A city where women don't play by the rules. They make them.
Welcome to Scarlet City, a world of velvet curtains, crimson automobiles, smoky nightclubs, expensive evening gowns, political intrigue and dangerous desires.
Behind the glittering lights and magnificent architecture lies a city built on wealth, ambition, corruption and power. Here, women control the banks, newspapers, fashion houses, entertainment studios, political organizations and criminal empires. They are the decision-makers, the dealmakers and the architects of their own destinies.
At the center of this extraordinary world is Savannah Ashmore, a beautiful, cunning and formidable businesswoman whose financial interests and personal connections reach into nearly every corner of the city. Intelligent, calculating and always several moves ahead, Savannah knows that power is rarely given. It must be acquired, protected and, when necessary, taken.
But even the most powerful woman in Scarlet City has secrets.
Through serialized drama, film noir romance, old-fashioned gangster intrigue and elaborate conspiracies, Scarlet City explores a world where love and ambition collide, loyalties are tested, alliances are temporary and everyone has something to hide.
Every story revolves around a prize, a secret, a person or something valuable enough to bring the city's most powerful players into conflict. Everyone wants something. Everyone has leverage. And everyone has a price.
From the legendary Scarlet Nine to the shadowy figures operating behind the scenes, the city's inhabitants are connected through relationships, rivalries, scandals, betrayals and ambitions that can span generations.
In Scarlet City, the most dangerous thing isn't what you know. It's who knows what you know.
Welcome to a world where glamour conceals danger, romance carries a price, and the women at the top of the food chain have absolutely no intention of surrendering their crowns.
Samantha Ashmore Presents: Scarlet City
Everybody wants something. Savannah knows what it costs.
SAVANNAH ASHMORE
The Woman Who Plays to Win
Beautiful, intelligent and extraordinarily calculating, Savannah Ashmore is one of the most influential women in Scarlet City. Through an intricate network of financial interests, business partnerships and carefully cultivated alliances, she has established herself as a formidable force in the city's economic and social landscape. Always several moves ahead of her competitors, Savannah has an uncanny ability to turn even the most dangerous situations to her advantage. But beneath her polished exterior lies a woman with her own desires, vulnerabilities and secrets. In a city where everyone is looking for an opportunity, Savannah Ashmore is rarely the one caught off guard.
VIVIENNE STERLING
The Power Behind the Money
As the formidable head of Sterling National Bank, Vivienne Sterling commands enormous financial influence throughout Scarlet City. Elegant, disciplined and exceptionally intelligent, she understands that money is more than wealth: it is influence, security and control. Her approval can make a business empire, while her disapproval can bring one to its knees. Vivienne maintains an impeccable public image, but her private life is considerably more complicated. Her relationship with Savannah Ashmore is a closely guarded secret, one that places two extraordinarily powerful women in a world of passion, trust and complicated personal dynamics.
BEATRICE BLACKWELL
The Woman Behind the Headlines
As Editor-in-Chief of the Scarlet City Chronicle, Beatrice Blackwell commands one of the city's most influential newspapers. Sharp-minded, sophisticated and fiercely protective of her publication's reputation, Beatrice knows that information can be just as powerful as money or political influence. She has built a newsroom capable of uncovering the secrets that Scarlet City's elite would prefer to keep buried. Yet Beatrice understands that publishing the truth can have consequences, and sometimes knowing when to hold a story is just as important as knowing when to print it.
EVELYN "EVIE" KANE
The Reporter Who Never Gives Up
Fearless, ambitious and relentlessly curious, Evelyn Kane is one of the Scarlet City Chronicle's most determined investigative reporters. Evie has a talent for finding connections others overlook and an instinct for recognizing when somebody is hiding something. Her investigations frequently bring her into contact with the city's wealthiest and most dangerous personalities, including Savannah Ashmore. She knows that getting too close to the truth can be hazardous, but that has never stopped her. For Evie Kane, the perfect story is always worth pursuing.
VICTORIA "VICKI" MARLOWE
The Woman Behind the Politics
Victoria Marlowe is one of Scarlet City's most influential political power brokers. Through carefully cultivated relationships, private negotiations and an extraordinary understanding of political ambition, Vicki has established herself as a woman whose influence extends far beyond the official halls of government. She knows how to make alliances, manage reputations and recognize political weaknesses before anyone else. Her public persona is polished and respectable, but behind closed doors she is a formidable strategist who rarely makes a move without considering its consequences.
LOLA DEVEREAUX
The Queen of the Night
As the owner of the legendary Crimson Room, Lola Devereaux presides over one of Scarlet City's most fashionable and influential nightclubs. Politicians, gangsters, entertainers, wealthy socialites and ambitious businesspeople all pass through her doors. Lola is charming, perceptive and exceptionally well-connected, with an uncanny ability to learn what people are really thinking when they believe nobody is listening. Her nightclub is neutral territory, but Lola herself is anything but neutral when it comes to protecting her interests. In Scarlet City, the music may stop at closing time, but the secrets never do.
CELESTE BEAUMONT
The Empress of Elegance
Celeste Beaumont is the celebrated founder and owner of Beaumont Couture, Scarlet City's most prestigious fashion house. With an impeccable eye for style and an instinctive understanding of high society, Celeste has become a defining figure in the city's fashion and social circles. Her creations dress the wealthiest and most influential women in town, but her real talent lies in understanding the people wearing them. Beneath her glamorous exterior is a sharp and discerning businesswoman who knows that appearances can open doors, conceal secrets and occasionally destroy reputations. Celeste understands better than most that looking powerful and being powerful are two very different things.
HELENA PRESCOTT
The Woman Who Creates Stars
Helena Prescott is the formidable head of Prescott Pictures, one of Scarlet City's most influential entertainment studios. Ambitious, commanding and fiercely protective of her reputation, Helena understands the machinery of fame better than anyone. She has the power to transform unknown performers into household names, shape public opinion and turn a scandal into a publicity triumph. Her studio is a world of glamour, ambition, rivalries and carefully constructed illusions. But Helena's greatest productions may not be the ones audiences see on the screen. Some of her most important performances take place behind closed doors.
LENORA "NORA" VOSS
The Woman Who Rules
Lenora Voss is the powerful and calculating figure behind the Voss criminal organization, one of the most formidable forces in Scarlet City's underworld. Cool-headed, disciplined and extraordinarily dangerous when challenged, Nora has built her influence through a combination of strategic thinking, loyalty and ruthless determination. Her legitimate business interests provide a respectable public face for an organization whose reach extends throughout the city's docks, warehouses and criminal networks. Nora rarely needs to raise her voice to make herself understood. In her world, respect is earned, loyalty is expected and betrayal is never forgotten.
