Lucky Dogs

Inspired by Harvey Weinstein’s horrific treatment of Rose McGowan, Schulman (Come with Me) offers a story of betrayal and sexual abuse that is equal parts literary fiction, spy thriller, noir, and social commentary. TV star Meredith Montgomery is brutally assaulted by a movie producer who had his enablers deliver her to his hotel room, where they left her to her fate. Unmoored by the attack, she continues associating with the producer and stays in the media spotlight while succumbing to the pull of drugs and alcohol. When the producer’s eye falls on another star, Meredith flees to Paris, determined to write a book about her entire ordeal. The plot thickens when the producer hires Bosnian ex-Mossad agent Nina to trick Meredith into giving up the manuscript, in an attempt to lay waste to her reputation. Narrators Saskia Maarleveld and Carlotta Brentan beautifully capture this tragic story, alternating between Meredith’s and Nina’s points of view. Meredith is not always sympathetic, as her behavior and choices are frustratingly immature; even so, the glimpse into her shattered self is powerful.