Review: A Dangerous Fiction by: Barbara Rogan

A Dangerous Fiction: A Mystery by: Barbara Rogan (July 25, 2013)

336 pages

Genre: Mystery

Publisher: Viking

Source: I received a free copy from Shelf Awareness and the publisher for an honest review.

Purchase: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | The Book Depository

Goodreads Summary: A romp of a publishing mystery that introduces Jo Donovan, literary agent-cum-detective, that will delight fans of Janet Evanovich, Lisa Lutz, Alan Bradley, and ABC's Castle.

Jo Donovan always manages to come out on top. From the backwoods of Appalachia, she forged a hard path to life among the literati in New York City. At thirty-five, she’s the widow of the renowned author Hugo Donovan and the owner of one of the best literary agencies in town. Jo is living the life she dreamed of but it’s all about to fall apart.

When a would-be client turns stalker, Jo is more angry than shaken until her clients come under attack. Meanwhile, a biography of Hugo Donovan is in the works and the author’s digging threatens to destroy the foundations of Jo’s carefully constructed life. As the web of suspicion grows wider and her stalker ups the ante, she’s persuaded by her client and friend—FBI profiler-turned-bestselling-thriller writer—to go to the police. There Jo finds herself face-to-face with an old flame: the handsome Tommy Cullen, now NYPD detective.

A Dangerous Fiction marks the welcome return of Barbara Rogan and the start of a terrific new series.

My Review

A Dangerous Fiction is a witty and intense mystery novel for anyone who appreciates a good story. I can say that I have never read a book like this one before, it is definitely unique. I liked it way more than I thought I would and I am more than happy to try and convince you to read it. 

This was an incredibly fun read. The main character, Jo Donovan, is a literary agent and she views everything through that literary lens, making this a delightful read, especially for readers and writers. The reader gets a look inside the publishing industry and how it is for literary agents. Getting that inside look was probably one of my favorite things about this book. Jo is a very strong female, but she also has some flaws, making her more real. I can tell you with absolute certainty that I loved every single character in A Dangerous Fiction. They were all unique and each one added a little something special to the story. I grew attached to all of them. I would give you a run down but there are too many, so instead you should just read the book to find out. Oh and for you animal lovers out there, there is an amazing guard dog in this book that I think you will love. Side note: Jo's late husband reminds me a lot of Hemingway. This book is just full of little quirks. 

A Dangerous Fiction is incredibly more complex than it may seem at first. It’s full of twists and turns and a few omg moments. This book made me feel so many different emotions while reading, one minute I was laughing and the next I was crying. It will play with your emotions and once you hit a certain part of the story you will want to find this horrible stalker more than the main character herself. I had an inkling of who it may be, but I never guessed. It was really intense near the end of the book. I still get goosebumps thinking about it. I promise the bad guy reveal will be worth the read.

I recommend this book to everyone, but especially those of you who are avid readers, writers, or interested in the publishing industry. This was a unique mystery novel with memorable characters. Take a chance on A Dangerous Fiction and be ready for a well written novel that shows us just how much stories play a part in our everyday lives.  

** I received a free copy through Shelf Awareness and the publisher for my honest review. Thanks!