The Empty Glass - Hardcover

Baker, J. I.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0399158197 ISBN 13: 9780399158193

Publisher: Blue Rider Pr, 2012

Synopsis

In the early-morning hours of August 5, 1962, Los Angeles County Deputy Coroner Ben Fitzgerald arrives at the home of the most famous movie star in the world, now lying naked on her bed, still clutching the telephone. There, he discovers the starlet's so-called “Book of Secrets”—Marilyn's diary, revealing a doomed relationship with a man she refers to only as “The General.” The deeper Ben reads into the diary—“I hear clicking on the line”—the deeper he finds himself embroiled in a conspiracy far bigger than he can imagine, and becomes the only person who may know the truth about Monroe's life and death. Ben uncovers information that reveals not only a relationship between Marilyn and the Kennedy brothers but information about the Bay of Pigs invasion, the U.S. government's involvement with the Mafia, the attempted assassination of Fidel Castro, the identity of a Soviet CIA mole, and (most significantly) a secret Monroe sex tape. Soon, the paranoid events in The Book of Secrets bleed into Ben's own life, and he finds himself, like Monroe, trapped in a deepening conspiracy. The investigation here is fiction, of course—but the events surrounding the Monroe death (contradictory witness testimony, “dual lividity” on the corpse) are based entirely on fact. Most important, there were the photos taken of the night stand next to Marilyn's bed, where no water glass was found by initial investigators—and when the second set of photos surfaced, more questions: the water service at Marilyn's house had been shut off the night before, so how did she manage to swallow the pills? With deft research and captivating prose, author Baker takes us inside the star's house on the day of her death, inside the coroner's office on the day of the autopsy, and inside long-defunct Los Angeles landmarks like the Ambassador Hotel, Peter Lawford's Pucini restaurant, and the fabled Hall of Justice. Along the way, we cross paths with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Steve McQueen, and mobster Johnny Roselli. The Empty Glass is a heartbreaking, pulse-quickening novel that delves into one of the greatest mysteries of the twentieth century, and weaves a stunning narrative on American celebrity, politics, and power.

About this title

Review:

Praise for THE EMPTY GLASS by J. I. Baker: ""The Empty Glass" comes rampaging out of the gate and keeps on roaring and roistering until the sad, salutary shock of its final pages. After I started, the vivid writing and the presence of the unhappy latter-day Marilyn Monroe kept me reading all the way to the end. I want to tell everyone within the sound of my voice to buy this splendid novel. It's really punchy and really good, and you really should read it." --Peter Straub, award-winning author of "In The Night Room" "J.I. Baker takes a bold run into Cain and DeLillo territory and scores. "The Empty Glass "is chilled and redolent of a good gin martini, leaving you primed to order another." --Barry Gifford, author of "Wild at Heart" "Stylishly written and perfectly paced, "The Empty Glass" is noir fiction re-imagined for the modern era, a novel that is sharp, smart and breathlessly fast-paced, yet somehow manages to convey the slow burn of an old regret. As such, it marks the auspicious debut of a new voice in American suspense." --Thomas H. Cook, Edgar Award-winning author of "Taken" "[In "The Empty Glass"] Baker conjures a suitably paranoid atmosphere and crackling dialogue in this look at the seedy intersection of celebrity, politics, and power." --"Booklist" ""The Empty Glass" is riveting, brilliant, and endlessly fascinating. Writing from a wholly original perspective, J.I. Baker has combined the history and myth surrounding one of the most intriguing deaths of last century and created a shocking, unputdownable thriller. " --Jason Starr, author of "The Craving" "J. I. Baker has spun a gripping and pulse-pounding conspiracy. Smart, perfectly atmospheric, and ultimately heartbreaking, "The Empty Glass" is one not to miss. It will stay with you long after the final page." --Andrew Gross, author of "15 Seconds" and co-author of six #1 NYT bestsellers with James Patterson "[An] imaginative 1960s yarn."--"US Weekly" "Marilyn Monroe is dead...by suicide. So why does all

Praise for THE EMPTY GLASS by J. I. Baker:

""The Empty Glass" comes rampaging out of the gate and keeps on roaring and roistering until the sad, salutary shock of its final pages. After I started, the vivid writing and the presence of the unhappy latter-day Marilyn Monroe kept me reading all the way to the end. I want to tell everyone within the sound of my voice to buy this splendid novel. It's really punchy and really good, and you really should read it."

--Peter Straub, award-winning author of "In The Night Room"

"J.I. Baker takes a bold run into Cain and DeLillo territory and scores. "The Empty Glass "is chilled and redolent of a good gin martini, leaving you primed to order another."

--Barry Gifford, author of "Wild at Heart"

"Stylishly written and perfectly paced, "The Empty Glass" is noir fiction re-imagined for the modern era, a novel that is sharp, smart and breathlessly fast-paced, yet somehow manages to convey the slow burn of an old regret. As such, it marks the auspicious debut of a new voice in American suspense."

--Thomas H. Cook, Edgar Award-winning author of "Taken"

"[In "The Empty Glass"] Baker conjures a suitably paranoid atmosphere and crackling dialogue in this look at the seedy intersection of celebrity, politics, and power."

--"Booklist"

""The Empty Glass" is riveting, brilliant, and endlessly fascinating. Writing from a wholly original perspective, J.I. Baker has combined the history and myth surrounding one of the most intriguing deaths of last century and created a shocking, unputdownable thriller. "

--Jason Starr, author of "The Craving"

"J. I. Baker has spun a gripping and pulse-pounding conspiracy. Smart, perfectly atmospheric, and ultimately heartbreaking, "The Empty Glass" is one not to miss. It will stay with you long after the final page."

--Andrew Gross, author of "15 Seconds" and co-author of six #1 NYT bestsellers with James Patterson

"[An] imaginative 1960s yarn."

--"US Weekly"

"Marilyn Monroe is dead...by suicide. So why does all the evidence suggest that she was murdered? Los Angeles County deputy coroner Ben Fitzgerald's relentless search for answers leads him down a dangerous path away from his sanity--and [he] takes readers along with him....a totally credible imagining of [Monroe's] uncensored speech: breathy, sparingly punctuated and a little bit lost.... but Baker is totally in control, and watching him lead his hero along a precarious tightrope of reason is scary--and totally exhilarating."

--Nathalie Gorman, Oprah.com

"It's LA CONFIDENTIAL meets the Bio channel with a little TMZ thrown in for fun."

--ELLE

"Baker imagines Marilyn Monroe's death through the eyes of the coroner. Mixing fact and theory, this taut thriller explores conspiracies around her as well as the official's own psychological turmoil."

--"InStyle"

"James Ellroy fans will relish Baker's impressive first novel, a dark paranoid thriller ... barbed prose makes a familiar story fresh. Fluent in the noir idiom, Baker maintains the depressing atmospherics throughout."

--"Publishers Weekly, "STARRED review

Praise for THE EMPTY GLASS by J. I. Baker:

The Empty Glass comes rampaging out of the gate and keeps on roaring and roistering until the sad, salutary shock of its final pages. After I started, the vivid writing and the presence of the unhappy latter-day Marilyn Monroe kept me reading all the way to the end. I want to tell everyone within the sound of my voice to buy this splendid novel. It's really punchy and really good, and you really should read it.

Peter Straub, award-winning author of In The Night Room

J.I. Baker takes a bold run into Cain and DeLillo territory and scores. The Empty Glass is chilled and redolent of a good gin martini, leaving you primed to order another.

Barry Gifford, author of Wild at Heart

Stylishly written and perfectly paced, The Empty Glass is noir fiction re-imagined for the modern era, a novel that is sharp, smart and breathlessly fast-paced, yet somehow manages to convey the slow burn of an old regret. As such, it marks the auspicious debut of a new voice in American suspense.

Thomas H. Cook, Edgar Award-winning author of Taken

[In The Empty Glass] Baker conjures a suitably paranoid atmosphere and crackling dialogue in this look at the seedy intersection of celebrity, politics, and power.

Booklist

The Empty Glass is riveting, brilliant, and endlessly fascinating. Writing from a wholly original perspective, J.I. Baker has combined the history and myth surrounding one of the most intriguing deaths of last century and created a shocking, unputdownable thriller.

Jason Starr, author of The Craving

J. I. Baker has spun a gripping and pulse-pounding conspiracy. Smart, perfectly atmospheric, and ultimately heartbreaking, The Empty Glass is one not to miss. It will stay with you long after the final page.

Andrew Gross, author of 15 Seconds and co-author of six #1 NYT bestsellers with James Patterson

[An] imaginative 1960s yarn.

US Weekly

Marilyn Monroe is dead...by suicide. So why does all the evidence suggest that she was murdered? Los Angeles County deputy coroner Ben Fitzgerald s relentless search for answers leads him down a dangerous path away from his sanity and [he] takes readers along with him....a totally credible imagining of [Monroe s] uncensored speech: breathy, sparingly punctuated and a little bit lost.... but Baker is totally in control, and watching him lead his hero along a precarious tightrope of reason is scary and totally exhilarating.

Nathalie Gorman, Oprah.com

It's LA CONFIDENTIAL meets the Bio channel with a little TMZ thrown in for fun.

ELLE

Baker imagines Marilyn Monroe s death through the eyes of the coroner. Mixing fact and theory, this taut thriller explores conspiracies around her as well as the official s own psychological turmoil.

InStyle

James Ellroy fans will relish Baker s impressive first novel, a dark paranoid thriller barbed prose makes a familiar story fresh. Fluent in the noir idiom, Baker maintains the depressing atmospherics throughout.

Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

"

-The Empty Glass comes rampaging out of the gate and keeps on roaring and roistering until the sad, salutary shock of its final pages. After I started, the vivid writing and the presence of the unhappy latter-day Marilyn Monroe kept me reading all the way to the end. I want to tell everyone within the sound of my voice to buy this splendid novel. It's really punchy and really good, and you really should read it.---Peter Straub, award-winning author of In The Night Room
-J.I. Baker takes a bold run into Cain and DeLillo territory and scores. The Empty Glass is chilled and redolent of a good gin martini, leaving you primed to order another.---Barry Gifford, author of Wild at Heart
-Stylishly written and perfectly paced, The Empty Glass is noir fiction re-imagined for the modern era, a novel that is sharp, smart and breathlessly fast-paced, yet somehow manages to convey the slow burn of an old regret. As such, it marks the auspicious debut of a new voice in American suspense.---Thomas H. Cook, Edgar Award-winning author of Taken
-Baker conjures a suitably paranoid atmosphere and crackling dialogue in this look at the seedy intersection of celebrity, politics, and power.---Booklist
-Riveting, brilliant, and endlessly fascinating. Writing from a wholly original perspective, J.I. Baker has combined the history and myth surrounding one of the most intriguing deaths of last century and created a shocking, unputdownable thriller.---Jason Starr, author of The Craving
-A gripping and pulse-pounding conspiracy. Smart, perfectly atmospheric, and ultimately heartbreaking, The Empty Glass is one not to miss. It will stay with you long after the final page.---Andrew Gross, author of 15 Seconds and co-author of six #1 New York Times bestsellers with James Patterson
-[An] imaginative 1960s yarn.---US Weekly
-Marilyn Monroe is dead...by suicide. So why does all the evidence suggest that she was murdered? Los Angeles County deputy coroner Ben Fitzgerald's relentless search for answers leads him down a dangerous path away from his sanity--and [he] takes readers along with him....a totally credible imagining of [Monroe's] uncensored speech: breathy, sparingly punctuated and a little bit lost.... but Baker is totally in control, and watching him lead his hero along a precarious tightrope of reason is scary--and totally exhilarating.---Nathalie Gorman, Oprah.com
-It's LA CONFIDENTIAL meets the Bio channel with a little TMZ thrown in for fun.---ELLE
-Baker imagines Marilyn Monroe's death through the eyes of the coroner. Mixing fact and theory, this taut thriller explores conspiracies around her as well as the official's own psychological turmoil.---InStyle
-James Ellroy fans will relish Baker's impressive first novel, a dark paranoid thriller ... barbed prose makes a familiar story fresh. Fluent in the noir idiom, Baker maintains the depressing atmospherics throughout.---Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

"The Empty Glass comes rampaging out of the gate and keeps on roaring and roistering until the sad, salutary shock of its final pages. After I started, the vivid writing and the presence of the unhappy latter-day Marilyn Monroe kept me reading all the way to the end. I want to tell everyone within the sound of my voice to buy this splendid novel. It's really punchy and really good, and you really should read it."--Peter Straub, award-winning author of In The Night Room

"J.I. Baker takes a bold run into Cain and DeLillo territory and scores. The Empty Glass is chilled and redolent of a good gin martini, leaving you primed to order another."--Barry Gifford, author of Wild at Heart

"Stylishly written and perfectly paced, The Empty Glass is noir fiction re-imagined for the modern era, a novel that is sharp, smart and breathlessly fast-paced, yet somehow manages to convey the slow burn of an old regret. As such, it marks the auspicious debut of a new voice in American suspense."--Thomas H. Cook, Edgar Award-winning author of Taken

"Baker conjures a suitably paranoid atmosphere and crackling dialogue in this look at the seedy intersection of celebrity, politics, and power."--Booklist

"Riveting, brilliant, and endlessly fascinating. Writing from a wholly original perspective, J.I. Baker has combined the history and myth surrounding one of the most intriguing deaths of last century and created a shocking, unputdownable thriller."--Jason Starr, author of The Craving

"A gripping and pulse-pounding conspiracy. Smart, perfectly atmospheric, and ultimately heartbreaking, The Empty Glass is one not to miss. It will stay with you long after the final page."--Andrew Gross, author of 15 Seconds and co-author of six #1 New York Times bestsellers with James Patterson

"[An] imaginative 1960s yarn."--US Weekly

"Marilyn Monroe is dead...by suicide. So why does all the evidence suggest that she was murdered? Los Angeles County deputy coroner Ben Fitzgerald's relentless search for answers leads him down a dangerous path away from his sanity--and [he] takes readers along with him....a totally credible imagining of [Monroe's] uncensored speech: breathy, sparingly punctuated and a little bit lost.... but Baker is totally in control, and watching him lead his hero along a precarious tightrope of reason is scary--and totally exhilarating."--Nathalie Gorman, Oprah.com

"It's LA CONFIDENTIAL meets the Bio channel with a little TMZ thrown in for fun."--ELLE

"Baker imagines Marilyn Monroe's death through the eyes of the coroner. Mixing fact and theory, this taut thriller explores conspiracies around her as well as the official's own psychological turmoil."--InStyle

"James Ellroy fans will relish Baker's impressive first novel, a dark paranoid thriller ... barbed prose makes a familiar story fresh. Fluent in the noir idiom, Baker maintains the depressing atmospherics throughout."--Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

About the Author:

James Ireland Baker is currently the executive editor of Conde Nast Traveler. Prior to that, he was development editor at Time Inc.; executive editor at Real Simple; Deputy Editor (in charge of celebrity coverage) at Glamour; senior editor at Us, and one of the founding editors of Time Out New York. His interviews with Clive Barker, Robert Crais, Michael Connelly, Thomas H. Cook, Jason Starr, Otto Penzler, Erik Larson, Mickey Spillane, David Lynch, David Cronenberg and others have been published in Time Out New York -- along with regular reviews of mystery and suspense books and movies -- since 1995. His journalism has also appeared in People. The Empty Glass is his first novel. Baker lives in Westchester County, New York.

About this edition

• Publisher: Blue Rider Pr
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 0399158197
• ISBN 13: 9780399158193
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 324