The Editor by Steven Rowley

The Editor

This cover is pretty insightful if you look carefully. What a great new novel from the bestselling author of LILY AND THE OCTOPUS.

A review copy of THE EDITOR was thrust into my greedy hands in September at SIBA ( Southern Independent Book Association) by one of our publishing reps.  She knows what I like. I can’t thank you enough Virginia!

Who is James Smale?  James is a young gay writer living in New York City hoping to catch a break for his first novel. Boy does he get it!  This manuscript has caught the eye of none other than Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Jackie quickly sees that James’s novel has autobiographical roots.  Its  story of complication between a mother and son is surely based on James’s  actual life. But there is something lacking and it needs a good ending. At first James is intimidated by working so closely with Mrs. Onassis as she is known in the office.  But they become close when Jackie invites James to her home on Martha’s Vineyard where they work diligently on the novel.  She has some advice for James. Advice he is not keen to take. And once he does, shocking secrets erupt at the dinner table during a family visit at Thanksgiving. Life will forever be changed for everyone in the family.

Written in the early 90’s, this novel is not only a testament to mother/son relationships, it’s a glimpse into that small timeline when Jackie was working in publishing; the happiest time of her life.  Rowley has so nailed her voice that it resonated in my mind while reading. Brought back so many memories.  So much important history. Made me want to read  books about Jackie’s life in publishing.

I’m putting THE EDITOR in the hands of my book clubs. Good book for discussion.

Thanks so much Putnam. I totally enjoyed this novel and look forward to more novels by Rowley. I received this review copy in exchange for an honest review. You can certainly tell I loved it!