Malibu Bluff: A Seasonaires Novel

In King’s sizzling sequel to 2018’s The Seasonaires, high fashion designer Lyndon Wyld invites aspiring clothing designer Mia, a veteran of her public relations extravaganza promotion on Nantucket the previous summer, to participate as a brand ambassador (or “seasonaire”) at the event she’s hosting next summer in California. It’s been a rough year for Mia and her brother, Sean, since the death of their mother; they face eviction from their home in a gritty South Boston neighborhood. Reluctantly, Mia, who’s still scarred by the death of a member of last summer’s group, accepts Lyndon’s generous offer and joins her handpicked group of influencers at a rented oceanfront Malibu mansion. All are thrown together in a cutthroat competition of promoting the Wyld brand and themselves. A whirlwind of parties and stunts keep the seasonaires in the public eye even as another death intrudes on the manic fun. King concocts a frothy mix of the intoxication of endless attention, jealousy, and millennial angst that entertains despite its lack of suspense. Agent: Adam Chromy, Moveable Type. (May)