Trust Fund Babies [Mass Market Paperback]

Jean Stone (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 26, 2002

Jean Stone, the bestselling author of Off Season, weaves the extraordinary story of three cousins bound forever by the family fortune they share–and the family secrets they don’t dare reveal....

Mary Beth, Nikki, and Gabrielle have little in common except the vast Atkinson fortune they inherited. Growing up amidst the splendor of Manhattan town houses and summers on Martha’s Vineyard, they’ve all learned the hard way that money can buy everything–except happiness. Marked by a summer tragedy they’ve all tried to forget, each woman has struggled to find her own way to cope with the secrets of her past.

Now Mary Beth is a pillar of the New York social scene, buying designer clothing and priceless jewels that even she cannot afford. Nikki searches for peace on the Vineyard, pouring her inheritance into endless charity work. And Gabrielle hoards her money in a Swiss bank account, safe from the husband who knows nothing of her wealth. But when their trusted executor disappears with their money, the cousins come together once again to find him. For each woman, regaining her fortune has a different meaning–and will come at a different price. And in the end they’ll learn that no one’s secrets can stay hidden forever–not even the truth of what really happened that terrible day so many summers ago....

Editorial Reviews

Review

“[Jean Stone writes with] graceful prose, vivid imagery and compassionately drawn characters.”
–Publishers Weekly

From the Inside Flap

Jean Stone, the bestselling author of Off Season, weaves the extraordinary story of three cousins bound forever by the family fortune they share?and the family secrets they don?t dare reveal....

Mary Beth, Nikki, and Gabrielle have little in common except the vast Atkinson fortune they inherited. Growing up amidst the splendor of Manhattan town houses and summers on Martha?s Vineyard, they?ve all learned the hard way that money can buy everything?except happiness. Marked by a summer tragedy they?ve all tried to forget, each woman has struggled to find her own way to cope with the secrets of her past.

Now Mary Beth is a pillar of the New York social scene, buying designer clothing and priceless jewels that even she cannot afford. Nikki searches for peace on the Vineyard, pouring her inheritance into endless charity work. And Gabrielle hoards her money in a Swiss bank account, safe from the husband who knows nothing of her wealth. But when their trusted executor disappears with their money, the cousins come together once again to find him. For each woman, regaining her fortune has a different meaning?and will come at a different price. And in the end they?ll learn that no one?s secrets can stay hidden forever?not even the truth of what really happened that terrible day so many summers ago....

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (March 26, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553584111
• ISBN-13: 978-0553584110
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 3.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #311,300 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jean Stone writes about the dynamics of friendships between women - the good, the bad, and the tastefully unfortunate. She also writes under the name Abby Drake. Check out her Website: http://www.jeanstone.com for details, updates, and a fun video about her latest book, PERFECT LITTLE LADIES.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Right on target!, June 4, 2002

By 

"brookie-baby" (New York, New York United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Trust Fund Babies (Mass Market Paperback)

I flipped through this fast paced novel in almost one day! It was so engrossing that I couldn't put it down and just kept on reading, rescheduling appointments and lunch plans around this book! Jean Stone's description of life on the two islands of the Atkinson's (Manhattan AND Martha's Vineyard) is impeccable. The carefully depicted Nikki and Mary Beth and the subtley mysterious Gabrielle capture your imagination and the adorably Molly captures your heart!

Read it!

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Well..., May 27, 2002

By 

HeyJudy "heyjudy" (East Hampton, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Trust Fund Babies (Mass Market Paperback)

PLEASE REFER TO THE BASIC "AMAZON" REVIEW IN READING THE FOLLOWING:

TRUST FUND BABIES has a fascinating premise, this premise being that three first cousins who have inherited a significant fortune have had that fortune embezzled by their joint business manager. The novel explores how the loss of a fortune this size impacts each of these three women. In the course of telling her story, author Jean Stone offers some fascinating insights into the way that the very rich live their lives.

Some of this story is set on Martha's Vineyard, and Stone communicates a wonderful sense of place. Though her writing is excellent, and TRUST FUND BABIES is fast-paced, there are many conceptual flaws that ultimately make this book seem pointless, however.

First of all, there's the mystery of the little girl who is abandoned by her family and the eventual explanation of why the abandonment took place. There is the couple who stayed together for no obvious reason, except maybe that they had a child together, and then split up in the weeks immediately preceeding that child's wedding, compromising the social aspects of the event. Too, there is the man who turns out to have married his wife knowing the deep, dark secrets she thought she had concealed, with no reason offered for his over-riding love for her. And, finally, there is the way in which the socialite friends of one of the cousins drop her when word gets out that she has lost her fortune. I find it difficult to imagine an entire clique abandoning someone solely because of a change in net worth.

Also, none of the characters are developed as thoroughly as they deserve to be, though the socialite does come the closest to being a real person. And an "Agnes Gooch" type personal assistant, a la AUNTIE MAME, never grows into the fuller formed personality that author Stone hints that she will come to be.

As interesting as is the premise with which TRUST FUND BABIES starts off, the story itself quickly becomes strained and implausible. This is a pity, because Jean Stone is an excellent writer.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great, great book, April 1, 2002

By 

Meks (kansas city, KA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Trust Fund Babies (Mass Market Paperback)

This is an excellent book for anyone looking for a good read and a real page-turner. Jean Stone's writing is excellent, I couldn't put the book down for a minute. Her character details are unmatched and she really "paints the picture" of each character from their personality quirks to the style of shoe they prefer. Her characters are hilariously rich and arrogant and yet pathetic at the same time. The story will keep you constantly guessing and has a great ending!