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19 Purchase Street
Laundering billions of dollars at the WASPS empire headquarters, lovers Gainer and Leslie plot the ultimate heist against the deadly stuffed shirts at 19 Purchase Street, in a story of greed, murder, and revenge
Paperback
First published July 31, 1983
48 people are currently reading
180 people want to read
About the author
Gerald A. Browne
18 books16 followersGerald Austin Browne (born 1924, in Connecticut, USA) is an American author and editor.
Browne was raised in Litchfield County, Connecticut. He attended the University of New Mexico, The Sorbonne and Columbia University, where he won several literary awards. His first novel, It's All Zoo, was written while he was living in Paris and working as a fashion photographer. His bestselling novels include 11 Harrowhouse, Green Ice, 19 Purchase Street, Stone 588, and Hot Siberian, several of which have been made into films. He lives in New York with his wife, Merle, a model and actress, as well as the co-author of a novel entitled The Ravishers.
Browne was raised in Litchfield County, Connecticut. He attended the University of New Mexico, The Sorbonne and Columbia University, where he won several literary awards. His first novel, It's All Zoo, was written while he was living in Paris and working as a fashion photographer. His bestselling novels include 11 Harrowhouse, Green Ice, 19 Purchase Street, Stone 588, and Hot Siberian, several of which have been made into films. He lives in New York with his wife, Merle, a model and actress, as well as the co-author of a novel entitled The Ravishers.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 30, 2016
The book starts with a great promise. The character build up and everything is great. But slowly this book loses its way. It seems the author wanted to a solid with a solid history for a character, but suddenly towards the end realizes that he (author) needs some one else with technical know how and expert in everything and anything to pull off the heist. And this is where it gets confusing.
If, in a heist novel, the entire trick and ruse is pulled off by eccentric genius; and not only that he is able to also able to save the skin of the hero and his girl, then by my standards he should be the main protagonist of the novel.
Instead we have a action boy who is a genius and gets to sleep with super rich woman of NY and leans to shoot in a day to kill an experienced hit man.. All this seems to be a bit far fetched.
A good read only up to point. This heist book does not stand up to its reputation to the top ten novel of heist category that so many of the book review sites tend to proclaim.
There are some other great heist books that are far better than this one. Thick as thieves is one such one. This one has no superlative heroic action. And the twists will keep you riveted.
If, in a heist novel, the entire trick and ruse is pulled off by eccentric genius; and not only that he is able to also able to save the skin of the hero and his girl, then by my standards he should be the main protagonist of the novel.
Instead we have a action boy who is a genius and gets to sleep with super rich woman of NY and leans to shoot in a day to kill an experienced hit man.. All this seems to be a bit far fetched.
A good read only up to point. This heist book does not stand up to its reputation to the top ten novel of heist category that so many of the book review sites tend to proclaim.
There are some other great heist books that are far better than this one. Thick as thieves is one such one. This one has no superlative heroic action. And the twists will keep you riveted.
May 9, 2012
ISBN 042506154X - I was about 75 pages in before I actually cared whether or not I forgot the book on a bus - slow starter, a little meandering, but after that, it picked up. It was a little ironic to me that I was reading this book as the Roberto Calvi murder story was making news, and even more ironic that Calvi was murdered in 1982, the same year this book is copyrighted. Calvi's a lot like Gordon Winship - replace the High Board in the book with the Vatican, and Browne seems almost psychic.
Andrew and Norma Gainer were, for all the system knew, orphans - so the system tried to swallow them up. Norma, however, had different plans, and broke free of the system with her younger brother. They found themselves doing rather dubious things for money, but none of it compared to the dealings they had with the men at 19 Purchase Street. Carrying dirty money out of the country to be laundered, Norma thought she was working for the Mob and risked her life by skimming a little every time. When she paid with her life, her brother decided to get even.
He, too, thinks Norma was working for the Mafia. Indirectly, perhaps, but neither of them have a clue who the Mafia is working for. In an effort to clean large amounts of money faster, the Mafia turned to a banker, Gordon Winship, who took them to the cleaners. Soon, the Mob was working for the High Board - comprised on men of impeccable backgrounds, from wealthy families, in positions of great power in the U.S. And the High Board turned out to be far more ruthless than the made men ever expected.
The seedy, kind of small-time criminal element taking on what they think is the Mob leaves the reader cheering for one criminal element or another; there are no "good" guys to cheer for here. The way it all plays out, and some of the details Browne manages NOT to overlook (like Norma's "forgotten" ashes) make it worth reading. Of course, it's 1982. The technology is sometimes dated, and I'd bet Browne backed the wrong pony and bought a Betamax himself back in the day. A little gory, especially the murder of Norma, and if sex in your books bothers you, don't even pick this up. Mostly, though, a good read!
- AnnaLovesBooks
Andrew and Norma Gainer were, for all the system knew, orphans - so the system tried to swallow them up. Norma, however, had different plans, and broke free of the system with her younger brother. They found themselves doing rather dubious things for money, but none of it compared to the dealings they had with the men at 19 Purchase Street. Carrying dirty money out of the country to be laundered, Norma thought she was working for the Mob and risked her life by skimming a little every time. When she paid with her life, her brother decided to get even.
He, too, thinks Norma was working for the Mafia. Indirectly, perhaps, but neither of them have a clue who the Mafia is working for. In an effort to clean large amounts of money faster, the Mafia turned to a banker, Gordon Winship, who took them to the cleaners. Soon, the Mob was working for the High Board - comprised on men of impeccable backgrounds, from wealthy families, in positions of great power in the U.S. And the High Board turned out to be far more ruthless than the made men ever expected.
The seedy, kind of small-time criminal element taking on what they think is the Mob leaves the reader cheering for one criminal element or another; there are no "good" guys to cheer for here. The way it all plays out, and some of the details Browne manages NOT to overlook (like Norma's "forgotten" ashes) make it worth reading. Of course, it's 1982. The technology is sometimes dated, and I'd bet Browne backed the wrong pony and bought a Betamax himself back in the day. A little gory, especially the murder of Norma, and if sex in your books bothers you, don't even pick this up. Mostly, though, a good read!
- AnnaLovesBooks
January 20, 2017
The heist portion is the best. But it is a lot of backstory to get there. It's totally worth it.
A frightening concept (or revelation) is that all the organized crime syndicates are yoked to a tight clique of the bluest blooded bankers in America. They control key departments of govt, and intelligence agencies, and these are the mega-badasses that are getting heisted.
It's also an indication of how much publishing has changed in 35 years. No new writer could take this manuscript and get it into bookstores. Interesting things happen early on, but there's no hook for 400 pages. Browne will wander so far from the plot, if you set the book down awhile, you might forget what was going on.
Still great. Brilliant language and the slickest, biggest heist any imagination could dream up (a billion in hundreds would fill half a semi trailer, how would you abscond that in a couple hours). A must read, even if there's a bunch you end up skimming.
A frightening concept (or revelation) is that all the organized crime syndicates are yoked to a tight clique of the bluest blooded bankers in America. They control key departments of govt, and intelligence agencies, and these are the mega-badasses that are getting heisted.
It's also an indication of how much publishing has changed in 35 years. No new writer could take this manuscript and get it into bookstores. Interesting things happen early on, but there's no hook for 400 pages. Browne will wander so far from the plot, if you set the book down awhile, you might forget what was going on.
Still great. Brilliant language and the slickest, biggest heist any imagination could dream up (a billion in hundreds would fill half a semi trailer, how would you abscond that in a couple hours). A must read, even if there's a bunch you end up skimming.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2010
The was the best quarter I have spent in a long time.
I was hooked from the beginning, and I really enjoyed that the setting was 1982ish, I liked the dated references that are memorable to me, it mentioned Howard Cosell as a commentator for football. I still miss him.
There was not an ethical character in the story, they are robbing, setting each other up and murdering one another. I have no idea how Gainer and Leslie are still together at the end. And what an odd person Leslie was with her herbal remedies and talks with Lady Caroline, eccentric and likable. It was a shame that Rodger died, I felt like he got a raw deal, even though he was a part of the mafia/high board crowd.
I loved that Chapin stole the 4 billion, and set the balance on fire! Totally unexpected.
I was hooked from the beginning, and I really enjoyed that the setting was 1982ish, I liked the dated references that are memorable to me, it mentioned Howard Cosell as a commentator for football. I still miss him.
There was not an ethical character in the story, they are robbing, setting each other up and murdering one another. I have no idea how Gainer and Leslie are still together at the end. And what an odd person Leslie was with her herbal remedies and talks with Lady Caroline, eccentric and likable. It was a shame that Rodger died, I felt like he got a raw deal, even though he was a part of the mafia/high board crowd.
I loved that Chapin stole the 4 billion, and set the balance on fire! Totally unexpected.
December 22, 2016
If it has one star I liked it a lot
If it has two stars I liked it a lot and would recommend it
If it has three stars I really really liked it a lot
If it has four stars I insist you read it
If it has five stars it was life changing
If it has two stars I liked it a lot and would recommend it
If it has three stars I really really liked it a lot
If it has four stars I insist you read it
If it has five stars it was life changing
July 13, 2013
an amazing piece of work by Gainer
October 27, 2013
I really enjoyed this story. Every time I thought something was goint to be predictable I was wrong.
March 6, 2017
Slow starting but once into its stride 19 Purchase Street is a hearty tale of money laundering, greed, revenge murder and a billion dollar robbery caper.
April 11, 2019
Two lovers take on the High Board for revenge, romance, and $1 billion.
August 14, 2020
Exceptional beginning with an inside look at how crime works.. disappointing, anti-climatic ending.
Also not explained why Rodger died or why Chapin sent the money back, still had some loose ends .
Also not explained why Rodger died or why Chapin sent the money back, still had some loose ends .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2023
A good crime caper, much better ending than 11 Harrowhouse
May 22, 2023
19 Purchase Street
A mind-blowing, unputdownable book. I loved every word, every description. And tied up quite wonderfully in a perfect ending with a big red bow!
A mind-blowing, unputdownable book. I loved every word, every description. And tied up quite wonderfully in a perfect ending with a big red bow!
December 19, 2020
Well...this one's a page-turner, I guess.
I don't know if this is an ongoing plot for Mr. Browne, but here we have a world-beating cabal of white collar overlords dealing with a small fly in the ointment. The fly is an employee's brother who needs to take them down a peg or two and the ointment is laundering oodles of dirty money. (I'm purposely avoiding plot points here.)
There is so much nonsense in this book that it's hard to even justify the one star. Our hero and his gorgeous, married-to-a-gay-rich-guy girlfriend confront hardened killers and manage to...I can't go on.
If you like thrillers you may like this book. There're some pretty explicit scenes.
I don't know if this is an ongoing plot for Mr. Browne, but here we have a world-beating cabal of white collar overlords dealing with a small fly in the ointment. The fly is an employee's brother who needs to take them down a peg or two and the ointment is laundering oodles of dirty money. (I'm purposely avoiding plot points here.)
There is so much nonsense in this book that it's hard to even justify the one star. Our hero and his gorgeous, married-to-a-gay-rich-guy girlfriend confront hardened killers and manage to...I can't go on.
If you like thrillers you may like this book. There're some pretty explicit scenes.
August 8, 2016
Laundering money and intrigue is all part of Browne's thriller that is centered on 19 Purchase Street.
Like most of this author's works, high-powered men and quirky women pull off an improbably quest, but are fun reads.
Like most of this author's works, high-powered men and quirky women pull off an improbably quest, but are fun reads.
May 5, 2010
Good story about a man taking revenge for his sister's murder.
Written in a tedious style. Requires careful reading.
Written in a tedious style. Requires careful reading.
May 4, 2019
Love love love all this author!
June 5, 2019
It's more ingenious and explosive than The Godfather and all other G-novels, combined. Browne wasn't a mortal at the moment he overthrew the Syndicates. He was a literary god.
January 4, 2021
I just discovered this author. Great Read! As good (if not better) a plot, character, language and 'street' authenticity as any of the current thriller writers.
March 8, 2010
This is such a brliiant Thriller.
March 27, 2017
This one started with a lot of promising build-up, but where it goes to in the end is a bit less promising. The unusual pacing and flow is probably what I do like best, as well as the characters at least most of the time. From where it starts as intriguing crime fiction with a unique look into a syndicate turns into a motivated revenge story that turns into a heist caper with adventure and thriller aspects. The end result seems to imply that crime lives on and on, okay I suppose it resembles reality to a degree, and that money is simply to burn at all costs. And all that is alright except it dampens and maybe ruins the whole motivation of the revenge plot, at least it does for me.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews