The Lap of Luxury

This is a story of a poor but attractive and accomplished art historian who romps through the bedrooms and boardrooms of the art and entertainment establishments of Manhattan, with romantic side trips to Europe, Mexico and Brazil. The protagonist finds himself suddenly in the lap of luxury by the simple expedient of marrying a wealthy heiress. His world unravels when he cannot resist the allure of an alpha female who habitually brings men to ruin including the protagonist. The plot is minimal. The great fun of this book is found in the author's keen observation and description of the morals and mores of the book's predatory characters: social climbers, the landed gentry, and the people who serve them, from gay museum directors to streetwise apartment doormen. The scenes depicting them seducing, using, entertaining and abusing each other are delicious and funny. The exotic characters are rendered in sharp relief and with the instantly recognizable wit of a New Yorker cartoon. The novel's chief flaw is the unlikely sentimental ending, but it is entirely forgivable given the book's romantic bent, particularly toward the protagonist with whom the author seems to identify strongly. Great entertainment offering hours of forgetfulness.