October 24, 2022
Bea, the scheming narrator of screenwriter Croft’s engrossing debut, has learned from the best, a mother who groomed her from childhood how to deceive men. Now Bea, a senior business development director at a major New York City ad agency, wants it all for herself—and she wants it from über-wealthy one percenter Collin Case, an agency client. But two other women shadow Bea’s every move as she sinks her nails into Collin’s old-money family: Gale Wallace-Leicester, Collin’s longtime conniving best friend, who also has designs on the family; and Sylvia Austin, his new inquisitive assistant with nefarious plans of her own. One jaw-dropping bombshell after another emerges during luxurious family gatherings in Greenwich, Conn.; an over-the-top lobster-stuffed and liquor-drenched weekend marriage proposal party at Newport, R.I.; a French-themed bridal shower with “this little perverse sect of society”; and the extravagant Rainbow Room wedding itself, culminating in totally unexpected revelations from the past. The intricate plot, illuminating backstories, and assorted reprehensible secondary characters expose a devastatingly “pernicious interpretation of love.” This clever tale of jealousy, revenge, deception, and betrayal marks Croft as a writer to watch. Agent: Rachel Kim; 3 Arts Entertainment.
June 10, 2024
Advertising executive Bea knows her worth and expects the best for herself--particularly when it comes to marrying rich. From a young age, Bea's mother instructed her in the art of seducing men. When Bea sets her sights on the obscenely wealthy Collin Case, she uses all that she's learned to snare him. Though she quickly gets the proposal she was hoping for, what she craves is the acceptance of Collin's family and his best friend, Gale Wallace Lester. Gale soon gives Bea a run for her money in a game of cat-and-mouse that pits the women against each other and forces Bea to decide who she really is. Croft's debut is a fast-paced, tense tale narrated by a self-centered main character who will stop at nothing to achieve her goals. Narrator Carlotta Brentan perfectly captures the sickeningly sweet yet cutting voices of two women with secrets to hide. The intense game of back and forth between the women is nail-biting and will have listeners wondering who is telling the truth and who will win the ultimate prize. VERDICT An absorbing novel with deliciously unexpected twists and turns. Share with fans of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl.--Elyssa Everling
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