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Zero Ri$k
When customer complaints on Christmas Eve about tenfold inflated bank balances herald not early gifts, nor a botched system upgrade, but the most sophisticated cyber attack in history, National Bank Chief Operating Officer Rob Tanner finds himself in the eye of a ‘Black Swan’ storm no one predicted, but anyone could have anticipated.
He enlists the help of brilliant American computer security expert Ashley Markham but the attacks only worsen: bank balances rise remorselessly and spread to all the nation’s banks. The only clue to the hacker’s intentions are cryptic daily emails, centred on Hieronymus Bosch’s medieval representation of the deadly sins, taunting Tanner and newly incumbent Prime Minister James Allen.
With financial markets—and the very world as he knows it—on the brink of collapse, Tanner races against the clock to decode not just the bizarre emails but their deeper meaning, and the implications for who he can really trust. All the while, his former boss “The Toad” is seeking revenge... and answers of his own.
This enthralling, multi-layered debut follows the story of a disillusioned banker facing unthinkable financial Armageddon, where money has no value, stock and bond prices are meaningless, and the economy is destroyed. Can Tanner unravel the mystery of the hacker’s obsession with Bosch, sin and retribution before modern society returns to the dark ages?
Ten Days. Seven Deadly Sins. Zero Ri$k.
He enlists the help of brilliant American computer security expert Ashley Markham but the attacks only worsen: bank balances rise remorselessly and spread to all the nation’s banks. The only clue to the hacker’s intentions are cryptic daily emails, centred on Hieronymus Bosch’s medieval representation of the deadly sins, taunting Tanner and newly incumbent Prime Minister James Allen.
With financial markets—and the very world as he knows it—on the brink of collapse, Tanner races against the clock to decode not just the bizarre emails but their deeper meaning, and the implications for who he can really trust. All the while, his former boss “The Toad” is seeking revenge... and answers of his own.
This enthralling, multi-layered debut follows the story of a disillusioned banker facing unthinkable financial Armageddon, where money has no value, stock and bond prices are meaningless, and the economy is destroyed. Can Tanner unravel the mystery of the hacker’s obsession with Bosch, sin and retribution before modern society returns to the dark ages?
Ten Days. Seven Deadly Sins. Zero Ri$k.
576 pages, Hardcover
Published June 25, 2024
11 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
About the author
Simon Hayes
1 book17 followersMy career spans finance, executive search and consultancy. Investment banking took me from my hometown London to Boston, Tokyo and Hong Kong. Headhunting took me back to Japan, then, as head of a leading Financial Services practice, into the City of London’s most exclusive boardrooms. Mixing with “the great and the good” —Chairmen and CEOs of major public companies, Governors of the Bank of England, senior politicians and the like—my job was to work out what made them tick. Not just “Are they really any good?” but, “Are they trustworthy?” I wrote Zero Ri$k whilst creating the rubriqs people skills system, and spent much of 2023 in Zimbabwe on a major fraud case.
I had the fundamental idea for Zero Ri$k a decade or so ago. I was frustrated by the system’s seeming refusal to punish white collar criminals after the Crash. I watched as everyone became more and more dependent on gadgets and big tech. I had a simple idea: what would happen if a hacker added a zero to everyone’s bank account overnight… and then another, and another. Do the maths: in six days, everyone’s a millionaire. What does that mean for the economy, for society? I thought— and hopefully a few others will agree—that it’s a great, original premise.
I was lucky to go to a good university—I’m a Trinity Hall, Cambridge, Law graduate—but, being the first person from my family to go beyond school, I was completely unprepared for the opportunity. Too much sport and partying; not enough studying. Fortunately the recognition a few years later that I’d missed a golden opportunity has given me a lifelong passion never to stop learning. So, in addition to detective and crime novels, thrillers and other fiction, you’ll always find two other books on my bedside table – a biography or history, and a book for learning new “stuff”. Two years ago it was evolution, a year ago silent movies. Born and raised in Boston Manor, I now live near Tower Bridge, although you’ll still find me supporting Brentford FC most Saturdays.
I had the fundamental idea for Zero Ri$k a decade or so ago. I was frustrated by the system’s seeming refusal to punish white collar criminals after the Crash. I watched as everyone became more and more dependent on gadgets and big tech. I had a simple idea: what would happen if a hacker added a zero to everyone’s bank account overnight… and then another, and another. Do the maths: in six days, everyone’s a millionaire. What does that mean for the economy, for society? I thought— and hopefully a few others will agree—that it’s a great, original premise.
I was lucky to go to a good university—I’m a Trinity Hall, Cambridge, Law graduate—but, being the first person from my family to go beyond school, I was completely unprepared for the opportunity. Too much sport and partying; not enough studying. Fortunately the recognition a few years later that I’d missed a golden opportunity has given me a lifelong passion never to stop learning. So, in addition to detective and crime novels, thrillers and other fiction, you’ll always find two other books on my bedside table – a biography or history, and a book for learning new “stuff”. Two years ago it was evolution, a year ago silent movies. Born and raised in Boston Manor, I now live near Tower Bridge, although you’ll still find me supporting Brentford FC most Saturdays.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
November 13, 2024
I love a good thriller and particularly financial and cyber thrillers are the ones I’m intrigued by, as they highlight problems that we often overlook. This thriller does just that with an intricate plot filled with riddles, deceit, a dash of romance and broken dreams.
Although set at Christmas, this read won’t particularly warm your heart, but will have you thinking hard at our everyday life, what we give for granted and how much faith we citizens put not only on technology, but on those we choose to steer the wheel and that should have our interests at heart. Navigating these themes are a bunch of loveable rogues, that begin as pretty much individuals but that become a collective by the end of the book. And this is another aspect of this story: it is in a way a coming of age, as the veil in front of the characters’ eyes lifts, so that by the end of it they are completely different people, for better or for worse.
The financial and cyber part is also intriguing, with hidden clues and ciphers tickling my brain and keeping me interested. This, combined with the several twists throughout, make it a stimulating read. And with any thrillers there are obviously several villains deadset to prevail. They say revenge is better served cold, and what perfect weather than a snowy Christmassy London!
I must admit that the book could have done with 200 pages less, but this is my personal preference, and I’d still recommend it as a great thriller.
Fans of thrillers would definitely like this Dan Brown meets The Big Short with the added cyber element, making it as enjoyable as thought provoking.
Thanks to the author and Literally PR for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
Although set at Christmas, this read won’t particularly warm your heart, but will have you thinking hard at our everyday life, what we give for granted and how much faith we citizens put not only on technology, but on those we choose to steer the wheel and that should have our interests at heart. Navigating these themes are a bunch of loveable rogues, that begin as pretty much individuals but that become a collective by the end of the book. And this is another aspect of this story: it is in a way a coming of age, as the veil in front of the characters’ eyes lifts, so that by the end of it they are completely different people, for better or for worse.
The financial and cyber part is also intriguing, with hidden clues and ciphers tickling my brain and keeping me interested. This, combined with the several twists throughout, make it a stimulating read. And with any thrillers there are obviously several villains deadset to prevail. They say revenge is better served cold, and what perfect weather than a snowy Christmassy London!
I must admit that the book could have done with 200 pages less, but this is my personal preference, and I’d still recommend it as a great thriller.
Fans of thrillers would definitely like this Dan Brown meets The Big Short with the added cyber element, making it as enjoyable as thought provoking.
Thanks to the author and Literally PR for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
December 15, 2024
Mr. Hayes!!!!
Zero Ri$k has me from the very very beginning. I’m a cybersec girlie, so this book had me hooked from the very beginning, the prologue. I just knewwwww it was going downhill from there.
This book had me shocked, shaking my head, rolling my eyes & clutching my pearls because some of these people were making some questionable decisions.
Kellet and the prime minister are peas in a pod. Tanner, LJ & their makeshift crew were *chef’s kiss*.
The plot - the cyber attack was crazy. Watching people fold, trip over themselves and choose ego every time vs choosing to actually prioritize their people… said a lot.
Brand is freaking brilliant, a tech genius. Kellet and his ego… that’s all I’ll say on that.
I truly enjoyed this book, and I def need a physical copy to read again.
Zero Ri$k has me from the very very beginning. I’m a cybersec girlie, so this book had me hooked from the very beginning, the prologue. I just knewwwww it was going downhill from there.
This book had me shocked, shaking my head, rolling my eyes & clutching my pearls because some of these people were making some questionable decisions.
Kellet and the prime minister are peas in a pod. Tanner, LJ & their makeshift crew were *chef’s kiss*.
The plot - the cyber attack was crazy. Watching people fold, trip over themselves and choose ego every time vs choosing to actually prioritize their people… said a lot.
Brand is freaking brilliant, a tech genius. Kellet and his ego… that’s all I’ll say on that.
I truly enjoyed this book, and I def need a physical copy to read again.
November 23, 2024
The story starts on the 23rd December. Rob Tanner, COO of one of Britain's largest banks, is meant to be enjoying a well earned day off with his girlfriend. Until everything gets thrown into chaos with one phonecall, informing Rob someone has hacked into the banks systems and inflated the accounts tenfold. He enlists the help of the remarkable American cyber security expert, Ashley Markham and they start working together to find out what it is the hacker wants as the attacks worsen. The only clues come in the form of cryptic emails that arrive each day, centering around seemingly obscure pop culture references and Heironymus Bosch's medieval representation of the seven deadly sins.
I had to go into this with a fully open mind as I know absolutely nothing about the financial world or the politics surrounding it, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this kind of knowledge wasn't really needed.
It's a pretty hefty read at 576 pages, and I did think that even though the book was enjoyable, it really could have been a lot shorter and still had the same impact. I felt that the romances between characters were fairly irrelevant, particularly between the two investigators, and really didn't add much, if anything to the overall plot. It's almost as if it was added in to tick a box.
The book is divided up into the days of the crisis, and then each day is further divided into individual, and fairly short, chapters following each of our main players as they navigate that day. It kind of reminded me of the format 24 was filmed in, with Rob Tanner taking on the Jack Bauer role. This was a very clever way of packing a lot of information in without it being too overwhelming, and really adds to the intensity of the situation at hand - little bite size pieces of frantic activity.
Something else that really stood out about this book, was the inclusion of the actual segments of artwork referred to in the hackers emails. This gives the reader the visuals needed to understand the references without having to dip out of the book to go and research it. Also loved the addition of the Latin phrases and translations.
The big revelation around the middle was a bit of a shocker at first, but once I'd read the whole book I was kicking myself that I'd missed so many hints towards it.
My only gripe was that I really didn't like Rob Tanner! I found him a bit of a wet lettuce in all honesty, and the romance just further reinforced this opinion of him. He doesn't really seem to have any conviction in his own decisions, for example the first time Kellet fires him he is adamant he will never ever go back to the bank, yet he does, and multiple times!
Apart from the couple of mentioned little niggles, it is overall a really enjoyable read.
I had to go into this with a fully open mind as I know absolutely nothing about the financial world or the politics surrounding it, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this kind of knowledge wasn't really needed.
It's a pretty hefty read at 576 pages, and I did think that even though the book was enjoyable, it really could have been a lot shorter and still had the same impact. I felt that the romances between characters were fairly irrelevant, particularly between the two investigators, and really didn't add much, if anything to the overall plot. It's almost as if it was added in to tick a box.
The book is divided up into the days of the crisis, and then each day is further divided into individual, and fairly short, chapters following each of our main players as they navigate that day. It kind of reminded me of the format 24 was filmed in, with Rob Tanner taking on the Jack Bauer role. This was a very clever way of packing a lot of information in without it being too overwhelming, and really adds to the intensity of the situation at hand - little bite size pieces of frantic activity.
Something else that really stood out about this book, was the inclusion of the actual segments of artwork referred to in the hackers emails. This gives the reader the visuals needed to understand the references without having to dip out of the book to go and research it. Also loved the addition of the Latin phrases and translations.
The big revelation around the middle was a bit of a shocker at first, but once I'd read the whole book I was kicking myself that I'd missed so many hints towards it.
My only gripe was that I really didn't like Rob Tanner! I found him a bit of a wet lettuce in all honesty, and the romance just further reinforced this opinion of him. He doesn't really seem to have any conviction in his own decisions, for example the first time Kellet fires him he is adamant he will never ever go back to the bank, yet he does, and multiple times!
Apart from the couple of mentioned little niggles, it is overall a really enjoyable read.
June 7, 2024
4.5 stars.
I had the opportunity to read a teaser of Zero Ri$k a few months back and it had me hooked! I was excited to read the full novel and find out more. It is set slightly in the future at over the Christmas of 2024.
Two days before Christmas and London’s National Bank is the victim of an unusual cyber attack. The book does go into a fair amount of detail and I must admit I am still rather confused by the meanings of the emails.
The book is so well written and it certainly doesn’t read like a debut. The book is a slow burn but the chapters are short and keep you interested and wanting to find out what will happen next.
I had no idea where the story was going to go and the twists and turns were completely unexpected!
Thank you to Literally PR for my gifted ebook and for having me on the tour.
I had the opportunity to read a teaser of Zero Ri$k a few months back and it had me hooked! I was excited to read the full novel and find out more. It is set slightly in the future at over the Christmas of 2024.
Two days before Christmas and London’s National Bank is the victim of an unusual cyber attack. The book does go into a fair amount of detail and I must admit I am still rather confused by the meanings of the emails.
The book is so well written and it certainly doesn’t read like a debut. The book is a slow burn but the chapters are short and keep you interested and wanting to find out what will happen next.
I had no idea where the story was going to go and the twists and turns were completely unexpected!
Thank you to Literally PR for my gifted ebook and for having me on the tour.
May 24, 2024
What happens if conservative politics, old-fashioned thinking and modern cyber-tech come together? I can assure you the result is nothing good. In the high-stakes, fast-paced thriller Zero Ri$k, by Simon Hayes, that's exactly what happens. I had the pleasure of reading this novel as an early reader, and I was captivated from beginning to end. Not only because it's well written, well researched story, but because of the terrifying realisation that this could genuinely happen in the real world. With our often "stuck in the mud" politics, and "this is how it's always been done" attitudes in several sectors, a cyber attacker with modern technology could easily sneak in to the system. This is a financial and political thriller with a lesson in morality.
Firstly, as a Londoner, I'm a sucker for London based stories. I know the locations, and can really visualise when reading, so this was one of the first attractions to this book for me. A good morality tale is also gripping - a story with a meaning and a real life lesson we can learn. I began to feel increasingly conflicted when reading this book - and couldn't help but empathise with the main antagonist at times (obviously, besides the law breaking). I don't want to reveal too much of the story, but the cyber-attacker is not your typical kind. When faced with belligerent, over-confident bankers, and old-fashioned conservative politicians, it's easy to see how something like this could happen.
Simon Hayes has his wish - I couldn't stop reading "just one more chapter" sitting in bed, especially towards the end. It has all of the twists and turns you imagine from a crime thriller, but with clever clues to solve, artistic and musical references, and a real roller-coaster ride. As a huge Blur fan, I couldn't help but love that particular reference. Are our current ways of thinking really Out of Time?
I think we all need to question who we trust, and what needs to change in our system. The people we put in charge need to be in tune with modern changes, technology and advances. They also need to be held accountable for their actions. Otherwise there could be more then a few zeros added to a few bank accounts.
In short, this is an extremely enjoyable and thrilling read, but with a serious undertone, and a huge .. WHAT IF?
Firstly, as a Londoner, I'm a sucker for London based stories. I know the locations, and can really visualise when reading, so this was one of the first attractions to this book for me. A good morality tale is also gripping - a story with a meaning and a real life lesson we can learn. I began to feel increasingly conflicted when reading this book - and couldn't help but empathise with the main antagonist at times (obviously, besides the law breaking). I don't want to reveal too much of the story, but the cyber-attacker is not your typical kind. When faced with belligerent, over-confident bankers, and old-fashioned conservative politicians, it's easy to see how something like this could happen.
Simon Hayes has his wish - I couldn't stop reading "just one more chapter" sitting in bed, especially towards the end. It has all of the twists and turns you imagine from a crime thriller, but with clever clues to solve, artistic and musical references, and a real roller-coaster ride. As a huge Blur fan, I couldn't help but love that particular reference. Are our current ways of thinking really Out of Time?
I think we all need to question who we trust, and what needs to change in our system. The people we put in charge need to be in tune with modern changes, technology and advances. They also need to be held accountable for their actions. Otherwise there could be more then a few zeros added to a few bank accounts.
In short, this is an extremely enjoyable and thrilling read, but with a serious undertone, and a huge .. WHAT IF?
June 7, 2024
Having been given the opportunity to read a teaser sample of Simon Hayes’, “Zero Ri$k” a few months ago and being hooked on the story, I couldn’t wait to read the whole book this week and I can confirm it was as exciting as I anticipated. Apart from the excitement, tension, mystery and a romantic element, this fictional story could scarily come true in this age of technology, with online banking and cyber securities being hacked and leaves you with a deep rooted fear of ‘what if this really happened?’ Makes you truly concerned about how safe your money is in financial institutions and how far could cyber terrorism go?
Set in London during Christmas time, this well thought out and executed global, financial thriller, portrays how our constant dependence on technology in our daily lives, whether it be for social or business is a risk. Using a unique modern premise of the seven deadly sins, this multi layered story is a race against time, before society as we know it disintegrates.
This is a ready made film script in the making and I can already see it being played out on the big screen. There’s so much going on, so many layers of tension and action, keeps you addicted from start to finish. With interesting main protagonists and side characters, all of who have detailed backstories, make this book so readable and considering the size of it, exceedingly good value for money.
For a debut novel, “Zero Ri$k” was pure excellence and it’s obvious the author has used his infinite knowledge of finance to write an intelligent, intriguing sharp edged thriller that immediately plunges into a breathless financial countdown. I reiterate my previous comment about this book being the ‘financial thriller of the year’ and as far as I’m concerned, the best I’ve ever read in this genre!
#ZeroRi$k - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Set in London during Christmas time, this well thought out and executed global, financial thriller, portrays how our constant dependence on technology in our daily lives, whether it be for social or business is a risk. Using a unique modern premise of the seven deadly sins, this multi layered story is a race against time, before society as we know it disintegrates.
This is a ready made film script in the making and I can already see it being played out on the big screen. There’s so much going on, so many layers of tension and action, keeps you addicted from start to finish. With interesting main protagonists and side characters, all of who have detailed backstories, make this book so readable and considering the size of it, exceedingly good value for money.
For a debut novel, “Zero Ri$k” was pure excellence and it’s obvious the author has used his infinite knowledge of finance to write an intelligent, intriguing sharp edged thriller that immediately plunges into a breathless financial countdown. I reiterate my previous comment about this book being the ‘financial thriller of the year’ and as far as I’m concerned, the best I’ve ever read in this genre!
#ZeroRi$k - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 8, 2024
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and independent voluntary review. Thank you to Simon Hayes and Literally PR for providing me with the opportunity to read this intriguing novel.
Imagine what would happen if your bank account gained an extra zero or two at Christmas…
This is a reality for many when the National Bank experiences a series of mysterious account glitches during Christmas 2024, leading to a thrilling chain of events. Exactly 1,001 accounts mysteriously increase tenfold. But then it keeps happening… again… and again…
As Chief Operating Officer Rob Tanner and his team race against time to unravel the cause behind the anomalies, the plot intensifies with each twist and turn as cryptic emails begin to arrive.
Tanner enlists a top American cyber security expert, Ashley Markham, to assist, but everything just keeps getting worse.
Despite not being my typical genre of choice, I found Zero Ri$k to be a gripping financial, political thriller.
I particularly enjoyed the challenge of deciphering the cryptic emails and playing along with the unfolding mystery, adding an interactive element to the reading experience that kept me fully engaged.
Simon Hayes' background in finance shines through in the intricate details of the story, yet the plot remains accessible and engaging.
The debut’s dark atmosphere, combined with its fast-paced narrative and well-developed characters, kept me thoroughly engrossed throughout its length.
Fans of suspenseful thrillers, particularly those by authors like Dan Brown, will find Zero Ri$k to be a compelling read.
Imagine what would happen if your bank account gained an extra zero or two at Christmas…
This is a reality for many when the National Bank experiences a series of mysterious account glitches during Christmas 2024, leading to a thrilling chain of events. Exactly 1,001 accounts mysteriously increase tenfold. But then it keeps happening… again… and again…
As Chief Operating Officer Rob Tanner and his team race against time to unravel the cause behind the anomalies, the plot intensifies with each twist and turn as cryptic emails begin to arrive.
Tanner enlists a top American cyber security expert, Ashley Markham, to assist, but everything just keeps getting worse.
Despite not being my typical genre of choice, I found Zero Ri$k to be a gripping financial, political thriller.
I particularly enjoyed the challenge of deciphering the cryptic emails and playing along with the unfolding mystery, adding an interactive element to the reading experience that kept me fully engaged.
Simon Hayes' background in finance shines through in the intricate details of the story, yet the plot remains accessible and engaging.
The debut’s dark atmosphere, combined with its fast-paced narrative and well-developed characters, kept me thoroughly engrossed throughout its length.
Fans of suspenseful thrillers, particularly those by authors like Dan Brown, will find Zero Ri$k to be a compelling read.
June 6, 2024
A fascinating look at the collision of finance, politics, and cyber-terrorism amongst moral dilemmas, choices and their far-reaching consequences. It’s clever, compelling, and terrifyingly believable raising important questions about modern society in a hugely entertaining way. The suspense was palpable, I was gripped throughout!
Hayes’s character depiction is spot on, they are authentically crafted with complex pasts, morally grey behaviours, and their development arc gives a meaningful and empathetic connection with the reader. I loved the way they pull together in such dire circumstances, although we wonder who can be trusted? Who’s doing the right thing and who’s got ulterior motives? The story is superbly plotted capturing our dependence on technology and the devastation it can unleash perfectly. It kept me on tenterhooks with no idea how everything was going to play out!
As the tense storyline unravels there are cryptic clues and riddles to solve, the unspooling of dark secrets, and unexpected alliances forged. The emails worked brilliantly with an intriguing take on the seven deadly sins raising so many questions as we try to work out the who and the why! The escalation is done well and the sense of urgency created is tangible propelling the story forward at a great pace. The global scale of the problem was vividly brought to life and staggering to see in a taut play by play, it feels as though events are unfolding in real time.
Zero Ri$k is a terrific debut that will have you wondering what if?
With thanks to @literallypr and @mySimonHayes for my place on the Tour.
Hayes’s character depiction is spot on, they are authentically crafted with complex pasts, morally grey behaviours, and their development arc gives a meaningful and empathetic connection with the reader. I loved the way they pull together in such dire circumstances, although we wonder who can be trusted? Who’s doing the right thing and who’s got ulterior motives? The story is superbly plotted capturing our dependence on technology and the devastation it can unleash perfectly. It kept me on tenterhooks with no idea how everything was going to play out!
As the tense storyline unravels there are cryptic clues and riddles to solve, the unspooling of dark secrets, and unexpected alliances forged. The emails worked brilliantly with an intriguing take on the seven deadly sins raising so many questions as we try to work out the who and the why! The escalation is done well and the sense of urgency created is tangible propelling the story forward at a great pace. The global scale of the problem was vividly brought to life and staggering to see in a taut play by play, it feels as though events are unfolding in real time.
Zero Ri$k is a terrific debut that will have you wondering what if?
With thanks to @literallypr and @mySimonHayes for my place on the Tour.
December 13, 2024
A political/financial thriller but there’s so much more to it than just that. A computer hacker is intent on bringing down the British banking system and along with it the government in the search for truth. What would you do if one day your bank account balance had a zero added to it by person or persons unknown and this is repeated the next day and the next? A real conundrum for the banking world especially as all the clues given by the hacker are cryptic references to a Hieronymus Bosch depiction of the seven deadly sins.
This is a real rollercoaster of a story, the pace never lets up. It’s a cat and mouse chase and a race against time. Cleverly plotted and written, it’s thought provoking and entertaining. I was gripped from beginning to end. I do love a puzzle! With some great, well rounded and fun characters as well an intriguing storyline, it makes for a fantastic read. I read this book via the Pigeonhole app, one stave a day over twelve days, and eagerly awaited each stave. It’s a long one but I can highly recommend it. It will keep you up to the wee small hours wanting to know what happens next.
This is a real rollercoaster of a story, the pace never lets up. It’s a cat and mouse chase and a race against time. Cleverly plotted and written, it’s thought provoking and entertaining. I was gripped from beginning to end. I do love a puzzle! With some great, well rounded and fun characters as well an intriguing storyline, it makes for a fantastic read. I read this book via the Pigeonhole app, one stave a day over twelve days, and eagerly awaited each stave. It’s a long one but I can highly recommend it. It will keep you up to the wee small hours wanting to know what happens next.
November 30, 2024
This was so much more than I expected. It gripped me from page one, and I was completely hooked all the way through. The story focuses on a cyber-attack on one of the main banks in England over the Christmas holiday. Suddenly, the poorest in the nation started seeing their bank accounts increasing tenfold. Tanner has to use his wits to find out who is responsible whilst also restoring order before things reach cataclysmic levels.
The author writes the character so well that each has their own believable voice, and they feel so well observed. As with all good books, we have the villains and the good guys. It becomes a real cat and mouse chase.
The plot is brilliantly written and has a complexity that I loved. The book is long, but it doesn't feel like a long book as the action and tension increase throughout the book. There are secrets and revelations galore.
The book also has a great message about modern society and our sinful ways of life that have become the acceptable norm. It holds up a mirror to the best and worst of modern life.
I highly recommend if you like a tense action-packed thriller, with complex clues and a race in time to solve the puzzle with high steaks. It was right up my street, I'm only sad it is over.
With thanks to the author, the publisher, and Love Books Tours for providing a copy of the book. This is my honest review which I'm leaving voluntarily.
The author writes the character so well that each has their own believable voice, and they feel so well observed. As with all good books, we have the villains and the good guys. It becomes a real cat and mouse chase.
The plot is brilliantly written and has a complexity that I loved. The book is long, but it doesn't feel like a long book as the action and tension increase throughout the book. There are secrets and revelations galore.
The book also has a great message about modern society and our sinful ways of life that have become the acceptable norm. It holds up a mirror to the best and worst of modern life.
I highly recommend if you like a tense action-packed thriller, with complex clues and a race in time to solve the puzzle with high steaks. It was right up my street, I'm only sad it is over.
With thanks to the author, the publisher, and Love Books Tours for providing a copy of the book. This is my honest review which I'm leaving voluntarily.
December 3, 2024
This chunker of a book came in at over 550 pages and I have to say I was hooked.
Jumping across genres and adding several twists into the mix, this was such an interesting read
Part financial thriller, part cyber mystery, and add in a mix of romance and intriguing characters. Lots of moral dilemmas and political intrigue too.
I really liked the family angle back story of the MMC Rob and how it entwined with the Christmas period chaos of the cyber banking attack.
This book was cleverly written, the mystery of who the baddie was revealed around halfway through, and then it took on a different angel which I'm still not sure I'm OK with (no spoilers so being vague)
I actually figured out quite early on who it was, but then kept second guessing myself and was engrossed in seeing if I was right.
This was a really good read. 5 stars because it was so multi layered and I loved the characters. Definitely keen to see more from this author
I was gifted a copy of this by Love Book Tours. All thoughts are my own
Jumping across genres and adding several twists into the mix, this was such an interesting read
Part financial thriller, part cyber mystery, and add in a mix of romance and intriguing characters. Lots of moral dilemmas and political intrigue too.
I really liked the family angle back story of the MMC Rob and how it entwined with the Christmas period chaos of the cyber banking attack.
This book was cleverly written, the mystery of who the baddie was revealed around halfway through, and then it took on a different angel which I'm still not sure I'm OK with (no spoilers so being vague)
I actually figured out quite early on who it was, but then kept second guessing myself and was engrossed in seeing if I was right.
This was a really good read. 5 stars because it was so multi layered and I loved the characters. Definitely keen to see more from this author
I was gifted a copy of this by Love Book Tours. All thoughts are my own
February 9, 2025
I really enjoyed this book, it grabs your attention right from the start and keeps you guessing. It's a long novel and occasionally drifts into some clichés, but it's highly entertaining. I liked how it made me think about the risks of financial systems and their weaknesses, particularly human weaknesses. The ending left some questions hanging, like what happened with the revolutionary computing idea? It would have been satisfying to hear more about Martin Kellet's demise, he faded out of the story quite suddenly. Overall, it's a thoroughly entertaining yarn.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2024
I was lucky to get hold of this book earlier this month and I have to admit: I forgot when was the last time I enjoyed reading a book that much. In the sea of thrillers about serial killers and disappearing people, I was pleasantly surprised to read something completely different. It is a financial thriller which is easy to follow, believable, and has great characters which you love or hate, but certainly not indifferent to. The story is multi-faceted and one can't help but think that it really can happen in real life which makes it even more gripping.
Simon Hayes is an eloquent writer. The book is well-written, with short chapters and great dialogues. There are few intellectual puzzles which are fun, and most importantly the story is full of unpredictable twists and turns which makes you keep guessing.. It is a thriller about the complexity and unpredictability of the modern world; it elegantly reminds us of important values and there is a great romance story there as well.
It will make great Netlix series!
Simon Hayes is an eloquent writer. The book is well-written, with short chapters and great dialogues. There are few intellectual puzzles which are fun, and most importantly the story is full of unpredictable twists and turns which makes you keep guessing.. It is a thriller about the complexity and unpredictability of the modern world; it elegantly reminds us of important values and there is a great romance story there as well.
It will make great Netlix series!
November 28, 2024
Superb cyber thriller. It shows just how dependent we are on money, though we have none in our pocket. Just a little bit of plastic that's open to misuse, hackers and the wonderful world of technology. How we can be brought to our knees. Not just as individuals but as nations. What if this little piece of plastic has built in lies. Recommended
December 13, 2024
Once a year a book comes along that blows you away and for 2024 this was that book. It had me hooked from the first page. Great characters and some of the most awful characters make this book unputdownable. I will be recommending this to friends and family.
Thanks to Simon Hayes and Pigeonhole for such a great read.
Thanks to Simon Hayes and Pigeonhole for such a great read.
January 3, 2025
I initially wanted to rate this 3.5⭐️, but on second thought I amended my rating to 4⭐️
This book is a gripping and intricate cyber security terrorist style book, which makes you question how easily our lives could be turned upside down by hackers, especially as it's set in December 2024, giving it a current day feel.
The first 2/3 of this book was very gripping and I loved the premise of it, but it dragged on a bit and the end was a bit anticlimactic and left a few loose ends. However, this was a debut book which in itself is very impressive given the writing style and attention to detail.
This book is a gripping and intricate cyber security terrorist style book, which makes you question how easily our lives could be turned upside down by hackers, especially as it's set in December 2024, giving it a current day feel.
The first 2/3 of this book was very gripping and I loved the premise of it, but it dragged on a bit and the end was a bit anticlimactic and left a few loose ends. However, this was a debut book which in itself is very impressive given the writing style and attention to detail.
May 27, 2024
It's two days before Christmas, and London's National Bank suffers an unusual cyber attack. Bizzarely, accounts have their balances increased tenfold; and this is just the beginning. This is a headache COO Rob Tanner can do without. With the help of US cyber security expert Ashley Markham and others in a multi-layered, race against time thriller, Rob seeks to save the UK economy before all hell breaks lose.
After reading an early teaser of Zero Ri$k at Christmas, I'd been so looking forward to discovering what happens next in this gripping page-turner. With its simple yet highly effective 'Black Swan' premise and a wealth of characters that really get under your skin - for better or worse, Zero Ri$k is not only a whodunit, but a why, how, where and whendunit too! I worked out the who very early on, but the author's clever attention to detail and intelligent writing held my interest and kept me intrigued, and their identity is revealed at around 50% - followed by a glorious game of cat and mouse.
Particularly sharp and relevant are the political and moral points raised and the questions around our reliance on technology. Loss, loneliness, and the struggle to find love are sensitively and emotively captured by the characters. This book covers a lot of ground, but doesn't feel rushed, and it doesn't read to me like a debut.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Literally PR for providing an eARC; this is my unbiased review.
After reading an early teaser of Zero Ri$k at Christmas, I'd been so looking forward to discovering what happens next in this gripping page-turner. With its simple yet highly effective 'Black Swan' premise and a wealth of characters that really get under your skin - for better or worse, Zero Ri$k is not only a whodunit, but a why, how, where and whendunit too! I worked out the who very early on, but the author's clever attention to detail and intelligent writing held my interest and kept me intrigued, and their identity is revealed at around 50% - followed by a glorious game of cat and mouse.
Particularly sharp and relevant are the political and moral points raised and the questions around our reliance on technology. Loss, loneliness, and the struggle to find love are sensitively and emotively captured by the characters. This book covers a lot of ground, but doesn't feel rushed, and it doesn't read to me like a debut.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Literally PR for providing an eARC; this is my unbiased review.
June 12, 2024
’ Zero Risk’ by Simon Hayes is one of my best reads so far this year.
“When customer complaints on Christmas Eve about tenfold inflated bank balances herald not early gifts, nor a botched system upgrade, but the most sophisticated cyber-attack in history, new National Bank CEO Rob Tanner finds himself in the eye of a “Black Swan” storm no one predicted, but anyone could have anticipated.“
This book is utterly addictive and I could not put it down!
The story is well paced and there is action around every corner.
I love how all the characters develop, even the characters you are not meant to like.
This book is written to grab you immediately and make you want to read on. I have not read a book this compelling for a while!
Highly recommended!
Thanks to author and publisher for allowing me to be part of blog tour for this book.
“When customer complaints on Christmas Eve about tenfold inflated bank balances herald not early gifts, nor a botched system upgrade, but the most sophisticated cyber-attack in history, new National Bank CEO Rob Tanner finds himself in the eye of a “Black Swan” storm no one predicted, but anyone could have anticipated.“
This book is utterly addictive and I could not put it down!
The story is well paced and there is action around every corner.
I love how all the characters develop, even the characters you are not meant to like.
This book is written to grab you immediately and make you want to read on. I have not read a book this compelling for a while!
Highly recommended!
Thanks to author and publisher for allowing me to be part of blog tour for this book.
October 20, 2024
This is an astonishing piece of work for a debut piece of fiction. I think crime thriller fans will absolutely love this.
Finance isn't exactly a thrilling world for me, so it did take me a little time to get into this. There's also A LOT going on from the off and various people to get to know, so it did take a while for me to warm up, but once I did, I was hooked.
I loved all the mystery, intrigue, hatred for particular characters, and emotional warmth for others.
The tale spawns over 10 days, though we learn it's really been building for years. I really enjoyed learning the background of Joen and Gérard - who quickly became a favourite of mine.
There's also some triggers touched upon that folk might not be expecting, so be mindful of that. These topics include, but are not limited to, childhood death, rape, abortion and bribery.
There are many pop culture references, cryptic religious, and historical clues. It really intrigued me to see these and try to guess patterns myself.
This is a book that will, at times, make you think. It will make you evaluate your position on good versus bad. It may cause political debate between readers. Ultimately, it's a book I hope isn't prophetic!
Well written, intriguing, and full of suspense. I hope there's more to come from this author.
Finance isn't exactly a thrilling world for me, so it did take me a little time to get into this. There's also A LOT going on from the off and various people to get to know, so it did take a while for me to warm up, but once I did, I was hooked.
I loved all the mystery, intrigue, hatred for particular characters, and emotional warmth for others.
The tale spawns over 10 days, though we learn it's really been building for years. I really enjoyed learning the background of Joen and Gérard - who quickly became a favourite of mine.
There's also some triggers touched upon that folk might not be expecting, so be mindful of that. These topics include, but are not limited to, childhood death, rape, abortion and bribery.
There are many pop culture references, cryptic religious, and historical clues. It really intrigued me to see these and try to guess patterns myself.
This is a book that will, at times, make you think. It will make you evaluate your position on good versus bad. It may cause political debate between readers. Ultimately, it's a book I hope isn't prophetic!
Well written, intriguing, and full of suspense. I hope there's more to come from this author.
July 4, 2024
WOW, WOW, WOW, What can I say about this absolutely gripping, engrossing 564 page read? Except to say grab a copy and read it, you will not be disappointed. It’s a chunky read but as you get further pulled in the pages turn faster, thinking, I will just read one more chapter, then another and before you know it it’s the middle of the night.
Set in London,the chapters are short, as they jump from different characters and what they are doing at the time, or in the early pages as the reader learns a little about the background of some of the characters.
I know sometimes when you see politics and banking fiction you may think it will be dry and boring. BUT this is far from that. This whole book will have you engrossed in each twist and turn. There are many of those. Like a rollercoaster ride.
June 2016, The National Bank is having there weekly meeting of FROG better known as the Financial Risk Operations Group. Everyone is shuffling paper’s not daring to look at the Chief Risk Officer, Martin Kellett, or better known as ‘the toad’ by his subordinates. In this meeting is a young Holly Brand, a bright computer genius, nervously waiting to have her turn to speak. When that happens, and she tells and shows Kellett and the other members around the table what she has found. She is dismissed by ‘the toad’ and told she will never find a job in any of the banks again.
The story begins 8 years later Christmas 2024, everyone looking forward to the Christmas celebrations. The snow is falling. But when Rob Tanner gets a call from the bank, it seems his Christmas will be cancelled along with a few others. Even Martin Kellett (also known as ‘the toad’) Rob’s boss has to fly back from Switzerland much to his disgust. Someone has hacked into the bank. Just moving a few zero’s round, but when it happens again and again, it’s clear whoever is behind it means business. Rob can’t help but remember the warning Holly Brand had given 8 years earlier, she had warned them there was a weakness in the security but no one had listened.
What is so thought provoking about this story is it could happen, with countries and people relying more and more on computers, what if someone was clever enough to hack into the bank, or all banks and move money around? Do we rely too much on technology?
Throughout the story there are cryptic clues sent out, along with small parts of paintings by Hieronymous Bosch, each part showing one of the seven deadly sins. Along with a bible quote, or song lyrics. I loved trying to work out some of the clues or seeing how the author had made them work. Forget The Da Vinci Code, this is a book you need to read if you like puzzles, if you like to try and work out who is doing what. Is this the work of an organised group? Or could it be one person? No one knows. Except to follow the clues.
I loved the characters in this, Rob Tanner and his complex relationship with his father. Ashley Markham as she works with others at the bank to try and see what or how the cyber attack has happened. All of the characters are well crafted, they are believable. Some likeable some not so.
This is definitely a story of our time, a story of morality, about being honest and faithful. A time when politicians should start adapting to the times we live in. We need to know who we can trust and not trust. Everyone should be accountable for their actions. Scammers constantly trying to take your money, and getting more and more clever at it.
I was so engrossed in the characters and everything going on, I knew how I wanted things to end. I thought I had an idea what was going to happen, but I got it wrong. This book has it all love, loss, betrayal, redemption. An outstanding debut ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ definitely in my top ten reads this year may even be my top read.
Set in London,the chapters are short, as they jump from different characters and what they are doing at the time, or in the early pages as the reader learns a little about the background of some of the characters.
I know sometimes when you see politics and banking fiction you may think it will be dry and boring. BUT this is far from that. This whole book will have you engrossed in each twist and turn. There are many of those. Like a rollercoaster ride.
June 2016, The National Bank is having there weekly meeting of FROG better known as the Financial Risk Operations Group. Everyone is shuffling paper’s not daring to look at the Chief Risk Officer, Martin Kellett, or better known as ‘the toad’ by his subordinates. In this meeting is a young Holly Brand, a bright computer genius, nervously waiting to have her turn to speak. When that happens, and she tells and shows Kellett and the other members around the table what she has found. She is dismissed by ‘the toad’ and told she will never find a job in any of the banks again.
The story begins 8 years later Christmas 2024, everyone looking forward to the Christmas celebrations. The snow is falling. But when Rob Tanner gets a call from the bank, it seems his Christmas will be cancelled along with a few others. Even Martin Kellett (also known as ‘the toad’) Rob’s boss has to fly back from Switzerland much to his disgust. Someone has hacked into the bank. Just moving a few zero’s round, but when it happens again and again, it’s clear whoever is behind it means business. Rob can’t help but remember the warning Holly Brand had given 8 years earlier, she had warned them there was a weakness in the security but no one had listened.
What is so thought provoking about this story is it could happen, with countries and people relying more and more on computers, what if someone was clever enough to hack into the bank, or all banks and move money around? Do we rely too much on technology?
Throughout the story there are cryptic clues sent out, along with small parts of paintings by Hieronymous Bosch, each part showing one of the seven deadly sins. Along with a bible quote, or song lyrics. I loved trying to work out some of the clues or seeing how the author had made them work. Forget The Da Vinci Code, this is a book you need to read if you like puzzles, if you like to try and work out who is doing what. Is this the work of an organised group? Or could it be one person? No one knows. Except to follow the clues.
I loved the characters in this, Rob Tanner and his complex relationship with his father. Ashley Markham as she works with others at the bank to try and see what or how the cyber attack has happened. All of the characters are well crafted, they are believable. Some likeable some not so.
This is definitely a story of our time, a story of morality, about being honest and faithful. A time when politicians should start adapting to the times we live in. We need to know who we can trust and not trust. Everyone should be accountable for their actions. Scammers constantly trying to take your money, and getting more and more clever at it.
I was so engrossed in the characters and everything going on, I knew how I wanted things to end. I thought I had an idea what was going to happen, but I got it wrong. This book has it all love, loss, betrayal, redemption. An outstanding debut ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ definitely in my top ten reads this year may even be my top read.
May 29, 2024
A financial thriller which will have the reader guessing along with the protagonist, Zero Ri$k is a completely original novel.
As well as being a fun and thrilling read (especially when the protagonist starts having to unpick cryptic, art- and pop-culture-laden emails from the 'bad guy'), Simon Hayes' debut also poses enormous questions about morality, sin, and the financial system upon which we so greatly depend. The nightmare scenario explored in this novel is surely one which keeps the heads of major real-world banks up at night, and that's part of what makes the premise so disconcerting.
As a thriller that thrills and a novel that's truly novel, Zero Ri$k delivers on all its promises - and that's why there's zero risk in picking up a copy and discovering it for yourself.
As well as being a fun and thrilling read (especially when the protagonist starts having to unpick cryptic, art- and pop-culture-laden emails from the 'bad guy'), Simon Hayes' debut also poses enormous questions about morality, sin, and the financial system upon which we so greatly depend. The nightmare scenario explored in this novel is surely one which keeps the heads of major real-world banks up at night, and that's part of what makes the premise so disconcerting.
As a thriller that thrills and a novel that's truly novel, Zero Ri$k delivers on all its promises - and that's why there's zero risk in picking up a copy and discovering it for yourself.
June 3, 2024
Brilliant financial thriller set in London - can a computer hack destroy the world as we know it? A clever plot with many twists.
May 17, 2024
If you read one thriller this year, read this one. I had heard a lot of good things about this book before I read it. Those comments were right. This is a fast paced thriller with complex parts and at times a soft centre. I liked the plot, and especially the portrayal of the main characters. The frightening thing I suppose is that this could actually be a non-fiction story being broadcast on TV news in real life. Thank you to Rubriqs Press Ltd and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.
November 22, 2024
Every so often, a book comes along that I think will be pretty good - and then it totally blows me away!!
This is (another) one of those times!
When this book arrived, I have to admit to having a slight panic!
It's certainly a chunky old thing - but honestly, I could not put this down - and now I've reached the end, I'm totally waiting for more .....
There is just so much going on in this book that it's really hard to know where to start!?
I was totally hooked from the first few chapters.
These showed a very real cyber threat risk at one of the major banks in the UK and having worked in banking myself (many years ago) this really got me thinking straight away!
Could this really happen?
The ensuing story really does get you thinking ....and worrying about it's potential.
The way the storyline develops, takes the reader in multiple directions as the different officials navigate the implications of the events - for their positions in business and for them personally.
There are a lot of characters to keep track of, but I actually found it really easy to follow and it soon becomes clear who the main players will be.
I worked out the hacker quite early on, but as I read on and discovered that I was right, this "who" seemed quite secondary to the overall intricate storyline.
I loved all the clues and coded messages - not that I could have worked them out myself - but watching the characters work through each one was fascinating.
These worked brilliantly within the plot and must have taken the author so long to plan out each one (especially to fit them all together over the whole)
This was a masterpiece from start to finish and if we can just talk about this ending....what on earth!!
I can't believe we're left hanging and I really, really hope that book 2 is already in progress and that I won't have to wait too long before I can read more......I'm obsessed!
This is (another) one of those times!
When this book arrived, I have to admit to having a slight panic!
It's certainly a chunky old thing - but honestly, I could not put this down - and now I've reached the end, I'm totally waiting for more .....
There is just so much going on in this book that it's really hard to know where to start!?
I was totally hooked from the first few chapters.
These showed a very real cyber threat risk at one of the major banks in the UK and having worked in banking myself (many years ago) this really got me thinking straight away!
Could this really happen?
The ensuing story really does get you thinking ....and worrying about it's potential.
The way the storyline develops, takes the reader in multiple directions as the different officials navigate the implications of the events - for their positions in business and for them personally.
There are a lot of characters to keep track of, but I actually found it really easy to follow and it soon becomes clear who the main players will be.
I worked out the hacker quite early on, but as I read on and discovered that I was right, this "who" seemed quite secondary to the overall intricate storyline.
I loved all the clues and coded messages - not that I could have worked them out myself - but watching the characters work through each one was fascinating.
These worked brilliantly within the plot and must have taken the author so long to plan out each one (especially to fit them all together over the whole)
This was a masterpiece from start to finish and if we can just talk about this ending....what on earth!!
I can't believe we're left hanging and I really, really hope that book 2 is already in progress and that I won't have to wait too long before I can read more......I'm obsessed!
July 21, 2024
I would like to thank the author Simon Hayes, the Rubriqs Press, and NetGallery for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
There is an SNL skit that perfectly captures the basic function of a bank, which is to keep track of each customer’s money. The skit opens with a banker, in quintessential attire, addressing a boardroom full of employees and imparting his wisdom, while Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” plays in the background. “We will make a list of our clients” the banker explains “and how much money each of them has given us to invest. We will keep this list in a safe place. If we have time, we will make a copy of the list, in case something happens to the first list.” And he continues looking meaningfully at each and every one, “We must take special care of the list with each client’s name and the amount of money he has invested. If we were to lose that list, we would be ruined.” And without missing a bit, “If my wife calls while I’m in shagging my secretary, tell her I am at a board meeting. That way I will be able to continue shagging my secretary, without my wife knowing about it.”[*]
Martin “The Toad” Kellett, the Chief Risk Officer at the National Bank ‒one of the UK’s largest banks‒ may not have been shagging his secretary, literally at least, but this is his mentalité towards his employees and other people in general. When a young employee exposes a vulnerability in the bank’s cybersecurity system and manages to hack into Kellett’s bank account during a meeting, instead of being applauded, she gets fired and drummed out of the City. Kellett’s ego, his arrogance, his greed, and belligerence will set in motion a sequence of events that will threaten to ruin the economy of the United Kingdom. Because, as will become apparent eight years later, the young employee was right.
The premise of the book is fascinating. What would happen if the list were lost? Or to be more accurate, what would happen if zeros were added to the accounts of some customers. Instead of a typical bank heist (such as the one-billion-dollar heist North Korea almost pulled off a couple of years ago), where customers and the bank are losing money, in Zero Ri$k the customers are watching their balances getting inflated. This of course means that only the bank is losing money. Considering that very few banks and bankers were punished for the financial crisis of 2008, it is an attractive idea.
A brilliant hacker with the nom de guerre Joen van Acken has found a way to evade the sophisticated cybersecurity of the National Bank and starts making changes to the bank accounts of the customers. The event is so unprecedented that it could justifiably be described as a “Black Swan” (nice cover by the way!). Rob Tanner, the Chief Operating Officer of the bank, learns on December 23rd that the balance of a thousand and one bank accounts has been increased tenfold. Despite the objections of Kellett, who thinks that this is an isolated event that will be sorted-out quickly, Tanner enlists the help of a top cybersecurity expert, Ashley Markham. Together they will try to solve the puzzle of the attack in a race against time. And Tanner will be proven right, this was only the beginning. The changes to the bank accounts continue, and they spread to more accounts, and to other UK banks. They are accompanied by cryptic emails, taunting Kellett, Tanner, and others, with obscure references to art and popular culture and with references to Hieronymus Bosch’s representation of the seven deadly sins. “A cryptic soup of threat and menace,” as one character put it. [Not so much of a spoiler, but for those readers who want to start early and try to solve the puzzle themselves, there is a common thread that links all the emails.]
As I said, the main idea is fascinating, but I have two major issues with the execution, which explain the three stars. My first issue is the depiction of the characters. They all sounded the same to me even though each had their own backstory. This probably has to do with the voice of the narrator which overshadows every other voice in the book. Also, for some reason, I could not care for any of them, so I did not feel invested in what happened to them.
My second issue has to do with the length of the book. Do not get me wrong, I have read William L. Shirer’s The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. So, it is not the length per se, but the length in combination with the lack of suspense. For me, the story was predictable, so not much came as a surprise and I got a bit bored. Furthermore, I think that this book was in need of editing. There were too many awkward dialogues, unnecessary descriptions and details that did not offer anything and made the narrative bloated.
Take the following description, for example:
“Trapped in an unbreakable headlock of heavy yellow PVC, the fight drained from Tanner.”
Or this one:
“Chest heaving, he dragged himself to his feet, via his knees.” (emphasis my own) Who cares about this detail in general but especially during one of the most stressful moments of the book? Who needs to know this and why? The same could be asked for many other things that could have been omitted to make the narrative tighter.
Judging by the four- and five-star reviews, I am in the minority here. Despite my criticism and personal preferences though, I do think that Zero Ri$k is a solid debut novel that many will enjoy. With all the cyberattacks that have been happening over the last few years, the subject of the book is timely and thought-provoking. It makes you think about how precarious the systems we have built our lives on are, and how vulnerable we are to cyberattacks that could target one sector and, because everything is connected, affect or cause the collapse of others. Finally, I do agree with other reviewers on one thing: I would love to see this book as a mini-series!
[*] I owe the reference to this SNL skit to Zeke Faux’s Number Go Up.
There is an SNL skit that perfectly captures the basic function of a bank, which is to keep track of each customer’s money. The skit opens with a banker, in quintessential attire, addressing a boardroom full of employees and imparting his wisdom, while Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” plays in the background. “We will make a list of our clients” the banker explains “and how much money each of them has given us to invest. We will keep this list in a safe place. If we have time, we will make a copy of the list, in case something happens to the first list.” And he continues looking meaningfully at each and every one, “We must take special care of the list with each client’s name and the amount of money he has invested. If we were to lose that list, we would be ruined.” And without missing a bit, “If my wife calls while I’m in shagging my secretary, tell her I am at a board meeting. That way I will be able to continue shagging my secretary, without my wife knowing about it.”[*]
Martin “The Toad” Kellett, the Chief Risk Officer at the National Bank ‒one of the UK’s largest banks‒ may not have been shagging his secretary, literally at least, but this is his mentalité towards his employees and other people in general. When a young employee exposes a vulnerability in the bank’s cybersecurity system and manages to hack into Kellett’s bank account during a meeting, instead of being applauded, she gets fired and drummed out of the City. Kellett’s ego, his arrogance, his greed, and belligerence will set in motion a sequence of events that will threaten to ruin the economy of the United Kingdom. Because, as will become apparent eight years later, the young employee was right.
The premise of the book is fascinating. What would happen if the list were lost? Or to be more accurate, what would happen if zeros were added to the accounts of some customers. Instead of a typical bank heist (such as the one-billion-dollar heist North Korea almost pulled off a couple of years ago), where customers and the bank are losing money, in Zero Ri$k the customers are watching their balances getting inflated. This of course means that only the bank is losing money. Considering that very few banks and bankers were punished for the financial crisis of 2008, it is an attractive idea.
A brilliant hacker with the nom de guerre Joen van Acken has found a way to evade the sophisticated cybersecurity of the National Bank and starts making changes to the bank accounts of the customers. The event is so unprecedented that it could justifiably be described as a “Black Swan” (nice cover by the way!). Rob Tanner, the Chief Operating Officer of the bank, learns on December 23rd that the balance of a thousand and one bank accounts has been increased tenfold. Despite the objections of Kellett, who thinks that this is an isolated event that will be sorted-out quickly, Tanner enlists the help of a top cybersecurity expert, Ashley Markham. Together they will try to solve the puzzle of the attack in a race against time. And Tanner will be proven right, this was only the beginning. The changes to the bank accounts continue, and they spread to more accounts, and to other UK banks. They are accompanied by cryptic emails, taunting Kellett, Tanner, and others, with obscure references to art and popular culture and with references to Hieronymus Bosch’s representation of the seven deadly sins. “A cryptic soup of threat and menace,” as one character put it. [Not so much of a spoiler, but for those readers who want to start early and try to solve the puzzle themselves, there is a common thread that links all the emails.]
As I said, the main idea is fascinating, but I have two major issues with the execution, which explain the three stars. My first issue is the depiction of the characters. They all sounded the same to me even though each had their own backstory. This probably has to do with the voice of the narrator which overshadows every other voice in the book. Also, for some reason, I could not care for any of them, so I did not feel invested in what happened to them.
My second issue has to do with the length of the book. Do not get me wrong, I have read William L. Shirer’s The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. So, it is not the length per se, but the length in combination with the lack of suspense. For me, the story was predictable, so not much came as a surprise and I got a bit bored. Furthermore, I think that this book was in need of editing. There were too many awkward dialogues, unnecessary descriptions and details that did not offer anything and made the narrative bloated.
Take the following description, for example:
“Trapped in an unbreakable headlock of heavy yellow PVC, the fight drained from Tanner.”
Or this one:
“Chest heaving, he dragged himself to his feet, via his knees.” (emphasis my own) Who cares about this detail in general but especially during one of the most stressful moments of the book? Who needs to know this and why? The same could be asked for many other things that could have been omitted to make the narrative tighter.
Judging by the four- and five-star reviews, I am in the minority here. Despite my criticism and personal preferences though, I do think that Zero Ri$k is a solid debut novel that many will enjoy. With all the cyberattacks that have been happening over the last few years, the subject of the book is timely and thought-provoking. It makes you think about how precarious the systems we have built our lives on are, and how vulnerable we are to cyberattacks that could target one sector and, because everything is connected, affect or cause the collapse of others. Finally, I do agree with other reviewers on one thing: I would love to see this book as a mini-series!
[*] I owe the reference to this SNL skit to Zeke Faux’s Number Go Up.
July 17, 2024
[Cross-posted from: Cozy with Books]
Disclaimer: An e-copy of this book was provided to me as part of the blog tour. This does not impact the review and all opinions are my own. Thank you to the author, Simon Hayes, and the LitPR team for the copy!
Imagine waking up to your account with an extra zero. Great, right? It’s like a nice little Christmas gift from the banks. Except, you know banks aren’t so generous with such things…so it must be a glitch? Go figures, big companies tend to bug out every now and then. I mean, what a hell of a glitch, but hey! Big companies mean big IT teams so you’re sure that before your Keurig even finishes pumping out your lifeblood, everything will be all fixed and dandy for the holiday break. But what if it doesn’t get fixed? What if it’s the beginning of a crisis that brings the UK’s financial systems down to their knees.
Ten days…the clock starts ticking…Christmas Eve or rather, the beginning of the end.
A computer genius presents to the room a fatal flaw in the security system. Her efforts are thanked and rewarded by being ignored, threatened with legal action, and then fired in front of everyone. A haunting prologue and a forewarning of things to come. Because when things have been running on peeling plasters for ages and ages, eventually the dam will crack open. Duct tape can only do so much.
Zero Ri$k is incredibly well-written. The story opens up with an ominous warning before it gets ignored, and forgotten for years. Not even. It’s practically buried and hidden away. Nobody outside the meeting room shall know of this demonstration. The fear and tension in the room are palpable. Being early to meetings means that there tends to be some idle mingling and small-talk, but there’s no “Hi Bob, sure is cold today,” here. Even without Martin Kellett’s, the Toad, presence, the room is pin-drop silent and the story’s tone is set. The atmosphere was perfect from the beginning of the book and no scene, after, was short of intense emotions that leaked right through the pages, sending shivers up my spine. The overwhelming pressure of upper management and board. That was just the beginning. Just the prologue!
Throughout the book, this never subsides. Whether it was another email from the anonymous perpetrator, resulting in everyone’s blood running cold, or the intimacy of two characters, you feel it all as the reader. The urgency and desperation of the crisis and events, the panic of characters that lead straight to your own spike in adrenaline and fears. Engaging, engrossing, and compelling; this is certainly a book you pick up and forget the world around you exists because you’re right there with the characters through all of it.
And it’s not just the atmosphere and tone either, the characters are gold by themselves. Be warned, there are quite a number of characters that I started to keep a notepad of who everyone was, their titles, and their roles in their companies and the book. You’d think that with such a large cast, that people and personalities meld together, but it wasn’t the case here. Intricately designed, everyone from the bank driver, Tommy Steele to the heavy-drinking “communications supremo”, Pattie Boyle, from the Prime Minister (James Allen)’s Chief of Staff, LJ, to even National Bank’s CEO’s (Martin Kellett, a.k.a. the “Toad”) personal assistant Christina, it didn’t matter if your role is to be Zero Ri$k’s main character, Rob Tanner, or any of the other characters…you had a role in all of this fiasco. Everyone plays a part. It didn’t matter if your position in the company or country was small and minor, your hand played a major impact on the events that occurred. And for that, these characters all are incredibly well-crafted. We learn of their backgrounds (even the side characters), what makes them tick, what motivates them, the secrets that they keep. Their personalities are bold and strong, their fears, desperation, irrational decisions, and everything that makes a character whole, are all so realistic. Their details made the book so much more immersive and only made me fall deeper in love with this book, even if it also means that I can feel the ugly narcissism and slimness of certain characters through into the real world.
The story was fun and intriguing from the start. I’m sure I’ve come across one or two finance-related thrillers before, but nothing on this level. From the IT presentation in the beginning to the intricate details relating to artworks and the seven deadly sins, this book may have been long…but it sure didn’t feel like it. The plot felt explosive and exciting to experience. I did make a random and fun guess about who the perpetrator behind the bank attack was, and I was right, but who they truly were and how exactly they had been hiding, blew me away even if the original guess had been predictable.
This has been an amazing read. My Kindle told me I had over a hundred highlights and annotations, but even by the first five chapters, I knew there would be no way for me to do Zero Ri$k justice in a single, simply little review. A fantastic and well-written debut novel from Simon Hayes, engrossing and dark, this has certainly been a gripping novel that kept me up at night. If you enjoy detailed scenes and characters, escape-room-worthy riddles, and a good financial and cyber-thriller, Zero Ri$k is one I’d recommend. You’ll fall in and climb out only when the noon sun pokes for the midnight moon to wake.
Disclaimer: An e-copy of this book was provided to me as part of the blog tour. This does not impact the review and all opinions are my own. Thank you to the author, Simon Hayes, and the LitPR team for the copy!
Imagine waking up to your account with an extra zero. Great, right? It’s like a nice little Christmas gift from the banks. Except, you know banks aren’t so generous with such things…so it must be a glitch? Go figures, big companies tend to bug out every now and then. I mean, what a hell of a glitch, but hey! Big companies mean big IT teams so you’re sure that before your Keurig even finishes pumping out your lifeblood, everything will be all fixed and dandy for the holiday break. But what if it doesn’t get fixed? What if it’s the beginning of a crisis that brings the UK’s financial systems down to their knees.
Ten days…the clock starts ticking…Christmas Eve or rather, the beginning of the end.
A computer genius presents to the room a fatal flaw in the security system. Her efforts are thanked and rewarded by being ignored, threatened with legal action, and then fired in front of everyone. A haunting prologue and a forewarning of things to come. Because when things have been running on peeling plasters for ages and ages, eventually the dam will crack open. Duct tape can only do so much.
Zero Ri$k is incredibly well-written. The story opens up with an ominous warning before it gets ignored, and forgotten for years. Not even. It’s practically buried and hidden away. Nobody outside the meeting room shall know of this demonstration. The fear and tension in the room are palpable. Being early to meetings means that there tends to be some idle mingling and small-talk, but there’s no “Hi Bob, sure is cold today,” here. Even without Martin Kellett’s, the Toad, presence, the room is pin-drop silent and the story’s tone is set. The atmosphere was perfect from the beginning of the book and no scene, after, was short of intense emotions that leaked right through the pages, sending shivers up my spine. The overwhelming pressure of upper management and board. That was just the beginning. Just the prologue!
Throughout the book, this never subsides. Whether it was another email from the anonymous perpetrator, resulting in everyone’s blood running cold, or the intimacy of two characters, you feel it all as the reader. The urgency and desperation of the crisis and events, the panic of characters that lead straight to your own spike in adrenaline and fears. Engaging, engrossing, and compelling; this is certainly a book you pick up and forget the world around you exists because you’re right there with the characters through all of it.
And it’s not just the atmosphere and tone either, the characters are gold by themselves. Be warned, there are quite a number of characters that I started to keep a notepad of who everyone was, their titles, and their roles in their companies and the book. You’d think that with such a large cast, that people and personalities meld together, but it wasn’t the case here. Intricately designed, everyone from the bank driver, Tommy Steele to the heavy-drinking “communications supremo”, Pattie Boyle, from the Prime Minister (James Allen)’s Chief of Staff, LJ, to even National Bank’s CEO’s (Martin Kellett, a.k.a. the “Toad”) personal assistant Christina, it didn’t matter if your role is to be Zero Ri$k’s main character, Rob Tanner, or any of the other characters…you had a role in all of this fiasco. Everyone plays a part. It didn’t matter if your position in the company or country was small and minor, your hand played a major impact on the events that occurred. And for that, these characters all are incredibly well-crafted. We learn of their backgrounds (even the side characters), what makes them tick, what motivates them, the secrets that they keep. Their personalities are bold and strong, their fears, desperation, irrational decisions, and everything that makes a character whole, are all so realistic. Their details made the book so much more immersive and only made me fall deeper in love with this book, even if it also means that I can feel the ugly narcissism and slimness of certain characters through into the real world.
The story was fun and intriguing from the start. I’m sure I’ve come across one or two finance-related thrillers before, but nothing on this level. From the IT presentation in the beginning to the intricate details relating to artworks and the seven deadly sins, this book may have been long…but it sure didn’t feel like it. The plot felt explosive and exciting to experience. I did make a random and fun guess about who the perpetrator behind the bank attack was, and I was right, but who they truly were and how exactly they had been hiding, blew me away even if the original guess had been predictable.
This has been an amazing read. My Kindle told me I had over a hundred highlights and annotations, but even by the first five chapters, I knew there would be no way for me to do Zero Ri$k justice in a single, simply little review. A fantastic and well-written debut novel from Simon Hayes, engrossing and dark, this has certainly been a gripping novel that kept me up at night. If you enjoy detailed scenes and characters, escape-room-worthy riddles, and a good financial and cyber-thriller, Zero Ri$k is one I’d recommend. You’ll fall in and climb out only when the noon sun pokes for the midnight moon to wake.
July 11, 2024
Zero Ri$k
Written by Simon Hayes
Just before Christmas I was extremely lucky enough to have been selected to receive a sample booklet of this debut book. After I’d finished reading the sample two things crossed my mind, one this was a debut book and two I’d do absolutely anything to be able to read the whole book.
So I jumped at the chance to be part of this blog tour so I’d get to read the whole book.
When this book arrived my son said that the book looked like a bad boy, this coming from him is indeed praise, and when I saw this book I knew I was taking it on holiday, and boy I really couldn’t put the book down.
When customer complaints on Christmas Eve about tenfold inflated bank balances herald not early gifts, nor a botched system upgrade, but the most sophisticated cyber attack in history, National Bank Chief Operating Officer Rob Tanner finds himself in the eye of a ‘Black Swan’ storm no one predicted, but anyone could have anticipated.
He enlists the help of brilliant American computer security expert Ashley Markham but the attacks only worsen: bank balances rise remorselessly and spread to all the nation’s banks. The only clue to the hacker’s intentions are cryptic daily emails, centred on Hieronymus Bosch’s medieval representation of the deadly sins, taunting Tanner and newly incumbent Prime Minister James Allen.
With financial markets—and the very world as he knows it—on the brink of collapse, Tanner races against the clock to decode not just the bizarre emails but their deeper meaning, and the implications for who he can really trust. All the while, his former boss “The Toad” is seeking revenge... and answers of his own.
The first thing I need to say is that this is a debut book. After reading this book I struggled to believe that this is a debut book.
I struggled to find the words to say how good this book truly is and how I worried that I won’t do this book justice.
The plot of this book is truly believable, with a lot more banking being done online it’s really easy to see how banks and people could be easily scammed.This book is a lesson to us readers about keeping our money safe and being careful in who we trust. It’s also a warning about our use and trust of modern technology ( I experienced this when writing this review because this is the second version of this because I couldn’t find the first one on my laptop!)
It was extremely interesting to have a look at what happens behind the scenes at a bank. And the workings of a government was completely believable. The Fact that the author had previous experience working in this world made everything even better.
Even though I’m not from London it was good to see familiar places mentioned, as I could picture them in my mind.
Another thing that interested me was how the whole book was set over the Christmas period, a time when some of us want to do the Boxing Day sales.
The characters were really realistic and you can imagine characters like these working in the government and banking worlds.
I really liked the two main characters Tanner and Ashley and it was nice to see the beginnings of a romance, also interesting to see was the relationship between Tanner and his dad change throughout the book.
I had to re-read the final couple of chapters as I struggled to believe what I was reading, the massive twist so unexpected, but thinking about it,it did really make sense.
This is such a modern feeling book with the use of emails and text messages throughout the book.
I sincerely hope there will be more books from this author.
Written by Simon Hayes
Just before Christmas I was extremely lucky enough to have been selected to receive a sample booklet of this debut book. After I’d finished reading the sample two things crossed my mind, one this was a debut book and two I’d do absolutely anything to be able to read the whole book.
So I jumped at the chance to be part of this blog tour so I’d get to read the whole book.
When this book arrived my son said that the book looked like a bad boy, this coming from him is indeed praise, and when I saw this book I knew I was taking it on holiday, and boy I really couldn’t put the book down.
When customer complaints on Christmas Eve about tenfold inflated bank balances herald not early gifts, nor a botched system upgrade, but the most sophisticated cyber attack in history, National Bank Chief Operating Officer Rob Tanner finds himself in the eye of a ‘Black Swan’ storm no one predicted, but anyone could have anticipated.
He enlists the help of brilliant American computer security expert Ashley Markham but the attacks only worsen: bank balances rise remorselessly and spread to all the nation’s banks. The only clue to the hacker’s intentions are cryptic daily emails, centred on Hieronymus Bosch’s medieval representation of the deadly sins, taunting Tanner and newly incumbent Prime Minister James Allen.
With financial markets—and the very world as he knows it—on the brink of collapse, Tanner races against the clock to decode not just the bizarre emails but their deeper meaning, and the implications for who he can really trust. All the while, his former boss “The Toad” is seeking revenge... and answers of his own.
The first thing I need to say is that this is a debut book. After reading this book I struggled to believe that this is a debut book.
I struggled to find the words to say how good this book truly is and how I worried that I won’t do this book justice.
The plot of this book is truly believable, with a lot more banking being done online it’s really easy to see how banks and people could be easily scammed.This book is a lesson to us readers about keeping our money safe and being careful in who we trust. It’s also a warning about our use and trust of modern technology ( I experienced this when writing this review because this is the second version of this because I couldn’t find the first one on my laptop!)
It was extremely interesting to have a look at what happens behind the scenes at a bank. And the workings of a government was completely believable. The Fact that the author had previous experience working in this world made everything even better.
Even though I’m not from London it was good to see familiar places mentioned, as I could picture them in my mind.
Another thing that interested me was how the whole book was set over the Christmas period, a time when some of us want to do the Boxing Day sales.
The characters were really realistic and you can imagine characters like these working in the government and banking worlds.
I really liked the two main characters Tanner and Ashley and it was nice to see the beginnings of a romance, also interesting to see was the relationship between Tanner and his dad change throughout the book.
I had to re-read the final couple of chapters as I struggled to believe what I was reading, the massive twist so unexpected, but thinking about it,it did really make sense.
This is such a modern feeling book with the use of emails and text messages throughout the book.
I sincerely hope there will be more books from this author.
July 15, 2024
Here is my review of Zero Risk by Simon Hayes
This was a brilliant book from the very first page and I got into it straight away. The story is electric plus it’s like being on a rollercoaster with the fast pace with the twists and turns of the story. The author, Simon Hayes, constantly teases us with information in dribs and drabs, in the way of clues which Rob Tanner has to use to try and work out what is happening to the banking system and us the reader. It’s a phenomenal story with lots going on that is screaming cyber attack over Christmas when it’s usually a quiet period so less staff are at work as well. The trouble is: who is behind it all? Customers thinking they have extra money, then they don’t, then they do again, just what is this attacker up to? It seems so real in the book, I love the way Simon Hayes has used his imagination to dream up this plot and the plotting in the book is brilliant. The writing is excellent too. I would read more books by this author.
Blurb :
23 December 2024… Rob Tanner should have been enjoying a rare day off from his life-consuming work as Chief Operating Officer at one of the country's largest banks. But a panicked phone call from a senior colleague forces him to put his Christmas plans on ice: more than a thousand of the bank's accounts have seen their balances increased by a factor of ten. Exactly ten. Through the inexplicably simple addition of an extra zero. And when the inflated balances prove to be neither early Christmas gifts, nor a botched computer system upgrade, but the most sophisticated cyber attack in history, Tanner finds himself in the eye of a "Black Swan' storm no one predicted, but anyone could have anticipated.
Tanner enlists the help of brilliant American cyber security expert Ashley Markham, but the attacks only worsen: bank balances rise remorselessly and spread to all the nation's banks. The only clues to the hacker's intentions are cryptic daily emails, centred on Hieronymus Bosch's medieval representation of the seven deadly sins―and packed with colourful artistic and cultural references―taunting Tanner and the newly incumbent Prime Minister, James Allen.
With financial markets―and the very world as he knows it―on the brink of collapse, Tanner races against the clock to decode not just the bizarre emails but their deeper meaning, and the implications for who he can really trust. All the while, his former boss “The Toad” is seeking revenge... and answers of his own.
This enthralling, multi-layered debut follows the story of a disillusioned banker facing unthinkable financial Armageddon, where money has no value, stock and bond prices are meaningless, and the economy is destroyed. Can Tanner unravel the mystery of the hacker's obsession with Bosch, sin and retribution before modern society returns to the dark ages?
Book description:
A multi-layered, race against time, cyber-crime thriller with a simple, original, "Black Swan' premise that will keep you awake at night turning the pages… and questioning your dependence on modern technology.
An intriguing cyber-take on the locked room mystery; a whydunnit as well as a whodunnit, centred on the modern seven deadly sins.
Full of cryptic artistic and cultural references (or are they clues?).
A thought-provoking morality tale set in London at Christmas (via Europe, the US and Africa).
With short, sharp chapters and crisp dialogue from an ensemble cast… where the criminal may be the one person telling the truth.
And, at its heart, an everyday tale of love, loss and redemption
This was a brilliant book from the very first page and I got into it straight away. The story is electric plus it’s like being on a rollercoaster with the fast pace with the twists and turns of the story. The author, Simon Hayes, constantly teases us with information in dribs and drabs, in the way of clues which Rob Tanner has to use to try and work out what is happening to the banking system and us the reader. It’s a phenomenal story with lots going on that is screaming cyber attack over Christmas when it’s usually a quiet period so less staff are at work as well. The trouble is: who is behind it all? Customers thinking they have extra money, then they don’t, then they do again, just what is this attacker up to? It seems so real in the book, I love the way Simon Hayes has used his imagination to dream up this plot and the plotting in the book is brilliant. The writing is excellent too. I would read more books by this author.
Blurb :
23 December 2024… Rob Tanner should have been enjoying a rare day off from his life-consuming work as Chief Operating Officer at one of the country's largest banks. But a panicked phone call from a senior colleague forces him to put his Christmas plans on ice: more than a thousand of the bank's accounts have seen their balances increased by a factor of ten. Exactly ten. Through the inexplicably simple addition of an extra zero. And when the inflated balances prove to be neither early Christmas gifts, nor a botched computer system upgrade, but the most sophisticated cyber attack in history, Tanner finds himself in the eye of a "Black Swan' storm no one predicted, but anyone could have anticipated.
Tanner enlists the help of brilliant American cyber security expert Ashley Markham, but the attacks only worsen: bank balances rise remorselessly and spread to all the nation's banks. The only clues to the hacker's intentions are cryptic daily emails, centred on Hieronymus Bosch's medieval representation of the seven deadly sins―and packed with colourful artistic and cultural references―taunting Tanner and the newly incumbent Prime Minister, James Allen.
With financial markets―and the very world as he knows it―on the brink of collapse, Tanner races against the clock to decode not just the bizarre emails but their deeper meaning, and the implications for who he can really trust. All the while, his former boss “The Toad” is seeking revenge... and answers of his own.
This enthralling, multi-layered debut follows the story of a disillusioned banker facing unthinkable financial Armageddon, where money has no value, stock and bond prices are meaningless, and the economy is destroyed. Can Tanner unravel the mystery of the hacker's obsession with Bosch, sin and retribution before modern society returns to the dark ages?
Book description:
A multi-layered, race against time, cyber-crime thriller with a simple, original, "Black Swan' premise that will keep you awake at night turning the pages… and questioning your dependence on modern technology.
An intriguing cyber-take on the locked room mystery; a whydunnit as well as a whodunnit, centred on the modern seven deadly sins.
Full of cryptic artistic and cultural references (or are they clues?).
A thought-provoking morality tale set in London at Christmas (via Europe, the US and Africa).
With short, sharp chapters and crisp dialogue from an ensemble cast… where the criminal may be the one person telling the truth.
And, at its heart, an everyday tale of love, loss and redemption
June 28, 2024
They called him ‘The Toad’ and he was universally disliked. They dreaded the meetings he Chaired as the head of the Financial Risk Operations Group of the National Bank; he loved the meetings, the rush of power, the control was like a drug to him, but he was also considered as somewhat of a financial genius so his actions were overlooked for the so called better good!
Holly Brand was only his latest victim, even though she exposed serious issues within the security systems of the Bank, leaving them vulnerable to a well-designed cyber-attack; she was instantly dismissed as she used his Bank account to illustrate her point!
Eight years on, with Christmas knocking on the door, Rob Tanner was dreading the annual family gathering where he would once again have to tolerate his father’s open dislike for him, while trying to keep things civil. He is also planning to enjoy a well-earned break from the Bank.
He has moved up the ranks in the National Bank, but is still Martin Keller ‘The Toad’s’ fixer. He gets a call from the Chief Risk Officer to say there is a serious issue at the Bank unlike anything he has ever seen before; one thousand accounts have mysteriously had a zero added to their balance.
So begins Zero Ri$k, one of the most intriguing, fast paced, riveting reads based in and around the world of Finance, cyber-crime, politics and truth to have hit the Booksellers this year. It is a blockbuster of read that moves from the Halls of London to Germany and Switzerland in an effort to track down who or which group of cybercriminals is trying to bring down the British Banking system.
Set during the Christmas holiday period, a series of cryptic clues are being sent at 11am daily, along with another zero being added to further accounts. The clues, all based on Hironimus Boshes painting of the seven deadly sins, has even the best cryptographers confused. The longer the delay in meeting the demands, the more zeros are added until a crisis point is reached.
Time is running out; the British Prime Minster is refusing to meet what are simple demands, and those who previously have supported him are beginning to wonder what the end result will be if he will not listen to his advisors.
Simon Hayes has captured the very murky world of High Finance and Politics to perfection creating characters’ who are undoubtedly based on an amalgam of people he has met over his many years of working in the world of High Finance.
He looks at the very relevant points of greed, ego and power along with ruthless determination to continually refuse to take the blame in any legal sense, for the of the financial and political scandals so prevalent today. He also tilts at the world of technology, the speed it is advancing and the massive influence it has over everyday life.
Zero Ri$k It is also a novel of courage; standing up for what you believe in, facing your own reality and the intrinsic and incredibly important fact, of Truth!
Holly Brand was only his latest victim, even though she exposed serious issues within the security systems of the Bank, leaving them vulnerable to a well-designed cyber-attack; she was instantly dismissed as she used his Bank account to illustrate her point!
Eight years on, with Christmas knocking on the door, Rob Tanner was dreading the annual family gathering where he would once again have to tolerate his father’s open dislike for him, while trying to keep things civil. He is also planning to enjoy a well-earned break from the Bank.
He has moved up the ranks in the National Bank, but is still Martin Keller ‘The Toad’s’ fixer. He gets a call from the Chief Risk Officer to say there is a serious issue at the Bank unlike anything he has ever seen before; one thousand accounts have mysteriously had a zero added to their balance.
So begins Zero Ri$k, one of the most intriguing, fast paced, riveting reads based in and around the world of Finance, cyber-crime, politics and truth to have hit the Booksellers this year. It is a blockbuster of read that moves from the Halls of London to Germany and Switzerland in an effort to track down who or which group of cybercriminals is trying to bring down the British Banking system.
Set during the Christmas holiday period, a series of cryptic clues are being sent at 11am daily, along with another zero being added to further accounts. The clues, all based on Hironimus Boshes painting of the seven deadly sins, has even the best cryptographers confused. The longer the delay in meeting the demands, the more zeros are added until a crisis point is reached.
Time is running out; the British Prime Minster is refusing to meet what are simple demands, and those who previously have supported him are beginning to wonder what the end result will be if he will not listen to his advisors.
Simon Hayes has captured the very murky world of High Finance and Politics to perfection creating characters’ who are undoubtedly based on an amalgam of people he has met over his many years of working in the world of High Finance.
He looks at the very relevant points of greed, ego and power along with ruthless determination to continually refuse to take the blame in any legal sense, for the of the financial and political scandals so prevalent today. He also tilts at the world of technology, the speed it is advancing and the massive influence it has over everyday life.
Zero Ri$k It is also a novel of courage; standing up for what you believe in, facing your own reality and the intrinsic and incredibly important fact, of Truth!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews