
Climbing in Heels
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Stephanie Németh-Parker
About this listen
Climbing in Heels, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas's debut novel, is a fictional tale of the rise of three secretaries at the hottest agency in 1980's Hollywood, giving you a glimpse into the boys-will-be-boys club and the women who wanted a seat at a table where they were expected to serve. Elaine was a top agent at the William Morris Agency (WMA) in the late 1980s and at ICM (International Creative Management) in the 1990s. She represented many A-list actors, including Jennifer Lopez, Julia Roberts, Tim Robbins, and Madonna.
It's the story of friendship, betrayal, survival, standing up when they pass you by, and saying I won't go when they want you gone. And it's also a story about how some of those women became very much like the monsters who trained them.
Meet Beanie Rosen, the fast-talking and even faster-thinking Valley girl who knows where she wants to go, and doesn’t care if she doesn’t look the part.
Mercedes Baxter, who learned early on how to leverage the monied friends of her monied friends' parents until she found a foothold in Hollywood.
And Ella Gaddy, a sexy free-spirit anti-debutante from a white-glove Kentucky home who shakes up any room she walks into.
Listen to Climbing in Heels and watch these women meet, meld, fight, strategize and climb their way into your heart.
A rollicking tale of sex, drugs, and power–in heels.
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.
©2025 Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas (P)2025 Macmillan AudioCritic reviews
"The heart of the book is gossip: agent politics and dirty dealings, actor name-drops, affairs left and right, power and the power-hungry. [And main character] Beanie is smart, tenacious, and fun to watch...Juicy."—Kirkus
“Sexy, sharp, and unapologetically bold, CLIMBING IN HEELS plunges you into the glamour and grit of Hollywood in the 1980s. Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas delivers an entertaining debut, pulling readers into the messy, electric lives of three women who refuse to be sidelined.”—ALISSA DeROGATIS, AUTHOR OF CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT
“If you love Hollywood stories—from Valley of the Dolls to What Makes Sammy Run?, to The Player—get this book now. Get it, read it, share it, gift it. You won’t be able to put this delicious book down. So, grab a cup of coffee and curl up with Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas’s CLIMBING IN HEELS. You’ll be really glad you did.”—AMY FERRIS, AUTHOR OF MARRYING GEORGE CLOONEY
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