A filmmaker whose heyday is past, Joni Ackerman has grown used to living in the shadow of her successful TV-show creating husband, Paul, as well as accustomed to the idea that she can’t make material for the small screen herself because that’s his territory. She drinks too much and is overall unhappy, with small bursts of joy when her daughter Alex returns home and life seems complete (there’s a twist-and-a-half in store there). She often thinks of her broke, early days living with roommate Val in Los Angeles, when they attended a party full of Hollywood glitterati at which Val was raped by a celebrity. Neither told anyone and both tried to move on, growing apart in the process. But now the past is back as the rapist has been outed and whispers abound about a mysterious second man he works with. What follows is a psychologically savvy look at the many victims and the long life of sexual assault, as well as a satisfying tale of coping through taking action. Joni is a lovably flawed but determined character and her decisions and determination will keep readers rooting for her and racing through this fast and absorbing drama.
