Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Story Of Huguette Clark And The Loss Of One Of The World’s Greatest Fortunes

Authors: Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell Jr

In 2009, journalist Bill Dedman was looking to move house.

Frustrated with the market, he decided to browse the internet for places he ‘really couldn’t afford’, stumbling upon Le Beau Chateau ($24 million), a castle of 22 rooms and 52 acres: unoccupied since its purchase in 1951, and not the owner’s only vacant property.

The owner is the subject of Empty Mansions, Huguette Clark.

Born in 1906, she was one of five children of copper-mining millionaire William A Clark, receiving on his death a fifth of his (in today’s money) $3.5 billion. She was mysterious: a recluse, spending her last 20 years in hospital despite there being nothing wrong, she often took dolls with her when she did venture out, and her nine-month marriage broke down on honeymoon.

This story would be fascinating and compelling were the book half the length; as it is, it’s a solid tale for those with time on their hands.