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Ruse: Lying the American Dream from Hollywood to Wall Street
B-list actor, A-list corporate spy.
Robert Kerbeck makes his money--his real money--by lying on the phone, tricking people inside multibillion-dollar corporations into telling him things they definitely should not. He's become one of the world's greatest practitioners of a unique, shadowy talent called THE RUSE.
Robert didn't grow up wanting to be a spy, he just wanted out of the family car business. To his father's annoyance, he found his escape in acting. But to support himself he needed a survival job. And before he knew it, while his pals were waiting tables, he was beginning his apprenticeship as a corporate spy.
Of course, the ruse job was only supposed to be temporary. He was interacting with Hollywood luminaries on a regular basis: drinking with Paul Newman, taking J.Lo to a Dodgers game, touring E.R. sets with George Clooney, peeing next to Al Pacino. Kevin Spacey hit on him and Yoko Ono hung up on him. He even worked with O.J. Simpson the week before he became America's most notorious double murderer.
His once promising acting career tailed off as he burrowed deeper and deeper into the world of corporate espionage, to the point where investigators once mistook him for the world's most infamous hacker. His income jumped from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars a year. Until the Crash of 2008...
Ruse explores the lies he told, the celebrities he screwed (and the ones who screwed him), the cons he ran, and the millions he made--and lost--along the way. Kerbeck has never revealed his hand, until now.
Robert Kerbeck makes his money--his real money--by lying on the phone, tricking people inside multibillion-dollar corporations into telling him things they definitely should not. He's become one of the world's greatest practitioners of a unique, shadowy talent called THE RUSE.
Robert didn't grow up wanting to be a spy, he just wanted out of the family car business. To his father's annoyance, he found his escape in acting. But to support himself he needed a survival job. And before he knew it, while his pals were waiting tables, he was beginning his apprenticeship as a corporate spy.
Of course, the ruse job was only supposed to be temporary. He was interacting with Hollywood luminaries on a regular basis: drinking with Paul Newman, taking J.Lo to a Dodgers game, touring E.R. sets with George Clooney, peeing next to Al Pacino. Kevin Spacey hit on him and Yoko Ono hung up on him. He even worked with O.J. Simpson the week before he became America's most notorious double murderer.
His once promising acting career tailed off as he burrowed deeper and deeper into the world of corporate espionage, to the point where investigators once mistook him for the world's most infamous hacker. His income jumped from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars a year. Until the Crash of 2008...
Ruse explores the lies he told, the celebrities he screwed (and the ones who screwed him), the cons he ran, and the millions he made--and lost--along the way. Kerbeck has never revealed his hand, until now.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 1, 2022
17 people are currently reading
342 people want to read
About the author
Robert Kerbeck
2 books31 followersRobert Kerbeck is the founder of the Malibu Writers Circle and a three-time Pushcart Prize nominee. His award-winning memoir, RUSE: Lying the American Dream from Hollywood to Wall Street (Steerforth Press), is an extraordinary look into the secret world of corporate spying. His debut book, MALIBU BURNING: The Real Story Behind LA's Most Devastating Wildfire won a 2020 IPPY Award, a Readers' Favorite Award, a SoCal Journalism Award, and the Best of LA award.
His essays and short stories have been featured in Narratively, Los Angeles Magazine, Shondaland, San Francisco Chronicle, and the Los Angeles Times. His short story, Reconnected, was adapted into an award-winning film. He is a lifetime member of The Actors Studio and an award-winning actor.
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Robert resides in Malibu. Learn more about him and his work at https://robertkerbeck.com
His essays and short stories have been featured in Narratively, Los Angeles Magazine, Shondaland, San Francisco Chronicle, and the Los Angeles Times. His short story, Reconnected, was adapted into an award-winning film. He is a lifetime member of The Actors Studio and an award-winning actor.
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Robert resides in Malibu. Learn more about him and his work at https://robertkerbeck.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
June 28, 2021
A deliciously outrageous, you-can’t-make-this-shit-up caper. Kerbeck takes us on his unlikely transformation from almost-a-star actor to multi-millionaire, corporate sleuth. As it turns out, you don’t need to climb the greasy rungs of the ladder to make a killing; all you need is a telephone and your wits.
November 12, 2021
I found this book fascinating. It was stranger than fiction with the surprises it revealed. A biography of how the author got seduced into the world of lying to get inside information, for profit. As well as how it takes over his entire life at one point. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Robert Kerbeck, and the publisher.
March 15, 2022
Having worked in recruitment in the late 80s, and from the mid-90s until 2010, this was an absolutely fascinating read. Wry and witty, but insightful, too, Kerbeck's career highs and lows, and his self-deprecating sense of humor, leap off the page. Highly enjoyable.
February 22, 2022
Robert Kerbeck started out wanting to be an actor & initially he was fairly successful with lead roles in plays which translated into smaller roles in film & TV. After several years though, good acting roles were starting to dry up, & so Kerbeck decided to concentrate on his side gig - working as someone who obtains information on the movers & shakers on Wall Street so that they can be headhunted. It's a job that requires a specific skill set; quick thinking, gift of the gab, improvisation, & a willingness to sometimes bend the line when it comes to getting that all important information. Kerbeck was one of the few who could be a success at this line of work, which meant that he started his own company at one point. Then came the Crash of 2008 ......
I'm not sure what exactly motivated me to request to read an ARC of this book but I'm glad I did. You would think that a book about 'rusing' to facilitate data collection could be rather staid & dry, but that is absolutely not the case here. The author definitely has a way with the written word, not just the spoken, as he takes the reader on a journey through his life. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys memoirs/non-fiction.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Steerforth Press, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
I'm not sure what exactly motivated me to request to read an ARC of this book but I'm glad I did. You would think that a book about 'rusing' to facilitate data collection could be rather staid & dry, but that is absolutely not the case here. The author definitely has a way with the written word, not just the spoken, as he takes the reader on a journey through his life. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys memoirs/non-fiction.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Steerforth Press, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
February 28, 2022
Author Robert Kerbeck excels at clear, direct explanation of what is basically the shady, double-dealing, high-finance world populated by people one-upping each other through duplicitous practices lurking in the gray areas of legality. With enjoyable, au currant language, and a sharp ear for dialogue, Kerbeck’s astounding story is fraught with tension, written in a voice both confident and accessible throughout an insider’s memoir so finely wrought, it reads somewhere between a heart-pounding thriller and an intriguing, finely tuned spy novel.
My Full Review is here, in the New York Journal of Books https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book...
My Full Review is here, in the New York Journal of Books https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book...
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August 15, 2021I loved Ruse! What a crazy story, and believe me, I know crazy. Successful spies are great storytellers, and Robert Kerbeck ranks up there with the best of them.
February 26, 2022
I just finished Robert Kerbeck’s memoir. It was very well-written and captivating. From his journey putting himself through University of Pennsylvania to gathering the courage to leave a secure future in his father’s car dealership to become an actor, and ultimately supporting himself gathering corporate intelligence to aid strategic recruitment, Kerbeck captures the reader’s attention. He comes across as someone who is slightly apologetic for doing his job, which could be considered illegal, and doing it well. It is a very satisfying read and I highly recommend it.
January 23, 2022
Kerbeck’s story mixes something fairly familiar – actor wanabee who doesn’t make the grade, with something I’d never seen written about before – making money by “rusing” major corporations; conning them into handing over details of their top performing employees and selling this data to head hunting firms. On paper, it may sound a bit niche, but after a slightly slow start, Kerbeck’s punchy, no nonsense story telling makes it a real page turner.
Kerbeck knew he didn’t want to join his father’s car dealership. He sought creativity over commerce. Despite being a natural at selling cars, he set his sights on becoming an actor. To keep a roof over his head while he waits for his big break, instead of bartending or waiting at tables, he accepts a gig working for a woman who employs a couple of actors. Their job is to ring Wall Street firms and talk them in to handing over the names, job titles and performance figures of people working in their biggest revenue generating departments. This data on so called “passive candidates” carries a premium value because it features people who aren’t already on headhunters books and their performance figures come from the horse’s mouth.
Kerbeck’s intends his ability to “ruse” companies to be secondary to his acting aspirations, and whilst it clearly provides a good income to his boss, he strives to make headway on stage or screen. There are plenty of juicy anecdotes drawn from his time as an actor, all told with candid sharpness (names are named), and a generous helping of self-effacing mockery.
He auditions for Reservoir Dogs, Thelma & Louise, often down to last two for a part but never getting to be the “one”. His stage work in NY earns him an invite to become a member of New York’s Actors Studio and he finds himself alongside Allison Janney, James Gandolfini and Karen Allen, giving readings to Paul Newman and his wife Joanne Woodward. He credits those who helped him out but doesn’t shy away from calling out how some of the old school members – including current Actor’s Studio Artistic Director Estelle Parsons and Co-President Ellen Burstyn – seemed more concerned with putting new members down than providing a helping hand. George Clooney, Kevin Spacey, and OJ Simpson also pop up, and there’s a brief encounter with Yoko Ono that’s worth buying the book for on its own. He proudly points out that the collectors card for the character he played in Deep Space Nine is so sought after it’s sold for over $2.
Quite how many readers will be absorbed by the mix of showbiz dirt and murky recruitment practices remains to be seen, but as an occasional user of headhunters and an even more occasional recipient of their interest, I found his explanation of how his “rusing” had to get bolder and more obviously fraudulent as companies got wiser intriguing. Tongue in cheek enquiries maksed behind stories of bogus academic research became ineffective as companies wised up so Kerbeck started to impersonate “insiders” from tax or compliance, even finding ways to spoof phone systems so that calls showed internal caller IDs. As his acting career peters out his rusing abilities make him a millionaire who is increasingly uncomfortable with the way in which he makes money, and loathes the people he has to work with. Scrabbling for income after the global banking collapse kills the recruitment market dead overnight he joins a firm that prove to be even bigger con men than he is, an irony that isn’t lost on him.
Kerbeck now writes books and screenplays, but still gets the occasional research project. He maintains he now collects data without any subterfuge perversely helped by the way LinkedIn has normalised the disclosure of personal data in the public domain, and is sustained by the major corporations that are happy to buy his data without asking a single question about he obtained it.
Kerbeck knew he didn’t want to join his father’s car dealership. He sought creativity over commerce. Despite being a natural at selling cars, he set his sights on becoming an actor. To keep a roof over his head while he waits for his big break, instead of bartending or waiting at tables, he accepts a gig working for a woman who employs a couple of actors. Their job is to ring Wall Street firms and talk them in to handing over the names, job titles and performance figures of people working in their biggest revenue generating departments. This data on so called “passive candidates” carries a premium value because it features people who aren’t already on headhunters books and their performance figures come from the horse’s mouth.
Kerbeck’s intends his ability to “ruse” companies to be secondary to his acting aspirations, and whilst it clearly provides a good income to his boss, he strives to make headway on stage or screen. There are plenty of juicy anecdotes drawn from his time as an actor, all told with candid sharpness (names are named), and a generous helping of self-effacing mockery.
He auditions for Reservoir Dogs, Thelma & Louise, often down to last two for a part but never getting to be the “one”. His stage work in NY earns him an invite to become a member of New York’s Actors Studio and he finds himself alongside Allison Janney, James Gandolfini and Karen Allen, giving readings to Paul Newman and his wife Joanne Woodward. He credits those who helped him out but doesn’t shy away from calling out how some of the old school members – including current Actor’s Studio Artistic Director Estelle Parsons and Co-President Ellen Burstyn – seemed more concerned with putting new members down than providing a helping hand. George Clooney, Kevin Spacey, and OJ Simpson also pop up, and there’s a brief encounter with Yoko Ono that’s worth buying the book for on its own. He proudly points out that the collectors card for the character he played in Deep Space Nine is so sought after it’s sold for over $2.
Quite how many readers will be absorbed by the mix of showbiz dirt and murky recruitment practices remains to be seen, but as an occasional user of headhunters and an even more occasional recipient of their interest, I found his explanation of how his “rusing” had to get bolder and more obviously fraudulent as companies got wiser intriguing. Tongue in cheek enquiries maksed behind stories of bogus academic research became ineffective as companies wised up so Kerbeck started to impersonate “insiders” from tax or compliance, even finding ways to spoof phone systems so that calls showed internal caller IDs. As his acting career peters out his rusing abilities make him a millionaire who is increasingly uncomfortable with the way in which he makes money, and loathes the people he has to work with. Scrabbling for income after the global banking collapse kills the recruitment market dead overnight he joins a firm that prove to be even bigger con men than he is, an irony that isn’t lost on him.
Kerbeck now writes books and screenplays, but still gets the occasional research project. He maintains he now collects data without any subterfuge perversely helped by the way LinkedIn has normalised the disclosure of personal data in the public domain, and is sustained by the major corporations that are happy to buy his data without asking a single question about he obtained it.
November 19, 2021
Kerbeck's latest memoir, Ruse, gives readers a glimpse into the notorious inner workings of Wall Street and Hollywood. Woven throughout is Kerbeck's Armenian heritage and family's determination to overcome the trauma of genocide and achieve the American Dream. Kerbeck deftly examines the impact of his family's legacy of success in car sales on his own dreams of becoming an actor. When an unexpected side hustle leads to a career as a corporate spy, Kerbeck takes no prisoners while screwing over Wall Street corporations -- haven't they screwed over marginalized communities to amass power and wealth ad nauseum? Loaded with riveting scenes and written is the same crisp, clear style as Kerbeck's first memoir, Malibu Burning: The Real Story Behind LA's Most Devastating Wildfire, Ruse is an incredibly entertaining read I didn't want to put down.
October 26, 2021
A spirited and classically American tale of self-invention. Unlike Gatsby, Kerbeck did it not once, not twice, but three times. First he swaps his car-salesman destiny to pursue his dream of film acting, bumping shoulders with Paul Newman and butting up against the likes of Brad Pitt in competition for career-making blockbuster roles. When that doesn't pan out fully, he mostly trades in movies for a full-time career hilariously running the "ruse" against big corporations from the confines of his surfer's shed. There's not only humor and high drama here but a subtle note of non-self-pitying poignance; lovingly, Kerbeck does what it takes to support his family and provide for them what Hollywood would not. And in a final act of re-invention--for which this reader is grateful--Kerbeck has became a writer of unforgettable chronicles like this and his thrilling first book MALIBU BURNING. I recommend RUSE most highly.
November 5, 2021
RUSE is a juicy, captivating look into not one but two worlds: the not-so-pretty, behind-the-scenes side of Hollywood as a young actor tries to make it big, and the dark underbelly of corporate espionage as companies attack each other at their very core. Told in a unique, witty style, Kerbeck pulls no punches. In the process, he shows heart, humanity, and the vulnerabilities he’s played on to become one of the best corporate spies on the planet. This memoir is very well-written and highly recommended for anyone who wants a glimpse into the real life of Hollywood—and the hidden life of corporate spies.
November 19, 2021
A rip-roaring ride through corporate spying AND Hollywood. I heard somebody compare it to The Wolf on Wall Street. Content-wise, that might be (loosely) accurate, but Ruse is so much tighter, structurally, and has a finer attention to language. It’s not only a good story, but it’s good literature. Highly recommended.
November 16, 2021
A highly entertaining ride into the heart of the American dream underbelly. Total page turner. Riveted throughout- love the combo of behind the scenes Hollywood and behinds the scenes Wall St- some great observations - I got entry into a very rare world through Kerbeck.
May 10, 2022
4.5 This was absolutely fascinating. Wow! And the very end....man...
Also, demonstrates very clearly how 98% of people pursuing a career in the arts cannot do so without another source of income...
Also, demonstrates very clearly how 98% of people pursuing a career in the arts cannot do so without another source of income...
March 11, 2022
Ruse is a great read. Kerbeck provides an inside look into the machinations of a corporate spy - and the extreme lengths he would go to access highly valued information and the scams he pulled along the way. While he’s lifting data from corporations he’s simultaneously making a name for himself as an actor on Broadway and in Hollywood. A no-nonsense, humorous and insightful page turner from start to finish!
November 26, 2021
An interesting insight in how corporate America have plausible deniability for the gathering of information. How the information is highly prized. The effect on Roberts life and his choices.
The economic collapses and the ripple effect on business and home.
The economic collapses and the ripple effect on business and home.
September 26, 2022
A fun read. A life of going for it and taking risks. Lots of twists and turns. A cool snap shot of a time when information was much harder to get and required the art of deception.
March 1, 2022
Compelling and Entertaining!
A fun and enjoyable read. Kerbeck is a first-rate raconteur. His description of the art of the ruse, coupled with Kerbeck’s interesting life journey, makes for a very dynamic book!
I can’t wait for the inevitable movie.
A fun and enjoyable read. Kerbeck is a first-rate raconteur. His description of the art of the ruse, coupled with Kerbeck’s interesting life journey, makes for a very dynamic book!
I can’t wait for the inevitable movie.
October 8, 2021
Thanks to Edelweiss for the advanced digital copy of this book.
Ruse is a well-written book about an all-too-familiar story of corporate greed. However, unlike the expose style of journalism that is often the device of this type of story, the author's personal reflection and outrageous anecdotes creates a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Ruse is a well-written book about an all-too-familiar story of corporate greed. However, unlike the expose style of journalism that is often the device of this type of story, the author's personal reflection and outrageous anecdotes creates a thoroughly enjoyable read.
December 13, 2021
This is pretty interesting. This is the opposite of the average person's experience, which is probably why it makes a good book. And of course that this actually happened makes it more compelling. Recommended.
Thanks very much for the free ARC for review!!
Thanks very much for the free ARC for review!!
February 28, 2022
3.5 to 4 stars. Interesting tale of corporate spying/recruiting and inside information on the struggles of actors trying to attain stardom. Easy, fun read!
March 21, 2022
Robert Kerbeck has written a compelling memoir, both entertaining and revealing, which shines a light on the scope of the human condition and in particular its vulnerabilities.
September 25, 2022
RUSE is a great read and a fun ride through post-war American capitalism, from the author Robert Kerbeck’s family owned car dealership in Philadelphia (with origins in the horse and buggy business!) to modern day Wall Street and the world of corporate espionage. Along the way, Kerbeck takes us on a tour of a different type of business, show business, as he sits alongside Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward and other legends at the storied Actor’s Studio in NY, shoots a video with OJ Simpson a matter of days before the murders, has a chance phone call with Yoko Ono, endures about a foot of makeup to play a Cardassian on Star Trek Deep Space 9, romps with pop starlets and actresses (on roller skates) and generally leads the life of a promising young actor-on-the rise that most guys would trade places for in a heartbeat. Throughout his tale, however, Kerbeck wrestles with the broken relationship with his father, a quintessential American success story who hides an ancestral secret from the world while placing enormous pressure on this golden-boy son to serve as his heir apparent. The guilt and remorse that he feels in abandoning his dad’s hopes and dreams for the pursuit of his own definition of success is a theme Kerbeck returns to throughout the story.
Other themes, such as loyalty, deception, moral and artistic compromise and betrayal, all come to the fore as the author must reconcile himself to a career he didn’t choose but after stumbling into, proves to have an intrinsic aptitude for. Commonly known as corporate spying, it is a line of work that essentially boils down to the art of getting people to tell you things they’re not supposed to tell you. Kerbeck, it turns out, was made for it. Often harrowingly funny, you will cringe at the spots he gets himself into with high powered, corporate executives and gate keepers, then shake your head in disbelief as he somehow manages to extricate himself, along with all the valuable intel he had gone in for in the first place.
He is rewarded handsomely for his efforts, as it turns out this is a line of work not for the faint of heart. But at what price? He and his partner in not-quite- crime but definitely dark gray-area-of-the law, a fellow actor who goes by the name Pax, endure numerous threats from legal departments, eventually going down a rabbit hole of paranoia that reads like something out of a Scorsese sequence. Is that really the FBI outside, knocking on the door? Time to go on the lam.
Kerbeck does a masterful job of weaving together, always with wit and wryness, a family saga and a tale of personal evolution in which a livelihood based on dissembling, prevarication and outride fraud somehow must be transformed into an honorable and meaningful existence. I’m happy to report, he gets there in the end.
Other themes, such as loyalty, deception, moral and artistic compromise and betrayal, all come to the fore as the author must reconcile himself to a career he didn’t choose but after stumbling into, proves to have an intrinsic aptitude for. Commonly known as corporate spying, it is a line of work that essentially boils down to the art of getting people to tell you things they’re not supposed to tell you. Kerbeck, it turns out, was made for it. Often harrowingly funny, you will cringe at the spots he gets himself into with high powered, corporate executives and gate keepers, then shake your head in disbelief as he somehow manages to extricate himself, along with all the valuable intel he had gone in for in the first place.
He is rewarded handsomely for his efforts, as it turns out this is a line of work not for the faint of heart. But at what price? He and his partner in not-quite- crime but definitely dark gray-area-of-the law, a fellow actor who goes by the name Pax, endure numerous threats from legal departments, eventually going down a rabbit hole of paranoia that reads like something out of a Scorsese sequence. Is that really the FBI outside, knocking on the door? Time to go on the lam.
Kerbeck does a masterful job of weaving together, always with wit and wryness, a family saga and a tale of personal evolution in which a livelihood based on dissembling, prevarication and outride fraud somehow must be transformed into an honorable and meaningful existence. I’m happy to report, he gets there in the end.
January 2, 2025
Anyone interested in spy novels, social engineering, intelligence gathering, celebrity gossip, Wall Street, or the dirty secrets of big corporations will find something to enjoy in this book. Ruse is an engaging read that tackles significant subjects with a light, humorous, and at times, moving tone.
The book exposes the immoral and illegal practices of major corporations and Wall Street. While it’s no surprise that banking institutions can be dishonest, Ruse provides valuable context for understanding financial scandals. The author doesn’t sugarcoat his actions, acknowledging that what he did often strayed into illegal territory. Yet, compared to the bankers responsible for the subprime crisis, Robert Kerbeck, with his "ploys," comes across as almost honest by comparison.
Kerbeck’s clients used him to outsource illegal intelligence-gathering practices, effectively insulating themselves from accountability. They paid him hefty fees for information about competing companies’ staff and organizational structures—logical given the financial stakes. In one case, he mentions a team of just eight people generating a billion dollars in revenue. In this sense, Kerbeck wasn’t just selling valuable intel but also plausible deniability and freedom from consequences.
Kerbeck himself both benefited from and suffered under this system. He started off underpaid by his boss and, even after launching his own business, found himself manipulated by his client-employers and business partner. Ultimately, he comes across as a cog in a corrupt machine that fosters an "ends-justify-the-means" mentality, reminiscent of Cold War ethics.
Readers fascinated by social engineering, psychology, and espionage will appreciate the manipulation techniques he employed. Kerbeck’s hands-on approach—crafting his own scenarios (or "ploys") and relying on little more than his charisma and salesmanship—is particularly intriguing. While these techniques are widely recognized in the field, seeing them applied in such a practical way is fascinating.
That said, the book is not technical, and this seems intentional. Still, I can’t help but feel he could have delved deeper into the psychology at play during his phone calls. Several dialogues reproduced in the book could easily serve as case studies in social engineering, and exploring these in greater depth would have added even more value.
All in all, Ruse is a fantastic book. While I admittedly skipped some parts (I’m not overly interested in Broadway or Hollywood), I found it so captivating that I finished it in a single day. I strongly recommend it and hope Robert Kerbeck will release another book or perhaps a podcast that dives deeper into the craft of corporate espionage.
The book exposes the immoral and illegal practices of major corporations and Wall Street. While it’s no surprise that banking institutions can be dishonest, Ruse provides valuable context for understanding financial scandals. The author doesn’t sugarcoat his actions, acknowledging that what he did often strayed into illegal territory. Yet, compared to the bankers responsible for the subprime crisis, Robert Kerbeck, with his "ploys," comes across as almost honest by comparison.
Kerbeck’s clients used him to outsource illegal intelligence-gathering practices, effectively insulating themselves from accountability. They paid him hefty fees for information about competing companies’ staff and organizational structures—logical given the financial stakes. In one case, he mentions a team of just eight people generating a billion dollars in revenue. In this sense, Kerbeck wasn’t just selling valuable intel but also plausible deniability and freedom from consequences.
Kerbeck himself both benefited from and suffered under this system. He started off underpaid by his boss and, even after launching his own business, found himself manipulated by his client-employers and business partner. Ultimately, he comes across as a cog in a corrupt machine that fosters an "ends-justify-the-means" mentality, reminiscent of Cold War ethics.
Readers fascinated by social engineering, psychology, and espionage will appreciate the manipulation techniques he employed. Kerbeck’s hands-on approach—crafting his own scenarios (or "ploys") and relying on little more than his charisma and salesmanship—is particularly intriguing. While these techniques are widely recognized in the field, seeing them applied in such a practical way is fascinating.
That said, the book is not technical, and this seems intentional. Still, I can’t help but feel he could have delved deeper into the psychology at play during his phone calls. Several dialogues reproduced in the book could easily serve as case studies in social engineering, and exploring these in greater depth would have added even more value.
All in all, Ruse is a fantastic book. While I admittedly skipped some parts (I’m not overly interested in Broadway or Hollywood), I found it so captivating that I finished it in a single day. I strongly recommend it and hope Robert Kerbeck will release another book or perhaps a podcast that dives deeper into the craft of corporate espionage.
January 14, 2025
"Ruse: Lying the American Dream from Hollywood to Wall Street" by Robert Kerbeck is a jaw-dropping memoir that offers a thrilling glimpse into the world of corporate espionage, blending the glitz of Hollywood with the high-stakes drama of Wall Street. Kerbeck, a struggling actor turned master corporate spy, takes readers on a wild ride through his unconventional career path, charming secrets out of unsuspecting employees and bringing down companies worth billions of dollars.
The author's storytelling prowess shines as he recounts his journey from waiting tables to hobnobbing with celebrities like Paul Newman, J.Lo, and George Clooney. Kerbeck's writing is sharp, candid, and unapologetically honest, making for a page-turner filled with clever cons and the adrenaline rush of living a double life.
What sets this memoir apart is its honest portrayal of the moral ambiguity in corporate America. Kerbeck doesn't shy away from acknowledging the illegal nature of his activities, providing valuable context for understanding financial scandals. The tension between his moral struggles and his thrill-seeking personality keeps readers hooked, as they find themselves torn between judgment and fascination.
"Ruse" is a must-read for fans of "The Wolf of Wall Street" and "Catch Me If You Can," offering a unique perspective on the American Dream and the lengths some will go to achieve it. It's an exhilarating, thought-provoking read that will leave you questioning the ethics of corporate culture and the true cost of success in a world where lies are necessary currency.
The author's storytelling prowess shines as he recounts his journey from waiting tables to hobnobbing with celebrities like Paul Newman, J.Lo, and George Clooney. Kerbeck's writing is sharp, candid, and unapologetically honest, making for a page-turner filled with clever cons and the adrenaline rush of living a double life.
What sets this memoir apart is its honest portrayal of the moral ambiguity in corporate America. Kerbeck doesn't shy away from acknowledging the illegal nature of his activities, providing valuable context for understanding financial scandals. The tension between his moral struggles and his thrill-seeking personality keeps readers hooked, as they find themselves torn between judgment and fascination.
"Ruse" is a must-read for fans of "The Wolf of Wall Street" and "Catch Me If You Can," offering a unique perspective on the American Dream and the lengths some will go to achieve it. It's an exhilarating, thought-provoking read that will leave you questioning the ethics of corporate culture and the true cost of success in a world where lies are necessary currency.
May 4, 2022
Buckle your seatbelts for an extremely enjoyable and entertaining ride through Hollywood, the Actor's Studio, corporate espionage and the world of global search firms ("headhunters"). Kerbeck started off as an actor and it is amazing how learning to play different characters serves him well in the corporate espionage world. He is an incredible storyteller and I feel like I got a real sense of his inner thoughts and feelings as opposed to just describing what happened. That is what really stands out for me about this book -- the tales he tell remind me of Frank Abagnale's "Catch Me If You Can" which I read awhile ago, and at the same time he is willing to make himself vulnerable and likeable. Having worked in the corporate setting most of my career, I could relate to some of the competitive dynamics he describes as well as his struggle to rationalize what he does for a living when his 8 year old son confronts him about it. The rise of Linkedin changed the game because now this secret data about people and where they work and what they do has become more widely available. This book also highlights ways people can be conned or influenced to give up information they probably shouldn't and I also found this to be valuable as well. Thank you to Netgalley and Steerforth for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Overall, I highly recommend this very interesting and entertaining read!
Overall, I highly recommend this very interesting and entertaining read!
July 7, 2022
Hollywood is fascinated with Wall Street. And Wall Street is fascinated with Hollywood, and now we know why - they are made of the same morally compromised players that take advantage of their powerful positions. Only Robert could have tied these two worlds so seamlessly together, having worked in both as an actor and corporate spy. He tells his story with humility, humor, and incredulousness all wrapped up in one, from the circumstances he finds himself in to the near successes, to the successes, and to the sudden turn of events, some by people, others by outside forces such as Y2K and the mortgage collapse, which keep him from reaching the social and financial summit which he can see clearly from all his hard work, but clouds always roll in.
The audiobook, read by the author, was an excellent format, as I found myself often driving extra, so I could continue on, half chuckling, half shaking my head in disbelief. As my teenage daughters would say, there are moments that are TOTALLY CRINGE. The writing is there to bring the story to life, not to show off, so it just disappears behind the story, so the reader ends up not just reading the moments, but living them.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I’m paying a heck of a lot of attention now on phone calls and emails coming from ‘Research’ companies.
The audiobook, read by the author, was an excellent format, as I found myself often driving extra, so I could continue on, half chuckling, half shaking my head in disbelief. As my teenage daughters would say, there are moments that are TOTALLY CRINGE. The writing is there to bring the story to life, not to show off, so it just disappears behind the story, so the reader ends up not just reading the moments, but living them.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I’m paying a heck of a lot of attention now on phone calls and emails coming from ‘Research’ companies.
May 22, 2023
This is a bit out of my normal reading, so why? I read a New York Times blurb that included a rather long excerpt of this book. Usually, I skim these articles, reading the opening, skimming the middle, and then reading the final two paragraphs. In this case, however, I read the entire excerpt. The writing style caught me. I'm always on the lookout for a good read, and since I had been seduced into reading the excerpt, I ordered the book and put it to read pile. I was not disappointed.
This is a memoir of an actor, corporate researcher, etc. who chased jobs, careers and money, but at a higher level than most. He lived as a combination of the slick, but slimey telemarketer and the super spy, operating under cover.
He names names. I wonder if these stories of well-known actors, well-heeled money manipulators are true, and if so, why isn't he being sued for libel?
On one hand, he is lying for a living, whether as an actor, or as a corporate researcher. I'm not sure how illegally lying in what is essentially a sales call is. He's not in jail, so, probably no worse that the proverbial used car salesman. Caveat Emptor, but, your problem, not his.
The chapters provide fodder for a cynical view of power, wealth and fame.
This is a memoir of an actor, corporate researcher, etc. who chased jobs, careers and money, but at a higher level than most. He lived as a combination of the slick, but slimey telemarketer and the super spy, operating under cover.
He names names. I wonder if these stories of well-known actors, well-heeled money manipulators are true, and if so, why isn't he being sued for libel?
On one hand, he is lying for a living, whether as an actor, or as a corporate researcher. I'm not sure how illegally lying in what is essentially a sales call is. He's not in jail, so, probably no worse that the proverbial used car salesman. Caveat Emptor, but, your problem, not his.
The chapters provide fodder for a cynical view of power, wealth and fame.
October 18, 2022
I rarely write reviews but I wanted to write one for Ruse. I read Kerbeck's first book, Malibu Burning, and loved it. So when this one came out I grabbed it as soon as I could. It's fantastic. Written in the same easy, gripping prose as his earlier book, this story is even more engrossing than the first. Everybody loves behind-the-scenes secrets and Ruse is full of them: about Hollywood luminaries, about the strange, sketchy world of corporate espionage, about the reality of trying to succeed as an actor and the crazy challenges that brings with it. In a way, it's easy to imagine a good actor being good at the type of corporate espionage Kerbeck describes - after all, it's just another role, right? The thing is, since the spying is all real-world with real-world consequences, you learn pretty quickly that not just anybody could do it and not just anybody could succeed as wildly as the author does. I would not be at all surprised to find this book has been optioned for film. And if it hasn't been yet, it probably will be. The whole story is just that incredible and fun.
July 2, 2023
A young actor in New York, Kerbeck needed a day job and stumbled into the shady world of corporate espionage. He put his acting skills to work over the phone— accents! assuming speech mannerisms of executives!—for $8 an hour charming corporate secrets from organizations to tip the competitive balance to competitors. The stakes get higher and tensions rise. So does the recompense. At the same time, Kerbeck scrambles to keep his acting career afloat. There are tantalizing near-homeruns, as he brushes shoulders with many bold-face names in New York and then Hollywood. Kerbeck is a natural raconteur as well as a skillful narrator; there are thrilling episodes as well as reflections on the impact this life of deception is having on his mental state. As for how the world works— well, I had never heard of this but it of course makes perfect sense. Like the song goes, Momma Told Me Not To Come.
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