Hello Juliet
- Judith D Collins
- Apr 29
- 9 min read
Narrator: Kira Fixx
Brilliance Audio
ISBN: 9781662513565
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Publication Date: 04/29/2025
Format: Paperback
My Rating: 5 Stars ++ (ARC)
TOP BOOKS OF 2025
In a dark thriller from USA Today bestselling author Samantha M. Bailey, a TV reunion brings costars back for the drama and betrayals their viewers once craved—and this time, the stakes are deadly.
Ivy Westcott fled LA as her acting career imploded. In a flash, she lost her first love and chosen family—her Hello, Juliet castmates. But she never discovered who turned her closest friends against her. Now the whole world knows her as #PoisonIvy.
A decade later, Ivy is horrified when a celebrity exposé thrusts the Hello, Juliet cast back into the limelight, dredging up the old scandals she hoped to escape. Desperate for a fresh start and some financial stability for her mother and manager, Ivy agrees to participate in a top-secret reunion episode.
Ivy’s poised for a comeback, but past betrayals become a present danger when she and the man who once broke her heart find their costar dead.
Determined to find justice and clear her name, Ivy must tear down the facades of cast and crew to uncover chilling secrets that have plagued the Hollywood set from day one. Or she could be the next to die.
About the Author
Photo Credit: Dahlia Katz Photography
Samantha M. Bailey is the USA TODAY and #1 international bestselling author of WOMAN ON THE EDGE, optioned for series adaptation, WATCH OUT FOR HER, shortlisted for Canada Reads 2025, and A FRIEND IN THE DARK, an Amazon Charts bestseller. Her novels have sold in twelve countries. She lives in Toronto, where she can usually be found tapping away at her computer or curled up on her couch with a book. Samantha's next psychological suspense, HELLO, JULIET, will be published in April 2025. WEBSITE
Exceptional Authors.
Standout Books. Elevator Talk.
Behind the Book & the Author
INTRIGUING QUESTIONS. INQUIRING READERS WANT TO KNOW.
Welcome to the second April 2025 #LitLiftMiniAuthorChats (part of the #AuthorElevatorSeries collection). Notable guest author Samantha M. Bailey (personal and fan favorite) joins us for the third time with her fourth novel, and best yet —the highly anticipated thriller HELLO, JULIET. Out April 29, 2025.
In a dark thriller by USA Today's bestselling author Samantha M. Bailey, a TV reunion brings costars back for the drama and betrayals their viewers once craved―and this time, the stakes are deadly.
Determined to find justice and clear her name, Ivy must tear down the facades of cast and crew to uncover chilling secrets that have plagued the Hollywood set from day one. Or she could be the next to die.
Join us as Samantha shares some fascinating behind-the-scenes exclusives from the book and up-close-and-personal fun moments from this talented author.
Welcome, Samantha!
Behind the Book
Q. Give us your best ELEVATOR PITCH for your new book.
I’m going to borrow the fabulous @mattyandthebooks’s description, because it’s so brilliantly perfect: “What if the cast of the OC reunited ten years later, only one of them ends up dead?”
Q. DESCRIBE your novel in three words or less.
Glamorous, scandalous, sinister.
Q. TOPICS: Name 1-3 topics or themes addressed in the novel?
Identity; longing for validation and acceptance; how easily perception of people, especially celebrities, is manipulated by the media and misinterpreted by the public.
Q. DID YOU KNOW? Name 3-5 things that readers may or may not know about your book.
1. This is my first book for which I was able to travel for research. I spent five glorious days in LA with Meredith Schorr, my author BFF. We went everywhere Hello, Juliet takes place. We strolled Santa Monica Beach and the pier, went to Culver City, West Hollywood, and took a bus tour of all the hot spots, including a dangerously steep drive up Mulholland Drive, where we stopped to gaze at the Hollywood sign. We spent a lot of time on Sunset Boulevard, where we had dinner with Jon Lindstrom, my fellow thriller author, who's also currently an actor on General Hospital and Beyond the Gates. He also drove us up and down the Sunset Strip, so I could hop out and take photos inside iconic bars, like Whiskey a Go Go.
2. I’ve wanted to write a book about a TV show and celebrity for as long as I can remember. I had so much fun creating the world of Hello, Juliet and the characters.
3. I learned how to write a script so I could include excerpts from Hello, Juliet, the show, in the book.
Q. UPCOMING (optional): Can you share what you are currently working on or what is next in ten words or less (or more)?
I’m currently working on my next psychological suspense, which might be my wildest and most ambitious book yet.
Behind the Author
Q. DID YOU KNOW? Name 3-5 things that readers may (or may not) know about YOU, the author.
1. I’m only five feet tall—with my hair up.
2. I used to write rom com.
3. I was a competitive jazz dancer until I quit because of stage fright. It was the last time I gave up on something because it scared me.
Thank you, Samantha, for spending time with us today.
Thank you, Judy, for having me.
Praise
“Who do you trust and where do you go when you can’t outrun your past? Hello, Juliet by Samantha M. Bailey is a wickedly unputdownable thriller teeming with secrets, suspense, and sly revelations. Bailey keeps the tension high and the pages turning in this searing exploration of the darker side of fame. Not to be missed!”
―Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author of The Overnight Guest and Everyone Is Watching
“Samantha M. Bailey once again crafts a deliciously suspenseful tale, giving us a peek behind the curtains of a hit television show and the ramifications success has on its cast. In Hello, Juliet, Bailey perfectly captures the hunger for fame and the desperate measures some will take to achieve it, while also delivering a story filled with twists and surprises. A top-notch, single-sitting read.”
―Kimberly Belle, internationally bestselling author of The Paris Widow
“Samantha M. Bailey has done it again! With exquisitely thorny characters and an evocative setting, Hello, Juliet pulled me in from page one and didn’t let go. Bailey’s fourth effort showcases her talent for executing breathtaking twists and turns. The cherry on top is an ending I never saw coming.”
―Stephanie Wrobel, USA Today bestselling author of The Hitchcock Hotel
“Samantha M. Bailey’s latest thriller, Hello, Juliet, will actually have you saying ‘OMG!’ and for all the right reasons. Former actress Ivy Westcott is thrust back into the celebrity limelight for a reunion show, only to realize even darker troubles await her, which leaves her gutted and feeling more lost and alone than ever before. Bailey weaves the intrigue and allure of Hollywood, a protagonist you want to dig into, potential enemies at every corner, and a storyline that grips you from page one. With snippets of social media and a dual timeline, all the ingredients come together, making Hello, Juliet a riveting read and chef’s kiss.”
―Yasmin Angoe, Anthony-nominated and bestselling author of Her Name Is Knight and Not What She Seems
“A devilishly entertaining murder mystery set in the cutthroat world of episodic TV, Hello, Juliet ensnared me from the very first page. Come to gape at the diabolical antics of Hollywood stars and star-makers, stay to be gobsmacked by the stunning twists and turns. Five enthusiastic stars for this fascinating peek behind the curtain told by a master storyteller.”
―Susan Walter, bestselling author of Good as Dead
“If you’re looking for something juicy, scandalous, and truly unique and exciting, then Hello, Juliet should be at the top of your list. Clever, addictive, and a joy to read as we’ve come to expect from Bailey.”
―Seraphina Nova Glass, Edgar Award–nominated author of On a Quiet Street
"Samantha dazzles with HELLO, JULIET! A scandalous, twisty, and wickedly delicious Hollywood murder mystery, HELLO, JULIET, stands out with its engrossing dual timelines brimming with secrets. The author brilliantly explores the dark side of fame, a shocking jaw-dropping twist, and a protagonist you will root for. Bailey is at the top of her game—her fourth novel is her best yet! Move this one to the top of your spring and summer reading list." —@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
About...
Ivy Westcott chose to be an actress because she wanted to be extraordinary. However, if she had known that landing the coveted lead role of Juliet Jones would turn her into a meme, she would have run as far as she could. Her journey to stardom was not easy, filled with sacrifices and betrayals that shaped her into the person she is today.
Hello, Juliet was the teen drama she starred in almost a decade ago (2014) and later with a tag, #PoisonIvy, when all imploded. This tag, a cruel reminder of her fall from grace, is a constant presence in her life, haunting her every step. Everyone blames her for the tragic end of one of the most explosively popular shows ever to air on television. Everyone betrayed her, even her best friend and costar, Lauren.
The entire show and its relationships collapse when a cast member dies before the finale airs.
There is a recent docuseries about all the celebrities who never bounced back about her public crash from grace with tabloid reporters, gossip bloggers, professors of pop culture, and even the teen boy who stocks at the market where she has worked as a cashier for the last three years.
To capitalize on the fame the show once had, Mack (producer) reaches out for a top-secret reunion of the surviving cast.
At age 32, Ivy needs the money for her mom (her manager) as she has a cleaning job and needs surgery for her back, so she agrees. This money will save them.
She and her mom left LA years ago, but she will show up at the Sunrise Studios. Like the sinister secrets of the high school students Juliet, Skylar, Hudson, and Logan onscreen, never knowing who the hero and villain behind the scenes were. Just like her character, she never knew which of her castmates she could fully trust.
(2024) When Ivy arrives at the top-secret location, she finds her co-star, DEAD.
Let the games begin...
My thoughts...
Electrifying! HELLO, JULIET is on my Top Books of 2025! An impressive, sizzling psychological whodunit thriller from page one to the jaw-dropping twisty ending you will not see coming! Absolutely, unputdownable.
The author's expert storytelling skills are on full display as she cleverly takes readers on a wild ride, in complete control, leaving readers in awe of all the pieces and how they connect, leaving you shocked—gobsmacked!
From past (2014) to present (2024), we hear from Ivy, a young girl caught up as the 'It Girl' in Hollywood— and is now in the middle of a MURDER mystery. Full of mystery, glamour, suspense, scandal, jealousy, action, drama, intrigue, and mind-blowing twists.
Ivy, our protagonist, is a highly relatable character. She never sought fame but yearned for validation and acceptance. She wanted to prove to her mom and herself that she was good enough. Talented enough for her to have sacrificed her entire life to help her fulfill her dream. But that dream became a nightmare, and her best friends became her worst enemies.
There is drama onstage and off from Mack, Caleb, Jesse, and Lauren. The author shines with short snappy chapters with cliffhanger endings, very cool Actor breakdowns, interspersed with social media excerpts, scenes, clips, juicy teen drama, Hollywood gossip, trending topics, commentary, news media, podcasts, and more. Where real life off-screen drama is more exciting than on-screen. You may think Beverly Hills, 90210; Pretty Little Liars, or one of your favorite soaps.
HELLO, JULIET is not just a thrilling read, it's an exquisite psychological whodunit thriller that serves as a cautionary tale. It explores the price of fame and exposes Hollywood's dark side and underbelly. The author cleverly showcases the public's obsession with celebrities, commentary, and the dangers of media. It's a story that will make you think twice about the allure of fame.
Prime for the big or small screen. Binge-worthy and movie-worthy! Ivy is tenacious and determined to find justice and clear her name, as the cast's facades and dark, chilling secrets are unraveled and revealed.
I am a huge fan of Samantha M. Bailey. I have read her three previous books and have featured her twice on my #AuthorElevatorSeries. I have loved every book, but HELLO, JULIET is my favorite. I can't wait to see who narrates the audiobook—I am sure it will be a blast. I cannot wait to see what the author has for us next.
Interview...
Stay tuned for my upcoming #AuthorElevatorSeries Elevator QA behind the scenes ride with Samantha and HELLO, JULIET (pub day, April 29). I can't wait to share more insights about this thrilling book!
Recs...
HELLO, JULIET is for fans of the author and those who enjoy a well-crafted brilliant murder mystery whodunit thriller, pop culture, and the entertainment business.
Also for fans of Rachel Kapelk-Dale, T. Greenwood (Tammy), Joshilyn Jackson, Lisa Unger, Lisa Jewell, Heather Gudenkauf, Alex Finlay, Alice Feeney, Seraphina Nova Glass, Kimberly Belle, Liv Constantine, B.A. Paris, Ruth Ware, Robyn Harding, Wendy Walker, Susan Walter, Christina McDonald, and Mary Kubica. (all favorites)
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an advanced digital copy for my honest thoughts.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars ++
Pub Date: April 29, 2025
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