Single & Single by John Le Carre

 

Tiger Single runs one of the largest financial firms in England.  His plan has been to eventually leave it all to his son, Oliver Single.  Oliver has just graduated as a lawyer and is working in the legal department.  But Single and Single also is a money laundering firm and Tiger decides that it's time Oliver is brought into that side of things also.  He send Oliver to meet a Turkish family living in Russia that he is doing business with.  The Turkish family loves Oliver and he is a big favorite with them.

But Oliver is not on board with illegal activities.  As he starts to realize what the firm is about, he decides to leave.  That puts his life in danger and he is found by Brock, an English secret service man who is interested in taking down Single & Single and the men in the English government that have allowed the firm to flourish and even fed them information.

In the meantime, the Turkish family has decided that Tiger is cheating them and they kill Tiger's lawyer who had been sent to negotiate new business with them.  They demand millions of dollars and Tiger disappears.  Oliver is determined both to save Tiger and to bring down the Turkish family with Brock's help.

John Le Carre is known best for his spy novel series with the character Smiley.  Readers who are expecting more of that will be disappointed because this is a stand alone novel but those who just want good writing and government/banking financial misadventures will find this novel hits the spot.  Oliver is likeable although he lets about everyone push him around.  He has just had a baby and is allowing his wife to take his daughter along with her divorce.  There are twists and turns and Oliver slowly begins to see everything that is going on but remains devoted to his father regardless of what he has done.  This book is recommended for thriller readers.