The EDITOR
After years of struggling as a writer in 1990s New York City, James Smale finally gets his big break when his novel sells to an editor at a major publishing house: none other than Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Jackie, or Mrs. Onassis as she’s known in the office, has fallen in love with James’s candidly autobiographical novel, one that exposes his own dysfunctional family. But when the book’s forthcoming publication threatens to unravel already fragile relationships, both within his family and with his partner, James finds that he can’t finish the manuscript.
Jackie and James develop an unexpected friendship, and she pushes him to write an authentic ending, encouraging him to head home to confront the truth about his relationship with his mother. But when a long-held family secret is revealed, he realizes his editor may have had a larger plan that goes beyond the page.
A National Bestseller
An Indie Next Pick
One of NPR’s Best Books of 2019
One of Esquire Magazine’s Best Books of 2019
Cosmopolitan’s Best Books of April
“Told with warmth and humor, Steven Rowley’s charming second novel tells the story of a mother-son reconciliation, facilitated by a most unlikely fairy godmother. The Editor offers a delightful, fictional glimpse of an iconic American family—but it is, at heart, a tribute to every family whose last name isn’t Kennedy.”
“Steven Rowley has hit a home run. What a stunning portrayal of family this is. At equal turns laugh-out-loud funny and searingly poignant, Rowley has created a truly unforgettable story of a son trying to understand his mother. The Editor is one of those exceptional stories that is both a joy to read on every page and also deeply profound. It took my breath away.”
“When you’ve loved an author’s debut, there’s a little bit of breath holding when you are presented with the second. Well, exhale, because Steven Rowley’s The Editor is an absolute triumph! By page three, I announced aloud, ‘I LOVE THIS BOOK.’ And it didn’t stop even after I finished it. Rowley is a master of creating characters you fall in love with, and never want to leave. The Editor is irresistible.”
“The Editor will have you weeping tears of joy when it’s not quietly breaking your heart. It’s a study of mothers and sons, unlikely friendships, and how we go about collecting the scattered pieces of our pasts. It takes guts, humor, and immense talent to write a book like this. Lucky for us, Rowley has plenty of all three.”
“This funny, warm and thought-provoking novel is the next best thing to having Jackie O. around to make us see how the larger-than-life characters in our own histories—our mothers—are as human, fallible, and as prone to heartbreak as us kids. Keep tissues handy. I had to use a bedsheet.”
“Rowley deliberately mines the sentiment of the mother/son bond, but skillfully saves it from sentimentality; this is a winning dissection of family, forgiveness, and fame.”
“The resonance of Rowley’s originality and sensitivity shines on every page. He has written a refreshing, superbly crafted novel of hard-won self-discovery filled with big, well-paced scenes and a pitch-perfect blend of humor and compassion that will charm and fully engage readers.”
“While diving deep into questions of identity, loyalty, and absolution within the bonds of family, Rowley, author of the beloved Lily and the Octopus, soars to satisfying heights in this deeply sensitive depiction of the symbiotic relationships at the heart of every good professional, and personal, partnership.”