Editorial Content for Paperback Jack
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Reviewer (text)
Jacob Heppleman has just arrived home after serving in Europe during WWII. Before enlisting, he made a decent living as a writer for pulp magazines. But the publishing landscape has changed. Readers no longer want the short stories that he was pumping out; they now prefer trashy paperback novels.
"Loren D. Estleman’s distinctive writing style includes generally short sentences, paragraphs and chapters, which keeps the narrative flowing. He also sprinkles in plenty of humor, including one-liners, puns and even a bit of what could be considered slapstick."
Not willing to compromise his values, Jacob gets a job writing ordinary articles for a local newspaper. It’s boring work, but at least it pays the bills. Unable to control his creative side, he spends his free time writing a novel and some short stories, though none sell. Just when he’s about to give up, he lands a contract to write racy crime novels for Blue Devil Books under the pen name “Jack Holly.” He needs the money but doesn’t want his real name on the covers of such books.
This gig brings Jacob to the darker, seamier side of life as he endeavors to keep his work authentic, which requires him to mix and mingle with loan sharks, pawn shop owners and other unsavory characters. It's a huge risk but one that he’s willing to take.
As Jacob’s career progresses and he begins to make a name for himself, McCarthyism starts taking hold in Congress. He and other writers, editors and illustrators are called in to testify as to the effect of these tawdry novels on children. This puts his career, not to mention his future, in jeopardy; if the committee deems him culpable, he could land in jail.
PAPERBACK JACK covers a multitude of topics --- veterans returning from wars, freedom of speech, the evolution of the publishing industry and moral values, among others. The book spans several decades, making it a partial primer on the history of the times. As such, readers are provided with a glimpse into how a writer like Jacob might have navigated such a wide range of changes in his world.
Loren D. Estleman’s distinctive writing style includes generally short sentences, paragraphs and chapters, which keeps the narrative flowing. He also sprinkles in plenty of humor, including one-liners, puns and even a bit of what could be considered slapstick. This all makes for an enjoyable read, and the opportunity to delve into his next thriller cannot come soon enough.
Teaser
1946. Fresh from the War in Europe, hack writer Jacob Heppleman discovers a changed world back home. The pulp magazines he used to write for are dying, replaced by a revolutionary new publishing racket: paperback novels. As “Jack Holly,” Jacob finds success as the author of scandalously bestselling crime novels. He prides himself on the authenticity of his work, which means picking the brains of some less than reputable characters. Meanwhile, as Hollywood comes calling, the entire industry also comes under fire from censorious politicians out to tame the paperback jungle in the name of public morality. Targeted by both Congress and the Mob, Jay may end up the victim of his own success --- unless he can write his way to a happier ending.
Promo
1946. Fresh from the War in Europe, hack writer Jacob Heppleman discovers a changed world back home. The pulp magazines he used to write for are dying, replaced by a revolutionary new publishing racket: paperback novels. As “Jack Holly,” Jacob finds success as the author of scandalously bestselling crime novels. He prides himself on the authenticity of his work, which means picking the brains of some less than reputable characters. Meanwhile, as Hollywood comes calling, the entire industry also comes under fire from censorious politicians out to tame the paperback jungle in the name of public morality. Targeted by both Congress and the Mob, Jay may end up the victim of his own success --- unless he can write his way to a happier ending.
About the Book
PAPERBACK JACK is a brand new historical thriller from Grand Master Loren D. Estleman: lurid paperback covers promised sex and danger, but what went on behind the scenes was nearly as spicy as the adventures between the covers.
1946. Fresh from the War in Europe, hack writer Jacob Heppleman discovers a changed world back home. The pulp magazines he used to write for are dying, replaced by a revolutionary new publishing racket: paperback novels, offering cheap excitement for the common man and woman. Although scorned by the critics, the tawdry drugstore novels sell like hotcakes --- or so Jacob is assured by the enterprising head of Blue Devil Books, a pioneer in paperback publishing, known for its two-fisted heroes and underclad cover girls.
As “Jack Holly,” Jacob finds success as the author of scandalously bestselling crime novels. He prides himself on the authenticity of his work, however, which means picking the brains of some less than reputable characters, including an Irish gangster who wants a cut of the profits --- or else. Meanwhile, as Hollywood comes calling, the entire industry also comes under fire from censorious politicians out to tame the paperback jungle in the name of public morality.
Targeted by both Congress and the Mob, Jay may end up the victim of his own success --- unless he can write his way to a happier ending.
Audiobook available, read by Patrick Lawlor
