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Diana Porteous #1
Gold Digger
The warmth of him, the glorious warmth, was fading by the minute.
In a huge old school house by the sea, full of precious paintings, Thomas Porteous is dying. His much younger wife Di holds him and mourns. She knows that soon, despite her being his sole inheritor, Thomas's relatives will descend on the collection that was the passion of both of their lives.
And descend they do. The two needy daughters, who were poisoned against their father by their defecting mother, are now poison themselves. The family regard Thomas's wealth as theirs by right, with the exception of young Patrick, who adored his grandfather and is torn between his parents and Di, the interloper.
The family know Di's weaknesses, and she has to learn theirs. After all, she met Thomas when she came to his house to rob him. With the help of an unlikely collection of loners and eccentrics, she sets a trap to hoist the family members on their own greed. And on the night they are lured to the house, Di will be ready.
Or will she?
In a huge old school house by the sea, full of precious paintings, Thomas Porteous is dying. His much younger wife Di holds him and mourns. She knows that soon, despite her being his sole inheritor, Thomas's relatives will descend on the collection that was the passion of both of their lives.
And descend they do. The two needy daughters, who were poisoned against their father by their defecting mother, are now poison themselves. The family regard Thomas's wealth as theirs by right, with the exception of young Patrick, who adored his grandfather and is torn between his parents and Di, the interloper.
The family know Di's weaknesses, and she has to learn theirs. After all, she met Thomas when she came to his house to rob him. With the help of an unlikely collection of loners and eccentrics, she sets a trap to hoist the family members on their own greed. And on the night they are lured to the house, Di will be ready.
Or will she?
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
13 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
Frances Fyfield
82 books65 followersAka Frances Hegarty.
Frances Fyfield is a criminal lawyer, who lives in London and in Deal, by the sea which is her passion. She has won several awards, including the CWA Silver Dagger.
She grew up in rural Derbyshire, but spent most of her adult life in London, with long intervals in Norfolk and Deal, all inspiring places. She was educated mostly in convent schools; then studied English at Newcastle University and went on to qualify as a solicitor, working for what is now the Crown Prosecution Service, thus learning a bit about murder at second hand. She also worked for the Metropolitan Police.
Years later, writing became her real vocation. She also writes short stories for magazines and radio and is occasionally a contributor to Radio 4, (Front Row, Quote Unquote, Night Waves,) and presenter of Tales from the Stave.
Frances Fyfield is a criminal lawyer, who lives in London and in Deal, by the sea which is her passion. She has won several awards, including the CWA Silver Dagger.
She grew up in rural Derbyshire, but spent most of her adult life in London, with long intervals in Norfolk and Deal, all inspiring places. She was educated mostly in convent schools; then studied English at Newcastle University and went on to qualify as a solicitor, working for what is now the Crown Prosecution Service, thus learning a bit about murder at second hand. She also worked for the Metropolitan Police.
Years later, writing became her real vocation. She also writes short stories for magazines and radio and is occasionally a contributor to Radio 4, (Front Row, Quote Unquote, Night Waves,) and presenter of Tales from the Stave.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
April 11, 2024
Total failure. It's a pity because this book looked so promising.
I despised the writing style; it was incredibly confusing. On one hand, there were long passages reflecting on minor details, while on the other hand, there were too many short vignettes on matters that were interesting and crucial for the plot. It was difficult to discern what was actually happening, and this style of writing was extremely tiresome.
It's a shame because the blurb of this book genuinely intrigued me. It seemed to promise a captivating story: a clever young widow safeguarding her husband's legacy from his estranged family. However, the reality is quite different. While elements of what I anticipated are present in the book, they are far less significant than I had hoped for.
I anticipated a complex scheme devised by Di and her late husband to expose the true nature of his family. I expected fast-paced action and unexpected twists. Yet, none of that materialized. Instead, the book is imbued with a kind of lyrical quality. It seems the author aimed to create a painterly effect, but I'm unconvinced that this was a successful endeavor, or even a good idea in the first place. In my view, the writing style overshadowed the story to a considerable degree.
Also, this peculiar writing style made it challenging to connect with the characters. Despite knowing quite a bit about Di, I felt like I didn't truly understand her. This lack of connection further hindered my engagement with the story, as I found myself indifferent to its unfolding events.
This is just the beginning of the series, but I have no intention of reading the next book.
I despised the writing style; it was incredibly confusing. On one hand, there were long passages reflecting on minor details, while on the other hand, there were too many short vignettes on matters that were interesting and crucial for the plot. It was difficult to discern what was actually happening, and this style of writing was extremely tiresome.
It's a shame because the blurb of this book genuinely intrigued me. It seemed to promise a captivating story: a clever young widow safeguarding her husband's legacy from his estranged family. However, the reality is quite different. While elements of what I anticipated are present in the book, they are far less significant than I had hoped for.
I anticipated a complex scheme devised by Di and her late husband to expose the true nature of his family. I expected fast-paced action and unexpected twists. Yet, none of that materialized. Instead, the book is imbued with a kind of lyrical quality. It seems the author aimed to create a painterly effect, but I'm unconvinced that this was a successful endeavor, or even a good idea in the first place. In my view, the writing style overshadowed the story to a considerable degree.
Also, this peculiar writing style made it challenging to connect with the characters. Despite knowing quite a bit about Di, I felt like I didn't truly understand her. This lack of connection further hindered my engagement with the story, as I found myself indifferent to its unfolding events.
This is just the beginning of the series, but I have no intention of reading the next book.
October 30, 2015
Frances Fyfield has been a favourite mystery writer of mine for quite some time; her latest does not disappoint.
In a rambling house in a seaside town on the English Channel resides a May/December couple. Thomas Porteous, a wealthy art collector, married Diana Quigley ten years after she tried unsuccessfully to rob him. Because of her innate understanding of and appreciation for art, they develop an affinity. When Thomas dies, he leaves his entire collection to his wife so that she can establish a gallery for the edification and enjoyment of others. Thomas’ children from his first marriage, virtually estranged because of their mother’s lies, inherit nothing because their father knew well their greediness; nonetheless, they swoop in like vultures to sell the paintings and pocket the proceeds. Determined to fulfill her beloved husband’s wishes, Di has to use the skills she learned as a teenage burglar to thwart their plans.
Comparisons to King Lear are inevitable. Thomas was not as blind as Lear to the personalities of his daughters, but he did underestimate their ruthlessness. Gayle and Beatrice, corrupt and deceitful, are certainly Goneril and Regan; the animal imagery Shakespeare used to describe them could as aptly be used on their modern day counterparts. Edward, Gayle’s husband, is like Edmund, although a “bastard” in a different sense of the word; Saul is like the ever-loyal Kent; Raymond, the family lawyer, is somewhat like Gloucester, blind to the full truth; and Patrick is Edgar who offers some hope in the end. Di, of course, is Cordelia; she is of an age that she could have been Thomas’ daughter and she is the one who proves her love true despite the opinion of others who see her as a gold digger.
This is very much a novel of character. Each character emerges as an individual. Even Gayle and Beatrice, as similarly venomous as they are, are differentiated. Thomas says of his daughters, “They always take or break,” but Gayle, being older, has childhood memories of her father that Beatrice doesn’t and so is less willing to believe in her father’s “sinister propensities.” That Gayle and other reprehensible characters are shown to have some redeeming qualities indicates the quality of the characterization.
The book examines how greed and resentment can make people act in irrational ways. Raymond warns Di: “’There is a level of hatred in some families which goes beyond the rational. These daughters believe that their mother was the victim of great cruelty, as they were themselves. They believe Thomas was responsible for her unhappiness and for the failure of their lives. Such hatred knows no boundaries. None at all.’” There are at least five parents in the novel who use their own children in schemes to enrich themselves.
There is certainly sufficient suspense to maintain reader interest. Knowing the fate of even the best-laid plans and being aware that “’Those that have, want more,’” the reader keeps wondering if the plan to “hoist with one’s own petard” will succeed. Di also has to determine who can really be trusted. And then there’s the ominous presence of Di’s father, the Dickensian Fagin. There is foreshadowing (making me think of “The Cask of Amontillado”) but enough red herrings to keep one guessing.
This is a good read; those who like Fyfield will find more to admire and those unfamiliar with her will find a new author to explore.
Please check out my reader's blog (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).
In a rambling house in a seaside town on the English Channel resides a May/December couple. Thomas Porteous, a wealthy art collector, married Diana Quigley ten years after she tried unsuccessfully to rob him. Because of her innate understanding of and appreciation for art, they develop an affinity. When Thomas dies, he leaves his entire collection to his wife so that she can establish a gallery for the edification and enjoyment of others. Thomas’ children from his first marriage, virtually estranged because of their mother’s lies, inherit nothing because their father knew well their greediness; nonetheless, they swoop in like vultures to sell the paintings and pocket the proceeds. Determined to fulfill her beloved husband’s wishes, Di has to use the skills she learned as a teenage burglar to thwart their plans.
Comparisons to King Lear are inevitable. Thomas was not as blind as Lear to the personalities of his daughters, but he did underestimate their ruthlessness. Gayle and Beatrice, corrupt and deceitful, are certainly Goneril and Regan; the animal imagery Shakespeare used to describe them could as aptly be used on their modern day counterparts. Edward, Gayle’s husband, is like Edmund, although a “bastard” in a different sense of the word; Saul is like the ever-loyal Kent; Raymond, the family lawyer, is somewhat like Gloucester, blind to the full truth; and Patrick is Edgar who offers some hope in the end. Di, of course, is Cordelia; she is of an age that she could have been Thomas’ daughter and she is the one who proves her love true despite the opinion of others who see her as a gold digger.
This is very much a novel of character. Each character emerges as an individual. Even Gayle and Beatrice, as similarly venomous as they are, are differentiated. Thomas says of his daughters, “They always take or break,” but Gayle, being older, has childhood memories of her father that Beatrice doesn’t and so is less willing to believe in her father’s “sinister propensities.” That Gayle and other reprehensible characters are shown to have some redeeming qualities indicates the quality of the characterization.
The book examines how greed and resentment can make people act in irrational ways. Raymond warns Di: “’There is a level of hatred in some families which goes beyond the rational. These daughters believe that their mother was the victim of great cruelty, as they were themselves. They believe Thomas was responsible for her unhappiness and for the failure of their lives. Such hatred knows no boundaries. None at all.’” There are at least five parents in the novel who use their own children in schemes to enrich themselves.
There is certainly sufficient suspense to maintain reader interest. Knowing the fate of even the best-laid plans and being aware that “’Those that have, want more,’” the reader keeps wondering if the plan to “hoist with one’s own petard” will succeed. Di also has to determine who can really be trusted. And then there’s the ominous presence of Di’s father, the Dickensian Fagin. There is foreshadowing (making me think of “The Cask of Amontillado”) but enough red herrings to keep one guessing.
This is a good read; those who like Fyfield will find more to admire and those unfamiliar with her will find a new author to explore.
Please check out my reader's blog (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).
August 8, 2013
There is a particular kind of character in crime fiction I am especially enamoured of. She is, or was, a teen-aged girl with a range of skills from a criminal background—if she needs transport she can steal a car and if she needs to dispose of one simply sets it on fire—but who is as the result of her intellectual abilities or artistic talents able to escape her origins and assume a new and honest identity. S. J Bolton’s DC Lacey Flint is my favourite, but I love Kerrie-Ann in Nicola Monaghan’s The Killing Jar, and I am delighted to add Frances Fyfield’s Diana Quigley to my list. (Perhaps fortunately for me, I’ve not yet encountered anyone quite like any of them in real life.)
Diana’s father is a low life who specialises in making people disappear, although he doesn’t actually cause their demise. He has trained Di in the arts of burgling and theft, as well as to be handy with a knife. The 17 year-old Di breaks into the house, practically a mansion and a former school, of the elderly and wealthy Thomas Porteous, who has an impressive art collection. The break-in goes awry and Di is arrested and sent to prison. But a friendship springs up between her and Thomas; he supplies her with art books whilst she is in prison, and when she gets out a May-December romance based on their common love of art and of the sea (the setting is the Channel coast) leads to a happy marriage till Thomas’s death. He leaves everything to Di with the understanding that the house and collection will remain intact as a museum open to public view.
The serpents in the garden are Thomas’s daughters Gayle and Beatrice, along with Gayle’s useless and greedy husband Edward. The sisters are the offspring of Thomas’s divorced former wife, who disappeared and is believed to have jumped overboard from the Channel ferry. The daughters have enjoyed an expensive upbringing and education and Thomas believed they should manage on their own and left everything to Di. With that wonderful assurance like characters in a Victorian novel that family money ought to be theirs by right, although they’ve done nothing to earn it or preserve it and intend to sell off the art collection to support their extravagant habits, the sisters attempt to overturn Thomas’s will. First they try to use Di’s criminal past against her and lay baseless charges, then they accuse Di of neglecting Thomas and hastening his death, although the post mortem shows he was well cared for. When legal remedies prove long shots beyond their resources, Gayle and Edward contrive a plan to rob the collection and turn some hot art to cold cash.
What they do not know is that their plan is actually a scam devised by Thomas himself, with the aid of a crooked art dealer (is that a pleonasm?). It is one of the most brilliant stings I have encountered. The dealer, who pretends to be conniving with Gayle and Edward, gives them to believe that in addition to the catalogued collection, Thomas had hidden in his basement two masterpieces that would literally be worth millions. The paintings are supposed to be a Fragonard and a Gainsborough, and all Gayle and Edward need do is break in and steal them.
They are quite real 18th-century paintings in the manner of Fragonard and Gainsborough, but actually knock-offs by very good contemporary imitators, good enough to fool a pair of amateurs. When they would come to be appraised by experts they would be worth at most a few thousand, peanuts to the sisters.
I’ll not supply any spoilers, but the sting does not quite come off as intended, because Gayle and Edward do not prove to be competent thieves. Stealing art successfully seems to need more than a ninja suit. It requires focus and discipline. But I expect most readers will share my satisfaction with the ending.
Although I loved this book, I’m awarding only four stars because the unfolding of the plot rather dragged, though we meet lots of attractive minor characters along the way. And I loved the setting. Apparently Fyfield spends part of her time in Deal (where Simon Raven once lived and wrote).
It is a scandal that virtually none of Fyfield’s novels have been published on this side of the pond, and we Yanks will have to pay either outrageous postal charges or make to with whatever used copies of her books make their way over here. I have no idea why none of the editorial ladies in New York who decide what we can read over here have ignored such excellence. I reckon they are too busy “doing lunch.”
Diana’s father is a low life who specialises in making people disappear, although he doesn’t actually cause their demise. He has trained Di in the arts of burgling and theft, as well as to be handy with a knife. The 17 year-old Di breaks into the house, practically a mansion and a former school, of the elderly and wealthy Thomas Porteous, who has an impressive art collection. The break-in goes awry and Di is arrested and sent to prison. But a friendship springs up between her and Thomas; he supplies her with art books whilst she is in prison, and when she gets out a May-December romance based on their common love of art and of the sea (the setting is the Channel coast) leads to a happy marriage till Thomas’s death. He leaves everything to Di with the understanding that the house and collection will remain intact as a museum open to public view.
The serpents in the garden are Thomas’s daughters Gayle and Beatrice, along with Gayle’s useless and greedy husband Edward. The sisters are the offspring of Thomas’s divorced former wife, who disappeared and is believed to have jumped overboard from the Channel ferry. The daughters have enjoyed an expensive upbringing and education and Thomas believed they should manage on their own and left everything to Di. With that wonderful assurance like characters in a Victorian novel that family money ought to be theirs by right, although they’ve done nothing to earn it or preserve it and intend to sell off the art collection to support their extravagant habits, the sisters attempt to overturn Thomas’s will. First they try to use Di’s criminal past against her and lay baseless charges, then they accuse Di of neglecting Thomas and hastening his death, although the post mortem shows he was well cared for. When legal remedies prove long shots beyond their resources, Gayle and Edward contrive a plan to rob the collection and turn some hot art to cold cash.
What they do not know is that their plan is actually a scam devised by Thomas himself, with the aid of a crooked art dealer (is that a pleonasm?). It is one of the most brilliant stings I have encountered. The dealer, who pretends to be conniving with Gayle and Edward, gives them to believe that in addition to the catalogued collection, Thomas had hidden in his basement two masterpieces that would literally be worth millions. The paintings are supposed to be a Fragonard and a Gainsborough, and all Gayle and Edward need do is break in and steal them.
They are quite real 18th-century paintings in the manner of Fragonard and Gainsborough, but actually knock-offs by very good contemporary imitators, good enough to fool a pair of amateurs. When they would come to be appraised by experts they would be worth at most a few thousand, peanuts to the sisters.
I’ll not supply any spoilers, but the sting does not quite come off as intended, because Gayle and Edward do not prove to be competent thieves. Stealing art successfully seems to need more than a ninja suit. It requires focus and discipline. But I expect most readers will share my satisfaction with the ending.
Although I loved this book, I’m awarding only four stars because the unfolding of the plot rather dragged, though we meet lots of attractive minor characters along the way. And I loved the setting. Apparently Fyfield spends part of her time in Deal (where Simon Raven once lived and wrote).
It is a scandal that virtually none of Fyfield’s novels have been published on this side of the pond, and we Yanks will have to pay either outrageous postal charges or make to with whatever used copies of her books make their way over here. I have no idea why none of the editorial ladies in New York who decide what we can read over here have ignored such excellence. I reckon they are too busy “doing lunch.”
February 20, 2020
It just did not do it for me. All I will say is Frances, may I call you Frances, just write the story from your heart for your readers and not to prove how intelligent you are or maybe to satisfy your editor or what the hell was that mess.
April 20, 2014
I wish Frances Fyfield would throw caution to the winds and write purely for her own pleasure, rather than for her agent or her regular readers! This book started with so much promise, but never quite escaped the constraints of its 'thriller' genre. For me, the cynical ex-policeman,the tart with a heart and the runaway teen were unbearably cliched, and the almost pantomime evil sisters were so one-dimensional as to lack all credibility. But the characters of Thomas and Di were so fresh and original and engaging, they elevated the book to another level. This was their story, and as such was captivating. Both characters had a potential way beyond the confines of the plot. As for Di's father, the sinister 'Quig', he seemed to inhabit another dimension entirely, hovering around the peripheries of the plot on his own unknowable agenda, to deliciously menacing effect. In a parallel universe, the same characters could be the makings of a really brilliant book. I was impressed, intrigued, but ultimately disappointed by this novel, and as if it's catching, I can only finish on a cliche - didn't live up to expectations.
August 20, 2015
A crime thriller with no dead bodies but lots of psychological stuff going on in our main characters: Di, whose much older art collector husband Thomas has just died and who is being mean mouthed and harassed by her late husband's adult witless gold-digging daughters; Jones, Peg, and Saul, who all have interesting and checkered pasts and become Di's bodyguards, engaged in the burglary orchestrated by Thomas before his death, by his children. Fyfield weaves a very different gold digging story and how it is to be thwarted. She gives us a tender love story between Di, a former mid 20's thief turned collector with the guidance of her beloved Thomas, owner of a unique collection of British art, an uplifting collection housed in a one time schoolhouse by the sea. Kindred spirits they are for 10 years until Thomas' illness and death. Surviving the daughters' hateful wrath at this upstart Di getting 'their' inheritance, not a new plot line in fiction but in Fyfield's hands, a masterly one. This crime thriller is all about the crime to be committed and many 'crimes' that have been carried out in the Porteous family's past, mostly dysfunctional, naturally. Excellent, as ever.
December 4, 2016
4.5 stars
Gold Digger is a fiendishly deceptive piece of crime fiction; on the surface presenting as a simple tale of two embittered daughters descending on the house that their father adored and the collection of paintings that united him and his decades younger second wife, Di, but so much more underneath all the bickering that ensues. Thomas Porteous, teacher, son of a teacher, inventor of games and most of all, a man with a drive to educate and inspire. Although the circumstances of the fated night that sent a seventeen-year-old Di Quigley to pilfer his home were certainly inauspicious and left Di as the fall guy for a botched burglary, it is a transformed woman who returns to the old school house where objects of beauty are so revered and falls in love with a man who opens the door to a world of enchantment full of promise. Lawyer, Raymond Forrest, may decry her as having "the morals of a guttersnipe, the eyes of a magpie and an intelligence as fierce as fire", perfidious art dealer Saul Blythe might see her as a potential threat to the legacy of the amassed collection, but her love for the paintings that adorn the wall is secondary only to the genuine relationship that develops between Di and the master of the house. Her uncle and ex-Sergeant Jones who originally arrested Di might be wary of the returning threat of her brutal father, Quig, but Thomas is the first to warn Di that his death will result in a battle royal with his avaricious offspring, Gayle and Beatrice, and that she cannot afford to underestimate their greed. Poisoned by their now deceased mother who left their father and spread rumours of his "unnatural tendencies" with his children, the Porteous daughters feel entitled to a share of the wealth that came their fathers way after he was ostracised by his family.
Even before his demise, Thomas makes reference to Goneril and Regan, the avaricious daughters of King Lear, inherently dishonest and shallow while he is alive, but sniping, underhand and impassioned by his death and his supposed betrayal of them. Despite first wife, Christina, taking Grace and Beatrice from their father at ages six and nine, her continued grasping clutches have left them both with a sense of entitlement that is galling in the extreme. No one is aware of his daughter's potential for malice more than Thomas and he knows that Di may not survive alone, hence his blueprint, supported by art dealer, Saul: to hoist the greedy sisters on their own petard. Fuelled by Saul into believing that their father and Di hid the existence of the most valuable paintings, all the while blind to the fact that it is the collection in its entirety that holds the value, a plan is put in motion to steal the priceless paintings from under Di's nose, fittingly on the tenth anniversary of her original crime.
Frances Fyfield controls this tale from the off by creating by bringing to life some of the most devious and well-realised characters, all of whom are multi-faceted and with enough nuances to make you question their motives continually. One of the aspects I found fascinating was my response to the varied cast that surrounded the bereaved Diana, and I suspect it speaks volumes that the trio that I trusted the most would, to an impartial observer on the outside, have been most suspicious, specifically Di, Jones and teenage thief, Peg. Frances Fyfield measures her words, wasting none and drawing to life an unholy alliance between a misunderstood widow, the curious ensemble of characters who trample her grief and the motley crew of allies who man the fort. I particularly liked how loose the motives of Raymond Forrest and Saul Blythe remained throughout as they flit back and forth between Di and the snubbed Gayle, Edward and Beatrice, always loathe to place my faith in two men of questionable motives. A key relationship which I found fascinating was the curious triangle of Jones and his affection for hairdresser Monica, all the while acknowledging that she was in the thrall of the treacherous Quig, which added to the undercurrent of tension that flowed through this novel.
The story is firmly set against the backdrop of a faded seaside town, an area that both Thomas and Diana love with a fervour. Often Fyfield sets a scene and describes what the reader bears witness to in the form of an abstract befitting a treasured artwork. This was a novel I discovered in a charity book sale and devoured. Intensely observed and with a deceptive level of depth making this a profound read, Frances Fyfield is an author I want to discover more of and with a back catalogue running into double figures, I relish doing so. Indeed, there are two further novels featuring the splendid character of Diana Porteous. Satisfying in the upmost, Fyfield avoids any element of farce for ever entering proceedings. Di defends the indefensible, naively wanting to see the best in people and always willing to offer a second chance, despite an upbringing at the hands of her callous father.
Bewitching until the closing pages, perhaps for the fact that even after the story unravels, I was still filled with questions and unsure about the motives of some players. For a crime novel without significant bloodshed, the tension lasts and mystery of that first night holds court throughout this novel. Frances Fyfield delivers a splendid finish, with the revelation of one secret and a resolution to another. Gold Digger is wonderfully intelligent crime fiction, relying on characters and actions to speak louder than any violence could possibly do.
Gold Digger is a fiendishly deceptive piece of crime fiction; on the surface presenting as a simple tale of two embittered daughters descending on the house that their father adored and the collection of paintings that united him and his decades younger second wife, Di, but so much more underneath all the bickering that ensues. Thomas Porteous, teacher, son of a teacher, inventor of games and most of all, a man with a drive to educate and inspire. Although the circumstances of the fated night that sent a seventeen-year-old Di Quigley to pilfer his home were certainly inauspicious and left Di as the fall guy for a botched burglary, it is a transformed woman who returns to the old school house where objects of beauty are so revered and falls in love with a man who opens the door to a world of enchantment full of promise. Lawyer, Raymond Forrest, may decry her as having "the morals of a guttersnipe, the eyes of a magpie and an intelligence as fierce as fire", perfidious art dealer Saul Blythe might see her as a potential threat to the legacy of the amassed collection, but her love for the paintings that adorn the wall is secondary only to the genuine relationship that develops between Di and the master of the house. Her uncle and ex-Sergeant Jones who originally arrested Di might be wary of the returning threat of her brutal father, Quig, but Thomas is the first to warn Di that his death will result in a battle royal with his avaricious offspring, Gayle and Beatrice, and that she cannot afford to underestimate their greed. Poisoned by their now deceased mother who left their father and spread rumours of his "unnatural tendencies" with his children, the Porteous daughters feel entitled to a share of the wealth that came their fathers way after he was ostracised by his family.
Even before his demise, Thomas makes reference to Goneril and Regan, the avaricious daughters of King Lear, inherently dishonest and shallow while he is alive, but sniping, underhand and impassioned by his death and his supposed betrayal of them. Despite first wife, Christina, taking Grace and Beatrice from their father at ages six and nine, her continued grasping clutches have left them both with a sense of entitlement that is galling in the extreme. No one is aware of his daughter's potential for malice more than Thomas and he knows that Di may not survive alone, hence his blueprint, supported by art dealer, Saul: to hoist the greedy sisters on their own petard. Fuelled by Saul into believing that their father and Di hid the existence of the most valuable paintings, all the while blind to the fact that it is the collection in its entirety that holds the value, a plan is put in motion to steal the priceless paintings from under Di's nose, fittingly on the tenth anniversary of her original crime.
Frances Fyfield controls this tale from the off by creating by bringing to life some of the most devious and well-realised characters, all of whom are multi-faceted and with enough nuances to make you question their motives continually. One of the aspects I found fascinating was my response to the varied cast that surrounded the bereaved Diana, and I suspect it speaks volumes that the trio that I trusted the most would, to an impartial observer on the outside, have been most suspicious, specifically Di, Jones and teenage thief, Peg. Frances Fyfield measures her words, wasting none and drawing to life an unholy alliance between a misunderstood widow, the curious ensemble of characters who trample her grief and the motley crew of allies who man the fort. I particularly liked how loose the motives of Raymond Forrest and Saul Blythe remained throughout as they flit back and forth between Di and the snubbed Gayle, Edward and Beatrice, always loathe to place my faith in two men of questionable motives. A key relationship which I found fascinating was the curious triangle of Jones and his affection for hairdresser Monica, all the while acknowledging that she was in the thrall of the treacherous Quig, which added to the undercurrent of tension that flowed through this novel.
The story is firmly set against the backdrop of a faded seaside town, an area that both Thomas and Diana love with a fervour. Often Fyfield sets a scene and describes what the reader bears witness to in the form of an abstract befitting a treasured artwork. This was a novel I discovered in a charity book sale and devoured. Intensely observed and with a deceptive level of depth making this a profound read, Frances Fyfield is an author I want to discover more of and with a back catalogue running into double figures, I relish doing so. Indeed, there are two further novels featuring the splendid character of Diana Porteous. Satisfying in the upmost, Fyfield avoids any element of farce for ever entering proceedings. Di defends the indefensible, naively wanting to see the best in people and always willing to offer a second chance, despite an upbringing at the hands of her callous father.
Bewitching until the closing pages, perhaps for the fact that even after the story unravels, I was still filled with questions and unsure about the motives of some players. For a crime novel without significant bloodshed, the tension lasts and mystery of that first night holds court throughout this novel. Frances Fyfield delivers a splendid finish, with the revelation of one secret and a resolution to another. Gold Digger is wonderfully intelligent crime fiction, relying on characters and actions to speak louder than any violence could possibly do.
June 11, 2017
Thomas Porteous has a collection of drawings and paintings gathered over his lifetime in his old house by the sea. He leaves the collection to his younger wife, Di but his jealous children from his previous marriage are intent on getting their hands on some of his wealth. They launch a plan to steal some of the paintings and Di has the fight of her life to stop them.
Greed and resentment pay a huge part in this story, although we have to ask if Thomas's daughters didn't inherit some of their late mother's madness. Their characters are somewhat cliched as are the ageing policeman who comes to Di's aid and the runaway whom she saves. The characters of Thomas and Di however are more finely drawn and have greater credence.
A crime thriller with sufficient suspense to keep the reader guessing most of the way through.
Greed and resentment pay a huge part in this story, although we have to ask if Thomas's daughters didn't inherit some of their late mother's madness. Their characters are somewhat cliched as are the ageing policeman who comes to Di's aid and the runaway whom she saves. The characters of Thomas and Di however are more finely drawn and have greater credence.
A crime thriller with sufficient suspense to keep the reader guessing most of the way through.
April 17, 2019
Gold Digger, Frances Fyfield
Fyfield is an excellent writer of mystery novels. Her books build with tension and really grab you. This one is no different. A young woman returns to a house she tried to rob when she was a teenager. She and the man who live in that home are drawn together. He is an art collector and teacher and she loves his art and eventually him. When he dies his daughters want revenge on this woman who has taken what they believe is theirs. It's much more complicated then I'm saying but I don't want to give too much away. This is a book you can't put down until the conclusion. The characters are all complex and interesting and the story exciting.
Fyfield is an excellent writer of mystery novels. Her books build with tension and really grab you. This one is no different. A young woman returns to a house she tried to rob when she was a teenager. She and the man who live in that home are drawn together. He is an art collector and teacher and she loves his art and eventually him. When he dies his daughters want revenge on this woman who has taken what they believe is theirs. It's much more complicated then I'm saying but I don't want to give too much away. This is a book you can't put down until the conclusion. The characters are all complex and interesting and the story exciting.
May 4, 2020
I picked this up at the library discontinued stock sale. The reviews are not particularly great, but I enjoyed it! Whilst not exactly warming to the characters at the start...a rather odd collection of characters, I started to care for them and most of all Di. There are a few twists and turns and I really felt the atmosphere of the seaside town and the big house. I have the second book to read in this series and look forward to it.
December 9, 2020
There was a lot to like about this Francis Fyfield book especially the descriptions of the paintings, the house and landscape. I liked all the characters very much but there was something missing in the plot, perhaps not quite enough suspense. I can well remember reading some of her earlier books and feeling the hairs standing up on the back of my neck. Not this time.
November 14, 2018
People act both predictably and unexpectedly in this novel about a loving spring-winter marriage and spoiled children who expect under a will. Art and ocean provide a beautiful backdrop for Diana Porteous as she redeems herself and thrives as a truly kind person.
January 17, 2021
This book was the furthest thing from a mystery. By the time the big reveal happened, I was not surprised. This book dragged. Was dull and pretty repetitive. I gave it two stars, bc I actually finished it. Otherwise, it would’ve been a 1 star book, for me.
November 6, 2022
Slightly gothic story of an old house by the sea, its elderly inhabitant Thomas Porteous and his much younger wife Di.
Could almost be a fairytale with good fighting against evil.
Too slow-moving though to totally grip.
Could almost be a fairytale with good fighting against evil.
Too slow-moving though to totally grip.
April 22, 2023
An absorbing character study with an unusual love story at its heart. Not a typical mystery, more of a literary novel about mostly-reformed criminals creating a chosen family, but a page-turner nonetheless. I am glad there are more books to discover about Diana.
June 10, 2024
After reading a couple of Fyfields book, I realize that her writing doesn't work for me. I didn't like this at all, mostly because nothing happened and when it did, it was nothing more than a sigh of boredom.
August 18, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. I felt a connection to the main character and the story kept my interest all the way through. The writing was descriptive, the characters and setting all came to life easily in my head. A quick read on a very wet and windy weekend, absolutely wonderful!
January 27, 2021
Too profane
Read
August 20, 2023Really liked the main character. Maybe something more drastic should have happened about Gail. Enjoyable book, but a little confusing if you try settle into it.
April 12, 2025
not for me. got bored.
July 10, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed Frances Fyfield's Gold Digger. This was the first of her books I had read; suffice it to say, I was not disappointed.
The characters were unique and refreshing and best of all quirky and damaged. Thomas Porteus, gentle, a collector, big hearted and misunderstood by most. He shared his life with Di Quigley Porteus, a thief, his rescuer and his co-collector in the art world. Jones, a retired cop, uncle of Di who had arrested her when she was young for breaking into the Porteous house in attempts to steal car keys.
Saul, Thomas's friend, believed to be gay, and loved the art world and the collection Thomas had accrued. Peg, a stray, a runaway with legal problems of her own, taken in by Di and Jones. Gayle and Beatrice Porteus, daughters of Thomas, hated him and hated Di. Edward, Gayle's husband, with hungry eyes for all that was belonging to Thomas. Quig, Di's father, fearing one another with the knowledge they each had on the other. Patrick, the grandson that loved Thomas and Di. And Monica, the beautician who was always sticking her nose in where it didn't belong. Together this awesome cast of characters created a tale of greed, dysfunction, and mayhem. I loved DI and her supportive cast of misfits and their efforts to protect DI from the dysfunctional family Thomas left behind.
I found the plotline to be entertaining and well plotted; The characters were strong in who they were and complicated in their actions and desires. The little secrets along the way, only strengthened the suspense and were revealed in timely essence. You could feel the solid relationship Thomas had with Di. I could easily mourn with her, if she would have had time to mourn at all. But Thomas had thought to protect her from his own well before his death. It was his plan put in motion that both put her in danger and saved her from it. Definitely a thrill seekers book from start to finish!
The characters were unique and refreshing and best of all quirky and damaged. Thomas Porteus, gentle, a collector, big hearted and misunderstood by most. He shared his life with Di Quigley Porteus, a thief, his rescuer and his co-collector in the art world. Jones, a retired cop, uncle of Di who had arrested her when she was young for breaking into the Porteous house in attempts to steal car keys.
Saul, Thomas's friend, believed to be gay, and loved the art world and the collection Thomas had accrued. Peg, a stray, a runaway with legal problems of her own, taken in by Di and Jones. Gayle and Beatrice Porteus, daughters of Thomas, hated him and hated Di. Edward, Gayle's husband, with hungry eyes for all that was belonging to Thomas. Quig, Di's father, fearing one another with the knowledge they each had on the other. Patrick, the grandson that loved Thomas and Di. And Monica, the beautician who was always sticking her nose in where it didn't belong. Together this awesome cast of characters created a tale of greed, dysfunction, and mayhem. I loved DI and her supportive cast of misfits and their efforts to protect DI from the dysfunctional family Thomas left behind.
I found the plotline to be entertaining and well plotted; The characters were strong in who they were and complicated in their actions and desires. The little secrets along the way, only strengthened the suspense and were revealed in timely essence. You could feel the solid relationship Thomas had with Di. I could easily mourn with her, if she would have had time to mourn at all. But Thomas had thought to protect her from his own well before his death. It was his plan put in motion that both put her in danger and saved her from it. Definitely a thrill seekers book from start to finish!
September 18, 2014
Hott Synopsis:
Who would believe it?
Di is in another untenable situation. She has no hope of winning now like she had no hope of escaping prison the first time she was in this house – will she make it out this time?
Stuck between the police, a cryptic plan, and vengeful step-children Di has nothing to do but to continue forward. But even pressing forward has a sentence.
Hott Review:
Neither the published nor my synopsis do the book justice. The was a thrilling book not in a physical way more of a stressful way.
What I liked: Loved it! Gold Digger was so deep it was gold! The characters, the plot, the mystery, the fear – it was all enthralling and wonderful. Don’t miss this!
What I didn’t like: The only thing I didn’t enjoy was the profanity. It was a bit excessive.
More…
Author: Frances Fyfield
Source: Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours
Grade: A
Ages: 18+ || Language
Steam: YA
Setting: England
Series: Diana Porteous #1
Who would believe it?
Di is in another untenable situation. She has no hope of winning now like she had no hope of escaping prison the first time she was in this house – will she make it out this time?
Stuck between the police, a cryptic plan, and vengeful step-children Di has nothing to do but to continue forward. But even pressing forward has a sentence.
Hott Review:
Neither the published nor my synopsis do the book justice. The was a thrilling book not in a physical way more of a stressful way.
What I liked: Loved it! Gold Digger was so deep it was gold! The characters, the plot, the mystery, the fear – it was all enthralling and wonderful. Don’t miss this!
What I didn’t like: The only thing I didn’t enjoy was the profanity. It was a bit excessive.
More…
Author: Frances Fyfield
Source: Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours
Grade: A
Ages: 18+ || Language
Steam: YA
Setting: England
Series: Diana Porteous #1
November 8, 2014
An interesting tale but a pace that will put you to sleep . An old man dies and leaves his young widow an extensive art collection. But his estranged daughters want his estate.....feeling justified that they deserve it.
A strange family dynamics plays out here. There are physical threats to the Diana , the young widow who they claim was just a gold digger and actually might have been responsible for his death. There is a protective ex-copper for Diana, an estranged father and a wheeler-dealer art buyer, Saul. And you don't know which team Saul is playing for?
At times the story can hold your attention but the pace is really slow at other time......at least too slow for me.
A strange family dynamics plays out here. There are physical threats to the Diana , the young widow who they claim was just a gold digger and actually might have been responsible for his death. There is a protective ex-copper for Diana, an estranged father and a wheeler-dealer art buyer, Saul. And you don't know which team Saul is playing for?
At times the story can hold your attention but the pace is really slow at other time......at least too slow for me.
May 26, 2013
Wow! Fyfield is a clever writer who can really twist a reader's emotions and make them like the unlikeable. She deserves all her credits and excellent reviews.
The title is a trick to make the reader think and the plot is the classic old man marries young girl despite his family's distress. Is she the gold digger?
Read it and see but it is not a pleasant read if you don't like brutality, and people being cruel to each other. It is not a bleak depressing read, and finishes on a great upnote but it's a nail biting run to the end. Excellent writing and a real thriller.
The title is a trick to make the reader think and the plot is the classic old man marries young girl despite his family's distress. Is she the gold digger?
Read it and see but it is not a pleasant read if you don't like brutality, and people being cruel to each other. It is not a bleak depressing read, and finishes on a great upnote but it's a nail biting run to the end. Excellent writing and a real thriller.
July 29, 2014
When an older man dies, his much younger wife is accused of murdering him by his 2 daughters. It seems Tom left his entire art collection to Di, and they are very angry. Di is questioned by police and found innocent. The daughters then scheme to steal 2 of the art works worth the most money in order to sell them.
There are many surprises throughtout this mystery.
There are many surprises throughtout this mystery.
August 4, 2014
So happy to see a new Fyfield published in the US...she's a gorgeous writer and I guess Goodreads is suggesting this is the start of a continuing character...more good news. Diana is a complete original but like many of Fyfield's creations, she's damaged and wonderful in equal measure. For those of you who have read and loved the Sarah Fortune series, you'll be happy.
August 23, 2014
While I typically love Frances Fyfield's work, I could not get into this one or finish. The characters are confusing and hard to relate to. The writing is outstanding; and there are multiple intrigues going on at the same time; however, I felt adrift in a confusing slow moving tide and ceased reading after approximately 35%.
January 3, 2016
A very, very solid three point five. All Fyfield's excellent strengths plus a whole cast of quirky characters working towards - one hopes - the same end, the will they-won't they? of it creating tension in a beautifully evoked building.
May 12, 2014
I was fascinated by the blurb on the back, and on the whole enjoyed the book, though its not my usual genre. The situation to start I found rather unlikely, and some of the detail was a bit tedious, but
I really loved the character Vi! Would recommend to some but not others.
I really loved the character Vi! Would recommend to some but not others.
July 1, 2014
Gold digger is a chilling brutal thriller.A May December Romance.a dying husband.a family who doesn't trust this much younger bride a cast of characters that will keep you racing through the pages .highly recommend.
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