{"product_id":"the-hollywood-assistant-isbn-9780593546826","title":"The Hollywood Assistant","description":"\u003cb\u003eNamed a Most Anticipated Read of 2024 by Zibby Media ∙ Jordy’s Book Club ∙ Novel Suspects ∙ The Nerd Daily ∙ Pure Wow ∙ She Reads ∙ and more! \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eOffered a dream job in Hollywood with a famous director and his actress wife, an insecure woman becomes their personal assistant where their secrets and lies place her in the crosshairs of a murder investigation…from the bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Hunting Wives\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCassidy Foster is heartbroken, stuck in life, and getting a little too obsessed with plants. Then when a well-connected friend becomes sick of Cassidy’s moping and gets her a gig with famous Hollywood couple, Marisol and Nate Sterling, Cassidy jumps at the chance to move to sunny LA.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Sterlings are warm and welcoming. A perfect couple. All Cassidy has to do is be available a few hours a week for errands. In return, she has access to luxury: Designer clothes. A sparkling pool. Great pay.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen Nate takes interest in her, asking her to read scripts he’s written, Cassidy thinks this could be the key to kickstarting her writing dreams. As their business relationship grows, so does their attraction. Nate is sexy and talented, and Cassidy can’t believe her luck. Clearly, Marisol doesn’t know what she has. Maybe that’s why the two are always fighting when they think Cassidy isn’t around. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut Cassidy learns she was hired for a different purpose. The Sterlings aren’t the perfect couple. Marisol isn’t the perfect wife. And when one of them is found dead, Cassidy becomes the perfect suspect.\"\u003ci\u003eThe Hollywood Assistant\u003c\/i\u003e is as fun and as fresh as its title—and fast: think Frieda McFadden’s \u003ci\u003eThe Housemaid\u003c\/i\u003e—but sharp, too, and provocative, with a subtly retro attitude that recalls 80s cinema classics. I've said it before and I'll say it again: May Cobb writes suspense you can mainline.\"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e­—A.J. Finn\u003c\/b\u003e, #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Woman in the Window\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eThe Hollywood Assistant\u003c\/i\u003e by May Cobb is the best kind of stay-up-all-night-page-turner: wickedly creepy, steamy, and intense. Expertly plotted and brimming with dark surprises, \u003ci\u003eThe Hollywood Assistant\u003c\/i\u003e is classic Cobb. I was absolutely transfixed. Don't miss this knock-out thrill ride.“\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eHeather Gudenkauf\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of\u003ci\u003e The Overnight Guest \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Every single May Cobb book is a treat I cannot put down. Nobody writes characters as relatable as Cobb, I don't know how she does it! It's like she's in my head, reading all of my intrusive thoughts, and she's poured them into her main characters. A delicious book I tore through in one sitting.\" \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Jesse Q. Sutanto\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eYou Will Never Be Me\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"May Cobb pulls back the curtain on Hollywood glamor in a sexy, twisty mystery that will have readers guessing (and gasping) until the very last page. \"\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eRobyn Harding\u003c\/b\u003e, internationally bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Drowning Woman\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Dare I say this is May Cobb’s best yet? The queen of sultry crime—the empress of women’s wrongs—is back with her most sumptuous and sensual book yet, set in an L.A. of apricot skies and ice-cold martinis, filled with taut, sweaty bodies you aren’t allowed to touch. Cobb crafts an expert tale of women whose longing and desire exceeds social acceptability, giving us anti-heroines who plot and take and don’t apologize—and who always, one way or another, come out on top. May Cobb is redefining the femme fatale for the twenty-first century—and, like her fatal femmes, \u003ci\u003eThe Hollywood Assistant\u003c\/i\u003e is a hot, twisted, messed-up masterpiece.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eAshley Winstead\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eMidnight is the Darkest Hour\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eThe Hollywood Assistant\u003c\/i\u003e is May Cobb at her best and like we've never seen her before—bringing her signature Piney Woods noir to Hollywood, where everyone is a performer and no motivation is pure. Cobb understands the dark hearts of women, the cravings—for power, success, love—that make things go bump in the night. It's impossible to choose a favorite Cobb novel, but with its sinister \u003ci\u003eRear Window \u003c\/i\u003etwists and homage to classic erotic thrillers, \u003ci\u003eThe Hollywood Assistant\u003c\/i\u003e is at the top of my list.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eKatie Gutierrez\u003c\/b\u003e, bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eMore Than You'll Ever Know\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“May Cobb hits it out of the park yet again with this juicy, twisty thriller about a dream job that quickly turns into a nightmare. With a sun-soaked California setting, ratcheting tension, and simmering secrets coming to a boil, \u003ci\u003eThe Hollywood Assistant\u003c\/i\u003e is a read that demands to be finished in one setting. Sexy, addictive, and bursting with complicated marriage and relationship dynamics... any reader will be desperate to know what happens next.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eLaurie Elizabeth Flynn\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Girls Are All So Nice Here\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \"Pack those bags because you do not want to miss May Cobb's dark and sexy \u003ci\u003eThe Hollywood Assistant\u003c\/i\u003e, where we leave East Texas behind for the City of Angels and oh so many devils, some whispering on our shoulder, some trying to get into our bed, but either way, you don't want to miss one twisted word!\"\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eVanessa Lillie\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eBlood Sisters\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"A scorching sizzler of a thriller that grabs you by the neck from the opening line and doesn't release its hold until the brilliantly devious ending. May Cobb is a virtuoso at creating completely absorbing storylines and \u003ci\u003eThe Hollywood Assistan\u003c\/i\u003et is her best work to date. Cobb's endless talent is on full display in \u003ci\u003eThe Hollywood Assistan\u003c\/i\u003et with a protagonist whose once-in-a-lifetime job embroils her in the fiery marriage between an actress and a director. I fell headfirst into the characters' secrets and lies, betrayals and machinations, ripping through the pages as though my own life depended on what came next. Cobb is indomitable, and this is THE book that will get you out of any reading slump.\"\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eSamantha M. Bailey\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eA Friend in the Dark\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“May Cobb’s \u003ci\u003eThe Hollywood Assistant\u003c\/i\u003e is an impeccably plotted thriller that twists again and again, drawing you deeper with each turn into the layers of obsession and manipulation that writhe under the dazzling surface of Hollywood glamor. But don’t be fooled as you sink into the sensuous mirage Cobb weaves in the opening chapters–the minute you’re swooning, she’ll stab you.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eJenna Satterthwaite\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eMade for You\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“…[D]eliciously twisty…”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“A wild and gripping ride.” \u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eBooklist\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"Fans of Cobb and psychological suspense will be delighted, as this mix of compelling plot and complicated emotion is when May Cobb is at her absolute best.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eBookTrib\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"This is a fun, twisty, soapy thriller, that hits all the right notes. A perfect beach read.\"\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eRed Carpet Crash\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“An impeccably plotted thriller that twists again and again, drawing you deeper with each turn into the layers of obsession and manipulation that writhe under the dazzling surface of Hollywood glamor.” \u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—Electric Lit\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"May Cobb’s newest release, \u003ci\u003eThe Hollywood Assistant\u003c\/i\u003e, is one of the most enjoyable books to read because of the fun, whodunit premise.\"\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—Daily Mom\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e“Should be required summer reading.”\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003eMystery Scene Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eThe Hollywood Assistant\u003c\/i\u003e by May Cobb is one of those novels you read and think: well surely, we’ll be watching this on the screen sometime soon; think \u003ci\u003eDevil Wears Prada\u003c\/i\u003e meets \u003ci\u003eThe White Lotus\u003c\/i\u003e.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eProvidence Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I must say the ending is a total surprise and worth the read.\"\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—Denton Record Journal\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eMay Cobb\u003c\/b\u003e is an award-winning author of \u003ci\u003eThe Hunting Wives\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eMy Summer Darlings\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eA Likeable Woman\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eBig Woods\u003c\/i\u003e. Her books have received attention from Book-of-the-Month Club, the \u003ci\u003eToday\u003c\/i\u003e show, and Oprah Daily and have been optioned for film and TV. She has an MA from San Francisco State University and her essays and interviews have appeared in the \u003ci\u003eWashington Post \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eGood Housekeeping\u003c\/i\u003e. She currently lives in Austin with her family. Her novel \u003ci\u003eThe Hunting Wives\u003c\/i\u003e is soon to be a series on STARZ.1\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe tip of the X-Acto knife punctures the packing tape with a satisfying pop, the air inside the box hissing as if sighing, as if it knows it's the last one, the final cardboard square containing the remnants of my life in Austin.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI pry the sides open, remove the top layer of Bubble Wrap. My grandmother's set of Fiestaware dishes-glazed a candy-apple red-glistens in the afternoon sun, a stream of cloudy light that filters through the kitchen window. Even though the plates were clean before I packed them, I'm a bit of a neat freak, so I give them a quick rinse before stacking them on the shelf.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe kitchen is my favorite part of my new apartment. Which used to be a garage, converted years ago into a living space. All two hundred square feet to call my own, at least for the time being.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe kitchen window is an actual picture box, the molding carved from maple with a ledge that now holds my potted herbs in tiny clay cups. Thyme, rosemary, and basil. My life shrunk down in miniature.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut the view is spectacular, expansive.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRopes of flaming bougainvillea with magenta petals twist down the crumbling outdoor steps that descend from the upper level-the main house-stopping right outside the back door, which leads out to a small patio.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe house is perched on the side of a jagged slope; beyond the patio, the hill is ribbed with terraced gardens, rows of bone-colored stone stained with mud-green splatters from the gurgling grotto above.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen I take my latte out there in the morning, the ticktock sound of the dripping water mixed with early morning birdsong makes me feel like I'm living in the French countryside, even with the faint buzz of helicopters constantly hovering over the canyons.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom the window, I can glimpse the starburst of bougainvillea, the sloping gardens, and a triangle of blue California sky. Beneath it, the gray road threads through the hills, a thin, meandering creek.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBecause of the scant space inside the apartment, I didn't bring much with me out here, only what I could jam into the Nissan Leaf.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMy closet. Kitchen stuff. My record collection (mostly made up of my grandmother's vintage jazz vinyl). My box of Moleskine journals, a cliché, I know. And my plants, or, at least, a fraction of them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLexie teased me a few months back just after the breakup. \"I'm worried you're turning into the crazy plant lady,\" she said over FaceTime while I padded through my tiny apartment, the camera on my cell capturing the plants dangling from the ceiling, hugging the windowsills, lining the shelves. Her voice had that stretched sound to it, a thin timbre that it takes on when she's had a decent amount of wine.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOn the other end of the line, I rolled my eyes, sighed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHer words stung, but only because they were true. My heart was shattered, and I had tried mending it by filling my space with greens and more greens.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Okay, I'm sorry I said that, but . . . you could take this chance to move out here finally, shake things up.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI wasn't ready just yet.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNot until several weeks later when she presented me with the new gig. Only then did I begin to warm to the idea.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd a few days after that, she called me, voice brimming with cheer, letting me know she'd found this apartment, fully furnished with a bed, dresser, and small dining table. That was the tipping point, the hinge upon which my decision hung to take the plunge and move to LA.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI saw it as a fresh start, a clean slate. On moving day, I dragged my larger furniture-including the bed Carter and I made love on, his breath ragged on my neck, my back arched in ecstasy-out to the curb and taped Free signs on everything, including most of my plants.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNow I flatten the final box, take it outside, wedge it into the bloated recycling bin.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI let out a pent-up sigh, releasing my tense shoulders.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThat's enough housework for today. Locking the back door, I decide to go for a stroll. Though I've only been here less than a week, it's already my favorite part of living in the Hollywood Hills.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI head east, toward Griffith Park, zipping up my hoodie as a cool breeze rolls down the hill. Lexie has always groaned about \"June Gloom\"-the phenomenon that makes it sometimes chilly and overcast here in the summer-but I'll take it any day after the torch of Austin, the sun baking the back of my neck on walks, the temps already boiling into the low hundreds even in early June.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd I'll double take it after my scorched relationship, that last text from Carter, a dagger in my chest . . . don't ever contact me again, Cassidy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e2\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe tops of my thighs singe as I push myself up a jagged hill. I'm in decent shape-thanks to my weekly yoga class in Austin and all the trails I used to hike-but half a mile into this walk I'm winded. It will take my body a sec to get used to these steep hills.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe road curves before it descends again, and as I round a knotted corner, I spy a hot guy (they are all hot in the Hollywood Hills) jogging toward me. Tall, sandy blond hair, hooded eyes, shirt wet with sweat, he's pushing a stroller (they're also all taken here), but I blush when he grins at me, jerks his chin skyward in greeting.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIs he being nice? Or does he find me attractive?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is the pathetic state of my mind these days, my already slippery self-image deteriorating even further after Carter's abrupt departure.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI keep walking to push my ex from my thoughts, quickening my pace until the backs of my calves scream out, begging for a break.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStopping in front of a wall of teeming jasmine, I suck in a deep breath. The pearl-white petals are so fragrant it makes me heady. Another chilly breeze coasts over me, bathing me in the sugar-coated aroma.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA smile creeps across my face.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis was a good move.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI zip up my hoodie, start heading for the park again.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt's Sunday; I've been here since Tuesday, unpacking and getting acclimated before starting the new gig tomorrow.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOn my first morning here, I spent the day sifting my things out of moving boxes, spritzing cleaner on the windows, placing my plants strategically in light both direct and indirect so they'll thrive out here.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJust down the hill is the grocery store with produce so fresh it glistens, so the next morning, I stocked up, packing the cart as if I were about to throw a lavish dinner party. I grabbed a rotisserie chicken-its skin perfectly roasted and dotted with black pepper-a fresh bunch of arugula, and a fistful of radishes for a salad. Jars of creamy Icelandic yogurt, exotic cheeses. A few bottles of pinot noir and even a bouquet of flowers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn my well-worn feng shui guidebook, I read that fresh flowers, especially red ones, when placed in the relationship corner of one's home, can help attract a mate. So I let myself loiter in the towering flower display, selecting California's spectacular cherry-red ranunculus, crimson-velvet roses, and a few dark pink tulips.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOn Lexie's suggestion, I spent yesterday morning at the Melrose Flea Market, strolling the aisles, passing couples, with their fingers laced through one another's, plucking wares from stalls-vintage china sets, retro chandeliers, handmade candles-no doubt to feather their nests even more lushly.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt made me sad to hear the coos from strollers, the scent of his-and-hers Starbucks, the easy, bubbling laughter that comes from stable relationships.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMy stomach tightened when I thought about all the things I left behind. But then I asked myself, What exactly was that?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShitty pay at a stressful nonprofit for the arts, which amounted to zero exposure with the actual creative side of things? Tortured hours spent at the Xerox, agonizing over punishing spreadsheets, getting worked up over nerve-wracking fundraising?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThree novels in a drawer, each one close to scoring a literary agent but no cigar?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMy heart in flames over Carter?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo, this was the next right thing to do, as a good friend once put it, and that's what I have to keep reminding myself of.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTears bit my eyes, but I tugged my sunglasses down, continued zigzagging through the aisles. I thrifted an antique set of juice jars, flicked through stacks of vinyl.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNear the exit, I spied a powder-blue café table with folding chairs, ideal for the patio. I nabbed it along with a few terra-cotta pots for an outdoor herb garden, Lexie and her plant teasing be damned.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAfter stashing everything in the car, I typed the Sterlings' address into my cell. I was already halfway there and wanted to locate it so I wouldn't be frazzled tomorrow during rush-hour traffic. I can't help it, I'm an antsy Virgo and crave control and order where I can get it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDriving through the flatter part of Los Angeles, strip malls and palm trees throbbed past my window until the traffic slowed, creeping along until I reached the Santa Monica Pier, where it shuddered to a halt.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI didn't mind. A fist in my chest unclenched when I glimpsed the ocean, saw the giant Ferris wheel spinning above the frothy water. I let out a ragged sigh and lowered my window, letting the briny air fill the cabin.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJust before the pier, the highway curved into a tunnel, the 10 turning into the fabled Pacific Coast Highway, Highway 1. Traffic was at a standstill then, a sea of orange brake lights blinking like a Christmas tree in the darkness of the tunnel, before the tunnel opened, revealing a dazzling open view of the glimmering ocean.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI continued along the 1 as a row of sheer cliffs rose to my right. After several miles, I turned up a steep road that headed into the easternmost edge of Malibu, banked to the west by Topanga Canyon.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA blend of Cape Cod-style homes mixed with sprawling Spanish villas lined the wide, leafy streets.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI crept through a quaint little village that contained a tiny strip mall with an outdoor café, supermarket, and salon.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAfter several more turns, I snaked up a long road that finally delivered me to the Sterlings' enclave known as Monte Nido. At last, I located their street, a twisting road that encircled a hilltop, the ocean swelling into view once more.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Sterlings' home was the last one on the curvy street, the lane dissolving into a cul-de-sac overlooking the Pacific. Their own freaking cul-de-sac.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMetal barricades shunted the end of the street with a small gap in the center that led out to an unpaved hiking trail.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLike so many of the homes in the Hollywood Hills, the Sterling place is Mediterranean styled. A pastel-yellow stucco mansion topped with the same rust-red tiled roof as those in my neighborhood.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI nosed my Nissan to the edge of the cul-de-sac, the ocean winking beneath me to my right.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTwin verdant lots flanked the two-story home, whose windows twinkled in the direct sunlight. An open, inviting house I could gaze right into if I weren't trying to be discreet. But because of its placement-the lone house on this wide perch of land atop a hill-it was otherwise completely private.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe sea breeze howled against my car as I idled, checking things out.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNext to the Dead End sign, a gray No Loitering sign glared at me, so I nudged the gearshift into reverse, slinking my way out of there. No streetlights in front of their house, I noted, just the hiking trail that hugged the cliff and the roaring ocean below.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e3\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI'm at the entrance to Griffith Park now. Strolling up the path, I pass a quartet of elderly gentlemen playing dominoes, the clapping sound of the bones striking against the metal table, their stubby cigars dwindling in the ashtray, shirts crisp with starch. Unlike the handsome jogger, they don't notice me, and I coast past them up the hill.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI still want to drive to the far side of the park to Griffith Observatory, see the famed location where that iconic scene in Rebel Without a Cause was filmed. James Dean jumpy, all crackling energy and chiseled cheekbones.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI still can't believe I live here, with the Hollywood sign tucked somewhere over my left shoulder. I'm a film buff-partly due to my proximity to Lexie, who studied film at the University of Texas while I majored in English-and partly due to my mother.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLexie would drag me out on summer nights to the Paramount Theatre-a jewel box of a venue-in downtown Austin for their summer classics series. We'd dress in vintage gowns, share a bucket of greasy popcorn, and sip gin and tonics while watching films like All About Eve, Gaslight, and Giant. Afterward, she'd tell me about each one, things she'd learned-a detail about an actress, an anecdote about the script-her flawless face animated by the dollar-store candles we lit on our back patio, flame pulsing in the glass.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe real seed of my movie love, though, came from my mother, Angie, a film noir fanatic, who gobbled up Hitchcock and binged Sunset Boulevard, The Third Man, and the creepier ones (and my personal favorites), The Bad Seed and The Night of the Hunter.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWatching old classics, the black-and-whites flickering through our living room-darkened even during summer days-was one of the few things we did together before she split, abandoning my father and me when I was seven.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI'd sit on one end of our saggy sofa while she sprawled out on the other, the silk of her robe tickling my leg, her slender form in repose, clasping a cigarette, the ash growing dangerously long before she'd tip it toward the metal tray, her personal dare to the universe.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the cramped living room of our tiny bungalow, I'd gaze hungrily at the screen and the ornate set designs that swept me away from my rocky home life in Dallas. Mom and Dad arguing late into the evening about money, Mom swiping the keys from the counter, leaving in her nightgown after dark to god knows where. Me underneath my Strawberry Shortcake comforter, stomach twisting into knots.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor the hours that the films rolled in front of us, though, Mom was mine, home safe on the couch, the nearness of her a balm, even if we didn't really speak. When I tried saying something, her palms would flitter up.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Shhh, honey, I'm gonna miss the dialogue.\"","brand":"Berkley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46300871327973,"sku":"NP9780593546826","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780593546826.jpg?v=1767739817","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/the-hollywood-assistant-isbn-9780593546826","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}