Killer Instinct

By: Joseph Finder

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

Jason Steadman is a thirty-year-old sales executive living in Boston and working for an electronics giant, a competitors to Sony and Panasonic. He's a witty, charismatic guy who's well liked at the office, but he lacks the "killer instinct" necessary to move up the corporate ladder. To the chagrin of his ambitious wife, it looks as if his career has hit a ceiling. Jason's been sidelined.

But all that will change one evening when Jason meets Kurt Semko, a former Special Forces officer just back from Iraq. Looking for a decent pitcher for the company softball team, Jason gets Kurt, who was once drafted by the majors, a job in Corporate Security. Soon, good things start to happen for Jason—and bad things start to happen to Jason's rivals. His career suddenly takes off. He's an overnight success. Only too late does Jason discover that his friend Kurt has been secretly paving his path to the top by the most "efficient"—and ruthless— means available. After all, as Kurt says, "Business is war, right?"

But when Jason tries to put a stop to it, he finds that his new best friend has become the most dangerous enemy imaginable. And now it's far more than just his career that lies in the balance. A riveting tale of ambition, intrigue, and the price of success, Killer Instinct is Joseph Finder at his best.

*San Francisco Chronicle
** Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Audio edition includes an exclusive bonus interview with Joseph Finder and Malcolm Gladwell, bestselling author of Blink and The Tipping Point!

©2006 Joseph Finder (P)2006 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers, LLC.

Critic reviews

"[A] masterful business thriller....Readers who enjoy movies where you have to fight the urge to shout 'Stop! Don't open that door!' will love this one." (Publishers Weekly)

"Steadman's 10-month ride from complacency to terror is filled with...thrills and chills." (Booklist)

Follow your Instinct...

Killer Instinct is another great title by Joseph finder. It follows a lead character who has been getting slightly pushed around until he meets a new friend. Not exactly plausible, this story does a good job at building up the inevitable destruction of a friendship being built on lies and deceit. That being said, it is still a nice ride to watch a young man go from relative obscurity to top of the company. Wouldn't we all like someone working behind the scenes, gathering intelligence and helping us climb the corporate ladder. But once at the top, the person holding the ladder often wants to shake you from it and watch you fall all the way down!!!!! Nice book..unrealistic...but solid

great thriller!

What did you love best about Killer Instinct?

the way it kept my interest every minute.

What did you like best about this story?

that good guys don't always finish last.

What about Scott Brick’s performance did you like?

he does a great job in all his readings! top notch reader!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

tension. especially near the end. finder made sure the last part of the book was good and tense.

Any additional comments?

i have found i like finder books and brick reading.

Well done!

I like Joseph Finder each time I download one of his books and especially when Scott Brick reads them. Looking for more of the same to go with the others I listened to of his (A Company Man, High Crimes). Only problem is many of his books are only 6 or 7 hrs. long and it just isn't worth a full credit for such a short time. Other than that, I'd choose his books any time. Interesting, catchy, well read, endings not expected.

Good, but predictable, fun

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I'd smarten up the main protagonist. He's just a bit too naive.

Would you recommend Killer Instinct to your friends? Why or why not?

Some of them. Many of friends prefer a more intellectual read. I'm happy to be entertained.

Which character – as performed by Scott Brick – was your favorite?

They were all well performed. Scott Brick is an excellent performer.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Sure. I kept thinking that it would make a decent movie.

outstanding

Would you listen to Killer Instinct again? Why?

This as been one of the best books i have listen to that kept me wanted more.

What did you like best about this story?

How someone could just cought up into something without even knowing it.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

how yes

I'm a Joseph Finder fan, but.....

Killer Instincts was a disappointment. Engaging story, at least the beginning and middle. The ending was just dumb......drawn out way too long DUMB!

Average history good narrator

The history is below the average of other Finder's books.

In my opinion this history is very fantastic to be considered as a thriller based on events of real life. I wouldn't buy if I knew it.

Typical Joseph Finder

If you like Paranoia and Company Man...then you will like this book. Plain and simple. This book offers the same type of corporate politics, intrigue and deception you find in his other books but has a much better ending. The characters are well developed and the storyline is easy to follow along. With one of the better storytellers in Scott Brick narrating, this is a "no brainer".

Well done characters and story.

Behind the scenes in the corporate world using war tactics.

Not many stories are set within corporations. The author makes it interesting. His research is talking to corporate guys.

The first half of the book was fascinating. Jason is a salesman of plasma tv screens. He sells to corporations like auto dealers (for their waiting rooms) and airports. Jason meets Kurt. They become friends. Kurt was in the army. Kurt talks about war, the enemy, getting intel. And then Kurt helps Jason by getting intel on Jason’s buyers and competitors. Kurt has no “off” button when it comes to evesdropping, spying, getting info, destroying property, and killing people. This is war -- to get ahead in the corporation.

But the last third of the book was kind of a downer for me. It was scary with a helpless victim feel.

I don’t like 1st person narrative books - which this was. I wish the author would use more 3rd person.

Something I wanted to know before I read the book - Is it a happy ending?:
CAUTION SPOILER:
I “require” happy endings. I don’t want the guys I root for to go to jail or get killed. And the ending was good for me.
END SPOILER.

AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR:
Scott Brick is not a favorite of mine. He is sometimes too sarcastic, condescending, and smart-alecky. But in this book he was very good.

Genre: suspense.

Poor female character development

I do enjoy Joseph Finder's books, and this one as well; however, I don't think he does a good job, overall, of characterizing females in his novels. The main female in Paranoia ended up being a prostitute for the firm. In Company Man, she was a religious fanatic and a schizophrenic killer. And in Killer Instinct, the hero's wife was difficult to like - rich, spoiled and all over the place. Maybe this is Finder's view of women from a corporate perspective, but it sure would be nice to see him represent them better in future books. With the editorial of women aside, I very much enjoyed the book and plot and loved the strength of the hero (which wasn't there in Company Man).