A USA Today Bestseller“Immersive, satisfying, tense–and timely: This is probably happening for real right now.”–Lee Child“First-rate…Slick, heart-hammering entertainment.”–The New York Times Book ReviewOn an early morning in November, a couple boards a private plane bound for Geneva, flying into a storm. Soon after, it simply drops off the radar, and its wreckage is later uncovered in the … radar, and its wreckage is later uncovered in the Alps. Among the disappeared is Matthew Werner, a banking insider at Swiss United, a powerful offshore bank. His young widow, Annabel, is left grappling with the secrets he left behind, including an encrypted laptop and a shady client list. As she begins a desperate search for answers, she determines that Matthew’s death was no accident, and that she is now in the crosshairs of his powerful enemies.
Meanwhile, ambitious society journalist Marina Tourneau has finally landed at the top. Now that she’s engaged to Grant Ellis, she will stop writing about powerful families and finally be a part of one. Her entry into the upper echelons of New York’s social scene is more appealing than any article could ever be, but, after the death of her mentor, she agrees to dig into one more story. While looking into Swiss United, Marina uncovers information that implicates some of the most powerful men in the financial world, including a few who are too close to home. The story could also be the answer to Annabel’s heartbreaking search–if Marina chooses to publish it.
The Banker’s Wife is both a high-stakes thriller and an inside look at the personal lives in the intriguing world of finance, introducing Cristina Alger as a powerful new voice in the genre.
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This was an interesting story, ripped in part from current day headlines with recognizable names and character types. I think it’s fascinating that the author would take on such timely topics and craft a present-day story.
There are a number of twists and turns, and extended details related to the international banking and journalism industries. I’m not sure how plausible I found it all, but it was fun to read.
The one thing that bothered me was the title and the disposition of the action throughout the story. IMO the crucial character was not the primary character and I would have liked to have known more about that story, or at least in conjunction with, rather than the reactionary story of the main character. Don’t get me wrong, it was a fascinating and harrowing story. It was just that all the detail resolution, while ingenious, didn’t come together in a fashion that I was satisfied with as a reader.
If you’d like a current-day intrigue made up of finance, journalism, and the trials of interpersonal relationships, then you can bank on it.
Good book!
Marina is a journalist who is about to marry her true love Grant Ellis. He’s the son of a wealthy investor who is campaigning for presidency. She’s willing to quit her job for Grant. In the middle of their engagement celebration–a vacation in France–Marina’s editor in chief calls. He wants her to meet someone who has secret information on the story he’s about to break. The story threatens to expose the wealthiest in the world. It will tell how they fund the terrorists and most corrupt across the globe. Then Duncan is killed.
Annabel Werner is waiting for her husband, an investment banker, to come home. She’s out of sorts with her new role. She doesn’t fit in with the other elite women, the wives of investment bankers. But her husband doesn’t come home. He has died in a plane crash in the remotest part of the Swiss Alps. The plane and his body cannot be recovered.
From the start, this book had me riveted. The characters are deeply entrenched in the mystery. As the sabotage, and number of dead continue to rise, you wonder who to trust. And who will die next.
I highly recommend this thrilling read! It’s a great escape.
Page turner. I loved this book. All of the above.
I will definitely read more from this author.
Each chapter was a different character.
I did NOT see one thing coming!!!!
never figured it out til the end.
Really enjoyed this thriller. Especially loved each character going from chapter to chapter — had a couple of unexpected turns! Excellent writing and character development.
Would not spend the money on it. Long – drawn out
This book held my interest from the first page. I enjoyed the characters and trying to determine the “good” guys from the “bad”. The two couples , Annabelle and Matthew ,and Marina and Grant, were very relatable and I got caght up in their survival. I thought about the story long after I put it down.
A good read !
Good story that blew me away at the end. Never saw that coming. I love books that do that. I would give it 4.5stars if I could. I like the way this author writes too; she really spins the story very well. Will definitely check out more of her work.
Christina Alger’s noon begins with a plane crash in the Alps. We are then dropped into a suspenseful mystery of financial intrigue and murder. A fast paced and engaging read!
Loved it gave it 5 stars (I don’t do that often)
A REAL mystery! I did not see. many things that twisted and turned. Good character development.
I really enjoyed this money laundering/espionage suspense read!
It totally gave me The Bourne Ultimatum vibes and I LOVE THAT MOVIE.
As soon as I read the synopsis I knew I’d love the premise. I didn’t expect it to be so well researched!
Seriously, Alger explained all the tiny details of shell companies, offshore banking, high end clientele and of course private banking.
The characters (especially the women) didn’t play the stupid damsel in distress and there wasn’t an unreliable woman narrator.
I’m getting a little tired of that trope. These women were going through some tough situations and they were able to handle themselves without falling apart.
The story itself is so real that it felt ripped from the headlines. I mean a presidential candidate that has “money issues?!” Sound familiar?
If you’re looking for twists and turns that will shock you this isn’t it- BUT it’s suspenseful and you’ll constantly be thinking “what happens next?”
Originally, I gave this 4 in a half stars, but I took away half a star because I had a while to go and planned on finishing during the day, but I COULD NOT STOP READING.
Seriously, I had a throbbing headache and I NEEDED sleep, but I had to finish it.
So at 2:30 A.M. and 150 pages later I finally went to sleep.
Couldn’t put the book down!
I couldn’t put it down. Best recommendation I could give
Well crated. Very good read.
Both Marina and Annabel are strong role models for women. While women in the real world are still stifled in salary and position, we are gaining ground. Zoe, small town girl, finds herself in the midst of corruption and knowingly accepts the position. The three women forge an unforeseen bond and do the right thing.
Very good read!