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Pretty as a Picture

A Novel

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Pretty as a Picture

Written by: Elizabeth Little
Narrated by: Julia Whelan
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About this listen

A Wall Street Journal, Seattle Times, and CrimeReads Best Mystery Book of 2020

"Funny, fast-paced, and a pleasure to read." (The Wall Street Journal)

An egomaniacal movie director, an isolated island, and a decades-old murder - the addictive new novel from the best-selling author of Dear Daughter

Marissa Dahl, a shy but successful film editor, travels to a small island off the coast of Delaware to work with the legendary - and legendarily demanding - director Tony Rees on a feature film with a familiar logline.

Some girl dies.

It's not much to go on, but the specifics don't concern Marissa. Whatever the script is, her job is the same. She'll spend her days in the editing room, doing what she does best: turning pictures into stories.

But she soon discovers that on this set, nothing is as it's supposed to be - or as it seems. There are rumors of accidents and indiscretions, of burgeoning scandals and perilous schemes. Half the crew has been fired. The other half wants to quit. Even the actors have figured out something is wrong. And no one seems to know what happened to the editor she was hired to replace.

Then she meets the intrepid and incorrigible teenage girls who are determined to solve the real-life murder that is the movie's central subject, and before long, Marissa is drawn into the investigation herself.

The only problem is, the killer may still be on the loose. And he might not be finished.

A wickedly funny exploration of our cultural addiction to tales of murder and mayhem and a thrilling, behind-the-scenes whodunit, Pretty as a Picture is a captivating pause-resister from one of the most distinctive voices in crime fiction.

©2020 Elizabeth Little (P)2020 Penguin Audio
Literary Fiction Mystery Women's Fiction Fiction Celebrity Exciting Wall Street Island Suspense
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What the critics say

"Elizabeth Little is part of an exciting new generation of crime writers who have been bending this sturdy genre into new, unexpected shapes. Pretty as a Picture is a glorious buffet - a twisty story, a cinephile's delight, a knockout of a heroine. I loved it." (Laura Lippman, New York Times best-selling author of Lady in the Lake and Sunburn)

"I am a sucker for a tough yet vulnerable heroine, and in Pretty as a Picture, Elizabeth Little gives the reader an excellent one, and sets her against a brilliantly toxic backdrop of glitz and entitlement." (Ruth Ware, New York Times best-selling author of The Turn of the Key and The Woman in Cabin 10)

"Engaging and irresistible from the very first page, Pretty as a Picture is a smart and compelling thriller filled with surprises. Little writes with such a clear, confident, and witty voice, I found myself smiling as I read." (Alafair Burke, New York Times best-selling author of The Better Sister)

"Pretty as a Picture is a remarkable thriller that succeeds on almost too many levels. It’s sharp and stylish, witty and fierce, not to mention extremely intelligent. Little perfectly and expertly conjures the unglamorous side of filmmaking - the gruesome grind of a movie shoot - in meticulous detail. This is no mere crime novel, but a must read for anyone with a passion for movies or the industry." (Ivy Pochoda, author of Wonder Valley)

"Pretty as a Picture is an atmospheric thriller that sparkles with intelligence and irrepressible wit, anchored by the singular voice of Marissa Dahl, a mega-competent female film editor plagued by anxiety. Elizabeth Little has an impeccable ear for dialogue and a sharp eye for detail, and she's created a page-turner that is as well written as it is captivating. I enjoyed every scene and sentence of this glorious book." (Steph Cha, author of Your House Will Pay)

What listeners say about Pretty as a Picture

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fun

I binge listened this one. The blurb didn't do it justice, I think. I quite enjoyed it, even though the protagonist, though relatable, was annoying. Well written and not a total cliche of a neurotic person, but still annoying. I think it was a conscious choice like, both author and character seemed aware of the fact, but it was still... (you guessed it) annoying. Like, it was written mainly in her voice, so that was 10 hours of aggressively quirky neurosis, and it felt like a lot. But the story was fun enough for it to still be ok.
The mystery was solid and the ending was satisfying. The plot moved quickly and kept my attention. The narration was believable, and even her male voices weren't bad.

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