My name is Gus Bailey…It should be pointed out that it is a regular feature of my life that people whisper things in my ear, very private things, about themselves or others. I have always understood the art of listening. The last two years have been monstrously unpleasant for high-society journalist Gus Bailey. His propensity for gossip has finally gotten him into trouble—$11 million worth. His problems begin when he falls hook, line, and sinker for a fake story from an unreliable source and repeats it on a radio program. As a result of his flip comments, Gus becomes embroiled in a nasty slander suit brought by Kyle Cramden, the powerful congressman he accuses of being involved in the mysterious disappearance of a young woman, and he fears it could mean the end of him. The stress of the lawsuit makes it difficult for Gus to focus on the novel he has been contracted to write, which is based on the suspicious death of billionaire Konstantin Zacharias. It is a story that has dominated the party conversations of Manhattan's chattering classes for more than two years. The convicted murderer is behind bars, but Gus is not convinced that justice was served. There are too many unanswered questions, such as why a paranoid man who was usually accompanied by bodyguards was without protection the very night he perished in a tragic fire. Konstantin's hot-tempered widow, Perla, is obsessed with climbing the social ladder and, as a result, she will do anything to suppress this potentially damaging story. Gus is convinced she is the only thing standing between him and the truth. Dominick Dunne revives the world he first introduced in his mega-bestselling novel People Like Us, and he brings readers up to date on favorite characters such as Ruby and Elias Renthal, Lil Altemus, and, of course, the beloved Gus Bailey. Once again, he invites us to pull up a seat at the most important tables at Swifty's, get past the doormen at esteemed social clubs like The Butterfield, and venture into the innermost chambers of the Upper East Side's most sumptuous mansions. Too Much Money is a satisfying, mischievous, and compulsively readable tale by the most brilliant society chronicler of our time—the man who knew all the secrets and wasn't afraid to share them.
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"I love revenge. Before you read the book set the scene by reading Dunne's autobiography on Wikipedia. Then you will understand that the book is non-fiction and all of the characters are real like the Von Bulows and Gary Condit. Dunne knew he was dying so he wrote a final tell-all. He exacted his revenge and entertained me, just as he did when he wrote the fictional non-fiction about OJ, which I also loved. I can't wait to write my fictional autobiography, lol."
— Wendy (5 out of 5 stars)
" Dominick Dunne's last book. Good beach/weekend read with a last look at some of the great characters that had Mr. Dunne introduced us to in previous books. "
— Joan, 2/11/2014" no point or plot really. Kind of a story of just ramblings of the lives of rich people. Kind of reminded me of a soap opera. "
— Ellen, 2/4/2014" Good book, but with lots of akward parts in it.... REALLY akward parts! "
— Mary, 1/31/2014" Not much happens in this book, but Dunne certainly got some final shots in at the society crowd he was tangentally part of. This was probably my least favorite of all his books. Don't let this be the one he is judged by as he was a great writer. "
— Marianne, 1/25/2014" Did not enjoy this book nearly as much as his others; alas, this is his last. "
— Barb, 1/21/2014" Poor Dominick Dunne. He was so good in his day. This was a pitiful effort. "
— Betsy, 1/15/2014" Death of author = abrupt ending? "
— Susan, 1/10/2014" Miss him. I'm deeply saddened that no longer will he write. "
— The, 12/25/2013" I'm going to miss Dominick Dunne, I've always enjoyed his view of Manhattan society. "
— Meg, 12/10/2013" A sequel to "People Like Us," the Hamptons summer beach read of 1988, "Too Much Money" suffers from too much water under the bridge. While the New York social scene has changed markedly since the eighties, Dunne's depiction of it hasn't. "
— Drewkosztyo, 12/8/2013" Whoever edited this repetitive, insultingly over-explained book should be fired. "
— Adele, 12/8/2013" Great book love his stuff! "
— Michele, 7/15/2013" Too bad this is Dunne's last novel. A grand page turner "
— Margie, 5/30/2013" rolled my eyes the whole time-- but somehow couldn't put it down. a trashy novel for the UES geriatric set? "
— Grace, 9/14/2012" Interesting, but not really my type of book. "
— Linda, 7/19/2011" Hard to believe that people with that much money can life that way. I nice glimpse into a life I'll probably never experience. "
— Ruth, 2/28/2011" Overdone, boring. Dunne did not keep true to his characters, gave little explanation for anything and wrote horrible dialogue. "
— Amy, 2/4/2011" This book was lying around the house, I tried to read it. As I heard on Fraiser, " If I had the Hubble telescope I couldn't locate my interest in this." "
— Joanne, 12/4/2010" Dominick Dunne at his most comfortable. The book is typical NY rich, gossip-filled, and fun. Too bad, Mr. Dunne passed away. I believe this was his last novel. It's fun to try to match the characters with the real socialites on whom the characters are generally based. "
— Debby, 9/7/2010" Glad I don't live in NYC. "
— Jane, 2/3/2010" I love Dunne's books...just pure entertainment!! I am sad he has passed on. "
— Marybeth, 1/27/2010Dominick Dunne (1925–2009) was the author of five bestselling novels, two collections of essays, and The Way We Lived Then, a memoir. He was a Special Correspondent for Vanity Fair and lived in New York City and Hadlyme, Connecticut.
Ann Marie Lee is a seven-time winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award for narration. She is a Los Angeles–based actress with television credits that include ER, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Nip/Tuck. Her stage performances for Broadway National Tours and regional theater include Peter Pan, As You Like It, Heartbreak House, and The Cherry Orchard.
Nicholas Hormann has appeared in over a hundred plays on and off Broadway and in the nation’s leading professional theaters, including the American Conservatory Theater, the Mark Taper Forum, and the Kennedy Center. He has made guest appearances on numerous television series and narrates audiobooks. He attended the Yale School of Drama and lives in Los Angeles.