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Masterstroke
Assistant Secretary of State Peter Lucas discovers that a planned American-Soviet human-rights conference has a terrible, ulterior purpose and races against time, and killers, to prevent disaster
288 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1981
11 people want to read
About the author
Marilyn Sharp
6 books3 followersMarilyn “KK” Augburn Sharp
A native of Muncie, Indiana, Ms. Sharp graduated from Burris School (Muncie) in 1959. She earned an A.B. in English from DePauw University (Greencastle,IN) in 1963 and an M.A. in journalism from Ball State University (Muncie) in 1974. In addition, she received an honorary doctorate from DePauw University in 1986.
After graduating from DePauw, she moved to New York City, where her first job out of college was on the editorial staff of The New Yorker magazine. Later she was senior editor of Sponsor magazine and worked for public relations legend Lee Solters as a theatrical publicist for clients such as Barbara Streisand and Ringling Bros. She was also Director of Publicity and Advertising for WMCA Radio and the Straus Communications Network. She did volunteer work with a little league team in Harlen.
During her last year in New York, she began work on her first novel, a bestseller, Sunflower. Her three novels, Sunflower (1979), Masterstroke (1981), and Falseface (1984) were translated into ten languages for separate publication in 13 foreign countries.
She returned to Indiana and married Phil Sharp in 1972. In 1974, when her husband was elected to Congress, with her considerable help, she moved to Washington D.C. She returned to New York City in 1995. Despite her professional success, she always felt her greatest accomplishments and creations were her two sons, Jeremy and Justin, born in 1975 and 1981.
A person of many interests, Ms. Sharp was an amateur painter, a lover of opera, an unrivaled genealogical researcher, an avid reader, and a poet. In her final weeks she spent many hours writing poetry about her life, her impending death, and her family and friends.
She was an ardent advocate for individuality and social justice, particularly railing against those in society who sought to force others to conform to narrow definitions of self and identity. As a part of this, she was a strong supporter of women's rights and was ever-grateful for her education at Burris School, where thinking for one's self was greatly encouraged, no matter one's gender. During her commencement address upon receiving her honorary doctorate she said the following, "To you women I want to say, don't ever let anyone make you less than what you want to be, whatever that is."
In Washington she was never cowed by authority, willing to challenge the views of those in power. She championed citizen involvement. In a Capitol Hill elevator she overheard a woman express to her husband her anxiety that she was not properly dressed to meet her Congressman. KK quickly told the stranger that she looked fine: "Remember they work for you; and never let them forget it."
When a feminist leader, whom KK admired, urged a group of congressional wives to use their marital relationships to advance legislation, she let her friends know that she felt no guilt about not following that path. "I didn't get out from under the thumb of men just to fall under the thumb of women."
She was appalled by the current state of affairs in Congress, but retained her faith that correction would come as the people demanded better.
Ms. Sharp passed away at home, surrounded by family, after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She is survived by her two sons, husband Phil Sharp, and daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Pika Sharp.
A native of Muncie, Indiana, Ms. Sharp graduated from Burris School (Muncie) in 1959. She earned an A.B. in English from DePauw University (Greencastle,IN) in 1963 and an M.A. in journalism from Ball State University (Muncie) in 1974. In addition, she received an honorary doctorate from DePauw University in 1986.
After graduating from DePauw, she moved to New York City, where her first job out of college was on the editorial staff of The New Yorker magazine. Later she was senior editor of Sponsor magazine and worked for public relations legend Lee Solters as a theatrical publicist for clients such as Barbara Streisand and Ringling Bros. She was also Director of Publicity and Advertising for WMCA Radio and the Straus Communications Network. She did volunteer work with a little league team in Harlen.
During her last year in New York, she began work on her first novel, a bestseller, Sunflower. Her three novels, Sunflower (1979), Masterstroke (1981), and Falseface (1984) were translated into ten languages for separate publication in 13 foreign countries.
She returned to Indiana and married Phil Sharp in 1972. In 1974, when her husband was elected to Congress, with her considerable help, she moved to Washington D.C. She returned to New York City in 1995. Despite her professional success, she always felt her greatest accomplishments and creations were her two sons, Jeremy and Justin, born in 1975 and 1981.
A person of many interests, Ms. Sharp was an amateur painter, a lover of opera, an unrivaled genealogical researcher, an avid reader, and a poet. In her final weeks she spent many hours writing poetry about her life, her impending death, and her family and friends.
She was an ardent advocate for individuality and social justice, particularly railing against those in society who sought to force others to conform to narrow definitions of self and identity. As a part of this, she was a strong supporter of women's rights and was ever-grateful for her education at Burris School, where thinking for one's self was greatly encouraged, no matter one's gender. During her commencement address upon receiving her honorary doctorate she said the following, "To you women I want to say, don't ever let anyone make you less than what you want to be, whatever that is."
In Washington she was never cowed by authority, willing to challenge the views of those in power. She championed citizen involvement. In a Capitol Hill elevator she overheard a woman express to her husband her anxiety that she was not properly dressed to meet her Congressman. KK quickly told the stranger that she looked fine: "Remember they work for you; and never let them forget it."
When a feminist leader, whom KK admired, urged a group of congressional wives to use their marital relationships to advance legislation, she let her friends know that she felt no guilt about not following that path. "I didn't get out from under the thumb of men just to fall under the thumb of women."
She was appalled by the current state of affairs in Congress, but retained her faith that correction would come as the people demanded better.
Ms. Sharp passed away at home, surrounded by family, after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She is survived by her two sons, husband Phil Sharp, and daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Pika Sharp.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 20, 2019
I know Sharp tried to be intrigue. But I'm not really impress. First, the contain of the tapes are not really secret or confidential enough. Also the KGB style were not well-potrayed. The released of Nicole and the dissidents were lamed. And Peter's recommendation to Cuba (of all places in this world?) as an ambassador are too good to be true
September 16, 2022
3 pluss to 3.5
April 26, 2025
4*
Intriguing, leaves you questioning who to trust the entire journey. You never know what will come next and takes you by surprise.
a few typos tho lol
Intriguing, leaves you questioning who to trust the entire journey. You never know what will come next and takes you by surprise.
a few typos tho lol
November 20, 2014
This was my between library lends book and I wish I'd read it straight through (in order to better recollect who's who).
Set in the cold war and opening in Sochi (how fun with the Olympics there this past year) this book is full of intrigue, twists and turns. Never really knowing who is "good" until the very end, this page turner keeps you interested with its many character arcs, quick scene changes, and action. Mainly following Peter Lucas, Asst. US Sec. of State for Human Rights, and his goal to succeed with the Korcula Summit until it is threatened...
Scary how releveant this still is today. #historyrepeating
Set in the cold war and opening in Sochi (how fun with the Olympics there this past year) this book is full of intrigue, twists and turns. Never really knowing who is "good" until the very end, this page turner keeps you interested with its many character arcs, quick scene changes, and action. Mainly following Peter Lucas, Asst. US Sec. of State for Human Rights, and his goal to succeed with the Korcula Summit until it is threatened...
Scary how releveant this still is today. #historyrepeating
November 4, 2013
You know when you are trying to complete a cryptic crossword and you just cannot break down the clue to get the answer? well this story was a bit like that.
Plot was over complicated, characters didn't gel - no spark between them, plenty of sex but there was very little "zing". I just didn't connect with this story.
Plot was over complicated, characters didn't gel - no spark between them, plenty of sex but there was very little "zing". I just didn't connect with this story.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews