In the mid-1980’s, women went to their favorite department stores with their girlfriends and spend the day shopping and lunching at the indoor tearooms. The experience allowed suburban women access to designer clothing as well as less expensive couture.
It is 1983 and Ashleigh McDowell, director of personnel at Bentley’s Royale is distraught. One of the stores talented buyers, Danielle Norman, who works under Adele Watson is missing. Adele’s manipulations and lies as head of her department have caused two other buyers to quit. Where is Danielle?
Danielle is the sister of Ashleigh’s dead fiance, Dan. On his death bed, Dan asked Ashleigh to take care of Danielle, and Ashleigh considers her a sister….And that’s not all… David Jerome has brought in a new VP of Finance and Operations, Conrad Taylor. he too has a secret relationship with Danielle and wants her found. On top of that, Ashleigh is in the midst of her own turmoil – she has just realized that her wealthy fiance, Michael Wainwright III, is not what he seems, AND she realizes she is not in love.
Set in the high fashion industry of department store Bentley Royale and their low end subsidiary, Bentley’s Webs of Fate proves a whirlwind of a novel. When Ashleigh’s car explodes minutes after she has left it, Michael’s past comes up and front. His son Tony Lane, and his lover Jeff Bradley an ex-employee of Bentley Royales, have ties to Danielle. Wainwright’s private detective, Lanes and Bentley Royale’s head of security, Ross Pocino join Ashleigh and Conrad in trying to find Danielle.
When Danielle’s shopping records are brought to light, it seems she has embezzled $300,000 from the store, but Ashleigh and Conrad know that Danielle would never commit a crime.
Set within the cut-throat whirlwind of high fashion, Ashleigh and Conrad survive betrayals and Wainwright’s treachery to find Danielle and save her.
This stunning novel, full of in-depth detail of the merchandising world, taunts us and haunts us with a well-defined, intriguing plot and fast paced action. The cast of characters are so well drawn, that we too feel that we are in the midst of Bentley Royale’s struggle for autonomy in the high finance demand for bottom line profit and autonomoy. Superbly written, this novel is a blockbuster that tears out of the gate – in first place.
Webs of Fate
Ratings are based on a 5-star scale
Overall: 5
Review by Broad “A” – Ava
We received a copy of this title for our book review. All opinions are our own.
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