Black Fridays (A Jason Stafford Novel)

Anyone who has ever had bad advice from a broker can relate to this. They make commissions by pushing whatever they are selling. The value of securities may go up or down, but they get their commissions either way. When they get into trouble is when they invest for the firm's accounts. Jason Stafford did not intend to break the law, but he improved his firm's bottom line by post-dating tickets for losing trades in the firm's accounts - at first accidentally, but then deliberately. He was caught by the SEC and spent time in a federal prison cell reflecting on his sins. He is now barred from trading, but has a chance to earn some much needed money by investigating the activities of a trader who died in a boating accident. When you turn over rocks, you sometimes find things that people would prefer that you do not find.There is an additional plot related to Jason's autistic son, nicknamed "Kid," and the plot comes from one of Kid's quirks, i.e., only wearing black on Fridays. Jason has major custody problems with his ex-wife, and major expenses for doctors and a private school that dictate some of his actions. As the plot develops, he discovers some major wrongdoing by employees in his client's firm. So, time for a deal - if federal agents have some help to offer with his problems, he might be able to help them with theirs, a quid pro quo. It is now without danger as some bodies start to pile up.This is an intriguing look at how financial traders can skim money, and perhaps a unique way to make payoffs. You have to figure out for yourself who the winners and losers are from these schemes.There is a side issue about how much you can trust your wife by putting assets in her name in order to "protect" them, and another issue about security - who is watching the watch dog, if you remember the old children's adage.The author promises a sequel to this novel, so put it on your watch list.

Jason Stafford has just been released from jail, after serving a sentence for illegal trades on Wall St. His wife has divorced him and run off with their 5 year old autistic son, and then she marries asupposed tough guy creole by the name T Paul. Jason gets a job acting as a consultant searching for , guess what?, yes illegal trades, barely allowable employment within the constraints of his parole. There is a tight time limit because an impending merger is fast approaching, and Jason, never a father of the year, discovers that the kid's custodial care arrangements leave a lot to be desired. He takes things into his own hands and learns a lot about autism. As does the reader, and I was pleased to have the opportunity. But I came away feeling that raising an autistic child is a lot more difficult than portrayed in this story. There is an interesting character in a magician's assistant, a potential love interest for Jason. I am no financial whiz but I think I was able to follow most of the details of the crime but perhaps they were a bit unrealistic too; I couldn't tell. Regardless, the book just didn't grab me enough to look forward to #2 in the series.

A unique and interesting novel with characters you'll root for, some you'll loathe, and lots of fascinating information about a Wall Street trader's world and perspective in the context of an SEC and FBI investigation. There's a dollop of the prison life of Jason Stafford, a white collar criminal now out of jail, and his nascent understanding of his former life as a high-flier who loved the risks and rewards Wall Street afforded him. Now he sees the world through his little boy who is autistic and has become his sole responsibility. He takes a consulting job to help a hedge fund about to merge to ferret out if there is any truth behind a looming SEC investigation of a rogue trader who has been 'accidentally' killed. Jason shows himself capable of the courage and guts to take new sorts of risks, both personal with his son and a new woman, and life threatening with criminals and law enforcement, to do right by his kid. This is a book you will find 'out of the norm' and I think you'll enjoy it. I certainly did!

Black Fridays was a great discovery for me. I've read a lot of genre fiction over the years, and it's always tough to find new authors whose works measure up against writers like Dennis Lehane, George Pelecanos and James Lee Burke. Most thrillers follow the traditional arc of building tension up to a wild climax that strains one's abilities to suspend disbelief, but Sears -- like the best thriller/mystery writers -- infuses his work with enough realism and real-world consequences to make it a more satisfying read.You don't have to be a financial markets maven to appreciate what's at stake in this novel. The action and tension will satisfy most thriller fans. What sets the novel apart for me, though, is that Sears captured several worlds -- prison, Wall Street and even Louisiana's Bayou -- with equal authenticity. I also loved the fact that his main character is a convicted former Wall Street trader whose life is a mess, and a mess that is not easily solved (especially with an autistic son to take care of following his release from prison). His protagonist is flawed, aware of that fact and fights for redemption in a way that is often surprising.Smart, witty and insightful, with an intricate plot, Black Fridays is an excellent read. I'll be sure to check out Michael Sears' next book

Great characters, interesting story, cheap and a favourable review by Marcel Berlins in the Sunday Times. I'm surprised there are not more rave reviews on Amazon.

... about an ex-convict whose expertise in fraud gets him a job to unravel mysterious events in the trading milieu.Good plot and very well-written. Moving background story on caring for an autistic child.

Just finished this most enjoyable book. As soon as I've done this review I'm looking to see what else he's written.

lovely caracter a father who does everthing for his son,beautifuly written, and you hear more about the world of finance. I never got bord and was happy to stay late at night to read this book. Thank yo for giving me good ime

Black Fridays was ok but not enough punch into it. But overall it's a easy read. A vous de juger...