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Table of Contents
About The Book
A powerful reimagining of The Great Gatsby from the perspective of the three women whose lives are unravelled by one man’s romantic obsession.
On a sultry August day in 1922, Jay Gatsby is shot dead in his West Egg swimming pool. To the police, it appears to be an open-and-shut case of murder/suicide when the body of George Wilson, a local mechanic, is found in the woods nearby. Then a diamond hairpin is discovered in the bushes by the pool, and three women fall under suspicion. Each holds a key that can unlock the truth to the mysterious life and death of this enigmatic millionaire.
Daisy Buchanan once thought she might marry Gatsby – before her family was torn apart by an unspeakable tragedy that sent her into the arms of the philandering Tom Buchanan. Jordan Baker, Daisy’s best friend, guards a secret that derailed her promising golf career and threatens to ruin her friendship with Daisy as well. Catherine McCoy, a suffragette, fights for women’s freedom and independence, and especially for her sister, Myrtle Wilson, who’s trapped in a terrible marriage.
Their stories unfold in the years leading up to that fateful summer of 1922, when all three of their lives are on the brink of unravelling. Each woman is pulled deeper into Jay Gatsby’s romantic obsession, with devastating consequences for all of them.
This inspired reimagining of the glittering Jazz Age world of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless classic is a quintessential tale of money and power, marriage and friendship, love and desire – and ultimately the murder of a man tormented by the past and driven by a destructive longing that can never be fulfilled.
‘This powerful exploration of the women of The Great Gatsby will forever change the way you see the American classic – and perhaps, too, the role of women in all the stories we take for granted.’ Kristin Harmel, bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Star
On a sultry August day in 1922, Jay Gatsby is shot dead in his West Egg swimming pool. To the police, it appears to be an open-and-shut case of murder/suicide when the body of George Wilson, a local mechanic, is found in the woods nearby. Then a diamond hairpin is discovered in the bushes by the pool, and three women fall under suspicion. Each holds a key that can unlock the truth to the mysterious life and death of this enigmatic millionaire.
Daisy Buchanan once thought she might marry Gatsby – before her family was torn apart by an unspeakable tragedy that sent her into the arms of the philandering Tom Buchanan. Jordan Baker, Daisy’s best friend, guards a secret that derailed her promising golf career and threatens to ruin her friendship with Daisy as well. Catherine McCoy, a suffragette, fights for women’s freedom and independence, and especially for her sister, Myrtle Wilson, who’s trapped in a terrible marriage.
Their stories unfold in the years leading up to that fateful summer of 1922, when all three of their lives are on the brink of unravelling. Each woman is pulled deeper into Jay Gatsby’s romantic obsession, with devastating consequences for all of them.
This inspired reimagining of the glittering Jazz Age world of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless classic is a quintessential tale of money and power, marriage and friendship, love and desire – and ultimately the murder of a man tormented by the past and driven by a destructive longing that can never be fulfilled.
‘This powerful exploration of the women of The Great Gatsby will forever change the way you see the American classic – and perhaps, too, the role of women in all the stories we take for granted.’ Kristin Harmel, bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Star
About The Author
(c) Galen Evans
Jillian Cantor has a BA from Penn State University and an MFA from the University of Arizona. She is the USA Today and internationally bestselling author of eleven novels for teens and adults which have been chosen for Indie Next, Library Reads, Amazon Best of the Month and have been translated into thirteen languages, including, most recently Beautiful Little Fools. Cantor currently lives in Arizona with her husband and two sons. Her twelfth novel, The Fiction Writer, will be published in 2023.
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia (January 5, 2022)
- Length: 368 pages
- ISBN13: 9781761105395
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Raves and Reviews
‘Glittering with intrigue, full of fast-paced tension, and saturated in Jazz Age decadence, this powerful exploration of the women of The Great Gatsby will forever change the way you see the American classic – and perhaps, too, the role of women in all the stories we take for granted.’
– Kristin Harmel, bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars
‘A shifting kaleidoscope of female perspectives makes F.Scott Fitzgerald’s classic tale of Jazz Age longing and lust feel utterly modern. A breathtaking accomplishment.’
– Fiona Davis, bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue
‘Gorgeously captures the complex lives of the women in The Great Gatsby, creating a delicate and intricate story that dovetails perfectly with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s.’
– Jill Santopolo, bestselling author of The Light We Lost
‘This is the untold story we’ve all be waiting for! Lush, beautiful, and dazzling, it transports readers back to an era of hot summer nights, jazz music, and lounging poolside at one of Jay Gatsby’s infamous parties. An instant classic.’
– Shea Ernshaw, bestselling author of A History of Wild Places
‘Cantor beautifully re-crafts an American classic, placing the women of The Great Gatsby center stage: more than merely beautiful, not so little as the men in their lives assume, and certainly far from foolish. Both fresh and familiar, this page-turner is one to savour.’
– Kate Quinn, bestselling author of The Rose Code
‘Both heartbreaking and satisfying, Cantor's gorgeous reimagining of Fitzgerald's classic novel gives each of its female characters the depth she deserves, by placing the women centre stage. Jordan Baker and Daisy Buchanan shine as they navigate a gin-soaked summer rife with the dangers of male egos struggling for power. I could not stop turning the pages as I rooted for each of these women, balancing the tightrope of societal expectations while daring to dream. Jillian Cantor is a sparkling talent in the genre of historical fiction.’
– Meredith Jaeger, author of The Pilot's Daughter
‘Cantor succeeds brilliantly with this audacious revisionist murder mystery featuring characters from The Great Gatsby … An admirably convincing act of literary skullduggery.’
– Publishers Weekly (starred review)
‘This Gatsby retelling reveals more about the women in the story by casting them as humans, not decorative baubles. Cantor asks and answers: Who were the real fools in Gatsby’s world?’
– Kirkus Reviews
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Beautiful Little Fools eBook 9781761105395
- Author Photo (jpg): Jillian Cantor (c) Galen Evans(0.1 MB)
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