A Dangerous Fortune

Set amid the decadence of Victorian England, A Dangerous Fortune is a rip-roaring work of historical fiction from the legendary author of The Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follett. It is the tale of the wealthy Pilaster family - and a death that will have repercussions for decades to come . . .
'Compulsively readable' - Sunday Times
A Tragic Accident . . .
It is 1866. At the highly-exclusive Windfield School, a student drowns in a mysterious accident. The students are confined to their rooms and, in time, the jury return a verdict: accidental death by drowning.
A Fierce Rivalry . . .
There on that fateful day were Hugh Pilaster and his older cousin Edward, heirs of a powerful banking dynasty with connections that reach from London to far-afield colonies.
A Lethal Secret.
As adults, the cousins find themselves locked in a vicious competition for the top job at the bank. But as that deadly event from their schooldays resurfaces, it will threaten everything the Pilasters have built. Indeed, the respectable veneer of the family - and of Victorian society - looks set to shatter . . .
'Banks, brothels, and a high body count . . . it's all there' - Financial Times
Rich in historical detail and suspensful to the last, A Dangerous Fortune is a powerful, gripping historical saga from the master Ken Follett.

Ken Follett was born in Cardiff, Wales. Barred from watching films and television by his parents, he developed an early interest in reading thanks to a local library. After studying philosophy at University College London, he became involved in centre-left politics, entering into journalism soon after. His first thriller, the wartime spy drama Eye of the Needle, became an international bestseller and has sold over 10 million copies. He then astonished everyone with his first historical novel, The Pillars of the Earth, the story of the building of a medieval cathedral, which went on to become one of the most beloved books of the twentieth century. One of the most popular authors in the world, his many books, including the Kingsbridge series and the Century trilogy, have sold more than 178 million copies. A father and husband, Ken lives with his wife in England and enjoys travelling the world when he can.