OFF THE RECORD

With an all-access pass to cover a movie press tour, a teen journalist uncovers a celebrity scandal.

High school senior Josie Wright wins a competition to write a profile of up-and-coming actor Marius Canet for Deep Focus magazine. Marius is promoting his new film, and for Josie, leaving her home in Georgia for the two-week, multicity tour is the chance of a lifetime. Despite her anxiety, Josie holds her own during interviews and becomes smitten with Marius. But after a young actress shares a shocking secret—and subsequently other women come forward about their encounters with the same powerful man—Josie realizes she’s got a second, more explosive story on her hands. She’s determined to pursue justice, but at what cost? Garrett takes readers along for a wild ride as smart, socially conscious Josie learns that life is full of gray areas. The narrative deftly deals with several weighty topics at once, including mental wellness, sibling drama, body-image issues, and sexual and racial identity (Josie, her family, and Marius are Black; most of the other central characters are White.) This fresh, engrossing read will appeal to fans of Garrett’s debut novel, Full Disclosure (2019), as well as those new to her fast-paced prose, wit, pitch-perfect dialogue, and memorable characters.

An irresistible, unapologetically feminist story.