Jacob Finch Bonner wrote one marginally successful novel and now finds himself floundering while trying to write a second. To pay the bills, he teaches creative writing to fine arts students at a college in Vermont that nobody ever heard of. As he struggles to find something positive to say to most of his students, one in particular stands out. Evan Parker exudes confidence and while his writing is better than most, it's the plot that captures Jake's attention. Time passes and the story is never published. When Jake discovers that Evan Parker died unexpectedly, he realizes that Evan's story is still waiting to be told. So Jake writes the book himself. It's a huge success and Jake finds himself caught up in a whirlwind of book signings and appearances. It's the life he always dreamed of. Until he gets the first email, "You are a thief". There was a lot of early praise for this book and it's mostly deserving. It's original and compelling. You get a little glimpse into the business of writing through the flawed, but well fleshed out, Jake. The ending may or may not completely surprise you, but there's pleasure in getting there.