PASS THE BATON

About the Book

Dennis and Carol surf a wave of prosperity and optimism in Sydney during a stock market boom. Their son Mark is born just before the October crash of 1987 when Dennis loses his speculative paper assets and his job. Left with an unmanageable mortgage, a crippling tax bill and added responsibility, he grasps an opportunity to claw his way back up. Dennis starts a new company in Paris, where he moves his family. When Carol´s art dealer friend is murdered, distraught and afraid for her life, she escapes to Sydney with their son. Alone in Paris and struggling to save his failing company, a torrid love affair blooms between Dennis and his secretary Camille, while Carol falls under the spell of an evil man in Sydney, who is cruel to Mark. Dennis breaks with Camille and returns to Sydney in an attempt to rescue Mark and save his marriage, but conflicts with Carol spiral, ending in divorce. Broke and depressed, the fundamental compulsion to protect and provide for his son inspires him onwards to pass the baton.

About the Author

David O’Connor was born in 1946. He grew up in Africa and attended Universities of Cape Town and the Royal School of Mines in London. He has been the president of several small mining companies, one of which he established in Paris to exploit Napoleon’s old lead mines. While getting involved in financings in London, he lived through stock market crashes and corporate takeovers. He now lives in Santiago, Chile where he established another mineral exploration company. He spends his time struggling against the headwinds of financial crises, while trying to ensure a good future for his children. He has a number of stories to tell and “pass the baton” is the first.