila's wealth and celebrity, Jules goes over the psychological brink when she discovers the star has stolen her lover, and she plans a gruesome revenge. After a slow beginning, the novel's plot moves to a breathless climax. Moggach, a veteran stage and screen writer, offers up challenges for the reader, and her subtle comic touch lightens an otherwise melodramatic ending. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 5/15/91.
- Joyce Smothers, Monmouth Cty. Lib., Manalapan, N.J.Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
