Forgive the overly ironic headline, but it's in Robert Harris's best interest to demure when asked if the protagonist of his upcoming contemporary political novel, THE GHOST, is based on former pal Tony Blair (now shopping his memoirs, albeit in a slow boat way, via Robert Barnett.) "Actually there are also strong dissimilarities (with Blair), it's not a hugely hostile portrait," Harris told the Guardian after publishing sources claimed the likenesses are striking. One friend compares its impact to Joe Klein's novel PRIMARY COLORS.

"I had the idea about a ghost writer and a politician when I finished Enigma 12 years ago. But I couldn't make it work. I thought it would be a good way of writing about Britain and America oddly enough, and the way British prime ministers go and get paid all this money by American publishers," he added. Which is all true, and only when the book is out can readers make the comparisons for themselves...