When I finished reading “Bluff” by Jane Stanton Hitchcock, I wondered how I could ever share it here. The plot was beyond complicated but very intriguing. I will try to give you a summary and hope it inspires you to read one of Hitchcock’s other books.
The story centers around Maud Warner. As part of New York’s wealthy elite, she and her brother grew up with every privilege. They had no idea how their lives would change when they agreed to hire Burt Sklar to manage their finances.
Burt was a born hustler. He was charming, attentive and quick to worm his way into the lives of his clients. After Maud’s stepfather died, Burt handled his estate.
When Maud questioned some of his reports, Burt brushed her off. He’d convinced her mother not to trust Maud, insisting that his investments had made millions. Maud was no vapid debutante. She suspected that Burt had been stealing from them for a long time but couldn’t prove it.
Using his considerable skills, Burt had convinced wealthy businessman Sun Sunderland to become an investment partner. The two men were almost inseparable, but something about their relationship made Maud suspicious. As her family’s money continues to disappear and her brother spirals into drug addiction, Maud tries to find proof of Burt’s fraud, but he thwarts her every move.
After her mother dies unexpectedly, the family discovers that all their assets now belong to Burt Sklar. Now living in relative poverty, Maud tries internet poker. Before long, she discovers that she’s not only hooked, but very good at the game. Soon she’s playing for substantial stakes at illegal games.
Most players underestimate the 58-year-old woman. Her greatest skill is the bluff, and bluffing is key to Maud’s plans to exact revenge on Burt Sklar and Sun Sunderland. I was well into the book when Maud’s plan was revealed, and it was a dandy.
Maud learns that Sun had committed bigamy by marrying a young woman named Danya. Sun treated his wife Jean with respect, but was very abusive with Danya. Burt Sklar had facilitated the whole thing.
Sklar was in love with Danya, but she loathed him. She tells them that Sun confessed to helping Sklar smother Maud’s elderly mother. The three women forge an alliance, and Maud masterminds their plan for vengeance.
The book won the 2019 Dashiell Hammett Prize for Literary Excellence in Crime Writing.
AT A GLANCE
Book: Bluff
Author: Jane Stanton Hitchcock
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Year published: 2019
Number of pages: 320
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