In the early years of the twenty-first century, sweeping changes are taking place in the publishing industry and its key players must do everything they can in order to survive.
Litmus, an independent literary publishing firm in the UK, is one of the companies struggling to keep afloat. The onus of ensuring that it remains viable falls upon its publisher, Zachariah Thomas, who also edits its most successful author, Massimo Seppi, whose quartet of novels, featuring angels and archangels, has sold millions of copies worldwide. Unfortunately for Zach and for Litmus, Seppi dies unexpectedly; without its star it appears that Litmus's chances of surviving the economic downturn and the unwanted attentions of a giant corporation that is intent on taking it over are practically non-existent. Unless Zach can mine the Seppi legacy for one last gem that will give the company some breathing room to regroup and chart out a strategy for the future ... As he travels the world on his quest to stave off the disaster that threatens, the reader is given an unforgettable glimpse into the turbulent, exhilarating world of international publishing - a world that has rarely featured in fiction.
About The Author
David Davidar works in publishing. He is the author of The House of Blue Mangoes, which was a New York Times Notable Book, and The Solitude of Emperors, which was short-listed for a regional Commonwealth Writers' Prize.