The Scoop

A piercing satire about a journalist working the night shift at a tabloid and the explosive consequences of her "harmless" clickbait.

Washed-up New York journalist Frankie Miller is getting desperate. Since the twenty-nine-year-old lost her dream job at a glossy magazine three months ago, her days have been filled with overdue bills, cereal for dinner, and a flood of rejection emails (not to mention her ex has a new girlfriend). So when she's offered a job at The Scoop, a tabloid website run by tyrannical editor-in-chief David Brown, she can't exactly afford to say no--even if it means swallowing her pride for clicks. Besides, for Frankie, it's just a paycheck, a temporary detour. It's not forever.

But the deeper she's pulled into the breakneck world of tabloid journalism, the blurrier the line between ambition and morality becomes--until she crosses it. When her reporting humiliates a beloved pop star and dredges up grief over her late mother, Frankie sets off a chain reaction that spirals beyond her control. In an industry where reputation is currency and outrage sells, how far is Frankie willing to go--and how much is she willing to lose--to win at this ruthless game?

Sharp, witty, and unflinchingly bold, The Scoop is a searing exploration of ambition, exploitation, and the human toll of the 24/7 news cycle.


Author: Erin Van Der Meer
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 04/21/2026
Pages: 320
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.05lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.10w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9781538776339


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 02/01/2026
Publishers Weekly 02/16/2026
Booklist 03/01/2026
Shelf Awareness 01/01/0001

About the Author

Erin Van Der Meer is a writer and former journalist whose work has appeared in publications including The New York Times, The Daily Beast, and Elle. She was a Spruceton Inn Artist Resident in 2024. Born in Sydney, Australia, she now lives in Brooklyn. The Scoop is her debut.