Webs of Power: A Novel (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: department store divisions, retail empire, Philip Sloane, Bentleys Royale, First Commercial (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Darlene Quinn expertly captures the drama, greed, and emotional tumult of personal lives gone awry during the hostile takeover attempt of a high-end retail chain in Webs of Power. --Laura Taylor, award-winning author of Honorbound

Product Description

Award-Winner in the Fiction category of the 2009 National Indie Excellence Awards

Webs of Power is a raw, unsentimental portrayal of greed, manipulation, and relationships set in the excessive, insatiable retail industry of the 1980s.

When a hostile takeover of the retail giant Consolidated is announced, the lives of three determined women, each linked to the corporate upheaval, are unexpectedly thrown off course: Paige Toddman's marriage to Consolidated's West Coast Division CEO is threatened when she decides to step out of her fast-paced lifestyle to raise the unwanted child she is carrying, a choice driven by her secret past. The fabric of Ashleigh McDowell's life begins to fray when her fiance, the president of Consolidated's West Coast Division, moves away and her father figure faces a lawsuit that could wipe out his controlling shares of the company s stock. Vain and power hungry, Viviana De Mornay will stop at nothing to become the wife of the man leading the takeover.

Webs of Power is a thrilling real-world drama with dynamic characters who find the courage to drastically reshape their lives in the face of crises and the twists of fate.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 496 pages
• Publisher: Emerald Book Company; First Edition edition (September 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934572055
• ISBN-13: 978-1934572054
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,104,412 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Webs of Power, August 25, 2008

By	nettie hartsock "nettie" (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews

I really liked this novel and its characters! If you like "Lipstick Jungle" then this book is for you as it's a wonderful look at the inside world of the corporate world, women balancing work and life, and marriage.

In particular it reveals a very interesting backdrop and history of the retail industry in the 1980s.

For anyone who loves to shop and for women who love to read truly character-driven novels, I highly recommend this book!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inner workings of the business world, January 12, 2009

By	Reader Views "www.readerviews.com" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

Reviewed by Leslie Granier for Reader Views (1/09)

"Webs of Power" is an intriguing story that provides a look into the cutthroat world of corporate America. A large retail department store is being taken over and several entities are trying to influence the outcome. There are three main sets of characters that are portrayed as power couples. Philip Sloane and Viviana De Mornay are working together, but for individual benefit, and as events unfold it appears there may be a question of whether one may be using the other. Mark and Paige Toddman have been married for many years and work well together as a team. However, as personal issues threaten their marriage, it is unclear if one can succeed without the other. Ashleigh McDowell and Conrad Taylor comprise a young engaged couple who end up playing a key role in the outcome of the negotiations.

I enjoyed reading about how business deals are made and the methods used to secure financing for the purchase. I also liked how both men and women were portrayed as strong and intelligent business leaders. This is especially unusual because the story is set in the 1980s when females were not often considered to be shrewd businesspeople. Although this story is fictitious, the author includes an interesting factual history of department stores and reasons that have resulted in their present state of decline.

My only complaint about this book is there are a few too many unnecessary characters. I was confused at times as to which role each one played and which faction they were trying to help. Otherwise, this story will appeal to males and females. They will be enthralled by some of the shocking and deceptive business practices that occur and may look at prominent business leaders in a new light.

"Webs of Power" by Darlene Quinn is a well-written story that exposes the inner workings of the business world. By using short chapters that revolve around the different characters, the author keeps the pace fast because new information is constantly being added and connected to the events of the previous chapters. I often found myself waiting in anticipation to see what would occur next. The ending left an opening for a possible sequel - one which I would be extremely interested in reading.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thinking woman's novel, September 13, 2008

By	Paul Williams (Sunset Beach, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Darlene Quinn's Web of Power gives an insider's account of the politics, glamour and often ruthless world of department store takeovers. Her well researched book is a fast paced view into that world of working women in the 80's. Although I am a male, I appreciate the author providing board room drama for women in business, who are not largly represented in fiction. The short chapters made the story easy to stop and start for busy people. There's enough personal dramas in the main character's lives to lather up a bit of soap opera too.
Paul W