Synopsis
She is the most admired, talked about and photographed woman in the world, but her life is embroiled in trauma, betrayal and make-believe love. As her marriage falls apart and her divorce is mandated by powers she cannot control, she becomes entrapped in a nightmare, held prisoner by her husbands family, the press and unrelenting tradition. A trusted friend introduces the Princess to a master strategist, code named Puppet Master, who offers a beguiling solution that involves intrigue, deception- and a way out. The Princess resists the moral dilemma but, finally, her pain is so great she agrees to the plan on the condition that no one will be hurt. The goal is freedom and a new life in America; the terrible price, the loss of her only happiness- her two sons. The Puppet Master orchestrates the plot, but nothing is as it seems. Unforeseen twists and turns appear, and the Princess is carried along, unaware of the true plan. The plan unfolds across three continents. The paparazzi are fooled, the world is fooled, but then an unexpected love affair creates complications. The Machiavellian manipulations of the Puppet Master keep everyone in the dark until, in the end tragedy strikes in the tunnel and leaves a tarnished victory. Aaron McCallum Becker's intimate knowledge and skillful rendition of events raise as many questions as they answer.
Reviews
Based on the hypothesis that Princess Diana faked her own death, this novel is indeed as tacky as its hype-hungry premise. Written by two authors ("longtime confidantes of the European glitterati," according to the press release) under one pseudonym, the book is hilariously bad. The action begins in 1996, with a despondent and oppressed Diana wondering "Was Charles right?... Did she pamper herself too much?" Characterized as "intuitive," "contemplative" and "almost superhuman," Diana decides to free herself from her evil ex-in-laws and the paparazzi. The route to her new life is plotted by Adam, a ruthless but handsome ex-CIA rogue code-named "The Puppet Master," and Elizabeth, Adam's sister, a proficient organizer who doesn't mind killing people. Adam and Elizabeth are in the business of helping the rich and famous "disappear." For example: "The Shah gained a new identity through Adam's work and lived to the comfortable age of seventy-six." The siblings and their clich?d helpers (pock-marked tough guy Martin and Gerard, the teenage computer hacker) find a double for Diana (the manipulative Jennifer, who's too stupid to foresee her fiery end) and the machinations of the plot crawl toward Diana's climactic death a year later. The authors take all the fun out of what could be campy trash with repetitive monologues from Adam and Elizabeth, endless descriptions of expensive food and wine to show the glamour of high-class crime, and a lackluster ending. Author tour.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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