23 December 2024… Rob Tanner should have been enjoying a rare day off from his life-consuming work as Chief Operating Officer at one of the country’s largest banks. But a panicked phone call from a senior colleague forces him to put his Christmas plans on ice: more than a thousand of the bank’s accounts have seen their balances increased by a factor of ten. Exactly ten.
Tanner enlists the help of brilliant American cyber security expert Ashley Markham, but the attacks only worsen: bank balances rise remorselessly and spread to all the nation’s banks. The only clues to the hacker’s intentions are cryptic daily emails, centred on Hieronymus Bosch’s medieval representation of the seven deadly sins—and packed with colourful artistic and cultural references—taunting Tanner and the newly incumbent Prime Minister, James Allen.
With financial markets—and the very world as he knows it—on the brink of collapse, Tanner races against the clock to decode not just the bizarre emails but their deeper meaning, and the implications for who he can really trust. All the while, his former boss “The Toad” is seeking revenge... and answers of his own.
This enthralling, multi-layered debut follows the story of a disillusioned banker facing unthinkable financial Armageddon, where money has no value, stock and bond prices are meaningless, and the economy is destroyed. Can Tanner unravel the mystery of the hacker’s obsession with Bosch, sin and retribution before modern society returns to the dark ages?
A race-against-time thriller that will keep you awake at night turning the pages… and questioning your dependence on modern technology
An intriguing cyber-take on the locked room mystery; a whydunnit as well as a whodunnit, centred on the modern seven deadly sins
Full of cryptic artistic and cultural references. Or are they clues?
A thought-provoking morality tale set in London at Christmas, via Europe, the US and Africa
Short, sharp chapters; with crisp dialogue from an ensemble cast
And, at its heart, an everyday tale of love, loss and redemption
Informacje dodatkowe o Zero Ri$k:
Wydawnictwo: inne
Data wydania: 2024-05-25
Kategoria: Kryminał, sensacja, thriller
ISBN:
Liczba stron: 572
Tytuł oryginału: Zero Ri$k
Język oryginału: Angielski
Przeczytane:2024-11-30, Ocena: 6, Przeczytałam, Mam, Recenzencka, Love Books Tours , Papier, 52 książki 2024, 26 książek 2024, 12 książek 2024, Wyzwanie - wybrana przez siebie liczba książek w 2024 roku, Przeczytaj tyle, ile masz wzrostu – edycja 2024, Insta challenge. Wyzwanie dla bookstagramerów 2024, 2024,
" [...] Humanity is sick, Rob, but people are too lazy and greedy to recognize the symptoms, let alone treat the cause. [...]"
Honestly, I didn't expect "Zero Ri$k" to be Simon Hayes' literary debut. It is such a brilliant thriller that is perfect for a film adaptation. You can be scared, terrified, tear your hair out, but also laugh and experience unforgettable moments.
Have you ever read a thriller about bank finances and hackers who can really mess things up in this area? If not, feel free to reach for this novel.
The author placed his book in the most beautiful time of the year, i.e. during Christmas, or more precisely from 23.12.2024 to 01.01.2025. The prologue takes us back in time to 26.06.2016. It is worth paying special attention to what happens during this period.
In the plot, you will learn what can happen when banks do not have the right security. A hacker named Joen van Aken will appear, who will be like Robin Hood. He takes cash from wealthy banks and gives it to their customers. Doesn't that sound very sinister? Each of us can get an unexpected injection of cash before or even during the holidays.
Knowing the current capabilities of cyber criminals, the described story could really take place. Could Simon Hayes be a visionary?
Who is really hiding behind the pseudonym Joen van Aken? The truth may surprise you. I advise you to read to the end.
I met interesting characters here, including:
Kelletta - CEO of National Bank.
Holly Brand - the best graduate who works at the same bank.
Rob Tanner, the bank's operations director. This position was a poisoned chalice. Why?
David Nash, the director of risk.
Joen van Aken - a cyber hacker who will really stir things up here.
An additional advantage of this book is its beautiful cover. The cover is wonderful. Don't worry about the number of pages (570 pages). It's a quick read. In fact, it's so engrossing that you can't put this book down.
Big applause for the debutant. I hope that I'll be able to read another novel by Simon Hayes soon.