"MONEY TO BURN," by James Grippando, Harper, 368 pages, $25.99.
A few years ago, plots about subprime lending, short selling and the stock market would have been the kind of themes that would make readers' eyes glaze over. But that was before the economy collapsed and Wall Street brokers went from being masters of the universe to pariahs.
In his 16th novel, James Grippando skillfully uses the financial meltdown, along with Ponzi schemes and identity theft, in an exciting and timely thriller.
Aside from the financial woes, "Money To Burn" works as a love story and as a cautionary tale that wealth can't buy happiness. Yet Grippando never stoops to making "Money To Burn" maudlin or overly sentimental; this is a thriller through and through.
Michael Cantella is one of the rock stars of his Wall Street investment firm. Despite his fancy job and his fancy second wife, Michael has never gotten over his first wife, Ivy, who died on their honeymoon four years before. Michael gets another shock when, on the eve of his 35th birthday, his accounts are cleaned out, which also affects the firm for which he works. The wipeout is made to look as if Michael was behind it. The FBI accuses him of money laundering and insider trading, his second marriage is over and Michael is the target of a cruel, seemingly invisible hit man.
Grippando keeps the energy level high in "Money To Burn" while also showing the behind-the-scenes machinations of money schemes. A surprise twist is not only believable but also seamlessly woven into the plot. Michael's continuing grief over his first wife's death is realistically explored, as is Michael's relationship with the financially strapped grandparents who raised him.
Grippando, who lives in Coral Gables, Fla., often takes breaks from his series about Miami attorney Jack Swyteck. "Money To Burn" is a welcome detour.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.