Rating: 
Summary: A "Deadly" Thriller
Review: From the first page to the last, I found suspense through this second book by Ken Morris strikes like lightening. In a treacherous theme that ties the stock market to bioterrorism, recovering alcoholic Tim Mack takes up a new position as a financial analyst for a high-finance broker, which he discovers is linked to a biotechnology company in San Diego that mysteriously explodes. Those first on the scene die shortly afterwards from unknown causes that suggest a lethal virus was unleashed during the blast. Just skimming through the chapters, the heading treatments reveal an accelerating plot rushing to beat a catastrophic deadline like the television series "24." Based on day-to-day and then hour-to-hour events, the novel opens on a street where the homeless live. Three men are promised $50.00 each if they can drink each other under the table at a party. This seduces them into a van that takes them to a lab where they are exposed to tainted air while eating porridge. The next day, local detective Bob Moore is faced with three John Doe bodies found together, and forensics can't figure out how they died such horrendous deaths. Is it murder or is it a sign of a 21st Century plague about to befall Californians? At the same time, Mack begins his investigation into suspicious trading events of Isotopic Research, a drug company whose stock plunges after its research lab explodes and kills the scientists working inside. This sets up the plot that races to D-Day, Tuesday, February 6, in which Mack is trapped inside his firm's building where the deadly virus is to be launched and spread through the victims who inhale it, infect everyone who comes in contact with them and then die, thus killing thousands of people within 24 hours. The "anthrax test" must prove its intensified toxic power to Middle Eastern terrorists before they will pay for its delivery. Will Mack survive in time to save San Diego from a terrible disaster? It's a cliffhanger right up to the 'reveal' of the unexpected mastermind behind the deadly drug deal. Morris' vision of real possibilities is horrifying. It's also what makes his second novel a riveting page-turner.
Rating:
Summary: Incredibly Fast Page-Turner
Review: I read and enjoyed Ken Morris' first novel, Man in the Middle. I found his second novel to be even better! Once again, built around a securities firm but this time the protagonist is a research analyst with many past wounds both personally and professionally. A series of deaths and corporate events throw the analyst accidentally in the mix of solving a major crime before he even knows he's involved in solving the crime. A love interest and helpful policeman are also introduced to help move the story and add to the many subplots. What I really like about this novel is how he builds short chapters around action events. In this book you're solving a small problem or ducking another accident every chapter so the book really moves quickly and is very difficult to put down. Morris also did a good job of hiding the many twists in the whodunit so you won't know exactly who the bad guys are until very close to the end. And, as mentioned by other reviewers, you will learn about the securities industry as he overlays the crimes around the lives at a securities firm. One other note of interest, he does a great job of interlaying known locations into his novel so if you are familiar with the area of San Diego/La Jolla/Del Mar, you'll be familiar with the action. In summary, if you like fast mystery/murder novels, you'll love this book. I'll be back for the next one as soon as it's on sale. I strongly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Incredibly Fast Page-Turner
Review: I read and enjoyed Ken Morris' first novel, Man in the Middle. I found his second novel to be even better! Once again, built around a securities firm but this time the protagonist is a research analyst with many past wounds both personally and professionally. A series of deaths and corporate events throw the analyst accidentally in the mix of solving a major crime before he even knows he's involved in solving the crime. A love interest and helpful policeman are also introduced to help move the story and add to the many subplots. What I really like about this novel is how he builds short chapters around action events. In this book you're solving a small problem or ducking another accident every chapter so the book really moves quickly and is very difficult to put down. Morris also did a good job of hiding the many twists in the whodunit so you won't know exactly who the bad guys are until very close to the end. And, as mentioned by other reviewers, you will learn about the securities industry as he overlays the crimes around the lives at a securities firm. One other note of interest, he does a great job of interlaying known locations into his novel so if you are familiar with the area of San Diego/La Jolla/Del Mar, you'll be familiar with the action. In summary, if you like fast mystery/murder novels, you'll love this book. I'll be back for the next one as soon as it's on sale. I strongly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: The Deadly Trade: by Ken Morris by Ken Morris
Review: I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it highly if you like mysteries. I loved how Ken brang the biotech world and mystery together. Also it is very timely with all of world trauma today. It touches on a larger issue that murder. Read it, you'll enjoy it.
Rating: 
Summary: If you like hero Thrillers and haven't thought about biowar
Review: I think I picked this up as a recommendation from one of the economics weblogs I read. The recommendation suggested that the author was one of the few who included economics and finance as part of the setting. Despite being the dominant feature of the world today, economics is too frequently neglected in fiction. Unfortunately finance is present in this book, but doesn't add materially to the plot.
The book is solidly within the "Thriller" genre. Bad villians want to do despicable things, mostly because they are bad people. Pity, since I think the diversity of interests in the world provide adequte examples of evil. Unfortunately biowarfare is a bad choice for that kind of plotting, because there is a kind of deterrence in effect. Everything I've seen written says that biowarfare is ineffective at accomplishing strategic goals.
Finance comes into the book because the evil middle eastern General (whose name, cleverly is not Saddam Hussein) chooses to outsource his biowarfare development. He's got money, and US companies who are burning through their capital too quickly are more than happy to do his biowarfare testing. Evil General's research director is clever enough to divide the work among them so that they don't realize they're developing bioweapons. (Of course they do, but since they are professionals, and therefore not blue collar workers, they're all conservatives, and like all conservatives, they not only lack a conscience, but actively seek the opportunity to do evil at every opportunity. Those prep schools have a very demanding curriculum) Our Hero spots irregularities in the financing and that leads him to the shadowy world of international intrigue, populated by special forces soldiers, each of whom can take out a small third world country, but are utterly ineffectual against an alcoholic former swimmer.
I think I've got most of the cynicism out of my system now. I love international politics, but I stopped reading thrillers a few years ago because I was tired of the Hero vs Villian paradigm. The author is more fond of that paradigm than I am. The existence of a Hero forces all the characters in the book to be mere sketches without the depth or complexity that makes a book fun for me to read. The plot is a bit preachy; the author is clearly very concerned about bioweapons, and takes the opportunity to lecture about them regularly. Again, this diminishes my enjoyment of the book, particularly since the lectures ignore significant problems with bioweapon development. [Aside: One place where the author hits the nail on the head is that bioweapons is becoming a battle of symbols, where each side ignores significant elements of the other sides' arguments. The argument becomes one of symbols and language rather than a discussion of evidence, argument and conclusion.]
I did enjoy the finance. I wonder if an Evil General were to outsource research to the US, if they couldn't find a better way to hide their tracks. On that scale the book succeeds; I thought about the problems of finance, and about the lack of penetration of IT into the financial sectors of America. Quipping Dutchman and I had a long conversation about it, which may show up here, or in my other blog later.
I'll probably read Morris' other book, but it will be towards teh bottom of my reading list.
Rating:
Summary: An Amazing Thriller Written by a Wall Street Legend
Review: Ken Morris has written two amazing thrillers, "Man in the Middle" & "The Deadly Trade". He was the very best "honest" securities trader I've ever had the pleasure to work with. His brilliant razor-sharp mind could seemlessly understand the intricate relationships between complex arrays of variables. That rare skill combined with his extraordinary insider insights enables him to craft thrillers with amazingly complex plots that you won't be able to put down. If you love thrillers & you want to learn about Wall Street from a veteran's perspective, you owe it to yourself to read "Man in the Middle".
Rating:
Summary: An Amazing Thriller Written by a Wall Street Legend
Review: Ken Morris has written two amazing thrillers, "Man in the Middle" & "The Deadly Trade". He was the very best "honest" securities trader I've ever had the pleasure to work with. His brilliant razor-sharp mind could seemlessly understand the intricate relationships between complex arrays of variables. That rare skill combined with his extraordinary insider insights enables him to craft thrillers with amazingly complex plots that you won't be able to put down. If you love thrillers & you want to learn about Wall Street from a veteran's perspective, you owe it to yourself to read "Man in the Middle".
Rating:
Summary: Biotech thriller with a different slant
Review: Ken Morris' Wall Street, financial background provided a slightly different context as he penned his bioweapons adventure novel "The Deadly Trade". While the plot action was fast paced, the character developement was disturbingly shallow. Morris' grasp of the workings of the financial and investment field was impressive. When he attempted to stray into the area of biology and technology his knowledge fell short. The result was an entertaining adventure with not much palpable depth to the story.
The plot of "The Deadly Trade" revolved around San Diego based financial analyst Tim Mack. Mack who had recently tragically lost both his wife and son in an accident relocated from New York. A securities trader on Wall Street he accepted a position in an investment firm Atterberry Stanton. While investigating several biotechnology firms that his company had bankrolled he uncovered several disquieting facts. He was further troubled by a mysterious explosion which destroyed the laboratory facilities of a recommended company, Isotropic Research, killing several scientists. Mack discovered that certain traders had made exorbitant profits based on this disaster.
Working in conjunction with his brother Joe, a wheelchair bound former DEA agent, fellow employee and love interest Betsy O'Brien and wily San Diego detective Bob Moore they try to unearth the mysteries surrounding the financial machinations of these biotech firms. Investigation revealed the production of weapons grade biologic agents, perhaps destined for foreign hands. Suspicious characters working for Atterberry Stanton and biotech firms serve to heighten the level of suspense as Morris' plot evolves.
Rating:
Summary: Another Superb Morris Page Turner
Review: The Deadly Trade is the author's second thriller, and is as gripping a page-turner as is his first, Man in the Middle. A highly enjoyable, vivid page-turner, but with truely alarming subject matter. Morris does a fantastic job of contrasting nature's pristine San Diego setting with the potential of man-made horror. Great character development and detail. I started this novel on a flight, and couldn't put it down. Buy this book if you enjoy a fast-paced thriller.
Rating:
Summary: Another great story by Morris
Review: When you talk about fear, excitement, and just damn good research, fans of Ken Morris will enjoy his new book, The Deadly Trade. Kenny knows how to create detailed characters, dialogue that is both memorable and realistic, and an exciting plot about, "What if?" bioterrorism was knocking at our backdoor. My congradulation on this perfectly timed and ideally suited novel.
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