George Harrar

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“A graceful and subtle writer, Harrar invites us to identify with the philosopher’s struggles to maintain his mental equilibrium, even as the novel dangles the possibility that the mind might not always be in control of the body’s behaviors.”

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The New York Times

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“[Harrar] succeeds wonderfully in creating two worlds for us: reality as Birch sees it, and the one we cobble together from the people with whom the professor interacts.”

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The Boston Globe

“A suspenseful, did-he-or-didn’t-he plot and an unblinking look at the tensions of family life… an interesting, offbeat read.”

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Washington Post Book World

“A first-rate thriller that offers gut-wrenching suspense, ironic humor and a devious, cerebral suspect, with a stunning finale to boot.”

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Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“A harrowing psychological thriller from Harrar (Parents Wanted, 2001, etc.) about a mild-mannered philosophy professor who falls under suspicion of kidnapping…. A splendid exercise in suspense and terror: keeps you guessing right to the end.”

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Kirkus Reviews


The Spinning Man

Mild-mannered philosophy professor Evan Birch spends his days teaching college students to seek truth. Then, one afternoon, he’s pulled over by the police, handcuffed, and questioned about the disappearance of a local high school cheerleader. When the missing girl’s lipstick turns up in his car, the evidence against him begins to build. Even his wife and sons are having their doubts. And as the investigating officer engages him in a decidedly non-Socratic dialogue, Evan Birch begins to understand that truth may be elusive indeed — but sometimes you have to pick a story and stick with it…

From prize-winning author George Harrar, “The Spinning Man” offers riveting, whip-smart suspense in a tale in which every word matters-and questions of guilt and innocence are suddenly much more than academic.

Now adapted into a major motion picture titled Spinning Man, starring Guy Pearce, Minnie Driver, Pierce Brosnan and Odeya Rush.

Available or coming soon: the novel published in French, Spanish, Polish, Italian and German.

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