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An Absolute Scandal: A Novel
(Adobe EPUB eBook, Kindle Book, OverDrive Read)

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Author:
Vincenzi, Penny
Published:
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group 2008
Status:
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Description
An inside view of the greed and social power plays behind the closed doors of upper-crust society, An Absolute Scandal looks at a world where money isn't everything . . . sometimes, it's the only thing. And when the money disappears in the thick of a financial crisis, the real story begins.For Nigel Cowper, this means the destruction of his family business; his wife, Lucinda, is willing to do everything she can to help him—except give up her irresistible lover. The powerful, charismatic banker Simon Beaumont and his equally successful wife Elizabeth lose everything they've worked so hard to acquire; but the ultimate tragedy is something that neither one could have anticipated. Yet the well-to-do are not the only ones whose lives are upended: a self-sufficient widow, a single mother, and a schoolmaster find that their lives are also turned upside down in this deliciously readable tale.
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Subjects
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Fiction
Literature
Romance
Thriller
More Details
Format:
Adobe EPUB eBook, Kindle Book, OverDrive Read
Street Date:
06/10/2008
Language:
English
ISBN:
9780385526968
ASIN:
B0015DWLDK
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Citations
APA Citation (style guide)

Penny Vincenzi. (2008). An Absolute Scandal: A Novel. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.

Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation (style guide)

Penny Vincenzi. 2008. An Absolute Scandal: A Novel. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.

Chicago / Turabian - Humanities Citation (style guide)

Penny Vincenzi, An Absolute Scandal: A Novel. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2008.

MLA Citation (style guide)

Penny Vincenzi. An Absolute Scandal: A Novel. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2008.

Note! Citation formats are based on standards as of July 2022. Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy.
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Grouped Work ID:
8ed56587-a58c-5aa6-8336-974a65f10f97
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Date Added:
Jun 12, 2018 16:35:44
Date Updated:
Dec 06, 2020 02:43:16
Last Metadata Check:
Apr 21, 2024 08:02:08
Last Metadata Change:
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Last Availability Change:
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      • role: Author
      • fileAs: Vincenzi, Penny
      • bioText: PENNY VINCENZI is the author of several bestsellers, including Sheer Abandon. She lives in London, England.
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title
An Absolute Scandal
fullDescription
An inside view of the greed and social power plays behind the closed doors of upper-crust society, An Absolute Scandal looks at a world where money isn't everything . . . sometimes, it's the only thing. And when the money disappears in the thick of a financial crisis, the real story begins.For Nigel Cowper, this means the destruction of his family business; his wife, Lucinda, is willing to do everything she can to help him—except give up her irresistible lover. The powerful, charismatic banker Simon Beaumont and his equally successful wife Elizabeth lose everything they've worked so hard to acquire; but the ultimate tragedy is something that neither one could have anticipated. Yet the well-to-do are not the only ones whose lives are upended: a self-sufficient widow, a single mother, and a schoolmaster find that their lives are also turned upside down in this deliciously readable tale.
reviews
      • premium: False
      • source: Bookreporter
      • content:

        "Vincenzi continues to reign supreme."--Glamour"Americans looking for glitzy blockbusters will devour this tale."--Santa Cruz Sentinel"Engrossing."--Seattle Post-Intelligencer"Vincenzi still has a knack . . . for drawing readers into her characters' personal and professional dramas, and making hours curled up under the duvet (or spread out on the beach blanket) pass by effortlessly."

      • premium: True
      • source: Publisher's Weekly
      • content:

        March 3, 2008
        Britain's bestselling Vincenzi (Sheer Abandon
        , etc.) sets this doggedly optimistic epic at the sunset of Thatcherism, and the bleak economic landscape proves fertile territory for a saga of families whose futures and fortunes become entwined in a court battle with the prestigious London insurer, Lloyds. There's Elizabeth, wife and mother of three with a “Very Big Job” in advertising; her charming husband, Simon, a banker with an eye for the ladies; posh Lucinda, who falls for working-class Blue and then risks everything to save her ex's fortune; Debbie's frustrated by her insensitive husband, Richard, afraid of her formidable mother-in-law and devoted to her three kids; and reporter Joel, who helps bring a Lloyds scandal to light and falls in love with one of its victims. Vincenzi deftly imbues the “Greed Decade” with all the twisty turns of an overheated soap—couples trapped by boredom, wives tortured by infidelity, singles hamstrung by convention, children buffeted by circumstance. The general stiff-upper-lipped attitude may sound tinny to American ears (even the Yankees sound like Brits-in-training), but this chickensian drama delivers all the goods required for a sizzling summer read.

      • premium: True
      • source: Library Journal
      • content:

        Starred review from June 15, 2008
        This intoxicating, engrossing saga, based on an actual Lloyds of London scandal from 20 years ago, could easily be a miniseries. A multigenerational cast of victims, all fighting to make sense of their orderly lives when financial ruin knocks on their doors, vividly demonstrates the struggles of class, money, and, of course, sex. Vincenzi's ("Almost a Crime") long and luxurious style sucks you in and keeps a seductive hold throughout. Not to be missed.

        Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

      • premium: True
      • source: Booklist
      • content:

        May 1, 2008
        Reminiscent of the kind of financial destruction wrought in the wake of Enron and other megalomaniacal excesses, Vincenzis complex saga of corporate malfeasance on the part of the venerable Lloyds of London cogently exposes the insidious nature of unadulterated greed while sympathetically exploring the devastating personal toll such rapaciousness extracts. From a wealthy banker to a penniless teacher, Vincenzis victims of Lloyds corrupt moneymaking scheme represent a somewhat stereotypical cross-section of Englands economic, geographic, and social strata. As the enormity of their potential loss grows, this disparate group of overly trusting investors unites in a last-ditch effort to seek justice from the powerful financial institution. While marriages falter and fortunes evaporate, even greater tragedy strikes those who can least afford to have their lives work destroyed by the impending scandal. Although the sheer volume of characters and subplots can be distracting, Vincenzi nonetheless admirably demonstrates her nuanced talent for personal storytelling on a majestic scale as she nimbly navigates the sophisticated and labyrinthine world of high-stakes investment.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)

popularity
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shortDescription
An inside view of the greed and social power plays behind the closed doors of upper-crust society, An Absolute Scandal looks at a world where money isn't everything . . . sometimes, it's the only thing. And when the money disappears in the thick of a financial crisis, the real story begins.For Nigel Cowper, this means the destruction of his family business; his wife, Lucinda, is willing to do everything she can to help him—except give up her irresistible lover. The powerful, charismatic banker Simon Beaumont and his equally successful wife Elizabeth lose everything they've worked so hard to acquire; but the ultimate tragedy is something that neither one could have anticipated. Yet the well-to-do are not the only ones whose lives are upended: a self-sufficient widow, a single mother, and a schoolmaster find that their lives are also turned upside down in this deliciously readable tale.
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