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The Other Typist
- GenresHistorical Fiction
Hardcover
Published January 1, 2013
About the author
Suzanne Rindell
10 books934 followersUpcoming novel:
BASED ON A LOVE STORY
***March 30, 2027!!!***
From the author of Summer Fridays, a swoony second chance love story following a struggling author whose fresh start in a new city is interrupted when she's forced to reunite with the ex who inspired her bestselling novel.
Jonah Kelly's debut novel is a bestselling love story. The problem is, she might have been thinking about someone from her past and the time they crossed paths while backpacking in Europe when she wrote it...
Now, Jonah's in a rut—living in New York but avoiding all the publishing parties (really avoiding someone at those parties…) and feeling uninspired to write her next book. When her best friend Kenny invites her to move to San Francisco for a fresh start, Jonah decides to take him up on his offer. At first, it seems like Jonah's new chapter is taking nicely: a new city, a new love interest, words finally filling the page, and her best friend at her side. But when a big-time magazine wants to do a feature on her, Jonah's history comes crashing onto her doorstep. The reporter they send to interview her is none other than Jake, a ghost from her past.
As part of the interview, Jonah must spend three days visiting the most romantic spots in San Francisco, being flooded by memories of a long-ago summer. Adding to the tension is the fact that Jake clearly suspects he is the inspiration for her great love story, and he's on a mission to get Jonah to admit it. She's tempted to let her guard down and admit her love—past and present. But what's at stake?
-------------------
Suzanne Rindell is the author of five previous novels: The Other Typist, which has been translated into 20 languages, Three-Martini Lunch, Eagle & Crane, The Two Mrs. Carlyles, and Summer Fridays.
As a reader, I sporadically but passionately/sincerely use Goodreads, NetGalley, and Instagram to talk about books I'd like to recommend to others. :)
BASED ON A LOVE STORY
***March 30, 2027!!!***
From the author of Summer Fridays, a swoony second chance love story following a struggling author whose fresh start in a new city is interrupted when she's forced to reunite with the ex who inspired her bestselling novel.
Jonah Kelly's debut novel is a bestselling love story. The problem is, she might have been thinking about someone from her past and the time they crossed paths while backpacking in Europe when she wrote it...
Now, Jonah's in a rut—living in New York but avoiding all the publishing parties (really avoiding someone at those parties…) and feeling uninspired to write her next book. When her best friend Kenny invites her to move to San Francisco for a fresh start, Jonah decides to take him up on his offer. At first, it seems like Jonah's new chapter is taking nicely: a new city, a new love interest, words finally filling the page, and her best friend at her side. But when a big-time magazine wants to do a feature on her, Jonah's history comes crashing onto her doorstep. The reporter they send to interview her is none other than Jake, a ghost from her past.
As part of the interview, Jonah must spend three days visiting the most romantic spots in San Francisco, being flooded by memories of a long-ago summer. Adding to the tension is the fact that Jake clearly suspects he is the inspiration for her great love story, and he's on a mission to get Jonah to admit it. She's tempted to let her guard down and admit her love—past and present. But what's at stake?
-------------------
Suzanne Rindell is the author of five previous novels: The Other Typist, which has been translated into 20 languages, Three-Martini Lunch, Eagle & Crane, The Two Mrs. Carlyles, and Summer Fridays.
As a reader, I sporadically but passionately/sincerely use Goodreads, NetGalley, and Instagram to talk about books I'd like to recommend to others. :)
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 13, 2026
1.5 ⭐️ First ever audiobook, probably not for me. Weird writing, glad that’s over.
December 6, 2025
What did I just read? I’m not sure I understood the ending. I liked it, but I didn’t like it. I’m confused. 3.5⭐️
August 21, 2025
This was dense, slow, and pretty meandering at times. It took me some time to settle into the writing style, but once it got going it was fascinating (if sometimes confusing). Good choice if you like character studies with a psychological slant and unreliable women in historical settings. It reminded me a little of The Pretty Ones by Ania Ahlborn.
Energy: Furtive. Judgemental. Duplicitous.
🐕 Howls: Took me awhile to get used to the narrative style, because the MC is speaking to us from the future and at first it felt scattered with lots of tangents, info-dumping, and a juvenile tone. Did I miss something with that ending? I have no idea what was really happening.
🐩 Tail Wags: The hints of something darker lurking beneath the MC’s interpretation of events. The unreliable narrator energy. Once the story progresses, rambling tangents are used to shift scenes or introduce new layers.
Scene: 🇺🇸 Manhattan, NYC, USA
Perspective: Our MC works for the NYPD transcribing police interviews. Moral and an upstanding citizen, she takes her responsibilities very seriously…so how did she end up in the situation she’s in?
Timeline: Linear. 1924-1925. Late autumn.
Narrative: Confidant, being told a story, in-the-dark (first person)
Fuel: Hints of unreliable narrator. Foggy happenings. Exploring what led up to an incident. What happened with the new typist? What is our MC capable of? What is the new typist capable of? What was the ‘incident’?
Cred: Plausible
Mood Reading Match-Up:
Typewriter. Cigars and leather. Brooch. Klaxon horns. Bedtime toddies. Phonograph. Fermented juniper.
• Conversational, pretentious, simplistic writing style
• Self righteous, judgemental, unreliable characters
• Slow burn, stream-of-consciousness storytelling
• “Guilty or innocent” ambiguity
• Possessive, sapphic-coded workplace friendship
• Admiration or obsession
• Betrayal, hypocrisy, and blurred morality
• Psychological historical drama with popcorn thriller undertones
• Fixation, justification, self-delusion
• Prohibition-era secrets, cons, and shifting powers
Content Heads-Up: Abandoned by parents (at orphanage; recall). Alcoholism. Forced gender roles. Loss of spouse (mention). Nicotine (cigarettes, cigars). Potential false accusation. Toxic masculinity.
Rep: American. Cis. Hetero. Pale, tanned, freckled, and scarlet skin tones.
📚 Format: Kobo
My musings 💖 powered by puppy snuggles 🐶
Energy: Furtive. Judgemental. Duplicitous.
🐕 Howls: Took me awhile to get used to the narrative style, because the MC is speaking to us from the future and at first it felt scattered with lots of tangents, info-dumping, and a juvenile tone. Did I miss something with that ending? I have no idea what was really happening.
🐩 Tail Wags: The hints of something darker lurking beneath the MC’s interpretation of events. The unreliable narrator energy. Once the story progresses, rambling tangents are used to shift scenes or introduce new layers.
Scene: 🇺🇸 Manhattan, NYC, USA
Perspective: Our MC works for the NYPD transcribing police interviews. Moral and an upstanding citizen, she takes her responsibilities very seriously…so how did she end up in the situation she’s in?
Timeline: Linear. 1924-1925. Late autumn.
Narrative: Confidant, being told a story, in-the-dark (first person)
Fuel: Hints of unreliable narrator. Foggy happenings. Exploring what led up to an incident. What happened with the new typist? What is our MC capable of? What is the new typist capable of? What was the ‘incident’?
Cred: Plausible
Mood Reading Match-Up:
Typewriter. Cigars and leather. Brooch. Klaxon horns. Bedtime toddies. Phonograph. Fermented juniper.
• Conversational, pretentious, simplistic writing style
• Self righteous, judgemental, unreliable characters
• Slow burn, stream-of-consciousness storytelling
• “Guilty or innocent” ambiguity
• Possessive, sapphic-coded workplace friendship
• Admiration or obsession
• Betrayal, hypocrisy, and blurred morality
• Psychological historical drama with popcorn thriller undertones
• Fixation, justification, self-delusion
• Prohibition-era secrets, cons, and shifting powers
Content Heads-Up: Abandoned by parents (at orphanage; recall). Alcoholism. Forced gender roles. Loss of spouse (mention). Nicotine (cigarettes, cigars). Potential false accusation. Toxic masculinity.
Rep: American. Cis. Hetero. Pale, tanned, freckled, and scarlet skin tones.
📚 Format: Kobo
My musings 💖 powered by puppy snuggles 🐶
February 17, 2026
Really enjoyed this :)
It's interesting in that the plot isn't a conventional characters-pursuing-a-goal-and-getting-set-back. There wasn't a specific progression you could pinpoint but it was still the sort of thing where you can't stop reading in the same way as you can't look away from a train wreck; it had this sense that everything was moving uncontrollably towards some inevitable crash. (which, incidentally, it was.)
Had a really interesting take on the evolution of femininity around the 1920s as well as gaslighting both in personal relationships and in the medical field.
It's interesting in that the plot isn't a conventional characters-pursuing-a-goal-and-getting-set-back. There wasn't a specific progression you could pinpoint but it was still the sort of thing where you can't stop reading in the same way as you can't look away from a train wreck; it had this sense that everything was moving uncontrollably towards some inevitable crash. (which, incidentally, it was.)
Had a really interesting take on the evolution of femininity around the 1920s as well as gaslighting both in personal relationships and in the medical field.
November 30, 2024
The lengths Rose went through to protect Odalie….. ugh. That feeling of intoxication being around a girl who sees something in you and makes you feel special… what a thrill. I’m still left wondering whether what Rose felt for Odalie was infatuation because she was in love with her or fierce camaraderie because she’d been seeking a friend for so long.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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August 25, 2025Loved it, very captivating and I liked the sense of humor
March 25, 2025
The narrator was super difficult to feel connected to, but I suspect that's due to her character origin. The storyline was interesting but I felt duped along the way with teasing mentions of "the incident" (the first time it was even mentioned wasn't until page 120). It could have been a faster read, I don't feel like the time spent on character development necessarily paid off.
September 14, 2024
This is the first book that I read and was like “wow, I need to read more”. It was the tipping point from “I read occasionally” to “I read 3 books this weekend”. It was THE book. I’ll forever love this book, and I keep two always. One to loan and then my copy.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews