Meet Kick Keswick, an elegant and self-possessed American who has been at London's venerable Ballantine & Company Auctioneer, Ltd., for over thirty years. She is an expert on paintings, furniture, and objets d'art, and so far has lived a perfectly happy life with things on her mind other than love. In fact, Kick rarely lets anyone into her private world. She prefers it that way. She adores her elegant London flat, her books, her music, her delicious meals, and, most of all, her jewels. Kick doesn't need a man in her life messing things up. But when American industrialist, scoundrel, and womanizer Owen Brace grabs the faltering Ballantine & Company in a corporate takeover, he turns Kick's world upside down, opening her eyes to large-scale love, romance and sensuous pleasure.
Something tells Kick that Brace's motives are anything but sincere, however. And when he gets near enough to threaten Kick's closely guarded life, Brace learns the dangers of underestimating this woman. From sophicticated London to Kick's secluded farm in Provence, France, BRILLIANT is a playfully delicious novel of suspense, masterful revenge, and secrets of the multi-faceted kind.
STARRED REVIEW: "Kick Keswick proves a strong, delightful and intelligent anti-heroine as she leads the reader on a marvelous romp through London auction houses, the homes of the rich and famous, and the Provence countryside...Full of fun and flare, Kick is indeed a kick, and BRILLIANT proves to be a gem of summer reading."
—Sheila Riley, Smithsonian Institute Libraries, starred review in Library Journal
"...a sensual and lush romp through the rarified world of money and power in London. BRILLIANT is a fun and engaging read, well-written, well-plotted, with memorable characters and a concrete sense of place and time."
—Julia Gambill Ledyard, Nashville Tennessean
"BRILLIANT fills the beach book bill admirably: fast-paced, well-written, and full of colorful (if morally ambiguous) characters...Madly entertaining – especially the surprise ending which is a real, um, kick."
—Melinda Bargreen, The Seattle Times
"A witty page-turner...a suspenseful account, with humor and a real sense of style."
—Kirkus Reviews
"Kellogg's characters live in a world removed from most readers' experiences, but she makes them appealing and familiar so readers can empathize with their lives. Since the story is written in the first person in Kick's voice, the adventure is up close and personal, revealing her fascinating thought processes. BRILLIANT is pure fun and offers a revealing peek into the lives of the rich and titled in London."
—Leslie Doran, The Denver Post
"Marne Davis Kellogg has written an elegant and luscious suspense novel, filled with intriguing twists and turns. As always, Ms. Kellogg's characters are funny, sexy, interesting and quirky. Great summer reading. BRILLIANT is, in a word, brilliant."
—Nelson DeMille, Author of Up Country
"Here's a heroine who loves diamonds, great food, and great ways to get revenge. What more could any woman want? BRILLIANT is a delicious novel that you'll devour like the most scrumptious meal. I loved Kick Keswick – I wouldn't want to mess with her, but I would enjoy hanging out with her."
—Janet Evanovich, author of Hard Eight
"Great wines, elegant villains, remarkable sex and a surprise ending – what more could any reader ask?"
—Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher, authors of "Love by the Glass: Tasting Notes from a Marriage" and "The Wall Street Journal Guide to Wine"
"Marne Davis Kellogg's portrait of a world of opulence and decadence is so vivid, she must be an insider. Enjoy the guilty pleasures of BRILLIANT. I did."
—Harry Smith, NBC Rock Center
