The Banker's Wife

By: Cristina Alger

Narrated by: Karissa Vacker

Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's Summary

A USA Today Best Seller 

"Immersive, satisfying, tense - and timely: This is probably happening for real right now." (Lee Child)

"First-rate...Slick, heart-hammering entertainment."(The New York Times Book Review)

On an early morning in November, a couple boards a private plane bound for Geneva, flying into a storm. Soon after, it simply drops off the radar, and its wreckage is later uncovered in the Alps. Among the disappeared is Matthew Werner, a banking insider at Swiss United, a powerful offshore bank. His young widow, Annabel, is left grappling with the secrets he left behind, including an encrypted laptop and a shady client list. As she begins a desperate search for answers, she determines that Matthew's death was no accident, and that she is now in the crosshairs of his powerful enemies. 

Meanwhile, ambitious society journalist Marina Tourneau has finally landed at the top. Now that she's engaged to Grant Ellis, she will stop writing about powerful families and finally be a part of one. Her entry into the upper echelons of New York's social scene is more appealing than any article could ever be, but, after the death of her mentor, she agrees to dig into one more story. While looking into Swiss United, Marina uncovers information that implicates some of the most powerful men in the financial world, including a few who are too close to home. The story could also be the answer to Annabel's heartbreaking search - if Marina chooses to publish it. 

The Banker's Wife is both a high-stakes thriller and an inside look at the personal lives in the intriguing world of finance, introducing Cristina Alger as a powerful new voice in the genre.

©2018 Cristina Alger (P)2018 Penguin Audio

Critic Reviews

“In Alger's cerebral, expertly paced Swiss thriller, an American expat wife sorts through the conflicting stories surrounding her husband's death.” (The New York Times Book Review)

“An engrossing financial thriller...Alger presents the world of wealth management in a way that a novice can understand the intricacies but also appeals to the sophisticated reader. This complex tale of how greed can upend innocent lives will resonate with many.” (Publishers Weekly)

“The Banker's Wife is a page-turning, plot-twisting international thriller of the first order. Cristina Alger’s writing is as sophisticated and self-assured as the characters she’s created. A remarkable and intriguing journey into the rarefied world of power and money. A perfect blend of mystery, suspense, and betrayal.” (Nelson DeMille)

“Readers riding this international financial roller coaster will be kept on edge through its many twists and turns. Highly recommended for fans of fast-paced thrillers in the tradition of John Grisham.” (Library Journal, starred review) 

Terrible book

This isn’t the worst book I’ve listened to (that prize goes to Stephanie Myers), but it is pretty close. This novel is a recommended read in the NYT, so I gave it a try. I thought for the first third of the book that I had bought a romance by accident—it was breathy, cliched and utterly predictable. Even as romance gave way to ‘thriller’ the book remained predictable and the writing absolutely canned. Every turn of phrase seems to come from a list of possible phrase turnings. Nothing feels original. I’m all for light summer reading, but this wasn’t even fun.

Childish and insipid

Could not finish it. Childish and insipid dialogue. Plot not developed well. Misinformation about international/foreign banking. Poor enough that it should be removed from Audible.

Intriguing

Anabelle Werner does not fit in to her life in Geneva. Originally from New York, her husband, Matthew’s new job was far too good to turn down, so they moved. Anabelle didn’t have to work, though she really missed her job, but none of the other wives of Swiss United Bank’s top employees worked, so she tried to fit in by following their examples.

Marina Tourneau is in Paris celebrating her engagement to Grant Ellis, whose super rich father is about to announce his candidacy for president of the United States. She has promised Grant that she will give up her job as a journalist after they marry. After all, there will be plenty to keep her busy as Grant’s wife.

When Marina’s boss, Duncan Sander, calls and asks her to very discreetly meet with someone in Paris, she is immediately intrigued.

The same weekend, Anabelle is devastated when two men from FedPol (Federal Office of Police, Switzerland) knock on her door to tell her a plane that Matthew’s was on went down in the mountains and there were no survivors.

Marina is likewise devastated to learn that her mentor and father-figure of a boss, Duncan has been killed in a botched burglary of his home. She is certain, however, that his death has to do with the story he was working on and she is determined to find out the truth.

This is a very intriguing novel that takes you from Geneva to Paris to New York and through the clandestine world of numbered bank accounts, fraud, and people who will stop at nothing to make certain that their secrets remain hidden.

The story is being made into a TV series starring Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl, Return to Sender, Pride and Prejudice) slated to begin sometime in 2019. I’ll be watching, hoping that it stays true to the original.

If you are interested in off-shore or Swiss banking, this is a really good book. It does not get bogged down in the details of the industry, but it does a great job of explaining how it works and how easy it is for corrupt people to exploit the system.

Predictable

The story of two women of culture linked to the wrong / right man is a trend line that is far too easy to follow. The references to finance to one familiar with same are thin and programmatic. The reader who has a pleasing voice needed French pronunciation advice that is the fault of the director of production. But the entertainment value was adequate and none the less worth the read.

Wonderful intriguing, well written, best I have e

wonderful, intriging story. couldn't stop listening. Thank you Dana Perino for recommending it. very well spoken.

Awful

Did not find this book intriguing or worthy of reading. A predictable story and wasting time so could not finish. Boring!

Love it! Listened to it way too quickly

Loved all the twists and turns of the story and couldn’t stop listening!!! I wish it were longer!!

Agree w “Terrible Book review”

I agree with the reviewer below who said “terrible book”. The first third did seem like a romance novel. The last third or so was better, but predictable. I got it on sale and listened to it all, hoping it would get better. The performance was fine. I do not recommend this book

Good book

I am giving this book a 4 because I am torn on the ending and the narration.

The Bankers Wife

This was a story of intrigue. The characters intertwined but were unknown to each other. I loved the twists and turns that left you guessing what would occur next. Good reading.