The Great Mann

“The Great Mann is an entertaining and poignant story of love, rivalry, friendship, ambition, and a nuanced exploration of the pursuit of the American dream decades before the civil rights era took hold.”—Jake Tapper, award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author of The Hellfire Club and The Devil May Dance “An affecting portrait of postwar identity and class.”—Alta “[Davis] Lurie’s nuanced and sympathetic characters and stellar writing are nearly as brilliant as in Gatsby. . . . Literary historical fiction that will appeal to a wide audience. [Davis] Lurie is a writer to watch.”—Library Journal, starred review “Davis Lurie has pulled off a masterpiece in this profound and deeply human retelling of a time and place in 1940s Los Angeles where the Black elite explored life, love, art, and identity.”—Julia Heaberlin, internationally bestselling author of Night Will Find You “The Great Mann is wildly original and energetic, crammed with characters who stand out fully formed and memorable on their own. And at the same enthralling time, it exposes us to an overlooked piece of American history.”—Howard Blum, New York Times bestselling author of When the Night Comes Falling, Dark Invasion, and The Last Goodnight “A fresh, exhilarating take on The Great Gatsby, The Great Mann is a pitch-perfect reinvention of a story you thought you already knew. Davis Lurie expertly dissects class, wealth, race, fame, and more, and in doing so, creates a classic of her own.”—Allison Winn Scotch, New York Times bestselling author of The Rewind “Kyra Davis Lurie sprinkles Hollywood fairy dust over a classic tale of careless people and boats beating against the tide. Shining a spotlight on an aspect of African American history few know, much less believe, ever existed.”—Alina Adams, New York Times bestselling author of The Nesting Dolls and Go On Pretending “Davis Lurie’s The Great Mann takes The Great Gatsby and reenvisions it with a shiny new twist. Two thumbs up aren’t enough. Brava!”—Tracy Clark, award-winning author of the Cass Raines and Detective Harriet Foster series “The Great Mann is the perfect companion to The Great Gatsby, wrapping real-life American history in a story that’s as much hopeful as it is heartbreaking—it’s a must-read.”—Kellye Garrett, author of Missing White Woman “Kyra Davis Lurie takes readers on a journey that blends historical facts and fiction so well that you’ll have difficulty deciding what’s real. This is an unforgettable read that will challenge, move, and enlighten you.”—Angela Henry, author of The Perfect Affair “The Great Mann is a power-filled reimaging of Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. This is a poignant novel—of love, mystery, and a microcosm of the changes starting to take hold in mid-century America.”—Deborah Johnson, author of The Secret of Magic “In this rich, bittersweet novel, Kyra Davis Lurie lights up the golden age of Hollywood in full, glorious color. The Great Mann will steal your heart.”—Barbara Bourland, author of Fake Like Me