Do you like stories about deception, mystery, international espionage, and the lengths to which men will go in the name of power and greed? If so, then Lust, Money, and Murder, by Mike Wells may be a book for you.
Lust, Money, and Murder was the first novel I've read by Mike Wells, and I'm glad I did for several reasons. Mr. Wells writes in a style that grabs ahold of the reader and does not easily let go. Without a lot of emphasis is unnecessary details, the story hits you like a passenger jet landing on the tarmac. You're off and running and not going to stop or get bored until it's finished. And even after the long ????????????????, it's not quite over yet, and I'll explain that shortly.
While the title, Lust, Money, and Murder may seem stereotypical of books you've read or movies you've seen, this story has some unique components. It starts off very mysteriously, an older sugar daddy with a young woman, and they're traveling around Europe, having one big party. But there's something going on, an undercurrent beneath the charade of cordial and passionate behavior that's impossible to put a finger on. This short story comes to an abrupt end, but we find out that the theme of this little introduction is actually the main thrust behind the novel's storyline.
The narrative focuses on a young girl who grows up under very challenging circumstances. Without a mother, she copes as well as can be expected. Her father wants the best for her, but is doing things they shouldn't be to help her get not only the things she wants, but the best education. Trying to grow up quickly and find herself, she makes a terrible mistake and inadvertently pulls her father into it. One thing after another goes wrong, and we find ourselves watching this girl set out on a lifelong mission of revenge. Sound Celine yet?
One of the main components to this story is the counterfeit money. Before reading this book, I had no idea what was the intaglio printing. But by the time I was finished, I knew quite a bit about it and the process by which official currency is printed.
True to its title, ' Lust, Money, and Murder, "at its core, is about characters and motivating behavior. And this is really what keeps you going-for-seeing who is going to what next, as well as who is hiding what. Again, the story moves fast, and along the way there are many unexpected twists. Just when you think you've got things figured out, the story takes a sharp turn and sends you down another path. This makes it a swift page turner of a novel.
Warning to potential readers--it all ends in a huge cliffhanger. If you poke around and see what else Mike Wells has written, you'll see that one of the things he does is write the series. You can acquire several of the "Book 1 's" for free for your Kindle or Nook or whatever you like to read the free eBooks. But at the end of the story, you'll want to find out how things go and you just may purchase Book 2. It's up to you. But whatever you do, know that you may find yourself so wrapped up in Lust, Money, and Murder, you'll probably be looking for more.
Kelly Libatique is a professional speaker, technical trainer, and author. He holds a master's in Education and a Bachelor's in Psychology. He resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, Anne, and two sons.
Visit http://www.libatique.com/or Contact Kelly at: Kelly.Libatique@gmail.com
