Bear Trap by Alan Edward Nourse

Tom Shandor is a propaganda writer who has spent years polishing lies for a war-weary nation, and he knows exactly how dangerous the truth can be. When Secretary of State David Ingersoll dies under suspicious circumstances, Shandor is ordered to turn the life of a respected peace advocate into a comforting public legend—but Ingersoll's own message names him as the only man who can write the biography honestly. Drawn into a case that could expose a national deception, Shandor finds himself torn between loyalty to the system and a conscience he can no longer ignore. At Ingersoll's estate, he meets the dead man's sharp, distrustful daughter, Ann, whose warnings only deepen his suspicions. As he traces the official record through a relocated Library of Congress, he discovers news stories that read less like reporting than manufactured propaganda, all pointing toward a long-buried conspiracy involving the Public Information Board, newspaper man Frank Mariel, and powerful war profiteers. A violent ambush confirms that someone is determined to keep the truth hidden. Burned, shaken, and more determined than ever, Shandor and Dr. Prex force Mariel to talk, uncovering a web of political manipulation, corporate influence, and a looming push toward war. In this hard-edged science fiction mystery, exposing the truth becomes an act of rebellion. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.