“A bewitching blend of high-stakes spying mission and summer romance, with a fascinatingly ambiguous central character.”
NO MAJOR SPOILERS
There is something so familiar about reading an author who has been writing for so many years and whose books have never disappointed.
This one is low on legalese as compared to most of his books and the story is quite simple but has his signature twist.
Original manuscripts of the five novels of F Scott Fitzgerald are stolen in a daring heist from the Princeton university library. Bruce Cable is a rare books dealer the FBI are keeping an eye on as a potential buyer. He has a bookshop on Camino Island where he lives with his antiques dealer partner Noelle, selling books, hosting author book signings and consorting with the many writers on the island.
Mercer Mann has very pleasant memories of her summers in Camino Island which she has not visited since her grandmother died. A struggling writer who tasted success at a very young age and has now fizzled out a bit, she is made an offer she cannot refuse, to return to the island and try to pry information from Bruce.
With a lot of wining and dining and literary talk of books and writing styles and the lives of famous authors, the story moves fast towards what you think is the conclusion but of course has some surprises thrown in.
Reviewed by:
Priya Prakash
Added 30th August 2020
