What Happened to Anabel Taylor

By: Jennifer Shay Carta

Narrated by: Grace Noble

She forgot everything to survive, but the world saw it all - and now, someone wants her to remember.

Anabel thought she was better, healed.

She didn't need to remember because she was good.

She was the celebrated wonder on the big screen, a doting wife and a loving mother.

She was the one everyone wanted to be.

She would never jeopardize that. Ever.

But a leaked video has now shattered her image, branding her unstable and dangerous.

It can't be true. She didn't do those things.

Someone must have doctored it.

But the headlines, the footage—no one can escape the truth it exposes: someone is trying to destroy her.

And it’s working.

As fragments of her past resurface, Anabel must confront the darkest moment of her life—and the people she once trusted. Healing comes with a price. And not everyone wants to see her rise again.

Told in sharp, emotionally layered chapters that span then and now, What Happened to Anabel Taylor is a haunting psychological drama about memory, mental health, and the cost of visibility.

For listeners of Celeste Ng, Lisa Jewell , Jessica Knoll and Taylor Jenkins Reid.

©2025 Jennifer Shay Carta (P)2025 Jennifer Shay Carta

Thoroughly Entertaining

The beautifully layered story is just the kind of book I love to listen to while exercising or cleaning my house. It kept me engaged and entertained, and the VO perfect. It reminded me of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo — full of old Hollywood glamour, steamy love scenes, secrets, and scandal.
I was completely swept up in Anabel’s world.

Inside perspective

The author does a great job of describing the challenges of being an actress and public figure in current society. Her heroine, as flawed as she is, is relatable in that women often find themselves unable to navigate midlife crises because of shame and fear of being judged. Anabel loses her purpose because she was forced into believing her purpose was only one thing. When in reality women should have permission to reinvent themselves as many times as needed to fulfill their own self worth.

Phenomenal,

I absolutely loved this book and was hooked the whole time. It’s filled with trauma, mental health and trying to find yourself and is just brilliant. Anabel is trying to heal from her past and have a normal life but a leaked video of her brings back so many memories. She is a pretty famous actress who has hit the spotlight in many series and movies. She decided to take a year off so her husband can pursue his dream. In that time, she seemed to lose herself. She made a promise long ago that she would do better with her life.

Scandals, mental health, and so many twists

I just finished What Happened to Anabel Taylor and couldn’t put it down. It’s about a former actress caught in a wild scandal she doesn’t even remember, and things just spiral from there. The mix of Hollywood drama, mental health struggles, and twists kept me hooked the whole way through. Anabel is a total mess and I loved trying to figure out what really happened right along with her. Super entertaining and a little dark—definitely recommend if you’re into twisty stories with a lot of emotion.

Great listen! An Indie Gem of A Book! Loved it!!!

What a hidden gem of a book! And the narration by Grace Noble is SO good!! The way Jennifer starts this out makes you want to turn the page and the next and the next - held me from the get-go - didn’t want it to end! Oh! And the ending?!?! Never saw that coming - this is such a fun, twisty ride that showcased Hollywood, a scandal, a mental health crisis and a love story - so many beautiful parts, so many relatable moments with these characters! Each one draws you in - loved Anabel and the mess she made - hats off to Jennifer Shay Carta! Very well done! Give it a listen! It’s really good!