Book Blurb:
A SINGLE LIE COULD WIN THE WAR WITHOUT SHEDDING A DROP OF BLOOD.
The chaotic ’eighties... political assassinations, drug wars, the computer revolution... Jared Sanders, the criminal oilman, is inches away from controlling the White House. His old nemesis, Senator Temple, stands in the way. This time, the senator is not alone.The heirs of the three oldest clans in the oil business join Temple. An aspiring lawyer with her eye on a supreme court seat, a Navy SEAL with a target on his back, and a dashing blueblood from New York City. Together, they could defeat the enemy without firing a single shot. Except, the lies which thrust them into the alliance, the family secrets, refuse to stay buried. Three dynasties, a ruthless adversary, a long conspiracy... from the hallways of the West Wing to the pages of tabloids, from Lebanese towns to Argentine oilfields, The Manhattan Swindle continues the riveting saga of treachery, heartbreak, vengeance, and blood feuds.
Book Buy Link: https://geni.us/fO10SZn
Editorial Review:
“In the quiet wood-paneled room on the second floor of the Supreme Court Building, Senator Temple waited for his stepbrother, the judge, to arrive. Shelves lined the walls, books on law and the constitution arranged according to topic, but Temple’s attention was on the leather-bound journal in his hands. So many things to jot down, incidents to record... there was an entire collection of such diaries in his library at home, all safely locked in a vault. The secrets contained in those pages were not for another set of eyes... at least not until the people involved were long dead and gone.”
“The Manhattan Swindle” is Book Two of the One Hundred Years of War series. This epic novel is centered around politics and is a family saga, focused round the machinations between powerful dynasties. The Kingsleys, the Sheppards, and the Barronses are intertwined both in business and personally. Harry Sheppard is a distant relation of Delilah (Lilah) Sheppard, and Lilah and her twin brother Dan have been adopted into the Barrons family. There are helpful family trees at the start of the book, with revolving family members and business associates forming a large cast of secondary characters.
The story opens in 1974, in the Supreme Court building in Washington DC, with the antagonist Senator Temple waiting for a meeting. Temple is angling to keep Jared Sanders away from the Presidency, and his efforts to do so provide much of the dramatic tension in the book. The word “Machiavellian” is apt here, as the story ranges between politics, the oil industry, international business and family feuds. The narrative continues through to 1986, and is portrayed through multiple points of view, although Harry and Lilah are the main characters. Lilah is studying at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and Harry has joined the Navy Seals. Both Harry and Lilah are facing an internal challenge (the continuing journey to recover from a past kidnapping) and multiple external challenges as others seek to influence and manipulate them.
The plot is a complex one, with twists and turns through 24 parts of the novel and 81 chapters, as well as ancillary material. The Afterword notes that the “core story” of the book is based on Mahabharata, the Indian epic mythology.
Readers may benefit from having read Book One first, but even so, “The Manhattan Swindle” is a fascinating read in its own right. Perin sprinkles backstory through the opening chapters and as with any book, the reader is clued into the characters’ relationships through their dialogue and actions so can easily pick up the tale. The characters are provided with detailed motivations and credible character arcs. Perin’s world-building is a highlight of the novel. The powerhouse institutions of the USA, the political and economic shifts, and the business arena have all clearly been closely researched by the author, and this results in authentic settings and transactions across a range of contexts.
This is far from a superficial story. The characters are intense and the 1970s/1980s of the book oozes both glamor and sleaze, but also intrigue and drama. The dialogue is crafted at a high level, which reflects the intellectual caliber and pursuits of the characters. They know about, and are embroiled in, world events, and in reading “The Manhattan Swindle” the reader will too.
“Verity chattered nonstop on their way back to Manhattan later in the night. If she noticed Harry’s uncharacteristic silence, she didn’t comment on it. When they walked into the apartment, Harry kicked the door shut, spun her around, and caught her mouth in a deep kiss. Her lips were still cold from the wintry air, but they tasted of warm, plummy wine. The jasmine scent of Chanel No 5 still clung to her skin. She twined her arms around his neck and plastered her body to his.”
The ending of “The Manhattan Swindle” is a natural pause in the narrative. The conclusion brings the current storyline to a convincing close while leaving the reader keen to continue this political saga as the families’ struggle for power (and to prevent others having it) continues.
“Gripping the newspapers and the magazines in one hand, Lilah locked the door to her bedroom suite behind her. There was complete silence, with not a honk or a chime or a chirping cricket, but she did a quick scan, making sure she was indeed alone. Her guards conducted inspections at random times every day before withdrawing to designated spots in the residence, and Brad was in the garden. But the household staff was always gliding in and out of rooms. Not that the employees hired by Patrice were anything but excellent. Unfortunately, their diligence meant Lilah got little privacy in the palatial home.”
“The Manhattan Swindle” by Jay Perin is an intricately plotted novel that immerses the reader in the 1970s and 1980s, recalling those heady times of excess and the machinations of business dynasties. The powerful institutions of the world serve as the base for the storyline, including the oil industry, the Presidency of the United States, the United States Supreme Court, elite military units and prestigious educational establishments. The result is an absorbing tale that namechecks many of the places and bedrock institutions that readers will be familiar with, and creates a rollercoaster of intrigue and machinations that will keep the pages turning. A great read!
*****
"The Manhattan Swindle” by Jay Perin & Anitha Perinchery receives 4 stars from The Historical Fiction Company
To have your historical novel editorially reviewed and/or enter the HFC Book of the Year contest, please visit www.thehistoricalfictioncompany.com/book-awards/award-submission
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