A Dangerous Fortune

by Ken Follett

Overview

A breathtaking thriller featuring "political and amorous intrigues, cold-blooded murder, and financial crises" (San Francisco Chronicle), from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Column of Fire

In 1866, tragedy strikes the exclusive Windfield School when a young student drowns in a mysterious accident. His death and its aftermath initiate a spiraling circle of treachery that will span three decades and entwine many lives.
 
From the exclusive men’s clubs and brothels that cater to every dark desire of London’s upper class to the dazzling ballrooms and mahogany-paneled suites of the manipulators of the world’s wealth, one family is splintered by a shared legacy. But greed, fed by the shocking truth of a boy’s death, must be stopped, or the dreams of a nation will die.
 
Praise for A Dangerous Fortune

 “A terrific page-turner.”—Los Angeles Times

“Political and amorous intrigues, cold-blooded murder, and financial crises . . . old-fashioned entertainment.”—San Francisco Chronicle
 
“Breathlessly plotted . . . relentlessly suspenseful.”—The New York Times
 
“Gripping, complex plot . . . sexual intrigue . . . fascinating characters . . . You won’t be able to put down this exciting page-turner.”—Lexington Herald-Leader

“Follett [builds] to a dramatic climax with the same masterful control that guided Eye of the Needle and The Pillars of the Earth.”—Playboy

“I don’t usually enjoy historical thrillers but admit to being totally captivated by Ken Follett’s A Dangerous Fortune.”—Chicago Tribune

“Highly entertaining . . . Follett’s characters are drawn with broad, realistic strokes . . . this story of greed and retribution should win Follett new fans.”—Publishers Weekly 

“Rich, complex, thrilling, suspenseful, well plotted . . . A Dangerous Fortune is dangerous reading. You won’t be able to put it down.”—Authors and Critics

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780440217497
Publisher:	Random House Publishing Group
Publication date:	11/01/1994
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	576
Sales rank:	31,936
Product dimensions:	4.18(w) x 6.82(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Ken Follett is one of the world’s best-loved authors, selling more than 160 million copies of his thirty books. Follett’s first bestseller was Eye of the Needle, a spy story set in the Second World War. 
 
In 1989 The Pillars of the Earth was published and has since become Follett’s most popular novel. It reached number one on bestseller lists around the world and was an Oprah’s Book Club pick.
 
Its sequel, World Without End, proved equally popular and the Kingsbridge series has sold 38 million copies worldwide.
 
Follett lives in Hertfordshire, England, with his wife Barbara. Between them they have five children, six grandchildren, and three Labradors.

Hometown:

Hertfordshire, England

Date of Birth:

June 5, 1949

Place of Birth:

Cardiff, Wales

Education:

B.A. in Philosophy, University College, London, 1970

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER ONE
(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "A Dangerous Fortune"
by .
Copyright © 1994 Ken Follett.
Excerpted by permission of Random House Publishing Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Editorial Reviews

"A terrific page-turner." —Los Angeles Times 

"Political and amorous intrigues, cold-blooded murder, and financial crises . . . old-fashioned entertainment." —San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Breathlessly plotted . . . relentlessly suspenseful." —The New York Times
 
"Gripping, complex plot . . . sexual intrigue . . . fascinating characters . . . You won’t be able to put down this exciting page-turner." —Lexington Herald-Leader

"Follett [builds] to a dramatic climax with the same masterful control that guided Eye of the Needle and The Pillars of the Earth." —Playboy

"I don't usually enjoy historical thrillers but admit to being totally captivated by Ken Follett's A Dangerous Fortune." —Chicago Tribune

"Highly entertaining . . . Follett's characters are drawn with broad, realistic strokes . . . this story of greed and retribution should win Follett new fans." —Publishers Weekly 

"Rich, complex, thrilling, suspenseful, well plotted . . . A Dangerous Fortune is dangerous reading. You won't be able to put it down." —Authors and Critics 

From the Publisher

Like The Pillars of the Earth, Mr. Follett's intricate saga about the construction of a medieval cathedral, A Dangerous Fortune reads more like an exercise in which the author applies the conventions of the plot-driven thriller to the historical novel. He delivers a silly, good-time read that for all its giddy leaps and bounds shows us little about the Victorians and the vital era they inhabited. -- New York Times

Bill Kent

A mysterious drowning at a school in England in 1866 enmeshes the lives of several young boys in a web of treachery and greed. Set among late-19th-century British aristocracy, the novel follows Hugh Pilaster and his cousin Edward as they battle for control of various enterprises, including the family bank; Maisie Robinson, the beautiful and willful Jewish immigrant; and Michy Miranda, the smooth and manipulative heir of a brutal South American family. Follett, using the same basic formula that he employs in The Pillars of the Earth (Morrow, 1989), quickly gains the listener's interest in the characters and-by drawing upon personal experience-the world of British banking. Reader Michael Page has an excellent voice, even if he can't immitate South American accents. Recommended for public libraries.-Mark Watson, Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale

Library Journal

Follett's new novel isn't an espionage thriller; it's a historical melodrama with more than a little romance. But the author's fans shouldn't worry; they won't be able to put it down any easier than they could any of those spy sagas. The story is set in late-nineteenth-century Britain and tells of four boys involved in a brutal crime during their days at boarding school. Mickey Miranda, the cruel, slick, flamboyant son of a cold-hearted, hot-headed South American politician, has one overriding ambition: to make his papa respect him. Edward Pilaster, the weak, stupid, and easily led son of a respected banking family, has a taste for good booze and good times. Hugh Pilaster, Edward's cousin, is ambitious and principled, but his father's bankruptcy and suicide have left scars that may never heal. Antonio Silva is a compatriot of Mickey Miranda, but his family is less influential, and Tonio always takes a back seat to the flashier Mickey. Follett's story follows the four as they become adults, with their lives taking, as expected, quite divergent paths. But the four are always linked by the terrible secret they share from their school days, a secret that has the power to destroy them all. While many authors fail miserably when they ignore the old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," Follett is one of those rare exceptions who seems destined to succeed no matter what he chooses to write about. In this case, an authentic sense of history, a wonderfully complex and fascinating plot, mesmerizing characters, and a thoroughly entertaining story practically guarantee that A Dangerous Fortune will head to the top of the best-seller lists.

Emily Melton

Ken Follett is a matchless storyteller, and this story is tailor-made for audio. With the selection of Michael Page as narrator, the result is choice. Dangerous Fortune is the saga of an English banking family. It follows the Pilaster clan through a generation in the second half of the nineteenth century. There are multiple characters of all ages. Page's British articulation differentiates each voice, displaying a wide range, from English-speaking South Americans to Londoners of all classes. Augusta, the treacherous matriarch, comes across particularly well. With Follett teamed up with Page, you can't stop listening. D.W.K. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine

NOV 94 - AudioFile