What is the title of your latest release?
RACHEL WEST AND THE FALLEN STARLET
What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
AND THE FALLEN STARLET is a murder mystery set in 2008 Hollywood that follows tabloid copyeditor Rachel West, who befriends a former child star named Molly Byrne in a club bathroom one night. When Molly later turns up dead, Rachel is convinced foul play is involved and sets out to uncover the truth.
How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
I knew right from the start that I wanted the story to be set in Hollywood! Rachel West explores celebrity and fame, so it was a very natural backdrop for the events of the book.
Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
I would! Rachel definitely has some walls up, but I think she’d be fun to hit the clubs with!
What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Quick-witted, determined, guarded.
What’s something you learned while writing this book?
I got very well acquainted with 2008 pop culture! Of course, I lived through it too, but in setting the book in 2008, I feel like I’ve developed a whole bank of knowledge on the trends and big media moments of that year specifically.
Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
Barring any super tight deadlines, I usually edit as I draft. I try to not get too bogged down in ironing things out, but I like to do a bit of polishing as I go!
What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
I absolutely love s’mores.
Describe your writing space/office!
I work from home in a non-writing field, so my office is dedicated to my day job. When working on my books, I usually write in my living room (from the couch) or at a coffee shop (preferably at a nice table outside with a drink and gorgeous weather!).
Who is an author you admire?
Mariko Turk is a YA author whose books I am obsessed with. Each of her novels is so beautifully crafted and makes me wish I had written it!
Is there a book that changed your life?
I read PRIDE AND PREJUDICE as a teenager, and it made me want to write an Austen-inspired story. That story would become my debut novel, FIRST & THEN.
Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
I was in my first year of graduate school and I was sitting at my desk in the research lab where I was working at the time when a call from my agent came in. I left the lab and went into the hallway to take the call. I was so elated to get the news, and I called my family immediately after hanging up with my agent to tell them all about it!
What’s your favorite genre to read?
I don’t think I could choose between mystery and romance – I love both so much!
What’s your favorite movie?
Penelope; immaculate modern fairy tale vibes, and the romance is absolutely chef’s kiss!
What is your favorite season?
Spring! In particular, that peak time in April/May when it’s beautiful outside but there are no mosquitos yet.
How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
With family and friends.
What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
Recently I’ve been enjoying a podcast called Turn the Page from the Syosset Public Library – tons of great author interviews!
What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
I love Korean food.
What do you do when you have free time?
I have so many hobbies! Embroidery, drawing, coloring, junk journaling, putting together miniature kits… hobbies galore!
What can readers expect from you next?
Happy to report that Rachel West will be back on the case next year!
Narrator: Christine Lakin
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. Copyediting a celeb gossip rag isn't the glossy entertainment journalism Rachel thought she would be doing but hey, it pays the bills. Some of them, anyway.
Rachel’s life changes overnight after meeting Molly Byrne, a former child star and current tabloid fave for her drunken escapades and rotating cast of boyfriends, and what begins as a chance encounter in a nightclub bathroom quickly grows into a genuine friendship.
When Molly is found dead, Hollywood accepts her death as an overdose. But Rachel knows for a fact her friend was clean—and she’s not alone in her suspicions that Molly was murdered.
With the help of a ragtag group of residents from her apartment building, a friendly paparazzo, and a handsome detective, Rachel must solve the mystery of Molly’s death before she’s written off for good.
Suspense Women Sleuth | Mystery Woman Sleuth [ Berkley, On Sale: May 19, 2026, Paperback / e-Book / audiobook, ISBN: 9780593954379 / eISBN: 9780593954386 ]
Emma Mills is thrilled to make her mystery debut with Rachel West and the Fallen Starlet. She is the author of six young adult novels, including First & Then, Foolish Hearts, and Something Close to Magic, and the middle grade graphic novel series The Greenies. When she is not writing, Emma can be found reviewing scientific documents, tending to her large collection of succulents, and deep-diving into various fandoms. Emma lives in St. Louis with her dog Teddy, who is best described as a big personality in a tiny package.
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