Washington politics, a jilted woman's revenge and the war in Bosnia plague an idealistic but lecherous president in Sheldon's latest tale of beautiful people, money and deception. On his way up the ladder of success, Oliver Russell breaks his engagement to Leslie Stewart, a stylish, intelligent public relations executive who knows how to nurture a grudge. Leslie marries a rich old man, turns her husband's fortune into a news empire, waits to go after Oliver until he occupies the White House and then hits him with every scandal-ridden headline she can muster. Sheldon ("Morning, Noon, and Night", etc.) peoples his story with familiar yet colorful supporting characters: the old-style back-room politician, the go-getter young journalist, the self-serving spin-doctor. The plot twists will fool very few readers, yet they manage to keep the pages turning, while scenes like the first encounter between the journalist and the Bosnian orphan boy she takes into her care are touching despite their unoriginality. In short, Sheldon once again proves himself the master of the made-for-TV novel. The vindictive heroine, a cross between Katharine Graham and Farrah Fawcett, provides the one special element that sets this work apart from other easily read and easily forgotten fiction by this eternally bestselling writer. Literary Guild selection.
The Best Laid Plans
Narrated by John Rubinstein
Sidney SheldonUnabridged — 7 hours, 35 minutes
The Best Laid Plans
Narrated by John Rubinstein
Sidney SheldonUnabridged — 7 hours, 35 minutes
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Overview
Against the backdrop of Washington politics and the war in Bosnia, a handsome, charismatic attorney is determined to win the presidency at all costs, while his jilted fiancée is intent on revenge and grows a media empire to destroy him. In a world of beautiful people, money, and deception, two equally determined people are headed on a collision course.
Editorial Reviews
A power-hungry Southern governor and his scorned lover collide in this latest from the ever-popular Sheldon.
Venture too far into 'Plans', you'll probably be up late flipping pages.
When you want a novel you simply cannot put down, go to Sheldon.
Schlockmeister Sheldon ("Morning, Noon and Night", 1995, etc.) outdoes himself with an overcharged (albeit eminently readable) tale about a randy American president and the vengeful newspaper heiress he done wrong.
Leslie Stewart, a brainy and beauteous ad agency exec, falls hard for a handsome client, attorney Oliver Russell, whose campaign for the governorship of Kentucky began foundering when he lost the support of Senator Todd Davis after two-timing Davis's daughter Jan. The crafty, powerful lawmaker soon engineers a reconciliation between Jan and Oliver, who unhesitatingly sacrifices Leslie on the altar of his political ambition. In short order, the happy pair find themselves the Bluegrass State's first couple while embittered Leslie heads to Arizona, where she eventually becomes the trophy wife of wealthy businessman Henry Chambers. Henry obligingly dies two years later, freeing Leslie to expand his media holdings in aid of her obsessive desire to get even with the inconstant Oliver. Years later, as the Russells are moving into the White House, the vindictive publisher acquires influential newspaper/television outlets in D.C., which she uses to rake up old scandals that put her erstwhile lover in a bad light. Further disclosures of adultery, murder, and other high crimes have the embattled chief executive on the ropes. In a startling reversal of fortune, however, the true villain of the piece is exposed on live TV, leaving Leslie with egg and more on her lovely face, and allowing Oliver to pursue a semi-noble agenda calculated to bring peace to the Middle East.
A twisty yarn with few real surprises: Sheldon continues to exploit his special talent for getting down and dirty with the high and mighty.
"WHEN IT COMES TO CONCOCTING PLOTS FULL OF TWISTS, SHELDON HAS NO PEERS". — Associated Press
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940175602822 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Phoenix Books, Inc. |
| Publication date: | 11/01/1997 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
Read an Excerpt
The first entry in Leslie Stewarts diary read:
Dear Diary: This morning I met the man I am going tomarry.
It was a simple, optimistic statement, with not theslightest portent of the dramatic chain of events that was aboutto occur.
It was one of those rare, serendipitous days when nothingcould go wrong, when nothing would dare go wrong. LeslieStewart had no interest in astrology, but that morning, as she was leafing through the Lexington Herald-Leader, a horoscope in an astrology column by Zoltaire caught her eye. Itread:
FOR LEO (JULY 23RD TO AUGUST 22ND). THE NEWMOON ILLUMINATES YOUR LOVE LIFE. YOU ARE IN YOURLUNAR CYCLE HIGH NOW, AND MUST PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO AN EXCITING NEW EVENT IN YOUR LIFE. YOURCOMPATIBLE SIGN IS VIRGO. TODAY WILL BE A RED-LETTER DAY. BE PREPARED TO ENJOY IT.
Be prepared to enjoy what? Leslie thought wryly. Today wasgoing to be like every other day. Astrology was nonsense, mindcandy for fools.
Leslie Stewart was a public relations and advertising executive at the Lexington, Kentucky, firm of Bailey & Tomkins.She had three meetings scheduled for that afternoon, the firstwith the Kentucky Fertilizer Company, whose executives wereexcited about the new campaign she was working up for them.They especially liked its beginning: If you want to smell theroses... The second meeting was with the Breeders StudFarm, and the third with the Lexington Coal Company. Red-letter day?
In her late twenties, with a slim, provocative figure, Leslie Stewart had an exciting, exotic look; gray, sloe eyes, high cheekbones, and soft, honey-colored hair, which she wore long and elegantly simple. A friend of Leslies had once told her,If youre beautiful and have a brain and a vagina, you can own the world.
Leslie Stewart was beautiful and had an IQ of 170, andnature had taken care of the rest. But she found her looks a disadvantage. Men were constantly propositioning her or proposing, but few of them bothered to try really to get to know her.
Aside from the two secretaries who worked at Bailey &Tomkins, Leslie was the only woman there. There were fifteenmale employees. It had taken Leslie less than a week to learnthat she was more intelligent than any of them. It was a discovery she decided to keep to herself.
In the beginning, both partners, Jim Bailey, an overweight, soft-spoken man in his forties, and Al Tomkins, anorexic and hyper, ten years younger than Bailey, individuallytried to talk Leslie into going to bed with them.
She had stopped them very simply. Ask me once more,and Ill quit.
That had put an end to that. Leslie was too valuable anemployee to lose.
Her first week on the job, during a coffee break, Lesliehad told her fellow employees a joke.
Three men came across a female genie who promised togrant each one a wish. The first man said, I wish I weretwenty-five percent smarter. The genie blinked, and the mansaid, Hey, I feel smarter already.
The second man said, I wish I were fifty percentsmarter. The genie blinked, and the man exclaimed, Thats wonderful! I think I know things now that I didnt know before.
The third man said, Id like to be one hundred percentsmarter.
So the genie blinked, and the man changed into awoman.
Leslie looked expectantly at the men at the table. Theywere all staring at her, unamused.
Point taken.
The red-letter day that the astrologer had promised began ateleven oclock that morning. Jim Bailey walked into Lesliestiny, cramped office.
We have a new client, he announced. I want you totake charge.
She was already handling more accounts than anyone elseat the firm, but she knew better than to protest.
Fine, she said. What is it?
Its not a what, its a who. Youve heard of Oliver Russell,of course?
Everyone had heard of Oliver Russell. A local attorney andcandidate for governor, he had his face on billboards all overKentucky. With his brilliant legal record, he was considered, atthirty-five, the most eligible bachelor in the state. He was onall the talk shows on the major television stations in LexingtonWDKY, WTVQ, WKYTand on the popular local radiostations, WKQQ and WLRO. Strikingly handsome, with black, unruly hair, dark eyes, an athletic build, and a warm smile, hehad the reputation of having slept with most of the ladies inLexington.
Yes, Ive heard of him. What are we going to do forhim?
Were going to try to help turn him into the governor ofKentucky. Hes on his way here now.
Oliver Russell arrived a few minutes later. He was even moreattractive in person than in his photographs.
When he was introduced to Leslie, he smiled warmly.Ive heard a lot about you. Im so glad youre going to handlemy campaign.
He was not at all what Leslie had expected. There was acompletely disarming sincerity about the man. For a moment,Leslie was at a loss for words.
Ithank you. Please sit down.
Oliver Russell took a seat.
Lets start at the beginning, Leslie suggested. Why areyou running for governor?
Its very simple. Kentuckys a wonderful state. We knowit is, because we live here, and were able to enjoy its magicbut much of the country thinks of us as a bunch of hillbillies.I want to change that image. Kentucky has more to offer thana dozen other states combined. The history of this country began here. We have one of the oldest capitol buildings in America. Kentucky gave this country two presidents. Its the land of Daniel Boone and Kit Carson and Judge Roy Bean. We havethe most beautiful scenery in the worldexciting caves, rivers,bluegrass fieldseverything. I want to open all that up to therest of the world.
He spoke with a deep conviction, and Leslie found herselfstrongly drawn to him. She thought of the astrology column. The new moon illuminates your love life. Today will be a red-letterday. Be prepared to enjoy it.
Oliver Russell was saying, The campaign wont work unless you believe in this as strongly as I do.
I do, Leslie said quickly. Too quickly? Im really looking forward to this. She hesitated a moment. May I ask youa question?
Certainly.
Whats your birth sign?
Virgo.
After Oliver Russell left, Leslie went into Jim Baileys office. Ilike him, she said. Hes sincere. He really cares. I think hedmake a fine governor.
Jim looked at her thoughtfully. Its not going to be easy.
She looked at him, puzzled. Oh? Why?
Bailey shrugged. Im not sure. Theres something goingon that I cant explain. Youve seen Russell on all the billboardsand on television?
Yes.
Well, thats stopped.
I dont understand. Why?
No one knows for certain, but there are a lot of strangerumors. One of the rumors is that someone was backing Russell, putting up all the money for his campaign, and then forsome reason suddenly dropped him.
In the middle of a campaign he was winning? Thatdoesnt make sense, Jim.
I know.
Why did he come to us?
He really wants this. I think hes ambitious. And he feelshe can make a difference. He would like us to figure out acampaign that wont cost him a lot of money. He cant affordto buy any more airtime or do much advertising. All we canreally do for him is to arrange interviews, plant newspaper articles, that sort of thing. He shook his head. Governor Addison is spending a fortune on his campaign. In the last two weeks, Russells gone way down in the polls. Its a shame. Hesa good lawyer. Does a lot of pro bono work. I think hed makea good governor, too.
That night Leslie made her first note in her new diary.
Dear Diary: This morning I met the man I am going tomarry.
Copyright ) 1997 by The Sidney Sheldon Family Limited Partnership
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