“Luscious is the word for this swashbuckling historical novel. John Law is a perfect combination of a fast-moving action-adventure upheld with solid historical facts. I’m an 18th-century enthusiast, an author, yet this information about economist John Law is astonishingly new. The book’s author is a consummately skilled writer with character-driven situations that become plots. She’s chosen a little-known figure who developed the first bank in France, going on to initiate paper money in exchange for gold nuggets, and further, to sell shares in the “Mississippi project” in the new world. That is the core of this novel, but that’s hardly its flair. The energy on the page comes from a vivid sense of place and decor with exquisite detail. We can feel the rustle of taffeta, the shine of diamonds, and the swerve of velvet in scene after scene. . . . with the weight of history lifted to an unforeseen buoyance. It’s impossible to stop reading because of the psychological action as well as physical movement. This book contributes to readers not only for sheer unending pleasure but an honest look at the rise and fall of currency in the first quarter of the 18th century. It’s an unusual combination of authenticity and drama; and will appeal to students of history and the general population.”