Qualitative content analysis of 74 novels featuring public relations characters distributed in the United States demonstrates that, rather than attempting to replicate reality, the mystery genre reflects debates about such issues as honesty, confidentiality, and the relative value of negative publicity. PR practitioners fit into all of the conventional mystery character roles, but particularly the role of sleuth, where access to information and powerful people allows them to solve the mystery but also sometimes forces them to choose between the client/employer and the public interest. The study confirms Fitch’s (2015) contention that popular culture representations of public relations are best understood in their narrative and generic context.

对在美国发行的 74 部以公关人物为主角的小说进行的定性内容分析表明，悬疑小说并不是试图复制现实，而是反映了有关诚实、保密和负面宣传的相对价值等问题的辩论。公关从业者适合所有传统的神秘角色，特别是侦探的角色，获得信息和有权势的人使他们能够解开谜团，但有时也迫使他们在客户/雇主和公共利益之间做出选择。该研究证实了 Fitch (2015) 的观点，即公共关系的流行文化表征最好在其叙事和一般背景下被理解。