June 10, 2008

Buddy System

“Gossip of the Starlings,” by Nina de Gramont

A friend in need is a friend indeed. But if she smokes weed, rides off on your steed, and steals your beau to do the deed, then there’s a book you gotta read.

First-time novelist Nina de Gramont’s Gossip of the Starlings follows the harrowing friendship between two prep school girls — one the daughter of a famous senator, the other a budding horse jockey. As drugs, clandestine affairs, and family pressures cloud the girls’ judgments, their bond becomes stronger, ironically setting them on a path to alienation and tragedy.

Inspired by the true account of an ’80s drug bust, de Gramont recalls the destructive relationship in graceful, poetic language. She moves the action from the privileged shores of Cape Cod to the seedy streets of Caracas.

Make sure you stick around for the surprising finale.

That’s a little friendly advice.

Available online at amazon.com.