Rating:  Summary: Best Book of the Summer! Review: It's rare to find a guy who can tell a great story and who knows how to write. Nelson DeMille is one. So is John leCarre. Add Reich to that list. I couldn't put it down. And the last two hundred pages zoom by!
Rating:  Summary: A Good Read for Anyone Involved with the Financial Markets Review: As an individual currently employed by an investment firm, I actually enjoyed this book. Although it only took me 3 days to read this, it was not a book that I would consider one that couldn't be put down. People who will enjoy this are Grisham fans who either work, or participate in some way, with investments. At times it was predictable but the premise was a good one. I feel that it could have been developed a bit more. All in all, not too bad. I will give his next offering a chance.
Rating:  Summary: Unputdownable Thriller Review: I was excited to see that a new type of thriller was out there. After being "Grishamed" to death I wanted to read something about a fresh topic. If you are like me and somewhat tired of lawyers and courtroom action then this is the book for you! Reich, obviously an insider, paints an vivid picture of international banking. Believable characters, fast-moving plot and twist upon twist make this thriller an exciting read and Reich an author to watch.
Rating:  Summary: Not worth the effort Review: A fast paced adventure/mystery book is just the thing for summer beach reading. Say what you will about Grisham, et al., books of this genre when well done cannot be put down. Numbered Account was a let down that could easily be put down. The characters are two-dimensional, make trite statements and the plot is predictable. The dialogue is wooden and cliched. How this book got beyond a competent editor and into print is beyond me. There are thousands of great books at Amazon.com; this is not one of them.
Rating:  Summary: A must for summer reading, with suspense and intrigue. Review: A real lesson in the ins and outs of international banking. All MBA's and any other mystery fan would love this one. The handsome protagonist leads the reader into a web of intrigue, suspense and murder as he tries to solve his father's murder. Add just the right amount of spicy romance and the recipe is complete. Dig in, and enjoy! Highly recommended.
Rating:  Summary: this is a really good writer--don't miss it! Review: You are kept in suspense; a really good book an author that you will hear about many times. A great read
Rating:  Summary: Numbered Account - entertaining and interesting. Review: I truly enjoyed this book beginning to end. The setting was terrific (although I would have enjoyed more detail on Zurich and Switzerland in general). The characters were reasonably developed, and the ending was quick-paced and interesting. The middle chapters were a little slow, but nowhere near as bad as a Tom Clancy novel. Overall it was fine entertainment and I would recommend it without hesitation.
Rating:  Summary: If you must read this, borrow it. Review: Mr. Reich may have some greater talent for writing than this novel shows, but if this is his strength based on his past employment in the banking industry, let' s hope he does not try to write about something he is not familiar with. Given the recent publicity about the Swiss banking industry, the novel was timely and, if accurate, I learned a great deal about that industry. However, the poorly developed collateral plot lines and the shallow characters did not allow me to enjoy this book the way that I had anticipated. The editing of this book is also very weak and I am convinced that a stronger editor could have shaped this into a much more readable book.
Rating:  Summary: poor execution of a promising idea Review: As an investment banking analyst I was greatly intrigued by the promise of a well-written financial thriller. Alas, it seems that nary a challanger can unseat Po Bronson's viciously satirical "Bombardiers" and its place in the pantheon of truly great finance novels.
Unfortunately, "Numbered Account's" characters are, without exception, one-dimensional stereotypes. The Vengeful Arab, the Rapacious Russian, the shrewishly driven female corporate climber, and the harried fat cat executive make their appearances, as does the ultimate protagonist archetype: an ex-military, corporate man -- a Harvard-MBA WASP, driven, handsome, yet haunted by ghosts in his past he must lay to rest -- before getting back together with his beautiful financee and continuing his charmed existence as an fast-track executive Morgan Stanley.
Good fiction makes one connect with the protagonist -- even if the reader does not share the character's background. Great fiction sucks you in and makes you think about how you would relate to the characters if you were somehow injected into the storyline. "Numbered Account," unfortunately, does neither -- unless, of course, you happen to be a dashingly handsome rising star at Morgan Stanley who spends his spare time (Morgan Stanley bankers with 'spare time'? What WAS Reich smoking when he wrote this book, and where do I buy some?) playing detective.
Rating:  Summary: Awful Review: I was excited to see a new author in this genre until I actually ordered and then attempted to read the book. The characters were predictable and unreal, and the story was so slow that, after having invested in reading it halfway through, I put the stupid thing down and went on to better reading. Don't waste your time on this one!!
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