Thief of Words [Hardcover]

John Jaffe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2003

Some people court with flowers and chocolates. Not Jack DePaul, features editor of theBaltimore Star-News. Divorced, the father of a grown son, and recently burned by a painful affair, Jack meets Annie Hollerman and quickly figures out that the way to her heart is through the power of words. At 26, Annie had it all. Star reporter at a respected North Carolina newspaper, engaged to a hotshot colleague, Annie seemed destined for greatness-until one horrifying mistake changed everything. Twenty years later, Annie is divorced, focused on her career as a literary agent, and wary of romance. Enter Jack DePaul, who comes into her life and literally rewrites her past, chapter by chapter. But there's one horrible chapter Annie refuses to share with anyone. Unless she takes the chance that Jack will love her, bad chapter and all, Annie's story can never have a happy ending.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Based on Jaffe's real-life romance with his wife, this debut novel proves that truth is cuter than fiction-regrettably so. Literary agent Annie Hollerman is in her mid-40s, a refugee from dead-end relationships and a promising newspaper career that ended in minor scandal when she was in her mid-20s. Journalist Jack DePaul, a 50-something Harrison Ford type, yearns for the fiery enthusiasm of his youth. A friend introduces them over e-mail, and after a blind date the two begin a passionate if cautious flirtation. Composed largely of Jack's missives, the book reads almost like his journal, with plenty of immediacy and in-the-moment energy, but little drama. There's a voyeuristic giddiness to the reader's enjoyment of Jack and Annie's letters, e-mails and phone calls, but the story of their affair has all the suspense of a nursery rhyme. At one point a psychic tells Annie she will meet a man surrounded by words. She can't believe it. The reader can. Only one brief moment of conflict threatens the lovers' happiness. At a business meeting, Jack's old girlfriend finds his e-mails to Annie and, in a fit of jealousy, tells Annie that Jack wrote the same e-mails to her. Fortunately, Jack happens to be editing a story about former reporters, and his writer needs to interview Annie. Before the reader has a chance to fret, Annie and Jack forgive each other and are reunited. This novel has the allure of familiarity, but there's little else to recommend it. Foreign rights sold in Germany and Italy.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

When we first meet Annie Hollerman, she's a talented young reporter rising quickly up the ranks. Pressured to meet an impossible deadline, she resorts to plagiarism and is fired. Eighteen years later, 44 and divorced, Annie is running a literary agency in D.C. Her friend Laura, reporter and fervent matchmaker, gives Annie's e-mail address to her 50-ish boss, Jack DePaul. The ensuing relationship is chronicled in their e-mails: clever repartee gradually develops into longer missives in which Jack rewrites Annie's past, creating romantic, highly visual imaginings that Annie loves. "I need to erase that Canada trip," she writes him, "take me someplace exotic." A "thief of words," he transports her on magic-carpet rides to the jungles of Mexico, or the slow train to Bangkok, while she, in turn, makes him laugh again. But, of course, everything is too perfect--the plagiarism incident comes back to haunt Annie, and Jack's jealous ex-lover strives to intervene. Packed with juicy newspaper gossip and literary in-jokes, Jaffe's novel is perfect for savoring on a lazy day. Deborah Donovan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 243 pages
• Publisher: Warner Books (April 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446530808
• ISBN-13: 978-0446530804
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,095,355 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love and Caring Wins Out, June 6, 2003

By 

FictionAddiction.NET - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thief of Words (Hardcover)

Annie Hollerman is a has-been star newspaper reporter banished into oblivion for unknown reasons to the reader as the story opens. Jack DePaul is the features editor at the Baltimore Star-News. Both Jack and Annie are divorced and both are in denial about much of their personal life.

An arranged blind date by a mutual friend of the two, Laura Goodbread, leads the pair into a wonderful and continuing encounter of exploration and mutual respect...leading toward love.

The mystery of Annie's fall from her reporters job hovers in the background, lending an interesting air of mystery during their courtship. As their infatuation deepens, author Jaffe creates a real and caring sense for the characters by the reader.

As readers wend their way through this tale, they will be moved to laugh, cry, hope and believe in the genuineness of Jack and Annie. They will be caught up and immersed in the reality of the settings and events of those two lives.

This is a really wonderful love story that transcends the usual in this genre and becomes compelling and mustn't-put-the-book-down reading. It's a love story that transcends the genre and is involving, moving and believable. Here's a true to life Romeo and Juliet story based on an actual series of events.

The authors state John Jaffe is "a pseudonym for us: John Muncie and Jody Jaffe. We wrote the book together. In fact, our novel, Thief of Words, is based on our meeting and our romance. It's the prequel to our current lives. Now we're married and work together writing books."

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Debut novel has a way with words, October 24, 2003

By 

"wendy0528" (South Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thief of Words (Hardcover)

In 1982, Annie Hollerman had a great job at a North Carolina newspaper and, at 26, showed great promise as a journalist. With fiery red hair, she was not a great beauty but had enough looks and brains to make a difference. Until one horrible mistake changed everything.

Twenty years later, Annie runs a literary agency in Washington DC. Two years divorced, Annie's long-time friend wants to fix her up with Jack DePaul, editor at the Baltimore Star-News. Jack is also divorced and has a grown son. He has a passion for good writing and loves words. "A part of Annie wanted to say yes. But there was always another part, a bigger part, that warned her to steer clear of her past and anyone who might pry it open." Stay away from journalists.

Reluctantly, Annie and Jack have a blind date, which goes so well it surprises them both. Between dates, Jack woos Annie with eloquent and romantic e-mails, creating a new and imaginary history between them. But when the past and present collide, where will it leave Annie and Jack?

What captivated me most was timing. Coincidentally, I stumbled across this book as I was getting to know someone new in my life. I could easily relate to the first date butterflies, flirtatious e-mails and first kiss anticipation.

Witty romance written by a man? Well, almost. John Jaffe is actually a pseudonym for the husband and wife writing team of John Muncie and Jody Jaffe. This is their first book, which is also based on their meeting and romance. "It's the prequel to our current lives." A very good story that includes wit, romance, friendship and honesty. Just good writing from a new and welcome talent.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great page turner with no empty calories, April 30, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Thief of Words (Hardcover)

This elegantly written page-turner is a must-read for anyone over 40 or others who wish to understand them. It is pure pleasure to read. The book lingers in your mind long after you finish. Great fun but far deeper than it first appears.