MY LAST MOVIE STAR: A Novel of Hollywood

Bette, Audrey, Angelina, Julia, Gwyneth—and now Allegra. In this first novel, veteran journalist and experienced celebrity profiler Sherrill (Washington Post, Vanity Fair, Esquire, etc.) brilliantly dissects the vicissitudes of fame and the absurdities of Hollywood idol worship. Sherrill's "It" girl, Allegra Coleman, believes she's creating her stardom herself—"Acting is mostly... having the balls to stay still and not move and letting the camera stare at you like some kind of pervert"—and is AWOL from her obligations at Cosmos Studios. With her on the road is jaded journalist Clementine James, who is doing her absolutely last celebrity profile for Flame, a popzine that she wants to abandon for life on a horse farm with her lover, Ned. Their trip stretches on and on—until a car crash brings it to a screeching halt. When Clementine awakens at the accident scene, she's lost an eye and Allegra's vanished. The world becomes obsessed with Allegra's fate while Clementine, the last person to see her alive, finds herself caught up in a media feeding frenzy. Vigils, air kisses with celebrities, endless gifts, interviews, photo ops and even a one-night stand with Allegra's TV star ex-boyfriend threaten to turn Clementine into a pop icon herself until mysterious "visits" from glamorous movie stars—Dorothy Lamour, Gloria Swanson, Loretta Young, Marion Davies, Myrna Loy and Tallulah Bankhead—teach her the fickleness of celluloid celebrity. It's popcorn parody for the soul, with plenty of butter. Extra perk: a fun "Filmography" glosses movies mentioned in the text. Agent, Philippa Brophy, Sterling Lord Literistic. (Feb. 11)

Forecast:A clever sideways jacket image communicates this debut's giddy charms. Sherrill's profile-writing credentials will help sales, too—readers may pick up the novel for the bits of real-life celebrity gossip or to debate who the models for Allegra might be.