A FALLING KNIFE

Former detective Evan Adair sets personal tragedy aside to investigate the unexplained death of financial wizard Scott Nickerson in this mystery from first-time author Deborah.

Nickerson was attending an orchestra concert when he took a tumble that shouldn’t, but ultimately does, kill him. As it turns out, a number of people have motives for Nickerson’s death, including Nickerson himself. Among the suspects is Alan Rubicoff, a successful financier with a hidden agenda behind his attempts to lure Nickerson away to a new fund. There’s also Meredith Calder, one of the most powerful women on Wall Street who stands to lose a bundle if Nickerson leaves her fund. Throw in a discredited research scientist and an unscrupulous drug developer, and Adair has a monumental investigative task. He is soon sucked into a maelstrom of underhanded dealings and criminal motivations, some of which reignite his private grief over his son’s recent death. The story is not told in chronological order, and the shifts in date and time keep readers pleasurably engaged. High-stakes financial dealings, promising biotech developments, corrupt SEC investigations, unanswered paternity questions and a shocking deathbed letter are all part of the fast-paced action. Surprising plot twists accelerate toward an unexpected and satisfying conclusion. Deborah has a fresh, distinctive writing style that is showcased to best effect in her witty dialogue. The title itself is similarly witty; it’s a tongue-in-cheek reference to investment slang describing a security whose value has dropped significantly and precipitously. While it is difficult and dangerous to catch a falling knife, the rewards can be enormous. Deborah’s characters, portrayed with realistic complexity and depth, experience both the perils and the prizes of such a hazardous endeavor.

An enjoyable mystery as sophisticated and energetic as the Wall Street characters it features.