Before prospective readers can get to the opening chapter of Chris Womersley’s new novel The Diplomat, they will find themselves assailed with several pages listing past awards received by the author and supplying a range of accolades cut and pasted from reviews of his earlier works.
Such testimonials prime the audience to embrace this latest fiction as one in a long line of remarkable achievements; they also confirm that the book and author has the backing of a powerful publishing machine.
