The Darlings

A timely book with an intriguing beginning that immediately pulls the reader in. The Darling family is wealthy and privileged, and they sit at the center of an SEC investigation that threatens to bring them down. Reminiscent of high profile Ponzi schemes, this story shows the destructive path of greed, the rarefied lifestyle of the New York elite, and who will be sacrificed to maintain the status quo.

It is fast paced, emotionally engaging, and captures the edgy financial turmoil Wall Street has weathered in recent years. Recommended for readers who want a light, glossy peek inside high society with eccentric characters and a crisp sense of place.

Pamela Dorman Books, February 16, 2012 - Fiction - 352 pages

A sophisticated page turner about a wealthy New York family embroiled in a financial scandal with cataclysmic consequences.

Now that he is married to Merrill Darling, daughter of billionaire financier Carter Darling, attorney Paul Ross has grown accustomed to Park Avenue perks - a sleek apartment, weekends in the Hamptons, bespoke suits. When Paul loses his job, Carter offers him a position heading the legal team at his hedge fund. In the midst of the worst downturn since the Great Depression, Paul is thrilled to accept. Then a tragic event catapults the family into the media spotlight, triggers a regulatory probe, and ignites a scandal with enormous implications.

Suddenly, Paul must decide where his loyalties lie - save himself and betray his wife and in laws, or protect the family business at all costs. Interweaving the narratives of the Darlings, two driven SEC attorneys, and a team of hungry journalists, Cristina Alger delivers an irresistible glimpse into the highest echelons of New York society and a high velocity thriller of epic proportions.

1. Explain the line, "The Darlings were people of privilege, and people of privilege was what they would remain, no matter what the cost." What are the must haves or must dos for people like the Darlings? Which parts of their life sound alluring, and which do not?

2. Paul feels trapped in the life he thought he wanted when he married Merrill. In what ways has marrying into the family been a blessing and a curse?

3. Describe the relationship - professional and social - between Duncan and Marina. How is it mutually beneficial, and how does it change over the novel?

4. Ines imagines life after the scandal and fears being ostracized. Are her fears well founded? Did she have any inkling what her husband was doing? How might she have stopped things from escalating?

5. Who is the hero of this novel, and why?

6. Ines decides that Merrill is smart and Lily is pretty. How does this affect each daughter, and how do they respond to the family crisis?

7. Why do we love watching the wealthy or powerful fall from grace? Where can media scrutiny help in scandals like this, and where can it harm?

8. Yvonne says, "They were willing to sell out family to save themselves." How do you feel about her stance? Would your opinion change if someone else took the fall? What are her true motives for providing information?

9. Denial runs through The Darlings. Identify moments where characters avoid problems versus address them head on. How do the outcomes differ?

10. How might Carter's and Ines's versions of their marriage differ? Besides giving her daughters everything she lacked, what other reasons might keep Ines in a failed marriage?

11. When Marina finally gets a shot at real reporting, she comes alive. Which other characters might have benefited from meaningful work, and who are the hardest workers in the book?

A glossy, accessible read that pairs well with beach days or travel. Talking points include greed, denial and damage control, plus the cost of reputation in high society. Because similar stories have dominated headlines, it is fun to contrast the novel with real world scandals and discuss how loyalty and self preservation collide.