Scarlet Angel [Paperback]

Elizabeth Palmer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1998

She's a beautiful, ambitious and unscrupulous woman who finds the perfect power base on George Marchant's estate. He knows she only married him for his money--but after causing one divorce, one suicide and one death, it seems she wants more than the family fortune. She's made a career of manipulating other people's weaknesses and exposing their secrets--until someone realizes that the only way to stop her is to make the skeleton in her own closet start talking.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Billed as "a novel of obsession," Palmer's debut about a thoroughly wicked woman is meant to be a study of evil, but readers may find its negative depiction of the female sex as distasteful as its amoral central character. Upper-crust Englishman George Marchant, a naive bachelor of 40, marries Camilla Vane, a woman with a shadowy past, who plans to take his wealthy family for every penny. Ensconced at the Marchant estate in the English countryside, ruthless Camilla wastes no time in seducing her brother-in-law; when George walks in on one of their trysts, he dies of a heart attack, leaving Camilla heir to his fortune. The book makes much of George's inability to "control" his wife, taking for granted that men are in charge and that only sinful wives second-guess their mates. Portrayed as one who "despised her own sex," Camilla is a manipulative temptress, a terrible mother who barely acknowledges her prep school-age son from a previous union, and who feels relief when she miscarries George's child. Meanwhile, references to Camilla's frigidity contrast with the wanton behavior of Camilla's sister-in-law, who cheats on her husband but collapses when he demands a divorce. Despite its misogynistic tone, the narrative succeeds as a comedy of manners, adroitly plotted and recounted with dry wit and engaging cynicism. 50,000 first printing .
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

What happens when a staid, wealthy Englishman marries a beautiful but cold woman with lots of skeletons hidden in her closet? In the case of George Marchant and Camilla Vane, it leads to infidelity, betrayal, attempted suicide, a battle for the family estate, and death. Camilla is calculating and unfeeling, even to her own son, and unmoved by the destruction her arrival sets in motion. Although the strong British flavor of the novel may not appeal to some readers, there is enough intrigue and illicit sex to maintain interest to the end. A fierce battle between Camilla and Mrs. Marchant for the family treasures provides a climatic ending. A best seller in England, this novel may have a tougher time finding readers in the United States; recommended for large fiction collections only.-- Kathy Ingels Helmond, formerly with Indiana Univ.
Purdue Univ. at Indianapolis Lib.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 376 pages
• Publisher: Mira (July 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1551664569
• ISBN-13: 978-1551664569
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,973,725 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars An intriguing mystery, December 2, 2002

By 

Busy Mom (Ohio) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Scarlet Angel (Paperback)

It is a book that I haven't been able to put down ~~ it has kept me turning the pages till the very last page. If you like mysteries, this book is it. It is also very well-written ~~ like Agatha Christie mystery and clean too ~~ with a very few smattering of curse words or sex. It is just a novel based on a woman's dark secret and how it shattered the world around her....

This is a book that keeps you hopping from one page to another ~~ and you'll love to hate this selfish beauty as if you know her. Palmer brings [characters] to life with this novel....

I highly recommend this book for anyone who has a few hours on her hands. These winter nights sure are long and this book will keep you entertained for a night in front of the fire. And if you like Agatha Christie or any British mystery, this novel will entertain you just as well.

12-2-02

4.0 out of 5 stars Wow! What a read!, March 11, 2000

By 

K. Morgan (United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Scarlet Angel (Paperback)

This is one of those books that you will pick up and not put down until you've read the last word. It is a book about manipulations and secrets and all around evil. Camilla, the main character, is greedy and self-centered. Her only concern is what she wants. Will she get what she wants? How many people will pay? It's worth the reading to find out! Enjoy!