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Carolyn Murnick is an editor at New York magazine. She received an Emerging Writer Fellowship from the Aspen Institute in 2014. She lives in Brooklyn.

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The Hot One: A Memoir of Friendship, Sex, and Murder by Carolyn Murnick is a unique book. Carolyn describes growing up in New Jersey with her best friend, Ashley. The two girls were close and began drifting apart when they attended different high schools. Their personalities and lifestyles were drastically different. Carolyn seemed responsible with difficulty fitting in, while Ashley was popular and promiscuous. After high school, Carolyn went to college while Ashley moved to Los Angeles where she became a stripper and escort and used drugs.

The last time these women were together, Ashley visited Carolyn in New York. The visit clearly appeared tumultuous and evident of how much these friends had grown apart. They didn’t seem to have anything in common any longer, and their communications and visits seemed destined to fade away. One year later, Ashley was murdered in her home. This was quite a devastating loss for Carolyn. She begins traveling to Los Angeles for many of the court proceedings when the suspect is arrested.

I describe this book as unique because it is a memoir and a true crime story weaved together. The memoir portions of the book were reminiscent of a journal. The author included a lot of details that were irrelevant from my perspective. There was a recurrent theme that the author seemed to be using this book writing as a vehicle to process her grief. I completely support that process and hope it has been therapeutic for her personal growth. From an outsider’s point of view, it wasn’t information I found necessary to know.

I continued listening because I was interested in the true crime portion. Unfortunately, the story of the murder and subsequent trial did not flow like a typical true crime story. The author’s grief and determination to work out her emotions about her relationship with Ashley were heavily intertwined.

About halfway through the book, I remembered watching an episode of 48 Hours that covered this story. If, like me, you are interested in the true crime story, check out this television show. On my blog, linked below, I have the trailer for your convenience.

I appreciate Carolyn’s willingness to share her story and I admire how much she cared for Ashley. To live through a traumatic experience during one’s early adulthood, must be challenging. I can’t imagine being at a place in one’s life where there is so much uncertainty about a childhood friendship and then to tragically lose that friend.

I purchased this audiobook with my Audible membership. Narration by Hillary Huber made for a great listening experience.

I have photos, videos, and additional information that I'm unable to include here. It can all be found on my blog, in the link below.
A Book And A Dog
… (lisätietoja)
 
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NatalieRiley | 2 muuta kirja-arvostelua | Nov 13, 2023 |
Susannah Cahalan describes Carolyn Murnick’s The Hot One as “riveting” on the cover copy, and I can’t think of a more apt description. A memoir more than anything conventional True Crime, The Hot One spans the years from Carolyn’s childhood friendship with victim Ashley Ellerin to her untimely, violent death and beyond.

What happens when best friends drift apart? When you can’t take back whatever caused the rift? When you wonder who someone you were once inseparable from became in the year before she died? How do you reconcile a nine-year-old pianist with a twenty-something stripper at a low-rent club in Vegas? How do you honor someone after you’ve disconnected? And how do you move on?

First and foremost, I have to commend Carolyn’s writing. She’s a seasoned industry veteran and her skill and talent are apparent. I purchased The Hot One after reading a passage posted on a blog. The voice hooked me immediately. The only criticism I have is the constant recycling of the phrase “bearing witness.” It’s overused and while it may be the purpose of Carolyn’s writing this book (though I’m sure not the only one), the phrase becomes quickly redundant.

As for the True Crime aspect of the book, Ashley’s murder is covered as is the alleged killer identified, but this isn’t a “follow the clues” kind of story nor is there a resolution as the trial is ongoing. More is said about who Ashley was from the viewpoint of others and through Carolyn’s final time with her a year before her death when it seems clear these were not the childhood friends detailed in the early chapters but two young women who grew irreparably apart.

It is inherent in writers to write from the heart, and Carolyn’s feelings may be what makes this book unputdownable but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that the whole thing doesn’t feel so much a platform to give Ashley an identification outside of her impressive Hollywood circles as it feels a little—self-serving.

If Carolyn’s intention was to humanize and endear Ashley as a victim, she has perhaps only driven home that Ashley’s role as the “Party Girl” and her behavior contributed in unfair ways to her death. Throughout the trial everyone in Ashley’s life during her last year was questioned extensively about the extent to which Ashley partied. Drugs. Sex. LOTS of sex, and sex work at the Cheetah (made famous by the scandalous Showgirls movie of the 90s).

There should be no cause-and-effect of too high heels or even working in a P&P (pasties and panties) bar as a dancer and one’s victimhood in a perfect world, but this isn’t a perfect world and risk is risk. To call this a proper homage when even the childhood stories refer to near-nude photographs might be an overstatement.

Sex sells, I get it, but the sex in this story is front and center at the expense of what kind of woman Ashley might have been in Carolyn’s absence. Was she kind? Generous? What were her interests? Her goals? Did she want a family one day? What endeared her to those who spoke at her trial, the friends she had made in LA?

I don’t mean to detract from Carolyn’s travel, time, effort and research, or even her grief but this story is written with a measure of reserve, of distance, and I wonder if there isn’t an unexplored facet that is the “real” Ashley (which I don’t factor into my rating because this is an excellent book even if I feel a bit exploitative enjoying it). For this young woman I will never know I am sad that more isn’t made clear about her life other than her being, even in death, The Hot One.


… (lisätietoja)
 
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bfrisch | 2 muuta kirja-arvostelua | Dec 9, 2022 |
This book is written by Ashley Ellerin's childhood friend. Ashley is famous for having briefly dated Ashton Kutcher and for being a victim of serial killer Michael Gargiulo. I was intrigued by what Carolyn had to offer but it wasn't really anything. At first I was intrested in the recounting of her childhood friendship with Ashley. I am around the same age and grew up in the same general location so it was a nostalgic trip for me. Z Cavaricci, I hadn't thought about those pants in years.

After that I lost interest in the story. The friends separated when they were teenagers and after finding out that Ashley had embraced a more wild life style of prostitution and stripping they stopped speaking. Even though they were no longer friends Carolyn decided to attend the trial and write a book about it. It does not seem like genuine caring, more of a cash grab. The recounting of the trial isn't even good. The author is constantly inserting her own opinions and telling the reader what she thinks people motivations are. I saw the 48 hours episode on this case and it was better than this book. Ashley Ellerin was a beautiful girl who seemed to have a lot of people wanting something from her. Even in death she can't get a break from her so called friend.… (lisätietoja)
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arielfl | 2 muuta kirja-arvostelua | Sep 8, 2017 |

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Teokset
2
Jäseniä
71
Suosituimmuussija
#245,552
Arvio (tähdet)
2.8
Kirja-arvosteluja
3
ISBN:t
5
Kielet
1

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