Mysterious conspiracy at center of ‘Reckless’
Ty Hauck and Naomi Blum should've investigated Wall Street about 10 years ago. Maybe the “Great Recession” wouldn’t have happened.
Then again, maybe it would have. But I would have felt better about the pair going after big shots and dispensing justice after the 2008 economic collapse.
In Andrew Gross’ new thriller “Reckless,” Hauck and Blum do just that — track down key players at the highest levels of power who are trying to destroy the global economy. Their journey, though, is fraught with peril. "Reckless" is the third novel featuring Hauck, and critics have said it's the best one of the bunch.
Hauck is a former cop who now works as a private security investigator for the Talon Group. The murder of a leading investment banker and his family deeply disturbs Hauck, who knew the family well. Hauck investigates and discovers that this isn’t a by-the-numbers crime.
During the investigation, he crosses paths with Naomi Blum, a former Army investigator who now works for the U.S. Department of Treasury. Combining their skills, Hauck and Blum uncover a vast conspiracy that threatens to wreck the nations' economies and send millions of people into poverty. The conspiracy involves Middle Eastern bigwigs, Big Six superbankers and — surprise! — the U.S. government.
“I have been known to stumble into a well-concealed conspiracy every once in a while,” Hauck admits.
“So I’ve heard,” replies Blum.
Hauck and Blum discover a group called the Gstaad Gang and attempt to find out more about the members by traveling to London, Dubai, Serbia and Switzerland. That’s when things get really interesting and the violence and mayhem escalate. Hauck and Blum fight for their lives as they try to uncover the truth behind the conspiracy. Doing that, though, is like trying to figure out the derivatives market. It gets darker and more mysterious at every turn.
“Reckless” is the third novel featuring Hauck, but Gross is better known for teaming up with James Patterson on several, best-selling mysteries, including “Judge & Jury” and “Lifeguard.”
Hauck is the proverbial "tough guy" who sees everything in a black-and-white way, but he has struggled with some personal demons. Blum is the brainier one, but she exhibits some toughness, too. She's sexy and brings out a softer side in Hauck. They make a pretty good team, and I hope Gross brings them back in future novels. That is, if Gross isn't too preoccupied with writing best-selling novels with Patterson.
“Reckless” is too bogged down with financial machinations and personal revelations to make for a heart-pounding, geopolitical thriller. But Gross has created a likable, crime-fighting duo that has a bright future.
