Stephen Frey The Protégé

The Prot g

Stephen Frey

Ballantine, Jan 2006, $24.95

ISBN: 0345480589

Since taking over for the murdered CHAIRMAN Bill Donovan ten months ago, Everest Capital CEO Christian Gillette has several incredible successful ventures already. However, THE PROT G David Wright accidentally killed a prostitute during a bondage session. Complicating matters for the guilt laden second in command is that the Carbone mob has pictures that they use to blackmail him into revealing insider information on the CEO, even as he wonders whether the gang wants control of the Vegas NFL team owned by Everest.

At the same time, Christian uses his opposition to try to leverage information about his father, a senator who died in a mysterious plane crash sixteen years ago. His efforts lead him to defrocked former CIA agent Norman Boyd who sells him a bill of goods as to what happened, while in reality working for the Carbone crowd. Of course he still has a few deals to make worth millions to the company.

Though too much is going on between the lead protagonist's personal life and business life, and that of some of his subordinates, especially the person he has been mentoring, fans will marvel how well everything ties together in this tense financial thriller. In spite of too many subplots, the action-packed storyline moves at a fast pace, which is a tribute to the talent of Stephen Frey. Overall this is a fine thriller from the moment the hooker's neck accidentally snaps with a haunting descriptive popping sound, until the final crackling confrontation.