Filthy Lucre (novel)

Filthy Lucre was the twelfth full length novel published by Big Finish Productions as part of their Big Finish Bernice Summerfield series. It was written by James Parsons and Andrew Stirling-Brown.

Publisher's summary
Money makes the world go round, as can a few too many strong drinks. But when Benny, in a fit of sobriety, agrees to do a pre-Advent favour for Irving Braxiatel, little does she suspect that a bit of corporate schmoozing with a fast food magnate is going to lead her into the biggest spin she's experienced for a very long time.

In a whistle-stop tour of frontier planets, she encounters mysterious burials, guns and swords, legs and claws, lost treasure, mortal combat, conspiracy, stomach-churning posh nosh and a little man called Perkin.

Oh, and love and war, again.

Meanwhile, Jack has to tackle possibly the most irritating computer virus ever created, and Ruth must clamber through the bowels of a crashed ship with "the Man With The Vulpine Tattoo".

And this was supposed to be the holiday season?

Chapter titles

 * 1) Pay Day
 * 2) Pecuniary Interest
 * 3) The Best Things in Life...
 * 4) Spend, Spend, Spend
 * 5) Quantitative Easing
 * 6) Filthy Lucre
 * 7) C(r)ash
 * 8) Deposit Box
 * 9) Danger Money
 * 10) Death Duties
 * 11) Squids In
 * 12) Secret Stash
 * 13) Too Tight to Mention
 * 14) Filthy Rich
 * 15) Life Savings
 * 16) Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
 * 17) Knight's Fee
 * 18) Credit Where It's Due

Plot
On Benny's chosen day of sobriety, Ruth takes her to the White Rabbit where Irving is serving free Yarryl's Root Vegetable Chips as part of a deal with Adam Yarryl. Irving calls Benny into his office and asks her to meet with Yarryl, an enthusiast of archaeology who has heard of Benny and might be willing to fund her, and she agrees on the condition that she, Ruth, Jack and Peter get a holiday on Bella Sol afterwards. Peter, however, is unavailable.

Benny attends Yarryl's party dressed as Twiggy and meets the host, who tells her about his dig on Tugara and invites her to join him there. When she does so, Shima Vassari shows her the graves of nine mummified girls that they have found and Benny identifies it as a Clock of Children indicative of worshippers of Time. Privately, Vassari shares with her that she has found evidence that Yarryl intends on expanding his factory and knowingly wrecking an archaeological site.

As Benny, Ruth and Jack return from Bella Sol in the Irverfield, they receive a distress call from a freighter and go to help. Jack remains in the shuttle whilst Benny and Ruth investigate, but Sylana tells them that the distress call was an accident and that they do not require assistance. Sylana Shakhar reveals that she, Jardin and Wolf are pirates and have taken over a Five Systems Bank freighter carrying unlawfully-gained money. Benny uses the Irverfield's systems to reboot the freighter and they land on Oxyrinicus.

to be completed

Characters

 * Bernice Summerfield
 * Ruth
 * Jack
 * Irving Braxiatel
 * Adam Yarryl
 * Jardin
 * Sylana Shakhar
 * Wolf
 * Gerrant Arnoir
 * Shima Vassari
 * Perkin
 * Yarryl's automaton knight

Continuity

 * Benny mentions her recent adventure on Nemeqit. (AUDIO: A Handful of Dust)
 * Benny is still unhappy about the name of the Irverfield. (AUDIO: A Handful of Dust)
 * Ruth mentions giant lizards. (PROSE: The Weather on Versimmon)
 * Ruth and Jack know that Antonio is apparently imaginary, but have not told Benny. (AUDIO: Everybody Loves Irving)
 * Benny recognises Till Madden. (AUDIO: A Handful of Dust)
 * Toothless Bob is mentioned. He would reappear in AUDIO: The Brimstone Kid.
 * Peter has something for Benny to do. (AUDIO: HMS Surprise)