‘The Fixer’ by Joseph Finder

Published by Head of Zeus,
24 June 2015.
ISBN: 978-1-78408-129-4

Rik Hoffman has lost his job as an investigative journalist, lost his fiancée and having no money has moved back into his father's old and dilapidated house.

With the help of the builder next door he starts a few renovations. When they break through the back wall of

a built in closet Rik finds millions of dollars hidden beneath a tarpaulin. The builder catches a glimpse of the money but does not realise exactly how much is there.

As Rik's father is in a nursing home unable to speak after a stroke twenty years ago, he is unable to shed a light on how the money got there and where it came from.

Rik starts making his own enquiries and these lead him into many serious situations. His experience as an investigative journalist helps him to delve deeply into bribery and corruption involving big names in the city of Boston. They also bring to light his father's rather murky past.

It's not long before he realises he is being followed and has to change cars and places to stay , not always

successfully and the tension increases until it all comes to a head with a very satisfactory ending.

I really enjoyed this book, the story flows nicely and I found I was turning the pages faster and faster as I read on. I especially liked the fact that the main character was just an ordinary person and not some tough guy who could easily outwit his pursuers. I thought that his efforts to keep from being followed were really believable.

He also has his own faults as he admits to himself that the only reason he arranges for his father to have a new treatment that may bring his speech back, is to find out where the money came from.

This was a great read with believable characters and an even more believable plot. Corruption of this nature must go on in every town and city everywhere.

I look forward to reading more books by Joseph Finder with great anticipation.

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Reviewer: Tricia Chappell

Joseph Finder was born in Chicago  and spent his early childhood living around the world, including Afghanistan and the Philippines. In fact, Joe's first language -- even before English -- was Farsi, which he spoke as a child in Kabul. Finally, after a stint in Bellingham, WA, his family finally settled outside of Albany, NY.

After taking a high school seminar on the literature and history of Russia, Joseph went on to major in Russian studies at Yale. He then completed a master's degree at the Harvard Russian Research Center, and later taught on the Harvard faculty. He was recruited to the Central Intelligence Agency but eventually decided he preferred writing fiction.  In 2006 he won the International Thriller Writers Award for Best Novel for Killer Instinct. Now a bestselling thriller writer, Jo in addition to his fiction, does occasional work for Hollywood and has written on espionage and international affairs for a number of publications, including TheDailyBeast.com, Forbes, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The New Republic. He roots for the Boston Red Sox and lives in Boston with his wife, daughter, and a needy golden retriever, Mia, a dropout from seeing-eye-dog school.

Tricia Chappell. I have a great love of books and reading, especially crime and thrillers. I play the occasional game of golf  (when I am not reading). My great love is cruising especially to far flung places, when there are long days at sea for plenty more reading! I am really enjoying reviewing books and have found lots of great new authors.