SOLVED. Adult Romantic Suspense. Hero (John) is a writer whose identity/ authorship is stolen, heroine helps get his identity back. He has writer's block working on latest novel - which someone submitted. She works for publishing co. [s]

[Ann]

I think I read this in the late 1990s or early 2000s. I remember the hero was named John (John Smith maybe?). He was working on his latest novel and had writer's block. He learns that someone has completed his novel and submitted it without him knowing. Because he never met his agent or publisher in person and did all his business by correspondence, it was easy for his identity to be stolen. I think the heroine worked for the publishing company and tried to help him. His agent tried to test the identity with a private joke about "the house that Jack built" with Jack being a nickname for John, and the fake author failed the test. Also, the fake author tried to submit his own manuscript, and the agent noticed it was a darker writing style.
I'd like to read it again if possible. Thanks for any suggestions.

[Ann]

Bump

[Kris]

Ann, I added some details to the header/ topic title. Feel free to edit it.

[Ann]

Thank you, Kris!

[Kris]

You're welcome.

[Ann]

Bump.

[Kris]

What type of novel was he working on?

Can you describe some of the suspense elements, especially from early in the book?

Location?

[Ann]

I don't remember what novel he was working on. Maybe one of those detective/thriller types? (I'm really just guessing.) I just remember that his work was popular.

IIRC, his house was destroyed somehow, like a bombing or a fire, so he lost a lot of important documents that would have helped him prove his identity.

Location...I'm pretty sure a city in the U.S.

[Ann]

Bump.

[Audrey]

Maybe “Two Past Midnight: Secret Window, Secret Garden” by Stephen King

[Rosa]

It's not that.

[Ann]

I found it. Passion by Marilyn Pappano. Moving to Solved.

[Ann]

Ann wrote: "I found it. Passion by Marilyn Pappano. Moving to Solved."

I'm trying to move it to Solved, but I'm getting an error message saying "page not found." I'll keep trying.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

That means there are too many characters in the topic header/title. When that happens, edit out a few insignificant words.