THE SANTANGELOS
by Jackie Collins
(Simon & Schuster)
I wrote the glowing first version of this review last week, but after the shock news of Collins’s death from breast cancer at the weekend, I had to rewrite it.
Not because I had changed my mind about jokingly giving it six stars out of five, or calling her the ultimate queen of chick lit whose pretenders to the throne never even come close, but because I ended it by saying how much I was already looking forward to the next one.
I’ve been a super-fan of hers since I was 16 and first read The World Is Full Of Married Men. Barbara Cartland labelled this debut novel ‘nasty, filthy and disgusting’, which probably explains why I loved it so much.
Collins has played such a hugely enjoyable part in my reading life that I find it incredibly sad there won’t be any more squeals of excitement when her latest book lands on the doormat with a deeply satisfying thump.
The Santangelos is a rollicking romp of a read — in classic Collins style — about the newest explosions rocking my favourite fictional family.
The glitz, glamour, private jets and hot sex never get old for me and, yet again, I wasn’t disappointed. The book is dedicated to her ‘many loyal and wonderful readers who have faithfully followed the Santangelo family for years’.
This is her ninth book about them and, maybe in a final act of charity for long-term fans, it ties up quite a few loose ends.
As always, strong women proliferate and bad men tend to get their comeuppance — what a brilliant message to send to countless millions.
Max is here, Oscar-winner Billy pops up a few times, Bobby and Denver are on the rocks thanks to him being framed and falsely accused of murder; and supermodel Venus is in a bizarre controlling relationship with an art-house film director.
Even old favourites are included: sleazy, hotshot agent Eddie Falcone and low-life scumbag Frankie Romano.
At the centre of it all is Lucky Santangelo, Gino’s rightful heir and the strongest, cleverest and bravest woman of all.
Someone major dies, a powerful enemy is hell-bent on revenge, a drug-addict Colombian club owner is determined to become a movie producer, and a talented yet troubled film star sleeps with anyone and everyone she thinks might re-start her ruined career.
It’s an absolute triumph and I was gutted when I finished it.
I’m even more gutted now, of course, and if you are one of Collins’s more than 500 million fans around the world you need to get your hands on this, pronto. You won’t regret it.
As for me, I’m going back to the beginning to read each and every one of her books again.
© Daily Mail