Book Review: Trust Fund

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Trust Fund     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Stephen Frey
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Financial   Thriller
Ballantine, Jan 2001, $24.95, 352 pp.

Comparisons of his family are always to the Kennedy clan as the Hancock shares the same level of wealth, charisma, and political connections. There are five children in the family and their father, similar to Joe Sr. holds a taut reign on Paul, Tommy, Catherine, Bo, and Ashley even as he treats his two youngest as changelings.

Paul is running for president and with his dad's backing easily will win. Bo runs the family's Wall St. brokerage firm. That changes when Bo's alleged drinking and philandering reaches the ear of his father who exiles his youngest son to Montana a la Hoover. When his father becomes ill, Bo returns home to retake control of Warbled Capital even though his siblings prefer he remain in Big Sky country. Bo fights for his position, but soon learns his opponent is an invisible cabal of powerful people running the country from behind the scenes. Bo realizes he has a difficult decision whether to challenge this Goliath or not.

People not familiar with the intricacies of Wall St. probably will find this novel sells them short as it assumes full understanding of the financial markets. Yet, this does will not deter anyone from the full enjoyment of Stephen Frey's clever tale that obviously imitates real life. TRUST FUND will enhance Mr. Frey's reputation as one of the leaders of the political-financial thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner