The Poisoned Banquet: Corruption of innocence by a ruthless morbidly jealous but superficially charming power broker.

A tale of jealousy and corruption. Rachel, a burgeoning celebrity pianist marries the successful but corrupt banker Michael Johnson. The book opens with the boy Michael witnessing the death of his baby sister Emma; has a rival for his parents' love been despatched? By accident or design? Like all battered wives she lives in self denial, until it is too late. Despite the humiliation and exploitation by her increasingly deviant husband Rachel constantly believes that love will conquer all. Sadly this cannot be, and the price of her devotion to Michael, is her own life. The story echoes the contrasts between Rachel's love of music, that contrasts so sharply with the corrupt world that is her husband's, where wealth and power mean everything. A battered wife can live in a palace or a hovel - the pain is much the same.