Nothing Gained

by Phillip Y. Kim

Asia's wealthiest are the envy of many, but theirs is a cutthroat world governed by a basic truth: one must take in order to possess.

When a member of the corporate elite – a banker and an expat – drowns one night, his wife, Cheryl, is left with more questions than answers. Shady men from her husband's secret dealings soon emerge and feelings of initial confusion rapidly escalate into imminent danger. Cheryl must venture out from the luxurious existence she has known and delve into her husband's double life to track down the one person who can save her.

Set against the backdrop of a global financial crisis, Nothing Gained is an international thriller all too true in its time and place. From the densely populated streets of Hong Kong to the country roads of rural Italy, Phillip Y. Kim's insight into the lives of Asia's one percent will take you on a ride like no other.

'A thriller with all the intricate excitements and adventures of the best of them.' Martin Alexander, Editor-In-Chief, Asia Literary Review

'Zooms in on the global financial crisis from an Asian perspective. Combines fast-paced action with an insightful view of what went wrong.' Romnesh Lamba, Executive Vice President, Hong Kong Exchange

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2013

Reviews

[Jason Pym · Rating 2 out of 5]

A thriller staring investment bankers is a tough call, how do you make the reader care what happens to them? But trying to put my prejudices aside I read it for plot, and it just didn't work for me. Why target the wife? - The deal was about leveraging other peoples money. Why does the wife and colleague believe the dead banker was involved in this shady deal without a shred of proof, and completely counter to what they know about him? None of the actions or attitudes of the characters made sense.

[Julian Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strong effort by the first time author and financier Phillip Kim. The novel is pacy and has well developed characters. Against a backdrop of present day Hong Kong and Macau, the story races through the shady side of the banking and casino industry. I look forward to his next effort.