Envy (Studies in the Early Middle Ages) Hardcover – 30 Aug. 2001

Brilliant - one of her best

good

OK

brilliant story

This book was a most pleasant surprise. It is well-written with just the right infusion of tension to keep the reader turning its pages. While many of its twists and turns are predictable, not all are. There are enough surprises for even the most jaded of readers. It is a wonderful story-within-a-story of friendship, envy, betrayal, greed, revenge, love, and redemption.Maris Matherly-Reed, an editor at prestigious Matherly Press, and scion of the head of this prestigious New York publishing house, Daniel Matherly, receives an unsolicited, anonymous manuscript entitled "Envy". Pulling it out of the slush pile, this manuscript consists only of a prologue, but one so riveting and beautifully written, that Maris is intrigued enough to want to speak to its unknown but supremely talented author. Leaving her husband, acclaimed author and fellow Matherly Press editor, Noah Reed, to mind the store, Maris decides to follow up on this mysterious, but intriguing, newcomer.Having only an address for an Island off the Georgia coast, she goes there and encounters the crude and rude Parker Evans, the author of this potential literary gem. Marist makes allowances for his behavior, attributing it to what she assumes to be bitterness over his being confined to a wheelchair. As she gets to know Parker and discuss his book with him, more and more is revealed to her about his novel. It is a story of two friends who, in the late nineteen eighties, go on a boat for a celebratory jaunt with a young woman, only to have it end tragically. As Maris begins to find herself attracted to Parker, little does she know that she is about to go on a voyage of personal self-discovery.Meanwhile back in New York, unbeknownst to both his wife and father-in-law, or so he thinks, Noah Reed is plotting and planning a takeover of Matherly Reed by a corporate giant. He is also not behaving as a faithful husband would. When Maris returns to New York, her old world appears to be falling apart. As the veil is torn from her eyes, she no longer sees her husband through rose colored glasses. She begins to wonder to whom she is really married, as Noah reveals more of himself than she cares to know.When Maris reads additional chapters in Parker's book, she gets a strong sense that the book may be a work of non-fiction rather than fiction. She also suspects that there may be a connection between herself and Parker that she had not before realized. As the story of the three young people on the boat develops, it becomes painfully clear that the past and present are on a collision course. The only question is whether Maris will realize it before it is too late, and the past collides with the present.This is an ingeniously plotted novel, and Parker Evans is a very interesting character. The other characters are also fairly well fleshed out for such a plot driven book. Only the character of Noah Reed seems to be a cookie cutter character. As the book, however, is primarily plot driven, it does not unduly detract from such an otherwise engrossing novel of suspense. Moreover, the literary contrivance of a story-within-a-story is very well done. The two parallel stories are both dramatic and interesting. Each serves to propel the book towards its climactic ending. All in all, it is a book well worth reading.

In this novel Sandra Brown takes you inside the world of publishing and into the writing process itself which I thought was a clever idea but Sandra Brown topped that with her book inside the book!There are two stories in this book the story of Tod and Roark two college rooomates and best friends whose frienship ends tragicly when jelousy gets in the way. It is also the story of Maris a succesful book publisher, Noah Maris'husband, who also works for the prestigious publishing company owned by Maris'father, and the author of "Envy" Parker Evans, a recluse who lives on a remote coast of Georgia. Envy continued to hold my attention until the very end with so much more brewing beneath the surface such as torrid affairs, a major takeover in the works, and a conniving newspaper columinst who will stop at nothing to get what she wants and she has her sight set on everything that Maris has. This is the first Sandra Brown book that I have read but I will certianly be reading more of her work! 5 Stars!

Sandra Brown is a very well known author and it is for books like these that make her so! Envy drew me into the plot quickly and held me there with a mixture of mystery, suspense and romance. It is a book like none other. The only thing I had a hard time believing was the "slush pile"; however, for the story line it worked really well.

In the world of fiction writing nothing is as it seems, Sandra Brown's novel is enough to make any wife question her perfect marriage. However this is one of the most compelling novels I have ever read, united her readers will dispise Noah, Maris's husband with his adulterous affair, and laugh with Maris at Parker's lewd but equally witty comments. Jealousy can often be the murderer of the strongest relationship, here the author tells a cold tale of what may happen when immoral people become jealous for power. Revenge is a dish best served cold, the characters in the book have been waiting their whole lives for their moment to shine, so grab a comfy chair and a plate of biscuits because once you have started to be encapsulated in the brutal chic business world, you may have a hard time breaking free until the end of the book

I think this book is the best from this author. I've read it before translated and now it was my first time in original copy.Worth every penny!Original plot, great first and secondary characters.I was in love with Parker and his wicked sense of humour.Beautiful description of southern nature. Breathtaking story.I recommend it to everyone who loves romantic suspense.

I have enjoyed previous books by Sandra Brown but had a hard time relating to this one. The story's heroine depicted as a smart classy lady did not come across as such in her interactions with a really difficult to like main character who seemed to belong in the dive of a bar on this isolated island rather than the hero of the story. The plot was interesting but there were too many pieces in the characters that just did not work for me.

For romance readers, about half the book is good ... lots of juicy sex and annoying verbal forplay. But for me, an avid mystery reader, I thought the story would have been much better told without pages and pages of sexual drivel. I think it took up much of the space where the characters could be better drawn and the intrigue better expressed. It's a good concept (a novel within a novel), and probably a very good mystery on its own, but there was just too much wasted space to be consistently good throughout. Sifting through the rubbish made it hard for me to enjoy the book.

Die Geschichte einer Freundschaft, die sich im Laufe der Jahre zu einer erbitterten Feindschaft entwickelt, spannend erzählt im Buch im Buch.Die New Yorker Verlegerin Maris Matherly-Reed bekommt einen Prolog zugesckickt. Sie ist von diesen ersten paar Seiten fasziniert, reist nach Georgia um mit dem Autor persönlich zu sprechen und wird somit zu seinem Werkzeug der Rache. Parker Evans hat alles bis auf's Kleinste geplant, hatte er doch mehr als ein Jahrzehnt Zeit seinen Plot zu entwickeln. Was er nicht geplant hat, sind die Gefühle, die sie gegenseitig entwickeln.Er "füttert" Maris mit weiteren Kapiteln seines Buches und schon bald wird ihr klar, daß der Autor selbst eine der beiden Hauptpersonen ist. Zu erkennen, daß der zweite Protagonist ihr eigener Ehemann Noah ist, dauert länger. Zu dem Zeitpunkt ist die Ehe jedoch schon zerrüttet und Maris hat das wahre Gesicht des Mannes gesehen, den sie geheiratet hat.Ein spannendes Buch, daß nur schwer aus der Hand zu legen ist. Ein Muß für alle Fans von Sandra Brown - meiner Meinung nach eines ihrer besten Bücher.

Sandra Brown’s best book ever! Captivating to the end, and suspenseful through and through. Thank you very much for such an enjoyable story.

This book really only got good about 75% into it. Some small twists at the end but overall it’s not worth the read. I’m not sure why it was rated so high. 1 star

As always, Sandra Brown writes a wonderful book. It took me a bit to get caught up in the story but once I did, it was difficult to put the book down. That being said, I skipped more than a few pages of too descriptive sexual scene's, seems like everyone is jumping on the supposed success of "Shades of Grey"..and has forgotten good old fashioned romance.. if you have a great mystery going, you don't need to throw descriptive sex acts into it. I didn't think it was necessary and was a bit of a turn off..

I know this book has lots of great reviews and maybe I just didn't stick with it long enough but to be honest I got so bored of the main character Maris that I removed it from my kindle after reading less than a third. Sorry it just didn't have enough pace as Maris came across as a drippy wimp.

A história começa de forma intrigante e você fica querendo juntar as duas história. Mas o romance é apaixonante e tem um final surpreendente!

Much of this book was too predictable. Maris left a little to be desired. She just did not seem as smart and worldly as she was portrayed. I did enjoy the twists even though I had predicted the majority. Daniel's fate was unnecessary as well. Overall I did enjoy the book though.

Have paperback and e-reader versions for handy access because I like to revisit this story. Brown created this story-within-a-story format with flashbacks to slowly develop understanding of the main characters, revealing a backstory that involves current events a reaching a logical ending.

Great read!! Sandra Brown is officially my favorite author!! Kept me guessing, not predictable. Love , love , love , love

I would recommend this book to anyone that wants a great read. This book kept me riveted with the twists and turns, I found it hard to put down.I highly recommend other Sandra Brown books.

Wonderful mix of human character traits, envy being the 'flour' the base of negativity and love the base for positive traits. Nice mix!

Geniales Buch. Auch wenn von Anfang an klar ist wer gut und wer böse ist, birgt das Buch dennoch Überaschungen. Gemischt mit Leidenschaft und Empathie ein Buch, das ich ungern aus der Hand legte.