Fortunes - Hardcover

Cowie, Vera

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0525245707 ISBN 13: 9780525245704

Publisher: E. P. Dutton, 1987

Synopsis

After Charles Despard's death, his estranged English daughter, Kate, and his French stepdaughter, Dominique, are pitted against each other in a contest for profit and ultimate control of the Despard international auction empire

About this title

Reviews

In opulent settings all over the globe, Cowie (The Rich and the Mighty) spins a glitzy tale of greed, lust for power, and amorous intrigue featuring two stepsisters fighting to control their late father's auction house conglomerate. Dominique du Vivier is tiny in stature, totally gorgeous, utterly ruthless, supremely confident and very smart. Known as the Venus Flytrap because of her "pervasive sexuality," she manages several branches of Despard et Cie as adroitly as she controls her stunningly handsome husband, Blaise Chandler. Her stepsister Kate Mallory is tall, gaunt and plain, with a shock of red hair, but in typical fairytale fashion, she is transformed into a beauty as she rises to the challenge of her father's will. Blaise, the pivotal force between the sisters, is no slouch himself; he heads a multi-billion dollar company also controlled by his grandmother, Agatha Chandler. Part Shoshone, part grand dame, Agatha is one of the more unbelievable characters in this year's commercial fiction, since she speaks like a street urchin. Dominique does not fight fair, stooping to fraud, attempted murder, arson and a scurrilous rumor to sabotage her virtuous sister's career. Cliches abound and the ending is never in doubt, but readers who get their fixes from the troubled lives of glitterati will no doubt enjoy Cowie's frothy blend. 80,000 first printing; $50,000 ad/promo; major ad/promo; Troll Book Club main selection.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Set amid the glamorous showrooms of the world's third largest auction house, Cowie's novel provides all the elements of a modern fairy tale: two stepsisters, one beautiful, yet evil, the other strongly principled and gifted with an inner beauty; a handsome heir, torn by his needs for them both; the empire of Despard et Cie, to be battled for in a winner-take-all competition. The inner workings of the international art and auctioneering scenes are combined with a cast of vibrant and intriguing characters for a riveting tale of love and hate, greed and revenge. A sure hit for those long winter evenings. Judith A. Gifford, Salve Regina Coll. Lib., Newport, R.I.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: E. P. Dutton
• Publication date: 1987
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0525245707
• ISBN 13: 9780525245704
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 538