The Baroness (novels)

This series of books profiles the adventures of Baroness Penelope St. John-Orsini, a voluptuous international playgirl who is also a lethal secret superspy.

She drinks martini cocktails, smokes the occasional joint, drives a red Porsche, throws lavish parties in her Rome mansion and enjoys fiery but casual sex with a series of handsome hunks, including suspected enemies she may well have to kill.

Her jade green eyes, raven black hair and "explicit cheekbones" prove the perfect smokescreen.

Born Penelope Worthington into a Philadelphia banking family, she was educated at Miss Frothingham's Finishing School.

Over two years, she was trained in weaponry, close combat and martial arts, learning how to pass out under interrogation and kill a man with a hairpin.

[3] Peter Mayer of Simon and Schuster, a division of Pocket Books, canceled the series after the three manuscripts were written.