2021 PARIS BOOK FESTIVAL - HONORABLE MENTION, GENERAL FICTION
Evil is brewing in the heart of Italy…and the Devil is in the details.
Ten years after cracking her last banker's grave murder case, the CIA has recruited Louise Moscow into their financial crimes division.
Louise is ready to shed her cover as a Burgundy lavender farmer…and return to the spy game. All roads lead to Siena on her top-secret mission: to expose the devastating corruption behind the collapse of the world’s oldest bank.
Her investigation becomes a race to discover an ancient and mysterious treasure, while fighting a new enemy…The Master of the Russian Dark Arts.
It’s not long before Louise finds herself in the cross hairs of powerful enemies. Risking her life to shine a light on financial and political wrongdoing, can Louise expose the rot that has taken hold of Siena?
Or has she finally met her match?
Filled with suspense and international espionage, spirited female sleuth, Louise Moscow’s next adventure is where James Bond meets Temperance Brennan.
Praise for the international award-winning, bestselling Louise Moscow Series:
“Just read Foliage…Great read. Beautifully written, I highly recommend.” – Matthew J. Dowd, Chief Political Analyst, ABC News
"Being a major Bond fan, I have read all of Ian Fleming's novels. It was so refreshing and entertaining to get the female spy's perspective. Pinot Noir is an intoxicating tale even to readers who are as sober as a monk." – David Kempf, Award-Winning 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.
It is a pleasurable journey following Louise Moscow in her latest incarnation. This last book of the trilogy finds her having evolved along with her spycraft, taking you from the peace of Burgundy to the intriguing historical delight of Tuscany to lofty luxury on the sea, but does not pull punches when there is a terrorizing shift testing her strength in covert ops. The espionage tale weaves together a central financial mystery with an immersive cultural experience. Even if you are not knowledgable about the banking industry, Louise and her allies include you in on a wild ride as you learn a wealth of information along the way. Enjoy!
Spy/epicurean/multi-linguist and Krav Maga expert – just to name a few of her many jaw-dropping talents - Louise Moscow is at it again. A sleuth for the ages, this diva of darkness brings it all home in “Devil’s Ledger,” the third volume of Lorraine Evanoff’s epic espionage series. Whether slaying readers with her scrupulous knowledge of all things financial, swoon-worthy settings or sex to scream home about, Evanoff has again crafted a 21st century femme fatale in this thrilling, unputdownable read.
“Moscow! Louise Moscow, shaken but never stirred. Suffice to say it has murder, mayhem, intrigue, torture in an infamous Russian prison, and a trillion-dollar treasure to be found. The thing I like most about Evanoff’s writing is that she actually knows how to use the English language properly.”
“Something sinister is lurking in the shadows of Siena. The sleuth must use stealth and keep her wits about her--Louise Moscow is no stranger to deadly games.”
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The third book chronicling the adventures of Louise Moscow, financial justice sleuth and guru, is undoubtedly her most adventurous and intriguing. It’s 11 years after 2001 and the end of Book Two (PINOT NOIR), in which she broke her biggest case, a banker’s sex ring. Despite buying a lavender farm in Burgundy and keeping a low profile, the CIA comes recruiting through her college sweetheart Michael, who has switched teams from the FBI to the CIA. Louise Moscow agrees to go undercover in the Agency’s financial crimes division, and gets the type of training she can later use to her advantage. She is about to step outside her comfort zone yet again, into a major case that involves Russian interference, the world’s oldest bank and the romance of Siena in the Tuscany region of Italy.
Like Lorraine Evanoff’s previous two Louise Moscow novels, DEVIL’S LEDGER is a globe hopping romp, with some transitions in Moscow’s personal life. The death of Louise’s mother exposes a raw nerve in the relationship between her and her father, and this family matter is woven into the thread of the case and its implications. In the four years before the election of Donald Trump, Russian operatives are on her heels, hoping to gain intel that they can use against her, her colleagues and the world economy. The devil is in the details, as the book points out on several occasions, and the details Louise will encounter includes a historic Russian prison, the default of a major financial institution and a crew of misfits who somehow must figure out how to find a lost treasure.
Author Lorraine Evanoff knows how to balance her main character’s fascination with financial justice with a pulse pounding array of riveting escapades. While untangling a web of the world’s oldest bank’s “ledgers” on one side of the story, she can be found collaborating with one of the world’s richest men – Frederic LaFontaine – a mysterious tech billionaire who lives on his luxury yacht. His benefactor status is yet another alliance that Louise can rely on, which comes in handy when LaFontaine leads a crucial rescue mission. He is just one of the many in-depth characters that populate Louise’s world, including her ex-lover Jean Philippe, still wearing the monk’s robes from Book Two, and still complicated within his strong feelings for Louise.
The story goes into directions that are unexpected, but always satisfying and often exhilarating. The caper that concludes the book is one of those unexpected energies, as Louise and her crew find themselves in the catacombs of an ancient city, looking for a key that will unlock a city’s heart and hope. Lorraine Evanoff is the only novelist expert enough to craft such financial mysteries, and this third Louise Moscow adventure is another deep dive into the dark well of human and territorial ambition, coupled with the always difficult motives in the pursuit of high finance and its rewards … oftentimes bitter. The details are in the captivating DEVIL’S LEDGER.
Lorraine Evanoff's brilliant heroine, Louise Moscow, is in her prime, both figuratively and literally, when she comes out of retirement to investigate the ongoings of corrupt banking in Italy. I loved this book from page one--the intrigue, the mystery, the attention to details, the dash of romance, and the cast of characters. And Lorraine deftly makes the ancient city of Siena a sensuous and intriguing character in and of itself, making you want to hop on a plane and savor the legendary city. Fans of Dan Brown will love this well-crafted, action-packed, and twisty novel of espionage, high finance, and international intrigue. And it can easily be read as a standalone without reading the previous Louise Moscow books, though I highly recommend those too!
Did not finish. Made it through 20% and gave up. Needs a proofreader or an editor. If information is that necessary, fold it into the story. Footnotes are not necessary. Check dates on Chapter headings. Chapter 4 is dated September 10. Two chapters later after all the following has happened; Louise meets with Michael twice, including a sleepover at his place. She meets with her parents. Her mother passes away, several days pass. Louise flies back to France. Chapter 6 is dated September 12. Before Louise leaves she talks with her father and tells him Michael will be meeting her at the airport. Four paragraphs later Michael drives up to the front door. That’s when I gave up. Not particularly recommended.
Once again, our heroine sets out to solve wrongs in the world of International banking and finance. This is the third on the LM series and the third I have read, and I was not disappointed. Louise is now an operative of the CIA, and is called upon to investigate the most unlikely of suspects, her own father, a top-level lawyer defending a Russian mafia style individual. Louise’s investigation takes her again to Europe, this time to Italy, and the historic city of Sienna. The world’s oldest bank is in trouble, and Louise wants to find a way to save it.
The full plot is far too detailed to describe here, and I don’t believe in spoilers anyway. This is basically a whodunit, so if you want to find out who dun it, read the book. Suffice to say it has murder, mayhem, intrigue, torture in an infamous Russian prison, and a trillion-dollar treasure to be found.
The thing I like most about Evanoff’s writing is that she actually knows how to use the English language properly, something sadly lacking in so much writing these days. Evanoff is a very descriptive writer, and in fact, large sections of the book are given over to descriptions of international banking and the locations the MC finds herself in. As I know nothing about international banking the former was a bit lost on me, and did tend to throw me out of the story somewhat, but since it did not really have a lot to do about the plot, and was mostly background, it did not detract from the story for me. I loved the later, as it allowed me to immerse myself in the culture of places I have never been, in this case Sienna and it’s infamous horse race.
I received an ARC of this book. This is my honest review, freely given. I can recommend this book to anyone who likes action in foreign places and a strong female MC.
The Louise Moscow trilogy shines, defines, and reigns sublime in international banking intrigue!
The devil is in the details…. I’ve never been to Italy, yet after reading Louise Evanoff’s third in the Louise Moscow thriller series, the Devils Ledger, I feel intimately acquainted with Italian geography, her people, her colorful language, and most definitely Italy’s unique banking and intertwined religious heritage. Author Evanoff weaves an intricate tale of foreign intrigue, that, to the average person, it’s an education of banking’s origin in European Christendom, going back centuries and returning to modern times! Monks aiding the poor, priceless hidden treasures securing a nations debt; fast forwarding to Russian mafia manipulating currencies, assassinations of historic banking moguls, advanced digital technologies aboard ships that sail the seas, it’s all there in 286 pages……. She tells a tale that weaves history and spying and fantasy and imagination together in a charming and encompassing manner which delights with its twists and turns in each chapter. It’s unique in that it informs us about interesting banking trivia down through the centuries. It entertains us as each character is developed so skillfully we feel we have known someone just like them all our lives! And then it leads us along curiously, wondering just what twist or turn lies ahead. As a young lad, I read the Ian Fleming 007 novels far before they were made into movies, and I feel Mr Fleming would be a great fan of Louise Moscow; bellowing a hearty, “Bravo well done!” Kudos to Ms. Evanoff; her third novel is definitely a charm-er. This is an excellent read that will be hard to put down. Enjoy.
“The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist”—Charles Baudelaire.
Devil's Ledger is a nonstop confrontation with evil. Whether one believes in the literal Devil or not, humanity has no better allegory to describe human greed, corruption, and an insatiable lust for power. Evil need not be supernatural to be stopped. And that's where Louise Moscow comes in. The evil soul-crushing powers who dominate the world in secret are slowly exposed for controlling the world's banks. Something sinister is lurking in the shadows of Siena. The sleuth must use stealth and keep her wits about her--Louise Moscow is no stranger to deadly games. As a fan of the first two Moscow adventures Foilage and Pinot Noir--I must point out this one is much darker. I have no problem with going dark but I was genuinely surprised at how quickly and darkly things got. Horrifying revelations are made as the plot unfolds and our questions began to get answered. This is not just the field of forensic anthropology meets spy fiction, there is something deeper going on. Freedom, loyalty, and honor are threatened by those who would destroy them in this thriller. Readers of all political leanings will come away with a strong sense that those in power do have much to answer for. The Devil made me do it is no excuse for the evil abuses of power kept hidden by the powerful.
Lorraine Evanoff scores a hat trick with Devil’s Ledger!
Devil’s Ledger is wickedly splendid, taking the reader from the darkest depths to the highest highs.
Louise Moscow was put on this earth to figure out the meaning of life, and has done so by her keen intuition and “old soul” wisdom!. She pulls at your heartstrings in this novel with all her relationships, including Ginger Cat, on her very intense treasure hunt to finding the “holy grail” and exposing the corruption behind the world’s oldest bank in Siena. Mission accomplished from page one!
Louise primal instincts are brought out in her bestselling series and based on the ancients four elements, Fire,Water, Air, and Earth. From birth Louise Moscow’s upbringing centered around the power of spiritual instincts, which she carried into adulthood. Perhaps that is why she’s so adept at averting danger while flying close to the flame, in her sexy sophisticated way.
Lots of life lessons, history, and international adventures so beautifully written and woven into this spirited spy thriller you don’t want to miss out. I highly recommend reading Devil’s Ledger uncovering what are her defenses against evil and what’s she found out to be the meaning of life.
An outstanding and electrifying thriller. This is the third book in the Louise Moscow series by award-winning author Lorraine Evanoff and is just as exciting and gripping as the first two (Foliage and Pinot Noir). Ten years on from her previous adventure, this former international spy, now living undercover in France, is recruited by the CIA to investigate financial corruption and much worse in a global adventure that’s full of action and suspense. Challenging, well-written and complex, with lots of intriguing detail about international finance, I found this difficult to put down and finished it in two sessions. If you like intelligent, action-filled thrillers, I suggest you pick this one up straight away. Brilliant.
The plots just keep getting juicer! Louise really just puts herself out there for the cause! Its as if she is teasing and running with the devil in the name of truth and honor of what is right and just. She see's the dark steps in tow but still lays down on the tracks in the face of a train just to pry the truth out of the evil force of corruption. She continually puts her will, physical endurance and strength as well as her emotional well being to the test with every case she successfully cracks
Lorraine"s extensive knowledge of European history yet again lays the suspenseful mysterious where abouts of Louise Moscow..uncovering bank espionage in ancient Italy bringing down a sinister Russian financial thief....It truly is a good fun and worth while read.. waiting for the next one!
The Devil may have met his match Lorraine Evanoff’s extraordinary list of credentials has served her well in writing Devils Ledger, book #3 of the Louise Moscow series. She takes you into the corrupt world of banking while fighting her own inner demons along the way. Her description of lavender fields on a farm In Burgundy, France, pulls you in, allowing you to feel and almost smell the beauty. At first I was not sure of how I would handle the French Language tossed in throughout the story, but Ms. Evanoff made it a non-issue with her creativity. Well done.
Extremely well researched. Authentic dialogue creates interesting, believable characters. Plot develops realistically, I didn’t have to suspend my credibility, and the descriptions of areas around the world I know well are immediate, as if you were there again. I am a big leCarre fan — this book will appeal to his readers
Lorraine Evanoff is my most favorite and loved Author of all , her books are truly great to read and the further i get into the books the better they get, she is a truly blessed writer and im a proud fan, and im allways on the watch out for any new books from her, this newest book devils ledge is the ultimate of all books and anyone thats not read her books id highly reccomend.
What can I say once aga Lorraine Evanoff has done it she grabs your attention from the word go and.bever let's you go it's like a rollercoaster or mystery and intrigue with some love of course . It's so hard to put down expect long night and multiple cups cups of coffee in the morning
100% grand slam. While Lorraine takes us into another financial adventure, I note how much we can actually learn in her books. The gang is back, based in Italy mostly. I always feel sad when I realize the end of the book is near. Looking forward to the next!
The mystery goes beyond just the mystery: It is a seamless blending of story with the world as it is, and as it was for our ancient ancestors, and may have been. Reading each chapter, following Louise and the others from Moscow to India, France to New York and beyond, I felt like I was immersed, and each time she enjoyed a cafe au lait I found myself making coffee. I’m reading this series out of order, and I look forward to reading the books that came before!
Devil’s Ledger by Lorraine Evanoff is a suspenseful political thriller that will have your mind racing and heart pounding. We follow Louise Moscow who is a fierce and confident spy set on a mission to expose the corruption behind the world’s oldest bank in Siena, Italy. She soon becomes the target of powerful enemies, the Master of the Russian Dark Arts. She will do whatever it takes to bring forth the truth of the political and financial corruption in Siena.
Evanoff has done it again! This book has it all, corruption, action, history, and a dash of romance. The author’s writing is captivating and transports the reader onto the streets of Italy alongside Louise. I really enjoyed the vivid descriptions as it really brought the scenery to life and gave this story more of an exotic feel, well for me anyway as I’ve never been to Italy.
The character development in the story is one to be admired as Louise is such a strong and compelling female character that anyone can admire. Similar to the character in the movie Salt with Angelina Jolie, Louise is strong, sexy and intelligent; who wouldn’t want to be her? Evanoff keeps the reader on their toes with unexpected plot twists that are wild but cinematic. But even with these sharp turns in the story the excellent writing ensured the plot was easy to follow. On par with Dan Brown novels, the historical aspects of the novel are intriguing and thoughtfully included in a way that intelligently elevates the novel.
The action scenes made this suspenseful action story hard to put down and I found myself finishing the book fairly quick. Devil’s Ledger is intoxicating, action packed, and will leave the reader wanting more. I highly recommend this political thriller to readers who are looking for an intelligent and sophisticated international espionage story.
Wow! I have now read all four of Lorraine Evanoff’s Louise Moscow mystery/thrillers. They’re all excellent and Devil’s Ledger is the best of the four IMHO. In it, our heroine, Ms. Louise Moscow, who is now working undercover for the CIA, sets out to save the world’s oldest bank (Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena) in Sienna, an ancient and picturesque city in Italy.
To make matters worse, Louise discovers that her father George is a double agent and is actually working for the Russians. Still in shock over her father’s betrayal, Louise travels to Siena where she discovers that The Bank is in danger of failing due to financial chicanery on the part of some of its officers.
Louise works tirelessly to unearth the particulars of the fraud, which makes her a mark. I won’t spoil anything by telling you about the danger Louise finds herself in. Let me just say that it is hair-raising and will have you on the edge of your seat.
In addition to the intricate and suspenseful storyline, the author Lorraine Evanoff digs deep into European medieval history. Her descriptions of ancient times and the pastoral countryside surrounding modern-day Siena are exquisitely rendered. As I read, I found myself in awe over the author’s descriptive brilliance.
Devil’s Ledger’s is a must read on so many levels. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy. You will not regret it. Five (5) Stars.
A Fascinating Thriller Revolving Around the World’s Oldest Bank
Lorraine Evanoff has done it again, having created yet another enticing thriller that keeps the reader on their toes trying to anticipate the next twist and turn in Devil’s Ledger.
Louise Moscow is on the case. A fearless badass with lots of additional training in the craft of espionage since her last investigation of ruthless international criminals. This time based in beautiful and historic Siena, Italy, Louise utilizes some familiar friends and some intriguing locals to conduct her high-risk investigation involving the world’s oldest bank. Of course, Louise also takes the time to enjoy some of life’s finer pleasures that Italy offers.
Besides being a great story with tons of action and intellectual intrigue, I love how Lorraine weaves so much interesting history into her stories about how things were done in centuries past and how a city like Siena came to be. If you’re a fan of Louise Moscow, you’ll surely enjoy her latest adventure in northern Italy.
Awkward, strange book I kept reading in hopes of revelations about Russian kleptocrats and international financial misdeeds.
This book was a giveway on one of the bargain ebook lists and I was very interested in the international financial crimes aspects, as well as the content, highly relevant to this moment in history, about Putin and the Russian oligarchs. I don't feel especially enlightened about these elements--my fault, no doubt, as a thriller novel isn't the best source for such information.
I don't enjoy Evanoff's writing style, which is clunky and laden with repetitious turns of phrase and too many expository statements about characters. She seldom shows us, usually tells us instead. The constant focus on meals and wine became boring, and the description of characters seemed to focus on external things rather than the characters' inner life.
For me, there was no suspension of disbelief with this novel.
Book three of Louise Moscow��s series really held my interest. I would recommend it to mystery readers as well as the spy genre, and even those searching for biblical answers. All my life I have wanted to read the entire Bible and have started to read the Bible in one year several times and got bogged down with things and abandoned it. Since starting my quest once again in last part of 2021, I am sticking with it and learning so much on a deeper level than ever before. This international financial spy novel really touches on this very topic. I am trusting the that the author’s research on the biblical, economical, historical parts of this book are realistic. My husband is very into history. He watches the history channel and other documentaries and talks to me of the bible books that aren’t published, how much is kept hidden from the world, that has made what is written in this book believable.
Louise Moscow comes to the rescue again as she sets out to unveil the nefarious criminal activities in the financial world and its affects on world politics. Like the other two books before this one, Louise is mensa-smart, intuitive, globe-trotting, and knows the detailed inner workings of how money (both good and bad) works in the real world. Not only are these novels great fun as thrillers, but they're also educational about the financial world, dark money, politics, greed, and so much more. It's fun to be both entertained and educated at the same time. Anyone who likes mysteries, thrillers, and books with a strong female character, will enjoy all 3 of Lorraine Evanoff's novels. I read them as they were published, but for those who haven't, read all 3 back to back to get the full development of Ms. Evanoff's female lead.
This novel had a great opening, but over all I didn't like it very much.
There seemed to be a lot of potential in the basic story line.
Among the things I didn't care for were the overly descriptive prose. I did want more action. A lot of the action was "cheek kisses". And, the main character (Louise Moscow) in way seemed quite real and in other ways seemed like a comic book super hero. (I like super heroes, but not combined with a character that is supposedly real.)
I think that it was this juxtaposition that I found very off putting. And, the plot had real potential, but in the end seemed too artificial. For example, the authorities taking the word of a priest for the solvency of a bank with no evidence of the collateral. And, a James Bond style rescue from a prison.
Again, a mix of over the top action heroes and realism. For me, I'd like one or the other.
Actually a great book and read, unfortunately the story crossed a line .
I really enjoyed this book and the history. However the author crossed the line and made it political by singling out Trump to bash. Not adding the former Presidents and their own parts of lying, stealing and influence in the political world to benefit their own pockets. The Crime Family Biden is foremost with their illicit dealings with Ukraine in banking and energy suppliers. No mention of The Clinton's and the mystery money of their Foundation. Bush and the WMD money generating war. I could go on, but the point is, A great story was scorched for ones own political agenda. A book on the cabal and those behind the NWO and what they gain would be insightful.
I quit reading this book at the 50% point, mainly because nothing had happened by then. The locations were interesting, even fascinating. The characters mainly engaged in long, long, monol0gs designed to show how much they know about history (really to demonstrate how much research the author had done.) The plot development was essentially zero - bad guys had done something bad and Louise Moscow was on the case. Mostly she described in great detail the many meals and few bedroom encounters she had with a series of handsome, fascinating males. I won't be reading any more books by Lorraine Evanoff.
The author continues characters from earlier works so there is a continuation of relation ship. The main characters family life plays a role. Set in Tuscany in Sienna , an area and city I spent several weeks in. Wine and food season the daily activity. And some historical details are explained. The Russian Mafia is a subplot. A more leísurely pace to plot than a simpler action thriller so a more cerebral edge.
I’m a big fan of Lorraine Evanoff’s other two Louise Moscow spy thrillers and couldn’t wait to read this one. It did not disappoint. Our heroine is reluctantly pulled back into the life of a CIA operative and is soon caught up in international intrigue, financial and political corruption, murder, intrigue, double-crosses, plot twists, and more. As always, Ms. Evanoff’s wonderfully descriptive prose paints incredible pictures of different locations and cultures and her fertile imagination takes me to places untold. It’s one helluva rollercoaster ride that I hated to end. In fact, it’s so well-written and rich with detail that I’m definitely going to read it again (something I rarely if ever do). Devil's Ledger is a godsend!
It was hard to put Devils ledger down, I loved being Louise wondering through little towns in Italy and imagining seeing the interesting hidden places, she was experiencing. It's stimulating and exciting to join her as she survives capture by keeping her head and uses practices she has learned to stay lucid and alive. There are many examples of good versus evil.