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Payback Time
The compelling new thriller from the bestselling author of CITYBOY and JUST BUSINESS.When City high-flyer Bridget, recently fired from her bank, is found dead outside her high rise apartment, her colleagues assume she's committed suicide. Cityboy Steve Jones is outraged and he and his City workmates decide to take revenge. They hatch an ingenious plan to sabotage her firm and succeed in bringing it to its knees. After wildly celebrating their success, Bridget's boyfriend Fergus insists they take down a much more prominent bank. But soon the gang are being targeted by the police and financial regulators. There must be a rat in their midst but, if so, who? Steve investigates and digging deeper realises he could be on the trail of a murderer. Suddenly there's a distinct possibility that an even bigger revenge is being planned and this time the pay back is heading in his direction...
336 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2012
29 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 15, 2014
Easy read, enjoyed the pace of the book and the subject was interesting enough
July 20, 2022
This is the third book or so by this author and by this time the reader knows what to expect, as the style is fairly consistent and the themes always revolve around the City, drugs, sex and lots of swearing dialogues. I found this one an enjoyable read for a holiday, where I don't have to think how implausible some parts of the plot are. A bit "more of the same" but still worth a read, if you liked Cityboy and Just Business.
May 3, 2020
Really probably a 3.5. Really quick and easy read. More than a little bland. A beach read really.
June 19, 2012
I read my first Geraint Anderson book a mere 2 months ago. In it (Just Business) it featured Steve Jones, a city worker who gets involved with uncovering a multi-million pound fraud going on within the company he worked for. As a result Steve’s life changes dramatically as he goes on the run from the police. This first book I had read kept me gripped and I really enjoyed it. I was looking forward to this one as we see Steve Jones return.
In the beginning of the book we catch up with Steve a couple of years after the last book. He is working for Gedlust Bank and is still entertaining the clients and earning six figure sums. His colleague Bridget also happens to be one of his close group of six pals. They have all been friends since their University days. When Bridget is found dead outside her apartment they assume it was suicide. Steve and the remaining 4 in the group get together and decide to hatch a plan which will involve bringing the very bank she worked for to its knees.
The first few chapters straight away made me chuckle and also reminded me of the sort of life that Steve lives. Although it did indeed make me chuckle, I tired a little of the constant drug taking, drinking and general attitude of ‘we have s*it loads of money’ from various characters. The story notches up a bit upon the discovery of Bridget’s body. At this early stage of the story we meet the other 4 friends in the group and they certainly made for interesting reading. The gang consists of Fergus (Bridget’s boyfriend), John, Rachel and Colum. The four characters make the story interesting as their personalities have you constantly guessing as to who is the rat amongst them. It seems that their plan indeed worked but there is somebody within the group that has their own plan and it involves taking down not only Gedlust Bank but their friends.
The only element of the book that made me score it lower was the basis for the grand scheme. It is largely based around the bank where Steve works and for some people there may be too much financial detail in the plot itself. Having said that it’s explained pretty well and even for the people that have no clue about finance they should still be able to follow the plot. But, and there is a but; I would have LOVED to have seen Steve Jones return in a plot based around something that doesn’t involve finance. Maybe I am expecting too much but fear that unless we see another angle from Geraint Anderson, his following of readers may be greatly reduced. I certainly enjoyed his last book, and this one was okay, but if I am being honest I expected a lot more.
Only time will tell if Geraint Anderson is a one trick pony, or if he can produce the goods in another format other than the City!
In the beginning of the book we catch up with Steve a couple of years after the last book. He is working for Gedlust Bank and is still entertaining the clients and earning six figure sums. His colleague Bridget also happens to be one of his close group of six pals. They have all been friends since their University days. When Bridget is found dead outside her apartment they assume it was suicide. Steve and the remaining 4 in the group get together and decide to hatch a plan which will involve bringing the very bank she worked for to its knees.
The first few chapters straight away made me chuckle and also reminded me of the sort of life that Steve lives. Although it did indeed make me chuckle, I tired a little of the constant drug taking, drinking and general attitude of ‘we have s*it loads of money’ from various characters. The story notches up a bit upon the discovery of Bridget’s body. At this early stage of the story we meet the other 4 friends in the group and they certainly made for interesting reading. The gang consists of Fergus (Bridget’s boyfriend), John, Rachel and Colum. The four characters make the story interesting as their personalities have you constantly guessing as to who is the rat amongst them. It seems that their plan indeed worked but there is somebody within the group that has their own plan and it involves taking down not only Gedlust Bank but their friends.
The only element of the book that made me score it lower was the basis for the grand scheme. It is largely based around the bank where Steve works and for some people there may be too much financial detail in the plot itself. Having said that it’s explained pretty well and even for the people that have no clue about finance they should still be able to follow the plot. But, and there is a but; I would have LOVED to have seen Steve Jones return in a plot based around something that doesn’t involve finance. Maybe I am expecting too much but fear that unless we see another angle from Geraint Anderson, his following of readers may be greatly reduced. I certainly enjoyed his last book, and this one was okay, but if I am being honest I expected a lot more.
Only time will tell if Geraint Anderson is a one trick pony, or if he can produce the goods in another format other than the City!
May 7, 2015
Payback Time by Geraint Anderson is a compelling thriller from the bestselling author of Cityboy. He was born in Nottinghill, London, England to a Labour politician, Donald Anderson, Baron Anderson of Swansea, Wales and his missionary wife, Dorothy. He then undertook a degree in history at Queen’s College, University of Cambridge and he followed this with an MA in Revolutions at Sussex University. Anderson later went to the Goa, India where he planned a trading lifestyle selling trinkets. However, his older brother, Hugh, who worked as fund manager with ABN Ambro, a Dutch investment bank, arranged an interview in 1996 and Geraint Anderson was subsequently employed as a utilities analyst, composing models of publicly listed companies.
It was in 2006 that Anderson started writing his City Boy column for thelondonpaper and this became a popular piece with some readers of the newly launched free newspaper. but he was not revealed as the City Boy columnist until 18 June 2008. The following week he published his first book: Cityboy: Beer And Loathing In The Square Mile.
Payback Time was published in 2012. It tells the story of city high-flyer Bridget who, after she was recently fired from her bank, is found dead outside her high rise apartment. Her colleagues assume that she committed suicide. Cityboy Steve Jones is outraged. So, he and five city workmates who all knew Bridget, and each other, since university, decide to take revenge. They decide to hatch a plan which will involve bringing the very bank she worked for to its knees.
I was looking forward to this book as I really enjoy crime novels and am interested in the world of finance. However, I quickly tired of the constant drug taking, drinking and general attitude of ‘we have loadsa money’ from various characters.
At the early stage of the story,when Bridget’s body is discovered, the reader meets the five friends in the group. They consist of Fergus (Bridget’s boyfriend), John, Rachel,Colum and Cityboy, Steve. The characters make the story interesting and the reader is constantly guessing as to who is the rat amongst them. Initially, it seems that their plan worked but there is somebody within the group that has their own plan. This involves taking down not only Gedlust Bank but their friends.
As the plot is largely based around the bank where Steve works, for some readers, there may be too much financial detail in the plot itself. Having said that, it is explained pretty well so everybody should be able to follow the plot. Payback Time was a good enough read, however, if I am being honest I expected a lot more. I enjoyed this book well enough but I doubt that I would seek out more novels by Geraint Anderson
It was in 2006 that Anderson started writing his City Boy column for thelondonpaper and this became a popular piece with some readers of the newly launched free newspaper. but he was not revealed as the City Boy columnist until 18 June 2008. The following week he published his first book: Cityboy: Beer And Loathing In The Square Mile.
Payback Time was published in 2012. It tells the story of city high-flyer Bridget who, after she was recently fired from her bank, is found dead outside her high rise apartment. Her colleagues assume that she committed suicide. Cityboy Steve Jones is outraged. So, he and five city workmates who all knew Bridget, and each other, since university, decide to take revenge. They decide to hatch a plan which will involve bringing the very bank she worked for to its knees.
I was looking forward to this book as I really enjoy crime novels and am interested in the world of finance. However, I quickly tired of the constant drug taking, drinking and general attitude of ‘we have loadsa money’ from various characters.
At the early stage of the story,when Bridget’s body is discovered, the reader meets the five friends in the group. They consist of Fergus (Bridget’s boyfriend), John, Rachel,Colum and Cityboy, Steve. The characters make the story interesting and the reader is constantly guessing as to who is the rat amongst them. Initially, it seems that their plan worked but there is somebody within the group that has their own plan. This involves taking down not only Gedlust Bank but their friends.
As the plot is largely based around the bank where Steve works, for some readers, there may be too much financial detail in the plot itself. Having said that, it is explained pretty well so everybody should be able to follow the plot. Payback Time was a good enough read, however, if I am being honest I expected a lot more. I enjoyed this book well enough but I doubt that I would seek out more novels by Geraint Anderson
April 14, 2013
Following her sacking by a City bank, Bridget is found dead at the foot of her apartment building. Her friends blame her employer and vow to take revenge on the bank and the City as a whole.
The blurb on the back of the book made it sound like something I would enjoy as I love crime novels and work on the fringes of the City world portrayed. However, I hated this novel and its shallow characters with their inflated sense of entitlement. The characters, as well as being unpleasant, aren't drawn with any great skill so are little more than a set of walking cliches.
The plot twists and turns, but it's generally obvious when the author is leading us down blind alleys merely to faciliate a plot twist and to extend the length of his novel. It's quite a short book produced with a large typeface, but it was still too long for me as I didn't want to spend any more time than absolutely necessary with the loathsome types than inhabit Payback Time.
I thought it was all deeply unpleasant and I have no intention of ever reading anything else by this author.
The blurb on the back of the book made it sound like something I would enjoy as I love crime novels and work on the fringes of the City world portrayed. However, I hated this novel and its shallow characters with their inflated sense of entitlement. The characters, as well as being unpleasant, aren't drawn with any great skill so are little more than a set of walking cliches.
The plot twists and turns, but it's generally obvious when the author is leading us down blind alleys merely to faciliate a plot twist and to extend the length of his novel. It's quite a short book produced with a large typeface, but it was still too long for me as I didn't want to spend any more time than absolutely necessary with the loathsome types than inhabit Payback Time.
I thought it was all deeply unpleasant and I have no intention of ever reading anything else by this author.
July 7, 2012
I saw the author interviewed, as part of the LIBOR banking scandal, so I thought I'd give him a chance. Good interview, bad novel.
March 2, 2013
Not my cup of tea. Obnoxious, crude characters that I couldn't care less about. Unbelievable plot that was desperately thin.
July 5, 2014
Had read a few criticisms of the book so was expecting a flat read but surprisingly really enjoyed it. Predominantly about short-selling and bear markets. Characters and writing were witty enough.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews