The Fiction Writer - by Jillian Cantor

About the Book

"The once-rising literary star Olivia Fitzgerald is down on her luck. Her most recent novel--a retelling of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca--was a flop, her boyfriend of nine years just dumped her, and she's battling a bad case of writer's block. So when her agent calls her with a high-paying ghostwriting opportunity, Olivia is all too willing to sign the NDA. At first, the write-for-hire job seems too good to be true. All she has to do is interview Henry 'Ash' Asherwood, a reclusive mega billionaire, twice named People's Sexiest Man Alive, who wants her help in writing a book that reveals a shocking secret about his late grandmother and Daphne du Maurier. But when Olivia arrives at his Malibu estate, nothing is as it seems. The more Olivia digs into his grandmother's past, the more questions she has--and before she knows it, she's trapped in a gothic mystery of her own"--

Book Synopsis

"Juicy, suspenseful, and irresistible."- Nina de Gramont, New York Times Bestselling author of The Christie Affair

"Sultry and mesmerizing..." - Katy Hays, New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters

From the USA Today-bestselling author of Beautiful Little Fools, Jillian Cantor's The Fiction Writer follows a writer hired by a handsome billionaire to write about his family history with Daphne du Maurier and finds herself drawn into a tangled web of obsession, marital secrets, and stolen manuscripts.

The once-rising literary star Olivia Fitzgerald is down on her luck. Her most recent novel--a retelling of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca--was a flop, her boyfriend of nine years just dumped her and she's battling a bad case of writer's block. So when her agent calls her with a high-paying ghostwriting opportunity, Olivia is all too willing to sign the NDA.

At first, the write-for-hire job seems too good to be true. All she has to do is interview Henry "Ash" Asherwood, a reclusive mega billionaire, twice named People's Sexiest Man Alive, who wants her help in writing a book that reveals a shocking secret about his late grandmother and Daphne du Maurier. But when Olivia arrives at his Malibu estate, nothing is as it seems. The more Olivia digs into his grandmother's past, the more questions she has--and before she knows it, she's trapped in a gothic mystery of her own.

With as many twists and turns as the California coast, The Fiction Writer is a page-turner that explores the boundaries of creative freedom and whose stories we have the right to tell.

Review Quotes

"Juicy, suspenseful, and irresistible, The Fiction Writer is a thrilling examination of the fine line between telling and retelling, and the impossibility of claiming ownership to any story. Daphne du Maurier herself would stay up late into the night, turning pages to discover all the delicious and surprising twists in this wonderfully inventive novel."
- Nina de Gramont, New York Times Bestselling author of The Christie Affair

"A sultry and mesmerizing novel that transforms the iconic Malibu coastline into the perfect gothic backdrop, The Fiction Writer will have the reader second guessing everything they thought they knew about the fictional Asherwood family as well as the real-life Daphne du Maurier."
- Katy Hays, New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters

"Jillian Cantor's immersive and thought-provoking new novel, The Fiction Writer is no ordinary retelling of Rebbeca. Instead, Cantor delivers a layered, inventive tale that uses the beloved classic to question who owns a story and who gets to tell it. I loved escaping into this atmospheric and suspenseful story. A must-read for readers and writers alike."
- Amy Meyerson, bestselling author of The Bookshop of Yesterdays

"Sexy, sinister and smart. I stayed up all night to finish this addictive novel. It's compulsive and clever, deeply atmospheric and also asks insightful questions about the nature of storytelling and creativity."
- Natasha Solomon, New York Times bestselling author of Fair Rosaline