A Dangerous Fiction: A Mystery

(Paperback)

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Description

A romp of a publishing mystery that introduces readers to Jo Donovan, literary agent-cum-detective When a glamorous literary agent falls prey to a violent stalker, she discovers that the publishing biz can really be murder, for fans of The Spellman Files and Maisie Dobbs "Suspenseful . . . Barbara Rogan cleverly explores . . . our capacity for self-deception and weaves it into an absorbing mystery that keeps its secret until the very end." -NPR Jo Donovan always manages to come out on top. Originally from the backwoods of Appalachia, she forged a hard path to elegant lunches and parties among New York City's literati. At thirty-five, she's the widow of the renowned novelist (and notorious playboy) Hugo Donovan, the owner of one of the best literary agencies in town, and is one of the most sought-after agents in the business. But all this is about to fall apart, as a would-be client turns stalker, a hack shops around a proposal for an unauthorized tell-all biography of Hugo, and a handsome old flame shows up without warning. Both a seasoned author and a former literary agent herself, Barbara Rogan knows the publishing world from all angles. Fans of Lisa Lutz and Jaqueline Winspear will adore Jo Donovan and Rogan's wickedly sharp tale that skewers the dangerous fictions we read-and the dangerous fictions we tell ourselves.

Reviews

Praise forA Dangerous Fictionby Barbara Rogan:

A terrific read! A thriller with a psychological heart of mystery, a double-ended love story, and a fascinating look at the world of high-stakes publishing.
Diana Gabaldon,New YorkTimesbestselling author ofOutlanderandAn Echo in the Bone

Clearly, the most dangerous fictions are the ones we tell ourselves.
J. A. Jance,New York Timesbestselling author ofJudgment CallandEdge of Evil

Requiredreading: A glamorous New York literary agent has a lot to fearand not just from reading bad novels. In Rogans thriller, uber-agent Jo Donovan finds members of her uptown inner circle brutally murdered shortly after she rejects a manuscript. But things may get worse: She is certain the detective sent by the NYPD is not New Yorks finest. In fact, hes her ex-boyfriend. You might want to lock your door.
New York Post

Rogan gives readers a lot of insider publishing tidbits and provides a very likeable and believable protagonist in Jo.
Cleveland Plain Dealer

Fast-paced and witty, full of deftly drawn characters, Rogan's literary mystery introduces a tough but compassionate heroine and an entertaining new series.
Shelf Awareness

This literary mystery . . . [is] a perfect beach read.
Library Journal

Boasting an exciting pace, well-constructed scenes, and inside information about the publishing word, this engaging mystery will attract readers of P. D. James similarOriginal Sin(1995), an Adam Dalgliesh crime story set in the London publishing world.
Booklist

Rogan does a masterful job of juggling the mounting suspense with a full-bodied portrait of New York literary life . . . The fresh setting, the tricky plot, and the strong characterizations makeA Dangerous Fictionone of the outstanding mysteries of 2013.
CT News

A clever mystery . . . [with] an appealing, empathetic narrator.
Publishers Weekly

The tension is inescapable as the novel races to its dramatic conclusion.
Book Reporter

A Dangerous Fictionnot only has a suspenseful plot, but a cast of colorful, carefully drawn secondary players who advance the theme that we all may be living a dangerous fictionnot really knowing others, not really knowing ourselves. . . . Barbara Rogan cleverly explores . . . our capacity for self-deception and weaves it into an absorbing mystery that keeps its secret until the very end.
NPR

Author Bio

Barbara Roganbegan her publishing career with Fawcett Books and later founded a literary agency in Israel. The author of eight novels and coauthor of two books of nonfiction, she lives on Long Island in New York.