The Gatecrasher

EDITORIAL REVIEW: The Secret Is Out! Madeleine Wickham is Sophie Kinsella, and *The Gatecrasher *is just as delicious as her internationally bestselling Shopaholic series. Madeleine Wickhams bitingly funny and edgy style keeps fans coming back for more. So hold onto your haute couture hats, as you dive into the fantastic world of Wickham! Everything's coming up roses for Fleur Daxeny, as she goes through more rich men than she does designer hats....if that's humanly possible. Beautiful, charming, and utterly irresistible, her success at crashing funerals to find wealthy men is remarkable. But behind Fleurs Harvey Nichols wardrobe, is a woman with a mysterious past. Fleur wastes no time in seducing her latest conquest, the handsome and rich widower Richard Favour, and she swoops into his life like a designer-clad tornado. His children are caught up in a whirlwind as their father's new girlfriend descends on the family estate leaving chaos and excitement in her perfume-scented wake. Soon, more than one family member is suspicious of Fleur's true intentions. Fleur is not one to wear her heart on her Chanel sleeves, but she soon finds herself embracing Richard and his lovable family. But just as Fleur contemplates jumping off the gold-digger train for good and enjoying the ride of true love, a long-buried secret from her past threatens to destroy her new family. Fleur is thrown into a race against time to prove herself to Richard before it's too late. Can she trust her heart or will she cut ties and run away as fast as her Prada pumps can take her? Take a wild and marvelous ride with *The Gatecrasher*, whose clever, chic, and sassy style will leave you desperately wanting more wonderful Wickham!

madeleine Wickham Is Sophie Kinsella, And the Gatecrasher Is Just As Clever, Chic, And Sassy As Her Internationally Bestselling Shopaholic Series!

publishers Weekly

money Is Safety, Darling, The Delightfully Wicked Funeral Crasher Fleur Daxeny Advises Her 13-year-old Daughter After An Almost Perfect Execution Of Her Best Skill: Swindling Wealthy Widowers. In This Modern-day Novel Of Manners, Wickham's Lively Prose Needles The British Upper Class With A Mixture Of Suspense And Wit. Armed With A Closet Full Of Designer Black Suits, The Daily Obituaries And A Face That Never Betrays Her 40 Years, Fleur Invades The Funerals Of The Wealthy, Enchantingly Rich, Grieving New Widowers In Need Of A Shoulder To Cry On. She Attends The Memorial Service Of Emily Favour, Whom She Pretends Was A Long-lost Acquaintance, And Promptly Lures The Good-hearted Richard Favour Into Her Web. Although His Troubled Daughter, Phillipa, And Her Crafty Husband, Lambert, Suspect Serious Gold Digging, Fleur's Beauty And Charm Dazzle Them, And Soon She's Invited To Live At The Family Estate In Surrey. What Fleur Finds There Is A Gate-crasher's Dream--a Welcoming Family, An Accessible Gold Card And, After Some Snooping, A Bank Account Worth Millions. Even When Fleur's Daughter, Zara, Whom Fleur Has Neglected To Mention, Arrives Unexpectedly From Boarding School, The Favours Make No Fuss, Welcoming The Teen Into The Fold. As Fleur And Zara Become Comfortable With Country Club Life, Fleur Learns That She's Not The Only One Scheming For Richard's Money, And That Richard Might Not Be As Gullible As She Thinks. But With Zara Finally Enjoying The Stability Of A Real Home, Can Fleur Leave So Easily This Time? Wickham (swimming Pool Sunday) Creates Memorable Characters Who Are As Unpredictable And Multifaceted As They Are Stylish. While The Quick Wrapup Misses A Cue, This Novel Is Still Jolly Fun. (may) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|

Madeleine Wickham, who writes under the name Sophie Kinsella, delivers a bitingly funny, yet touching story with her fresh and edgy trademark style. A survivor from the school of hard knocks, the stunning Fleur Daxeny knows the best place to meet a rich widower is at his wife's funeral. Her modus operandi is to gate crash the service and charm her way into the widower's life, his bed, and his bank account "Fleur Daxeny is beautiful, unscrupulous, and has a large wardrobe of black designer suits. With the help of the obituaries, she gatecrashes the funerals and memorial services of the wealthy, preying on rich and newly vulnerable men. Charming her way into their lives, their beds, and their bank accounts, she takes what she can and moves swiftly on."--Jacket.