An Absolute Scandal
by Penny Vincenzi
Book of the Month: April 2008
Reading Group
Praise for Penny Vincenzi
‘There’s one name that continues to reign supreme, Penny Vincenzi’ Glamour
‘Twists, turns and emotional switchbacks aplenty’ Daily Mail
‘Penny Vincenzi dazzlingly combines the old-fashioned virtues of gripping storytelling with the up-to-the-minute contemporary feel for emotional depth and insight . . . Reading her is an addictive experience’ Elizabeth Buchan
‘Another sure-fire hit’ Woman
‘Penny Vincenzi writes with such flair and gusto that I defy any reader, once they’ve taken the smallest nibble, not to gobble it all down’ Sunday Express
‘A juicy page-turner’ Cosmopolitan
‘Pick a location where you can be comfortable sitting still for hours . . . once you start reading, you’re not going to want to move yourself . . . Totally compelling. *****’ Heat
‘With an unerring knowledge of the worlds she describes and the emotions that go with them, Penny Vincenzi has created another absorbing page-turner’ Good Housekeeping
‘Penny Vincenzi writes with verve and heart, immersing the reader in a world of engrossing and unforgettable glamour and passion’ Dominick Dunne
‘A super read that will keep you guessing right until the end’ Company
‘Marvellously engrossing . . . perfect for curling up with on a rainy day. Or any day for that matter’ Barbara Taylor Bradford
‘Gloriously unputdownable’ Woman & Home
‘Blockbusting fiction to curl up with and revel in’ Prima
‘A rampantly riveting read’ She
Also by Penny Vincenzi
Old Sins Wicked Pleasures An Outrageous Affair Another Woman Forbidden Places The Dilemma The Glimpses (short stories) Windfall Almost A Crime No Angel Something Dangerous Into Temptation Sheer AbandonReading Group questions
In one way or another, the Lloyd’s scandal impacts on all the characters in the book, and all are changed by the experience. Whose story most affected you?
How aware were you of the Lloyd’s crisis before reading An Absolute Scandal?
How, if at all, was your perception of it changed by reading the book?
Many of the characters in the book come from wealthy, privileged backgrounds. Did that at any stage make them, and their plight, less sympathetic to you?
We see Debbie confronted with a very difficult decision. How did you feel about the one she finally makes? In your view, was it the right one?
On the very first page we’re told that one of the characters will end up dead. Were you surprised by who it turned out to be? How did you feel the death was handled?
If you were Lucinda, having to choose between two men, who would you go for, Nigel or Blue?
To what extent do you think the thoughts and actions of key characters are influenced by the class they belong to? Consider Flora, Nigel, Annabel, Simon and Blue.
With which character did you most identify? Whom did you find most alien?
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