French Silk [Paperback]

Sandra Brown (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2000

Like the city of New Orleans itself, Claire Laurent is a vibrant beauty laced with a mysterious elusiveness. The founder of French Silk, a fabulous lingerie company, she has fought hard to make it a worldwide success. Then a TV evangelist attacks French Silk's erotic sleepwear as sinful. And when he is killed, Claire becomes the prime suspect.District Attorney Robert Cassidy knows Claire is damning herself with lie after lie about the murder, even as he feels her drawing him into her world and her very soul. But neither Cassidy nor her protests of innocence can save Claire unless she reveals a shocking truth -- one she has sworn to take to the grave...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set in atmospheric New Orleans, Brown's ( Breath of Scandal ; Mirror Image ) latest highly entertaining novel again demonstrates her mastery of the romantic suspense genre. When evangelist Jackson Wilde is murdered in his hotel room, handsome, driven district attorney Robert Cassidy has a long list of suspects. At the top of it are Wilde's young wife, Ariel, and his son, Josh, who have been having an affair. But soon the main suspect is Claire Laurent, the owner of the lingerie company French Silk, whose sexy catalogue Wilde targeted in his campaign against pornography. Claire had a motive; she had collected and then hidden an extensive file of clippings on Wilde and she had attended his service the night he died. Cassidy has one problem with fingering her as the villain: he is falling in love with her. Claire, who battles childhood memories of life with her mentally unstable mother, protects herself by building emotional walls to keep him out. Other characters, including Claire's best friend and business partner, Yasmine, guard their own secrets, which may or may not be related to the murder. Despite occasionally stilted and didactic dialogue, the novel is adroitly plotted and sleekly paced, and has just the right mix of menace and sex to keep pages turning. 150,000 first printing; Doubleday Book Club main selection; Literary Guild alternate; author tour.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

Televangelist Jackson Wilde targets the catalog of Claire Laurent's mail-order lingerie business, French Silk, as part of his anti-pornography campaign. When Wilde's body is discovered in a New Orleans hotel room, Laurent becomes the number-one suspect in a murder investigation that also involves her mentally distracted mother; her partner, the beautiful model Yasmine; Wilde's wife and son, both working members of his ministry; and a local senator with a shady private life. Sparks fly between Laurent and assistant district attorney Cassidy as the inquiry heats up along with the weather. The lies she tells to impede his investigation, though prompted by an honorable motive, sometimes make her appear less than noble. But this fast-paced story will keep readers guessing until the final pages. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 1/92.
- Marilyn Jordan, Keiser Coll. Lib., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (July 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446677442
• ISBN-13: 978-0446677448
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 1.4 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #348,912 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sandra Brown is the author of sixty New York Times bestsellers, including RAINWATER (2010), TOUGH CUSTOMER (2010), SMASH CUT (2009), SMOKE SCREEN (2008), PLAY DIRTY (2007), RICOCHET (2006), CHILL FACTOR (2005), WHITE HOT (2004), HELLO, DARKNESS (2003), THE CRUSH (2002), ENVY (2001), THE SWITCH (2000), THE ALIBI (1999), UNSPEAKABLE (1998) and FAT TUESDAY (1997), all of which have jumped onto the Times bestseller list in the number one to five spot.

Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into thirty-three languages.

A lifelong Texan, Sandra Brown was born in Waco, grew up in Fort Worth and attended Texas Christian University, majoring in English. Before embarking on her writing career, she worked as a model at the Dallas Apparel Mart, and in television, including weathercasting for WFAA-TV in Dallas, and feature reporting on the nationally syndicated program "PM Magazine."

She is much in demand as a speaker and guest television hostess. Her episode on truTV's "Murder by the Book" premiered the series in 2008 and she was one of the launch authors for Investigation Discovery's new series, "Hardcover Mysteries."

In 2009 Brown detoured from her thrillers to write Rainwater, a much acclaimed, powerfully moving story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.

Brown recently was given an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University. She was named Thriller Master for 2008, the top award given by the International Thriller Writer's Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of America's Lifetime Achievement Award.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SANDRA... AT HER BEST !, September 2, 1998

By 

MaryannJr "MaryannJr" (PHILADELPHIA, PA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: French Silk (Mass Market Paperback)

After recently re-reading this book, I felt the need to urge others to read it too. If you like a mystery that keeps you guessing, a love story that sizzles, a leading lady who is as smart as she is sexy, and a hero who defines the meaning of the word - then this is the novel for you. Claire and Cassidy leads a cast of well-crafted characters, that will keep you eager to turn the page and find out what comes next. Unfortunately for us readers,(as with all Sandra Brown's books) the endings come way to quickly, and you have to shift your imagination into overdrive to keep the story going in your mind past the final chapter. "FRENCH SILK" is a fantastic read. Set against the colorful and captivating backdrop of New Orleans, Ms. Brown weaves a tale of mystery, suspense and an unforgettable story of romance and family loyalty. Claire will stop at nothing to protect her fragile mother from an unforgiving world, her best friend from the perils of loving a married man, and the company she founded from the ravings of a religious fanatic. Cassidy is her perfect match. He is looking to solve the case of the decade, and trap a cold-blooded killer - even it it means investigating the woman he could'nt help loving. Don't let this one slip by you ! Pick it up today and enjoy ! And if you've already read it,is'nt it about time you had the pleasure again ?

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Murder and mayhem in the Big Easy, November 14, 2006

By 

Tracy Vest (Northern California) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: French Silk (Mass Market Paperback)

Charismatic televangelist Jackson Wilde has targeted Claire Laurent and her lingerie catalog as tools of the devil. When Wilde turns up dead, Claire is the prime suspect, much to New Orleans District Attorney Robert Cassidy's plight, as he's falling for the alluring woman who just might be a murderer. This is foreign territory for a tough as nail prosecutor who never mixes business with pleasure.

While it looks like Claire might have done it (and she's without an alibi), there are a host of others out there with motive to kill not so squeaky clean preacher, including his latest wife and son, who are having a hot affair. But as Robert uncovers yet another lie that Claire has told him, will be able to forgive her?

Featuring a spunky heroine with a backbone, sexy hero, plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing and lots of steamy love scenes, this is Brown at the top of her game, and one of her most sensual and enduring stories. A definite must read!

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not her best work, January 13, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: French Silk (Mass Market Paperback)

I am a big fan of Sandra Brown's, but this book was a disappointment. It moved much too slowly and I found myself wondering if it would ever end. I wasn't impressed with Cassidy at all for a couple reasons. He chased her around all the time asking questions when that should have been the detectives job. Claire was never questioned by the cops. And I didn't care for the way he "wooed" her into bed. Kind of a turnoff. Claire was on my nerves because she kept lying time and again and with all the evidence they had against her, she should have been arrested at the beginning of the book. Everytime they turned up more evidence, it was never enough according to the Asst. D.A. The killer turned out to be a disappointment too because he/she (I will try not to give it away) had no motive, no opportunity, no nothing until the last three pages of the entire book. There's all kinds of suspects throughout the book and it turns out to be someone who had no reason at all, or so you were lead to believe. I think the author would have done better including this person as a likely suspect along with everyone else in the book. I'm glad I'm finally done with it.