Yahoo Lifestyle Viola Shipman's “The Page Turner ”Upends Family Secrets and the Publishing World — Read an Excerpt! (Exclusive)
PEOPLE has an exclusive first look at the newest novel from international bestselling author Viola Shipman about a publishing dynasty's family secrets
Viola Shipman
Viola Shipman, The Page Turner by Viola ShipmanFrom USA Today bestselling author Viola Shipman comes a riveting drama inside an elitist publishing family, held together by a long-buried secret.
The Page Turner sees the Page family consumed by the literary world — each in their own way — as its dark, foundational secret runs the risk of exposure. PEOPLE can exclusively reveal an excerpt of the novel, set to be released on April 8 by Graydon House.
The novel follows Emma, the Page family's "black sheep," who's drawn to romance novels over the fine literature that her other family members champion and publish. She escapes to a cottage filled with "fluff" books beloved by her grandmother, looking for inspiration, but instead discovers a secret that could end The Mighty Pages, the family's press.
Torn between a desire to exact revenge and to defend her family's legacy, Emma must now decide whether she'll allow that secret to get out.
Viola Shipman
Wade Rouse aka Viola ShipmanShipman, the pen name of Wade Rouse, draws inspiration from their own family's legacy and close bond with their grandmother. In fact, Viola Shipman was his grandmother’s name. The author chose it as a tribute to “the working poor Ozarks seamstress whose sacrifices changed his family’s life and whose memory inspires his fiction,” according to his official website.
Specializing in novels that explore intergenerational family relationships, Shipman has authored several heartfelt titles, including The Wishing Bridge, A Wish for Winter, and The Secret of Snow.
Viola Shipman
The Page Turner by Viola ShipmanRead an exclusive excerpt of The Page Turner below:
I wonder if my parents’ “dear, dear friends” came to support my father or schmooze my influencer sister for their clients and future books.
Jess grabs a glass of Champagne off the tray of a passing waiter and takes a long sip.
“Is that the new Birkin bag? Where did you find it?” I say, mimicking her tone. “I’m still embarrassed for you. You’re acting like Taylor Swift asked you to be her publicist.”
“Such a grown-up,” Jess says, shaking her head. “You will never understand publishing. And to think you want to be an author. Publishing is like chess. You have to know your next move way before anyone else. But you don’t even know the next chapter of your life, even with that newly minted Michigan degree, do you? Now, please, have some respect.”
I pluck a pretty pink peony from a small glass vase sitting on the black tablecloth and tuck it behind my ear. I actually cut them fresh from GiGi’s gardens and added them to all the bars and tables.
My mother, of course, will have the delicate blooms removed as soon as she sees them.
“My God, are we at high tea on Bridgerton?” she will likely scoff.
When I don’t respond, my sister says, “GiGi’s not here anymore. You can’t love a ghost.”
Jess’s emerald eyes narrow, and I can tell she wants to take it back, but it’s too late.
We’re a family of writers, readers and influencers who can edit a single sentence countless times but has never learned how to edit one damn thing before it leaves their mouths.
“You all should be ashamed for trying to forget her so quickly,” I say. “She’s not even been gone that long.”
My sister opens her mouth to say something when I hear, “The party has arrived!”
I instantly recognize the face. I’ve seen it on the back of countless book covers, including the one I read in college.
“Marcus Flare!” Jess chirps.
They meet in front of the bar. Jess leans in for an air kiss, but Marcus grabs her, places a hand on the small of her back, kisses her cheek for much too long and then whispers something into her ear.
“Champagne, please,” he barks when he pulls away.
“Yes, of course,” Jess smiles awkwardly. “Welcome to Michigan. How was your flight?”
“I didn’t know there were airports here.”
I can’t even with this jackass already.
“Really,” I deadpan. “Are you Kimmy Schmidt? Do you live in a bunker? Don’t have a TV or cell phone? Didn’t realize Michigan is the tenth largest state or has one of the best universities in the world, or even that the state is now one of the preeminent vacation spots in the US?”
“Who do have we here?” he asks, bewildered but amused.
“This is my sister, Emma.” Jess gives me her “Behave!” look.
Marcus reaches in to grab me, but I step back, bumping into the bar.
“We’ve met before,” I say. “Not in person, actually, but in class. I’ve read one of your books.”
“Just one?” he asks. “So you’re not one of my Solar Flares yet?”
“Solar Flare?” I ask.
“One of my devoted fans whose love for my work burns so brightly they scorch the earth to buy my books as soon as they’re released.”
I stare at him, eyes wide. “Are you serious?”
“Really? Are you serious, Kimmy Schmidt? Do you live in a bunker?” He laughs in my face, mocking me. “You didn’t realize I’m the world’s bestselling romance novelist?”
Jess doesn’t even try to hide a smile, payback for my earlier mocking of her.
“Funny,” I say, “you’ve conducted countless interviews where you proudly pronounce that you don’t write romance novels, only ‘love stories.’”
“So you are a Solar Flare,” he says. “Just in the closet.”
His choice of words enrages me as he’s not only been targeted as a homophobe in the past but there are rumors of his sexually harassing women in publishing for years. I want to go there, but I look at my sister glaring at me.
“We studied your work in Women in Literature and Popular Culture. Your books failed The Bechdel Test every single time.”
“The Bechdel Test?” he asks in a bemused tone.
“Yes, it’s a famous cultural litmus test,” I answer. “Yours failed every time because only a single female character was ever featured, and she was completely, utterly dependent on a man.”
The light from the lake glints through the windows and falls across Marcus’s face. He is ruggedly handsome in a manicured, bookish sort of way, like if you merged a character from Yellowstone with one of the Rockefellers. I’m sure he became famous partly because of his good looks. Marcus is marketable.
He takes a step closer to me and stares into my eyes. I can feel my spine bend backward like a willow in the wind.
“The last thing I need is a lecture about my books from a woke lit major in a Forever 21 dress,” he says. “Fifty novels and counting, 100 million books sold worldwide, all New York Times bestsellers. You get to that level, then we can talk.”
The Page Turner Copyright © 2025 by Viola Shipman
The Page Turner is available for pre-order now and out April 8 wherever books are sold.
Read the original article on People
