Ultimate Prizes - (Starbridge) by Susan Howatch (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A devoted family man walks a self-destructive path in this historical novel about the Church of England from the New York Times-bestselling author.

1942. Neville Aysgarth is a priest enjoying a successful career in the Church of England. As an archdeacon, he is the right-hand man of the Bishop of Starbridge. He returns to a comfortable home at the end of each day, greeted by his loving wife and family--rewards won in the game of life--and Aysgarth looks forward to a rosy future.

Then he meets Dido Tallent. Her celebrity, lifestyle, and powerful personality combine to enthrall him, but eventually he realizes--too late--that Tallent is no dream come true, his ultimate prize, but a nightmare.

Fighting to avoid a breakdown of his successful life, Aysgarth is led on a dramatic journey through his troubled past as he tries to find hope for the future.

"Thoughtful and thought-provoking. . . . Ultimate Prizes offers a look at both the sacred and profane aspects of religious life as it is lived on the front lines." --Chicago Tribune

"I did not want to put this book down. . . . [Howatch] is a skilled storyteller who makes the reader wonder and care about her people." --The Washington Post Book World

About the Author

Susan Howatch (b. 1940) is a British novelist who has penned bestselling mysteries, family sagas, and other novels. Howatch was born in Surrey, England. She began writing as a teen and published her first book when she moved to the United States in 1964. Howatch found global success first with her five sagas and then with her novels about the Church of England in the twentieth century. She has now returned to live in Surrey.