THE UNEXPECTED HEIRESS

An unwavering struggle against impossible odds

A family saga from concentration camp to gold mining empire.

She inherited a Legacy of Ambition, Longing, Betrayal & Secrets   

In the shadow of Poisson Gold, a multi-billion-dollar gold mine conglomerate, a family's legacy unravels in a compelling tale that dives deep into the human psyche.


At the helm of this empire stands the enigmatic Abe Silver, a concentration camp survivor whose past holds secrets as complex as his fortune. With his health failing, Abe's last-minute will alters the course of history, leaving his daughter Ellie, a newly minted lawyer, to navigate a treacherous path to control the colossal riches.


As grieving Ellie grapples with the titanic responsibility thrust upon her, she must confront not only the malignant opposition of her own family and the rigid glass ceiling, but also her deeply buried secret - her sexuality. Set against the backdrop of 2010, a time when LGBTQ+ acceptance was scarce, Ellie's struggle to reconcile her personal truth with her public facade adds an extra layer of complexity to this compelling narrative.


The novel seamlessly weaves between the present and the past, offering a poignant glimpse into the horrors of a concentration camp and Abe's incredible journey from a concentration camp to Australia, where he emerged as a successful magnate.


With two distinct viewpoints, from Abe's harrowing past to Ellie's contemporary challenges, the novel paints a vivid portrait of a family divided by ambition, betrayal and the enduring power of love.

 


Book FAQ's

  • Which novelists inspire your writing?

    Horses for courses. 


    Among the classics, it’s hard to go past Dostoevsky, Dickens or Tolstoy. Timeless insights into human psyche. 


    For meaningful brevity, Hemmingway, for sure.


    Last Century, definitely Scott Fitzgerald and George Orwell.


    Among the modern writers, I love Ian McEwan’s Atonement.

  • You’ve work-shopped your writing with your peers. What was the most helpful outcome?

    Blissfully unaware of the complexity of the process, I sat down and wrote a 300,000+ word historical novel. 


    Naively, I believed that with a few tweaks, it would be ready for publishing. Ha! After countless hours of suggestions from my fellow scribblers, I am still fine-tuning it.


    I would not be a writer without their help.        

  • How did the idea for The Unexpected Heiress come to you?

    I love family sagas. It’s hard to go past A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford. And of course our own Thornbirds by Colleen McCullough (both sold 30+ million copies, and counting.)


    Countless movies, TV and print documentaries exist about Holocaust survivors who top the Forbes billionaires list. But where’s a fictional treatment of an Australian person and his/her family?


    The Unexpected Heiress, I believe, faithfully depicts  one such character and his family. To sharpen the focus, I’ve chosen (yet again) a female protagonist, his daughter. And added other characteristics to include the topical subjects of the glass ceiling, sexual orientation and abuse.


    The book is told in the third person, alternating between the viewpoint of Abe and his daughter Ellie.

  • Can you describe the difference in the difficulty between the two povs?

    Abe was easier to describe because we are of the same generation. With Ellie, I had to get into the psyche of a modern woman, and her sexual interests. Lots of research and discussions with ladies of similar persuasion!

  • What is your response to people who say: How can a man understand a woman’s mind?

    Have they read Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley? Was Dostoyevsky an axe murderer? Was Tolstoy a morphine addicted adulterer, desperate for love?


    As writers, we need to get outside our comfort zones. I’ve never faced a bigger challenge. My story demanded it. It’s been a real growth experience. I could not have done it without my peer groups’ inputs. The result is MS, which has gone through many rewrites. 


    The vital point is that we are all individuals, shaped by many influences superimposed on our basic DNA.


    The bottom line: I am comfortable writing from either gender’s point of view. I find it empowering.

  • Ellie hurts Guinny by not inviting her to the company’s Christmas party. Do you think Ellie was right?

    Absolutely. And Guinny acknowledges that. But not discussing the matter before the event is the issue. And they both suffer as a result. 

  • Is it rather weird that a thirty-too-year-old woman has unresolved her sexual orientation?

    Unusual, perhaps, but not unique. Some women (and men, for that matter) have been hetero for a substantial period of their adult life. Even had children. And in the end decided to do their own thing. Each one of us is unique.

  • Some people find it unlikely that a family man meets a woman, and within days opens up and shares intimate details of his life.

    Again unusual. But consider the circumstances:


    Similar backgrounds. Abe’s unhappy marriage. His dilemma about Simon. His fear of cancer. Ruth’s sympathetic, nonjudgmental attitude. Abe’s inability to confide to his family. And his need for a surrogate mother.


  • What would be a lasting impression of your novel’s reader?

    That money by itself doesn’t guarantee happiness. But it helps!


    Seriously, we have to admire a grieving woman who, despite being overloaded with unexpected responsibilities, attacked by her own family, and with internal conflicts, stands up and decides that failure is not an option.