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Company Man
"A high octane thrill ride!" - San Francisco Chronicle on Paranoia
Joseph Finder's New York Times bestseller Paranoia was hailed by critics as "jet-propelled," the "Page Turner of the Year," and "the archetype of the thriller in its contemporary form."
Now Finder returns with Company Man - a heart-stopping thriller about ambition, betrayal, and the price of secrets.
Nick Conover is the CEO of a major corporation, a local boy made good, and once the most admired man in a company town. But that was before the layoffs.
When a faceless stalker menaces his family, Nick, a single father of two since the recent death of his wife, finds that the gated community they live in is no protection at all. He decides to take action, a tragedy ensues - and immediately his life spirals out of control.
At work, Nick begins to uncover a conspiracy against him, involving some of his closest colleagues. He doesn't know who he can trust - including the brilliant, troubled new woman in his life.
Meanwhile, his actions are being probed by a homicide detective named Audrey Rhimes, a relentless investigator with a strong sense of morality - and her own, very personal reason for pursuing Nick Conover.
With everything he cares about in the balance, Nick discovers strengths he never knew he had. His enemies don't realize how hard he'll fight to save his company. And nobody knows how far he'll go to protect his family.
Mesmerizing and psychologically astute, Company Man is Joseph Finder's most compelling and original novel yet.
Joseph Finder's New York Times bestseller Paranoia was hailed by critics as "jet-propelled," the "Page Turner of the Year," and "the archetype of the thriller in its contemporary form."
Now Finder returns with Company Man - a heart-stopping thriller about ambition, betrayal, and the price of secrets.
Nick Conover is the CEO of a major corporation, a local boy made good, and once the most admired man in a company town. But that was before the layoffs.
When a faceless stalker menaces his family, Nick, a single father of two since the recent death of his wife, finds that the gated community they live in is no protection at all. He decides to take action, a tragedy ensues - and immediately his life spirals out of control.
At work, Nick begins to uncover a conspiracy against him, involving some of his closest colleagues. He doesn't know who he can trust - including the brilliant, troubled new woman in his life.
Meanwhile, his actions are being probed by a homicide detective named Audrey Rhimes, a relentless investigator with a strong sense of morality - and her own, very personal reason for pursuing Nick Conover.
With everything he cares about in the balance, Nick discovers strengths he never knew he had. His enemies don't realize how hard he'll fight to save his company. And nobody knows how far he'll go to protect his family.
Mesmerizing and psychologically astute, Company Man is Joseph Finder's most compelling and original novel yet.
642 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 19, 2005
262 people are currently reading
2092 people want to read
About the author
Joseph Finder
70 books2,668 followersJoseph Finder is the author of the forthcoming novel JUDGMENT and fourteen other novels, many of them New York Times bestsellers, published in 35 countries around the world. His book HIGH CRIMES was adapted into a movie starring Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd; PARANOIA was made into the Harrison Ford/Gary Oldman film.
He was born in Chicago, lived in the Philippines, Afghanistan, Washington State, and upstate New York. His novels have won numerous awards, including the Strand Critics award, the Barry Award, and the International Thriller Writers’ Thriller Award for best novel. His first novel, THE MOSCOW CLUB, was named by Publishers Weekly as one of the 10 best spy novels of all time.
He lives with his wife in Boston and Cape Cod, where he roots for the Red Sox and mourns his Golden Retriever rescue dog, Mia. He’s currently trying to convince his wife to get another dog.
He was born in Chicago, lived in the Philippines, Afghanistan, Washington State, and upstate New York. His novels have won numerous awards, including the Strand Critics award, the Barry Award, and the International Thriller Writers’ Thriller Award for best novel. His first novel, THE MOSCOW CLUB, was named by Publishers Weekly as one of the 10 best spy novels of all time.
He lives with his wife in Boston and Cape Cod, where he roots for the Red Sox and mourns his Golden Retriever rescue dog, Mia. He’s currently trying to convince his wife to get another dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 354 reviews
December 23, 2016
Finder is the king of suspense! Another strong book recommended for all thriller fans.
August 30, 2018
I found this novel too long, too whiney and too wimpy to enjoy thoroughly. The ending brings it to a tolerable rating. 4 of 10 stars
January 8, 2015
Although well written, the story didn't work for me. Nick does just too many unbelievably stupid things, and I simply didn't believe it. I almost didn't finish the book (my sense of incredulity snapped); I soldiered through, but there was no sense of joy and no redemption. There was no thrill and no suspense, unless waiting for the main character to be impossibly idiotic is suspenseful. Very disappointing, IMO.
September 14, 2022
Finder’s books don’t disappoint and this is another example of a well-developed plot and sub-plots, strong character development and chapters written to pull you along.
🪑 (the fictional company manufactures chairs)
🤓
Yes, reviews saying the book is long are accurate. It’s just over 500 pages and it takes a commitment to cross the finish line, especially when you have a stack of books you still want to finish for the month.
📚
An action packed, suspenseful ending and a revealing epilogue made every bit of it worthwhile.
🪑 (the fictional company manufactures chairs)
🤓
Yes, reviews saying the book is long are accurate. It’s just over 500 pages and it takes a commitment to cross the finish line, especially when you have a stack of books you still want to finish for the month.
📚
An action packed, suspenseful ending and a revealing epilogue made every bit of it worthwhile.
August 29, 2021
I picked up “Company Man” as an audio book from my local library’s website. I like to listen to audio books while I run, (well jog, OK just walk, but don’t tell anyone) and this one was not a disappointment. Joe Finder is one of my favorite writers, and the book is read by a talented narrator, Scott Brick who did an excellent job with a variety of voices and a wide range of emotional charged and tension filled situations.
The characters are complex, well developed, and very likeable – even the “bad guys.” The plot is well organized and moves at an appropriate pace. Even though the book was first published sixteen years ago and the plot does involve some “technology,” the events still have a current feel. Most of the way through the book it seemed as if the “end” was a foregone conclusion based on events that occurred along the way, but Finder created scenarios where the evil was hiding in plain sight, no one could be trusted, and nothing was as it first seemed. It is a great book, full of the unexpected.
The characters are complex, well developed, and very likeable – even the “bad guys.” The plot is well organized and moves at an appropriate pace. Even though the book was first published sixteen years ago and the plot does involve some “technology,” the events still have a current feel. Most of the way through the book it seemed as if the “end” was a foregone conclusion based on events that occurred along the way, but Finder created scenarios where the evil was hiding in plain sight, no one could be trusted, and nothing was as it first seemed. It is a great book, full of the unexpected.
September 6, 2011
Is it a coincidence that I have read two books over the last two weeks that have competing story-lines vying for prime time? Is this a trend?
A close relative stuck this book in my hand and said, “You’ve dabbled in the corporate game, read this book.” So I did. And I enjoyed the boardroom intrigue of Nick Conover, CEO of a major office furniture manufacturer in the Midwest, facing the hollowing out of manufacturing in North America replete with outsourcing, layoffs at home, take-overs, sell-offs and executive suite allegiance-shifting that can raise even a reader’s blood pressure. Then another story began to hover for prominence, a crime and its cover-up involving Nick. It reminded me of the TV series Columbo, when we know whodunnit at the outset and the tension hovers around let-see how-the-cops-figure-out-how-he-dunnit. And then to compound the situation, in keeping with the stock advice to thriller writers of “place your protagonist in a sticky situation, then make it worse, then make it even worse, and more...until the reader is screaming for reality to return”, the crime story veers off into a Fatal Attraction type scenario with a final Hollywood-style conflagration where everyone is at risk until the neglected and suppressed cop, Audrey, pulls off a winner.
I wished the second strand had not been included, although I understand why: this is a thriller, and certain rules of the game have to be followed, even though they can be melodramatic and distort what was otherwise a well-grounded and realistic human drama.
I found Nick and Audrey and their respective family scenarios well developed although some other aspects were shallow. For instance, I couldn’t understand how a drunk former accountant could immediately spot a flaw in a corporate sale contract that none of the other sober ones could, and how an unemployed manager would be having dinner in the town’s fanciest restaurant; recurring melodramatic statements like “the hand that held her was also the hand that held the gun,” were a bit of a turn off too. And yet, some truisms about corporate life were nicely slid in: “Corporations are about continuity, capital markets are about creative destruction,” and “Bosses have bosses. There was always somebody whose ass you had to kiss.”
Although I read this page-turner very quickly and was engaged throughout, I had to ask myself why I was left feeling ambivalent in the end. Is it because corporate worlds, police-procedurals and psychopathic thrillers don’t mix very well? Or is it because, in combining all three, we sub-optimize the individual components?
A close relative stuck this book in my hand and said, “You’ve dabbled in the corporate game, read this book.” So I did. And I enjoyed the boardroom intrigue of Nick Conover, CEO of a major office furniture manufacturer in the Midwest, facing the hollowing out of manufacturing in North America replete with outsourcing, layoffs at home, take-overs, sell-offs and executive suite allegiance-shifting that can raise even a reader’s blood pressure. Then another story began to hover for prominence, a crime and its cover-up involving Nick. It reminded me of the TV series Columbo, when we know whodunnit at the outset and the tension hovers around let-see how-the-cops-figure-out-how-he-dunnit. And then to compound the situation, in keeping with the stock advice to thriller writers of “place your protagonist in a sticky situation, then make it worse, then make it even worse, and more...until the reader is screaming for reality to return”, the crime story veers off into a Fatal Attraction type scenario with a final Hollywood-style conflagration where everyone is at risk until the neglected and suppressed cop, Audrey, pulls off a winner.
I wished the second strand had not been included, although I understand why: this is a thriller, and certain rules of the game have to be followed, even though they can be melodramatic and distort what was otherwise a well-grounded and realistic human drama.
I found Nick and Audrey and their respective family scenarios well developed although some other aspects were shallow. For instance, I couldn’t understand how a drunk former accountant could immediately spot a flaw in a corporate sale contract that none of the other sober ones could, and how an unemployed manager would be having dinner in the town’s fanciest restaurant; recurring melodramatic statements like “the hand that held her was also the hand that held the gun,” were a bit of a turn off too. And yet, some truisms about corporate life were nicely slid in: “Corporations are about continuity, capital markets are about creative destruction,” and “Bosses have bosses. There was always somebody whose ass you had to kiss.”
Although I read this page-turner very quickly and was engaged throughout, I had to ask myself why I was left feeling ambivalent in the end. Is it because corporate worlds, police-procedurals and psychopathic thrillers don’t mix very well? Or is it because, in combining all three, we sub-optimize the individual components?
February 14, 2017
My favorite Joseph Finder novel so far. A creepy man shows up on your lawn late at night yelling incoherently. What do you do? As a corporate professional with kids you feel paranoid. You feel threatened so you call a friend. Intruder is shot dead. Now you feel more paranoid. Apparently Castle Doctrine does not apply here. Intruder must be inside home not out on lawn. So you conspire to move the body. Make it look like he died somewhere else. But what if there is proof he was there? Then what? When you lie you have to lie to back up the lie. Tell stories that are complete fantasy. Plus now you will never know why creep was out on your lawn screaming. Makes you wonder. Makes you more paranoid. Problems at work don't help. Corporate weasels sent to town to take what's yours. Paranoia builds. Lose your job or freedom is not an option for single father of two.
Joseph Finder always comes up with a good premise but he pulls this story off better. Good job!
Joseph Finder always comes up with a good premise but he pulls this story off better. Good job!
April 1, 2017
This was not a very good book because the author made his main character an idiot. He supposedly was a CEO of a major manufacturing firm, but he acted like a mentally challenged 6-year old. It was all I could do to finish the story. And the police reaction to the CEO was completely unrealistic. In most towns the police chief serves under the mayor. In my small town the mayor would kiss the ass of any CEO who traveled within a hundred miles, and if he murdered someone, the mayor would insist that the murdered person committed suicide by jumping in front of the bullet. In real life one of our former mayors set up a call girl ring just for the CEO's of the various businesses. Not recommended.
September 13, 2010
First, I don't give many 5-star reviews, although I, of course, crave them, but let's be honest. Not every book you read is going to change your life. Sometimes they just take you on an intensely enjoyable journey while you're immersed in that world. That said, a 4-star review from me is pretty dang high.
Now that we've got that out of the way, I really enjoyed this book, my first from Joe Finder. I liked the protagonist, agonizing over his dire situation, and tried to think how on earth to get him out of it with honor and dignity. Thus, the ending was satisfactory, and no, I won't tell you what it entailed.
A bit of a personal note. I "read" this via audio CD, which is how I absorb about a third of my book consumption. I was going along, nearing the end of the book, caught up in the travails of our everyman, my heart beating rapidly, and, no doubt, my blood pressure rising as much as my adrenalin, when, at the worst possible moment in chapter 107, my CD player went dead. ACK!
I've never changed the batteries more quickly! Good job, Joe!
And a tip of the hat--yes, I own a hat--to that wonderful reader, Scott Brick.
Now that we've got that out of the way, I really enjoyed this book, my first from Joe Finder. I liked the protagonist, agonizing over his dire situation, and tried to think how on earth to get him out of it with honor and dignity. Thus, the ending was satisfactory, and no, I won't tell you what it entailed.
A bit of a personal note. I "read" this via audio CD, which is how I absorb about a third of my book consumption. I was going along, nearing the end of the book, caught up in the travails of our everyman, my heart beating rapidly, and, no doubt, my blood pressure rising as much as my adrenalin, when, at the worst possible moment in chapter 107, my CD player went dead. ACK!
I've never changed the batteries more quickly! Good job, Joe!
And a tip of the hat--yes, I own a hat--to that wonderful reader, Scott Brick.
June 3, 2018
Let me start by saying I really enjoy Nick Heller books and think Joe Finder has produced some real entertaining stories. This one just does not work for me on any level.
There are two cops in this story I hope to find in a Nick Heller book some day. The lady detective and her boss are very strong. When these characters appear, the book disappears and I am immersed in story. Sadly, I found no one else to like in the book, so did not care to learn their fate.
I really tried to get through this book. I dragged myself kicking and screaming through one character I disliked after another, through long descriptive narratives about things I could have easily imagined; finally, I called it quits. I hope the lady cop catches the loser dad and sends the teen kids into foster care. If that’s how this book ends, I will up it to 3 stars.
There are two cops in this story I hope to find in a Nick Heller book some day. The lady detective and her boss are very strong. When these characters appear, the book disappears and I am immersed in story. Sadly, I found no one else to like in the book, so did not care to learn their fate.
I really tried to get through this book. I dragged myself kicking and screaming through one character I disliked after another, through long descriptive narratives about things I could have easily imagined; finally, I called it quits. I hope the lady cop catches the loser dad and sends the teen kids into foster care. If that’s how this book ends, I will up it to 3 stars.
December 3, 2023
Stratton Corporation was a leading furniture manufacturing company based in Michigan. While its products were premium quality, it was facing competition from competitors who were outsourcing some or all of the work. It became part of an out-of-state conglomerate whose main focus was making more money for the stockholders.
Nicholas Conover, the newly named CEO, found that one of his first tasks was getting rid of almost half the work force so Stratton could cut costs. In a small town, almost everyone was effected by the cuts, either directly or by knowing someone who was. Nick started finding messages inside his home, located in a gated community. His reports to the police department were basically ignored because many on the staff also knew people who had lost their jobs.
His wife had died a year earlier, before he became CEO, leaving him to raise their two children, a sweet ten-year old girl and an angry 16 year-old boy. One day he and his two children came home to find their dog had been viciously murdered.. Again, the police ignored his requests to find the perpetrator and to protect his house.
An investigation by a co-worker and friend of his turned up the name of the possible person. His friend gave him a gun which Nick took reluctantly. Soon afterwards he spied the man in his yard and, feeling threatened, shot him. From then on, more and more seemed to go wrong.
COMPANY MAN is the story of a man with a conscence getting involved with people with different agendas as he tries to save the jobs of Stratton employees and preserve the company. But he tends to trust the wrong people.
Joseph Finder presents important facts about schizophrenia: “The vast majority of patients with schizophrenia have never been violent. They’re one hundred times more likely to commit suicide than homocide.”“...Schizophrenia increases the likelihood of being the victim of a crime.”
While the book is well-written and fast-moving, it doesn’t seem likely that a man in his position would be so disconnected with his children after the death of their mother or that their nanny would be so incompetent in recognizing the problems. The book also has too many too short chapters that should have been combined. I doubt that the majority of readers suffer from short attention spans. I always remove one star for that.
Nicholas Conover, the newly named CEO, found that one of his first tasks was getting rid of almost half the work force so Stratton could cut costs. In a small town, almost everyone was effected by the cuts, either directly or by knowing someone who was. Nick started finding messages inside his home, located in a gated community. His reports to the police department were basically ignored because many on the staff also knew people who had lost their jobs.
His wife had died a year earlier, before he became CEO, leaving him to raise their two children, a sweet ten-year old girl and an angry 16 year-old boy. One day he and his two children came home to find their dog had been viciously murdered.. Again, the police ignored his requests to find the perpetrator and to protect his house.
An investigation by a co-worker and friend of his turned up the name of the possible person. His friend gave him a gun which Nick took reluctantly. Soon afterwards he spied the man in his yard and, feeling threatened, shot him. From then on, more and more seemed to go wrong.
COMPANY MAN is the story of a man with a conscence getting involved with people with different agendas as he tries to save the jobs of Stratton employees and preserve the company. But he tends to trust the wrong people.
Joseph Finder presents important facts about schizophrenia: “The vast majority of patients with schizophrenia have never been violent. They’re one hundred times more likely to commit suicide than homocide.”“...Schizophrenia increases the likelihood of being the victim of a crime.”
While the book is well-written and fast-moving, it doesn’t seem likely that a man in his position would be so disconnected with his children after the death of their mother or that their nanny would be so incompetent in recognizing the problems. The book also has too many too short chapters that should have been combined. I doubt that the majority of readers suffer from short attention spans. I always remove one star for that.
February 16, 2013
FULL OF IMPLAUSIBILITIES (LIKE WHY WOULD THIS GUY NOT INSTALL A SECURITY SYSTEM IN HIS MANSION THE FIRST TIME HIS HOUSE IS BROKEN INTO, RATHER THAN WAITING TO THE 4TH OF 5TH TIME WHEN HIS DOG IS MURDERED? AND THEN HE SEEMS TO SHRUG OFF THE BREAK-INS WHEN I’D BE REACTING TO THE POLICE ABOUT THEM THE WAY A REAL PERSON WOULD), AND HACKNEYED PLOT DEVICES (THE BLACK WOMAN COP WHO IS CONSTANTLY GIVEN A HARD TIME BY HER MALE COWORKERS WHO ARE SO UNCARING ABOUT THEIR CASES YOU WONDER HOW THEY GOT AND KEPT THEIR JOBS; THE SURLY TEENAGE SON WHO WENT BAD AFTER HIS MOTHER DIED; THE GUY THE CEO GREW UP WITH WHO HE HIRED AS HIS SECURITY CHIEF AND TURNS OUT TO BE A JERK WHO GETS HIM INTO THE MESS HE’S IN (KILLING A GUY WHO CAME ONTO HIS PROPERTY). I FELT LIKE NOT FINISHING IT, BUT I HAVE A MORBID CURIOSITY WANTING TO FIND OUT HOW POORLY PLOTTED THIS STORY WILL GO. IT’S TOO BAD, BECAUSE I ENJOYED THE FINDER BOOK I READ BEFORE THIS, KILLER INSTINCT, WHICH WAS FOR THE MOST PART PRETTY GOOD…. I FINISHED THIS BOOK ONLY BECAUSE I FELT I NEEDED TO. THE ENDING WAS FANTASTICAL AND WAY TOO CONVENIENT.
December 6, 2017
Nick Conover, the main character in the story, is the CEO of Stratton Corp. Nick recently lost his wife in a tragic accident and he and his children are still grieving. Thankfully, Nick has his work, but his community image has changed when he approved the decision to lay of hundreds of workers as the company faces some difficult time; but Nick is about to find out that nothing is as it seems, both in his corporate world and in his personal life and has to determine who he can trust. In the middle of all this Nick makes a couple of decisions in order to try and protect his family and everything begins to slide down the slippery hill of deceit. Can Nick find his way back to the man he truly is? Although it was apparent who was the primary villain, it was interesting to watch Nick navigate this nightmare. The details of corporate officers and their willingness to risk everything for money seemed very true to life. Overall an entertaining book.
December 28, 2012
Nick Conover is the CEO of a large office furniture company based in Michigan. The downturn in the economy has resulted in Conover laying off 5000 employees. In their small town, this results in just about every family in town bringing effected in one way or another. Conover has become 'The Slasher' to a town who once loved him.
Conover get threat on his family and morning 'attack' by a mentally disturbed, former employee, who Conover then shoots and kills. His 'shady' security officer moves the body to a drug infested area of town. And the story takes off from there.
Company Man is a well written and evenly paced book. The author gives a decent amount of background information on each of the characters.
A pretty good read with a few twists and turns, keep you on your toes.
Conover get threat on his family and morning 'attack' by a mentally disturbed, former employee, who Conover then shoots and kills. His 'shady' security officer moves the body to a drug infested area of town. And the story takes off from there.
Company Man is a well written and evenly paced book. The author gives a decent amount of background information on each of the characters.
A pretty good read with a few twists and turns, keep you on your toes.
April 3, 2017
I read this book immediately after reading the author's popular book 'Paranoia.' I was enthusiastic about his style of writing and this book was no different.
It's suspenseful, tricky, good description, and authentic of a modern company man who has problems at home and at work, and finds himself trapped between a rock and a hard place. You'll find this book full of surprises and fast-paced despite it not being an action-packed novel versus a dramatic one. It sealed my curiosity and I'm not a fan of Joseph Finder. Actually met him at Mysterious Galaxy Books and got his autograph.
Keep on reading!
David Lucero, author
It's suspenseful, tricky, good description, and authentic of a modern company man who has problems at home and at work, and finds himself trapped between a rock and a hard place. You'll find this book full of surprises and fast-paced despite it not being an action-packed novel versus a dramatic one. It sealed my curiosity and I'm not a fan of Joseph Finder. Actually met him at Mysterious Galaxy Books and got his autograph.
Keep on reading!
David Lucero, author
May 3, 2012
Too seldom these days can you find a "thriller" that isn't full of "oh give me a break" moments when you just get disgusted because it's all so unbelievable. This book was a very pleasant surprise....it had none of those moments, even though there's a new twist to the plot in almost every chapter! Nick Conover's life as a hot shot CEO is falling apart at the seams and he seems powerless to help himself or anybody else. Right from the first chapter I didn't want to put this down....it's one of the most entertaining books I've read in a long time!
June 7, 2020
This was the best Joseph Finder book I have read so far. As in his previous books, the main character’s life spirals from bad to worse as events unfold. However, in this one I felt that the situation was more extreme than in other books, and I was more conflicted because I both deplored his actions and wanted him (Nick Conover - Stratton’s CEO) to come out okay. What really differed in this book was that the resolution of events was more believable. You still had to take a small leap of faith, but in this case, I could see someone surviving that leap. Really a page turner!
June 29, 2015
I could not finish this book. Others seem to like it, but it's just not for me. I found the constant conspiracy and lack of real human contact too unsettling and depressing and, frankly, unrealistic and contrived. I'd rather spend my time on something that either is happier or that I can more relate to.
March 14, 2009
I listened to this book in CD and loved it! There were twists and turns that kept my interest to the point where I brought it inside the house to listen to it when I could. This is my first experience with this author and I thought he was great.
July 15, 2016
I would definitely give this 4 stars. A good thriller with good guys, bad guys, twists and suspense. Recommend
April 13, 2018
I have to like the characters in a book, at least some of them and these were not only unlikable they acted in ways that were illogical! (Sorry Diana)
September 12, 2020
5 stars for 500 pages of a good book! The formula is the same as all his other books, but I think this was one of his better efforts. Seems like I either love him or dislike him, this was a like.
Mr Finder touts his editor who I think does a terrible job. Aren’t they supposed to pick up errors and inconsistencies? Too many to list!! Mr Kahla must have been asleep at the wheel. Mr Finder needs to find a new editor, all his books are filled with errors!
Another protagonist who demonstrates poor judgement - he has a big job but loses important contracts, a smart mouthed 16 year old son who I’d love to strangle, throw in a little sex and lots of cursing and you have the basic outline for all the author’s novels. His characters are interchangeable from book to book.
Mr Finder touts his editor who I think does a terrible job. Aren’t they supposed to pick up errors and inconsistencies? Too many to list!! Mr Kahla must have been asleep at the wheel. Mr Finder needs to find a new editor, all his books are filled with errors!
Another protagonist who demonstrates poor judgement - he has a big job but loses important contracts, a smart mouthed 16 year old son who I’d love to strangle, throw in a little sex and lots of cursing and you have the basic outline for all the author’s novels. His characters are interchangeable from book to book.
August 10, 2017
I wasn't expecting much from this book when I picked it up from the bottom shelf of our bookcase. My husband bought it way before we even met, and I was thinking, perhaps it's not something I'd necessarily chose to read myself. Surprisingly though, the story kept me engaged throughout. I rooted for Nick, despite of what he did, despite of the bad decisions he has made. My heart went out to Audrey as she tried to bring back the spark which has gone from her marriage. All the characters were fleshed out well. Some moments were a bit OTT, but hey, if it was an ordinary, run-of-the-mill situation, there mightn't have been a book in it at all... My recommendation is - if you want an entertaining and captivating weekend/holiday read, go for this book.
August 28, 2019
Another excellent book by this author. It started off slow for me but as usual, I start getting pulled into the plot. A rollercoaster of plot twists and thinking I know what is going on, to being wrong. Then you can’t stop reading....trying to figure it out.
November 1, 2020
Joseph Finder has an incredible knack for creating unique, interesting characters.
Even if one of them is not completely likable, Mr. Finder provides enough empathy
to keep the reader engaged.
Even if one of them is not completely likable, Mr. Finder provides enough empathy
to keep the reader engaged.
Read
January 4, 2025Skimmed for work — don’t ask
May 1, 2022
I quite liked this book. It starts being about a CEO who has a stalker that kills his dog and threatens his family. There is also the company politics that he has to battle to try to save the company and the town that supports it.
Plenty of twists.
Plenty of twists.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2014
4 ½ stars. Well done mystery-suspense in the corporate world. Business intrigue and back stabbing.
I read this right after reading Paranoia. These are stand alone books and not related. They are different. Paranoia was edge-of-your-seat-suspense and scary. It’s characters were more toward the extremes: abusive angry father, slacker protagonist, and unethical corporate leaders. Company Man was harder to write because most of the characters were like ordinary everyday people. But the author did it well. He made them interesting. I liked the relationships, the plots, how things happened, and the in-depth character development. It is hard to make corporate things interesting, but he did. It wasn’t a “wow” kind of book. But it’s a good book and worth rounding up to 5 stars.
I don’t like cliffhanger endings at the end of chapters. It’s manipulative. The author did this a few times which annoyed me. I prefer scenes finish to their conclusion before going elsewhere. One example was in chapter 104. The board is meeting, a person enters the meeting to do something critical. The chapter ends at that moment and goes to something else with other characters.
STORY BRIEF:
There are two main plots. 1. Nick is CEO of a furniture manufacturer. The board of directors forces Nick to lay off half the workforce. Therefore Nick is the most hated man in town. Nick shoots someone in self defense and hides it from the cops. Audrey is the homicide detective investigating the shooting. She uncovers clues throughout the book. Nick is worried. 2. Some corporate officers have been doing things in the company without telling Nick and against Nick’s wishes. Nick slowly discovers what’s going on, and has to figure out what to do about it. 3. A third element is the importance of family - a smaller part but good.
Things I would have wanted to know before I read the book:
AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR.
Scott Brick is not a favorite of mine. He is sometimes too sarcastic, condescending, and smart-alecky. But in this book he was very good. He did women and children well which a lot of male narrators don’t do.
AUDIOBOOK EDITING:
Could have been improved. A few times there was no pause between a sentence and the narrator saying “Chapter 39” (the next chapter). It was unsettling.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 17 hrs and 49 mins. Swearing language: strong but not often used. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: two briefly referred to no details. Setting: current day Fenwick, Michigan. Book copyright: 2005. Genre: mystery suspense.
OTHER BOOKS:
For a list of my ratings of other Joseph Finder books see my 5 star review of Paranoia.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I read this right after reading Paranoia. These are stand alone books and not related. They are different. Paranoia was edge-of-your-seat-suspense and scary. It’s characters were more toward the extremes: abusive angry father, slacker protagonist, and unethical corporate leaders. Company Man was harder to write because most of the characters were like ordinary everyday people. But the author did it well. He made them interesting. I liked the relationships, the plots, how things happened, and the in-depth character development. It is hard to make corporate things interesting, but he did. It wasn’t a “wow” kind of book. But it’s a good book and worth rounding up to 5 stars.
I don’t like cliffhanger endings at the end of chapters. It’s manipulative. The author did this a few times which annoyed me. I prefer scenes finish to their conclusion before going elsewhere. One example was in chapter 104. The board is meeting, a person enters the meeting to do something critical. The chapter ends at that moment and goes to something else with other characters.
STORY BRIEF:
There are two main plots. 1. Nick is CEO of a furniture manufacturer. The board of directors forces Nick to lay off half the workforce. Therefore Nick is the most hated man in town. Nick shoots someone in self defense and hides it from the cops. Audrey is the homicide detective investigating the shooting. She uncovers clues throughout the book. Nick is worried. 2. Some corporate officers have been doing things in the company without telling Nick and against Nick’s wishes. Nick slowly discovers what’s going on, and has to figure out what to do about it. 3. A third element is the importance of family - a smaller part but good.
Things I would have wanted to know before I read the book:
AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR.
Scott Brick is not a favorite of mine. He is sometimes too sarcastic, condescending, and smart-alecky. But in this book he was very good. He did women and children well which a lot of male narrators don’t do.
AUDIOBOOK EDITING:
Could have been improved. A few times there was no pause between a sentence and the narrator saying “Chapter 39” (the next chapter). It was unsettling.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 17 hrs and 49 mins. Swearing language: strong but not often used. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: two briefly referred to no details. Setting: current day Fenwick, Michigan. Book copyright: 2005. Genre: mystery suspense.
OTHER BOOKS:
For a list of my ratings of other Joseph Finder books see my 5 star review of Paranoia.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
November 1, 2010
There is a reason that there are two titles on the header. This title was released under both, but as I have just finished reading the 580-page Paperback version (Nowhere to Hide) this is what the review is based upon.
The blurb on the back of the book tells you that the story is about Nick, the CEO of a office furniture company. He reports to Todd who was recruited to serve the interests of the original family owners. There is a token family member on the board, though it is Nick (and Todd) that run the show.
The story is set against a backdrop of massive redundancies, and really only comes to life at the moment when Nick kills a former employee who has climbed the wall of the gated community where he lives, and is standing in his back garden in the middle of the night. Nick calls upon Eddie, his security manager and long-time buddy who helps him by covering up the killing.
Meanwhile the black female detective Audrey, starts to investigate the dumping of a body in a dumpster. This body inevitably leads back to Nick and Eddie, via a number of plot devices. There is the affair between Nick and Cassie, who turns out to be the daughter of the man Nick killed; there is the fact that Nick is a widower bringing up two children – Julia, the youngest, and Lucas, a stereotypical drug-experimenting teenager who is losing his way in the world. There is also the small matter that Nick is also fighting battles at work, trying to understand why the company he runs is losing orders, and making long term plans that he is not aware of.
Having read a couple of Joseph Finder’s books, I was expecting a thriller that accelerated through the plotlines and the narrative with the speed of an express train. This is not like that – the plotlines tend to slow the story to a jog in places. This book feels as though it wants to be a past-paced thriller, yet cannot shed the excess plots (wayward teenager, affair) and a word count that gets in the way.
Nowhere to hide is a good solid book, but it doesn’t sit comfortably with others in the same stable.
January 1, 2018
Six-Word Review: Successful man, now hated, soon persecuted.
Nick Conover, CEO of a furniture Company and single father of two, sees his business begin to struggle and he must lay off 5,000 workers. He also shoots a disgruntled ex-employee spouting gibberish on his front lawn. Unfortunately, from a legal perspective, protecting his home only applies if the intruder is in the house. He enlists his head of security to move the body to the shady part of town - bad idea.
He's now the target of law enforcement, specifically Audrey Rhimes, a relentless detective with an axe to grind. He also realizes that there are those in the company plotting against him. His Security guy turns out to be shady character. All of this forces Nick to find strength he didn't know he had to protect both his family and his company.
The book moves along quite well and there are some surprising twists and turns. I do think there were a few too many coincidences that worked in Conover's favor. The ending was great and tied everything together leaving me feeling satisfied. Finder is not a great writer but he does a good job with his characters and an adequate job with the plot. I recommend it as a good introduction to Finder's work.
Nick Conover, CEO of a furniture Company and single father of two, sees his business begin to struggle and he must lay off 5,000 workers. He also shoots a disgruntled ex-employee spouting gibberish on his front lawn. Unfortunately, from a legal perspective, protecting his home only applies if the intruder is in the house. He enlists his head of security to move the body to the shady part of town - bad idea.
He's now the target of law enforcement, specifically Audrey Rhimes, a relentless detective with an axe to grind. He also realizes that there are those in the company plotting against him. His Security guy turns out to be shady character. All of this forces Nick to find strength he didn't know he had to protect both his family and his company.
The book moves along quite well and there are some surprising twists and turns. I do think there were a few too many coincidences that worked in Conover's favor. The ending was great and tied everything together leaving me feeling satisfied. Finder is not a great writer but he does a good job with his characters and an adequate job with the plot. I recommend it as a good introduction to Finder's work.
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