The Millionaire Waltz

by Anthony Quinn

'Delectable'


Financial Times



London in the 1920 a young woman treads the path between danger and desire . . .



Against a backdrop of thuggish blackmail, constricting high society and a London still fragile from the war, Edie Greenlaw is trying to decide what she wants from the world. The closer the prospect of marriage with her handsome war hero fiance becomes, the less fulfilling it seems. Defying caution she goes to the aid of a friend and entangles herself in a dangerous demi-monde of sexual extortion and violence.


__________________________


PRAISE FOR THE MILLIONAIRE WALTZ


'A glittering addition to Quinn's body of work' Stephanie Merritt, Observer


'A world so full of charm and intrigue that it is hard to leave for a moment. Utterly beguiling' Denise Mina


'Supremely elegant prose, vivid characterisation, graceful plotting - no one honours the novel's traditional virtues quite as faithfully as Anthony Quinn' Jonathan Coe


'Pure pleasure' David Hare


'Cleverly plotted, filled with credible characters and bolstered by his command of period detail' Sunday Times

__________________________


PRAISE FOR ANTHONY QUINN


'A dark, unsettling, completely addictive mystery' Jonathan Coe


'A beguiling real-life crime thriller' Chris Brookmyre


'Quinn blends his history, his plot and his characters elegantly, with the pace of a thriller' Daily Telegraph


'Brings to the fore all of Quinn's talents - gripping storylines, plot twists, thorough research and elegant prose' The Times

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery

376 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 6, 2026

About the author

This is the disambiguation profile for otherwise unseparated authors publishing as Anthony Quinn

See also:
Anthony Quinn, author of the Inspector Celcius Daly series
Anthony Quinn, author of Curtain Call, and other biographies.

Reviews

[Dogeared · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars rounded down. I think this was another of those books where the blurb hooks me in, but then doesn’t really resemble the plot of the book I read - I don’t remember much that would fit “a dangerous demi-monde of sexual extortion and violence”. I thought I’d reviewed this soon after reading, but somehow missed that I hadn’t… but I still don’t remember anything that would fit the quote above.

I do like historical crime and drama, and this is set in 1920s London, which is normally perfect for me. I remember the descriptions of the time being good, and the writing as a whole well done as I’ve found with Quinn’s books. Perhaps I just started it expecting one thing and was slightly thrown to read something different, and that affected my enjoyment a little.

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Millionaire Waltz was not quite what I expected based on the book description. Edie’s entanglement with the ‘dangerous demi-monde’ doesn’t take place until quite far into the novel although, to be fair, the seeds are sown when Edie becomes friends with a man, who like many others at that time, must hide his sexuality.

Much of the book focuses on Edie’s relationship with her fiance David, a successful solicitor from a wealthy family. She loves him but has growing misgivings about the prospect of marriage and what it will mean for her theatrical ambitions. Her solution is to repeatedly defer the date of the wedding, unaware of what will ensue as a result.

I admired Edie’s feisty spirit, sense of adventure and determination to retain her independence but I’m afraid I found her a largely unsympathetic character mainly because of her treatment of David. Okay, so he has rather conventional views about marriage but I didn’t think he deserved how things turned out. Rather mean-spirited of me, I know, but I wasn’t altogether unhappy about how things ended for Edie.

For me, the most enjoyable part of the book was the vivid depiction of theatre life. The struggle to get an audition, the disappointment of being turned down for parts, the succession of dismal digs when part of a touring production, the demanding directors, the petty rivalries. On the other hand there are the lifelong friendships formed, the sense of satisfaction of delivering a line perfectly, and the excitement of opening nights.

Those who’ve read the author’s previous novel, Curtain Call, will welcome the appearance of theatre critic for the Chronicle newspaper Jimmy Erskine, renowned for his often waspish reviews of West End theatre productions. The 2023 film The Critic starring Sir Ian McKellen was the author’s own adaptation of Curtain Call and I found it impossible not to picture Sir Ian whenever Jimmy appeared in the book. Another character from Curtain Call, which is set a decade or so after this book, also features in The Millionaire Waltz, and there are walk-on parts for notable figures of the period such as Ivor Novello and Noel Coward.

Edie mostly moves in privileged circles, a seemingly endless round of cocktail parties, soirees and weekend house parties. But just occasionally she gets a glimpse of the realities of life for those less fortunate than her, or those for whom the impact of the First World War is a burden they will carry for the rest of their lives.

If I’m honest I was hoping for more of the suspense and ingenuity of the author’s previous book The Mouthless Dead. Having said that The Millionaire Waltz is an engaging story, full of colourful characters which effortlessly captures the milieu of 1920s London. (3.5 rounded up)

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

'The Millionaire Waltz' by Anthony Quinn begins with a proposal. Edie Greenlaw says yes to David Benton-Launer. The trouble is, Evie is an actress and there's a casting coming up for 'The Voysey Inheritance.'
It is 1924 and London is in that transitional Edwardian era when both men and women are changed by the Great War. The men came home expecting to find a woman to marry but in their absence women became empowered, seeking responsibility and careers and independence. Edie and her war hero are betrothed but while David is ready to settle down straight away, Edie prevaricates. His formidable mother frowns and her parents are bemused. David is accommodating. Edie is cast as the lead role in 'Antony and Cleopatra,' the show is a hit, and so the wedding is delayed. And then an old teenage acquaintance re-appears to muddy the waters and confuse Edie's ideas of what she wants and doesn't want.
Her performance as Cleopatra is a success but without another role, Edie begins to model fashions for Dickens and Jones. She continues to manage the remodelling and decoration at the house David has bought for their married life, and to have fittings for her wedding dress and trousseau. But as the delays continue, a slight distance grows between the betrothed couple. Edie delights in her friends from the theatre and the troubles of Peter, a doctor, make her determined to help him. Peter is being abused by a gay lover and Edie takes appalling risks in a plan to have the villain arrested.
I have enjoyed every one of Anthony Quinn's novels I've read, each so different from the others, all eloquently written and immersive. I hesitate though to describe this as a thriller, more a romance with a mystery sub-plot.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-revie...

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read several Anthony Quinn novels and they are good reads as far as they go. He tends to go for a historical setting and this one is England 1924 to 1926. The positives for me is that it's an easy read that flows along at a pace. The characters are well defined so you don't end up having to keep looking back to remind yourself who's who. The story structure is straightforward. No sudden leaps backwards or forwards in time. There are one or two characters from an earlier novel who make a reappearance but The Millionaire Waltz is a standalone read. I'd rate it as a 3 star read because it's so predictable. It's rather like a novelised version of Downton Abbey though without the mix of characters. Most of the cast here are from the monied classes. Basically it's a romance with a backdrop of the theatre and a will-she, won't-she around the central, character of Edie who is promised in marriage to a very rich friend from childhood days. It felt overwritten to me. Far too many metaphorical descriptions that mostly were hackneyed or made no sense. For example, " The trees were going bald, their leaves discarded on the pavement, like skirts." A mixed metaphor that doesn't add to the description. The writer also uses the old technique of referring to what we now know was fashionable at the time. So a character talks about a new perfume that's all the rage Chanel No.5. Another talks about a mad scheme to build a channel tunnel. There are numerous guest appearances by celebrity stars of the time such as Noel Coward and Ivor Novello which feel a bit forced to me. The subplot of blackmail within the gay community felt a bit half hearted. I did enjoy the read however I think there are far better books out there to give you an experience of the time. Waugh's 'Brideshead Revisited' for one. Or Kate Atkinson's 'Shrines of Gaiety'.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in London during the 1920’s this is Edie Greenlaw’s story. Edie is engaged to wealthy David, a war hero and considered quite a catch. However, Edie is not ready to give up her single life and wants time to see if she can make a success of her dreams of treading the boards. David agrees to her wishes.

Briefly, with her theatre jobs drying up Edie gets a job as a fashion model, which has the added benefit of travel and free samples from the clothing ranges. Her jobs bring her into contact with many different people and lifestyles and she can’t bring herself to just look away when she finds out that a friend is being abused and blackmailed by a man he is in a casual relationship with.

I wanted to like Edie but I found her quite self obsessed and verging on cruel in her treatment of David. She is happy spending his money, and accepting money from her father, but tries to give the impression of independence, which she really isn’t. She is a product of her era where her life choices are limited, wife and mother or independent working woman, very few women at this time were able to achieve both. The plot is quite light with the book being more character driven, but still a compelling read. Entertaining (no pun intended) read.

[Greville Waterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a mark of an author's quality when he can switch between themes and subjects between books and still remain fascinating and hard to put down.

I have read books by this gifted author on subjects as varies as the second world war and football and he never fails to entertain and this book is no different.

I was delighted to become immersed in the world of post world war 1 Edwardian London and the life of Edie Greenlaw, a determined and modern young lady in her unwillingness to subside into a favourable marriage with a scion of the aristocracy and become subservient to her husband's will and the mores of the time. Instead she is determined to continue and develop her budding career as an actress and maintain her independence.

Much happens, some of it unsavoury as she becomes immersed in the demimonde of London but she comes through although not with an unhappy twist in the tail right at the end of a wonderful book which engrossed me from the very start.

[Jo-anne Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a war spent driving an ambulance, Edie Greenlaw is now an actress. From an affluent background, her friends and family treat her career as an interlude before marriage and children. When the handsome and wealthy David proposes Edie is keen to accept but finds herself delaying the wedding. Her newer friends lead Edie into actions she may never have thought and reconnecting with an old childhood friend makes her question everything.
Quinn is one of my favourite writers and this book is just wonderful. Edie acts like a 'modern woman' of the 1920s with her career and her gay friends but there is also the pressure of societal expectations which make her different from her artistic friends. I loved the stranding of Mrs Dalloway through the second half of the book and the ending was suitably unresolved and rather sad. The writing is lovely and the characters are interesting in the way they loop throughout the narrative. it's a great book.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another enjoyable Anthony Quinn novel. I have read nearly all of them. Although I enjoyed The Millionaire Waltz, I found the main protagonist, Edie quite an unsympathetic character, which was probably Anthony Quinn's aim. She fought against her type in the mid 1920s, choosing not to follow the privileged secure route of a safe marriage in favour of forestalling it for a career in acting. There is a sub plot involving the queer community in London. The backdrop feels very convincing and all characters well drawn. It is a prequel to Curtain Call and works perfectly well as a standalone novel.Highly recommended.

[Sarah McKenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel highlights well the limited choices available to women moving in high society - here revolving around the London theatres of 1920s. However, I found the main character, Edie, rather self-absorbed and spoilt and therefore not a sympathetic character through which to explore these themes. It also felt a little slow.

I have read and loved all the Anthony Quinn novels I have read so far, especially Curtain Call and Freya which are loosely related to this novel but I didn’t feel that it hit the same mark.

[David Kelzman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meaningless. A book padded out with the story of a society young woman who is going to get married but jilts her 'husband to be' on her wedding day and finishes up with nobody. And that's the story. Other than that the whole book is padded out with what she has for breakfast.
Why good authors like Anthony Quinn are persuaded to write books when they haven't a story to tell is beyond me. And since publishers are only prepared to look at books written by an established name the standard of storytelling is rocketing downwards to ground level.

[Peter Willoughby · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book, centred upon life in the upper classes and life on the stage. Clearly the author has a lot of knowledge and insight into the acting profession and it comes over very well. Brilliant characters, excellent storyline. I liked the humour. The only downside for me was that some of the storylines went on a bit too long. I received a review copy of this book free of charge and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sheena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very competent and absolutely nothing wrong with this. I loved the feel of the nineteen twenties but somehow this one didn't catch light for me. I kept waiting for something more to happen. I have always rated this author and will continue to read his novels. Liked meeting the characters from 'Curtain Call' again.

[Laura Spira · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read, perfect sort of distraction that I needed during an anxious time. Set in London in the 1920s, the plot moves at a good pace and the wealthy, upper class setting seems relatively authentic. But I was quite glad to say goodbye to the self centred Edie and her motley crew of pals.

[Iain Ord · Rating 5 out of 5]

The novel brilliantly evokes the theatrical world of the 1920s. The heroine Edie is an engagingly drawn new woman and I really felt for her in her painful dilemma. Beautifully and wittily written.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the time the book was set in but I felt it was a bit slow and hard to get into. Shame at it could be better