From Booklist
American Kick Keswick has been working for the esteemed auction house of Ballantine and Company for more than 30 years, a position that came by way of Oklahoma and a lengthy juvenile record. She met Ballantine's owner, Sir Cramner, while visiting London as a teenager and was his mistress until he died. Her expertise in antiquities and jewelry propelled her to executive secretary, and she expects to retire comfortably on a trust fund and the money she makes with her secret life--until the new owner, Owen Brace, blows in. Owen is a larger-than-life, brash American industrialist with lots of plans and an overactive sex life. Kick becomes enamored of her new boss and decides to stick around, but gets more than even she bargained for. Owen brings romance and great sex, but Kick's larcenous habit is nothing compared with what he contrives. Kellogg's sophisticated and lavishly fun tale of greed and daring in the high-stakes auction house world presents a full-figured, tough, and atypical heroine readers will cheer for. Patty Engelmann
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
"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 you'll devour like the most scrumptious meal." -Janet Evanovich
"Fast-paced, well-written, and full of colorful characters...madly entertaining." -The Seattle Times
"Like indulging in a guilty pleasure...Brilliant is pure fun and offers a revealing peak into the lives of the rich and titled in london." -The Denver Post
"An elegant and luscious suspense novel, filled with intriguing twists and turns. As always, Kellogg's characters are funny, sexy, interesting, and quirky. Great summer reading. Brilliant is, in a word, brilliant." -Nelson DeMille, author of Up Country
"Great wines, elegant villains, remarkable sex and a surprise ending-what more could any reader ask for?"-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, CBS, Anchor, "The Early Show"
"Among the definitions of the word 'brilliant'... are these: 'full of light, shining'; 'sharp and clear in tone'; and 'marked by unusual and impressive intellectual acuteness.' These all apply to Marne Davis Kellogg's Brilliant , one of the most exhilarating novels I've read in a long while...Brilliant , with its many high-class heists, carried out not with guns, knives, or bombs but with weapons of wit, will enchant and engage readers...[the] surprise ending does not disappoint. This saucy, sexy, suspenseful novel-as another one of the definitions of 'brilliant' in my dictionary says-is 'superb, wonderful.' It is not to be missed."-The Roanoke Times
"A sensual and lush romp through the rarefied world of money and power in London and a glimpse into the inner workings of a fine auction house...a fun and engaging read, well written, well plotted, with memorable characters and a concrete sense of place and time."
-The Nashville Tennessean
"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."-Library Journal (starred review)
"A witty, page-turner...a suspenseful account, with humor and a real sense of style."
-Kirkus Reviews
"If your tastes run to champagne and caviar...[Marne Davis Kellogg's] trademark insider's view of the lives of the very rich makes Brilliant a glittering choice for reading at the beach-or in the bathtub."-Rocky Mountain News
"The plot is complex but very smooth, the characters real and the fun continuous."
-The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, Colorado)
"A delicious melodrama starring a heroine who pretends to be so proper, but literally gets away with her crimes...readers will be sympathetic towards the heroine who is living life on her own terms without harming anyone."-Harriet's Book Reviews
"Brilliant is every bit as much fun as her others...the plot is complex but very smooth, the characters real and the fun continuous."--gjsentinel.com
Review
"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 you'll devour like the most scrumptious meal." -Janet Evanovich
"Fast-paced, well-written, and full of colorful characters...madly entertaining." -The Seattle Times
"Like indulging in a guilty pleasure...Brilliant is pure fun and offers a revealing peak into the lives of the rich and titled in london." -The Denver Post
"An elegant and luscious suspense novel, filled with intriguing twists and turns. As always, Kellogg's characters are funny, sexy, interesting, and quirky. Great summer reading. Brilliant is, in a word, brilliant." -Nelson DeMille, author of Up Country
"Great wines, elegant villains, remarkable sex and a surprise ending-what more could any reader ask for?"-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, CBS, Anchor, "The Early Show"
"Among the definitions of the word 'brilliant'... are these: 'full of light, shining'; 'sharp and clear in tone'; and 'marked by unusual and impressive intellectual acuteness.' These all apply to Marne Davis Kellogg's Brilliant , one of the most exhilarating novels I've read in a long while...Brilliant , with its many high-class heists, carried out not with guns, knives, or bombs but with weapons of wit, will enchant and engage readers...[the] surprise ending does not disappoint. This saucy, sexy, suspenseful novel-as another one of the definitions of 'brilliant' in my dictionary says-is 'superb, wonderful.' It is not to be missed."-The Roanoke Times
"A sensual and lush romp through the rarefied world of money and power in London and a glimpse into the inner workings of a fine auction house...a fun and engaging read, well written, well plotted, with memorable characters and a concrete sense of place and time."
-The Nashville Tennessean
"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."-Library Journal (starred review)
"A witty, page-turner...a suspenseful account, with humor and a real sense of style."
-Kirkus Reviews
"If your tastes run to champagne and caviar...[Marne Davis Kellogg's] trademark insider's view of the lives of the very rich makes Brilliant a glittering choice for reading at the beach-or in the bathtub."-Rocky Mountain News
"The plot is complex but very smooth, the characters real and the fun continuous."
-The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, Colorado)
"A delicious melodrama starring a heroine who pretends to be so proper, but literally gets away with her crimes...readers will be sympathetic towards the heroine who is living life on her own terms without harming anyone."-Harriet's Book Reviews
"Brilliant is every bit as much fun as her others...the plot is complex but very smooth, the characters real and the fun continuous."--gjsentinel.com
Review
"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 you'll devour like the most scrumptious meal." -Janet Evanovich
"Fast-paced, well-written, and full of colorful characters...madly entertaining." -The Seattle Times
"Like indulging in a guilty pleasure...Brilliant is pure fun and offers a revealing peak into the lives of the rich and titled in london." -The Denver Post
"An elegant and luscious suspense novel, filled with intriguing twists and turns. As always, Kellogg's characters are funny, sexy, interesting, and quirky. Great summer reading. Brilliant is, in a word, brilliant." -Nelson DeMille, author of Up Country
"Great wines, elegant villains, remarkable sex and a surprise ending-what more could any reader ask for?"-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, CBS, Anchor, "The Early Show"
"Among the definitions of the word 'brilliant'... are these: 'full of light, shining'; 'sharp and clear in tone'; and 'marked by unusual and impressive intellectual acuteness.' These all apply to Marne Davis Kellogg's Brilliant , one of the most exhilarating novels I've read in a long while...Brilliant , with its many high-class heists, carried out not with guns, knives, or bombs but with weapons of wit, will enchant and engage readers...[the] surprise ending does not disappoint. This saucy, sexy, suspenseful novel-as another one of the definitions of 'brilliant' in my dictionary says-is 'superb, wonderful.' It is not to be missed."-The Roanoke Times
"A sensual and lush romp through the rarefied world of money and power in London and a glimpse into the inner workings of a fine auction house...a fun and engaging read, well written, well plotted, with memorable characters and a concrete sense of place and time."
-The Nashville Tennessean
"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."-Library Journal (starred review)
"A witty, page-turner...a suspenseful account, with humor and a real sense of style."
-Kirkus Reviews
"If your tastes run to champagne and caviar...[Marne Davis Kellogg's] trademark insider's view of the lives of the very rich makes Brilliant a glittering choice for reading at the beach-or in the bathtub."-Rocky Mountain News
"The plot is complex but very smooth, the characters real and the fun continuous."
-The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, Colorado)
"A delicious melodrama starring a heroine who pretends to be so proper, but literally gets away with her crimes...readers will be sympathetic towards the heroine who is living life on her own terms without harming anyone."-Harriet's Book Reviews
"Brilliant is every bit as much fun as her others...the plot is complex but very smooth, the characters real and the fun continuous."--gjsentinel.com
Book Description
Meet Kick Keswick, an elegant and self-possessed American who has been at London's venerable Ballantine & Company Auctioneers 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. 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. But something tells Kick that Brace's motives are anything but sincere. And when he gets near enough to threaten Kick's closely guarded life, Brace learns the dangers of underestimating this woman.
From sophisticated London to cozy Provence, France, Brilliant is a playfully delicious novel of suspense, masterful revenge, and secrets of the multi-faceted kind...
From the Back Cover
"Fast-paced, well-written, and full of colorful characters...madly entertaining." -The Seattle Times
Meet Kick Keswick, an elegant and self-possessed American who has been at London's venerable Ballantine & Company Auctioneers 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.
"Like indulging in a guilty pleasure...Brilliant is pure fun and offers a revealing peak into the lives of the rich and titled in london." -The Denver Post
In fact, Kick rarely lets anyone into her private world. She prefers it that way. 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. But something tells Kick that Brace's motives are anything but sincere. And when he gets near enough to threaten Kick's closely guarded life, Brace learns the dangers of underestimating this woman.
From sophisticated London to cozy Provence, France, Brilliant is a playfully delicious novel of suspense, masterful revenge, and secrets of the multi-faceted kind...
"An elegant and luscious suspense novel, filled with intriguing twists and turns. As always, Kellogg's characters are funny, sexy, interesting, and quirky. Great summer reading. Brilliant is, in a word, brilliant."-Nelson DeMille, author of Up Country
About the Author
A native of Denver, Colorado, Marne Davis Kellogg was educated in Paris and Rome, and from 1966-1968, volunteered as a Military Airlift Command/Braniff flight attendant, serving on troop transports to Vietnam. Marne has worked as a translator for a Colorado-based international oil company; a consumer reporter for a radio station; the Director of Communications for the Denver Center for the Performing Arts; an assistant bureau chief for the Rocky Mountain Bureau of People magazine, and since 1981 has been Executive Vice President of The Kellogg Organization, Inc.
She lives with her husband, Peter, the president and CEO of The Kellogg Organization, Inc., a national fund-raising counseling firm, in Denver, San Francisco, and on their Colorado ranch. Please visit www.marnedaviskellogg.com
Brilliant (Kick Keswick Series) FROM THE PUBLISHER
"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, cozy London flat, her books, her music, her delicious meals, and 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 THE CRITICS
Library Journal
Kick Keswick proves a strong, delightful and intelligent antiheroine as she leads the reader on a marvelous romp through London auction houses, the homes of the rich and famous, and the Provence countryside. Her early rough edges as an Oklahoma juvenile delinquent have been considerably smoothed under the 30-year tutelage of the elegant, now deceased Sir Cramner Ballantine, owner of Ballantine & Company Auctioneers. Remade as a lady of impeccable taste, Kick still has larceny in her soul and has made a successful secret career as jeweler and gem thief. Despite her lack of morals, she has her standards and thus deplores the takeover of the company by brash American businessman, philistine, and womanizer Owen Brace. As a woman of further contradiction, Kick also finds herself sexually drawn to Owen while flattered and intrigued by the attentions of detective Thomas Curtis. Full of fun and flare, Kick is indeed a kick, and Brilliant proves to be a gem of summer reading. Kellogg is the author of the Marshall Lily Bennett series (Nothing but Gossip). Highly recommended for popular fiction collections everywhere.-Sheila Riley, Smithsonian Inst. Libs., Washington, DC Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
A witty page-turner from the author of, most recently, Insatiable (2001). The urbane Kick Keswick is senior executive assistant at the venerable London auction firm of Ballantine & Co. The daughter of an Oklahoma prostitute, Kick never had a leg up in the world until she was 18--when she was picked up (literally) by Sir Cranmer Ballantine, who spied her stranded in a pouring rain, gave her a lift to Claridgeﾽs, and made her his mistress. Eventually, Kick became Cranmerﾽs secretary as well, a post she kept when his son Benjamin took over the business--to disastrous effect. So incompetent was Benjamin that, within a few years, Ballantine had been bought out by American millionaire Owen Brace (though Sir Cramner had set up a secret trust that still allowed Kick anonymously to control 15 percent of the business). Owen brought in a passel of Americans who knew even less about the auction trade than Benjamin did, but he was smart enough to keep Kick, who knew all the upper-echelon secrets of the London art market and was able, for a start, to convince Owen not to wear gold chains when making sales pitches to British lords. Soon Ballantineﾽs is getting high-profile commissions again and Kick has once more become the bossﾽs mistress. But she has a few secrets up her sleeve: in fact, she has a secret identity. Not only does she control part of Owenﾽs business behind his back, but sheﾽs a jewel thief who processes her loot through a complicated network of Lichtenstein banks. Her latest haul came from Lady Melody Carstairs, whose boudoir Kick burgled while Owen was downstairs negotiating an auction contract: a contract that Lady Melody signed seconds before falling dead. As Kick prepares the jewelsfor sale, she grows increasingly troubled. Theft is one thing--but murder? Despite much insider lore about jewelry and objets dﾽart, a suspenseful account, with humor and a real sense of style. Agent: Robert Gottlieb/Trident Media Group
Art & Photography
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