A haggard Hugh Grant is hauled before a night-court judge in Los Angeles. Heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson, charged with rape, scowls into the camera’s lens. Washington’s cocaine-addicted mayor, Marion Barry, appears astonished at having been caught in a sting. These and scores of other candid police-station portraits undo in an instant the polished PR-mediated images that took years to make.

When the mighty fall, ordinary mortals gather to watch—and there’s plenty to see. It seems that almost every day another celebrity has a run-in with the law. Paris Hilton, Mel Gibson, and Lindsay Lohan are just a few of the many famous names who have been booked for crimes ranging from drunk driving and drug abuse to assault and worse. Mugs lets readers share in the stars’ most arresting moments, showcasing the finest in cop-shop snapshots and detailing the sordid transgressions that gave rise to them. From Larry King to Michael Jackson, Kid Rock to Pee Wee Herman, and Nicole Richie to James Brown, this is the perfect antidote to celebrity worship and a chilling reminder that the bright lights illuminating the world of the rich and famous can also throw its dark side into vivid relief.