Villa Fleurie

Deanna Maclaren

It‘s 1959, and at the imposing Villa Fleurie in Cannes Ilona, beautiful, rich and recently widowed, seems surrounded by loving friends. These include her old schoolmate Paula, secretary Lizzie, handsome Kit, as well as married couple Colin and Joleen imminently arriving on their yacht.

But no one is quite what they seem. Paula is being paid by Ilona‘s lawyer to ensure that her friend doesn‘t fall into the hands of fortune-hunters. And Lizzie and Kit are certainly that. Lovers in secret, they have hatched a plan for Kit to marry Ilona and make off with her money. Colin, too, is after the cash. His business is in danger of being sunk by debt, and there seems no question of his materialistic and difficult wife cutting back on her extravagant lifestyle.

Paula, oblivious to the others‘ plotting and distracted by her own desires, has her work cut out to protect her friend, as Ilona‘s associates will stop at nothing – including abduction – in order to secure her wealth. But, as it turns out, the widow has her own agenda . . .

Praise for Deanna Maclaren

Praise for Deanna Maclaren:

'Maclaren writes with a lovely, bubbly sense of fun and a hawk-sharp eye for absurdity.' – Daily Telegraph

'Her sense of fun is a solid-gold asset.' – The Times

Praise for Your Loving Mother:

'Light, witty and observed with an acid bite.' – Daily Mirror

'Brilliantly observed, earthy and hysterically funny. It will make you laugh even while you‘re groaning with sympathy.' – Woman‘s Realm

Praise for The First of All Pleasures:

'Miss Maclaren evinces a proper horror of family gatherings; and her portrayal of the incompetence of office life has enough fantastic ramifications to convince
completely.' – New Statesman

'A wickedly observant novel. A winner.' – Sunday Mirror