Cruelty Free

At the start of Glenn’s sharp-toothed debut, former Hollywood starlet Lila Devlin returns to Los Angeles to launch a skincare brand 10 years after the kidnapping and murder of her infant daughter drove her out of town. Public response to her beauty industry turn is initially unenthusiastic despite the best efforts of her publicist, Sylvie Lightly, whose own ill-treatment in Hollywood bonds the women together. When a business meeting takes a grisly turn, Lila discovers a deep thirst for vengeance against the L.A. elite who turned their back on her, the media who preyed on her, and the fans who wouldn’t respect her privacy. At Sylvie’s suggestion, she also finds the surprise missing ingredient that takes her skincare line from good to great: collagen harvested from her murder victims. After a somewhat slow and aimless start, the pace picks up and the plot finds its footing as Lila embarks on a double life as a beauty guru and serial killer. Along the way, Glenn works in interview transcripts and article excerpts, giving the novel a true crime feel. There have been many horror novels exploring the toll that celebrity status and beauty standards take on women, but this fun and gory tale stands out from the pack. It’s as vicious and unforgiving as Hollywood itself. (Feb.)