Vendetta: Lucky's Revenge - Hardcover

Collins, Jackie

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060392096 ISBN 13: 9780060392093

Publisher: HarperCollins, 1997

Synopsis

Lucky Santangelo, the unsinkable heroine of Lady Boss, returns in a tale of sex, glamor, drugs, deceit, and murder, as she once again takes on her long-time rival, Donna Landesman, in a no-holds-barred fight to the finish. 500,000 first printing. $300,000 ad/promo.

About this title

About the Author

Jackie Collins lives in Los Angeles, CA.

Reviews

Straight-from-the-hip dialogue, designer clothing and gangsters are all reliably in place in Collins's fourth novel to feature the Santangelo family, particularly Lucky, who now heads a Hollywood studio. In previous exploits, this multitalented heroine has been married three times, built Vegas hotels, run a shipping empire and killed for revenge (as one character comments, "she's had quite a life"). Along the way, she's made her share of enemies, not least of whom is Donna Landsman?formerly Donatella Bonnatti?who here stages a hostile takeover of Panther Studios, has Santangelo patriarch Gino shot and makes it appear as though Lucky's beloved husband, Lennie Golden, is killed on location in Corsica following a night's indiscretion. Mourning does not become Lucky, however, and all too soon she's involving herself with chauvinistic director Alex Woods (he of the "smile like a crocodile?wide, captivating, and ultimately deadly") even as Lennie is imprisoned in a Sicilian cave. When Lucky learns what she needs to know, however, the novel's subtitle comes into play, brutally. Collins's dialogue strains belief ("Ohmigod! she gasped, clinging to Nona. "Ohmigod! No! No! NOOO!"), and she can express scarcely a sentence, a sentiment or a plot spin without resorting to cliche. As a vision of Hollywood and the mob, this novel is utterly outclassed by Mario Puzo's The Last Don. But its very lack of class and those very cliches make this an easy, nasty read, just the qualities that have previously pushed Collins to the top of the charts and will likely do so again.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Collins is back, and so is the ever-popular Lucky (Lady Boss, 1990, etc.), both operating here, it would seem, on automatic pilot. Lucky Santangelo is due for some trouble, and not just because she's appearing in yet another sequel. Everything's been calm for too long: She's finally the head of Panther Studios, and with two hit movies on her hands and more to come, she's really turning the place around; moreover, her husband, successful actor Lennie Golden, is a true love match, and her three young children are thriving. Then enter Donna Landesman, n‚e Donatella Bonnatti, one of the last surviving members of the Bonnatti family, the longtime archrivals of the Santangelos, who, as Lucky points out more than once, don't like to be ``fucked with.'' First, Lennie has a so- called accidental death in a fiery car crash. Then, Lucky's niece Brigette Stanislopoulos is taken advantage of by a sleazy New York modeling agent and one of his top models. Meanwhile, notoriously difficult director Alex Woods is making his new movie --Gangsters- -at Panther, as well as making some moves on the recently widowed Lucky. Not to mention that Venus Maria, pop singer and would-be actress/sex symbol (and one of Lucky's best friends) is wooing Alex to gain a key role in his film. And (pause for breath) Lennie's not really dead after all, but may just as well be since he's trapped in a cave somewhere in Italy! When Lucky discovers Donna's true identity, and learns that her own supposedly loyal advisor, Morton Sharkey, has helped the Bonnatti family wreak havoc on the Santangelos, she develops a mean case of tunnel vision, vowing not to rest until justice--of the vigilante sort--is done. Seventy-five percent of the fun here lies in guessing what Hollywood hot shots Collins is really dishing (Madonna, Oliver Stone, etc.). Otherwise, it's rather a by-the-numbers if harmless romp. ($300,000 ad/promo; author tour) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Trash may be her stock-in-trade, but Jackie Collins never fails to entertain. Vendetta is the fourth in her Santangelo series, featuring the multigenerational feud between the Bonnattis and the Santangelos. Here Lucky Santangelo, daughter of patriarch Gino, finds herself the head of a once-dying movie company, but through her steadfast, savvy, and uniquely feminine management style, Panther Studios is on the rise. Her next coup is to produce the controversial Alex Woods' new movie, Gangsters, about two mobsters who get involved with the same woman (think Casino). As producer, she is able to help her friend, Venus Maria, secure a key role. Venus is a slutty but talented actress-singer who never fails to shock the public but nevertheless has legions of faithful fans (think Madonna). Mix in a girl-next-door actress, Lucky's faithful husband, a burgeoning model, a stuck-up but lovable lead male, and a score of other colorful characters, and you have a lot of recognizable people doing a lot of mean things to each other when they're not sleeping together. Underneath all the sleaze is Lucky's nemesis, Donnatella Bonnatti, just waiting for the perfect moment to ruin Lucky's life. This is lasciviousness run amok, but if you have even the slightest taste for the tabloids, it's sure fun to read. Mary Frances Wilkens

Jackie's back, and she's got Lucky Santangelo in tow. In their fourth outing together, Lucky finds herself up against nasty Donna Landesman, a rival set on destroying her.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0060392096
• ISBN 13: 9780060392093
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 544