Joseph Finder is the New York Times bestselling author of 17 suspense novels, most recently The Oligarch's Daughter (2025). His Nick Heller series "Vanished, Buried Secrets, Guilty Minds, and House on Fire" follows a "private spy" who navigates the shadowy intersection of corporate and government power. Two of his novels have been adapted into major motion pictures: High Crimes (2002, starring Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman) and Paranoia (2013, starring Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman). A founding member of the International Thriller Writers, he lives in Boston.
A well-researched, interesting investigation into American business' interaction with Russian politicians in the late 1800's through the 1980's. The inconceivable greed and lack of morality of the ultra-rich businessmen portrayed in this book are eclipsed only by the politicians and their billionaire supporters of today.
This is not my cup of tea, but looking at the book from taking a step back it is a wealth of information on trade relations with Russia and how some powerful americans made an impact. It is well researched and full of facts that most probably knew happened.