A Calculated Risk

by Katherine Neville

Book Overview

" A dizzying, enjoyable caper...After reading this hard-to-put down thriller, you may put all your money in your mattress." LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWSWhen financial executive Verity Banks' latest proposal is axed by her boss, she decides to show how easy it is to break through automated security, hide money, and then show senior management where it is. Then her former mentor, financial wizard, Dr. Zooltan Tor ups the ante, and dares her to steal a billion...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345351363
• ISBN13: 9780345351364
• Release Date: September 1992
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Length: 403 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.7" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Main idea of book was fine. However, the comical farce got so repetitive it became boring.

Book began with a comical plot. However, it turned into a farce that got boring.

A Romantic, Financial Thriller-Fantasy

This is a wonderful book which will probably appeal more to women than to men. I especially enjoyed this book as my background is in banking, as is the main character's. I am an American woman, who started as a stockbroker back in the 1970's, when there were few women in the brokerage and banking areas. This book reminds me of what women went through in that time, especially with the "old boys' club" and "glass ceiling" types of problems. Yet this character is able to overcome all of that and pull off an incredibly thrilling finanacial caper. In the background, a romance develops with an absolutely dazzling, incredible man. So many incredible things happen in this book that it absolutely has to be termed a fantasy in addition addition to being a romantic financial thriller.A thoroughly enjoyable "escape" book for every woman who has ever worked in business (or who has ever been frustrated by men's behavior in business). This is the first book I have read by this author, and I hope to read more!

Fantastic Writing!

I loved this and all other Neville books. I love the mixture of adventure, escapism, romance , and history that blend together to create this book. I always become so entranced with her characters...and this book is no different. Verity and Tor are lovable, yet very human people. I would highly recommend this book if anyone is looking for something to get really caught up in. It becomes addicting, so watch out.

Happens All the Time.

It seems astounding that Neville says she wrote this book in the 1980s, it was updated and published in the early 1990s, yet everything described in it is happening again all over the world today. I loved A Calculated Risk so much that I've read it three times (probably for fantasy escapism, since I work in international currency exchange) and I sincerely hope there will be a sequel. My favorite Neville novel!

PAGE-TURNING DELIGHT

This is the most entertaining and upbeat book I have read in a long, long time. I find a lot of fiction inane and boring, boring, boring. But A Calculated Risk was the kind of page-turner that keeps this guy up late at night! Tons of fascinating detail about the world of high finance.

Blockbuster of our Times!

I am surprised that this is Neville's one book that seems to have few reviews. Yet it was lauded by the NY Times as Wave after Wave of Excitement! I found it perhaps her most engaging book and I've read them all. Not to mention that the love scenes are truly steamy.