The Guest Essay, Research Paper

FLOWERING JUDAS by Elizabeth Palmer

St. Martin’s October 1997; $22.95 hardcover 279 pp; ISBN 0-312-16843-8

Highly Recommended

Public Relations expert Charmian Sinclair strongly believes that variety is the spice of life. She has a different married lover for each day of her London work week except

Friday (that is a travel day). There is Dominic for every Monday; Tuesdays are set up for Gervase; Nigel comes calling every Wednesday; and Thursdays belong to Gerald (up

until his collapse). On weekends, she retreats to Sussex to spend time with Giles Hayworth. However, even that lifestyle begins to bore Charmian especially when Giles falls in

love with someone else.

Charmian switches paradigms when her brother-in-law Oliver Curtis is viciously and unfairly fired from his job at Circumference. While her half-sister Alexandra consults

Mrs. Hemingway, a clairvoyant, Charmian decides to personally avenge this unfair action comitted by the Circumference CEO Reg Spivey. Using her lovers as unwitting

conduits into the banking world, Charmian soon discovers a corrupt, amoral environment that destroys anyone in its way, including a charming heroine.

FLOWERING JUDAS is a brilliantly written satire laughing at contemporary adult fairy tales such as PRETTY WOMAN. Charmian is wonderful character, whose interplay

with the rich and famous is refreshing and fun. Elizabeth Palmer scores big time with this comical novel of mis-manners among the English elite.