Five people at the height of their success die suddenly in different parts of the world. A villa in Portofino and a terrace in Capri, both in Italy. A flight to Singapore. A beach in Santorini, Greece. A luxury resort on the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean. All five are filed as “death by natural causes”. No doubts, no links. But an intelligence analyst and his television journalist girlfriend suspect there is a connection. And follow a trail of unusual coincidences. Meanwhile, a brilliant businessman chases a dream: prolonging human life to over 150 years. And in perfect health. An ambitious goal. That entices the billionaires club: the privileged few who own over half of the world’s wealth. The human mind possesses hidden talents. You just need to know how to make the most of them. But longevity can prove fatal.
Extract
Wake up dead man
Sunday 2 June 2019
Portofino, Italy
The body was found lying under a small group of trees on the lawn near the pool on a Sunday morning. It was the only thing out of place in the elegant, manicured gardens around Villa Genius.
A group of buildings and gardens, the estate was immersed in the green hills overlooking the bay of Portofino and the Ligurian Sea. The view was simply breath-taking.
Standing on more than a hectare of land, the estate boasted an array of intriguing splendours. A network of paths and stone steps wound their way around the hill. The gardens contained an exotic array of rare trees, shrubs, plants and tropical flowers. The scenic clifftop viewpoint was called “the infinite view” after the poem by the Italian writer Giacomo Leopardi.
The swimming pool was oval shaped. From inside, the water seemed to float away to the horizon. At the bottom of the garden, there was a sheer drop from the cliff to the forty fathoms of water below.
The breakfast patio overlooked Portofino, once a fishing village, now a luxury resort.
A second patio on the other side of the villa was for lunches and dinners. The views were even more spectacular from there, the sunlight glinting on the sea just before sunset. Perhaps the mansion’s most romantic vista.
Walking through the gardens, you would often come across statues of Greek gods.
There was a large marble chessboard, its ornate pieces depicting Alexander the Great and his archenemy Darius. A vegetable garden. Ornamental ponds with fountains.
Thank you, A.D. Pascal and Love Books Group
About the author
A.D. Pascal is an Italian writer. He lives in Milan. After graduating, he started his career as an economic journalist. Then worked as a marketing manager for multinationals.
He wrote several books on management as a ghostwriter.
In his own words
“Writing has always been my passion and the base of my activities. My purpose was to present facts and figures in a stimulating way.
Later, I realized that I would also be able to create exciting works of fiction.
‘Fatal Longevity’ is the first of a series of books I am working on. They will all combine real events with just a pinch of imagination”.
Book Link
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