Rachel West and the Fallen Starlet

by Emma Mills

Celebrity gossip can cut to the quick, but when it turns deadly it’s up to an aspiring reporter and her quirky neighbors to close the case in the first of a witty and nostalgic new mystery series.

Baby doll top, gladiator sandals, and fully loaded iPod at the ready—it’s 2008 in Los Angeles, and Rachel West is a little less starry-eyed than your average ingenue. There’s never been a better time to be an entertainment journalist, but the road to writing glossy profiles starts with copyediting a celeb gossip rag. Hey, it pays her bills. Most of them, at least.

Everything changes when Rachel befriends Molly Byrne—former child star and current tabloid fave due to her drunken escapades and rotating cast of boyfriends—in a nightclub bathroom.

When Molly is found dead, all of Hollywood accepts her death as an overdose. But Rachel knows for a fact her friend was clean, so when Molly’s favorite paparazzo, Casper, tells her he thinks Molly was murdered, she believes him.

With the help of a ragtag group of residents from her apartment building, a handsome detective, and her trusty flip phone, Rachel must solve the mystery of Molly’s death before she’s written off for good.

Genres: Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Contemporary, Adult, Fiction, Adult Fiction, Thriller

336 pages, Paperback

First published May 19, 2026

About the author

Emma Mills is the author of several novels for Young Adults.

She holds a PhD in cell biology and is known for her YouTube channel, Elmify. She is also the co-creator and co-host of the "life skills" channel How to Adult, which ended in 2016.

Mills lives in St. Louis, Missouri.

Reviews

[emma]

life is full of hardships and difficulty. for example, what if an author you like suddenly writes a book in a genre you don't?

https://emmareadstoomuch.substack.com...

the answer, for those wondering, is that you should probably skip it.

i don't love cozy mysteries at the best of times, but this was a not great one. the solution to the mystery doesn't so much come together as "is suddenly guessed based on little to no information by the protagonist when the climax comes around."

this, i'm sorry to say, when combined with confusion, errors, and timelines that don't add up, cannot be compensated for by all the Y2K hollywood aesthetics in the world.

not for lack of trying.

bottom line: a failed experiment, on multiple levels.

(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)

[hav!]

what do y'all know about my lord and savior emma mills


3.5 stars bc i remember little to nothing but the dialogue went crazy

[DianaRose]

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!

3.5 stars — rachel west and the fallen starlet follows our fmc rachel who befriends former child star molly byrne and the tabloids current favorite focus of gossip due to her drunken escapades... but when molly dies suddenly and unexpectedly, rachel makes it her mission to find out what really happened to her friend.

i also listened to the audiobook on libby and the narrator did a great job!

[liyana (wolfstarjily's version)]

if emma mills writes it, i read it

[olivia]

4.5; ugh i have missed emma mills's writing and characters SO much

[littlefox]

4.5 stars ♡

A big thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Published: May 19th, 2026

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Ahhh okay, this was my very first Emma Mills book and I get the hype 100%. The plot was intriguing, the setting of Hollywood and the focus on the toxicity of the industry and media (paparazzi) were PERFECT, and the characters were compelling yet lovable. I took a break from another ARC to read this one and I couldn't put it down.

I can tell this story was started in 2008, it has that 2000's charm and the way the entertainment media is portrayed is so reminiscent of that era (not that paparazzi or tabloids are any different now but the book's take on paps and starlets reminds me a lot of Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, etc.)

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The mystery in itself is actually really sad and the twist just makes it sadder. I don't think the twist was obvious, but I did figure it out about halfway through the book (I've read a lot of mysteries so it takes a lot for a twist to shock me lol). The reveal scene in itself was very cartoon-y though, I think that's why I had to dock off 0.5 stars because it just felt so unbelievable compared to the rest of the book.

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Go read this one!! Thank me later <3

[cass]

immediate purchase i need it now

[michelle (magical reads)]

read on my blog

**I received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley. These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**

If you’ve been following me for any amount of time, you know that I am always, always seated for an Emma Mills book. I was particularly excited to see how her trademark wit and loving characters would translate to this new genre and audience pivot, and of course, I was not disappointed! Rachel West and the Fallen Starlet delves into the mystery of an infamous celebrity amidst the backdrop of 2008 Los Angeles.

Rachel West is a reluctant editor of celebrity gossip magazines, desperate for her big break as an entertainment journalist. She’s pulled into Hollywood’s orbit when she meets Molly Byrne, a former child star and now disgraced C-list celebrity. When Molly is found dead a few months later, Rachel is unwilling to believe this was an accidental overdose and sets out to solve the mystery of her death with Casper, Molly’s favorite papparazzo.

The landscape of celebrity culture has evolved so much now that everyone has phones and rumors and truth alike can spread like wildfire on TikTok. It was interesting to go back to a time where celebrity gossip rags were at an all-time high. As much as Rachel hates working at her magazine editing job, pedaling celebrity gossip was an easy way to make money, even at the cost of dehumanizing the very people they are talking about.

That changes when she befriends Molly, a fallen child star who can’t stay out of the tabloids. She becomes very close to her and can’t accept that her death was an accidental overdose. As you follow the story, you see how much grief and love is intertwined with the mystery aspect of the book.

As always, I loved the cast of characters. Rachel is a signature Emma Mills protagonist, and she teams up with Casper, so-named because he’s a friendly ghost always haunting wherever Molly would turn up, to solve Molly’s death. Along the way, Rachel ends up befriending some of her neighbors living in the same apartment complex, whom she’s never thought of speaking with before, as they join in on the mystery. Anton, Rachel’s friend, also proves to be a great source of support (and I love their conversations!). And there’s a hot detective that Rachel can’t seem to stop running into…

Like I said before, I am and always will be an Emma Mill’s enthusiast. Rachel West and the Fallen Starlet is the next in a set of her works that I already know that I’ll be rereading over and over again. If you’re intrigued by a murder mystery set in the late 2000s that explores celebrity culture, love, and grief, then I can’t recommend Rachel West and the Fallen Starlet enough!

original review:

emma mills never disappoints

[rachel x]

"A Hollywood murder mystery set in the tabloid heyday of 2008, in which an aspiring journalist-aided by a ragtag group of amateur detectives, including her quirky neighbours and a big-hearted paparazzo-sets out to prove her friend, a troubled ex-child star, was murdered."

[Lauren]

Not sure if this was just the right book at the right time or if I’m blinded by my love of Emma Mills books, but I loved this. The 2008 Hollywood setting for a mystery (apparently a new series!!!) was perfect. I laughed out loud many times and really grew to love the characters. I’ll be eagerly awaiting more!

[natalie]

I had a lot of fun with this! Cozy mystery is not my genre of choice, but I loved the author's YA books when I was younger so I had to give it a shot. My only qualm is that I wanted more. As this is an adult debut, I think the author had an opportunity to go more in depth with her character emotions and relationships, but mostly stuck to the standard formula I'm used to reading in her YA books. I did love the main character and I really enjoyed the signature Emma Mills humor, but I'm also a longtime reader of the author. I think new readers going into this specifically for the mystery and Y2K of it all might be expecting a little more. Overall I still really enjoyed my time with this and will definitely continue if we do get a series out of it. I guess what I'm saying is this was definitely for me (great humor, interesting mystery, insightful commentary, and fun characters) but it might not be for everyone – especially new readers who pick it up based on the genre. 4.5 ⭐️

[Konrad]

I saw others use the term cozy mystery, and that feels really accurate. This was fun, a delight to sink into, easily digestible and best read over a long weekend.

I do think the coziness inherently meant a lack of profundity—which is okay, not everything needs to be the next great American novel. This does what it does well, 3.5 stars.

Thanks to Berkeley and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Shannon]

A twisty cozy mystery involving Rachel West, a tabloid journalist trying to make it in LA and her unexpected friendship with a young starlet who winds up dead leaving Rachel determined to find her killer. This one kept me guessing, was full of drama and suspense and great on audio too. Perfect for fans of the Finlay Donovan or Misty Divine cozy mystery series. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review.

[Stacee]

3.5 stars

I devoured Emma's YA, so I was really excited to see her name pop up on this delightful (but with murder) sounding synopsis.

I liked Rachel. She's smart and loyal and very standoffish. There is a pretty large group of characters and we need to keep track of all of them. I will say the murder klatch was the best and I loved the scenes with them.

Plot wise, it was okay. I enjoyed getting to read chapter of Rachel and Molly together instead it being told about their relationship. There are a lot of moving parts and instead of being captivated and second guessing everyone, I found it easy to set the book down and/or skim chapters.

Overall, I was curious on how it all played out and it was easy to root for these characters. I look forward to Emma's future works.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

[Jenn]

This mystery about an actress found dead in her home and her BFF of the week who's left to mourn her and maybe find her killer was an addictive read that kept me turning those pages! Aspiring journalist Rachel gets the break of her life when she runs into Hollywood ingenue Molly in a restroom at a club. Suddenly they're best friends and Molly is giving exclusives to Rachel, catapulting her into the job she's been reaching for. But when Molly is found dead of an apparent drug overdose, Rachel isn't so sure that's what happened and is determined to get to the truth! Buckle in for this fun new mystery!

There were a few plot points that annoyed me, but most of them are spoilers, so I'll not write about them. This was an entertaining read that I definitely enjoyed despite the few quibbles.

[melody]

a delightful cozy mystery set in pop culture's heyday, the late 2000s (more specifically, 2008 before the recession). the writing was funny and relatable, and i loved all the cultural references. molly byrne (the titular fallen starlet) was a compelling character and i'm sad we won't see her in any future books. the book felt like a realistic way someone deals with grief which i appreciated, and not something you always get from a cozy mystery novel. i didn't love the plot, i found rachel's inevitable breakdown frustrating and was kind of hoping it'd just be over. i thought the miscommunication was so last year (it's true) but at the end of the day, hope i can pick up the next book in the series!!

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!!

[Gretchen Alice]

I bought this book as my first maternity leave read because I knew it would be a winner and it was! My beloved Emma Mills brings her signature wit to 2008 Hollywood. There are strong Veronica Mars vibes with a delightful coterie of friends and neighbors to help Rachel solve the mystery of what happened to ingenue Molly Byrne. If there’s any justice in the world, this book will get a million billion sequels.

[zara]

enjoyed this more than i expected! emma mills please write a love triangle sequel

[Michelle Osborn]

I really liked the premise, who doesn’t think befriending a celebrity sounds enthralling, but it just didn’t hit the same as her beloved young adult books, even with the mystery aspect.

[catloverlena]

i loved this book! full of humor and plot twists, i was truly hooked on Rachel’s path till the end! although it wasn’t necessarily a typical murder mystery, i enjoyed it even more with all its inner layers, 2000s themes and loveable characters. would recommend and would read again!

[nadjsim]

The formula is simple: Emma Mills writes it = I love it.

This was both hilarious and thrilling. The large cast of characters definitely gave me that Only Murder in the Building comedic vibe but in an effortless, authentic way.

[Isabel]

3.5/5. in another life I’m a celeb gossip writer living in LA

[Brooke Cousins]

really grew on me!

[-ˏˋjamieˊˎ-]

this was a fun read! the mystery didn’t really stand out to me beyond the premise, but i loved rachel and molly’s friendship, and it was nice to see it unfold in the past while rachel chased the truth in the present. the supporting characters weren’t the most complex, they all served the story well. this book didn’t hit for me like emma mills’s ya books, but i’m glad i gave it a chance!

[reesejwear]

Love, love, loved this “cozy mystery”. I adored so many characters in this book, I was sad to end it!
Really enjoyed the 2000s Hollywood setting. And the 2000s vibes were not over done or overwhelming, it was perfect. And obviously this cover!!! It’s one of my favorites, ever.

[Rachel Bragg]

I was hooked from the start! The mystery is layered and compelling, but my favorite part is the cast of vibrant, quirky characters who bring the story to life. I’m always a sucker for those small‑town “townie” personalities you can’t help but fall in love with, and this book delivers them in spades with Rachel’s fellow apartment complex residents.

Set in the late 2000s, it felt like a nostalgic time capsule. As a millennial, I loved revisiting that era through the story’s details and atmosphere. The author keeps you guessing all the way through, and I couldn’t put it down!

[Katarina]

emma mills, how i have missed you!!! thank you so much for blessing me with yet another MARVELOUS book! god, i'm so happy she picked this idea back up and finished it because i have no idea what i'd do without rachel west and her murder klatch in my life.

i loved everything about this - the setting, the characters, the story, and the romance (rachel and lee I'M ROOTING FOR YOU!!!!)... i'm just devastated that molly had to die as she was delightful. but this book was funny, touching, and brought a mystery that was enticing the whole way through.

i truly hope from the bottom of my heart that this is a beginning of a series, because i deserve more of the murder klatch solving cases in a y2k setting, and i deserve to see the wonderful slow burn of rachel and lee. BRING IT ON, EMMA MILLS!!! i'll be waiting patiently while buzzing with excitement.

[Kayla Mikel]

I loved this and couldn’t put it down. On the hunt to find the killer of her Celebrity BFF, Rachel not only tries to solve the mystery but meets with so many great people and learns a lot about herself along the way.

[WJ]

Emma Mills is better known to me as a YA author so when I discovered that she had penned an adult debut, I was instantly curious. Moreover, the book is set in the mid 2000s, centred around celebrity culture, where a young starlet is dogged by the paparazzi before she seemingly overdoses, except that her death turns out to be more complicated than it initially appears.

The premise sounded great. So it may be my bad for not reading the other reviews closely, but given the sensationalistic topic of a dead starlet from a drug overdose, I wasn't really expecting this book to be a cosy mystery but it definitely read that way.

Rachel West is our protagonist, a wannabe entertainment reporter who befriends Molly at a nightclub. Rachel isn't sure what Molly sees in her, given that Molly is famous, young and rich while Rachel has absolutely no Los Angeles connections. However, they swiftly become friends as Molly assists to advance Rachel's career with an exclusive interview and to hang out socially, including watching Molly's favorite film which would turn out to be unsettling prescient about the mystery surrounding her death:

She would later make me watch The Band Wagon - her favorite film, a 1953 classic about the making of a movie. At one point during shooting, the "genius" director demands more commitment from the film within a film's star, Tony, leading to Molly's favorite quote from the move: "Now, look, Tony. You know about icebergs, don't you? One-eight above the surface, seven-eighths below the surface. That's you, Tony. Now I'm greedy. I want more. I want all eight eights"

Molly was a troubled child-star and nobody seems to question her overdose further, except for Rachel and her fellow amateur sleuths who discover that Molly had been secretly investigating into another starlet's death.

I did not find the amateur investigation to be convincing, especially since Rachel somehow manages to get Molly's inner circle like her assistant, manager and agent to speak with her without much effort. This aspect seemed rather unrealistic, considering that they all knew that she was a tabloid reporter and wouldn't have much to gain from speaking with her. Moreover, there were heavier themes like Rachel's grief over Molly's unexpected passing and her brother Sam's death that felt tonally out of place with the glib, cynical Hollywood tabloid reports that were interspersed in the narrative.

[May]

You're always in good hands with Emma Mills: there's going to be a clever and witty protagonist who doesn't believe she deserves love, there's going to be a group of lovable misfits with fun personality quirks who will make the protagonist re-think that belief, there's going to be an awkward but hot love interest, and many chapters will end with some variation of "we all laughed." If this sounds like a slight, it's not meant to -- I have read all of Emma Mills non-graphic novels and I love them to varying degrees. Some of them I would count among my favorite comfort reads with some of my favorite protagonists and love interests. I will always be excited when I see that she has a new book coming out. I never see that changing. I love what she does!!! Sometimes, the cracks show a bit (the ending-chapter-on-laughter has started to grate a bit, if you couldn't tell) and, when reading her last couple of books before this one, I have felt that she needs something to shake things up.
So, needless to say, I was very excited when I heard her next novel was a mystery novel-- for adults, no less! And yes, it still had all the Mills-ian standards that I named above. And no, it didn't feel particularly adult (there were a few parts I recognized would probably not have been in a YA Emma Mills novel, but I can't now remember what they were). But I do feel like this was an excellent change of pace. The mystery was good, the time period clearly is of fascination to the author, and I do like all the characters (are they are all variations on her typical themes? Yes, but I love those themes, so it's okay). I actually was surprised by the culprit in the mystery, so kudos there. I suspect that a Veronica Mars rewatch happened some time around the dreaming up stage of the novel, but I freaking love Veronica Mars, too, so it's a compliment!! I look forward to more books in this world, and I look forward to a re-read, too.