A Book A Week

"People killed for money. People died for it. Love could hurt, but money would strike you down forever."

I've been a fan of author Mindy Mejia since reading her novel Everything You Want Me To Be. Her way with characters, masterful plotting, and ability to tackle a variety of genres (see last year's Leave No Trace for something completely different) reveals her to be one of the most versatile authors of popular fiction working today. Naturally, I was thrilled to accept an offer from her publisher to read and review her latest novel Strike Me Down. If there is one benefit to having to spend all of my time at the house, it is that I can stay up into all hours of the night reading a book. Mejia's latest had me doing just that.

Nora Trier is at the top of her professional game. Years ago, she was the whistleblower who called out financial fraud at her company. She brought down the entire operation but paid the price for her actions. The head of the company was a personal family friend who guilt-tripped Nora until he ultimately ended his own life. Her family blamed her for his death and ceased all contact with her. Even worse, no other company would hire her. No company, that is, until Parrish, a forensic accounting firm, enlisted her expertise. Now Nora is one of the most accomplished people in her field. She has gained notoriety for her thoroughness (she's solved thousands of cases) and impartiality. It is no wonder then that she is brought in to solve a missing funds case for one of the most visible companies in the world. As a customer of the brand and someone with personal ties to people at the company, Nora will struggle to maintain her independence and protect her shimmering reputation.

Headed by kickboxing phenom and face of the company Logan Russo and her husband Gregg Abbott,  Strike has become one of the largest and most recognizable fitness companies in the world. The power couple has capitalized on Logan's popularity to build Strike into a company that promotes a fitness lifestyle through protein shakes, gyms, and classes. Their latest effort is a large kickboxing tournament, the likes of which has never been attempted before. The event will be held over several days and culminate in the winner taking a $20 million prize and becoming the new face of Strike. There's only one problem. The prize money is missing!

Strike Me Down by Mindy Mejia is another hit from the author. On the surface, there is an intricately plotted financial thriller that rivals any of the best I've read. Think an early John Grisham novel, but with a more contemporary flair. What separates this thriller from the pack is the way that Mejia explores the two main characters of Nora and Logan. Both are women who have bucked the odds to become top performers in their respective fields, both have sacrificed a stereotypical personal life to climb the professional ladder, and both are grappling with the ramifications of that decision. These women are not likable in the traditional sense, but I think that is part of what makes the novel so intriguing. Mejia dares to challenge convention and forces the reader to rethink their own expectations. Strike Me Down is another must-read novel from Mindy Mejia that brilliantly layers in contemplations on the female experience in the professional world while never sacrificing the pace and suspense of its break-neck thriller.

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2020, 10)

Jason Stafford has nothing. He was once a top Wall Street trader living the high life, but after a getting in over his head with falsified profits and fraudulent trades, he finds himself at the end of a two year jail sentence with no money, an estranged ex-wife who has his only son, and seemingly no future job opportunities. You can imagine his surprise when the CEO of a large Wall Street firm asks Jason to investigate the trades of a junior trader who recently died in a boating accident. Intrigued by the prospect to work in his old environment and desperate for any kind of income, Jason accepts.

As he begins to reclaim his professional dignity, Jason also is determined to gain custody from his alcoholic ex-wife. Jason Jr., nicknamed "the Kid", has been diagnosed with autism and is not getting the care he needs. With his ex just as unstable as his son, Jason is shocked to learn that the Kid is locked in a room all day. Risking his parole, Jason flies to Louisiana to retrieve his son. When he returns to New York, son in tow, Jason is forced to reevaluate his life, and learn to live with his unique son.

Meanwhile, Jason's investigation is revealing a larger conspiracy than even he expected. As he digs deeper into the web of fraud he attracts the attention of Wall Streets power players as well as agents from the FBI. When he uncovers a system that will certainly rock the entire financial institution, Jason must decide what to do with the information. If he makes the wrong decision, it could cost him his life.

With this excellent debut novel, author Michael Sears enters the thriller genre with a bang. His knowledge of Wall Street brings a unique perspective to the story. This timely tale of financial deceit flows at a perfect pace, never getting bogged down in the details that are presented. While the thriller side of the story is entertaining, it is the father-son relationship that really places the novel on a higher level. Jason's adjustment to becoming the guardian of his autistic son is the secret to this story's success. Sears subtly crafts the two characters, making the reader truly care about the son and root for the Father's redemption. I will admit that the secondary characters were not as strongly conceived as Jason and the Kid, but the focus on the two far outweighed the lack of development in the others. Overall, "Black Fridays" is a thriller with heart that I highly recommend.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and GoodReads.

(week 38, book 42)

The crash of the Wall Street Market ushered in a new era of consciousness of the wrongdoings of those running the U.S. financial system. Fatal flaws came to light, and the American people demanded retribution for the misuse of their money. When the government, in an attempt to hinder a looming economic depression, bailed out large financial institutions, the lives of millions of Americans were instantly changed. There was a large focus on the impact of these events on lower and middle-class citizens, but in "A Fatal Debt", debut author John Gapper creates an imaginative thriller, focusing on a CEO who also saw a drastic change of life after the financial crash.