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The Reluctant Trader

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A story of political ambition, greed, love and revenge, The Reluctant Trader is a fast-paced thriller following fictional events in just one week at the end of January 2016, the start of what by any yardstick is to become an extraordinary year in British Politics.

When disgraced former soldier, Adam Fraser, joins ruthlessly well-connected tax-exile Ricky Al-Shawabi as an oil trader, Fraser finds himself at the centre of a British Operation trying to expose Al-Shawabi as a criminal tax evader. However, the tentacles of Al-Shawabi’s operation reach high into the British political system. Before he realises it, Fraser is embroiled in Ricky’s deadliest deal yet, supplying laundered money to ISIS in Iraq. When the British authorities threaten to bring the whole operation to a climatic end, little does anyone realise what the political repercussions back home are likely to be.

Setting a thrilling pace with plot twists that grip the reader, literally, to the very last page, this novel is set mainly in London, Monaco and the Middle East. With its frighteningly credible storyline it gives fictional insights into what could indeed have been the real story behind some of the extraordinary events that shaped British politics in 2016.

Paperback

First published October 10, 2016

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About the author

David N. Robinson

8 books12 followers
A while ago, I was a partner and chief operating officer in a major accounting firm, and latterly held the same role in an international law firm. It took me 36 years and several million air miles to do, arguably, what I should have done several years earlier: give up the day job and focus on a lifelong ambition to write thrillers. Page-turners. Action and adventure stories with twists and turns right to the very last page.

With few parts of the world that I have not seen first-hand, I try to use personal knowledge, connections and a professional interest in technology to craft fast-paced thrillers that are very much set in the real world. Locations that I know personally. Present-day plotlines that try to be as credible and true to life as possible. Fictional backstories to events currently in the public eye.

My wife and I live close to the city of Cambridge, England. Together we support several local charities, including the world-renowned Cambridge Union debating society where I am a trustee.

With few parts of the world that I have not seen first-hand, I try to use my personal knowledge, connections and a professional interest in technology to craft fast-paced thrillers that are very much set in the real world. Locations that I know personally. Present-day plotlines that try to be as credible and true to life as possible. Fictional backstories to events currently in the public eye.

My wife and I live close to the city of Cambridge, England. Together we support several local charities, including the world-renowned Cambridge Union debating society where I am a trustee.

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5 stars
48 (57%)
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21 (25%)
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11 (13%)
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
50 reviews
September 9, 2018
A very enjoyable book

This book is a page turner and keeps the reader interested throughout.
The deviousness of Politicians depicted in this story should be hard to believe, BUT, it seems that they are not all the upright people they would have us believe. We have found that out in real life as well as in this tale.
Young Mr Fraser is a real modern day hero, a James Bond type who is just too good for his adversaries.
I can recommend this book as a jolly good read.
43 reviews
April 22, 2025
Great twist at the end from The Reluctant Trader!

Another great read from David N Robinson with The Reluctant Trader keeping the reader engaged throughout the book and ending with an unexpected ending to ensure this 10 out of 10 review!
121 reviews40 followers
October 7, 2017
The Reluctant Trader by David N. Robinson is a great British spy novel with a lot of interesting plots and great charachters.
This book leads the reader into a web of British spies and undercover operations, double crossing and good old fashioned good and bad guys.
I would reccomend this book to people that love a good spy novel.
I won this book through Goodreads.
284 reviews14 followers
February 12, 2017
Thank you Goodreads for sending me this book. This is the first book David’s that I have read & I really did enjoy it. Its fast paced- a thriller – and I looked forward to picking the book up everyday to read it. I thought that Adam, the main character, was very likeable, as well as believable. I think this genre of book is very popular at present and this book is definitely one of the best I have read recently. I also think the front cover of the book is eye catching. A great read from start to finish.
6 reviews
October 13, 2016
This is a cracker! A new pacy thriller from this terrific author. I really enjoyed this author’s other books and The Reluctant Trader is definitely a step up, this time into the murky world of politics, tax evasion and dirty money. A very strong plotline (don’t want to give too many spoilers, but think about how to get cash funds to ISIS, the Panama Papers leak, and political manoeuvring to be Prime Minister), and good characterisation move the story along at a satisfyingly furious pace. The sections dealing with civil servants and the machinations of those in government are particularly good, with a flavour of Yes Minister, and set one thinking about what might have happened behind closed doors in the run-up to the referendum! There’s enough action for Ben Lewis fans (me!) and some really good twists in the tale. There are parallels with The Night Manager and it would make a fantastic film/TV series. I thoroughly recommend this as a great read – I was so gripped, I was sneaking peaks while meant to be working..!
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Author 8 books12 followers
March 25, 2020
This is the fourth book by this author and perhaps his best yet. Totally current (as in what actually could have been the back-story behind 2016's year of tumultuous change in British politics), it brings together a story that entwines wealth; greed (as in tax evasive Non-Doms living in offshore tax havens); a Prime Minister of the day who has announced his intention to resign at some point in the next four years; the war against ISIS in the Middle East; and finally a group of oil traders looking to exploit the plunging price of oil. Written in a style at times reminiscent of the TV Mini-series The Night Manager, this is a fast-paced Action & Adventure story that has twists and turns to the very final reveal. Enjoy!
Profile Image for A J St Helene.
4 reviews
January 18, 2017
Nerve jangling

Fast paced thriller with interesting locations and characters. Scarily believable. I liked Adam Fraser as a character and found him compelling. Some of the other characters were less well rounded but this is a female perspective! Looking forward to reading the next one.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews

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