Hidden Agenda

Judith Hayes #1

by Anna Porter

So here's the question: You're about to kill yourself. How vital is it that you get your teeth cleaned? That's the question that keeps bugging Judith Hayes, though admittedly, she keeps returning to it: It's so much easier to deal with than the real question of why her friend George Harris would have killed himself at all. But the cops don't care about the questions. Harris's company was drowning in debt, they point out. And several people saw him jump, right in front of the moving train. It was suicide, they insist, awfully sad, onto the next. There's a devious plot here, and a delicious swirl of romance, but the real joy is Judith--feisty, funny, tough as a bulldog, and everything you want in a mystery-novel heroine. Originally published in 1985.

Genres: Mystery

312 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Anna (Szigethy) Porter began her Canadian publishing career in 1969 at McClelland & Stewart (M&S) as editorial coordinator, under Jack McClelland’s directorship. Porter eventually rose to become VP and editor-in-chief at M&S. She worked with, among others, Margaret Laurence, Matt Cohen, Al Purdy, Irving Layton, Peter C Newman and Margaret Atwood.
Porter started her publishing company, Key Porter Books, in partnership with Key Publishers' Michael de Pencier in 1982. They published, among others, Allan Fotheringham, Jean Chretien, Joe Clark, Margaret Atwood, Peter Lougheed, Fred Bruemmer and Conrad Black.
Anna Porter is an Officer of the Order of Canada and the recipient of the Order of Ontario.
Anna Porter retired from publishing in April 2005. She is the author of, so far, 12 books.

Reviews

[LJ · Rating 1 out of 5]

HIDDEN AGENDA (Ama Sleuth-Judith Hayes/Marsha Hiller, Toronto/NYC/London-Cont) - Poor
Porter, Anna – 1st book
McArthur & Company, 1985, Canadian Paperback – ISBN: 9781552786895

First Sentence: No one likes to think about suicides.

Journalist Judith Hayes met with publisher George Harris in the afternoon regarding an article she was writing on him, and in the evening, he committed suicide by throwing himself in front of a subway train. But was it suicide? The more Judith investigates, the less she thinks so. George had talked to her about an upcoming deal that was going to make his company. In talking to employees of George’s firm, a manuscript worth over a million has disappeared.

At George’s funeral, Jane speaks with a publisher from New York to whom it is believed George sent the manuscript. On his return to New York, he is killed in an apparent mugging. With the help of Judith’s friend, New York publisher Marsha Hiller, they work to find the mysterious manuscript and uncover who is behind the deaths in spite of the threats now directed at them.

It started off well with a great opening sentence. I found myself turning the pages wanting to know what happened, at first. But the further I read into this book, the less I cared.

Other than Marsha, I didn’t much care about any of the characters. Judith might be a classic single mother, but her domineering mother and uncontrolled children weren’t appealing reading fare. Most of the other characters were almost cameo walk-ons, do their bit and go away. There was very little character development. There were a couple characters whose actions were necessary for the plot but were unethical, which bothered me. There were a couple of sexual encounters that weren’t off-putting, but seemed unnecessary.

The plot was interesting in the beginning but spun away into absurd as the book went on. I liked the setting of Toronto, London and New York, all cities to which I’ve been, even if there were a few things off, but I’m willing to allow for creative license. I did have to keep reminding myself the book was written in 1985 in a time of less technology and much easier travel.

The best part of the book was having a bit of an inside look at the publishing industry and how publishers negotiate for manuscripts. I did find that fascinating. However, it wasn’t enough to save the book.

In the end, flat characters and an improbable plot left me shaking my head and happy to be moving on to a different book.

[Monica · Rating 2 out of 5]

https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-...
Eleven o’clock of an April night in Toronto, a man is struck by a subway train and killed. Was it accident, suicide or murder? The witnesses are not clear in their accounts, nobody is sure what happened. The dead man was a publisher of international repute, no stains on his reputation no motive for anyone to kill him or want him dead (except his odious son) but then there is another publisher death equally mysterious. And things start to slide off the rails. At the beginning it is fun and interesting with a lot of dishy stuff about the working of the international book business. Then it sort of slides into a way too complicated morass of international geopolitical icky stuff that becomes less interesting and more difficult to pretend is believable. Interesting character, good settings, but went too far over several lines. She writes well, good characters, but hope her next book is more disciplined.

[Nicholas George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Several things lifted this one above the usual thriller. It is very well-written, for one, mixing action and story superbly; it is unusual in that it takes place in the publishing and literary world rather than the exclusive echelons of international spies and counter-spies; and, most impressive of all, it features two female protagonists, each every bit the equal (if not more so) of their male counterparts in other thrillers. All in all, well-done!

[Timo · Rating 1 out of 5]

En taida kuulua ihan kirjan kohdeyleisöön tai sitten en vain osaa samaistua teini-ikäisten lasten äidin, joka ohimennen tekee uraa ja ratkoo murhia.