Daddy's Girls

From Publishers Weekly Four daughters of wealthy Lord Oswald Balcon come under suspicion after he takes a fatal tumble in magazine journalist Perry's debut, a delightful offering for the beach set. Each daughter has a plausible motive. Actress Serena Balcon is involved with a ruthless hotelier tycoon, and her ensuing pregnancy could mean she carries the next Huntsford baron, but her father won't allow an illegitimate child to inherit the family fortune. Recently fired women's magazine editor Cate wants to put her own spin on a new upscale travel and fashion magazine, but daddy dearest tries to undermine it from the get-go. Venetia, head of a successful design company, yearns to branch out to the States, but dad, an important company shareholder, puts the kibosh on that as well. Barrister Camilla is singled out by her law firm to run for a vacant House of Commons seat, but Oswald, who has lost his seat in the House of Lords, tries to quash his daughter's political ambitions. The writing and plotting are swift, but Perry slaps on an unsatisfying conclusion and a too-pat epilogue. Still, her spicy first novel about four impossibly glam sisters and their power-driven, cantankerous father made a big splash in the U.K. and will likely do the same here. (July) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Booklist Perry delivers glamour, romance, and intrigue in the tradition of Jackie Collins but with a decidedly contemporary twist. The Balcon sisters are a new breed of British nobility--rich but not idle. No, these four beauties have high ambitions. They are Serena, the "it girl" actress; Cate, the overachieving magazine editor; Camilla, the budding politician; and Venetia, the head of a design empire. When their father drowns in the estate moat, fingers point at the sisters, who stand to benefit from his death. So they get to work clearing their names and unearthing some long-buried secrets. This tasty tome offers a voyeuristic view of life filled with high fashion, glitzy parties, and luxurious retreats, with risque sex and murder thrown into the mix. The perfect fix for readers looking for a frivolous treat, it's bound to make its way into a bevy of beach totes this summer. Aleksandra Kostovski Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Tasmina Perry is a former attorney who gave up a career in law to move into the more glamorous world of women's magazine journalism. She has written on celebrity and style for many magazines, including Marie Claire and Glamour, and most recently was deputy editor in chief of In Style (UK). She lives in London with her husband and son. Read more