Mickey Outside

White Collar Crime Thriller #3

by David Lender

Former Wall Street whiz and current convict Mickey Steinberg is nearing the end of his three-year sentence at Yankton—the cushy country club prison where he’s enjoyed celebrity status—and he’s ready to get out and get back on top. He doesn’t have the resources he once did, but he’s already hatched a new plan to sell a forgery of a stolen Van Gogh painting through the shady underground art market. He and his new partner, the smooth-talking Paul Reece, have a mark in mind: the sleazy con-man art dealer who swooped in on Mickey’s beloved ex-wife after he was locked up. But with his old partner, Jack Grass, hell-bent on revenge and his pre-prison life closed to him, it won’t be easy.

As their plan becomes ever more complex, Mickey realizes he just wants to make good and make it out alive. A madcap heist with a shrewd insider’s eye on the high-rollers and lowlifes that run New York City—a place where no man is too big to fail.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Ebooks, Amazon

246 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 4, 2014

About the author

Ex-Wall Street Insider and Pitbull Poppi. I’m a pull-no-punches thriller author of vigilantly-researched espionage and white collar crime. Found at DLenderAuthor.com, my series and standalone novels are inspired by more than 25 years on Wall Street. Now I use my insider’s knowledge of the characters and intrigues that inhabit that sharp-elbowed world to create stories of corporate power brokers, CEO bullies, megalomaniacs and con artists.

I write about financial fraudsters, male and female spies and assassins, and the gritty underdogs that take them on. I also Tweet and blog from northeastern Pennsylvania with my rescue pitbull, Styles.

Reviews

[Beni West · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

Even though I've never been involved with the "art world", the detailed explanations are very good. I'm looking forward to more books like this - yes, from THIS author!!

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I read from David Lender. My wife actually found this book for me. I was looking for a white collar crime and she found this one. I enjoy reading Michael Connelly (Harry Bosch & Mickey Haller), Tom Clancy, Mark Greaney (Gray Man), John Sandford (Virgil Flowers) and a few others. I think Lender is right up there with these guys. Mickey Outside was a great story and very entertaining. I actually started slowing down my reading near the end, so it would last longer, just like an ice cream sundae. You won't be disappointed! After finishing Mickey Outside, I read Bull Street, Rudiger's Stories, Spin Move and On Home Soil. All great books too! Then, I moved onto his Sasha Del Mira series which were equally exciting and entertaining! My only problem with Lender, he doesn't publish fast enough!

[Jim A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of Amazon's preview program for Prime members.

A very enjoyable book. Lender weaves his tale at a slow but steady pace. A lot of information, fact and fiction, woven into a good story. Two ex cons, convicted of white collar crimes, and a Victoria's Secret model work a con using a forged van Gogh.

If, as a potential reader, you are an action junkie, this book is not for you. Very little true action, just a well played out con and retribution.

A bit of irony. The payoff in the scam is made using Bitcoin which, based on the events of the past few weeks, may very well be a scam of its own.

[Prajna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started out a little slow - lots of back story and not a whole lot of action. But as things started to play out I got sucked into it. Reminded me a lot of a heist movie (Ocean's Eleven or The Italian Job). I loved the characters. One of the things I like best was that it was fun to read and clean. No gratuitous sex scenes or (much) language. I like suspense and mystery, but not if it's going to make me so freaked out I can't sleep at night. Basically, this was a pleasure to read and one of those books I read in a day.

[Agnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mickey Steinberg is serving a sentence at Yankton—the cushy country club prison. He was a Wall Street wiz who got caught ... When he gets out he decides to sell a forgery of a stolen Van Gogh painting. He and his new partner, Paul Reece, have a mark in mind. Goldstein - the soon to be husband of Mickey's ex-wife.

It is a page turner, but was too predictable and the end left you hanging....or will there be a sequel....??

[Fred Forbes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up as a result of a strong review on Goodreads and was not disappointed. Plot is clever, twisty and moves right along. Characters are interesting if a bit stereotypical and some of the background on the art markets and Van Gogh provided some good content. Especially good read for fans of the New York City scene.

[Francis T. Villante · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

definitely not your run of the mill formula novel. keeps you on the edge wondering what's going to happen next. Couldn't stop reading it.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mickey Outside refers to Mickey's stint after serving time for insider trading (at the least). Mickey is smart, but is he as smart as he thinks he is? And what is his ultimate goal? A master painter is involved, who just happens to be in jail (where else would a man who's served time meet anyone interesting). And Van Gogh is involved, too. Wait, that's a Van Gogh.

To be honest, I read this over the course of several months, mostly because the beginning was a bit... jumbled... and confusing. There were multiple flashbacks that I somehow missed cues about (the flashbacks seemed better indicated later in the book), and while it was all very interesting to read, it just wasn't sticking in my brain. Through the whirl of scenes and tidbits, gradually the story emerges more fully about the 40% mark (which, coincidentally, is when I started reading the book more intentionally).

Overall, the book was (eventually) engaging. I became immersed in the world, and while I don't plan on being an insider trader not becoming a forger, I didn't want the FBI to come down on Mickey and pals. At least not until the plan was complete. And certainly not in place of a bigger scumbag.

I won't fault the author for my own incompetence in reading comprehension, but I still feel the beginning could have been a little more cohesive. With that taken into consideration, a solid 3.75 stars, or 4 on an integer-based rating system. Recommended.

[Haris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mickey Steinberg, a former Wall Street big shot and inside trader, leaves minimum security prison with big ambitions but few options. Ostracized from his former world but eager to recapture his status – ideally his wealth and/or ex-wife – Steinberg schemes with his former prison friend Paul. The goal is to make one big trade, one that will conveniently net Steinberg millions, ruin his ex-wife’s new fiance and drive her back to his arms, and re-establish his credentials in his former circles. Paul, meanwhile, wants one score to impress out-of-his-league girlfriend Jennifer. Meanwhile, Mickey’s old partner wants revenge for ending up in prison. Suspense ensues.

This is a short, by-the-numbers supsense novel. The deal comes together quickly – too quickly to be realistic, but just fast enough to keep the momentum moving. Similarly, the revenge angle is simple and direct and the book would simply be a cleaner, if shorter, story without it. Either way, though, the pages keep turning, and at 234 pages, it’s a very quick read.

I got this book for free from Amazon, and it was definitely worth the price. I’m not sure how much more it’s worth, though.

[Scott Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read in the White Collar crime series and the first by author David Lender as well and overall, I was pleasantly surprised. Mickey Outside started like many crime novels introducing different characters and their shady past, and some readers may expect to draw comparisons to the TV show White Collar due to the series name and art forgery being a key component but any similarities are quickly waylaid once the story begins. I enjoyed watching the characters develop, and I was concerned when I thought some were changing but alas it kept me reading. This novel grew on me the longer I stayed in it and I can say I was sad to see it end and this was my one disappointment with the novel – the ending wrapped up too quickly. Lender builds an intriguing plot and as each of the many plot lines begin to converge, it suddenly wraps up with lightening speed. Overall, I enjoyed Mickey Outside and am glad there are more in the series to explore.

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not the type of book I usually read, but Amazon gave it to me for free as a pre-release. The word "thriller" in the subtitle made me think it would be high-action, perhaps even a little scary, but that was not the case. It is really a story about a con. Working in finance myself, I understood the main character's line of work all too well - I have worked with brokers who have ended up in jail because of their shady business deals. But a thorough knowledge of the market is not necessary to get into the plot. Overall, an interesting read with well-developed characters and a satisfactory conclusion.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well this book is listed as a White Color Crime Thriller, I don't think it is as much as a Thriller but it is a White Color Crime story, I really liked the story, It was interesting and I did read it pretty fast. I thought it was intriguing and kept my interest up. Yes there was some thriller part to it, but it was kind of tamed, but it was enough for me, I did give it 5 stars because I thought it was a great book and worth reading. The book was a clean book, which I liked about. I also received this book from Amazon Prime and was able to read it before it was released.

http://scrapntoday.blogspot.com/2014/...

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mickey Outside by David Lender

This was a decent read. I give it 3 1/2 stars. I am happy with the result...even though it seems that it may not exactly be the end of the story in one respect ;) An interesting scheme, straightforward and entertaining. I enjoyed the characters and their connections. I took my time with it. It wasn't a story that made me feel like I had to race through to see what would happen and that's okay. A nice relaxing con with vengeance the goal, aimed at a richly deserving antagonist. A pleasure. Looking forward to more from this author.

I did not catch any editing problems with the book. Refreshing!

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys this genre. Good read :)

[Henry Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts very slow, but if you stick with it it gets interesting.
Mickey and Paul are in a country-club prison for white collar crimes on Wall Street. They hook up and develop a caper to get money for a new start.
With the help of a fellow inmate/ artist, they produce a fake copy of a stolen piece of art. After release from prison, they go to New York and market their painting to collectors who do now mind buying a piece of stolen art. After various twists and turns, they eventually partially succeed.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

I realy enjoyed " Mickey Outside" , a crime novel by David Lender.
The subgenre of the novel, a con or caper story is even better when it involves crooks scamming another crook, as "Mickey Outside" does. Even more so when it involves cheating a member of the New York Arte scene of the pretentious and proud.
With a quick moving plot, a bit of tension andengaging characters the was fun all the way through.
Lender does white collar crime so well, it is a wonder his books, especially this one has not been optioned for screening.
Recommended....enjoy yourself.

[Tifa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would, once I got past the first chapter. I stopped reading for a couple weeks because the beginning made me believe it was going in one direction, but it definitely made a turn for the better. I'm glad I picked it up again. Once the author made it more personal about the characters, rather than making it all about a heist, I enjoyed it. It was a short read, written pretty tight and fast. I rated it an extra star just because the ending was that satisfying and the supporting characters were great.

[Jeff Wise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mickey Outside is the first in a series of books centered on the character of Mickey Steinberg a big shot Wall Street finance guy that went a little too far and got himself locked up for a stint. After his time served, he starts a semi-complicated scheme involving art forgeries that ends up being a somewhat altruistic and revenge laden caper. It's a nice little story, the characters are culled from the 1% and when things get rough there's always something that smooths the situation out. For a light quick read it was a decent book.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mickey's out of the slammer after doing three years of soft time for cooking deals on Wall Street. He's broke, his ex-wife is engaged to a shady art dealer and he's got a plan. Paired up with his former cellmate Paul and a few influential contacts, Mickey is about to make a comeback deal.

A light, easy read that is predictable, but likeable. Mickey's a crook, but you'll love him in the end. Thanks Amazon Prime for the First Look free e-book.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid little crime novel but nothing special in the end. A strong start withers as the story of a Wall Street insider, brought down by greed and imprisoned, turned art con-man upon his release from jail tries to scam his former rich friends in order to get back on his feet. A nice twist in the middle allows for some plausible romance and unexpected revenge but heavy exposition and slightly flat characters take a lot of the fun out of this page turner.

[Ken Bour · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this novel for free as part of an Amazon promotion. It took me a few chapters to adjust to the author's writing style; then, I pretty much completed it in two sittings. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot, the characters, the dialogue, and the pacing. Others have summarized the basic story line, so I won't repeat any of those details...

[Kenneth Brachfeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another solid financial thriller from David Lender

Lender is a compelling financial thriller writer. His wall street background contributes to a realistic sense of the world he is writing about. My guess is that no real art buyer would fall for such a simple scam but the story moves nicely anyhow.

[Matt Kauffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast paced thriller

Seriously, this was an engaging story that was thoroughly entertaining. The author painted characters with very real personalities and told the story with efficiency, not wasting space with filler. That is how toy keep a story moving and keep a reader's attention. This reader anyway.

[David Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scam This

"Mickey Outside" was a fairly quick and entertaining read. Mickey and Paul must be very quick studies, as they took on a whole new sting operation and made it look relatively painless. Apparently they are not finished with this life, so more chicanery must be in the works.

[Rae Sontheyon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I rated this book 3 stars simply because it wasn't a terrible book it was just an okay book that took me a while to get into, but towards the end once the plan was enacted and the setup/character background was told the storyline became worth while to finish.

Mickey is painted as this white collar criminal that just got sucked into the life of easy money when he fell into wall street schemes. He turned on his partner in order to get a plea deal and was sent to Yankton a minimum-security prison. It's there he learns his ex-wife, Rachel, is going to marry a slime-ball gallery owner named Goldstein, whom he realizes was possibly a reason he was sent to prison. Mickey finds Paul a fellow inmate who will need a new beginning once out and concocts an art forgery scheme that should set them up financially if all goes accordingly to plan. Especially since Mickey aims to win back his ex-wife while ruining Goldstein's reputation and financials.

The writing style of this author is choppy at times and like I stated before the flow is a bit slow but once the plot is set up the story plays out well. The very end made it seem like there could be a sequel I'm not sure, perhaps that's just the authors writing style as I said Lender writes a bit choppy in going from scene to scene almost like a movie or a screenplay.

Overall I enjoyed the book it was a light easy read that seemed very Ocean's, whatever number, mixed in with the fascination people seem to have with Wall Street and New York elite, who apparently have nothing better to do with their money then spend it on stolen artwork that they can't even show people in public but can only whisper about. The fact that the main characters had in fact been white collar criminals and then come together to rip off a traveling european fraud makes the book interesting, since your essentially cheering for criminals to win over the other criminal. But in the end like I said it was an easy read with a bit of thrill mixed in that kept the reader on edge, while you hope Mickey's plan works and they all have their HEA.

------Read more of my reviews at: http://heyitwasfree.blogspot.com/------

[Bradford · Rating 1 out of 5]

While no means a terrible book, Mickey Outside was unfortunately very predictable and formulaic book that never really progressed past it's one-dimensional characters, despite it's unique premise.

Thrillers should be about the excitement of the unexpected, not knowing what will happen next, and with a tension that keeps you turning the page and wanting to know how the characters will deal with the large obstacles that are stacked up against them. Unfortunately, there was never an obvious challenge the characters had any difficulty overcoming in the entirety of the book. There were many twists that the author could have thrown at the characters to make them backpedal or to put them off their game, but instead would up with a rather obvious solution to an ending that was broadcasted from the very start. The few problems that the characters did seem to face resolved themselves quickly and never really left me with a sense of urgency or distress that I longed for. All told, the resolution to the foundation of the book itself might have occurred many chapters earlier as little would have prevented it from occurring, and it simply made me want for something better.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

The action was pretty consistent throughout the book. No parts dragged, but nothing (including a gun chase) was super exciting either. I found myself rooting for Mickey and Paul to succeed in their scam because they were both truly likeable characters. The dialogue was definitely a strong point. The transitions through time were often confusing, however. I think this was partly because the chapters were just plain too long (only 6 for the entire book). There was a side story about a criminal’s brother roughing up and stalking Mickey’s ex-wife and then going after Mickey that I felt was completely unnecessary, didn’t belong, and was only added to increase the overall length of the book. The few times those parts came up were distracting from the main story.

Mickey Outside is an easy read, and definitely worth reading if the description interests you. It doesn’t take much concentration and reads fast. Bottom line is it’s not great, but it’s not bad either, and I definitely don’t feel like I wasted my time reading it.

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

While not poorly written per se, it was unoriginal. The entire book reads like a a silly "hollywood" novel. Think Robert Redford's "The Sting" which is way funnier or "Ocean's Eleven" which was may more interesting. The characters in this book were just not believable, engaging or interesting. The plot (without giving too much away) was an over-done theme of pulling a fast one over the bad guy. Everything works out in the end because there just so happens to be everything the plot needs to make it work. So thankful I didn't actually pay for this.

[Myla · Rating 2 out of 5]

In waiting for the book I really wanted, I read this free Kindle book. One word: doy. I read the first 10%, skimmed the next 10%, completely skipped to the last 10%, which I skimmed and didn't feel like I had missed a beat...I knew all the characters and exactly what was happening and basically how they got there. But I did at least skip ahead to find out what happened rather than just put it down (plus my other book still isn't here), hence the 2 stars and not 1. For the last time I am not a contemporary novel fan.

[Bruce Cable · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting my head into this book. The primary reason, at least to me, was the fact that I found ALL, and I mean each and every one of the characters to be so incredibly disagreeable. They were, greedy, manipulative, shallow, callous, and I could easily just keep on going. In the end, I think the only reason I stayed with it was to see if they got busted, which I honestly was hoping for. The story itself wasn't too bad, the characters though...Yuck. No spoiler here, other than the entire book itself......

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not normally a fan of crime thrillers, white collar or otherwise, and this book didn't convert me. If you are a fan of white collar crime thrillers, you should probably dismiss my review and go for the book. You'll probably like it. But if you're like me you might want to move on. It wasn't terrible, and I don't regret the time I spent reading it, but I won't be looking for more from this author either.