Dangerous to Know (Abridged)

From Publishers Weekly Hate, lust and considerable intrigue propel Bradford's latest (after Everything to Gain), a romantic mystery. Sebastian Locke, the last great philanthropist, has the world at his fingertips?power, money and a beautiful fiancee. Suddenly, mysteriously, he commits suicide?or does he? The answer is unveiled through a series of first-person narratives by members of his dysfunctional family. Vivien, his third wife, who seduced, married and divorced Sebastian but remained his confidante, will stop at nothing to learn the truth behind his death. But the philanthropist's son, Jack, hated his father with a passion that rendered the younger man impotent; glad to be out from under his father's shadow, he couldn't care less about the truth. Meanwhile, Luciana, the fragile daughter with a will of iron that matches her father's, is determined to gain control of Sebastian's assets and to start a new Locke dynasty of her own. Bradford's writing style is dialogue-heavy and laid-back, sometimes passionless, but the clever and unexpected plot twists, capped by the revelation of Sebastian's shattering secret, will keep the author's many fans entranced. $250,000 ad/promo; Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club main selections; simultaneous HarperAudio release; simultaneous large print edition from G.K. Hall; author tour; rights: Janklow & Nesbit.Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Library Journal Patricia Clarkson's adequate reading of Bradford's (Remember, LJ 1/92) latest best seller cannot overcome the lackluster story and plastic characters. The story is told from four perspectives, which, unfortunately, are not easily identifiable in the audio version. There are no verbal clues to indicate a change in speaker, and listeners won't realize that the character perspective has shifted until several sentences have passed. Additionally, Clarkson is not skillful enough to create more than one distinctive voice; although, in her defense, the sketchily drawn characters are markedly similar in their flatness. The story itself is cliched and burdened with repetitive phrasing that weighs heavily on the ears. Very large libraries may want to purchase this title due to Bradford's popularity, but most can safely pass.?Jodi L. Israel, Westwood, Mass.Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.