The Patterer

Blood and Lust Make the World Go Round

What would it look like if a smart-aleck news guy invented the TV newscast 200 years before the invention of TV? That’s what our hero Leeds Merriweather has done in 1765 London.

Leeds is scratching out a living as a common street performer, a patterer, using his wit and storytelling skills to draw crowds on the streets of London by telling the news of the day in order to sell newspapers and all manner of literature.

Inspired by a chance, drunken encounter with Benjamin Franklin, Leeds invents the daily “news performance,” and assembles a zany cast of characters to help him pull it off. The story follows Leeds’ hilarious rise to celebrity status as history’s first newscaster and his humiliating fall from grace when he risks it all for an affair with a conniving wench.

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Reviews:

“A fine historical novel and a witty, effervescent satire of media saturation.”

— Kirkus Reviews

“An entertaining roast of ‘News Performance’ in eighteenth century London, this novel paints a vivid cultural mélange of celebrity, misfortune, comedy and moral bankruptcy.”

— ForeWord Reviews

“From the very first page you are scandalized, embarrassed, laughing out loud, and (dare I say) intrigued. If you don't enjoy this book, well…you must have the sense of humor of a teaspoon because this book was EPIC.”

— Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews

Larry Brill 

The only author in America who has won an award for writing the worst opening sentence to a novel and a second award for writing the best romantic comedy of 2019. From worst to first, it’s all funny, feel-good fiction.

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