Customer Reviews

Wall Street Noir (Akashic Noir)

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4 star:		(4)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Wall street noir

I just discovered the Akashic Books' Noir Series and Wow, do I have some reading to do! I picked Wall Street Noir up first because it contained a story by Megan Abbot. I had never read anything by the other authors contained in this anthology of crime stories that revolve around the theme of high finance and corporate transgression, and this was a great introduction to many of them. The wonderful thing about noir short stories as opposed to a novel is that the focus is always on the victims and perpetrators of crimes, not on the investigation that takes place afterward. We never meet any detectives here, just people who are about to wind up dead or in jail. It's a great way to mix up the genre.

By far my favorite story was Five Days at the Sunset by Peter Speigleman, also the books' editor. It takes place about as far as mentally possible from Wall Street only to point out just how far the financial world and its misdeeds can reach. The pace is slow to start but builds to a very surprise ending. Other highlights are Stephen Rhoades' At the Top of His Game with its dead-on descriptions of the nouveau riche's clichéd suburbs and symbols of success; The Consultant by Peter Blauner, the first story I've ever read that casts a pregnant woman as the ultimate con-artist, I mean, consultant...;Richard Aleas's The Quant which humorously explains murder in terms of percentages of financial risk; and The Day Trader in the Trunk of Cleto's Car (Mark Haskell Smith), a story that combines the movie business, day trading, and L.A. gangs into a darkly funny tale of life's last moments.

The only disappointment in the bunch was Lauren Sanders' Everything I'm Not. It has a wonderful build-up but the final conclusion leaves too many interesting storylines dangling; and the would-be ironic ending ends up reading a little dull. I wanted Jen to get caught AND her father end up dead, truly capitalizing on the despair of the situation.

It will take me awhile but I can't wait to read more books in this series!

Now here's a book that tests your business acumen. Mine is sometimes lacking but excellent writing brought the stories across. This volume required its writers to set their stories in the world of finance and most come up winners. A nice addition to a great series.

I like fast moving short stories. But, with 17 authors it is difficult to find consistency in line with the readers preferences. This was my 8th read in the Noir series. I guess by my ratings I liked Manhattan Noir best followed by Las Vegas, Politics, and Bronx. A bit less Manhattan 2,Queens and New Orleans. This fell in with Vegas,Politics and Bronx. It gets off to a great start with The Top Of The Game by Stephen Rhodes about intrigue, power and deceit. Twist Phelan's A Trader's Lot followed up nicely. About a natural gas trader who bet it all on a hurricane in the gulf. The hurricane changed course. But there was still a way for him to win. Jim Fusilli's A Terrorizing Demonstration continued the roll. This was about a terrorist who sent a message thru an innocent young boy. Town Car by David Noonan was another good read about an executive used to the good life who had an unexpected ride. Part 2 began with The Quant by Richard Aleas where the head of a firm would not allow a key subordinate to quit.Lawrence Light's Make Me Rich was about a financial columnist who played the stocks he reviewed. Rough Justice by James Hime was about a lawyer negotiating a major real estate deal who got caught in the middle between criminals and ethics. The Consultant by Peter Blauner was about a female corporate consultant he played hardball with an executive she had been hired to improve. I would say the preceeding stories were five star caliber. Unfortunately parts 3 & 4, to my taste, deteriorated in quality. Though The Day Trader in The Trunk of Cleto's Car by Mark Haskell Smith about a day trader who laundered money and Five Days At The Sunset by Peter Spiegelman about a derivatives trader who ran amiss were quite good. In part 4 The Enlightenment Of Magnus McKay by John Burdett about a high flying exec who fell for a prostitute in Thailand and Bonus Season by Henry Blodget about risky high trading involvment with Chinese twist, intrigue and pornography. Due Diligence by Reed Farrel Coleman was about a female executive who met her fate checking out a deal in Honduras. Note that by my count ten of the seventeen stories ended in death. I enjoyed 13 of the 17 stories which certainly is good.

Of particular interest with Congress talking about financial reform, this collection contains 17 stories based on the financial industry where some people believe in success at any price. One of the stories is in comic book format, and two are in historical contexts. There is some variation in quality, and you will probably like some better than others.

The lead off story, "At the Top of his Game," is about survival in the corporate jungle where the weak are eaten. When people manuever for position, some will win and some will lose. It helps to know where bodies are buried.

The second story, "A Trader's Lot," is set in the New York Merchantile Exchange where floor traders deal in commodities like natural gas. There is more than one way to make a killing.

"Feeding Frenzy," in comic book format, is about a merger/takeover and leaked information.

"A Terrorizing Demonstration," is historical fiction in the setting of the historic Wall Street bombing incident.

"Town Car," is about a man who discovers he has made the wrong person unhappy.

The Sixth story, "The Quant," ia sbout holding onto a valuable employee at any price. But things may come back to bite you.

"Make me Rich," is about insider trading and the dangers of dealing with the wrong people.

"Rough Justice" is about pushing through a real estate deal, and people covering their tracks.

"The Consultant" is about people with agendas that you might not understand. Some people have strong motivations.

"The Day Trader in the Trunk of Cleto's Car" says it all in the title. A day trader got involved in handling the wrong person's money.

"Five Days at the Sunset" is about a fugitive financier who may have run to the wrong place.

"Today we Hit" is historic fiction about the numbers game (not entirely fiction).

"The Basher" is about a trader who uses the modern internet to manipulate opinions and profit thereby.

"The Enlightenment of Magnus McKay" is about a high priced attorney representing the wrong people who gets involved with a woman without understanding the customs of her country.

"Bonus Season" is about cutthroat manuevering for position in an international trading firm.

"Everything I'm Not" seemed a somewhat strange story. It is set in Israel and involves a reunification.

"Due Diligence" is about taking care. There are enemies where you might not expect them.

These are great, entertaining and, what the heck, educational stories! After all, what better background for deceit, murder, theft, and viciousness than Wall Street?

I have read many of the "Noir" series and this one was the worst...by far.