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A Bedridden Author, Creepy Phone Calls, And Twists — The Oxygen Book Club August Pick Is Here

In "Dream Girl" by Laura Lippman, a novelist is tormented by someone claiming to be the character in his fictional book.

By Becca van Sambeck

August is upon us, and that means it's time to start planning end-of-summer trips, buying sweaters for fall, and of course, reading a new book with Oxygen Book Club.

Oxygen Book Club highlights books in the true crime sphere each month and features exclusive interviews, guided discussions, and more. August's pick is a little different, though. This time, in honor of the last full month of summer, we're featuring a fiction book that you'll want to spend your whole beach day reading: "Dream Girl" by Laura Lipmann.

Lipmann, the writer behind the Tess Monaghan detective novel series, has crafted a psychological thriller that takes some inspiration from the Stephen King hit "Misery." Gerry Anderson is a novelist who's confined to his bed after a nasty fall, but his convalescence is far from peaceful: He's plagued by phone calls from someone claiming to be "Aubrey," the main character in his bestselling book "Dream Girl." Readers are left deciphering who "Aubrey" is and what she wants — and if she's even real at all.

With shocking twists, plenty of suspense, and emphasis on issues like power, consent, and creation, "Dream Girl" is smart, scary, and hard to put down. Read along with Oxygen Book Club! And keep an eye out for our video interviews with Lippman, as well as guided discussion questions. Happy reading!

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