Flowering Judas [Paperback]

Elizabeth Palmer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2000

Charmian Sinclair runs her own PR firm and a regular series of married lovers, one for each day of the week. Weekends are spent with Giles Hayward in Sussex. It is a rewarding way of life, but when Giles, the only bachelor in her set, falls in love with a country neighbour, Charmian realizes it can't go on for ever.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

More dispatches from life in London's tonier sets as British writer Palmer (Old Money, 1996, etc.) wittily details treachery between the sheets, in the boardroom, and at the country house, all nicely avenged by a woman of decidedly independent means. The milieu is that resilient English society where titles count, money is discreetly plentiful, and eccentrics are admired for--well, their eccentricity. Charmian Sinclair has arranged her life most agreeably: She has her own PR firm, a different lover for every night except weekends--which belong to Giles in the country. And she dearly loves her half-sister Alexandra. But betrayal is in the air: Brother-in-law Oliver is summarily fired by Spivey, the sleazy CEO of Circumference, a large corporation; and Giles disappears, beguiled by a widow who's moved into the neighborhood. Charmian, who shared the same father, the snob and inveterate rake Austin Sinclair, with Alexandra, decides to help Oliver and Alexandra, who, despite Oliver's generous severance package, worries that he'll never work again. As Charmian inveigles potentially damaging information about Spivey, she meets cool, handsome, recently widowered Toby Gill, CEO of Stellar. The two are attracted, but nothing happens until Charmian begins discarding her lovers, sometimes by choice, sometimes by chance: One drops dead, another bores her. Charmian and Toby will meet again and fall in love, but marriage isn't on until some corporate raiding has been done. Charmian digs up enough dirt to deny Spivey a coveted knighthood, but Circumference is in even bigger trouble--as Toby learns when he makes a takeover bid, promises Oliver a big job, and then finds Circumference's stock is worthless. But happiness is at hand as treachery is punished and trust rewarded. Like a Restoration playwright, Palmer deftly evokes a world where vengeance is sweet, true love unexpected, and the race to the swift. A marvelous modern romp. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Like a Restoration playwright, Palmer deftly evokes a world where vengeance is sweet, true love expected, and the race to the swift. A marvelous modern romp".

-- Kirkus Reviews --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: Mira (July 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 155166593X
• ISBN-13: 978-1551665931
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,213,122 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful serio-comic reading experience, October 13, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Flowering Judas (Hardcover)

Public Relations expert Charmian Sinclair strongly believes that variety is the spice of life. She has a different married lover for each day of her London work week except Friday (that is a travel day). There is Dominic for every Monday; Tuesdays are set up for Gervase; Nigel comes calling every Wednesday; and Thursdays belong to Gerald (up until his collapse). On weekends, she retreats to Sussex to spend time with Giles Hayworth. However, even that lifestyle begins to bore Charmian especially when Giles falls in love with someone else.

Charmian switches paradigms when her brother-in-law Oliver Curtis, is viciously and unfairly fired from his job at Circumference. While her half-sister Alexandra consults Mrs. Hemingway, a clairvoyant, Charmian decides to personally avenge this unfair action comitted by the Circumference CEO Reg Spivey. Using her lovers as unwitting conduits into the banking world, Charmian soon discovers a corrupt, amoral environment that destroys anyone in its way, including a charming heroine.

FLOWERING JUDAS is a brilliantly written satire laughing at contemporary adult fairy tales such as PRETTY WOMAN. Charmian is wonderful character, whose interplay with the rich and famous is refreshing and fun. Elizabeth Palmer scores big time with this comical novel of mis-manners among the English elite.

Harriet Klausner

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful and Compelling, February 13, 2010

By 

J. Stephenson "Julia" (london Great Britain) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Flowering Judas (Hardcover)

Another cracking read from Elizabeth Palmer. Utterly absorbing plots and characters. I am currently working through her back catalogue and enjoying all her novels.