Blue Trust: The Author, the Lawyer, His Wife and Her Money

by Stevie Cameron

Blue Trust has all the ingredients of a gripping thriller -- except it's all true. In the late 1980s Bruce and Lynne Verchere had it all. He was a successful tax lawyer whose clients included Brian Mulroney, and bestselling novelist Arthur Hailey. She was a computer software entrepreneur whose innovative systems revolutionized office management throughout North America.

When Lynne's company was sold Bruce could finally afford the extravagances he had long coveted: a plane, a yacht, a summer home in Maine, and a condo in Telluride. Through intricate manipulation, he was able to secrete his family's wealth beyond the reach of the taxman and even his wife.

Then Bruce Verchere fell in love. The desperate affair and dangerous ultimatum that followed provide this true story with a chilling climax. Blue Trust is a complex tale of high drama brilliantly told by one of Canada's most admired investigative journalists.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Politics

400 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Stephanie Graham "Stevie" Cameron was a Canadian investigative journalist and author. She worked for various newspapers such as the Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail. She hosted a newsmagazine television show The Fifth Estate on CBC-TV in the 1990s. She was also an author of non-fiction books, including one from 1994 about former prime minister Brian Mulroney called On the Take. In 2013, she was honoured with membership into the Order of Canada. She died in Toronto on August 31, 2024.

Reviews

[Amie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Money really does make people do crazy things!

While the book does get bogged down in some of the financial details, Cameron has written this book like a thriller and it is a smooth read.

I think that both Bruce and Lynne were the bad people here.

To be honest, this is a book that has been sitting on my shelf for years and I don't even remember why I picked it up. I am glad that I did though. It was a nice break from reading fiction. There were a few times when I had to remind myself that it was all real!

[Erika Nerdypants · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blue Trust by Stevie Cameron has been on my bookshelf for several years. Written in 1998, after Canada's disastrous Mulroney years, it is both commentary on the greed in the conservative party during that time, and an analysis of a marriage gone sour. Very sour.

To be honest, none of the characters here are very likeable. Driven by ambition and money, they cheat, lie, and find ways to spirit money out of the country, away from the tax man. They aren't fictional, and some of them were federal government officials, entrusted with the running of our country. Still, that's small change compared to the way they treat each other. Malice, anger and vengeance far outweigh any love there may have been.

The story takes place in Canada, so it may appeal to Canadian readers especially, it was the reason I wanted to read the book. Cameron's writing is as always engaging, which in this case is remarkable, because there is an awful lot of hard to follow financial information, reduced to simpler and more understandable terms by her.

It's difficult to have much empathy for the adults in this family drama. They orchestrated the end of this tale for years. The kids are another story. They didn't deserve any of what happened. But isn't that how it usually goes? The least powerful bear the heaviest burden. Money really can't buy everything. A very cautionary tale.

[Douglas Clarke · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Blue Trust is a very fine piece of investigative journalism, knit into a riveting narrative. It is an informative description of Canadian affairs in the 1980's. I found it still fresh 20 years after publication

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty much an episode of America Greed

[Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

- non-fiction
- from the jacket: "Blue Trust has all the ingredients of a gripping thriller - except it's all true. In the late 1980's Bruce and Lynne Verchere had it all. He was a successful tax lawyer whose clients included Brian Mulroney, and best-selling novelist Arthur Hailey. She was a computer software entrepreneur whose innovative systems revolutionized office management throughout North America. When Lynne's company was sold, Bruce could suddenly afford the extravagances he had so long coveted: a plane, a yacht, a summer home in Maine, and a condo in Telluride. Through intricate manipulation, he was able to secrete his family's wealth beyond the reach of the tax man and even his wife. Then Bruce Verchere fell in love. The desperate affair and dangerous ultimatum that followed provide this true story with a chilling climax. Blue Trust is a complex tale of high drama, brilliantly told by one of Canada's most admired investigative journalists.

[T.E. Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It might seem hard to write a barn burner about a tax lawyer, but Cameron has done it. The book is a bit of a slog in the early going - lots of financial stuff. But then the story of how the lawyer, Bruce Verchere, got himself into trouble is fascinating and, frankly, deeply disturbing. Verchere represented famed novelist Arthur Hailey, and the two became friends. As Verchere's life falls apart, the interaction between Verchere's wife (Lynne), Hailey, and Hailey's daughter (Dianne) takes a surreal turn. No spoilers here. Suffice to say that this book supports the maxim 'truth is stranger than fiction'.

[Diana Belanger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story but too much name details smooth read

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well-written and researched.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story, but just a little too much detail.