
Synopsis
First, she gets the frightening phone call from her father. Hours later, the police tell her he's committed suicide. But Madison McKean suspects murder - because her father, CEO of a large Manhattan ad agency, refused a takeover bid by a ruthless agency conglomerate.
With her
father's death, Madison inherits his agency - and his enemies.
When she and her new friend, Kevin, zero in on the executive behind
her father's death, they soon discover an ex-CIA hitman is zeroing
in on them.
MADISON'S AVENUE takes you inside
the boardrooms of today's ruthless, billion dollar corporations
- to the white sand beaches of the Caribbean - to the high hopes
and low cleavage of the Cannes Ad Festival ... a world where some
individuals take the phrase 'bury the competition' literally.
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Exclusive! Read the first chapter of MADISON'S AVENUE here...
BOSTON
Madison
McKean checked her list. Two more client matters and she was done
for the day. First, she had to reassure a nervous client that
the jogging bra advertisement would run in the marathon section
of Sunday's Boston Globe. Then, she'd review some rough-cut
television commercials for Norwegian Skin Care Products before
tomorrow's presentation.
As the account director on Norwegian
Products, a major client at Boston's CPR Advertising agency, Madison
was responsible for all aspects of the Norwegian Products advertising.
And her recent promotion to Group Account Director had made her
responsible for some other agency clients as well. It was a lot
of work, at times overwhelming, but she loved it.
Suddenly, she remembered Hanna and
Emily, her new copywriter and art director team. It was their
first day on the job and she'd been too busy to see how they were
doing. She hurried down the hall and leaned into their joined
cubicle.
"So, by now you two have probably
whipped up some fantastic ads for Lunch Munchies, right?" Madison
said, smiling.
They smiled back, but their smiles
faded fast.
Madison sensed something was wrong.
"Problems?"
"Sorta," Hanna said.
"Like?"
"Like our first assignment. It's
not Lunch Munchies. It's weird!"
"Why weird?"
"Because Larry, the creative director,
and his associate asked us to work on that ... new Norwegian
product."
Madison hadn't heard anything about
any new Norwegian product, and as account director she would know.
Her antenna went on prank alert.
"What
strange new product?"
Hanna and Emily seemed surprised
that she didn't know.
"Well, you know about Norwegian's
feminine hygiene spray...." Hanna said.
Madison nodded. "Well, they told
us that Norwegian is introducing a hygiene spray for men.
A genital spray. They want us to name it and come up with
a theme line for it."
Madison's laugh exploded from her
mouth.
Hanna and Emily stared at her.
"Excuse me, but there is no new
Norwegian male genital spray."
"What?"
"The boys were putting you on, initiating
you new girls."
Hanna
and Emily blushed, then began to laugh.
"That's too bad," Hanna said.
"Why?"
"We came up with a cool name and
theme."
For a male genital spray?
Yeah.
What?
UMPIRE ... FOR FOUL BALLS!
Madison buckled over with laughter
and had to steady herself on a nearby chair. I love it!
Stick that line over the photo of a male crotch, then show those
bozos!
They smiled.
Suddenly, Madison sensed someone
behind her. Turning, she saw Elaine, her assistant, looking concerned.
Your fathers on your
private line, Elaine whispered. He says its
very urgent.
Her father, Mark McKean, didn't
make urgent calls. He hadn't made one to her since the day her
mother died six years ago. Madison excused herself, hurried down
to her office and grabbed the phone.
"Dad...?"
"Sorry to interrupt, Madison. But
I...." He sounded short of breath. "I still can't believe it!"
"Believe what?"
"Someone at my agency sent me an
anonymous e-mail accusing me of misappropriating 8.7 million dollars
of company money. It's absolutely preposterous!"
She was stunned. "Of course it is."
Her father, chairman and CEO of Turner Advertising in Manhattan,
was the most ethical man she'd ever known.
"I haven't taken a dime! Ever!"
"I believe you."
"Our CFO just checked all
agency financial records. There's not one red cent missing anywhere."
"You're fighting this?"
"With everything I've got! But the
memo demands that I resign now. I wanted you to hear all this
from me, and not through the agency grapevine, or worse, the newspapers."
Any idea whos behind
this?
He paused. No, but the $8.7
million figure seems familiar. I saw it somewhere in the company
recently. In someones office, I think. On a file, or computer
maybe. But theres so much happening so fast, I cant
remember where. Im even concerned my office phone may be
tapped. Thats why Im calling you on my cell phone.
Her dad, always cool-headed and unflappable, sounded very anxious.
Dad, listen, Im taking
the next flight home tonight.
Thats not necessary,
Madison.
Im coming. Dont
try to talk me out of it.
He took a deep breath.
Whats wrong? she
asked.
No response.
Dad, what the hells
going on there?
Im not sure. Just be
damn careful, Madison, please!
Dad...?
The phone connection went dead.
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