Foliage

Louise Moscow #1

by Lorraine Evanoff

BOOK EXCELLENCE AWARD FINALIST, HISTORICAL FICTION
NEW APPLE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE
SHELF UNBOUND BEST INDIE BOOK, NOTABLE INDIE AWARD
READERS’ FAVORITE BOOK AWARD FINALIST

Investment banker Louise Moscow is sexy, brazen and fearless in business and in love.

With a high-profile dream job wooing rich clientele in late 1980s Paris, she enjoys a lavish lifestyle in a glamorous city.

When she stumbles upon criminal activity at her company, the FBI and CIA force her to cooperate and bring down the underhanded bankers in what turns out to be one of the greatest scandals of the twentieth century.

Perfect for fans of Erik Larson, Jack Slater and Kathy Reichs, Foliage: An International Banking Spy Thriller (A Louise Moscow Novel Book 1) is the first installment in this highly addictive, suspenseful thriller series by award-winning author Lorraine Evanoff.

Buy Foliage today and discover an exciting new mystery you won’t be able to put down.

What readers are saying about Foliage:

★★★★★ - "Great read, beautifully written, I highly recommend." ~ Matthew J. Dowd, Chief Political Analyst, ABC News

★★★★★ - "It starts off fast and keeps you hooked." ~ Nelle L'Amour, New York Times Bestselling Author

★★★★★ - Evanoff does her homework, and is able to deliver complex material in a light and readable fashion." ~ Patrick "Ubercritic" McDonald, Hollywood Chicago Magazine

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Thriller, Suspense

246 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 15, 2015

About the author

Award-winning author Lorraine Evanoff’s highly addictive, suspenseful thrillers are perfect for fans of Erik Larson, Jack Slater and Kathy Reichs.

Former Hollywood finance exec Lorraine Evanoff uses classic mystery storytelling to spin complex tales of international finance with a sexy female heroine. Lorraine’s best-selling Louise Moscow Novels, FOLIAGE, PINOT NOIR, and the newly released DEVIL'S LEDGER are high concept noir thrillers inspired by real-life banking scandals.

Originally from Chicago, Lorraine received a degree in French from DePaul then studied and worked for seven years in Paris and is currently living in Los Angeles with her husband. Lorraine held CFO positions in high tech companies during the dot-com era, and more recently in the film industry, notably as CFO of National Lampoon. She already has multiple IMDB credits to her name and now has a screenplay in development.

Be sure to follow Lorraine on BookBub for the latest on sales https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lorra...!

Reviews

[S.A. Krishnan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the story.
The story had it all.
It shows exactly how murky things can actually be behind the screen of high finance banking. There are spies, a perfect set of mystery, and enough thrill and subtle romance which is sprinkled all around the book to make it even more enjoyable.
Fabulous story.

[Michelle Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers' Favorite

“Money is the root of all evil,” and Lorraine Evanoff’s novel, Foliage: An International Banking Spy Thriller, sprouts many corrupt roots. Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) hires Louise Moscow, a brilliant investment banker to work at their Paris branch. She has a knack for wooing rich clientele and enjoys the lavish lifestyle that accompanies the job.

Louise begins to notice discrepancies in the bank’s finances and other illicit activities. Michael, an FBI agent, and Vlad, a CIA operative, both intimidate her to gather evidence against BCCI. When her best friend and co-worker is murdered, Louise knows her life is threatened, but is uncertain which agent she can trust to get her out of the escalating danger of which she is unwittingly a part.

Greed, power, and money form a lethal combination that will always weaken humanity. Foliage: An International Banking Spy Thriller is an extremely intense story filled with romance, mystery, and historical facts. I got a first-hand look at the unscrupulous methods of the banking world and how manipulative its players can be to ensure that the barrier between rich and poor remains.

Lorraine Evanoff has written remarkably well, considering that Foliage is her first novel. She gives an in-depth description of the intricacies of BCCI’s operation and her Endnotes provide historical sources for some of the events that actually occurred. The suspenseful conclusion left me curious to know more about the protagonist’s fate in Book 2, another Louise Moscow Novel from Lorraine Evanoff’s remarkable Foliage series.

[Ray Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe that woman write differently than men. They concentrate on different things. I find that women do emotions and relationships better than men, while men are great at plot, action, and suspense. Lorraine Evanoff excels at all aspects of writing. The characters are well rounded, the action is crisp and realistic, and the plot is very believable and moves along at a sharp crisp pace. I found her portrayal of an American living and moving in international circles very accurate and I have never read a more accurate description of the jet-setting lifestyle. But the thing I like most about Foliage is Louise Moscow. I even like her name. I was not really expecting a woman to be the heroine at the center of an international banking conspiracy. I don’t know why it was such a surprise but it was a surprise, and it turned out to be a pleasant one.

Louise is smart, very smart, and that is something I admire in a character. She needs that intelligence to outmaneuver the players of the international banking world. The bad guys are very well educated, cultured, and charming. They are also as ruthless and dedicated as an Afghan warrior and show about as much mercy once they make their move. Foliage is huge in scope and history and some of the most momentous movements of our time go into creating a conspiracy that will shake the banking world. Names of institutions and people plucked from the headlines combine with superb writing to make Foliage and Louise Moscow something you will want to see more of in the future. If you want to more about what lies behind those BCCI headlines you occasionally run across, read Foliage.

[Russ · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I liked: this book provides a great exposé of BCCI, the notoriously corrupt Pakistani-founded bank from the 1980s. Louise Moscow takes a job with BCCI. The job seems to be all champagne and caviar, with her living in Paris and jet-setting around the world to take on new clients. But the bank is excessively secretive and each new client is shadier than the last, which eventually raises red flags for Louise. The BCCI scandal is an important story worthy of a thriller, and Louise is a good character to lead us through it.

Normally, writers of techno-thrillers use dialogue or brief expository paragraphs to convey technical or historical information to readers. This is done so as not to bore the readers and so as not interrupt the narrative pace. That being said, here's what I didn't like: Foliage has large tracts of factual information that read like encyclopedia articles. Then it switches back to the fictional story with the plot and characters. I found the flip-flops between fiction and nonfiction to be confusing and frustrating.

The book also included endnotes, which is extremely rare in fiction. The endnotes made me further question whether this novel was fiction or nonfiction.

If the author can find a way to blend the factual or expository information more seamlessly within the plotline, I would gladly read a sequel.

[Roger Grosser · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new heroine to celebrate!

I am a long time, avid reader of thrillers, and always searching for new/different authors of such. When I found out a high school classmate had written a couple of books, I just had to check it out!

Lorraine, I am still reading Pinot Noir (and thoroughly enjoying it so far), but you did not disappoint with Foliage! It's a bit different than many of the other authors that I've read, in that I feel it causes the reader to reach deeper intellectually, digging into the world of international banking and forensic accounting. Forensics of any kind have always fascinated me, but Foliage has opened a whole new world!

Louise Moscow is one more heroine I am excited to be following! Foliage was a great introduction to her and I'm looking forward to watching her character further develop in Pinot Noir, and hopefully more to come after that!

If you like thrillers, I highly recommend you check out Lorraine's first book, Foliage and be sure to follow it up with the second in the Louise Moscow series, Pinot Noir! I'm sure you will enjoy them as much as me!

Thank you, Lorraine, for sharing one of your many talents with me and the world!

[Patrick McDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOUISE MOSCOW is a DEDICATED HERO FOR OUR TIMES
A review of “Foliage” by Lorraine Evanoff

Part history lesson, part romantic potboiler, author Lorraine Evanoff introduces a new hero for our times – the unflappable Louise Moscow – in her first mystery novel, “Foliage.” The title refers to a code word, and intrigue is on the menu in this unusual adventure involving...wait for it...international banking. Set in the early 1990s, Evanoff combines the underhanded tactics of the real Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) and Moscow’s penchant for always landing in the most exotic locations and situations.

The book is a reminder of “The Devil in the White City,” as it gives a mind blowing history lesson on high finance and banking from the era that resonates to even the most recent banking problems. Evanoff does her homework, and is able to deliver complex material in a light and readable fashion. The fiction part with Louise breaks up the finance with an adventurer who seemingly can do everything, from Arabic poetry to horse riding to intricate numbers assessment. Louise also has some ex-and-current lovers in her mix, to spice up the circumstance that is going on around them.

Evanoff combines crackling dialogue with a steady hand in prose, throwing in a bit of romantic novel whimsy in both Louise’s lovers and her ability to pursue and attain the finest in life. The author loves all her characters, even the villains, and the ensemble we meet around Louise are family and friends that never overstay their welcome. It is a mystery, after all.

For something different, and something fun – especially if you love mystery and intrigue – the Adventures of Louise Mancow should definitely find a spot in your reading list. Just remember the code word... "Foliage."

[Birgit · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am not sure what this was, but I definitely struggled to finish it. Was this a story, an essay, a documentary? The title said: "female sleuth financial thriller with international espionage".... I expected suspense, drama, dangerous missions, and said female sleuth having to do a bit more than look pretty, being protected in "adequate accommodation", sleeping with most good-looking men she met, and otherwise having no real emotions.
This was just a string of mostly meaningless verbal meandering, with numerous descriptions thrown in that were absolutely unnecessary for the story, the plot itself. The protagonist showed an emotional scala of a toddler. And every single place she visited or stayed: if it had historical meaning, it was told, over several pages, as if it was copied word for word from a travel guide. And to be quite honest: my old history teacher at school could present things like that way more interesting.
Footnotes, felt hundreds of footnotes (I think there were about 40 or so, I stopped counting or looking at them after a while, as most of them mentioned one single book about the bank around which this - um - thriller was written.
Oh and did I mention boring? I will give it to the author , she knows her English language, and if she could, she used 4 or more syllable words. Not even too difficult ones, though they did nothing for the flow of the story.
I am still not sure if this was intended to be a real life documentary about this bank, an essay (because of all these footnotes?), however: a thriller it was not. What it was, was boring!
I am sorry, I am rarely that negative about a book, but it did not meet any of my expectations after reading the title - I am sure I am not sophisticated enough to appreaciate this story.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had chosen this book based on what it promised was inside by the little description I had read. I was unfamiliar with this author also so I do like to think new ones to me are part of the adventure. So I venture in not knowing what to expect. I can tell right away that this is exactly what it claims to be a spy thriller. It has been quite awhile since I have read one such as this. It lays down a solid rundown right away before Louise is fully in the picture. She accepts a position with a international banking company in Paris. This is a big time company that is steadily growing but you soon find out that every thing is not as it seems. Interlaced in this is a lot of facts from history, but it also happened to be during times I had lived through myself that I remember some of the events. You become almost like glue going along side of Louise, then things really start popping. First she is also confronted by CIA that she must help them and then, shame on ole boyfriend Michael, then when she uses the word that was their code word he too says FBI forcing her to help. Wow talk about a pickle she is now like a filling for a sandwich. I did not only have all this spy stuff though to read she does finally find her a love but that too is edge of your seat. This was refreshing for me since this is not my usual reading material anymore but found I still do enjoy the intensity of this kind still. This author too is very sneaky for when Louise is on the trail of her love she is then continued to a book 2 but not matter you must know the answers it surely will contain.

[Simon Levy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Evanoff has written an incredibly timely book, especially given the recent release of the Panama Papers and the exposure of corruption within the banking and financial services industries. The book is a wonderful combination of non-fiction and fiction, with a heroine who is smart, beautiful, spiritual and complex. The book, which is well-researched (and even has footnotes), is obviously written by someone who knows what she's writing about. It exposes how money moves around the world, who controls it, and how far governments, world leaders, corporations, and the banking industry will go to get their percentage, even if it's illegal... especially if it's illegal. It's astonishing that there is upwards of 20 Trillion Dollars in "dark money" that is hidden and untaxed. He who controls the money... controls everything. It's a sober reminder that common people, like most of us, are merely ATM machines for those who will go to any length to accumulate wealth and power. We really are naive about how money works in the world! The book is not only an eye-opener about what's really going on, but it's also a rippin' thriller. That's quite an accomplishment! Looking forward to Louise Moscow's next adventure.

[Edward · Rating 5 out of 5]

I made it to ch 25... it took two days to complete, but I couldn’t put it down! I started searching for eye drops and had to stop. Haven’t read this quality of details and realism since Ian Fleming. You really nailed it Lorraine. This is pertinent and entertaining! Great realism and lavish sights and smells. Can’t wait to finish and get into your next saga. Hope you’re also doing the screen play. A Trilogy Perhaps? I’m grinning from ear to ear at my good fortune that the universe allowed me to stumble upon this work. A new and refreshing author has arrived! Louise Moscow is a winning character, for sure. Salivating for book two...

[Jim Stott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m an avid reader of spy thrillers and books of mystery and thoroughly enjoyed Foliage by Lorraine Evanoff! The book is steeped in history, romance, and intrigue. The amount of research and detail contained in the book is extraordinary.

Ms. Evanoff creates a heroine, Louise Moscow, who is highly intelligent, likable, and one whom the reader can identify with. From the opening moments to when Louise makes a phone call from a payphone and says only one word, Foliage, to when she finds herself hiding in the catacombs of Paris, it’s a ride you won’t want to miss! I’m looking forward to Louise Moscow’s continuing adventures in Book 2!

[P.M. DeVuono · Rating 5 out of 5]

Foliage is my kind of book: one in which you can’t tell what will happen next. Louise Moscow is my kind of gal: high class but low maintenance, smart but not stuck-up, sexy and sensitive but never crude or mawkish.

Wrapped in an intricate spy thriller, Lorraine Evanoff has given us a first rate primer on greed and corruption in international banking. Evanoff’s background in international finance gives her a special insight and adds authenticity to this story of the shifting ebb and flow of dirty money and government complicity.

Be warned, this is a work of fiction but the banking is real and to know that such greed and corruption exists is scary. Current events make this a must read.

[Lori Byrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real thriller that keeps you guessing until the end. I loved the characters and how they all worked so well together. The twists and turns will keep you riveted to keep turning the page to find out what happens next. I would read this book over again to see what I missed the 1st time through. Lorraine clearly has the ability to write books.

[David Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm always up for a good spy thriller and Foliage did not disappoint! And it overcame two things that typically cause my eyes to immediately gloss over: finances and lots of detail. But this book uses both of those to their full advantage. High finance meets international espionage. Real world meets fiction. And Louis Moscow is a fantastic, layered character. Highly recommend.

[Tim Nunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

best books i ever read full of mystery,murder,action,spys and get better and better the more i read ,Lorraine Evanoff is my mot favorite book author and i intend on owning all her books and be a top fan some the best reading and most professional. anyone thats not yet read them you must cause you will love it now im addicted to her books and think you will be too.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lorraine Evanoff my most favorite of all book authors i love reading her totally awesome books about murder,mystery,spys and they are perfectly written,starts out good and the more you read the better they get and more you get into them and dont want to stop reading. i plan to own all her books as she writes them, i see why she is a top award winning author and im a fan for sure.

[Tim nunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading Lorraine Evanoff books with this one and loved it so much I had to read another and plan to read all her books as they come out I'm proud to say I'm a fan of this top author thank you

[Patrick Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

After being tremendously impressed by Lorraine Evanoff’s latest mystery/thriller Walking the Cat, I downloaded and read Book I of her Louise Moscow international banking series, Foliage, and I am so glad I took the plunge.

Foliage finds Louise Moscow up to her well-hydrated neck in the notorious and largely forgotten BCCI (Bank of Credit and Commerce International) banking scandal. BCCI was a “veritable fraud monster”—one of the world’s largest international banks and surely one of the crookedest. Virtually every nation and/or entity of any importance including our own CIA worked with BCCI, held its nose, and looked the other way.

In Foliage, forensic accounting expert Louise—bright, young, courageous, attractive and impeccably dressed and coiffed—goes undercover to investigate BCCI and their dirty deeds. In so doing, she risks her life over and over again. As the drama mounts, she falls for the love of her life, Jean Philippe de Villaneuve, and appears to lose him but perhaps not forever. Louise perseveres because that is her nature, and when the smoke and dusk finally clear, we readers leave her heart-broken but hopeful, ready for the next round in her quest to find true love while cleansing the world of its “banking monsters.”

[Kelly Hudson · Rating 3 out of 5]

As noted by other reviewers, this book tried to be fiction and fact at the same time and can’t pull it off. It opens with a brutal rape and murder (that doesn’t even serve the plot, involving a minor character). I almost jumped ship at that point. I continued only because I was hooked by the true crime story of the crooked bank. I plan to do further reading on that story and the Americans politicians in on the cover up. In the fiction story, Louise is a caricature. She is a computer scientist, a language prodigy, a philosopher, almost a guru, and a fashion model. Men cannot resist her charm. Yet she has no personal ethics and for a fee will happily support financial fraud and tax evasion. In the 1980’s, “private banker” was code for panderer.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This complicated spy thriller stars Louise Moscow, an investment banker, who gets caught up in the schemes of a Pakistani backed bank that was scamming billions of dollars from Arab oil sheiks and other Third World countries as well as backing drug lords and arms dealers. Initially, she is unaware of what is happening around her at the BCCI bank in Paris as she works as an exclusive personal banker for extremely wealthy clients. However, her former fiancee and her father have FBI ties and her newest love is an undercover CIA operative.
Much of the banking information is hard to follow, although it seems very well researched. There are many real historical/current persons named as part of the fraud investigation.

[David Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the cover notes, this is an "International Banking Spy Thriller." Which is very true - it is not your typical spy adventure. And the learning curve is higher for this book - fortunately, Lorraine take pains to bring you up to speed with the world of banking and high finance (lots of detailed endnotes to refer to as well). Behind it is the compelling story of Louise Moscow, a confident, skilled, yet vulnerable businesswoman, facing a challenge of global proportions (and based on true events). If you are up to a little challenge, learn new things and enjoy a fun adventure, this book is for you!

[Tonya · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little slow

This was really hard for me to get in to. I ploded along and finished, but it was really slow. Even when there was action...there was so much explaining that it just dragged on. I was hoping for something more. Even the "love story" was convoluted...you never really got to know anyone very well. Or, maybe it just took me so long to read that I forgot them...no one was memorable.

[Sheila Lowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

What started as a dream job for glamorous personal banker Louise Moscow turns into an investigation fraught with danger. When she is forced to work with government entities to uncover the truth behind rotten dealings in the banking industry, Louise must use her wits, intelligence, and guts to survive a terrifying situation where she cannot trust even the people closest to her. Inspired by real-life events in the 1980s.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

nothing like a great thriller book about international espionage spys and murder and more the more you read the better they get, i will say im a fan of Lorraine Evanoff she is my most favorite book author and i do plan to own all her books, this is some great reading and good for the mind, i commend Lorraine a top award winning book author, this is something anyone would love to read.

[Kai Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a refreshing fast moving book to read. I really like her style of writing, snd of course much of what she writes about, dates, names etc, is familiaar to many of us. a very nice read, and to that end, I loved directly into book 2, "Pinot Noir" which being in the early stages of reading, follows her style of writing. I enjoy reading Lorraine Evanoff.... Kai Jensen

[regina stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review

I am an avid reader of anything from sci fi fantasy, historical, romance, mysteries and thrillers. You introduced me to a new world I knew nothing about. It was quite a ride. I’m looking forward to starting Pinot Noir. Yours Regina

[Babs · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book, and I liked it enough to buy the next one. However, if you have no interest in international finance or banking, it may be too dry for you. It’s definitely heavier on the “historical” than the fiction.

[Ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong female, smart and intriguing

This peak into world finance was amazing and the central character, Louise, just brilliant. So glad to dip my toe into Lorraine Evanoff. Now I get the promise of more to delve into. Bravo Ms. Evanoff!!

[Dicentra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Fortunately this was on sale

Finally had to just skip and skim through it to the end. Way too much dry background facts about each person and situation. It read more like a news article in a financial publication or a term paper than a novel.

[Gail Coffey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author keeps the pace moving, provides lots of end notes as references as well as explanatory notes. Female lead. Unorthodox role for the heroine. Interesting mix of history (relatively recent history) and suspense storyline.