Private Scandals [Paperback]

Nora Roberts (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 5, 2003

#1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts reveals the world of television talk shows, where an ambitious young woman is fighting to find her place in the spotlight. But dark secrets hide behind its brightest stars...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The latest from veteran Roberts ( Genuine Lies ) is set in the glamorous world of television and concerns the rise of hot new talk-show host Deanna Reynolds. Deanna, a sincere and dedicated one-time local reporter in Chicago, has moved to New York, determined to be number one in the field. This pits her against her former mentor, the high strung and manipulative current talk-show queen, Angela Perkins. Angela doesn't take well to the competition and resorts to stealing guests, blackmail and crossing boundaries of good journalism in her effort to fight Deanna's increasing popularity. Deanna's romance with the handsome and much lauded reporter Finn Riley, Angela's former love interest, only increases the tension. But the novel's main question is who will do in Deanna first, the obsessed fan who seems to know her every move, or Angela, whose bitter vows for revenge are hastening her own downfall. Despite one weak plot device--the identity of the obsessed fan is too clear, too early--the novel is a fun read with a good pace and both thoroughly likable and thoroughly loathsome characters.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

A scheming rival and an obsessive fan convince a TV star that she's a long way from Kansas--in more sudsy romantic suspense from Roberts (Honest Illusions, 1992). Deanna Reynolds and Angela Perkins are both smart, talented, attractive, and ambitious. The big difference between the two talk- show hosts is that Angela is an attention-hungry woman desperate to maintain her fading charms and worshipful audience at all costs, while Dee maintains her Midwestern values even as her Chicago-based show makes her a star and threatens Angela's in New York. Angela, who was once Dee's mentor, has never forgiven the younger woman for turning down her offer to come to New York with her. Even less forgivable is Dee's romance with Finn Riley, a footloose foreign correspondent and once Angela's lover. Finn, who coolly calls in exclusives from a crash-landing 747, shrugs off a bullet wound while he broadcasts live during a shootout, and indisputably earns the nickname ``Desert Hunk'' during the Gulf War, finds his match in the unbelievably beautiful, desirable, and sweet Deanna. While the two make seismic love on any available surface and Angela plots Dee's downfall in the ratings, a secret admirer (whose identity is more obvious than the author must have intended) writes her love notes. Then, one by one, he begins to kill off all the people who have hurt or betrayed her--and attempts to realize his insane dream of making Deanna entirely his own. A sexy hero whose no-nonsense presence cuts through the vapors and cattiness of the womenfolk and a convincing behind-the-scenes look at TV--both help make up for the weak humor, implausible plot, and trite glitz of this predictable novel. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade (August 5, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425190382
• ISBN-13: 978-0425190388
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #569,908 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Ending!, May 10, 2001

By 

"intentaccess" (Boca Raton, Florida USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Private Scandals (Mass Market Paperback)

This book is a very well written murder mystery mixed with romance that we love Nora Roberts for! Deanna Reynolds and Angela Perkins are basically in competition. Deanna was a news reporter who then turned to talk show host to replace Angela's spot after turning Angela's job offer down. Something Angela never forgets. You fall in love with Deanna and she manages to find love along the way herself. She does have somebody stalking her all the way through. The ending was great as I didn't know for a minute the "who done it " and was very surprised. This was a great book and truly Nora at her best!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great read!!!, August 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Private Scandals (Mass Market Paperback)

There was never a disappointing moment while reading this novel. Roberts delivered on all that the critics have praised her for: passion, suspense, and the realistic portrayal of the underground world of television. Deanna and Finn were such a believable pair - she, the perceived to be naive and unsuspecting star who was in danger, he, the charasmatic hero who would not only try to protect her from the hardknocks of the world, but educate her about it as well. However, the novel possessed one minor flaw. Of course, I will not give the perpetrator's identity away, but it became quite evident who was behind these crimes. In my opinion, Roberts did not do a very effective job in masking it. Overall, I loved it.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A gripping read, October 9, 2000

By 

Anne Cahill (Groton, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Private Scandals (Mass Market Paperback)

"Private Scandals" is a well-crafted murder mystery with a good dollop of Nora Roberts brand romance as well. Deanna Reynolds, a news reporter-turned-talk show host, finds herself the target of a stalker's obsession, and must try to uncover her stalker's identity before anyone else around her -- or even she herself -- turns up dead. Along the way she finds love and romance with a fellow newsman, and in so doing unwittingly triggers her stalker into desperate action.

Readers will fly through this nearly 500-page read as they race to the finish to either figure out who the stalker is or, as was the case with me, to see if their suspicion was correct. For some reason I was confident very early that I knew who this person was, but knowing didn't keep me from staying up until all hours to verify it.

This was an extremely well-written and very entertaining novel.