The Rules of Fortune

“A gripping novel about power, money, and secrets.” —Mindy Kaling

A daughter’s investigation into her family history threatens to destroy their legacy in a gripping novel about power, money, and secrets by the author of Token Black Girl.

On their Martha’s Vineyard estate, the Carter family prepares to celebrate. But when the billionaire patriarch dies right before his seventieth birthday, the media is quick to question the future of the multi-industry conglomerate that makes the Carters living legends. Amid the succession crisis, his daughter, Kennedy, is questioning her father’s past.

Kennedy is an aspiring filmmaker, and the documentary she’d planned to present at her father’s party begins an inquest into the life of a man she never really knew. A thoughtful outlier in an elite and fiercely guarded dynasty, she’s not interested in keeping up the appearances that define her impeccably poised mother or in the capitalist games her ruthless brother plays. Kennedy wants only to understand the origins of their empire, and the lethally ambitious man behind it. That understanding comes at a cost.

As a twisted history emerges, the fault lines in the family grow. Torn between morality and the promise of maintaining wealth, Kennedy must decide what’s most important—the Carter legacy or exposing the shocking truth of how it was built.

A Town & Country Best Book of February 2025

A Brit + Co Most Anticipated Book of February 2025

“An intriguing story about wealth and power.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Twisty…Prescod keeps the reader guessing…Succession fans ought to take note.” —Publishers Weekly

“Prescod’s debut novel examines the many ways a man can use his power to take advantage of vulnerable people. [For] fans of complex fiction with suspenseful twists.” —Booklist

“If you’re looking for a bingeable Succession-esque read that’ll have you both laughing and well-informed, pick this one up.” —theSkimm

“A juicy story about the making of a dynasty and the hidden truth about to be exposed.” —Mindy Kaling

Danielle Prescod is the author of Token Black Girl, a fifteen-year veteran of the beauty and fashion industry, and a graduate of NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. A lifelong fashion obsessive, she was most recently the style director of BET.com. With Chrissy Rutherford, Danielle cofounded 2BG Consulting, which aids fashion and beauty brands and influencers on their anti-racism journeys. She dedicates her time to researching how feminism and social justice intersect with pop culture. Recently, her work has appeared in Porter magazine, Harper’s BAZAAR, ELLE, and Marie Claire. An avid reader and writer, Danielle also loves TikTok, the arts, staying active, and especially horseback riding. For more information,

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