When husband Lucius dies under rather sordid and suspicious circumstances, prominent New York socialite Jo Slater is shocked to learn that he has left his sizable estate to a mysterious French countess. Exiled from the kingdom of money, power, and privilege, Jo struggles to rebuild her life only to find herself thwarted at every turn by the countess, sliding down the social ladder until she hits rock bottom, buying a pair of Hush Puppies (on sale) for her aching feet. Obsessed with recovering her fortune and place as queen of New York, Jo concocts an audacious scheme of revenge. Can she pull it off? —Library Journal