Gilded Lily

"A riveting account of the life of the international socialite and billionairess Lily Safra. . . .a fascinating life. . . .a very good read." —Dominick Dunne, Vanity Fair reporter and expert on the Safra case

In the early morning of December three, 1999, Lily Safra stood shivering in her nightgown on the grounds outside her sumptuous Monte Carlo penthouse where, just hours before, her fourth husband, reclusive billionaire Edmond Safra, died in a fire. An American nurse employed by the Safra family was eventually convicted of the arson death. Overnight, Lily became one of the wealthiest widows in the world.

The Brazilian-born Lily Safra was no stranger to tragedy. In 1969, her second husband, the Brazilian multimillionaire Alfredo Monteverde, died from two gunshots to the chest. The Brazilian authorities ruled it a suicide. In 1989, her beloved eldest son and four-year-old grandson died in a car accident. But just who is Lily Safra? Despite having become a fixture in society columns for her generous charity work and lavish parties, the elegant and enigmatic widow has remained in the background.

Gilded Lily tells Lily Safra's story for the first time. Using archival sources, court documents, and interviews with childhood friends and former employees in South America, investigative journalist Isabel Vincent chronicle's Safra's rise from humble origins in Brazil to fabled wealth in London, New York, and Monaco.

"A compelling biography that reads like fiction." —Washington Times

"A skillfully executed exposé . . . . Journalist Vincent delves fearlessly into the messy, lucky, upwardly mobile climb of four-time-married Lily Safra nee Watkins. . . . Great reporting." —Publishers Weekly