From the pen of a trained economist comes a conspiracy thriller that’s rich and gripping.

 

Victims are being taken from their homes and places of work, each of them important to a business executive or government official. Many of these missing women are shipped to Asian brothels and fed into the world of sex slavery. Their fate used to place demands on the powerful people who care about them.  

 

The ruthless abuse of the world’s wealthiest businessmen and families is being conducted by the Society of the Phoenix, a group of elderly billionaires. They understand the vulnerability of capitalism and they have a plan. Overseen by their leader, Heinrich Von Kleise, they want a new world order to arise in the form of a new super economy. They need a higher authority to step in but first, for that to happen, they must subvert the status quo and inflict and ever greater economic disaster on the world.

 

Michael Ross is a brilliant economist, analysing large amount of data. The Harvard teacher has been working in Washington, directly for the President, advising him on global financial issues. Natalya Avramovotz is a Russian economist and spy. She works as a special assistant to minister of trade and industry and, through her father, has a connection to Von Kleise. She knows how ruthless economics can be.

 

Michael becomes fascinated with Natalya and they become romantically involved. But when she goes back to Russsia she’s faced with a terrible ordeal. The Phoenix might be a force for good but Michael knows how damaging their actions can become.

 

Meanwhile, Kim - the book’s best character – has returned to Thailand after 30 years away. She used to be known as Little Jade, used to sell her body for pennies, now she’s a CIA officer. Being half Asian and meeting old acquaintances she stumbles across a kidnapped mother and daughter. The mother is Lilly, a selfish and unloving woman who had been flown over from New York with her daughter.

 

Back in New York, the king of high priced real-estate Ben Masters has been imprisoned following his wife and daughter's disappearance. The disgraced Masters had been accused of their murder. With Ben inside his business partner had set about dismantling his business, but to what motive? Why would he set up his partner and run their business into the ground?

 

Eden is a sexual spa, a paradise in the country where anything goes and for a fortune the wealthy can live like Roman emperors. When the book’s stories merge a thrilling climax ensues as Ben, posing undercover, Michael, Natalya and Kim converging on the mountain retreat for a deadly conclusion.

 

This is an action/conspiracy thriller but much more besides. It’s a look at the finalcial problems of our time; the dangers of free enterprise and concerns that poverty (and wealth) can have for our future. The cooperation not competition mantra is considered and interesting but can it lead to a utopia or will it cause even greater human suffering?

 

Michael, Natalya and Kim aim to prevent financial meltdown in this enlightening novel of politics, economics, greed, romance and family ties.