Trade Secrets


Holly Rozner - 2012
    During the crash of 1987 when Zach’s bagman, Jason, facesbankruptcy, his high-heeled wife, Sarna, learns to trade in order to save their mansion fromforeclosure. As the lives of these two women intersect, Remy falls in love with Ken Baldwin,never imagining how their careers will collide. Sarna begins a steamy affair with another traderwho turns out to be an undercover agent for the FBI during its probe into trading infractionsat the Chicago exchanges. When Jason’s clerk is pummeled, along with those investors whomisplaced their money with their faith, he and Sarna create a bold, sexy scheme to save Remyand rid the Exchange of those who try to get away with murder.Kirkus says of Trade Secrets:Rozner’s debut novel peeks into the high-powered world of insider trading.Hoping to discover more about her father’s mysterious death in a car crash, Remy Masterman enters the secretive, male-dominated world of stock trading, where she learns to assert herself and value her femininity. Readers will be captivated by her journey, and also by the men whom she falls in love with and the conflicted, sometimes erotic relationships that develop between them. When Sarna, the high-strung wife of a fellow trader, joins the Chicago Stock Exchange, Remy at first feels as though she’s been displaced as the sole female at the Exchange. However, the women’s lives intimately intersect as a striking female friendship is born. With multiple storylines and finely tuned characters, the elegantly fashioned novel amounts to more than its pieces would suggest. Rozner skillfully creates complex, provocative characters, with particularly strong female leads. Women call the shots; Rozner subtly indicates that, although the stock exchange appears to be a man’s world, women possess an intoxicating, seemingly irresistible power: their allure. At times, however, the vivid, sometimes gratuitous sex scenes may distract readers from the well-crafted plot. Female characters—specifically Sarna and Rosa—utilize sex to achieve their goals, with men like putty in their hands. For instance, in one explicit scene, Sarna convinces her husband to let her trade stocks simply by having sex with him. For the most part, though, shrewd, sharp-witted intelligence parallels the steamy sensuality. Fans of Fifty Shades of Gray (2011) will approve.A smart, sexy debut.

The Stranger Inside


Laura Benedict - 2019
    There is a stranger living in her house. A stranger who claims he has every right to be there, with the paperwork to prove it. When she confronts the man, he lets her get close enough to whisper, "I was there. I saw what you did."She doesn't know how he knows her, but with those words Kimber knows this stranger isn't after anything as simple as her money or artwork or charming Craftsman bungalow. She has to find out exactly what he wants and get him out of her carefully orchestrated life before he ruins it.There are plenty of people in her life who might help, but should Kimber trust any of them? Her lawyer, Gabriel, is also her ex-lover; Diana, her best friend, doesn't know Kimber slept with her husband; her ex-husband has a new, happier life since leaving her; and her co-workers know she'll do anything to get her next sale. And no one can know the real reason this man is in her house. Without trust, everyone's a stranger....

Soundkeeper


Michael Hervey - 2011
    Beaten and left for dead, one of the polluters kidnaps her and she cannot bear to think about her captor’s intentions.Hall McCormick, a reluctant Refuge Enforcement Officer, is learning the ropes in his new job, which he hopes is only temporary while he waits for the marine biologist job he really wants. He is sad that the beautiful young environmentalist he dated briefly has mysteriously disappeared. While pursuing poachers and keeping the shoreline safe for all animals, he finds kills of marine life, due to someone dumping toxic chemicals into Port Royal Sound.After Gale’s boat is found deserted and drifting to sea, will anyone keep searching for her? Will the criminal polluters be caught in time to save Gale’s life? Will Hall learn to appreciate his job as much as being a scientist? As he races against time, Hall needs to find Gale’s would-be killer before it’s too late.Soundkeeper is a taut new thriller in the vein of C.J. Box and Nevada Barr. Filled with accurate details of the fascinating world of the South Carolina coast, this is a perfect mystery for a day at the beach.