Too Much Money (2009)

Vanity Fair writer Dominick Dunne died in August but left behind one last novel, an update of 1988's People Like Us, in which he casts his eye once again on upper-class indiscretions. Gus Bailey, a journalist who bears more than a passing resemblance to Dunne, begins researching a book about the suspicious death of a billionaire, while socialite Ruby Renthal awaits her husband's release from prison, where he was serving time for various financial misdeeds. Sadly, Dunne's writing isn't nearly as rich and elegant as his subjects. Too Much Money is like a high-society dinner party — it promises glitz and excitement, but devolves into something of a bore. C

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