LIPSTICK by Peter Davey

LIPSTICK Reviews

• 
  Valerie Poore

  Wow! I downloaded Lipstick the day it was published and read it at every opportunity I could until I finished it the following evening. I make no secret of being a huge fan of Peter Davey's writing. I love all his books. He is a master of the twisty tale and the psychology of the mind games people can play on each other. He is also a highly skilled and gifted writer.
  
  Without giving anything away, I would sum this book up as being about one main topic: suspicion. From a seemingly innocent business meeting at the start of the story, the main character, Antoine, is embroiled in the life of Madeleine, a woman whose every move drags him further into a turmoil of distrust, deception and confusion.
  
  In many ways, the reader might loathe Antoine; he is disgustingly rich, insufferably arrogant and hopelessly self-satisfied. However, I actually had huge sympathy with him because he was essentially a well-intended man despite being everything that I usually despise. That, and his main redeeming feature being that he clearly loved his wife and family. There are some good secondary characters too, some of whom provide moments of comedy that are a pleasant surprise in such an intense story. I particularly liked the dogs, two absurd balls of fluff.
  
  This is a psychological rollercoaster ride and one that I will surely read again. The setting is all French, as are the characters, the culture and the attitudes. Peter Davey manages to write as if he is scripting a French film and I could imagine myself in Paris, Normandy and Brittany through his evocative descriptions. A terrific book. Hats off, Mr Davey! You've done it again.
• 
  Terry Tyler

  This is definitely a book to download for a beach read, for anyone who hasn't gone on holiday yet!
  
  Antoine Cassernet has it all; a prestigious banking career, good looks, a beautiful wife, three children, homes in Paris and the Normandy countryside, and a string of lovers. Then he becomes entangled with unstable film producer Madeleine de la Cruz, and his perfect life is thrown into disarray.
  
  I loved the settings of this book, and am sure that the author must be familiar with several of them, as the exotic French feel of the story seemed so real, not one borne of research. A novel based around multiple marital infidelities, there is a slightly tongue-in-cheek essence to to the whole story that I enjoyed. As far as the mystery is concerned, I had suspicions about the outcome early on, having read a couple of books years ago along similar lines, but then my thoughts were led down several different alleys and I changed my mind - many times. Suffice to say that the characters are keeping many secrets, and they come out gradually, one after another, to reveal complicated layers of motivation.
  
  I will tempt you further by saying that the cover doesn't do the book justice; the author's skillful pen conjures up such an appealing picture of Parisian jet set glamour and French country houses in the summer, and I would love to see some of that reflected on the cover. It's definitely a fun read - recommended!
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  Lynn Dixon

  In Peter Davey’s Lipstick, Antoine Cassernet is a Parisian banker who is married to Sandrine, has three children and a mistress named Justine. Does it sound like a full plate? Then enters the beautiful Madeleine Margarita de la Cruz, a film producer. He has the audacity to add her to the formula and things quickly spiral out of control.
  
  When he tries to end the affair with Madeleine, she finds a way to move into his family home, befriends his wife and children and even hires Sandrine as a screenwriter. At times, it reminded me of scenes out of the movies, Play Misty for Me or Fatal Attraction.
  
  Antoine’s job performance deteriorates, and his home life suffers as well. He soon suspects his wife of having an affair, so he hires a private detective to see what on earth is going on. Is Sandrine really seeing someone else? Will their marriage survive? Will they delete Madeleine from the equation? Pick up a copy of the highly suspenseful tale by this descriptive storyteller and rush to the end as I did!
• 
  Jo Beckford

  Antoine Cassernet is a man who like to have everything he wants, and makes no bones about getting it. He has a high powered job, an adoring family and all the money he could wish for. He also likes the thrill of elicit affairs with gorgeous women. This is all upended when he meets the vivacious and contrary Madeleine de la Cruz. Told entirely from the male point of view, we are given a glimpse into the life of a man who wants it all, and the lives of the men who support and aid him in his goal to keep it all. If only the women in his life wouldn't keep making things difficult!
  
  I enjoyed the book immensely by the end. The sense that something completely surprising is coming is kept going throughout the novel, and while I did not like any of the characters to begin with, I finished the book feeling very satisfied with the big reveal... although I would have liked a different ending ;)