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Hollywood Headlines #1
Hollywood Scandals
Tina Bender is the gossip columnist at the infamous L.A. Informer tabloid. She knows everything about everyone who's anyone. And she's not afraid to print it. That is, until she receives a threatening note, promising, "If you don't stop writing about me, you're dead." Teaming with a built bodyguard, a bubbly blonde, and an alcoholic obituary writer, Tina sets out to uncover just which juicy piece of Hollywood gossip is worth killing over.
(Formerly published under the title: SCANDAL SHEET)
(Formerly published under the title: SCANDAL SHEET)
288 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
Gemma Halliday
86 books1,885 followersGemma had a hard time figuring out what she wanted to be when she grew up. She worked as a film and television actress, a teddy bear importer, a department store administrator, a preschool teacher, a temporary tattoo artist, and a 900 number psychic, before finally selling her first book, Spying in High Heels, in 2005 and deciding to be a writer.
Since then, Gemma has written several mystery novels and been the recipient of numerous awards, including a National Reader's Choice award and three RITA nominations. Her books have hit both the USA Today and the New York Times Bestseller lists.
Gemma now makes her home in the San Francisco Bay area where she is hard at work on her next book.
Since then, Gemma has written several mystery novels and been the recipient of numerous awards, including a National Reader's Choice award and three RITA nominations. Her books have hit both the USA Today and the New York Times Bestseller lists.
Gemma now makes her home in the San Francisco Bay area where she is hard at work on her next book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 265 reviews
July 22, 2011
This was another freebie through the Nook, and honestly, I was surprised by how good it actually was! It was an amazingly fast read, which I love, and kept me on my toes (another surprise!). I don't know if I want to read the whole series, as I really loved the character in this one, and they change up the main characters in each of the books, but I may give it a try. This is a great summer read, as well as you could def finish this at the beach, for sure!
April 8, 2011
This book is fun-- plain and simple. It has funny, quirky characters (I just love the aunts!) that make you laugh. It's a quick and easy read. I generally reserve 5 stars for truly fantastic books (so I don't give them often), so 4 stars to me is still a very, very good read. I definitely recommend it. I think I read somewhere that this is going to be part of a series. If so, I am very much looking forward to the next installment.
Warning to Kindle users, however. It seems that the editing on the Kindle version fell through the cracks, so to speak, about 80% or 90% of the way through the book. All of a sudden all of the quotation marks disappear! It made the last part of the book a bit of a challenge to read. :-)
Warning to Kindle users, however. It seems that the editing on the Kindle version fell through the cracks, so to speak, about 80% or 90% of the way through the book. All of a sudden all of the quotation marks disappear! It made the last part of the book a bit of a challenge to read. :-)
February 3, 2011
I really quite enjoyed this book. This was my first by Ms Halliday, I found it hilarious. To the point that I literally had to set the book down a few times to wipe the tears from my eyes.
Having a rather negative opinion of tabloid magazines and paparazzi, I wasn't sure I'd like this, since the main character is a tabloid writer. But I was quickly won over, and proceeded to get The Perfect Shot, book 2 in this series, and as soon as the third in the series comes available at B&N (I'm a nook gal), I'll be getting that one as well. (Last time I checked, it wasn't up yet.)
Very fun. And the aunts... Oh, they about killed me, they were awesome.
Having a rather negative opinion of tabloid magazines and paparazzi, I wasn't sure I'd like this, since the main character is a tabloid writer. But I was quickly won over, and proceeded to get The Perfect Shot, book 2 in this series, and as soon as the third in the series comes available at B&N (I'm a nook gal), I'll be getting that one as well. (Last time I checked, it wasn't up yet.)
Very fun. And the aunts... Oh, they about killed me, they were awesome.
August 19, 2010
Nice. But a little predictable.
September 28, 2010
This book has it all: humor, mystery, suspense, PG romance and Hollywood gossip! (the cover is very misleading). This book made my laugh out loud. I love the author's humor. The main characters were great. The heroine, Tina Bender, gossip columnist for one of the Hollywoods tabloids, is spunky and entertaining. Add in a hunky bodyguard and some blind 'n' deaf aunts, and you have an enjoyable, humorus story. I will definetly be reading other books by this author. I was teetering on 4 stars, but decided on 5 since this book really made me laugh and I downloaded it free from Barnes and Noble. How great is that!?!
January 9, 2018
Easy but fun read. Not a lot of depth to the story but the characters were relatable and it is a great stress reliever.
April 2, 2018
3.5. Had to round up since I’m a big fan of both Disney and cozy mysteries with quirky characters. And this had both. The final clash between Tina and the bad guy was great.
October 6, 2020
Cute start to a new series. Could easily have been one of the Maddie Springer High Heels stories. Some cross over characters make for a fun read.
October 19, 2017
Tina Bender is a gossip columnist for The Informer, a daily Hollywood paper that thrives on all the juicy details of Hollywood. Tina spends her days at work and her evenings at home with her elderly aunt.
Tina is about to write about one the largest scandals taking place in Hollywood when she receives an anonymous voice message making a threat on her life. Tina takes this message to her editor. Tina insists it’s probably a prank. The editor calls someone in to be her bodyguard.
Having written recently about a producer picked up for child pornography, a teen actor photographed with marijuana, and a rock star in rehab, she is unsure who is sending the threats. The home she shares with her aunt is ransacked. A murder occurs.
While the storyline is heavy, the book is filled with humor. The characters are well developed and likable. We see a bond growing between Tina and her bodyguard. This book is a great read. If you love cozy mysteries, this book is a must-read.
August 16, 2016
I previously read a book from Gemma Halliday which I enjoyed and had taken the opportunity of a discounted price to get the Hollywood headline set which stayed in the TBR shelf for a while
That was a short and sweet romantic comedy, definitely more light-hearted than dramatic, and there's even one event in the book which I found all the more disturbing that it felt glossed over and not taking seriously .
I liked the characters, the plot, the investigation, the overall tone and writing
A fun and very pleasant reading moment
That was a short and sweet romantic comedy, definitely more light-hearted than dramatic, and there's even one event in the book which I found all the more disturbing that it felt glossed over and not taking seriously .
I liked the characters, the plot, the investigation, the overall tone and writing
A fun and very pleasant reading moment
Read
January 25, 2011#1 Hollywood Headlines series - romantic mystery
DNF (did not finish)
This is a light, comic romantic mystery -- OK but not grabbing me enough. These days if I don't love it, I quickly move on to the next book.
DNF (did not finish)
This is a light, comic romantic mystery -- OK but not grabbing me enough. These days if I don't love it, I quickly move on to the next book.
September 4, 2012
Tina çok eğlenceli bir karakterdi.:) Dedikodu köşesi için ideal tip tişörtlerini de çok begendim. Teyzelere hiiç lafım yok zaten çok tatlıydılar:) Her yaştan rahatlıkla okunabilir cinsellik yok denecek kadar azdı.
January 22, 2016
I enjoyed the High Heels Mysteries by Gemma Halliday more than this book. But it was still a relaxing, enjoyable read.
July 27, 2016
This was a fun read. Tina is hilarious!!!
August 14, 2018
Das Cover ist bunt, schrill und fällt sofort ins Auge - wenn man den Titel nicht kennt, würde man nicht darauf schließen, dass es um Mord und Totschlag geht. Es zeigt aber super, was den Leser erwartet, nämlich ein gemütlicher Cosy-Krimi.
Trotzdem kommt die Spannung nicht zu kurz. Das liegt auch an der unerschrockenen Art der Journalistin Tina Bender. Sie bekommt Drohungen, weil sie anscheinend in ihrer Kolumne jemanden auf die Füße getreten ist. Denn eins muss man sagen: Gerüchte ziehen sie magisch an.
Das fand ich auch gut umgesetzt, denn zwischendrin liest man immer das, was Tina Bender schreibt bzw. veröffentlicht. Und dabei lässt sie sich nicht einschüchtern. Allerdings muss auch sie einsehen, dass es besser ist, mit einem Bodyguard loszuziehen.
Und dieser ist natürlich nicht nur ausgesprochen stark, sondern auch attraktiv. Die Wendungen in diesem Bereich sind dann sehr vorhersehbar, was mich allerdings nicht gestört hat. Es ist eben ein Cosy Krimi mit ein bisschen Liebe :)
Gemeinsam machen die Beiden sich auf die Suche nach dem Drohanrufer und stolpern dabei auch über Leichen, wobei Mord und Totschlag nicht unbedingt im Mittelpunkt des Buches steht. Es geht viel mehr um das Rätsel des Anrufers. Das hat mir gut gefallen, denn dadurch fällt das Buch etwas aus dem klassischen Muster.
Insgesamt ist das Buch eine nette Unterhaltung für Zwischendurch, auch wenn es jetzt nicht unbedingt etwas ganz besonderes ist. Durch den lockeren Schreibstil und die sympathische Protagonistin wurde ich aber gut unterhalten. Für den Sommer genau das richtige Buch, da man nur wenig mitdenken muss und es auch gut mal ein paar Tage zur Seite legen kann und trotzdem sofort wieder drin ist.
Von mir gibt es deswegen 4 Sterne!
Trotzdem kommt die Spannung nicht zu kurz. Das liegt auch an der unerschrockenen Art der Journalistin Tina Bender. Sie bekommt Drohungen, weil sie anscheinend in ihrer Kolumne jemanden auf die Füße getreten ist. Denn eins muss man sagen: Gerüchte ziehen sie magisch an.
Das fand ich auch gut umgesetzt, denn zwischendrin liest man immer das, was Tina Bender schreibt bzw. veröffentlicht. Und dabei lässt sie sich nicht einschüchtern. Allerdings muss auch sie einsehen, dass es besser ist, mit einem Bodyguard loszuziehen.
Und dieser ist natürlich nicht nur ausgesprochen stark, sondern auch attraktiv. Die Wendungen in diesem Bereich sind dann sehr vorhersehbar, was mich allerdings nicht gestört hat. Es ist eben ein Cosy Krimi mit ein bisschen Liebe :)
Gemeinsam machen die Beiden sich auf die Suche nach dem Drohanrufer und stolpern dabei auch über Leichen, wobei Mord und Totschlag nicht unbedingt im Mittelpunkt des Buches steht. Es geht viel mehr um das Rätsel des Anrufers. Das hat mir gut gefallen, denn dadurch fällt das Buch etwas aus dem klassischen Muster.
Insgesamt ist das Buch eine nette Unterhaltung für Zwischendurch, auch wenn es jetzt nicht unbedingt etwas ganz besonderes ist. Durch den lockeren Schreibstil und die sympathische Protagonistin wurde ich aber gut unterhalten. Für den Sommer genau das richtige Buch, da man nur wenig mitdenken muss und es auch gut mal ein paar Tage zur Seite legen kann und trotzdem sofort wieder drin ist.
Von mir gibt es deswegen 4 Sterne!
September 1, 2020
Hollywood Scandals (Hollywood Headlines, #1) by Gemma Halliday
Tina is a writer for a "Gossip Magazine". She is feisty, fun and loves her job, life is good. Then she gets a death threat, unless she stops writing about someone. She teams up with a body guard and a few other writers to try to solve this mystery.
A fast paced story with likable characters, humor, mystery and murder. A classic "who-done-it" writing style, set in Hollywood, keeping you guessing until the end. Overall I found Hollywood Scandals quite enjoyable and feel those who enjoy a cozy murder/mystery will enjoy as well.
Tina is a writer for a "Gossip Magazine". She is feisty, fun and loves her job, life is good. Then she gets a death threat, unless she stops writing about someone. She teams up with a body guard and a few other writers to try to solve this mystery.
A fast paced story with likable characters, humor, mystery and murder. A classic "who-done-it" writing style, set in Hollywood, keeping you guessing until the end. Overall I found Hollywood Scandals quite enjoyable and feel those who enjoy a cozy murder/mystery will enjoy as well.
March 24, 2021
I loved this book. Tina is a riot. She is a a strong woman that does not want any help. After she received a threat on her voice mail, her boss, Felix, stepped in and got her a temporary bodyguard. When Tina first met Cal, the rent-a-goon, her words, not mine, sarcasm was scattered everywhere. She did not need or want a bodyguard. Tina was stuck with one, if she wanted to continue to go out and do her job.
Tina also had a friendship via IM. She would confide in this person, ManInBlack72. There was definitely a You’ve Got Mail, thing going on in the book. Laugh out loud humor.
I could just see the characters from the descriptions in the book. There is lots of details about even small things.
I could not put the book down.
Tina also had a friendship via IM. She would confide in this person, ManInBlack72. There was definitely a You’ve Got Mail, thing going on in the book. Laugh out loud humor.
I could just see the characters from the descriptions in the book. There is lots of details about even small things.
I could not put the book down.
April 26, 2020
Would this be 5 stars if it weren't a pandemic when all I want to read is undemanding entertaining fluff? I think it actually would be. I literally laughed out loud at parts, thoroughly enjoyed the characters and didn't figure out the murderer or the reason for the murder.
Tina is the gossip columnist for an LA tabloid, and she absolutely loves her job. Tina is also spunky, funny, potty-mouthed (her boss has a Swear Pig on her desk), creative, pint-sized ball of energy with purple hair, a penchant for the color pink anything and rides a pink Honda Rebel motorcyle. I want to be her BFF. Tina lives with her Aunt Sue who is deaf as a post and has a tendency to burn all her cooking efforts and forget to turn off the gas when done. Tina starts getting threatening emails, then Aunt Sue's condo is trashed, and suddenly Tina has a bodyguard named Cal who drives a gas guzzling hummer and shadows her around LA as she tries to figure out who is threatening her while keeping up with her daily column. Along the way we meet Aunt Millie, Aunt Sue's sister, who is blind as a bat (having her pet Aunt Sue's slipper thinking it was a cat was inspired), Cam, who is the tabloid's gifted photographer (often found on baby bump watch on Melrose), Allie a/k/a Barbie, the newest reporter at the tabloid and angling to one up Tina for a by-line or two, and oh, ManInBlack, Tina's cyber penpal crush with whom she exchanges corny knock knock jokes.
There is so much cleverness and humor throughout, that I really thought the author could not trump what she had already accomplished when the final chapters arrive and the entire murder mystery climaxes at and the reason alone for it happening there is a hoot. Oh and the actual ending is ripped straight out of one of my favorite romcoms, and was just perfect, corny but perfect.
If you are looking for fun, escape and some silliness even downright corniness that will make you laugh, this book is for you. It is a funny cozy murder mystery with some flirtation and a hot kiss or two. It's also the first in a series although I believe the other books in the series center on other characters. I just hope the author kept Tina, Cal, Aunt Sue, and Aunt Millie around.
Tina is the gossip columnist for an LA tabloid, and she absolutely loves her job. Tina is also spunky, funny, potty-mouthed (her boss has a Swear Pig on her desk), creative, pint-sized ball of energy with purple hair, a penchant for the color pink anything and rides a pink Honda Rebel motorcyle. I want to be her BFF. Tina lives with her Aunt Sue who is deaf as a post and has a tendency to burn all her cooking efforts and forget to turn off the gas when done. Tina starts getting threatening emails, then Aunt Sue's condo is trashed, and suddenly Tina has a bodyguard named Cal who drives a gas guzzling hummer and shadows her around LA as she tries to figure out who is threatening her while keeping up with her daily column. Along the way we meet Aunt Millie, Aunt Sue's sister, who is blind as a bat (having her pet Aunt Sue's slipper thinking it was a cat was inspired), Cam, who is the tabloid's gifted photographer (often found on baby bump watch on Melrose), Allie a/k/a Barbie, the newest reporter at the tabloid and angling to one up Tina for a by-line or two, and oh, ManInBlack, Tina's cyber penpal crush with whom she exchanges corny knock knock jokes.
There is so much cleverness and humor throughout, that I really thought the author could not trump what she had already accomplished when the final chapters arrive and the entire murder mystery climaxes at and the reason alone for it happening there is a hoot. Oh and the actual ending is ripped straight out of one of my favorite romcoms, and was just perfect, corny but perfect.
If you are looking for fun, escape and some silliness even downright corniness that will make you laugh, this book is for you. It is a funny cozy murder mystery with some flirtation and a hot kiss or two. It's also the first in a series although I believe the other books in the series center on other characters. I just hope the author kept Tina, Cal, Aunt Sue, and Aunt Millie around.
March 7, 2019
Cozy with a few twists to keep it interesting
Tina Bender is a reporter with the LA Informer, a gossip rag that is print and on-line so staying ahead of the competition is Tina's main focus.
Tina's octogenarian aunts, Sue & Millie are great supporting cast members in this series along with Tina's Swear Pig her boss Felix insists on using at the office. Being assigned a bodyguard, Calvin Dean, is a challenge to Tina's independence and has a romantic potential component.
Written in 2009 this has some old technology to get used to in a fun way.
Tina Bender is a reporter with the LA Informer, a gossip rag that is print and on-line so staying ahead of the competition is Tina's main focus.
Tina's octogenarian aunts, Sue & Millie are great supporting cast members in this series along with Tina's Swear Pig her boss Felix insists on using at the office. Being assigned a bodyguard, Calvin Dean, is a challenge to Tina's independence and has a romantic potential component.
Written in 2009 this has some old technology to get used to in a fun way.
August 2, 2019
I gave this 3 stars because I enjoy the way Gemma Halliday writes. I did not however like the main character Bender. I get that its Hollywood and she's a gossip columnist but I just never grew to like her. Yes she's funny, sarcastic and irreverent. She's also selfish and inconsiderate of anyone around her. I just couldn't relate to her at all. The bodyguard Cal was a good guy but again it just didn't click for me. Plus the you've got mail was extremely obvious but also a little cute. That being said I will not be reading more in this series.
May 2, 2021
I received this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. This book had me laughing literally out loud. Tina Bender is unapologetically true to herself and shows the gumption most of us only dream about. The author includes Aunt Sue and Aunt Millie who are hysterical and make me want to be just like them when I'm in my 80s. Tina is a writer for a gossip column that focuses on celebrity lives. She taunts the wrong person and unwittingly becomes a target for one person who is offended by Tina's column. Let the humor begin!!!!!
September 26, 2021
free ebook
shes a reporter and is getting death threats. her boss hired a body guard. she lives with her aunt who has a memory problem and keeps burning the food. the neighbor was in the house when it got broken into and killed
she solves a murder no one knew about, they thought he had od'd and it was his wife who killed him to get more acting parts
the body guard had been emailing her, and she really liked him but didnt know thats who he was. they met and she was happy it was him
i would read more of this series
shes a reporter and is getting death threats. her boss hired a body guard. she lives with her aunt who has a memory problem and keeps burning the food. the neighbor was in the house when it got broken into and killed
she solves a murder no one knew about, they thought he had od'd and it was his wife who killed him to get more acting parts
the body guard had been emailing her, and she really liked him but didnt know thats who he was. they met and she was happy it was him
i would read more of this series
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2021
Fun twist on a cozy mystery.
Our ourple-haired heroine gossip columnist was a nice departure from the usual career choices in cozy mysteries. The secondary characters offer lots of future story lines and subplots. The gossip headlines were hilarious but I thought the use of two deaf-dizzy aunts has been done to death. It would have been more fun if the aunts were clever, smart mouths with lots of history.
Our ourple-haired heroine gossip columnist was a nice departure from the usual career choices in cozy mysteries. The secondary characters offer lots of future story lines and subplots. The gossip headlines were hilarious but I thought the use of two deaf-dizzy aunts has been done to death. It would have been more fun if the aunts were clever, smart mouths with lots of history.
May 13, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick fun read. The characters were great! Marco and Felix were my favorite people in the High Heel books, so glad they were brought into this book. And I’d love to hang out with the aunts for awhile. Looking ahead, I see the rest in the series follows other staff members, while I’m looking forward to reading the books, I was hoping for more Bender stories.
February 15, 2024
This is an entertaining cozy type of mystery with suspense and action. I didn't like some things about Tina, the female lead, very much at all especially in the first half of the book. And parts of the book were slow moving. But it was an entertaining cozy mystery with a very happy ending. (Also, the Audible version is very well done.)
July 15, 2022
Wonderful!
Quirky, but fun to read. Lots of action and interesting side characters. I found it hard to put down. (Nice to read something that doesn't feel it needs detailed sex scenes too)
Quirky, but fun to read. Lots of action and interesting side characters. I found it hard to put down. (Nice to read something that doesn't feel it needs detailed sex scenes too)
July 23, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this humorous book and can't wait to read more in the series! I enjoyed the tabloid vibes, the well crafted mystery, a great pace, and characters that made me laugh. Just the perfect cozy mystery with the bonus of being on Audible.
August 25, 2022
For a light mystery, this story was quite engrossing. I loved the attitude of Bender all through the book. Her dang the torpedoes, full speed ahead attitude made me laugh. Her ingenious way of thinking up aliases off the top of her head had me wanting to find out what the next alias would be.
June 11, 2024
if you’re into that…..
Being a tabloid reporter just got hotter! Why write about the truth when hearsay is so much more salacious! Just don’t come crying to this reporter when someone threatens to shoot you! 😜 ❤️ 🤩
Being a tabloid reporter just got hotter! Why write about the truth when hearsay is so much more salacious! Just don’t come crying to this reporter when someone threatens to shoot you! 😜 ❤️ 🤩
May 9, 2017
This was a fun, light, and quick read. I like Halliday's writing and have read many of her books. I realized that I read the second in this series first, but they stand alone quite well.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 265 reviews