ALPHA MALE

In industrial realtor Foster’s full-throttle debut, almost anything goes in the world of LA commercial real estate as a bad-to-the-bone, frenzied superagent in high heels uses sex, blackmail, and secret partnerships to stay at the head of the pack—until a mild-mannered man of principle comes along to burst her bubble. Jack Kendrick didn’t ask to be placed in Liz Peterson’s path, but when his decision to do things by the book cost him a job at one agency, only one other firm happened to be hiring. His new boss leaves it to Jack to sort out Liz and Paul, her former partner in mega-dealing though now her bitter but aging rival. When an eager trainee commits suicide after his first day on the job, Jack is suspicious, but when Liz then insinuates herself into a huge deal that Jack has already assigned to Paul, and in such a way that no one but she can win, Jack realizes that he’s in the battle of his career. While Liz works over his head to get him fired, Jack uses a little luck, connections, and the good counsel of his lovely, supporting wife to go into the final showdown with all the ammunition he needs.

Not exactly subtle and more than a little sexist, but the fervor of the wheeling and dealing has its charms.