by Morris West
First published 1997
Carl Strassberger has built himself a quiet life in the South of France, painting and studying art history far from the pressures of his family's New York banking empire. He willingly stepped aside years ago, letting his sharp brother-in-law Larry Lucas take over as heir to the financial dynasty. But when his father calls with urgent news, Carl must abandon his peaceful existence and return to a world of corporate intrigue and personal danger. The crisis threatens not only the family business but Carl's own stability. West explores manic depression as both a personal struggle and a force that shapes every decision Carl makes. The condition becomes as real and present as any human character, influencing the unfolding drama across multiple continents and through a cast of vivid personalities.
Genres: fiction, drama, 20th-century, adult-fiction, psychological-thriller, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-drama, personal-journey, unreliable-narrator
Setting: France, New York
Period: 20th-century
272 pages · Paperback · HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Content warnings: mental-illness