An Absolute Scandal

A Novel

By: Penny Vincenzi

Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor

Penny Vincenzi, master of the contemporary blockbuster, returns with a moving, engaging portrait of people coping with a notorious financial disaster and its unpredictable emotional repercussions.

Set during the boom-and-bust years of the 1980s, An Absolute Scandal follows the lives of a group of people drawn together by their mutual monetary woes when the great financial institution Lloyd's undergoes a devastating downturn. 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 wife, a highly successful advertising executive, lose everything they worked so hard to acquire; but the ultimate tragedy is something that neither one could have anticipated. The well-to-do are not the only ones suffering: a self-sufficient widow is suddenly deep in debt; a single mother struggles to maintain a comfortable home for her children; and a schoolmaster and his frustrated wife find that financial problems deepen the cracks in their troubled marriage.

As their lives begin a downward spiral, these characters intersect in ways they never saw coming. Written in what has become her signature style of both wit and candor, Penny Vincenzi draws back the curtain and offers an inside view of the greed and social power plays that occur behind the closed doors of upper-crust society . . . where money isn’t everything. Sometimes, it’s the only thing.©2008 Penny Vincenzi; (P)2008 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

ABSOLUTE RAVES FOR SHEER ABANDON
“Everything is outsized in Vincenzi’s fiction: sex, money, personality, emotions, plot. And yet she gets all the details—about human behavior and women’s conflicted lives—just right.” —USA Today

Penny Vincenzi is poised to fill a gap in the American realm of Cinderella fiction. With so few current writers able to summon the quaint allure of such women’s fiction without stooping to sensationalism, Ms. Vincenzi really is an anomaly.” —Janet Maslin, New York Times

“Soap opera? You bet – but with her well drawn characters and engaging style, Vincenzi keeps things humming.” - Joanne Kaufman, People

“Transcends the testosterone-drenched nature of a typical thriller, delivering vivid female characters through crisp, clean prose and in-depth coverage of their relationships, families and personal anxieties . . . fascinating. Sheer Abandon is what the British call hammock reading: a brick of a book to while away a country afternoon or two.” —More

“Penny Vincenzi’s Sheer Abandon is the work of a master, offering a large cast of amazingly three-dimensional characters involved in an expertly manipulated plot . . . Full of snappy dialogue and provocative moral implications, Vincenzi’s novel makes it very hard not to care.” —Marion Winik, Newsday

Loved it!

I truly loved this story and all of the characters in it. I enjoyed listening to the narrator, she did a fantastic job! The author captures many struggles of the heart, mind, and life's circumstances beautifully.

A virtuoso performance!

The narrator, Roslyn Landow, does an amazing job with the voices of the numerous characters--men and women, all ages, all walks of life, with various regional British accents. The characters lives are intertwined in surprising and exciting ways in this novel of financial and romantic adventure. The novel's long, but I didn't want it to end!

An Absolutely Wonderful Audiobook

I never thought 35 hours would fly by, but they did! An engaging story and impeccable narration make this an audiobook not to be missed. When the book ended, I found myself missing the characters.

Rosalyn Landor's performance is one of the best I've encountered in hundreds of audiobooks. She nearly rivals Jim Dale in her ability to distinctly voice a dozen or more characters. The story is read with such feeling and each character's voice suits his personality so well.

The story was standout as well. One of the markers of a great story for me is one where I am compelled to feel forgiving of characters who do seemingly unforgivable things. The characters are so well developed, which is especially commendable given that there are so many of them.

There are two things that keep me from giving the story five stars. First, the story is set in the 80's and early 90's, and while I found it easy to fall into the era, sometimes it seemed as if the author tried to stuff in too many cultural references to the era. While mostly the stage was set perfectly, there were a few instances where references to technology or pop culture seemed forced, and I actually found myself taken out of the setting rather then plunged further into it. Second, the ending was acceptable, but it could have been outstanding. I won't say any more so as not to spoil it for those who haven't read it.

All in all, a bargain at two credits.

Don't miss it

This is a great book and a wonderful performance by Rosalyn Landor. She makes the author's cast come alive. The story line is somewhat like the Forsyte Saga brought up to date with unforgettable players interacting in ways that Galsworthy might have wished he could use.

Fantastic!

Amazing! It's a gripping novel with interesting, multi-dimensional characters. The narrator is a phenomenon who gives utterly perfect body to every moment of this story. It was impossible to turn it off. A highly recommended listen.