The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes: A Novel

Written by Elissa R. Sloan

Narrated by Brittany Pressley, Natalie Naudus, Jayme Mattler and 4 more

“The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes is a page-turning peek inside the glamour and brutality of life as a pop star. Sloan takes us on a wild ride through the world of music video shoots, expensive hotels, and arena tours—showing us the darkness that threatens just below the surface.” —Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones and The Six

“I didn't know I was waiting for a smart, literary writer to craft a novel about the rise and fall of a teen star akin to Britney Spears until I discovered The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes. A witty, bright, hilarious—and at times devastating—read. I loved it."" —Amanda Eyre Ward, New York Times bestselling author of The Jetsetters

Cassidy Holmes isn't just a celebrity.

She is “Sassy Gloss,” the fourth member of the hottest pop group America has ever seen. Hotter than Britney dancing with a snake, hotter than Christina getting dirrty, Gloss was the pop act that everyone idolized. Fans couldn't get enough of them, their music, and the drama that followed them like moths to a flame—until the group’s sudden implosion in 2002. And at the center of it all was Sassy Cassy, the Texan with a signature smirk that had everyone falling for her. 

But now she's dead. Suicide.

The world is reeling from this unexpected news, but no one is more shocked than the three remaining Glossies. Fifteen years ago, Rose, Merry, and Yumi had been the closest to Cassidy, and this loss is hitting them hard. Before the group split, they each had a special bond with Cassidy—truths they told, secrets they shared. But after years apart, each of them is wondering: what could they have done?

Told in multiple perspectives—including Cassidy herself—and different timelines, this is a behind-the-scenes look into the rise and fall of a pop icon, and a penetrating examination of the dark side of celebrity and the industry that profits from it. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Sep 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9780063009462

Elissa R. Sloan

Elissa R. Sloan is the author of The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes and Hayley Aldridge Is Still Here. A Texas-native Japanese-American with a penchant for reading books and celebrity gossip, she lives in Austin with her husband and three cats in a house with a rolling library ladder. 

Reviews for The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes

[Bibi Moosa · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It was a nice story to listen to. I didn't particularly like the main character but I could sympathize with her and by the end I felt like I understood why she made the decisions that she made. If this is any way accurate then it's also a shocking exploration of the exploitative business of fame. By the end I was really into it but I felt like I wanted more closure. Each person's ending was alluded to but it was such a detailed book that I don't think it would have been a stretch to really spell it out. I wouldn't listen again but I don't regret listening to it.

[Jessie Bourre · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Loved this but the ending could of be a little better

[Diana Reese Puckett · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Overall I did enjoy this book and would read more from the author. It held my attention the entire time. It was paced well and the plot was interesting. I would have rated it higher but a few things were underdeveloped; particularly the dynamic between Rose and Cassidy. Some heavy themes are present throughout the novel but not fully executed and handled superficially at best. I definitely didn't hate it but it didn't quite land at 4 stars. The narrators were fantastic

[Katie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I can’t say I loved this book but I did finish it and kept wanting to come back to it. The dynamic between the “Gloss Girls” was probably the most interesting part and I wish those relationships were explored further.

[Michele Nederlander · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The foreshadowing was pretty heavy handed and, as someone who works in live music, there were a few glaring factual errors but a good listen.

[katlin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Much like Daisy Jones and the six, it’s told from multiple views. It was a little nostalgic for me based on the time setting.

[jynell-71874 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Move over Daisy Jones, Cassidy Holmes has arrived.

The entire time I was reading this, I pictured the movie in my head. A series of interviews telling the story. And I couldn't put it down.

[brookiexlicious · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I absolutely loved this book and couldn’t get enough of the story, the setting, and the characters. Just like with “Daisy Jones and the Six”, I felt that at times I was reading an actual memoir and not a work of fiction. Gloss reminded me so much of many of the artists I have on my Ipod and grew up with in that time period. We are shown an in-depth & scathing look at the recording industry and what it was like to be a female celebrity, particularly in a time before certain behaviors & their perpetrators were held accountable, like they are today.The author does a superb job in inviting us to get to know Cassidy before she became “Sassy Gloss”, and in getting to know Cassidy so intimately, it was that much more heartbreaking to read about her troubles. I also enjoyed getting sneak peeks into the lives of Gloss’s other members and learning about their prospectives regarding certain events. My only complaint about this book is that I would have liked to see more about Cassidy’s life after she left Gloss, as we are only given snippets throughout the book.