King, Queen, Knave; Vladimir Nabokov

Publisher: McGraw Hill Book Company New York Toronto

Edition:First Edition

Year: 1968

Description: NF, 272 pp.; McGraw Hill First Edition 1968 (stated); Nabokov's second novel written in Berlin published by Slovo in 1928. King, Queen, Knave is the story of a rich owner of a Berlin department store Kurt Dryer (King), his dissatisfied wife, Martha Dryer (Queen), and Franz Buebendorf (Knave), who has come to Berlin to work for his rich uncle Dryer. Frustrated Martha is attracted to the boy and they have an affair. Martha's hatred of her husband grows as her affections for Franz increases. She plots with Franz to drown her husband, who cannot swim, on a Baltic lake vacation. She changes her mind when she discovers he is about to make them richer through a business deal. Meanwhile she catches pneunomia and dies. Franz is delighted because he never really wanted to murder his uncle and Kurt never learns about his wife's treacherous intentions.; Made into a Hollywood movie (1972) directed by Jerzy Skolimowski starring David Niven as Charles Dryer, Gina Lollobrigida as his wife Martha, and John Moulder-Brown as Franz.; Vladimir Nabokov b.1899 - d.1977.

Author: Vladimir Nabokov