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Having successfully made the segue from Wall Street into being the best author in the literary market today of financial thrillers, Norb Vonnegut continues to set the reading world afire with such striking tales that no one would believe unless they themselves worked on Wall Street. Then you've seen it all. Lehman Brothers did go under, and if you lived through that and understand the meaning of it (and still can be friendly to Paulson!) you are going to exhibit an extreme appreciation for all works by Norb. The world has become a better place indeed since some have moved on to greener pastures from the trenches of being a broker. But is Charleston really the Camelot of the South? You’ll find out. We just wish Grove's friends would stop dying on him...but maybe not, because they are making for excellent reads. When a new Norb Vonnegut comes out, Peachy Deegan turns off the phone and computer and opens the book, and reads it cover to cover. You will too.
Since nothing good happens on Friday afternoons, we are publishing this at the beginning of the week.
If you have no idea what a put and a call is or a CDO (Collateralized Debt Obligation)- we could go on and on-, have no fear because Vonnegut intelligently explains all that is the capital markets that we love to the reader. He’ll spare you of the swaps. You’ll also learn common sense maxims like “Loose Lips Sink Ships” though his words are: “There’s no telling when loose lips will bite our sorry asses.” All of you Whom You Know readers need to be at your most intelligent and cunning to navigate the waters of Manhattan-and Norb is the captain of this ship. You’ll also learn the fine art of plastic replies. Previously, Whom You Know Highly Recommended Top Producer:
Today, we highly recommend his latest and greatest: The Trust. As the protagonist, Grove continues to encounter and address the most adverse situations possible, and now we find out what serving on a Charitable Board can really mean…all our Charitable Peachy features-read on! It’s not all champagne and black tie galas at the Plaza…but be aware that Norb is not a total high society type though he appreciates the finer things of life-he is down-to-earth enough to be talking about Pedro and South of the Border which everyone knows is a major highway exit on the border of North and South Carolina. Peachy distinctly remembers ordering blue bubblegum ice cream there as a kid on the way to Florida. (fun at the time but probably not a contender in Peachy’s Picks…)
So, how has Norb earned a spot in our most acclaimed authors?
*He has great descriptions that paint vivid pictures:
“He fell more into the category of lovable bear, his pudding body shaped by Denny’s every morning.”
*Norb is great at solid character development:
“I’ve had fourteen managers over the last ten years. I’d call them an endangered species, except the supply is endless.”
*He makes a lovely Clint Eastwood reference – surely everyone enjoys a little Clint in their life: especially last week
“That’s fine, Grove. But just remember, I’m a freight train. One call to my boss Walker, and we’ll send a dozen agents to SKC.”
“Make my day.”
*Norb’s characters have a shoe appreciation: you know we have four columns on shoes:
“Her heels, designed by some guy with ten vowels in his last name, soared four inches-making the agent wonder when Wall Street’s piranhas had taken to stilts.”
& best of all, he pays tribute to the greatest author of all time and the greatest book:
“Claire Kincaid was my Daisy Buchanan. Not that she was pampered and superficial like Fitzgerald’s siren from West Egg. She was far too kind. Nobody could ever accuse her of being some shallow snot with more money than heart.” You know that’s Fitzgerald and Gatsby-coming out as a movie by Warner Brothers later this year. (Check out Stephanie Johnson's latest, quite Gatsby-esque also!)
Snappy and to the point is Vonnegut’s style, leaving no unmeaningful verbiage cluttering the page like lesser authors that may leave us yawning. We love it. Don’t think this is some breeze of a read though-it’s genuinely plotty and you won’t be able to put it down. Pay attention to every word because none are taking up page real estate. Who knew Wall Street and Charitable Boards could be so dangerous? Our esteemed panel adds:
After reading Top Producer, I could not wait to dive into another novel by Norb Vonnegut. He has such a superb writing style. Excitement and suspense lie at the turn of every page! Like Top Producer, The Trust also uses big money and the world of finance as its backdrop. This makes for a unique and interesting twist for the thriller. This time, however, the story takes place in the city of Charleston, South Carolina. It is quite a different setting than that of New York. Vonnegut has a grand imagination that shines through in his storytelling. The plot's twists and turns will always keep you guessing. You won't know what to expect until Vonnegut reveals all at the novel's conclusion. If you are looking to spice up your reading, then go out and grab a copy of The Trust today!
After reading Top Producer by Mr. Vonnegut, I couldn't wait to begin reading The Trust. This is the second book I've read by Mr. Vonnegut and am just as thrilled reading this book as I was his last. I loved that the setting of this novel was set mostly in Charleston, SC. I lived there for about a year and loved it. I could picture several of the places he described throughout the book. As with Top Producer, this book centers around Wall Street stockbroker Grove O'Rourke. I was glad to see this character return. In this book, Grove gets a call from his mentor who lives in Charleston to come help him. However, before Grove can get back to him, his mentor is found dead. Without giving anymore of this page turner away, all I can say is this is a must read. I have already spoken to a few of my friends who like these types of novels about this book. I can't wait to read more by Mr. Vonnegut.
Financial thrillers are a big hit in our family, and “The Trust” one is topping the list. From the first chapter, I started telling my husband he was definitely reading this one next. Author Norb Vonnegut brings legitimacy to what we are reading from his background in the financial markets. Even though the book is fiction, it has real credibility and helps you get even more sucked into the plot. I love all the twists and turns that Grove O’Rourke uncovers. So get engrossed in a story of financial mistrust by charities and their supporters alike. From the glamorous world of Charleston where money sometimes goes hand and hand with deception, there is no turning back once you turn the first page!
We love thrillers, books that we can't put down and are sad to see come to an end. If you are like us, then you will love Norb Vonnegut's latest novel, The Trust. Vonnegut is a Wall Street expert, taking his many years of experience in the field and putting it on the pages. His characters come to life in splendid detail. This is one of those books that I was so engrossed in every detail, and you will be too. When the body of Palmer Kincaid, a wealthy real estate mogul, is discovered his daughter demands answers. We meet Grove O'Rouke again, as he tries to get to the bottom of his mentor, and friend's mysterious death. As Grove O'Rouke looks into the charitable foundations that Palmer was running, things start to get strange. A deeper investigation into transfers and donations to these charities don't add up, lawsuits start to build, and the next thing you know the FBI is involved in this chilling tale. This book delivers new twist and turns with every page. Just when you think you have it all figured out, you will be blown away with next turn this tale will take. The Trust is a great follow up to Norb Vonnegut's Top Producer, go get your copy today.
Whom You Know Highly Recommends The Trust by Norb Vonnegut! We can't wait to see what he does next.
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THE TRUST (Minotaur Books; On-Sale: July 17, 2012; Price: $25.99) is the newest Grove O'Rourke thriller from Norb Vonnegut, Wall Street insider and master of financial intrigue. The author of Top Producer and The Gods of Greenwich, Norb has combined his wealth management expertise and intuitive, darkly humorous writing into a fast-talking, suspense thriller that burrows inside the world of big-money philanthropy and reveals how financial criminals hide behind the First Amendment. Who would have known that charitable donations could be so deadly?
One sultry morning in Charleston, South Carolina, real estate magnate Palmer Kincaid’s body washes ashore, the apparent victim of accidental drowning. Palmer’s daughter calls Grove O’Rourke, stockbroker and hero of Top Producer, for help getting her family's affairs in order. Palmer was Grove’s mentor and client, the guy who opened doors to a world beyond Charleston. Grove steps in as the interim head of the Palmetto Foundation, an organization Palmer created to encourage philanthropy.
Community foundations, like the Palmetto Foundation, are conduits. Philanthropists gift money to them and propose the ultimate beneficiaries. But in exchange for miscellaneous benefits—anonymity, investment services, and favorable tax treatment—donors lose absolute control. Once funds arrive, community foundations can do whatever they decide.
For years Palmer showed great sensitivity to his donors, honoring their wishes to funnel funds into the charities of their choice—his unspoken pledge—and it was this largesse which made him a respected pillar of the Charleston community. But after Grove authorizes a $25 million transfer requested by a priest from the Catholic Fund, he discovers something is terribly wrong. He gets a call from Biscuit Hughes, a lawyer representing the people of Fayetteville, North Carolina, against a new sex superstore in their town. Biscuit has traced the store’s funding to a most unlikely source: the Catholic Fund.
Together, Grove and Biscuit launch an investigation into the fund, but the deeper they dig, the more evidence they find that the fund’s money isn’t being used to support the impoverished—it’s going somewhere much more sinister. When someone close to him disappears and the FBI starts breathing down his neck, Grove knows he has to figure out who’s pulling all the strings before the shadowy figure who will stop at nothing to keep the fund a secret gets to him.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Norb Vonnegut writes thrillers and non-fiction commentary (Huffington Post, Acrimoney) about Wall Street behind closed doors. He has appeared on Bloomberg News as well as the Laura Ingraham and Judith Regan shows. Top Producer, his debut novel, was a featured pick of Today and SmartMoney and is published in eight languages. Norb built his wealth-management career with Morgan Stanley and other Wall Street institutions. A Harvard College and Harvard Business School graduate, he splits his time between New York and Rhode Island. Visit his Web site at www.norbvonnegut.com
THE TRUST
By Norb Vonnegut
Minotaur Books
Hardcover
978-1-250-00389-8
July 17, 2012
$25.99
