Never before has Judith Krantz told a story as rich in heart and emotion as that of her 10th novel, THE JEWELS OF TESSA KENT. A brilliantly engrossing tale of a mother daughter relationship gone desperately wrong. Tessa Kent, a precocious 14 yr old, gives birth to an illegitimate daughter. Her parents raise the child, Maggie, as their own. As Tessa becomes a great movie star, Maggie lives for the glorious sister's infrequent whirlwind visits. Only when Maggie is 18 does she learn the truth about her mother. Mortally wounded, she breaks all ties with Tessa and starts work at a prestigious Manhattan auction house. Five years later, a crisis in her life finally makes Tessa determined to end their estrangement, but can find only one way to reach her daughter. She decides to auction her valuable collection of splendid jewels only on the condition that Maggie works on the sale. A behind the scenes look at the inner workings of an auction house, but most of all, a story of love and loss and families.