Margolis, Leslie. Price of admission.

MARGOLIS, Leslie. Price of admission. Simon & Schuster. 224p. c2007. 1-4169-2455-8. $8.99. S

High school junior Jasmine Green's ex-boyfriend Austin dies of a drug overdose. When his parents clean out his dorm room, they discover a screenplay amongst his belongings. Suddenly, Austin is the most talked-about young visionary writer (his tragic death only adds to the buzz), and his script is bought by Jasmine's father, a Hollywood producer. The screenplay, Cold-Blooded, Two-Timing Rat, tells the story of Jessica Brown, who is cheating on her boyfriend with his brother. Even more scandalously, her older brother Jake is having an affair with Ginger, their new stepmother. Those plot details alone make it sound juicy and salacious. But what will really set tongues wagging is the fact that the script is actually written by Jasmine and all of the characters are thinly disguised members of her family. Horrified that her father is about to unwittingly expose all of the family secrets, Jasmine is determined to keep the screenplay from ever being produced. The challenge is how to accomplish that without letting her father--or anyone else--know why.

Margolis includes bits of the screenplay in between chapters, which provides readers with the characters' histories--like how Jasmine's brother hooked up with their stepmother, and what led Jasmine to cheat on Austin with his brother. This technique works nicely, never interrupting the story's flow. For all the attention this allegedly shocking screenplay generates, the actual details are a bit of a letdown. With the recent spate of novels looking at over-the-top Hollywood lives, one now expects more glamour, deception, and lascivious behavior. The thin plot may discourage some readers, but anyone looking for a light, semi-scandalous read will be satisfied. Amanda MacGregor, St. Cloud, MN

S--Recommended for senior high school students.