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Alex Hoffmann #1
Executive
A friendly fire incident in Afghanistan takes a serious toll.
A drone, out of control, brings death and wreaks havoc on a Florida highway.
An apparently successful corporation comes under scrutiny.
A memorable incursion behind corporate closed doors, led by an up-and-coming executive on a mission to find the truth about the lives lost to the very technology that was mandated to protect them.
Our skies aren't safe anymore.
A thought-provoking page turner, Executive sizzles with plausible scenarios, conveyed in technical and business terminology at an unrelenting pace.
Exploring the controversial territory of toxic leadership and its long term consequences, Executive delivers an insightful analysis spiced with cutting-edge technology and science, in an exciting, masterful political technothriller.
A drone, out of control, brings death and wreaks havoc on a Florida highway.
An apparently successful corporation comes under scrutiny.
A memorable incursion behind corporate closed doors, led by an up-and-coming executive on a mission to find the truth about the lives lost to the very technology that was mandated to protect them.
Our skies aren't safe anymore.
A thought-provoking page turner, Executive sizzles with plausible scenarios, conveyed in technical and business terminology at an unrelenting pace.
Exploring the controversial territory of toxic leadership and its long term consequences, Executive delivers an insightful analysis spiced with cutting-edge technology and science, in an exciting, masterful political technothriller.
278 pages, Paperback
First published October 4, 2011
3241 people are currently reading
2211 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
November 14, 2017
Can't make up my mind on it. There's a mix of both quite good and horribly bad stuff about the book. And it certainly has added to the mix the satisfying plot (where everyone gets what they deserve and all, by all means, color me a sucker for happy endings and smarter-than-thou leading characters) and the irritating realization that the book might have been penned by an HR (noticeable by the repeatedly demonstrated little understanding of how companies work, a 6sigma department present and a purchasing department absent, weird functionality / communications / processes etc, etc, don't get me started or I'll bore you out of your freaking minds!). HRs are depicted as present at operation meetings and not even the head of the HR but some proxy - what for? (It's not usually done that way, due to utter pointlessness of such an approach.)
Overall, most heroes don't make much sense (the evil guys seem to have migrated straight from the pages of 'Bosses from hell' & 'Asshole survival' guides) and feel stupid-ish (maybe it was a plot development trick, like nobody's perfect, la-la-la, we are all irrational animals, la-la-la).
Another minus is that the sci-fi problem has plagued this one pretty bad: leading employees of a company that, surprise, produce things, who keep explaining to each other how they do it. People usually know what it is that they produce and don't ask each other for years straight what it is that they do.
The novel has little glaring mistakes and heapes of subtle stupid stuff which makes me peevish. Or maybe I was already peeevish when started reading it. Or maybe I wasn't and the peeeevishness was induced by the book. Not sure.
I think I'll give other books from this series a try even though this one did not feel top notch.
Maybe I will make the review more detailed in terms of what bothered me with the plot and its development. Maybe not. Let's live and see if it turns memorable enough to warrant the detailed review treatment.
PS. Couldn't help myself: did a little research on the author's background. 'Fascinated by technology and psychology, Leslie brings extensive background..' ' Bestselling author Leslie Wolfe is passionate about writing fiction, despite spending a significant number of years climbing the corporate ladder. Leaving the coveted world of boardrooms for the blissful peace...' Uh-huh, a psychology enthusiast, which are only slightly better than HRs at understanding how operations processes actually work.
Q:
"Mostly greens, as you can see," Dunwood continued, "in critical areas such as manufacturing throughput, inventory cycles, overall budget spending, and most of the people-related indicators." He cleared his throat, and then continued. "A couple of yellows, one in generated waste, missing target by only 0.5 percent, and the other in the research-and-development testing area, missing target by 3.45 percent."
"What does that mean?" Robin asked.
Alex thanked her silently. "This measure of performance reflects the successful test rate that new equipment scores, while still in an R&D phase. ..."
(c) Really? For years they have been issuing drones and only when they hired Alex, they decided to learn what their targets actually represent?
UPD. Ok, after some time between me and this book, I think it's definitely 4 stars and will give a try to the next one in this series :)
Overall, most heroes don't make much sense (the evil guys seem to have migrated straight from the pages of 'Bosses from hell' & 'Asshole survival' guides) and feel stupid-ish (maybe it was a plot development trick, like nobody's perfect, la-la-la, we are all irrational animals, la-la-la).
Another minus is that the sci-fi problem has plagued this one pretty bad: leading employees of a company that, surprise, produce things, who keep explaining to each other how they do it. People usually know what it is that they produce and don't ask each other for years straight what it is that they do.
The novel has little glaring mistakes and heapes of subtle stupid stuff which makes me peevish. Or maybe I was already peeevish when started reading it. Or maybe I wasn't and the peeeevishness was induced by the book. Not sure.
I think I'll give other books from this series a try even though this one did not feel top notch.
Maybe I will make the review more detailed in terms of what bothered me with the plot and its development. Maybe not. Let's live and see if it turns memorable enough to warrant the detailed review treatment.
PS. Couldn't help myself: did a little research on the author's background. 'Fascinated by technology and psychology, Leslie brings extensive background..' ' Bestselling author Leslie Wolfe is passionate about writing fiction, despite spending a significant number of years climbing the corporate ladder. Leaving the coveted world of boardrooms for the blissful peace...' Uh-huh, a psychology enthusiast, which are only slightly better than HRs at understanding how operations processes actually work.
Q:
"Mostly greens, as you can see," Dunwood continued, "in critical areas such as manufacturing throughput, inventory cycles, overall budget spending, and most of the people-related indicators." He cleared his throat, and then continued. "A couple of yellows, one in generated waste, missing target by only 0.5 percent, and the other in the research-and-development testing area, missing target by 3.45 percent."
"What does that mean?" Robin asked.
Alex thanked her silently. "This measure of performance reflects the successful test rate that new equipment scores, while still in an R&D phase. ..."
(c) Really? For years they have been issuing drones and only when they hired Alex, they decided to learn what their targets actually represent?
UPD. Ok, after some time between me and this book, I think it's definitely 4 stars and will give a try to the next one in this series :)
September 15, 2017
Alex is an Amateur
Everything you wanted to know about drone technology, yet the business sequences read like chapter summaries from Business for Dummies. Are we to believe that a young Alex steps into the C-suite and encounters blatantly obvious personalities from current business buzz books?
I was impressed with the author's Tess series on serial killers. This is a less than suspicious start to a series with Alex in the world of intrigue.
Everything you wanted to know about drone technology, yet the business sequences read like chapter summaries from Business for Dummies. Are we to believe that a young Alex steps into the C-suite and encounters blatantly obvious personalities from current business buzz books?
I was impressed with the author's Tess series on serial killers. This is a less than suspicious start to a series with Alex in the world of intrigue.
March 31, 2017
Very enjoyable and entertaining first book of a series. Looking forward to reading more of this series.
June 5, 2015
Captivating story.
Another book should be read first, before the Devil's Move. Learned about drones, they have been used since 1930's. They do save life's, but also kills innocent people. All the good and evil characters described really good, I'm sure we did deal with them in our work places.
Another book should be read first, before the Devil's Move. Learned about drones, they have been used since 1930's. They do save life's, but also kills innocent people. All the good and evil characters described really good, I'm sure we did deal with them in our work places.
January 31, 2015
I just finished reading this book, but I’ll point out that I have absolutely no understanding of why it is subtitled “A Political Thriller.” This is not remotely a political thriller, well, unless you believe a mention of a Congressional Hearing means that it is. This is about stock manipulation, toxic executives, corruption, cost-cutting at its worst, and a general loathing of corporations: More on that in a moment.
Overall this was an entertaining read about a corporation that manufactures drones. The hostile environment within the industrial corporation; how it negatively affects quality of product, employee engagement and trustworthiness in the public eye. In my opinion, this is the main theme of the book: Wolfe adds two incidents involving drones gone wild; taking innocent lives in both Afghanistan and Florida.
Then, you have The Agency, which is a do-good group of various professionals that infiltrate corporations et. al.; under contract by the owner or CEO to troubleshoot larger issues. There is a double-life for Agency Executives, potential harm, and loads of sleuthing. Don’t get me wrong – that sounds like a wicked job to have!
So, the premise is set and we find Alex, the newest and only female Executive, trying to figure out what is going on with the drone accidents and navigating the treacherous waters of the corporation. I just couldn’t shake the feeling – and I’m not sure which way it goes – that the author has a deep-seating hatred, resentment, or bitter taste surrounding all-things authority. Perhaps the author can’t be successful in a corporate environment, or studied organizational behavior and is using some thoughts in a fictional thriller? Not sure what it is – but there is something there driving my general observation.
In short (too late) – This is a fun, quick read with some suspense. There are grammatical errors, but not many. I did enjoy Wolfe’s writing style and I honestly suspect she can grow into a very well-rounded author.
Read January 2015; Copy supplied by author/publisher. Opinions, good or bad, are 100% my own.
Overall this was an entertaining read about a corporation that manufactures drones. The hostile environment within the industrial corporation; how it negatively affects quality of product, employee engagement and trustworthiness in the public eye. In my opinion, this is the main theme of the book: Wolfe adds two incidents involving drones gone wild; taking innocent lives in both Afghanistan and Florida.
Then, you have The Agency, which is a do-good group of various professionals that infiltrate corporations et. al.; under contract by the owner or CEO to troubleshoot larger issues. There is a double-life for Agency Executives, potential harm, and loads of sleuthing. Don’t get me wrong – that sounds like a wicked job to have!
So, the premise is set and we find Alex, the newest and only female Executive, trying to figure out what is going on with the drone accidents and navigating the treacherous waters of the corporation. I just couldn’t shake the feeling – and I’m not sure which way it goes – that the author has a deep-seating hatred, resentment, or bitter taste surrounding all-things authority. Perhaps the author can’t be successful in a corporate environment, or studied organizational behavior and is using some thoughts in a fictional thriller? Not sure what it is – but there is something there driving my general observation.
In short (too late) – This is a fun, quick read with some suspense. There are grammatical errors, but not many. I did enjoy Wolfe’s writing style and I honestly suspect she can grow into a very well-rounded author.
Read January 2015; Copy supplied by author/publisher. Opinions, good or bad, are 100% my own.
May 18, 2019
I'm glad this wasn't the first Leslie Wolfe novel I read because, based on this one, I don't think I would have bothered with any more of her books. Personally, I thought it demonstrated her immaturity as a writer. The plot was far too slow and detailed, with little suspense or action and too much dialogue. When the action did arrive, around the 80% read mark, it only lasted a couple of chapters before fizzling out again. There were times I thought Executive was on the improve, but then it would taper off leaving me disappointed.
Tess Winnett and Laura Baxter, both protagonists created by this author and with their own series, are far more interesting, exciting and likeable characters than Alex Hoffmann. She was certainly intelligent, but she was distant and aloof, stopping me from ever connecting with her.
Despite an inauspicious start, I will try the next book in the Alex Hoffmann series with the hope that the storyline and character development improves. Fingers crossed!
Tess Winnett and Laura Baxter, both protagonists created by this author and with their own series, are far more interesting, exciting and likeable characters than Alex Hoffmann. She was certainly intelligent, but she was distant and aloof, stopping me from ever connecting with her.
Despite an inauspicious start, I will try the next book in the Alex Hoffmann series with the hope that the storyline and character development improves. Fingers crossed!
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October 1, 2016
“Executive” by Leslie Wolfe is described as a tale of industrial espionage and business corruption with international implications, an attention-grabbing premise, so when the opportunity arose to get a copy of the audio book in exchange for an honest review, I took it. Overall, I enjoyed the book.
The novel is a mix of stock manipulation, venomous corporate executives, corruption, cost-cutting and drones gone out of control. Certainly this is content ripped from the headlines. All this surrounds “The Agency” which places investigators undercover in corporations, at the request of the owners, to snoop out the evil-doers. The book is an interesting mix of the good versus the evil and the quest for good to triumph. There is suspense and danger the makings of a great thriller. It was an easy read/listen with a slow but steady pace and an intriguing story line.
I didn’t give it more stars because the story bogged down at times as the author used conversations between characters to give background information that could have been given in fewer sentences outside of a narrative. Those conversations disguised as endless brainstorming and debating made the main character seem almost too untrained or even too stupid to be in such a high profile job. She has a giant IQ after all; I’m sure she knows what an e-cigarette is. These “explanation conversations” slowed the plot to a crawl at times.
My other objection to this audio book was the narrator. The main character is female so the narrator should have been female as well. Not only was the narrator male, but he did a terrible job voicing all the female characters. His whiny, nasal women’s voices were almost impossible to listen to and really detracted from the story.
I would recommend it even with the slow pace and the nasal voices. I hope Wolfe continues this character in other books with a little tighter story, better pacing, and a female narrator. I’ll look for it.
The novel is a mix of stock manipulation, venomous corporate executives, corruption, cost-cutting and drones gone out of control. Certainly this is content ripped from the headlines. All this surrounds “The Agency” which places investigators undercover in corporations, at the request of the owners, to snoop out the evil-doers. The book is an interesting mix of the good versus the evil and the quest for good to triumph. There is suspense and danger the makings of a great thriller. It was an easy read/listen with a slow but steady pace and an intriguing story line.
I didn’t give it more stars because the story bogged down at times as the author used conversations between characters to give background information that could have been given in fewer sentences outside of a narrative. Those conversations disguised as endless brainstorming and debating made the main character seem almost too untrained or even too stupid to be in such a high profile job. She has a giant IQ after all; I’m sure she knows what an e-cigarette is. These “explanation conversations” slowed the plot to a crawl at times.
My other objection to this audio book was the narrator. The main character is female so the narrator should have been female as well. Not only was the narrator male, but he did a terrible job voicing all the female characters. His whiny, nasal women’s voices were almost impossible to listen to and really detracted from the story.
I would recommend it even with the slow pace and the nasal voices. I hope Wolfe continues this character in other books with a little tighter story, better pacing, and a female narrator. I’ll look for it.
March 8, 2018
Hard to rate. Waffling between a 2 and 3.
I liked the story but it felt like maybe a lot of it was edited out or the characters and story could have used some more development. How her real boss, let alone the whole team responded to one event Alex experienced was just so out of character and wrong it lowered my opinion of the story/writing. For a company that constantly reminds Alex how dangerous their work can be, they really don't prepare here to handle situations very well or keep an eye on her when things start heating up.
Liked it enough to give the next one in the series a go...
Check it out if you want a quick light thriller.
I liked the story but it felt like maybe a lot of it was edited out or the characters and story could have used some more development. How her real boss, let alone the whole team responded to one event Alex experienced was just so out of character and wrong it lowered my opinion of the story/writing. For a company that constantly reminds Alex how dangerous their work can be, they really don't prepare here to handle situations very well or keep an eye on her when things start heating up.
Liked it enough to give the next one in the series a go...
Check it out if you want a quick light thriller.
September 20, 2016
Almost put it down many times
Good try but not a top notch thriller at all. Characters were shallow and uninspiring, even the good guys. I really tried to embrace the development of the corporate culture which had some novel elements but ultimately failed to get traction because it was oversimplified.
Good try but not a top notch thriller at all. Characters were shallow and uninspiring, even the good guys. I really tried to embrace the development of the corporate culture which had some novel elements but ultimately failed to get traction because it was oversimplified.
August 4, 2016
Good for teens
Interesting plot but a serious lack of understanding about how business really works. Characters and story lines were stereotypical and obvious.
Interesting plot but a serious lack of understanding about how business really works. Characters and story lines were stereotypical and obvious.
July 11, 2020
Really didn't care much about this one. Alex Hoffman series not so good
February 22, 2017
Welcome to the Agency
Alex Hoffman is a talented Information Technology analyst and arguably one of the best in her current field. Having achieved much in her 29 years, Alex is blindsided when she is suddenly let go at her job without any warning or reason. When she stumbles across a job posting in her search that seems tailor made for her abilities and goal she feels that this could be too good to be true. The online application, while bizarre, piques her interest and when an interview is offered she jumps at the chance to learn more about this enigmatic company. As her employment progresses, Alex learns that she has been chosen to join a small but important entity whose mission is to partner with various companies to integrate and uncover possible corporate subterfuge. Alex’s rookie assignment with the Agency seems simple enough; she must pose as a new executive in a well-established tech and machinery manufacturing company to attempt to uncover the source or recent possible leaks that have led to a drop in the company’s stock. Once inside the company, it becomes apparent that the problems plaguing Nanotech may be worse than initially anticipated with Alex’s curiosity has placing a target squarely on her back.
Having previously read “The Ghost Pattern” which is book number 4 in the Alex Hoffmann series of thrillers by Leslie Wolfe, I was already acquainted with many of the characters. It was good to rewind and witness Alex’s origins with the team and become more acquainted with the Agency and their work. I loved how the story progresses and we see how influential the Agency is in everything from acquiring Alex to consulting with their sometimes-high profile clients and leading their investigations to their conclusion. Alex’s experiences at Nanotech are downright nightmarish. Reading some of the board room meeting practically gave me anxiety. Having been in a similar work culture in the past, it’s easy to imagine that this sort of stuff happening more often than anyone would like to mention. The fact that Nanotech is a company that specializes in drone production with military contracts also adds in a current element that leaves the reader wondering about the overall safety of this type of technology and what can happen if this knowledge finds its way into the wrong hands.
Executive is a solid story with a great premise and action that will have the reader on the edge of their seat. After having read Executive, I am ready to delve in to the other books Alex Hoffmann series to see what else life in the Agency has in store for her and her team.
Alex Hoffman is a talented Information Technology analyst and arguably one of the best in her current field. Having achieved much in her 29 years, Alex is blindsided when she is suddenly let go at her job without any warning or reason. When she stumbles across a job posting in her search that seems tailor made for her abilities and goal she feels that this could be too good to be true. The online application, while bizarre, piques her interest and when an interview is offered she jumps at the chance to learn more about this enigmatic company. As her employment progresses, Alex learns that she has been chosen to join a small but important entity whose mission is to partner with various companies to integrate and uncover possible corporate subterfuge. Alex’s rookie assignment with the Agency seems simple enough; she must pose as a new executive in a well-established tech and machinery manufacturing company to attempt to uncover the source or recent possible leaks that have led to a drop in the company’s stock. Once inside the company, it becomes apparent that the problems plaguing Nanotech may be worse than initially anticipated with Alex’s curiosity has placing a target squarely on her back.
Having previously read “The Ghost Pattern” which is book number 4 in the Alex Hoffmann series of thrillers by Leslie Wolfe, I was already acquainted with many of the characters. It was good to rewind and witness Alex’s origins with the team and become more acquainted with the Agency and their work. I loved how the story progresses and we see how influential the Agency is in everything from acquiring Alex to consulting with their sometimes-high profile clients and leading their investigations to their conclusion. Alex’s experiences at Nanotech are downright nightmarish. Reading some of the board room meeting practically gave me anxiety. Having been in a similar work culture in the past, it’s easy to imagine that this sort of stuff happening more often than anyone would like to mention. The fact that Nanotech is a company that specializes in drone production with military contracts also adds in a current element that leaves the reader wondering about the overall safety of this type of technology and what can happen if this knowledge finds its way into the wrong hands.
Executive is a solid story with a great premise and action that will have the reader on the edge of their seat. After having read Executive, I am ready to delve in to the other books Alex Hoffmann series to see what else life in the Agency has in store for her and her team.
August 3, 2019
Note: No spoilers herein.
I actually had an e-mail dialogue with the author about this book. She is quite forthcoming and engaged me in an interesting conversation which, if nothing else, convinced me of her dedication and commitment to self-improvement and to become a world-class author.
After having spent 50 years myself in the corporate world in small startups to fortune 500 corporate giants and from entry-level to senior C-level positions, my biggest criticism was that she didn't really understand the corporate culture or how management works and thinks. Some of the boardroom scenes were so improbable and melodramatic, I felt she was losing me (and most readers) in the believability category.
Secondly (or maybe first), is her protagonist, Alex., whom she takes through many of her books. Initially, a lay-person who is lost and struggling, takes a job with a company who is hired by corporations to do secretive internal spying on its own employees when foul play is suspected. They 'hire' a new employee (Alex) who goes in and investigates. On one hand, she is almost super-human and can assimilate in a week the skills and knowledge that takes most people decades.
But then, she wimps out and displays characteristics of an emotionally weak woman, often breaking down to tears and simply falling apart - only to pull herself together and become Jack Reacher for awhile.
These two opposite characteristics make it difficult to empathize with or understand her and often reach the point of annoying the reader. We want to like her, to root for her, but her character is just not real. In fact, most of her characters are thin and not well developed.
This is a big problem in all her books, which for the most part are well written with interesting plots and sub-plots. Yet I continue to purchase and read her books. I believe she will mature into a great author, but she needs to kill Alex and start over.
I actually had an e-mail dialogue with the author about this book. She is quite forthcoming and engaged me in an interesting conversation which, if nothing else, convinced me of her dedication and commitment to self-improvement and to become a world-class author.
After having spent 50 years myself in the corporate world in small startups to fortune 500 corporate giants and from entry-level to senior C-level positions, my biggest criticism was that she didn't really understand the corporate culture or how management works and thinks. Some of the boardroom scenes were so improbable and melodramatic, I felt she was losing me (and most readers) in the believability category.
Secondly (or maybe first), is her protagonist, Alex., whom she takes through many of her books. Initially, a lay-person who is lost and struggling, takes a job with a company who is hired by corporations to do secretive internal spying on its own employees when foul play is suspected. They 'hire' a new employee (Alex) who goes in and investigates. On one hand, she is almost super-human and can assimilate in a week the skills and knowledge that takes most people decades.
But then, she wimps out and displays characteristics of an emotionally weak woman, often breaking down to tears and simply falling apart - only to pull herself together and become Jack Reacher for awhile.
These two opposite characteristics make it difficult to empathize with or understand her and often reach the point of annoying the reader. We want to like her, to root for her, but her character is just not real. In fact, most of her characters are thin and not well developed.
This is a big problem in all her books, which for the most part are well written with interesting plots and sub-plots. Yet I continue to purchase and read her books. I believe she will mature into a great author, but she needs to kill Alex and start over.
March 25, 2015
*I received this book free in exchange for an honest review*
I like the thought of this book, but don't feel it was executed well. Take a secret Agency that helps solve problems in the corporate world by sending in a spy, a young broke girl who's semi smart, and a botched military drone. It's got all the makings of a fantastic thriller.
Now, here's my problem. Why Alex? She wasn't anything super special. She was broke, couldn't find a job, and never done anything like this before. She was one dimensional and I felt like her "smarts" were forced, and not natural.
The whole first half of the book was "training" Alex to work in a Corporate job or what to look for. It was boring and dragged on so horribly. I really think if there was less of that and more of the action we see in the second half, it would have been a much better story.
The Ebook has several editing errors. Though nothing to hinder you reading this story. This book has a lot of promise. I think if trimmed down in some of the more boring, over explained parts, it would have flowed better in stead of dragging down your reading enjoyment. I would give another book by this author a chance, and see if it's just a one off problem, or if it's the author's writing style, but this book just wasn't for me.
I like the thought of this book, but don't feel it was executed well. Take a secret Agency that helps solve problems in the corporate world by sending in a spy, a young broke girl who's semi smart, and a botched military drone. It's got all the makings of a fantastic thriller.
Now, here's my problem. Why Alex? She wasn't anything super special. She was broke, couldn't find a job, and never done anything like this before. She was one dimensional and I felt like her "smarts" were forced, and not natural.
The whole first half of the book was "training" Alex to work in a Corporate job or what to look for. It was boring and dragged on so horribly. I really think if there was less of that and more of the action we see in the second half, it would have been a much better story.
The Ebook has several editing errors. Though nothing to hinder you reading this story. This book has a lot of promise. I think if trimmed down in some of the more boring, over explained parts, it would have flowed better in stead of dragging down your reading enjoyment. I would give another book by this author a chance, and see if it's just a one off problem, or if it's the author's writing style, but this book just wasn't for me.
June 12, 2019
Alex Hoffman is unemployed. She gets hired by a firm hired to investigate corruption within the company. She is planted in a firm that makes drones and does operations with intelligence agencies. The drones are malfunctioning and she is tasked with finding out why all the while working undercover.
The book has some excitement but overall it is pretty dull. The story line is interesting but uneventful.
Alex solves the mystery by finding out that company executives were purposely causing the drone failure to drop the stock price for a hostile takeover.
The book has some excitement but overall it is pretty dull. The story line is interesting but uneventful.
Alex solves the mystery by finding out that company executives were purposely causing the drone failure to drop the stock price for a hostile takeover.
November 21, 2017
Interesting plot but amateurish written. Interesting lead character but not a strong confident female for the role. Plot got bogged down at times.
Interesting plot but amateurish in writing style. Interesting lead female but rather weak and lacking in confidence. Plot got bogged down at times
Interesting plot but amateurish in writing style. Interesting lead female but rather weak and lacking in confidence. Plot got bogged down at times
April 17, 2015
Predictable
A business consultant that needs an explanation of what a p&l statement is? Brilliant Dr and company CEO doesn't know his entire executive staff is sabotaging his company?
A business consultant that needs an explanation of what a p&l statement is? Brilliant Dr and company CEO doesn't know his entire executive staff is sabotaging his company?
March 22, 2017
A high school student could have written this. Reads like a young boy fantasizing, and the descriptions are crude.
March 23, 2017
Lost interest
The beginning and end were good...everything in between was slow and ponderous. Details were excellent, as well as the logic and character development.
The beginning and end were good...everything in between was slow and ponderous. Details were excellent, as well as the logic and character development.
August 9, 2018
Alex Hoffman, the protagonist in Leslie Wolfe's "Executive," should have had an idyllic childhood. She had all the ingredients: parents wholly employed in white-collar jobs, no siblings to siphon off resources and a father who taught her to use her fast-developing intellect to its capacity. But she didn't. Maybe it was her mother, an exacting type who began battling with her father soon after realization of the world dawned on her young daughter. At 18, when Alex told her parents she planned to move out on her own soon after graduating high school, mom went ballistic and told her to leave that instant and never return. She insisted Alex, who reverted to a state of extreme shock, even return the clothes she was wearing. She did. Her life forever changed. Her dad kept in contact. But his efforts didn't make up for the loss, and she considered herself alone. And she was. She had no money and no prospects. But Alex worked hard to pull herself from despair and financial ruin. In "Executive," Wolfe creates a corporate team of super sleuths, and Alex is its latest hire. They need the smart young woman who has a wealth of experience in multiple jobs, one who knows how to toil under difficult conditions, for undercover work. The Agency, as it's called, takes assignments from company owners and officials when they fail to deduce problems on their own. In the first Alex Hoffman novel, the client is the owner of a respected government contractor, one that supplies drones for military application. The company has had a series of calamities, with the most significant being the loss of control of one of its drones in the field. The drone goes off book and kills soldiers in Afghanistan with friendly fire. Scandal doesn't come close to describing the fallout. Alex is charged with going in as a manager to find out what went wrong. Almost immediately she encounters a toxic corporate culture. But she has to find more and that embroils her in a series of escalating conflicts within the organization. Wolfe ramps up the intrigue and stakes, giving Alex one heck of an assignment as she attempts to dismantle the threat without getting killed in the process. I whipped through this book and picked up the next in the series right away. Wolfe's characters, especially the terrible bosses Alex has to deal with, are brilliant and her resolutions totally satisfying.
February 28, 2020
This book reminded me of reading The Goal, where author Eliyahu Goldraitt uses the art of story telling as a teaching tool. The Goal is a business novel in which Goldraitt’s protagonist introduces the organizational Theory of Constraints.
In Executive, author Leslie Wolfe has created a business novel where his protagonist Alex Hoffman is a member of a team of business consultants hired to analyze at-risk corporations. The novel makes interesting reading, set in an arena of business executive management. Executive is well researched with detailed description of business IT, dynamic vs static IPs, spyware software applications that capture keystroke entry, Keyword analyzers that perform employee “audit on complaint”, performance metrics including Sigma6 methodologies, and cost cutting initiatives’ impact on product quality.
Tom Isaac is the leader of the business consultants team, The Agency. Isaac is an unlikely character who views disfunction in executive management from the viewpoit of a psychologist, quoting the statistic that 4% of the general population are sociopaths (coincidentally -> this mirrors the 4% of executive managers exhibiting sociopathic tendencies that is reported by Corporate Psychopathy researchers Paul Babiak and Robert Hare).
Executive is a fast moving thriller, an exciting plot line, corporate intrigue against a backdrop of manufacturing assemble lines and pilotless drones.
In Executive, author Leslie Wolfe has created a business novel where his protagonist Alex Hoffman is a member of a team of business consultants hired to analyze at-risk corporations. The novel makes interesting reading, set in an arena of business executive management. Executive is well researched with detailed description of business IT, dynamic vs static IPs, spyware software applications that capture keystroke entry, Keyword analyzers that perform employee “audit on complaint”, performance metrics including Sigma6 methodologies, and cost cutting initiatives’ impact on product quality.
Tom Isaac is the leader of the business consultants team, The Agency. Isaac is an unlikely character who views disfunction in executive management from the viewpoit of a psychologist, quoting the statistic that 4% of the general population are sociopaths (coincidentally -> this mirrors the 4% of executive managers exhibiting sociopathic tendencies that is reported by Corporate Psychopathy researchers Paul Babiak and Robert Hare).
Executive is a fast moving thriller, an exciting plot line, corporate intrigue against a backdrop of manufacturing assemble lines and pilotless drones.
August 5, 2025
In Executive ~ Alex Hoffmann ~ Book 1, Alex finds a new highly challenging job at The Agency where she can use her skills to help a company building dromes that is trouble. She is hired as a junior Executive to invesitage what is causing multiple problems for the head of the company. She finds a team of co-comsperators working to take over the company when the head retires.
This group has members that will plant drugs in her car and her private coffee maker in her office, leading to her arrest. Then she is attacked one evening outside a store, as arranged by one member of the group. The final attempt to get rid of her is to put her face and car into the automatic functions of the drome system as a target.
The conclusion is a full report to the client with suggestions and solutions to put the company back in good financial position restoring it's reputation. This is what The Agency does for its clients.
The style of writing with short chapters, relating events keep the reader guessing and in suspense what could happen to Alex next. Her character is stong, compent and sill it is her first assignment and full of danger so she has a normal fear reaction and finds help and support from The Agency owners and staff.
Great plot and presentation. I just touched on some highlights of the plot; it has so much more in the reading that I highly recomment.
This group has members that will plant drugs in her car and her private coffee maker in her office, leading to her arrest. Then she is attacked one evening outside a store, as arranged by one member of the group. The final attempt to get rid of her is to put her face and car into the automatic functions of the drome system as a target.
The conclusion is a full report to the client with suggestions and solutions to put the company back in good financial position restoring it's reputation. This is what The Agency does for its clients.
The style of writing with short chapters, relating events keep the reader guessing and in suspense what could happen to Alex next. Her character is stong, compent and sill it is her first assignment and full of danger so she has a normal fear reaction and finds help and support from The Agency owners and staff.
Great plot and presentation. I just touched on some highlights of the plot; it has so much more in the reading that I highly recomment.
November 5, 2019
This book started out somewhat ominously in the way that Alex Hoffmann was recruited into The Agency. The recruitment felt off and I kept thinking The Agency had ulterior motives regarding Alex. After all, they got her fired from her job in order to trick her into working for them. The story proceeded in an uneven manner, that got somewhat tedious in the middle. Mr. Barnaby, the client, seemed like a nice guy, but awfully detached from the machinations of his top-level executives, who seemed to meet routinely without including him in any way.
Alex was put in jeopardy several times, and despite the highly touted security and ways to stay connected to her boss, she was left to resolve these issues herself. The final dramatic rescue was actually engineered by a co-worker at the client's site. The bad guys quickly slid down the slippery slope of stock manipulation to murder.
This story is part of a boxed set of five related thrillers, in which Alex, an operative who is only basically trained, takes on much more well-equipped criminals and spies. I will likely read the next in the series, but only after I finish my long list of other books.
Alex was put in jeopardy several times, and despite the highly touted security and ways to stay connected to her boss, she was left to resolve these issues herself. The final dramatic rescue was actually engineered by a co-worker at the client's site. The bad guys quickly slid down the slippery slope of stock manipulation to murder.
This story is part of a boxed set of five related thrillers, in which Alex, an operative who is only basically trained, takes on much more well-equipped criminals and spies. I will likely read the next in the series, but only after I finish my long list of other books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2020
I love this author's other series but this one isn't for me in the least. It features drones and corporate espionage and neither interest me in the least. And we go into every little detail about drones and their uses and also what occurs in executive boardrooms up and down the land and it ended up just boring me senseless, I'm afraid. I peeked at the next in the series and that appears to be about the KGB and spies; again, something I have no interest in whatsoever, so I'll pass on these stories. I liked the idea of The Agency and liked the team a great deal, along with Alex, but the subject matter only succeeded in boring me rigid. It's probably a series blokes would like more than women, and if that's sexist then so what ? You know what I mean !!
She persisted in writing smoker's area/lawn when it should be smokers' and dropped the odd punctuation marks here and there and also wrote Stated at one point and not States but that was it for mistakes. I read up to around 34% and packed it in, though.
She persisted in writing smoker's area/lawn when it should be smokers' and dropped the odd punctuation marks here and there and also wrote Stated at one point and not States but that was it for mistakes. I read up to around 34% and packed it in, though.
August 23, 2021
Alex Hoffmann is recruited by a mysterious company called The Agency, which infiltrates troubled corporations, at the owner's request, and investigates problems, often crimes. Alex is assigned to go under cover and investigate NanoLance, a maker of drones. NanoLance stock is plunging after a series of malfunctioning drone accidents claimed lives in Afghanistan and later Florida. The first part of the book drags as Alex receives extensive training and corporate structure is discussed. The resulting chapters are about as bland as a business management college textbook. Action picks up as Alex clashes with aggressive, unreasonable bosses. The bosses are so vividly portrayed that they are capable of giving nightmares or scary flashbacks to anyone who has ever worked for such a boss. Alex uncovers many problems, as tension and danger builds. The bad guys at NanoLance are the type you will love to see get taken down, but first Alex must escape with her life. You will be rooting for this strong female heroine all the way.
October 20, 2024
Outstanding
After only three years in the corporate manufacturing world, I decided that wasn't for me. Unfortunately, I encountered a few people like the ones Alex did, including a boss who threw objects narrowly missing my head. He also arranged the ending of my position and the immediate start of a new position that was identical to the one I was doing. When asked if I could interview for the new position, I was told he wanted a man in that position, "someone who could hit the ground running." I had to train that person, and only three months later he hit the ground running out of the company. Like Alex, I achieved personal satisfaction by reporting my boss to human resources for sexism and was able to draw unemployment. I really enjoyed seeing self centered corporate types get what was coming to them.
After only three years in the corporate manufacturing world, I decided that wasn't for me. Unfortunately, I encountered a few people like the ones Alex did, including a boss who threw objects narrowly missing my head. He also arranged the ending of my position and the immediate start of a new position that was identical to the one I was doing. When asked if I could interview for the new position, I was told he wanted a man in that position, "someone who could hit the ground running." I had to train that person, and only three months later he hit the ground running out of the company. Like Alex, I achieved personal satisfaction by reporting my boss to human resources for sexism and was able to draw unemployment. I really enjoyed seeing self centered corporate types get what was coming to them.
March 17, 2018
Leslie Wolfe is my new favorite author. I loved the format. So refreshing and fast-paced not one dull moment. I loved the book so much I read it all in one sitting. The storyline was new too and spellbinding. Plus you get all this great information about technology! Please make more of these books in audio format. I do a lot of walking, and it would be great to listen and walk. Loved this book, it was stupendous. I am getting the next book in the series, and then I will read all Ms. Wolfe's other books.
April 7, 2018
So I didn't know how I was going to feel about this book. It's a bit shorter than what I usually read but it sounded good, was a giveaway, and free is free, so I entered. Thank you to Leslie Wolfe and Italics Publishing for making that possible. I don't usually win contests and drawings (save my luck for other things) but I'm glad I won this one. A lot was packed into the story, so it didn't seem short at all. I was definitely invested in it and what was going to happen next. It packs a punch much bigger than the length of the book. I definitely want to continue the series.
January 24, 2019
I like the concept of a company like The Agency, which can be hired by other companies to figure out what the problems are. In this case, I can't believe the process used to hire Alex, but it's part of the story. I worked for a company that made circuit boards as a defense contractor, so many of the details, like manufacturing processes, target acquisition, etc, as well as the functions within the company, like manufacturing, quality, HR, finance, and contracts were so familiar. I enjoyed the way are author put everything together. A good read.
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