The Mentor by Sebastian Stuart

I once had a creative writing professor who said every story needs to have two stories within it. I don’t know if Stuart knows Dr. Stern, but this is a writer who has an excellent grasp on the idea. The underlying theme seems to be: What if a person were forced into a desperate situation?

Charles Davis is a literary genius, but his latest book is less than spectacular. His wife, Anne, is a driven entrepreneur who supports her artist husband while pursuing her business deals. When Anne hires mousy Emma Bowles to help Charles put his home office in order, she has no idea what machine she is setting in motion. Emma is quiet, efficient, and maddeningly enigmatic to Charles.

Emma’s agenda is simply to become indispensable. Glimpses into her past reveal a disturbed woman who just wants t olive her simple life. She admires Charles and is inspired by him enough to share her own novel in progress. He is amazed and takes Emma under his wing… and into bed.

Charles looks upon Emma as his muse, but there are dark elements growing between the two. Anne has her own set of problems to contend with and a reader can sympathize with this powerful, classy woman even if he doesn’t necessarily like her.

The second half of the book spirals into focus, with the plot twisting one way, then another. Yet Stuart keeps his creation completely under control while the characters are backed into corner after corner. will leave you wondering if your actions would be much different, given the circumstances.

But where’s the crime? you ask. I don’t want to ruin the book for you, so all I will tell you is, you’ll know it when you see it.

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