The Trade Off

Do you look at Britain’s sleazy, salacious and exploitative tabloid culture and wonder: how do they get away with this? If so, this is the book for you. Set in the fictitious The Daily Voice, “the country’s top-selling newspaper”–it’s a whole lot like the real Daily Mail– the narrative alternates between tough-as-nails Stella, just a step away from being editor in chief, and newbie Jess, in from the country with, of all things, ideals. The “trade off” refers to the practice of exchanging one thing, say photographs of a naked leading man being led about on a dog leash, for what the tabloid really wants: a front page interview with him about his failed marriage. When this sort of celebrity manipulation goes awry–the beloved winner of a cooking show is hounded until she kills herself–Stella miraculously finds her much-dented moral compass and reluctantly pairs up with Jess. Inspired by #metoo, the two manage to dismantle the toxic misogyny and sexual harassment that’s at the center of The Daily Voice. Both characters have wonderful voices, and when you’re not cringing in horror you’ll be laughing aloud.