Publication date: February 11, 2014 by Thomas Dunne Books
Source: Publisher via Meryl L. Moss Media Relations for an honest review
Description from Goodreads:
Warren Hament is a bright young man who wanders into a career in finance in the early 1980s. Nothing Personal is the extraordinary story of his rapid ascent toward success, painted against a landscape of temptation and personal discovery. Introduced to the seductive, elite bastions of wealth and privilege, and joined by his gorgeous and ambitious girlfriend, he gets a career boost when his mentor is found dead.
Warren soon finds himself at the center of two murder investigations as a crime spree seemingly focused on powerful finance wizards plagues Wall Street. The blood-soaked trail leads to vast wealth and limitless risk as Warren uncovers unexpected opportunity and unknown dangers at every turn and must face moral dilemmas for which he is wholly unprepared.
Nothing Personal is a stellar debut novel, which follows an increasingly jaded protagonist as he comes of age in a rarified, deeply corrupt world. Offit, a former senior insider, unflinchingly divulges Wall Street’s culture of abuse and portrays the insidious, creeping forces of greed, sex, and power---and the terrible price paid in their thrall.
My Take:
When I was presented with the opportunity to read and review Nothing Personal by Mike Offit, I was happy to do so. The premise sounded intriguing and who doesn't like a good Wall Street story? I know I do. I had such a good time reading Nothing Personal.
The reader gets to follow Warren as he seemingly effortlessly makes his way through business school and starts working at a top Wall Street firm. He is smart, learns quickly and is good with people. Things just seem to fall into place for him. We meet all types of business people, from Old Money to the very new money, the crooked, the dangerous, the oblivious, you name it. And Warren makes his merry way towards the top with uncanny ease. Of course, things are seldom exactly what the seem.
Warren finds himself uncomfortably close to a couple of murder victims and finds himself not only a possible suspect in the murders, but could he also be a target? The murder mystery adds a nice thriller aspect to the story and keeps the reader guessing. There are so many possible motives for the murders and so much to gain, so the possible suspects are many. I did guess some of the players in the events, but I had so much fun reading as it all unfolded that I didn't mind.
I really appreciated the title of the book - it was a refrain expressed often in the book - It's nothing personal, it's just business. This pretty much sums up the excuse for so much greed and what is essentially unethical behavior.
I enjoyed the book from start to finish. I loved reading about all the scandals, both big and small. There is so much to work with here. I enjoyed how Warren maneuvers his way through this landscape of excess and greed and tries to remain true to himself and his own moral compass. He is presented with insane opportunities for wealth and advancement, but tries to maintain a sense of right and wrong. It was nice to see someone in this environment who still had a sense of morality. Of course, Nothing Personal is a work of fiction, so people like Warren might not exist in the Wall Street world. I don't know, but I hope they do.
About the author:
Mike Offit began a Wall Street real estate trading career after graduating from Brown University and obtained significant success on the Street. After his departure, he turned back to his original passion: writing. He lives in New York City.
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