New Book 'The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe' Promises Shocking Surprises

The New York Times bestselling author J. Randy Taraborrelli stopped by the studio to talk about his new book The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe.

The biography centers on the role of '50s pop icon Marilyn Monroe's mother and her influence on her famous daughter's life. Common lore says Monroe's mother was not present in her life but Taraborrelli shows that her mentally ill mother part of a the complex, behind-these-scenes family dynamic.

"Taraborrelli draws complex and sympathetic portraits of the women so influential in the actress' life, including her mother, her foster mother, and her legal guardian. He also reveals, for the first time, the shocking scope of Marilyn's own mental illness, the identity of Marilyn's father and the half-brother she never knew, and new information about her relationship with the Kennedy's-Bobby, Jack, and Pat Kennedy Lawford," according to Amazon.

Taraborrelli has written more than 15 biographies including Call Her Miss Ross, Sinatra: Behind the Legend, Madonna: An Intimate Biography, Jackie, Ethel, Joan: Women of Camelot and Elizabeth. His current bestseller is Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story.

The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe is available in stores now. For more information, visit www.jrandytaraborrelli.com.