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The Author Weekend
The Devil Wears Prada meets White Lotus in a story of colliding egos and shocking betrayal, as intoxicatingly ice-cold as the pink Prosecco that flows all weekend.
Everything needs to be just right for bestselling mystery writer Faye Wader’s first ever fan weekend. Her sales might be slipping—only a little!—but her readers still love her enough to pony up for three days and two nights on Great Misery Island. The retreat is precisely planned, from the small batch artisanal donuts to the perimenopausal Mermaid Meditation, by Faye and her beleaguered assistant Jade—an aspiring author who can’t seem to finish her own novel.
Faye’s long-time agent and editor will be there, as well as Faye’s number one fan, Peggy Mercer, who has been first in line at every one of Faye’s events. When news comes that the weekend will be crashed by glamorous, charismatic, rival novelist Abby Schuss, Faye thinks things can’t get worse … until one of the attendees is found dead in her room, setting off an unexpectedly murderous chain of events that make pre-pub anxiety seem like a day at the beach. How far is Faye willing to go to get exactly what she wants from her author weekend?
The Author Weekend is a thrilling and hilarious dive into the dark heart of envy, and a glorious exploration of a woman of a certain age desperate to survive the dog-eat-dog world of publishing and control her own narrative.
Everything needs to be just right for bestselling mystery writer Faye Wader’s first ever fan weekend. Her sales might be slipping—only a little!—but her readers still love her enough to pony up for three days and two nights on Great Misery Island. The retreat is precisely planned, from the small batch artisanal donuts to the perimenopausal Mermaid Meditation, by Faye and her beleaguered assistant Jade—an aspiring author who can’t seem to finish her own novel.
Faye’s long-time agent and editor will be there, as well as Faye’s number one fan, Peggy Mercer, who has been first in line at every one of Faye’s events. When news comes that the weekend will be crashed by glamorous, charismatic, rival novelist Abby Schuss, Faye thinks things can’t get worse … until one of the attendees is found dead in her room, setting off an unexpectedly murderous chain of events that make pre-pub anxiety seem like a day at the beach. How far is Faye willing to go to get exactly what she wants from her author weekend?
The Author Weekend is a thrilling and hilarious dive into the dark heart of envy, and a glorious exploration of a woman of a certain age desperate to survive the dog-eat-dog world of publishing and control her own narrative.
354 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 5, 2026
About the author
Laura Zigman
19 books488 followersLaura Zigman is the author of five novels, including Separation Anxiety (which was optioned by Julianne Nicholson and the production company Wiip (Mare of Easttown) for a limited television series); Animal Husbandry (which was made into the movie Someone Like You, starring Hugh Jackman and Ashley Judd), Dating Big Bird, Her, and Piece of Work. She has ghostwritten/collaborated on several works of non-fiction, including Eddie Izzard's New York Times bestseller, Believe Me; been a contributor to the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Huffington Post; produced a popular online series of animated videos called Annoying Conversations; and was the recipient of a Yaddo residency. Her sixth novel, Small World, will be published in January 2023. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
May 15, 2026
🎧ALC Review🎧
Thank you @blackstonepublishing for the gifted copies.
I’ll start with the narration. It has a large multi-cast that did an amazing job. Each character has a distinct voice and personality. It made it easy to follow.
Bestselling mystery writer Faye Wader has invited everyone to a fan weekend event on an island. This is one of those catty author novels with lots of publishing commentary.
Someone has been murdered and it just escalates downhill from there.
I think the audiobook is the way to go here. It is slow for most of the story but I think the right readers will enjoy it.
3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you @blackstonepublishing for the gifted copies.
I’ll start with the narration. It has a large multi-cast that did an amazing job. Each character has a distinct voice and personality. It made it easy to follow.
Bestselling mystery writer Faye Wader has invited everyone to a fan weekend event on an island. This is one of those catty author novels with lots of publishing commentary.
Someone has been murdered and it just escalates downhill from there.
I think the audiobook is the way to go here. It is slow for most of the story but I think the right readers will enjoy it.
3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 24, 2025
The Author Weekend by Laura Zigman
If you've ever thought the publishing world was a little too full of itself, The Author Weekend is the deliciously wicked, highly caffeinated gossip session you need. This book is a blistering, ice-cold satire that feels like Laura Zigman just pulled up a chair, ordered a third pink Prosecco, and started spilling every toxic, petty secret she knows about the book industry.
Great Misery Island: Where Dreams Go to Die
We're trapped on Great Misery Island (the name is a whole mood, honestly) with Faye Wader. Faye is a Woman of a Certain Age and a former bestselling mystery writer whose sales are doing a polite little slide toward oblivion. To compensate, she’s decided to host her first ever fan retreat.
The sheer, agonizing perfection of this retreat's planning is immediately hilarious: we’re talking small-batch artisanal donuts, a "peri-menopausal Mermaid Meditation," and every last detail micromanaged by Faye and her long-suffering assistant, Jade (a character I immediately latched onto because she's an aspiring author who can't finish her own damn novel).
But obviously, the weekend goes sideways immediately. First, Abby Schuss, the glamorous, charismatic, younger rival writer, crashes the party, bringing peak ego and competition energy. Then, someone turns up dead. The murder is almost an afterthought, a perfect punctuation mark to the exhausting vanity of the literary world.
The Dark Heart of Envy
This novel is less about whodunnit and more about who wants what, and how far they'll go to get it. It’s a ruthless dissection of envy and the relentless pressure on women, especially older women, to control their own narrative in a world that keeps trying to write them out.
Faye Wader is the perfect anti-hero: she's desperate, manipulative, and deeply insecure, which makes her oddly relatable. She’s trying to stay relevant while everyone around her—her assistant, her agent, her readers, and especially Abby—represents either a threat, a disappointment, or a source of untapped value. The whole plot turns into a shocking chain of events where pre-publication anxiety suddenly feels like a vacation compared to actual murder.
Buy It, Read It, Side-Eye Your TBR Pile
Laura Zigman does not hold back. This is a brilliant, laugh-out-loud-until-you-feel-guilty read. It’s got the razor-sharp, gossipy fun of The Devil Wears Prada but set against the claustrophobic backdrop of White Lotus, making every interaction feel high-stakes and potentially lethal.
If you love dark humor, brilliant dialogue, and watching monstrous egos collide, this book is your poisoned chalice. Go for the murder, stay for the savage, spot-on satire of fame, publishing, and being a woman perpetually chasing the next big hit. It's fantastic, twisted fun.
#TheAuthorWeekend #NetGalley
If you've ever thought the publishing world was a little too full of itself, The Author Weekend is the deliciously wicked, highly caffeinated gossip session you need. This book is a blistering, ice-cold satire that feels like Laura Zigman just pulled up a chair, ordered a third pink Prosecco, and started spilling every toxic, petty secret she knows about the book industry.
Great Misery Island: Where Dreams Go to Die
We're trapped on Great Misery Island (the name is a whole mood, honestly) with Faye Wader. Faye is a Woman of a Certain Age and a former bestselling mystery writer whose sales are doing a polite little slide toward oblivion. To compensate, she’s decided to host her first ever fan retreat.
The sheer, agonizing perfection of this retreat's planning is immediately hilarious: we’re talking small-batch artisanal donuts, a "peri-menopausal Mermaid Meditation," and every last detail micromanaged by Faye and her long-suffering assistant, Jade (a character I immediately latched onto because she's an aspiring author who can't finish her own damn novel).
But obviously, the weekend goes sideways immediately. First, Abby Schuss, the glamorous, charismatic, younger rival writer, crashes the party, bringing peak ego and competition energy. Then, someone turns up dead. The murder is almost an afterthought, a perfect punctuation mark to the exhausting vanity of the literary world.
The Dark Heart of Envy
This novel is less about whodunnit and more about who wants what, and how far they'll go to get it. It’s a ruthless dissection of envy and the relentless pressure on women, especially older women, to control their own narrative in a world that keeps trying to write them out.
Faye Wader is the perfect anti-hero: she's desperate, manipulative, and deeply insecure, which makes her oddly relatable. She’s trying to stay relevant while everyone around her—her assistant, her agent, her readers, and especially Abby—represents either a threat, a disappointment, or a source of untapped value. The whole plot turns into a shocking chain of events where pre-publication anxiety suddenly feels like a vacation compared to actual murder.
Buy It, Read It, Side-Eye Your TBR Pile
Laura Zigman does not hold back. This is a brilliant, laugh-out-loud-until-you-feel-guilty read. It’s got the razor-sharp, gossipy fun of The Devil Wears Prada but set against the claustrophobic backdrop of White Lotus, making every interaction feel high-stakes and potentially lethal.
If you love dark humor, brilliant dialogue, and watching monstrous egos collide, this book is your poisoned chalice. Go for the murder, stay for the savage, spot-on satire of fame, publishing, and being a woman perpetually chasing the next big hit. It's fantastic, twisted fun.
#TheAuthorWeekend #NetGalley
May 11, 2026
This was a cheeky murder story and I loved it. While there is no "mystery" as we get to see the murders take place and what they are thinking behind the scenes, I love the internal debates that rage in their head and the insanity that is justified at the slightest whim. There were also some truly hilarious bits (demanding a vegetarian pool float so as not to offend the non-meat eaters) that I could absolutely see driving someone to drink- or murder.
The ending was exceptionally well done, it closed all the drama in the most satisfactory way without destroying any one person's legacy and allowing Jade to write "speculative" fiction. Truly just a fantastic wrapup to this story.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author Laura Zigman, and Blackstone Publishing for my ARC of this audiobook.
The ending was exceptionally well done, it closed all the drama in the most satisfactory way without destroying any one person's legacy and allowing Jade to write "speculative" fiction. Truly just a fantastic wrapup to this story.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author Laura Zigman, and Blackstone Publishing for my ARC of this audiobook.
May 28, 2026
All the characters are in first person! Yay! Just kidding, it’s a nightmare. Very little happens for the first 40%, we get to know our wafer thin characters, in what should have been a single chapter. I never could figure out what this novel wanted to be. Was it camp? A thriller? Satire? It road the middle of the road so hard and as a reader I desperately needed it to pick a direction. Had it picked the camp lane, this could have been a hilarious, cinematic take-down of publishing, like a Devil Wears Prada, meets Serial Mom. By the 70% mark nothing was happening again and I kept thinking, “why am I here.” I should have given up early on.
June 2, 2026
Faye is a successful author, but she is still incredibly insecure and ambivalent. She decides to hold a weekend retreat where her devoted fans get to interact with her. One of her fans seems to take her books much too seriously. And then her chief competitor also shows up. Complications arise.
Writing good satire is hard. I think that this satire of the cutthroat publishing business should have been tougher, more vicious and a lot funnier. It was actually pretty bland, but it did hold my interest enough to finish it. The narrators of the audiobook did a good job. 3.5 stars
I received free copies of this audiobook and ebook from the publisher.
Writing good satire is hard. I think that this satire of the cutthroat publishing business should have been tougher, more vicious and a lot funnier. It was actually pretty bland, but it did hold my interest enough to finish it. The narrators of the audiobook did a good job. 3.5 stars
I received free copies of this audiobook and ebook from the publisher.
May 13, 2026
I live for the unhinged drama.
Publishing drama is a whole other level and this book delivers. It’s a cast of deliciously unlikable characters and a whole lot of backstabbing. It was very homicidal, pre-menopausal mean girls.
I totally didn’t expect where this was going but wow, what a tale. I loved the setting, the spiraling, and the multiple POVS. It was a lot of fun seeing all the characters different perspectives and reactions to Faye vs. her feelings towards them. The perfect summer thriller read, and if you love all things books – this is a great one to pick up!
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for a review copy of this book.
Publishing drama is a whole other level and this book delivers. It’s a cast of deliciously unlikable characters and a whole lot of backstabbing. It was very homicidal, pre-menopausal mean girls.
I totally didn’t expect where this was going but wow, what a tale. I loved the setting, the spiraling, and the multiple POVS. It was a lot of fun seeing all the characters different perspectives and reactions to Faye vs. her feelings towards them. The perfect summer thriller read, and if you love all things books – this is a great one to pick up!
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for a review copy of this book.
May 7, 2026
I hate to rate a new release this low, but unfortunately this book was not for me.
When i first started this book, i thought it was written by a young inexperienced writer due to Jades first narration, but after i continued reading and added research I found out this is a very seasoned writer. This makes sense because in my opinion, it very much sounds like an older person trying to write as a Gen Z girlie. Now as a Gen Z girlie myself, i have to say i found Jades narration to be very comical.
All in all, i don’t love to bash on here, but if you are younger than 60 years old, this book may not be for you.
When i first started this book, i thought it was written by a young inexperienced writer due to Jades first narration, but after i continued reading and added research I found out this is a very seasoned writer. This makes sense because in my opinion, it very much sounds like an older person trying to write as a Gen Z girlie. Now as a Gen Z girlie myself, i have to say i found Jades narration to be very comical.
All in all, i don’t love to bash on here, but if you are younger than 60 years old, this book may not be for you.
May 6, 2026
This dark satire of the publishing industry is set over one weekend on a weekend-long author event for famed author Faye Wader on remote Misery Island off the coast of Massachusetts. The book is told from four alternating points of view - Faye herself; her long-suffering aspiring writer assistant Jade; her longtime agent Hal; and her longtime editor Merry. And between a crazily devoted super-fan, allegations that Faye’s backstory may not be true, the attendance at the event of Faye’s author rival Abby, not to mention the junior publishing person who is also a cat influencer showing up - things get increasingly crazy as the weekend (and the book) goes on.
This is one of those dark satires that gets more unhinged as the book goes on, but in a very entertaining way. Not a mystery but definitely a mounting feeling of suspense. Think Devil Wears Prada meets Yellowface meets Best Offer Wins meets The Take with a tiny dash of And Then There Was One. I’m afraid to even ask how real the satire of behind the scenes publishing it is. Very different from Zigman’s books Small World and Separation Anxiety, but a fun read in a crazy way.
Thanks to Blackstone for my e-ARC; all opinions are my own.
This is one of those dark satires that gets more unhinged as the book goes on, but in a very entertaining way. Not a mystery but definitely a mounting feeling of suspense. Think Devil Wears Prada meets Yellowface meets Best Offer Wins meets The Take with a tiny dash of And Then There Was One. I’m afraid to even ask how real the satire of behind the scenes publishing it is. Very different from Zigman’s books Small World and Separation Anxiety, but a fun read in a crazy way.
Thanks to Blackstone for my e-ARC; all opinions are my own.
November 17, 2025
I have been a fan of Laura Zigman since her Animal Husbandry and Dating Big Bird years, so when I saw this new title - with it's decidedly un-Zigman cover and blurb - I was highly intrigued. Her writing felt familiar - the snark and sass were definitely still there, as were her marvelous turns of phrase and the way she captures female experience - but also distinctive this time around, and the darker tone and tenor were apparent even early on. For a short while, I wasn't sure I was going to like it enough to read all the way through. There is a lot of angst here of a type that I don't normally associate with her books, and it was heavy reading for a bit. I stuck with it though, having always enjoyed her work in the past, and am very glad that I did!
On the whole this was a dark, scheming story about ambition and aging and what to do when the world wants you to be one thing but you just can't seem to deliver. The characters were often unlikeable - selfish and self-righteous, anxious and antagonistic - but there's just something about the way Zigman pulled it all together that worked for me and kept me rooting for her characters even when I most disliked them! This is not a fluffy read - there's a lot of "I can't believe that just happened?!" and it by rights should have felt like it stretched the bounds of credulity past their breaking point, yet some part of me kept feeling for these poor people who just kept getting dragged further in by their bad decisions and secrets...
It was a very interesting read and if it marks a new direction for the author, count me in for the next one!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.
On the whole this was a dark, scheming story about ambition and aging and what to do when the world wants you to be one thing but you just can't seem to deliver. The characters were often unlikeable - selfish and self-righteous, anxious and antagonistic - but there's just something about the way Zigman pulled it all together that worked for me and kept me rooting for her characters even when I most disliked them! This is not a fluffy read - there's a lot of "I can't believe that just happened?!" and it by rights should have felt like it stretched the bounds of credulity past their breaking point, yet some part of me kept feeling for these poor people who just kept getting dragged further in by their bad decisions and secrets...
It was a very interesting read and if it marks a new direction for the author, count me in for the next one!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.
June 2, 2026
This book is about an author plunging deep into the abyss. This book explores darkness of envy and abandonment inside each person and how it consumes us. A very typical good-for-her, but into self-destruction.
Faye is truly an unlikable character, a true villain in this story, while Jade may think she is the protagonist, she actually acts as an observer, and a catalyst for things to happen - as she was the one to invite Abby on this author weekend, leading to more catastrophic consequences but without taking responsibilities (in this sense, I think Jade is more a villain than Faye). Faye lives off her fans' love for her and the friendship from Hal and Merry. That's why she felt so utterly betrayed and devastatingly abandoned because of what Hal and Merry were considering. To her, it was the highest, most condensed form of misery that reminded her of how her sister stole her boyfriend back then. We never know what happened to the sister, but I could have some guess, deducing from Faye's dark personality and posessiveness. Faye loves the attention, the adoration from her fans, that's why she always, always try to accomodate her narrative to what fits her the most in depending situations. It is exhausting, but Faye relishes it. She needs to control her narrative in a dictating, arrogant way and always attempt to be relevant to everyone around her, adapting herself to make people love her more. She's manipulative, but also we can see some of her insecurities, the reasons why she must do that. An author who is on the verge of losing touch with her readers, who wants to break out of the mold, but still has to depend on the unpredictability of the publishing world. It is a competitive and cuthroat environment where she can be easily left behind.
When the murders start to happen, it is the beginning of a destruction path. Obviously what starts as just a busy weekend with a thick schedule quickly escalates into a chaotic chain of events that only get worse. I love brilliant dialogues and sharp obsevation into the harshness of the publishing world and into the mind of an author of a certain age - we all know authos have insecurities too, especially when they feel they are in danger of no longer being in the industry.
Faye is truly an unlikable character, a true villain in this story, while Jade may think she is the protagonist, she actually acts as an observer, and a catalyst for things to happen - as she was the one to invite Abby on this author weekend, leading to more catastrophic consequences but without taking responsibilities (in this sense, I think Jade is more a villain than Faye). Faye lives off her fans' love for her and the friendship from Hal and Merry. That's why she felt so utterly betrayed and devastatingly abandoned because of what Hal and Merry were considering. To her, it was the highest, most condensed form of misery that reminded her of how her sister stole her boyfriend back then. We never know what happened to the sister, but I could have some guess, deducing from Faye's dark personality and posessiveness. Faye loves the attention, the adoration from her fans, that's why she always, always try to accomodate her narrative to what fits her the most in depending situations. It is exhausting, but Faye relishes it. She needs to control her narrative in a dictating, arrogant way and always attempt to be relevant to everyone around her, adapting herself to make people love her more. She's manipulative, but also we can see some of her insecurities, the reasons why she must do that. An author who is on the verge of losing touch with her readers, who wants to break out of the mold, but still has to depend on the unpredictability of the publishing world. It is a competitive and cuthroat environment where she can be easily left behind.
When the murders start to happen, it is the beginning of a destruction path. Obviously what starts as just a busy weekend with a thick schedule quickly escalates into a chaotic chain of events that only get worse. I love brilliant dialogues and sharp obsevation into the harshness of the publishing world and into the mind of an author of a certain age - we all know authos have insecurities too, especially when they feel they are in danger of no longer being in the industry.
May 28, 2026
{thank you to NetGalley for my copy of this book!}
3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4
I liked this book, but I didn't love it. I did LOVE the concept as I kept thinking about Elin Hilderbrand and her fan weekends on Nantucket. I think the author did a lot of great things with the concept, but ultimately feel like perhaps she had the concept and didn't know where it was going and didn't totally have a fully fleshed out idea.
Mystery writer Faye Wader is having her first ever fan weekend on Great Misery Island off the coast of Massachusetts. It's not going to be quite as big or popular as her rival Abby Schuss's weekends are, but Faye does have some devoted fans who will be attending all of the activities. But her most dedicated fan ends up dead. To make matters worse, Abby Schuss decides to attend Fayes weekend and is scheming with Faye's editor and agent.
The book is told from the point of view of Faye Wader, but also her assistant Jade, her editor Hal, and her agent Mary. It's a full cast narration and I really do think listening is the way to go with this one. I do love inside looks at the publishing world so this was fun for me. I just feel like I wanted a little something more?
3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4
I liked this book, but I didn't love it. I did LOVE the concept as I kept thinking about Elin Hilderbrand and her fan weekends on Nantucket. I think the author did a lot of great things with the concept, but ultimately feel like perhaps she had the concept and didn't know where it was going and didn't totally have a fully fleshed out idea.
Mystery writer Faye Wader is having her first ever fan weekend on Great Misery Island off the coast of Massachusetts. It's not going to be quite as big or popular as her rival Abby Schuss's weekends are, but Faye does have some devoted fans who will be attending all of the activities. But her most dedicated fan ends up dead. To make matters worse, Abby Schuss decides to attend Fayes weekend and is scheming with Faye's editor and agent.
The book is told from the point of view of Faye Wader, but also her assistant Jade, her editor Hal, and her agent Mary. It's a full cast narration and I really do think listening is the way to go with this one. I do love inside looks at the publishing world so this was fun for me. I just feel like I wanted a little something more?
May 19, 2026
Faye is an established author of a popular thriller series. She's also enormously damaged by various wrongs done by her friends and family through the years - girl needs some serious therapy. In an effort to feel at the center of everyone's adoration she has her assistant plan an author's weekend with her fans on an island off the north shore of Massachusetts, to which her agent and editor and (surprise) her rival author, Abby, are also invited. Things start going wrong from the start, when Faye learns that her biggest fan knows about the lies in her origin story.....and then things take a turn for the unhinged.
None of the characters are fully likeable and the trajectory is mostly predictable, but I think the enjoyment is in watching how it's going to unfold, and who will come out on top at the end. It self-affiliates with White Lotus (wouldn't know) but maybe best for readers who like a breezily dark page turner that doesn't require too much of its audience. It's not necessarily my thing, but I can see how it might be others'.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
None of the characters are fully likeable and the trajectory is mostly predictable, but I think the enjoyment is in watching how it's going to unfold, and who will come out on top at the end. It self-affiliates with White Lotus (wouldn't know) but maybe best for readers who like a breezily dark page turner that doesn't require too much of its audience. It's not necessarily my thing, but I can see how it might be others'.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
May 9, 2026
I’m having a hard time putting my thoughts about this book into words. I thought the premise of the story - an author weekend where someone ends up dead - sounded interesting and I was curious how it would unfold. I think my biggest issue with the book is that the characters are all so unlikable. The character deaths did not really upset me and I just kept reading waiting for the next scheduled event of the weekend to happen. I guess I’m not really into dark humor of the publishing world - but many of my favorite authors are! One of the reasons I requested this novel was that four authors I enjoy and respect gave rave reviews of this book.
I want to thank Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the digital ARC.
I want to thank Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the digital ARC.
May 7, 2026
Highly recommend, dark & clever.
June 11, 2026
This crime novel takes 100 pages to start crime-ing, and yet it was so much fun to read!
"The Author Weekend" is a satirical suspense novel about the publishing industry and its attitudes toward yearly-publishing long-term best-selling authors. It's also a multiple-POV, following a menopausal best-selling author (Faye), her agent (Hal), her assistant who is also an aspiring author and graduate of the famous Iowa MFA program (Jade), and her editor (Merry). As the sales of Faye's books are slowing down--because the formula is becoming tiresome for anyone but the most avid fans--Faye decides to imitate her biggest 'rival' in the crime fiction sleuth category, Abby Schuss, and organizes her own fan event called an author weekend. At the same time Faye has written her most original novel in the series yet, one that focuses more on the character's transformation and her dealing with menopause. Neither Faye's agent or her editor think the novel will sell and they prepare to kill the novel and drop her (a bit exaggerated in my opinion) as a client. Meanwhile Jade, trying to get inspiration, invites the nemesis Abby to the author weekend, and sets in motion one of the most devastating betrayals against Faye; to make things worse, Faye's biggest fan (a former copy-editor) has spotted inconsistencies in Faye's backstory and is ready to go to the press with them. What you have is a powder keg on Misery island, and multiple sources of sparks. Let the detonation of everyone's lives begin.
The book takes about 100 pages to get going, with the first very short chapters setting up the characters, their motivations and the precariousness of the timing for the event. I would say the first 30 pages are the hardest to get through because they felt more like a literary novel which didn't fit at all with the crime-y prologue. But after the first 10% the characters, with their tender needs and unpalatable wants, became the point of attraction themselves. Laura Zigman did an excellent job in creating complex characters, who you will feel bad for, want to slap and root for their demise--all in one chapter. Driven by greed--for fame and money--people use each other and betray each other in believable ways. At the core of the story is the ageism and sexism in modern publishing industry, and how it comes for even their biggest work-horses. Faye's most personal and most original novel is being rejected for not being packed with more conventional action and talking about menopause too much; even fellow women find it unsalvageable. On the other hand, the industry is ready to drop her because the same formulaic novels no longer sells. "We don't really want our authors to take chances. We can't support them when their creativity doesn't match the marketing data. The truth is that we want them to stay in their lanes and to keep doing what they do best, even if what they've been doing for 20 years has lost its freshness to long-term readers." These untenable standards breed intense unreasonable rivalries, elaborate back-stabbing games, and a really entertaining plot. As Faye loses more and more, she becomes unhinged in ways that not even the ones closest to her have expected. And yet...you kind of feel like a lot of the people deserve to be trapped on this (fictional?) Great Misery island.
The novel was a total romp, and I was there for its unhinged denouement. If anything I had hoped it would get even more unhinged at the end. The only way it could have been improved in my opinion is perhaps by starting the murder-spree earlier, refraining from all the Stephen King references and putting a damper on all the name explanations and literary-name choices (unless it's all meant to be a hint that we're reading Jade's after-the-fact novel? In that case Iowa may want to get their degree back :D ). I was also unconvinced that the editor wouldn't try harder to rescue the novel. And because I have to be an annoying fact-checker right now: Orion is a winter constellation, you wouldn't see it early in the evening in July (RIP Peggy). But I recommend it, especially for suspense fans with an appetite for catty publishing stories.
4.25 stars
"The Author Weekend" is a satirical suspense novel about the publishing industry and its attitudes toward yearly-publishing long-term best-selling authors. It's also a multiple-POV, following a menopausal best-selling author (Faye), her agent (Hal), her assistant who is also an aspiring author and graduate of the famous Iowa MFA program (Jade), and her editor (Merry). As the sales of Faye's books are slowing down--because the formula is becoming tiresome for anyone but the most avid fans--Faye decides to imitate her biggest 'rival' in the crime fiction sleuth category, Abby Schuss, and organizes her own fan event called an author weekend. At the same time Faye has written her most original novel in the series yet, one that focuses more on the character's transformation and her dealing with menopause. Neither Faye's agent or her editor think the novel will sell and they prepare to kill the novel and drop her (a bit exaggerated in my opinion) as a client. Meanwhile Jade, trying to get inspiration, invites the nemesis Abby to the author weekend, and sets in motion one of the most devastating betrayals against Faye; to make things worse, Faye's biggest fan (a former copy-editor) has spotted inconsistencies in Faye's backstory and is ready to go to the press with them. What you have is a powder keg on Misery island, and multiple sources of sparks. Let the detonation of everyone's lives begin.
The book takes about 100 pages to get going, with the first very short chapters setting up the characters, their motivations and the precariousness of the timing for the event. I would say the first 30 pages are the hardest to get through because they felt more like a literary novel which didn't fit at all with the crime-y prologue. But after the first 10% the characters, with their tender needs and unpalatable wants, became the point of attraction themselves. Laura Zigman did an excellent job in creating complex characters, who you will feel bad for, want to slap and root for their demise--all in one chapter. Driven by greed--for fame and money--people use each other and betray each other in believable ways. At the core of the story is the ageism and sexism in modern publishing industry, and how it comes for even their biggest work-horses. Faye's most personal and most original novel is being rejected for not being packed with more conventional action and talking about menopause too much; even fellow women find it unsalvageable. On the other hand, the industry is ready to drop her because the same formulaic novels no longer sells. "We don't really want our authors to take chances. We can't support them when their creativity doesn't match the marketing data. The truth is that we want them to stay in their lanes and to keep doing what they do best, even if what they've been doing for 20 years has lost its freshness to long-term readers." These untenable standards breed intense unreasonable rivalries, elaborate back-stabbing games, and a really entertaining plot. As Faye loses more and more, she becomes unhinged in ways that not even the ones closest to her have expected. And yet...you kind of feel like a lot of the people deserve to be trapped on this (fictional?) Great Misery island.
The novel was a total romp, and I was there for its unhinged denouement. If anything I had hoped it would get even more unhinged at the end. The only way it could have been improved in my opinion is perhaps by starting the murder-spree earlier, refraining from all the Stephen King references and putting a damper on all the name explanations and literary-name choices (unless it's all meant to be a hint that we're reading Jade's after-the-fact novel? In that case Iowa may want to get their degree back :D ). I was also unconvinced that the editor wouldn't try harder to rescue the novel. And because I have to be an annoying fact-checker right now: Orion is a winter constellation, you wouldn't see it early in the evening in July (RIP Peggy). But I recommend it, especially for suspense fans with an appetite for catty publishing stories.
4.25 stars
May 11, 2026
Thank you Blackstone Publishing - Audio & Netgalley for the gifted copy of this audiobook, and to Blackstone Publishing for the ARC...this is my honest review.
🎧📖 The Author Weekend 📖🎧
Author: Laura Zigman
Pub Date: May 5, 2026
Audiobook Publisher: Blackstone Publishing - Audio
Narrators: Gabra Zackman; Carol Monda; Joel Froomkin; & Emily Lawrence
Length: 7 hours, 30 minutes
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
MY RATING: 4/5⭐
The Author Weekend, the recently-published release from Laura Zigman, is a cozy mystery about a best-selling author throwing her very first author's weekend for her biggest fans -- and it certainly does not go the way anyone anticipated it would. This story is told through multiple POVs in alternating chapters -- and its fictional behind-the-scenes peek at an author event will have me side-eyeing any future author events I might attend.
I read this one as a combo of the ARC and the advanced audiobook, and let me tell you -- this audiobook was so much fun! The multicast narrators -- Gabra Zackman, Carol Monda, Joel Froomkin, and Emily Lawrence -- embodied this cast of characters perfectly in a fantastic multicast narration. They really brought the characters to life and I definitely recommend giving this book a listen if you can!
Everything needs to be just right for bestselling mystery writer Faye Wader’s first ever fan weekend. Her sales might be slipping—only a little!—but the retreat is precisely planned and her biggest fans can't wait. From Faye's aspiring-author assistant Jade, to her long-time agent, and Faye’s number one fan, Peggy - she'll be surrounded by her team. When news comes that the weekend will be crashed by glamorous rival novelist Abby Schuss, Faye thinks things can’t get worse…until one of the attendees is found dead in her room. Just how far will Faye go to get exactly what she wants from her author weekend?
Whew, Faye was almost insufferable with all of her idiosyncrasies, and many of the characters spent an awful lot of time trying to placate her moodiness. However, the farther into the book I got, the more unhinged everything became... And as unlikeable as Faye was, I can't lie - I was here for all the chaos of this crazy author weekend.
The Author Weekend looked into the dark heart of envy and explored the desperation of a woman of a certain age as she tries to survive the dog-eat-dog world of publishing. If you're a fan of cozy mysteries, unhinged characters, or books set in the world of authors and publishing -- I think you'll really enjoy The Author Weekend. Out now!
#TheAuthorWeekend #LauraZigman #BlackstonePublishing #partner #BlackstoneInsiders #ARC #Netgalley #BlackstonePublishingAudio #audiobooks #bookrecs #bookrecommendations #bookreviews
🎧📖 The Author Weekend 📖🎧
Author: Laura Zigman
Pub Date: May 5, 2026
Audiobook Publisher: Blackstone Publishing - Audio
Narrators: Gabra Zackman; Carol Monda; Joel Froomkin; & Emily Lawrence
Length: 7 hours, 30 minutes
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
MY RATING: 4/5⭐
The Author Weekend, the recently-published release from Laura Zigman, is a cozy mystery about a best-selling author throwing her very first author's weekend for her biggest fans -- and it certainly does not go the way anyone anticipated it would. This story is told through multiple POVs in alternating chapters -- and its fictional behind-the-scenes peek at an author event will have me side-eyeing any future author events I might attend.
I read this one as a combo of the ARC and the advanced audiobook, and let me tell you -- this audiobook was so much fun! The multicast narrators -- Gabra Zackman, Carol Monda, Joel Froomkin, and Emily Lawrence -- embodied this cast of characters perfectly in a fantastic multicast narration. They really brought the characters to life and I definitely recommend giving this book a listen if you can!
Everything needs to be just right for bestselling mystery writer Faye Wader’s first ever fan weekend. Her sales might be slipping—only a little!—but the retreat is precisely planned and her biggest fans can't wait. From Faye's aspiring-author assistant Jade, to her long-time agent, and Faye’s number one fan, Peggy - she'll be surrounded by her team. When news comes that the weekend will be crashed by glamorous rival novelist Abby Schuss, Faye thinks things can’t get worse…until one of the attendees is found dead in her room. Just how far will Faye go to get exactly what she wants from her author weekend?
Whew, Faye was almost insufferable with all of her idiosyncrasies, and many of the characters spent an awful lot of time trying to placate her moodiness. However, the farther into the book I got, the more unhinged everything became... And as unlikeable as Faye was, I can't lie - I was here for all the chaos of this crazy author weekend.
The Author Weekend looked into the dark heart of envy and explored the desperation of a woman of a certain age as she tries to survive the dog-eat-dog world of publishing. If you're a fan of cozy mysteries, unhinged characters, or books set in the world of authors and publishing -- I think you'll really enjoy The Author Weekend. Out now!
#TheAuthorWeekend #LauraZigman #BlackstonePublishing #partner #BlackstoneInsiders #ARC #Netgalley #BlackstonePublishingAudio #audiobooks #bookrecs #bookrecommendations #bookreviews
May 5, 2026
3.5 stars for me!
Thank you so much to Blackstone Publishing for the ALC in exchange for an honest review!
The Devil Wears Prada meets The White Lotus? I was immediately in.
This one ended up not being what I expected— in a good way. I’ll be honest, the cover initially put me off, but the synopsis hooked me enough to give it a shot, and I’m glad I did.
This is a bit of a tricky one to categorize. I wouldn’t fully call it a thriller or even a mystery. There aren’t really secrets unfolding— everything is pretty much out in the open as it happens. Instead, it leans more into character dynamics, ego clashes, and the messy, competitive world of publishing.
That said, it was definitely entertaining. The setting— this exclusive author retreat on a remote island— had so much potential, and while I do wish it leaned a bit more into the suspenseful, isolated atmosphere, I still had fun with it overall.
If you’re going in expecting a traditional thriller, you may want to adjust your expectations. But if you’re in the mood for something sharp, a little chaotic, and full of drama and big personalities, this is a solid pick.
Thank you so much to Blackstone Publishing for the ALC in exchange for an honest review!
The Devil Wears Prada meets The White Lotus? I was immediately in.
This one ended up not being what I expected— in a good way. I’ll be honest, the cover initially put me off, but the synopsis hooked me enough to give it a shot, and I’m glad I did.
This is a bit of a tricky one to categorize. I wouldn’t fully call it a thriller or even a mystery. There aren’t really secrets unfolding— everything is pretty much out in the open as it happens. Instead, it leans more into character dynamics, ego clashes, and the messy, competitive world of publishing.
That said, it was definitely entertaining. The setting— this exclusive author retreat on a remote island— had so much potential, and while I do wish it leaned a bit more into the suspenseful, isolated atmosphere, I still had fun with it overall.
If you’re going in expecting a traditional thriller, you may want to adjust your expectations. But if you’re in the mood for something sharp, a little chaotic, and full of drama and big personalities, this is a solid pick.
June 4, 2026
The Author Weekend is a dark comedic thriller. I really enjoyed this read. Mystery writer Faye Wader hosts her first ever fan retreat on a remote island. Once fans arrive their cell phones are confiscated and they are unable to leave the island. In attendance are Faye’s number one fan Peggy Mercer (compared to Anne in Misery) and Abby Schuss her rival author. Faye learns her number one fan has discovered the lies she told in her first novel . Then the weekend spirals out of control when one guest is found dead. 💀
This was a very well done audio narration!!
@gabracadabranyc @carolmondavo @jojofro1 @emilylawrencecreates 👏👏👏
Thank you @blackstonepublishing for my ALC
Pub date is July 7th.
#bestestbookclubever #bookreviewer #netgalley #theauthorweekend #mystery
This was a very well done audio narration!!
@gabracadabranyc @carolmondavo @jojofro1 @emilylawrencecreates 👏👏👏
Thank you @blackstonepublishing for my ALC
Pub date is July 7th.
#bestestbookclubever #bookreviewer #netgalley #theauthorweekend #mystery
May 16, 2026
*3.5 stars ✨
June 21, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
Enjoyed the very many unexpected chuckles a lot!
Enjoyed the very many unexpected chuckles a lot!
June 25, 2026
I did not like this one but the cover is absolutely gorgeous. How sad women and gay men are so horrible to each other and we accept that as the norm.
May 24, 2026
I really didn't like this book. The main character was a whiny, self-centered, childish woman who acted like she was in high school. There was no real plot until 3/4 of the way through the book and when it finally emerged, it was too late to save it. Then end was uninspired and boring. I do not recommend.
June 6, 2026
I didn't like any characters but the ending came together well.
June 9, 2026
Wow, was this main character a hot mess, and this book is all about her hot mess weekend.
3. 5 stars rounded up.
3. 5 stars rounded up.
June 4, 2026
I was not prepared for what this book was going to be about 😅. The first third or so was a little slow for me, but it quickly picked up and then I was entirely invested. A very dark humor. The audio had several different narrators which helped me keep track of the different characters. Overall a fun one if you stick it out!
April 30, 2026
3.5/5. Boring start turned absolutely ridiculous in kind of a good way?
May 5, 2026
"Death on Great Misery Island: A Deep Dive into Laura Zigman’s Unhinged New Mystery"
In Laura Zigman's electrifying THE AUTHOR WEEKEND, insecure mystery author Faye Wader hosts a tense, high-end fan retreat on Massachusetts' Great Misery Island. From the arrival of rival author Abby Schuss, a surprise murder, and Faye’s chaotic attempt to keep the retreat going, resulting in a hilarious dark satire on publishing, jealousy, and obsession.
"A wickedly funny, claustrophobic satire that asks: If a superfan dies on a private island and no one posts about it, did it even happen? Zigman serves up a 'locked-room' mystery where the egos are more bloated than the bodies.
"Think Yellowface meets The White Lotus —but with more artisanal doughnuts. and higher professional stakes. "
Plot: Sharp, satirical, and surprisingly claustrophobic.
Characters: Deliciously messy and absolutely unhinged.
Vibe: Polished panic at its finest.
My thoughts..
"A satirical 'locked-room' mystery where the sharpest weapon is an author’s ego."
A razor-sharp, unhinged "luxury nightmare" that proves the most dangerous person on a remote island isn't a serial killer—it's a middle-aged novelist with a failing brand.
THE AUTHOR WEEKEND is a "darkly funny, satirical thriller". Being a publisher and in the media my entire career, I thoroughly enjoyed the snark, secrets, and twisted dark humor.
POVs: The story is told through four alternating first-person perspectives: Faye, Jade, Hal, and Merry. The weekend shifts from a promotional event to a real-life whodunit when one of the attendees is found dead in her room, possibly from poisoning.
As the body count rises, hidden truths emerge, including a "fatal inconsistency" in Faye's own background story discovered by her top fan.
The Setting, Great Misery Island, a real-world location off the coast of Massachusetts, is central to its locked room mystery feel, providing an isolated and increasingly eerie backdrop for the unfolding chaos. Accessible only by boat, the island creates a sense of being trapped, which ramps up the tension once the murders begin.
The Retreat Atmosphere: A high-end, "White Lotus"-style luxury retreat. Featuring curated amenities like artisanal doughnut stations (so funny), themed cocktails, and specific activity areas for "perimenopausal Mermaid Meditation".
Contrast: The contrast between the "luxe" island retreat—filled with expensive food and flowing pink prosecco—and the unhinged, creepy nature of the escalating crimes is a major stylistic element.
The tone and atmosphere are locked room, remote island, claustrophobic, cynical, and satirical.
The Vibe is darkly comic, balancing the grim reality of a murder investigation with the ridiculousness of a failed publicity stunt. Also unsettling with a lingering sense that Faye’s world is crumbling, making the reader feel as off-balance as she is.
Narrative Style is wry, the humor is clever, and often self-deprecating. Observationally sharp, the author is known for pinpointing the absurd details of modern life.
Multi-layered, with multiple perspectives, the story feels like a puzzle where every character is hiding something. Propulsive, once the mystery begins, the pace shifts from a character study into a fast-moving "whodunit."
Themes:
~Professional Insecurity & Envy
~The Cost of Rebranding
~The Power Dynamics of Fandom
~Betrayal & Loyalty
~Grief & Transition
"A sharp-edged look at what happens when an author's 'backstory' becomes a front for murder."
The book concludes with an "ironic" and dark ending that emphasizes that in the cutthroat world of publishing, deception is king—even if it's built on a foundation of lies and bodies. The ending adds a much darker layer to the book's core themes, moving it from simple satire into a "survival of the fittest" narrative.
It’s the perfect read if you enjoy darkly funny stories where the "villain" is actually just a very stressed, very insecure woman. The primary takeaway is a cynical but insightful look at the fragility of identity and the "myth of the brand".
Cynical and stylish, a luxury setting and dark industry secrets.
The Audiobook Vibe Check
"Think The White Lotus meets The Devil Wears Prada, but delivered straight into your ears with all the biting wit of a 10:00 AM marketing meeting gone wrong. The full-cast narration turns every industry slight and murderous twist into a cinematic experience that makes 'pre-pub anxiety' sound like a day at the beach." I loved the audio.
It’s a masterclass in "cringe-thriller" fiction. Laura Zigman manages to make a literal crime scene feel like a secondary inconvenience compared to the horror of a bad book review or a younger rival’s success. If you’ve ever wondered how far an "introvert" will go to save their reputation, this book provides a chillingly cynical answer: all the way.
Recs...
If you enjoyed the mix of dark comedy, publishing industry satire, and "locked-room" tension in The Author Weekend, here are some similar book recommendations with a sprinkling of a Laura Lippman vibe.
~Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
~The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
~The Club by Ellery Lloyd
~The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
~Very Bad Company & The Summer People by Emma Rosenblum
Special thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: May 5, 2026
May 2026 Must-Read Books
May Newsletter
In Laura Zigman's electrifying THE AUTHOR WEEKEND, insecure mystery author Faye Wader hosts a tense, high-end fan retreat on Massachusetts' Great Misery Island. From the arrival of rival author Abby Schuss, a surprise murder, and Faye’s chaotic attempt to keep the retreat going, resulting in a hilarious dark satire on publishing, jealousy, and obsession.
"A wickedly funny, claustrophobic satire that asks: If a superfan dies on a private island and no one posts about it, did it even happen? Zigman serves up a 'locked-room' mystery where the egos are more bloated than the bodies.
"Think Yellowface meets The White Lotus —but with more artisanal doughnuts. and higher professional stakes. "
Plot: Sharp, satirical, and surprisingly claustrophobic.
Characters: Deliciously messy and absolutely unhinged.
Vibe: Polished panic at its finest.
My thoughts..
"A satirical 'locked-room' mystery where the sharpest weapon is an author’s ego."
A razor-sharp, unhinged "luxury nightmare" that proves the most dangerous person on a remote island isn't a serial killer—it's a middle-aged novelist with a failing brand.
THE AUTHOR WEEKEND is a "darkly funny, satirical thriller". Being a publisher and in the media my entire career, I thoroughly enjoyed the snark, secrets, and twisted dark humor.
POVs: The story is told through four alternating first-person perspectives: Faye, Jade, Hal, and Merry. The weekend shifts from a promotional event to a real-life whodunit when one of the attendees is found dead in her room, possibly from poisoning.
As the body count rises, hidden truths emerge, including a "fatal inconsistency" in Faye's own background story discovered by her top fan.
The Setting, Great Misery Island, a real-world location off the coast of Massachusetts, is central to its locked room mystery feel, providing an isolated and increasingly eerie backdrop for the unfolding chaos. Accessible only by boat, the island creates a sense of being trapped, which ramps up the tension once the murders begin.
The Retreat Atmosphere: A high-end, "White Lotus"-style luxury retreat. Featuring curated amenities like artisanal doughnut stations (so funny), themed cocktails, and specific activity areas for "perimenopausal Mermaid Meditation".
Contrast: The contrast between the "luxe" island retreat—filled with expensive food and flowing pink prosecco—and the unhinged, creepy nature of the escalating crimes is a major stylistic element.
The tone and atmosphere are locked room, remote island, claustrophobic, cynical, and satirical.
The Vibe is darkly comic, balancing the grim reality of a murder investigation with the ridiculousness of a failed publicity stunt. Also unsettling with a lingering sense that Faye’s world is crumbling, making the reader feel as off-balance as she is.
Narrative Style is wry, the humor is clever, and often self-deprecating. Observationally sharp, the author is known for pinpointing the absurd details of modern life.
Multi-layered, with multiple perspectives, the story feels like a puzzle where every character is hiding something. Propulsive, once the mystery begins, the pace shifts from a character study into a fast-moving "whodunit."
Themes:
~Professional Insecurity & Envy
~The Cost of Rebranding
~The Power Dynamics of Fandom
~Betrayal & Loyalty
~Grief & Transition
"A sharp-edged look at what happens when an author's 'backstory' becomes a front for murder."
The book concludes with an "ironic" and dark ending that emphasizes that in the cutthroat world of publishing, deception is king—even if it's built on a foundation of lies and bodies. The ending adds a much darker layer to the book's core themes, moving it from simple satire into a "survival of the fittest" narrative.
It’s the perfect read if you enjoy darkly funny stories where the "villain" is actually just a very stressed, very insecure woman. The primary takeaway is a cynical but insightful look at the fragility of identity and the "myth of the brand".
Cynical and stylish, a luxury setting and dark industry secrets.
The Audiobook Vibe Check
"Think The White Lotus meets The Devil Wears Prada, but delivered straight into your ears with all the biting wit of a 10:00 AM marketing meeting gone wrong. The full-cast narration turns every industry slight and murderous twist into a cinematic experience that makes 'pre-pub anxiety' sound like a day at the beach." I loved the audio.
The Cast:
Gabra Zackman: Known for her "snark with a dash of heat," Gabra is the perfect choice for the beleaguered assistant, Jade, who is secretly plotting her own literary takeover.
Carol Monda: An Audie-winner with a voice that can "resonate from the kaleidoscopic depths." She brings a grounded, sharp-edged gravity to Faye Wader, the "woman of a certain age" who is watching her legacy crack.
Joel Froomkin: A master of characterization and humor who can handle authentic American and British accents. He likely voices the agent, Hal Tinder, bringing that perfect mix of industry-standard charm and underlying panic.
Emily Lawrence: Rounds out the cast (likely as the editor, Merry Golden), adding to the multi-perspective "puzzle" where every character is hiding something from the others.
It’s a masterclass in "cringe-thriller" fiction. Laura Zigman manages to make a literal crime scene feel like a secondary inconvenience compared to the horror of a bad book review or a younger rival’s success. If you’ve ever wondered how far an "introvert" will go to save their reputation, this book provides a chillingly cynical answer: all the way.
Recs...
If you enjoyed the mix of dark comedy, publishing industry satire, and "locked-room" tension in The Author Weekend, here are some similar book recommendations with a sprinkling of a Laura Lippman vibe.
~Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
~The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
~The Club by Ellery Lloyd
~The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
~Very Bad Company & The Summer People by Emma Rosenblum
Special thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: May 5, 2026
May 2026 Must-Read Books
May Newsletter
May 25, 2026
Laura Zigman pairs a delightfully wicked locked-room mystery with a searing satire of the publishing world in THE AUTHOR WEEKEND.
Ever since she burst onto the scene as a debut author, Faye Wader has earned comparisons to Kitty Howe, her “short-tempered, foul-mouthed, and unapologetically unlikeable” antiheroine protagonist, the star of her bestselling mystery series. Despite her primary career as a high school math teacher, Kitty moonlights as a part-time, accidental crime solver, delivering her signature catchphrase --- What are the chances? --- when she employs math and science to spot pesky holes in forensic files and inconsistencies in weather and water reports.
Like her creation, Faye has a background in swimming. Her tale of discovering her strength and power through long-form swims has made her an icon to female readers, especially those of a certain age. Along with her agent, Hal Tinder, and editor, Merry Golden, Faye has watched her rise to fame with shock and awe, as her series has made all three of them fabulously wealthy and esteemed.
But fame is not all that it’s cracked up to be. Faye's nemesis, Abby Schuss, is the author of a hit romantasy series. Although their genres do not align, Faye and Abby are often grouped together at events and on panels, as their careers have run parallel to each other since the start. But while Faye is somewhat grumpy and certainly not glamorous, Abby is a ready-made star: beautiful, polished and with a tear-jerking background of addiction that humanizes her to her many fans.
In recent years, Abby has outshined Faye at every opportunity, right down to the luxurious reader retreats she hosts in Aspen. But that is all about to change. Along with Hal, Merry and her assistant, Jade Smythe, Faye finally has planned her first-ever fan event, to be held at Misery Island just off the coast of Massachusetts. With 50 middle-aged women heading there, the Author Weekend has begun!
Far from it being the weekend of her dreams, Faye’s time is already off to a bad start. She recently delivered book 15 of her series to her agent, and the reply was…not good. While Hal admits that Faye’s latest is perhaps her strongest, best-written novel yet, it takes a far more personal look into Kitty’s life --- menopause, growing older and turning more introspective. It’s a hard sell not only for Hal and Merry, but also for Faye’s fans as a whole.
Zigman takes a deep dive here into the harsh realities of publishing. As budgets shrink, publishers are less willing to take risks, which means that Faye cannot deviate from the formula that already has brought her so much success. The problem is that she is notoriously sensitive, and Hal and Merry are not sure how to tell her that the book is unsalvageable.
But that’s not all! On the first day of the retreat, Faye's number-one fan, Peggy Mercer, arrives with her usual fastidious copy editor personality in full swing. For years, Peggy has been first in line at Faye’s book events, always wearing Kitty Howe–branded hats and T-shirts…and cropping up with minor errors she has found in her work. She is now noticing inconsistencies not just in Faye's books, but also in her stories about her personal life, including her famous long-distance swims. She is starting to believe that Faye may be a phony. Unfortunately for Peggy, her discovery proves fatal, and Faye’s career-saving weekend has become something much more like her books: a murder mystery.
With Hal, Merry and even Abby approaching the island, the scene turns into a pressure cooker of jealousy, desperation and sales figures, all of which point to the fact that Faye has begun to crack and her career is seriously on the line. As developments and bodies turn up, each character considers them not as real-life happenings, but as plot devices: the denouement, the motive, the climax, the conclusion.
All the while, Jade is considering that it may be time to part from her abusive employer and start her own career as a writer. She views this weekend --- and all its mayhem --- as fodder, telling her MFA cohort that she is doing it all “for the plot,” as the kids say. This clever, creative framing elevates this mystery into something sharp, biting and insightful, and there are plenty of tongue-in-cheek jabs at the publishing industry to propel the characters forward.
Springboarding from recent literary world satires such as THE OTHER BLACK GIRL and YELLOWFACE, Laura Zigman pens a clever and crafty locked-room mystery that is surprisingly fun and devilish in its dark humor. It’s hard to say that any of these characters are exactly likable, but that’s the point: we’re seeing them at the crossroads of their careers and personal relationships, juxtaposed with the very real economic crisis impacting the publishing world. Zigman dishes out plenty of gossipy insider baseball for publishing fans, but she also humanizes the very people who make the industry possible. Readers may see the ending coming, but it no doubt will satisfy and delight with its darkly comedic reframing.
Simply put, THE AUTHOR WEEKEND is a reader’s dream: a solid mystery with a curmudgeonly (and menopausal) antiheroine and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes a book a book.
Reviewed by Rebecca Munro
Ever since she burst onto the scene as a debut author, Faye Wader has earned comparisons to Kitty Howe, her “short-tempered, foul-mouthed, and unapologetically unlikeable” antiheroine protagonist, the star of her bestselling mystery series. Despite her primary career as a high school math teacher, Kitty moonlights as a part-time, accidental crime solver, delivering her signature catchphrase --- What are the chances? --- when she employs math and science to spot pesky holes in forensic files and inconsistencies in weather and water reports.
Like her creation, Faye has a background in swimming. Her tale of discovering her strength and power through long-form swims has made her an icon to female readers, especially those of a certain age. Along with her agent, Hal Tinder, and editor, Merry Golden, Faye has watched her rise to fame with shock and awe, as her series has made all three of them fabulously wealthy and esteemed.
But fame is not all that it’s cracked up to be. Faye's nemesis, Abby Schuss, is the author of a hit romantasy series. Although their genres do not align, Faye and Abby are often grouped together at events and on panels, as their careers have run parallel to each other since the start. But while Faye is somewhat grumpy and certainly not glamorous, Abby is a ready-made star: beautiful, polished and with a tear-jerking background of addiction that humanizes her to her many fans.
In recent years, Abby has outshined Faye at every opportunity, right down to the luxurious reader retreats she hosts in Aspen. But that is all about to change. Along with Hal, Merry and her assistant, Jade Smythe, Faye finally has planned her first-ever fan event, to be held at Misery Island just off the coast of Massachusetts. With 50 middle-aged women heading there, the Author Weekend has begun!
Far from it being the weekend of her dreams, Faye’s time is already off to a bad start. She recently delivered book 15 of her series to her agent, and the reply was…not good. While Hal admits that Faye’s latest is perhaps her strongest, best-written novel yet, it takes a far more personal look into Kitty’s life --- menopause, growing older and turning more introspective. It’s a hard sell not only for Hal and Merry, but also for Faye’s fans as a whole.
Zigman takes a deep dive here into the harsh realities of publishing. As budgets shrink, publishers are less willing to take risks, which means that Faye cannot deviate from the formula that already has brought her so much success. The problem is that she is notoriously sensitive, and Hal and Merry are not sure how to tell her that the book is unsalvageable.
But that’s not all! On the first day of the retreat, Faye's number-one fan, Peggy Mercer, arrives with her usual fastidious copy editor personality in full swing. For years, Peggy has been first in line at Faye’s book events, always wearing Kitty Howe–branded hats and T-shirts…and cropping up with minor errors she has found in her work. She is now noticing inconsistencies not just in Faye's books, but also in her stories about her personal life, including her famous long-distance swims. She is starting to believe that Faye may be a phony. Unfortunately for Peggy, her discovery proves fatal, and Faye’s career-saving weekend has become something much more like her books: a murder mystery.
With Hal, Merry and even Abby approaching the island, the scene turns into a pressure cooker of jealousy, desperation and sales figures, all of which point to the fact that Faye has begun to crack and her career is seriously on the line. As developments and bodies turn up, each character considers them not as real-life happenings, but as plot devices: the denouement, the motive, the climax, the conclusion.
All the while, Jade is considering that it may be time to part from her abusive employer and start her own career as a writer. She views this weekend --- and all its mayhem --- as fodder, telling her MFA cohort that she is doing it all “for the plot,” as the kids say. This clever, creative framing elevates this mystery into something sharp, biting and insightful, and there are plenty of tongue-in-cheek jabs at the publishing industry to propel the characters forward.
Springboarding from recent literary world satires such as THE OTHER BLACK GIRL and YELLOWFACE, Laura Zigman pens a clever and crafty locked-room mystery that is surprisingly fun and devilish in its dark humor. It’s hard to say that any of these characters are exactly likable, but that’s the point: we’re seeing them at the crossroads of their careers and personal relationships, juxtaposed with the very real economic crisis impacting the publishing world. Zigman dishes out plenty of gossipy insider baseball for publishing fans, but she also humanizes the very people who make the industry possible. Readers may see the ending coming, but it no doubt will satisfy and delight with its darkly comedic reframing.
Simply put, THE AUTHOR WEEKEND is a reader’s dream: a solid mystery with a curmudgeonly (and menopausal) antiheroine and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes a book a book.
Reviewed by Rebecca Munro
June 4, 2026
Pitched as 'The Devil Wears Prada' meets 'The White Lotus' I obviously had to read this. The way I squealed when my ARC came through!!!😭🤣
Premise - best-selling mystery writer Faye Wader throws her first-ever fan weekend on Great Misery Island (lmao). There's a mistreated, aspiring writer assistant, Jade; a rabid fan, Peggy Mercer; Faye's ambitious agent and editor, and Faye's longtime rival author (!!!) Abby Schuss.
Then someone dies. And the weekend has only just begun...
I loved the midlife-ness of this! And rival authors? Lmao, we aren't sports teams or superheroes.😭 So silly, so fun! I cackled.🤌🏽
This is light and dishy, but it also touches on deeper issues, like parasocial relationships and the dark side of fandom/(mild) celebrity, finding/making purpose in your life, etc. With fans like Peggy, who needs haters?
I thoroughly enjoyed this read and recommend it for fans of thrillers populated by unlikeable characters, as well as claustrophobic, closed room drama!
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Gabra Zackman; Carol Monda; Joel Froomkin; Emily Lawrence. Another full cast read, I'm lucking out! This was a delight and I highly recommend listening to this one (or doing a simultaneous listen & read for full immersion in the world).
Whoever narrated Faye is one of my new favorite narrators! She had the perfect crotchety older woman voice and Faye is written to be so unlikeable but I *loved* spending time in her head - I'm chalking that entirely up to the charm of the actress!
The alternating POVs really sucked me into this story and kept me engaged through a slow build of a start (delightful, though, as you get to know all the characters). I was never bored.
For readers of:
🎭 Yellowface by RF Kuang
🎀 A Good Person by Kirsten King
🏠 Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino
Thanks, NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Premise - best-selling mystery writer Faye Wader throws her first-ever fan weekend on Great Misery Island (lmao). There's a mistreated, aspiring writer assistant, Jade; a rabid fan, Peggy Mercer; Faye's ambitious agent and editor, and Faye's longtime rival author (!!!) Abby Schuss.
Then someone dies. And the weekend has only just begun...
I loved the midlife-ness of this! And rival authors? Lmao, we aren't sports teams or superheroes.😭 So silly, so fun! I cackled.🤌🏽
This is light and dishy, but it also touches on deeper issues, like parasocial relationships and the dark side of fandom/(mild) celebrity, finding/making purpose in your life, etc. With fans like Peggy, who needs haters?
I thoroughly enjoyed this read and recommend it for fans of thrillers populated by unlikeable characters, as well as claustrophobic, closed room drama!
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Gabra Zackman; Carol Monda; Joel Froomkin; Emily Lawrence. Another full cast read, I'm lucking out! This was a delight and I highly recommend listening to this one (or doing a simultaneous listen & read for full immersion in the world).
Whoever narrated Faye is one of my new favorite narrators! She had the perfect crotchety older woman voice and Faye is written to be so unlikeable but I *loved* spending time in her head - I'm chalking that entirely up to the charm of the actress!
The alternating POVs really sucked me into this story and kept me engaged through a slow build of a start (delightful, though, as you get to know all the characters). I was never bored.
For readers of:
🎭 Yellowface by RF Kuang
🎀 A Good Person by Kirsten King
🏠 Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino
Thanks, NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really wasn't sure what this one was about... and then I started reading it. Very interesting to say the least!
So, an author, Faye Wader, who has published many books, realizes that her sales are starting to decline. In an effort to bring back "huge sales", her team decides that it would be in her best interest to host an 'author weekend' with all kinds of hullabaloo that Faye (the author) absolutely does NOT agree with. She would much rather do a very down to earth get-together, more aligned with the main character in her books... but she is frozen out of the decisions.
On top of this, only 50 of her greatest fans have signed up for it!
Her nemesis, Abby, who has also done an author weekend for her followers, had over 300 people in attendance! What is going on? And, why aren't people coming to Faye's weekend???
As we delve into their lives, we discover so many little fascinating things going on in each one of the team's lives. But the one thing that seems to be certain, and emanating from the entire team, is that Faye has lost her touch...
And as the pieces start to fall into place, well... everyone will just need to watch out and KEEP their EYES OPEN!!!
This seemed to be more of a horror story to me than regular fiction... but that's just me!
4 bold, crazy, enlightening, scary stars for me! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#TheAuthorWeekend by @LauraZigman and narrated wonderfully by a full cast including: @GabraZackman, @CarolMonda, @JoelFroomkin and @EmilyLawrence.
This one has not been released yet. Please look 👀 for it starting July 7, 2026!
Thanks so much to #NetGalley, @BlackstonePublishing and @BlackstoneAudiobooks for an ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Instagram: @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!!
And as always, thanks for reading along with me! 📚⭐️📖🩷
So, an author, Faye Wader, who has published many books, realizes that her sales are starting to decline. In an effort to bring back "huge sales", her team decides that it would be in her best interest to host an 'author weekend' with all kinds of hullabaloo that Faye (the author) absolutely does NOT agree with. She would much rather do a very down to earth get-together, more aligned with the main character in her books... but she is frozen out of the decisions.
On top of this, only 50 of her greatest fans have signed up for it!
Her nemesis, Abby, who has also done an author weekend for her followers, had over 300 people in attendance! What is going on? And, why aren't people coming to Faye's weekend???
As we delve into their lives, we discover so many little fascinating things going on in each one of the team's lives. But the one thing that seems to be certain, and emanating from the entire team, is that Faye has lost her touch...
And as the pieces start to fall into place, well... everyone will just need to watch out and KEEP their EYES OPEN!!!
This seemed to be more of a horror story to me than regular fiction... but that's just me!
4 bold, crazy, enlightening, scary stars for me! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#TheAuthorWeekend by @LauraZigman and narrated wonderfully by a full cast including: @GabraZackman, @CarolMonda, @JoelFroomkin and @EmilyLawrence.
This one has not been released yet. Please look 👀 for it starting July 7, 2026!
Thanks so much to #NetGalley, @BlackstonePublishing and @BlackstoneAudiobooks for an ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Instagram: @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!!
And as always, thanks for reading along with me! 📚⭐️📖🩷
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