Star Island: A novel
Jul 2010 · Sold by Vintage Crime/Black Lizard
3.9star
52 reviews
Ebook
352
Pages
family_home
Eligible
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About this ebook
A hilarious spin on life in the celebrity fast lane from “Florida’s most entertainingly indignant social critic” (The New York Times Book Review) and the national bestselling author of Squeeze Me.
Meet twenty-two-year-old Cherry Pye (née Cheryl Bunterman), a pop star since she was fourteen—and about to attempt a comeback from her latest drug-and-alcohol disaster.
Now meet Cherry again: in the person of her “undercover stunt double,” Ann DeLusia. Ann portrays Cherry whenever the singer is too “indisposed”—meaning wasted—to go out in public. And it is Ann-mistaken-for-Cherry who is kidnapped from a South Beach hotel by obsessed paparazzo Bang Abbott.
Now the challenge for Cherry’s handlers (über–stage mother; horndog record producer; nipped, tucked, and Botoxed twin publicists; weed whacker–wielding bodyguard) is to rescue Ann while keeping her existence a secret from Cherry’s public—and from Cherry herself.
The situation is more complicated than they know. Ann has had a bewitching encounter with Skink—the unhinged former governor of Florida living wild in a mangrove swamp—and now he’s heading for Miami to find her . . .
Will Bang Abbott achieve his fantasy of a lucrative private photo session with Cherry Pye? Will Cherry sober up in time to lip-synch her way through her concert tour? Will Skink track down Ann DeLusia before Cherry’s motley posse does?
BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Carl Hiaasen's Bad Monkey.
Meet twenty-two-year-old Cherry Pye (née Cheryl Bunterman), a pop star since she was fourteen—and about to attempt a comeback from her latest drug-and-alcohol disaster.
Now meet Cherry again: in the person of her “undercover stunt double,” Ann DeLusia. Ann portrays Cherry whenever the singer is too “indisposed”—meaning wasted—to go out in public. And it is Ann-mistaken-for-Cherry who is kidnapped from a South Beach hotel by obsessed paparazzo Bang Abbott.
Now the challenge for Cherry’s handlers (über–stage mother; horndog record producer; nipped, tucked, and Botoxed twin publicists; weed whacker–wielding bodyguard) is to rescue Ann while keeping her existence a secret from Cherry’s public—and from Cherry herself.
The situation is more complicated than they know. Ann has had a bewitching encounter with Skink—the unhinged former governor of Florida living wild in a mangrove swamp—and now he’s heading for Miami to find her . . .
Will Bang Abbott achieve his fantasy of a lucrative private photo session with Cherry Pye? Will Cherry sober up in time to lip-synch her way through her concert tour? Will Skink track down Ann DeLusia before Cherry’s motley posse does?
BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Carl Hiaasen's Bad Monkey.
Ratings and reviews
3.9
52 reviews
A Google user
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September 3, 2010
In this contemporary novel, we see a young Hollywood starlet who is constantly going to rehab for drug and alcohol abuse. It is easy to think of a number of celebrities who fit into this category, today.
The starlet's name is Cherry Pye, aka Cheryl Bunterman. She is now age twenty-two and since she was age fourteen, she has been a polular star who has been drawn to the excitement in life and her excitement includes alcohol and drugs.
She's currently attempting a comeback after a drug related incident while on stage in Boston. She's had so many relapses that her parents and record producer have hired a double, Ann DeLusia, to fill in for Cherry when she becomes "indisposed."
A member of the paparazzi, Bang Abbott, feels that Cherry is headed for the same unfortunate ending as Michael Jackson and Bang follows Cherry around in attempt to get photos at the stages of her downward spiral.
Abbott meets Cherry and while they are on a private plane, he takes a number of photos that he thinks he can sell. However, when the plane lands, Cherry takes off with his photos and cell phone.
Meanwhile, Ann is driving in Florida and when a man appears in the road, she swerves and has an accident. In this manner, she meets a bizarre environmentalist, former governor of Florida, who goes by the name of Skink. The two of them form an unusual bond together.
Later, Bang kidnaps Ann, mistaking her for Cherry. The family tries to make the most of it, first thinking of a rescue and then making alternate plans. They have a body guard who is searching for the missing girl. This man has a weed whacker for an arm and has his own plans of making money. As he is searching for the missing girl, Skink is trying to rescue her.
The story could be a plot at a movie. It was funny, very funny and would make a good vacation read.
A Google user
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March 14, 2012
I was disappointed in this book. It is like Mr. Hiaasen has written his formula down and just cranks it out without much thought. I have liked most of his books, but this one felt forced.
Stephany Mahaffey
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July 6, 2013
Totally Hiaasen. Some familiar characters. Some new characters. A whole new crazy and twisted plot line. It was a quick read that kept me smiling.
About the author
CARL HIAASEN was born and raised in Florida. He is the author of eleven previous novels, including the best-selling Nature Girl, Skinny Dip, Sick Puppy, and Lucky You, and three best-selling children’s books, Hoot, Flush, and Scat. His most recent work of nonfiction is The Downhill Lie: A Hacker’s Return to a Ruinous Sport. He also writes a weekly column for The Miami Herald.
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