A Dangerous Fiction - by Barbara Rogan (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"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.

Review Quotes

"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 York Times bestselling author of Outlander and An Echo in the Bone

"Clearly, the most dangerous fictions are the ones we tell ourselves."
--J. A. Jance, New York Times bestselling author of Judgment Call and Edge of Evil

"Required reading: A glamorous New York literary agent has a lot to fear--and not just from reading bad novels. In Rogan's 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 York's finest. In fact, he's 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' similar Original 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 make A Dangerous Fiction one 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 Fiction not 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 fiction--not 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

About the Author