The addictive thriller that will keep you guessing

We’re not talking piggy banks in Cristina Alger’s thriller THE BANKER’S WIFE. This is high stakes off-shore banking where people have serious bank and secrets go deep.

A private plane carrying two investment bankers crashes over the Alps and is said to be an accident. The wife of one of the victims, left alone in Geneva, is unsure about what happened to her husband and why he was traveling with a woman whose family are known arms dealers, is a. Simultaneously, a young, driven journalist, engaged to a man whose father is soon to announce his run for president, receives a hot tip from a colleague, for a story that she can’t let go.

There are many twists in this suspenseful, unputdownable book that will leave you in page-turning suspense and wondering who the crooked masterminds are.

The Banker's wife is a decent financial thriller with a definitely credible and timely story line which intrigued me. The financial industry, which I imagine can be very complicated, is simplified for those readers, such as myself, lacking the needed background. In fact, it felt like the salient points were reiterated too frequently. The story is told through three female points of view.......Annabel, who moved with her banker husband Matthew, to Geneva 2 years ago in order for him to accept a lucrative position at Swiss United....Marina, a society journalist who is about to marry into a powerful family with her recent engagement to the son of a presidential candidate and..... Zoe, Matthew's beautiful French assistant who is also employed by Swiss United. When a plane carrying her husband and a female client goes down in the Alps, the details surrounding their deaths, appear sketchy and eventually sinister, as Annabel slowly begins the journey to unravel the truth. Marina, hoping to retire and live a life of domestically, finds herself immersed in the story of her career, after the suspicious death of her mentor, who was in the process of investigating billionaires on international sanction lists, sheltering money in hidden off shore accounts.

The writing while not spectacular is smooth and easy. I was impressed with the vivid detail of the international settings. Readers, will get an inside look at what the moneyed do in order to protect their vast investments and the lengths they will go to in order not to be caught. I did however, find the characters to be a bit too basic and the villains more of a cliche than menacing. Easily readable, with no time taken for nuance, this plot focused thriller moved along quickly, to it's predictable ending.

3 1/2 stars

Two women in dangerous situations through no fault of their own.

Annabelle was married, but her husband seemed to be married to his job. After a plane crash, she finds out why there had been a plane crash with him in it.

Marina writes stories about men like Annabel's husband, but this current story is a bit too dangerous to continue with even though Marina does.

Actually a lot of folks seemed to be in danger, and the persons behind this situation are aware of every move Marina, Annabel, and others are making.

After the plane crash and when Annabel was out of her Geneva apartment, it was ransacked. Annabel really became angry and frightened when she came home to the damage. Marina really became angry when she found out some information about her future father-in-law and when she found her friend had been murdered for uncovering incriminating information.

What was going on? It all seemed to stem from the Swiss bank and its clients.

So many people were involved in this illegal money hiding. It is a pretty frightening concept that seems like it could be “real” in today’s world.

The behind-the-scenes hacking and finding out information is also a bit on the scary side.

The story line was interesting, but was a little slow at times with all the technical information. As the story continued, though, the tension mounted as everyone involved in the money scheme was coming to the surface and trying to keep those who knew what was going on quiet.

THE BANKER’S WIFE addressed high profile and powerful men and women where money was the catalyst, and as the saying goes “the root of all evil.”

Perhaps it isn’t a good idea to be a “banker’s wife.” :)

If you enjoy secrets, intrigue, corruption, and love, you will enjoy THE BANKER'S WIFE. 4/5

I received an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Annabel Lerner feels isolated in Geneva: she's not like the other bankers' wives, and she rarely sees her husband Matthew anymore. They moved to Geneva for a fresh start--and yes, to take advantage of the salary Matthew's private banking job at Swiss United offered. But Annabel never realized how stressed Matthew would be or how often he'd travel. And then, suddenly, he's gone: his private plane simply falling off the radar over the French Alps. Before she can even understand what's happening, Annabel is left to deal with the aftermath, including a trail of secrets and the powerful men at Swiss United who don't want them exposed. Meanwhile, Marina Tourneau is a reporter for The Press. Her mentor, Duncan Carr, has been chasing a story involving Morty Reiss, whose hedge fund was one of the largest Ponzi scams of all time. Supposedly, before he could get caught, Morty committed suicide. But Duncan and Marina believe Marty faked his death and Duncan has become obsessed with proving it--to the detriment of his health, his reputation, and his career. But Marina is also engaged to Grant Ellis, whose wealthy father, James, is about to run for President. The plan is for Marina to stop writing and stand by her man. But when she suddenly realizes she's on the trail of the story of her career, what will she do?

Well, this turned out to be a gem of a novel. When I first started reading it, I was a little worried that I wouldn't see what the fuss was all about, but things quickly picked up, and I was hooked. One of the best things about this novel is that it's an old-style thriller--it reminded me of old-school Grisham or Stieg Larsson. It even throws shade at the glutton of Girl books and their (annoying) unreliable narrators, which I love. This is a mystery for folks who love real stories without any fuss or distraction and with strong characters--all of which combine to leave you befuddled and anxious as everything slowly unfurls.

Alger takes us into the complicated and dark world of Swiss banking, where we are introduced to a lot of real bad guys who have no morals. You can't trust them, you know they are bad, and you know your heroes and heroines are in true danger. Rarely do I think this while reading a book (because, face it, the book is always better), but I really think this book would *actually* make a great movie. It's exciting and tense, and the way things are slowly revealed would make for a very effective film.

But, anyway, it's a wonderful novel. You quickly get sucked into Annabel and Marina's worlds--the majority of the story is told from their points of view. There's a decent amount of ancillary characters to keep track of, but it's certainly manageable. The best is not knowing who to trust, what to believe, or how things went down. There's that Girl with a Dragon Tattoo-reporting vibe that I love: the pleasure of solving a case. The story is set in 2015 but is completely timely, yet utterly timeless in its essence of greed, money, and fear--and what people do in the name of all three. I just loved the old-fashioned thrill of it, the long list of suspects, the excitement of trying to work out who did what.

Overall, this is just a great novel. The plot is excellent--tense, exciting, and expertly woven together. The characters are strong, but it's really the story that's the standout here. It truly reminds you of mysteries and thrillers of old (I sound ancient here, but whatever). Don't let the banking theme scare you off: this is a fabulous read, and if you're a mystery or thriller fan, I think you'll really enjoy this one.

The Banker's Wife is a great summer read, especially for those who enjoy novels like The Expats by Chris Pavone. The set up...Annabel is married to Matthew. Matthew is a banker at a Swiss bank that keeps secrets for its depositors. Marina is a journalist who is engaged to a prospective presidential candidate's son. She works with Duncan. They are trying to locate a notorious Ponzi schemer. The story, of course, is even bigger than this.

Matthew is reported killed in a plane crash along with a cousin of Syria's dictator. Annabel is left bereaved and unsafe. Marina is unsafe as well. While the two do not meet, they are both impacted by the business practices of Swiss United Bank.

Both Annabel and Marina are connected to a myriad of other characters. There are questions about whom to trust and how to unravel the bank's schemes and hold those who are guilty accountable. The reader experiences doubts too regarding what has happened and who all of the 'bad guys' are.

Christina Alger has written a book that is suspenseful and engaging. The plot is complex but not too hard to follow. The reader will understand more about financial shenanigans and the private banking worlds that are fascinating and not part of many readers' daily lives.

I truly enjoyed the settings, characters and the plot of the novel. I highly recommend it! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.

Review Why pay your taxes??? It's estimated hat more than 30 Trillion dollars are hidden untaxed in offshore banks. This is a riveting page turner that involves a possible whistle blowing effort to expose this inequity. Built with a cast of millionaires , billionaires, CEO's, dictators, lawyers and private bankers. The existence of law firms whose sole business is setting up shell corporations to allow offshore banking is bad enough .... but then would be ineffective save for the multitude of private bankers who look the other way while expediting these transactions.
Quickly find yourself immersed in the dirty dealings ... with a glimmer of hope until private banker, Matthew Werner is killed in a mysterious plane accident. The intrigue takes off when the "banker's wife", Annabelle senses something is not right. He was coming home from London when she expected he was on business in a different country. The story is told in alternating sequences from her and Marina, an investigational journalist. Marina was off on vacation with her rich husband to be , Grant, the son of a wealthy business man who is scheduled to announce his candidacy for president. She receives a phone call that her mentor, Duncan, has been murdered (who apparently was working on a story about offshore banking). What ensues is a multidimensional page turner thriller that forces the reader to gobble it up ... extremely well plotted with cinematic dialogue that rushes to satisfying denouement . Thanks to Netgalley & Penguin Random House for providing this fun Uncorrected proof in exchange for an honest review. (le

Told via alternating perspectives of two smart, intelligent women, The Banker's Wife is a story about loss, betrayal, and the search for the truth. The tale begins with a bang: on an early morning flight, Matthew Werner, a banker for Swiss United, a powerful bank that keeps money and secrets for some dangerous individuals, and his co-passenger, a woman linked with the Assad family, disappear. Matthew's wife Annabelle is stunned and begins to dig into his work for answers. At the same time, Marina Tourneau, an investigative journalist with a politically connected fiance, has decided to write one last story to help avenge the death of her mentor and editor, Duncan Sander, who'd been investigating Swiss United just before his suspicious demise. Soon Annabel's and Marina's worlds will collide, leaving them to wonder: do either of them really know the men that they love?

I really enjoyed The Banker's Wife. The pacing was great, keeping me engaged all the way through, and I didn't think that any of the banking or financial aspects in the novel went over my head. It was a great read filled with many twists and turns.

This is a great book about secrets and corruption and money - LOTS of money. It's a clever mystery that keeps you guessing over whether characters are honest or corrupt and your opinion is going to change several times until you get to the fantastic ending of the book.

There are two strong female characters that most of the book revolves around - Annabel the widow of a banker killed in a plane crash who left clues behind over what was going on at the Swiss bank that employed him and Marina - a journalist who gets a tip about money laundering by Swiss banks and has to follow the story to the end. Both women end up being pursued by people who don't want them to share any of the information that they have and will stop at nothing to make sure that they remain silent. I really can't say much about the plot without giving away potential spoilers but I will say that it's fast paced and a real page turner! I loved it.

I read an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

On a November morning, a private plane departs for Geneva, but crashes in the Alps after experiencing stormy weather. Among the passengers was Matthew Lerner, a banking insider with the powerful offshore bank Swiss United. His widow, Annabel, is left with an encrypted laptop and a questionable client list. In her desperate search for answers, she learns that Matthew's death was no accident, and she is now involved.

Society journalist Marina Tourneau is on top of the world. She is engaged to Grant Ellis, son of a powerful politician and is finally part of the upper echelon of New York. After the death of her mentor, she reluctantly agrees to investigate one more story. While looking into Swiss United, Marina uncovers information that will not only implicate, but bring down some of the most powerful players in the financial industry. No one is immune, including some who are close to home. The story may also bring answers to Annabel's search, that is if Marina chooses to publish.

Alger's globetrotting thriller was a mixed bag for me. I found the beginning slow, but I'm glad I stuck with it because the story really picked up to a frenzied finish.

The writing was quick and sharp, but I did feel that the characters could have been further developed and I think that Alger hides this weakness behind her clever plot. Written from both female perspectives, the characters needed to be more than they were, they simply lacked the depth needed. What I did like was that they were the perfect pairing—one was trying to uncover a secret while the other was trying to conceal information.

Fans of the thriller/mystery genre will devour this book. Once you get into the story, the pace is quick, just what one would expect.

Ms Alger has written a fascinating novel set in the International actions of Swiss banks and their incessant quest for client secrecy. The descriptions are so exacting that the reader could easily imagine that the book is an expose of the murky world these financial institutions inhabit rather than a most engrossing story.
The novel opens as Matthew Werner a high ranking insider at Swiss United a huge offshore bank and a client of his are killed in a plane crash while en route to Geneva on business. His widow Annabel begins investigating the incident and finds herself entangled in a maze of evidence that the crash is not the accident it seems to be. At the same time Marina Tourneau a successful society journalist at the threshold of marrying Grant Ellis the son of a man that is about to announce his candidacy for President of the United States .Marina is ready to leave Journalism and dedicate herself to Grant and his high level activities when she discovers the possibility of a story about the criminal behavior of Swiss United and decides to pursue it in order to retire having written the article of the century. A third woman that has become caught up in Swiss United's nefarious activities is Matthew Werner's assistant. She has been gathering data exacted from Matthew's confidential files in order to hand them over to an investigator for the U.S. government.

The players have been placed and the actions begun. Writing is guaranteed to cause a couple of sleepless nights for the reader as Ms Alger pulls them from one set of activities to another. The end result is one that is satisfying and allows a good literary experience to become even better. The descriptions of the trillions of dollars banks hide from governments in overseas markets is a fascinating one and does give rise to the possibility that the book is based on fact. Ms Alger makes no claim that that is the case, but maybe?

This was a very exciting, suspenseful read which kept me turning the pages, even when I had many other things to attend to. The two main characters, Annabel and Marina do not know each other but their lives will be intersecting in a rather large and earth shattering way by the end of this page turner. Numbered bank accounts, shelter companies, anonymous sources, murder and ruthless individuals are just a part of what makes this story so interesting, not to mention realistic characters and an ending which did not disappoint at all! I strongly recommend this well written, very enjoyable book to anyone.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a review copy. This is my honest opinion.

I loved this book! It begins with a private plane that crashes soon after take-off somewhere over the French Alps, leaving no survivors. And it's non-stop action from there --- all told from the perspectives of three kick-ass women. The first is Annabel, wife of a Swiss banker (Matthew) who was one of the passengers on the doomed flight. Her husband was supposed to have been at a business meeting in Zurich, so why was he on a plane that departed from London? The second is Marina, engaged to a handsome politician's son. She enters the mystery when her friend and former editor is suddenly found dead after calling her to ask a mysterious favor. And the third is Zoe, assistant to Swiss banker Matthew.

Cristina Alger is a skilled author, and she moves the story along at a brisk pace. All of her characters are well developed, and the three women in the story truly come alive. What I most liked about this book is that the protagonists are so smart. They work through everything with their brains and relationships rather than through the usual violence that features so prominently in most thrillers. This would make a fabulous movie, and I'd love to read more by Alger. Five stars for sure!

In "The Banker's Wife" by Cristina Alger the reader is caught up in a thriller where you are never quite sure what is true and who is to be believed. I think this author did a very good job of grabbing my attention from the first pages and holding onto it with a writing style that kept me turning the pages late into the night. The novel revolves around two women, Marina Tourneau and Annabel Lerner, the men they love and the world of offshore banking where money is hidden, virtually undetectable, with no questions asked. Marina is an investigative journalist on a long overdue vacation in Paris with her fiancé, Grant Ellis, whose billionaire father is about to announce his candidacy for the Presidency of the United States, when a tragedy cuts her trip short. Annabel is living a life of privilege in Switzerland, where her beloved husband Matthew is a top executive of Swiss United, an offshore bank of immense power. When Matthew's plane disappears while enroute back from a trip she never knew about, she is devastated. It isn't long before she is questioning everything she thought was real in her life. Both women begin digging for the truth, and are unprepared for what they find...secrets that put both their lives in jeopardy and entwine their lives in ways neither could have predicted. This is one thriller that seems all too possible in today's world and the fact that I figured out part of the solution did not distract from my enjoyment of the book. I did find the ending a bit pat, but will not reveal any spoilers.

Annabel's husband Matthew, a banker at Swiss United, gets on a plane to Geneva and the plane crashes. Annabel discovers Matthew had secrets and is determined to find answers. Marina, a well-known journalist, is told that her best friend Duncan is dead. Duncan had been looking into Swiss United, and Marina will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of his death. Zoe, a banking assistant at Swiss United, knows a whole lot about who's hiding what money where. Independently, these three women dig until they uncover secrets about shell corporations, offshore accounts, and the über wealthy sleazeballs who create them - until each of their lives is threatened when they find out... Nope. Not gonna tell you. Whew! And the ending? Perfection.

Cristina Alger has written a suspenseful story of three women working to expose the rich, the powerful, the corporations and the cartels who quietly moved trillions of dollars offshore regularly. The Banker's Wife is a fast-paced, engrossing, breath-holder of a read. "If she played her cards right, she could end up a banker's wife." NO! RUN AWAY!

My Thoughts: Suspense novels generally aren’t my thing, but when smart ones comes along, I like to give them a try. The Banker’s Wife was not only smart, it was also original and truly suspenseful. Alger’s story of a young wife who losses her Swiss banker husband in a questionable plane crash, and a reporter newly engaged to a presidential candidate’s son, kept me turning pages late into the night. The connections between the two women’s stories quickly became clear, yet each storyline progressed largely on its own which worked well in this book. The back and forth revealing of secrets, Ponzi schemes, money laundering, off-shore accounts and murder kept the suspense ratcheted up throughout. For me, The Banker’s Wife’s flaws fell in the second half of the book where too many new characters were brought on board and the telling became muddied. I found it difficult to keep track of all the details and ended up sort of ignoring some of the story’s intricacies. Still, I managed to guess the ending and I know lovers of suspense will thoroughly enjoy The Banker’s Wife. Grade: B-

I struggled with getting engaged with this book. The characters have no depth and they offer little in the interest department. The story is threaded between different characters that eventually come together in some fateful event. The story has some twists and turns but it is the dull writing that doesn’t motivate the reader.
The story centers around a journalist that has to uncover secrets from the nefarious banking world that become a matter of life and death. Along with her there is a grieving widow also discovering that her husband was not at all what she thought and that his death might have not been an accident.

Book’s destiny : Okay for an afternoon read

"The beautiful people
Hey you, what do you see?
Something beautiful or something free?
Hey, you, are you trying to be mean?
If you live with apes man, it's hard to be clean"

Playing with dirty bankers and dirty money makes it hard to stay clean.

Her skin glowed in the dark, the moonlight glinting off her high cheekbones.
A sultry brunette with olive skin, almond shaped eyes, and a body that would put a swimsuit model to shame.

You will have sift through a lot of this garbage to get to the end, a head shaking bad ending.
A shallow, superficial, soulless read.
All the women look like models all the men look like George Clooney.

There was a good story here but unfortunately Christina Alger couldn't find it. Maybe it was hidden in a numbered Swiss account.
Marina and Owen were cool cats but not cool enough to recommend this book.
Skip it.

There is a reason domestic thrillers are so hot right now and The Banker's Wife deserves a spot on the top lists in the category. On an early morning in November, a couple boards a private plane bound for Geneva, flying into a storm. Soon after, it simply drops off the radar, and its wreckage is later uncovered in the Alps. Among the disappeared is Matthew Lerner, a banking insider at Swiss United, a powerful offshore bank. His young widow, Annabel, is left grappling with the secrets he left behind, including an encrypted laptop and a shady client list. Once Annabel cannot ignore the fact that her husband's death was no accident, she must move forward in dangerous territory, to avenge her husband's death and defend her own life. Meanwhile, a journalist discovers secrets that could help Annabel in her search.. but the cost may be too great. An adventurous novel with twists and romance and intrigue. A great combo!

This book was requested by me and kindly provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

This is the first of this author's books I have read. What a refreshing change this book was for me! Espionage, deceit, danger at every turn, the depths of offshore banking, murder, all combined with wonderful characters and some love stories. Wow. I am so impressed with the writing! I opened the book and did not want to stop reading.

I love that the book is told from different perspectives. I love that the characters are real, complete with some faults. I really can't think of anything about this book that I disliked...except maybe that it had to end.

By all means go grab this one!

Somehow my original review disappeared but because I did like the book - I have tried to reconstruct although I find that pretty unlikely.

<i>The Banker’s Wife </i> was one of my favorite thrillers of the summer so far. It introduced me to the world of international offshore banking and gave a different perspective of the fascinating lifestyle of the rich and powerful.

At the center of the story are two main heroines - each smart, clever, and talented. They are connected through the apparent murders of, in one case, their husband and, in the other, of their friend and mentor. Their efforts to uncover the facts of these crimes intertwine even though they never meet. Their investigation comes with the requisite twists and turns as well as danger that really did keep me turning pages. I was impressed that a major part of the conclusion caught me totally by surprise!

Overall, I was left with the impression that <i>The Banker’s Wife</i> was a cross between old b&w mystery movies of the 40s-50s and James Bond-type intrigue. The ending(s) was very much like watching the heroines ride off into the sunset.

FYI - I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Review of “The Banker’s Wife” by Cristina Alger PENGUIN GROUP (PUTNAM) July 3, 2018

“The Bankers’s Wife” by Cristina Alger is a captivating, intriguing , suspenseful, intense and riveting novel. This was a page -turner that I couldn’t put down. The Genres for this novel are Fiction, Mystery, Suspense and Thriller. Kudos to Christina Alger for combining two enthralling storylines, and characters. In this novel are twists and turns, international banking crimes, criminal families, politics, journalism, and the need to seek the truth at whatever the cost.

The author describes the characters as complex and complicated. There are secrets, espionage, danger , betrayal and death. Annabel Lerner, now a widow is searching for the reasons for her husband’s plane crash. Michael Lerner had worked at Swiss United a powerful off shore bank. The more that Annabel investigates, the more danger she realizes she is in.

In New York, Marina Tourneau, is a journalist, that is engaged to Grant Ellis. Grant’s father is a politician considering running for the Presidency of the United States. Marina has promised to end her journalism career for a short while, but is called to help her mentor with one important story. After her mentor’s death, Marina is determined at any cost to find the truth. As she investigates she uncovers information that could be harmful to powerful men, politics and finances. Marina also discovers that her life is in danger.

I would highly recommend this fascinating and engaging novel to those readers that appreciate the chase, adventure, suspense and intrigue. I received an ARC from Netgalley to read and review.

A thoroughly engrossing thriller. I connected very easily to this story, because my husband works in the financial field. This story read like a movie in my head and so it was not surprising to hear that it's coming to the TV screen starring Rosamund Pike. It was also quite evident that the author has a background in the financial industry, everything came across as plausible. If you are looking for a book to keep you occupied, that you won't be able to put down, then The Banker's Wife is it. There were glamorous settings, heart pounding action, and an addictive story. It brought to mind the early books by John Grisham, such as The Firm and Pelican Brief.

Makes fun of books with “girl” in the title and doesn’t get much more creative than that. Snooze fest that you’ll figure out in the first chapters. if you keep reading you’ll spend the rest of the pages rolling your eyes and tightening the writing (“My father had a saying: it’s five o’clock somewhere in the world.”) Give me a break.

THE BANKER’S WIFE is a story of international intrigue with an intelligent, multi-layered plot. Told from the POV’s of three main female characters, the fast-paced novel will have you hanging on like a carnival ride. I really enjoyed it!

What a quick read. It definately was a page turner. I wasn't sure about this book after reading that this story revolved around the Swiss banking industry, hedge funds and other financial and political dealings. But when it landed in my hands I had to give it a try and it ended up being easy to get into. This book gets right into the story from the first page and never slows down. Some of the references to politics seemed to parallel things that are happening in our government right now. I liked that the two main character were strong women who didn't let fear deter them from doing what's right.

The Banker’s Wife is a page-turning thriller without the mind games of psychological thrillers. I learned so much about off-shore banking and I was intrigued by how easy it seems to hide money to avoid paying taxes.

There was one character in the book that surprised me, but I don’t want to give any spoilers, so I won’t mention why I was surprised. I honestly didn’t see the ending coming and I like that in a thriller!

Be sure to check this book out on its release date, July 3! It would be the perfect read for the July 4th holiday weekend!

Read this book through our public library. I couldn't finish it.
Dislikes:

1. Deal breaker - One of two main characters does something so stupid it could be satirized in a Geico commercial.
2. Bad Research - Author attempts to write about technology that she doesn't really understand.
3. Goodbye Girl - Makes fun of an author and book which was much much better that this one. Why? Maybe it was a lame attempt as humor.
4. It Popped - Over use of trite phrases.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

WOW!!!!!!

This book went from 0 to 60 from the first page. I could not put it down. The pace of the storyline was rapid and at times got dizzy from the layers of the plot, yet somehow, with all of the moving parts, this author did an amazing job with threading the plot together.

This story is told in 3 POVs and centers around the "Bankers Wife". Annabel is the wife who learns that her husband's plane has crashed and while dealing with her grief, discovers that his role as a tax attorney for a high profile bank had many secrets. The bank is located in Geneva and deals with high profile clients who want anonymity, whether to protect their money from tax exposure or to help nefarious and corrupt governments who are on sanctions list. This bank has no meal compass and is too greedy to care. This reality unfolds as Annabel does not believe the crash was an accident. She soon learns that the secrets her husband had are posing a threat to her and she is now racing against the clock to get to the truth.

On the other side of the world is Marina, a reporter, who owes her career to her boss, Duncan, who happens to interrupt her trip with her fiance to let her know he is close to writing the story of the decade and needs her help. He informs him that after she is married, she is leaving the journalism business to help her new father-in-law with his bid for the presidency. He asks her to pick up something for her and then he will finish the story on his own. This is short lived as Marina is thrust into the story whether she wants it or not. A story about a bank that breeds international corruption. What she learns changes everything and she, too, is racing against the clock to get to the truth.

Zoe is the banker's assistant, and is suspicious about the bank culture but is fearful of the power it holds. Can she find the courage to expose them?

This story had me from the first page and I found myself holding my breath given the enormity of the wide net of characters that the bank represented. This book had the flavor of John Grisham's, The Firm, with International Finance. This is my first Cristina Alger novel and I am a fan who can't wait to read more. Well done!!

Money, power, greed can be and often is a powerful combination. It can lead to heartache, desperation, despair, and murder.

In this fast paced taunt novel we meet the successful people, those who have money, lots of it, and yet still want more. We meet the deceivers, the liars, the people who will do anything to protect their money, hide it in whatever way they can, and do anything to see that their money acquires them power. We enter into their world, the world of offshore banking.

A plane crashes in the Alps. On board were two investment bankers. Annabel, the wife of Matthew, one of the crash victims, is bereft and as she digs into Matthew's life she finds many puzzling and frightening things as well as an encrypted computer. There is something very wrong in all of this and as she delves into his death more and more of incriminating shady dealings details emerge and Annabel is convinced her husband's death was no accident.

Marina Tourneau is a journalist, associating with the doers and shakers of the world. She is about to become one of the elite soon as she is engaged to marry the son of a wealthy scion, a man who has ambitions to become the next President of the United States. After the death of her mentor, Marina decides to investigate the issues he was hot on the trail on. These involved the dealings of the bank known as Swiss United, the very place that Matthew had worked. There are nefarious things going on and as Marina digs further powerful people emerge, including some who are closest to her, who are heavily involved with this off shore way of doing business. What will she do as the facts come out and her very life and limb are threatened with the knowledge she acquires?

This fast pace thriller was a page turner. From the very first page to its conclusion, this reader was highly engaged in the characters, the plot, and the underhanded method that money is hidden as well as the various people who avail themselves of this practice, most of them being the underbelly of the crime, political, and drug worlds. The author was able to make one understand the banking world that allows such practices to happen and how the ultra rich and wealthy manipulate their money and enrich themselves further while in many cases fostering their evil purposes. This is a must read for those who enjoy a tight plot, a twisted and turning book that ensnares the reader in a plot that just won't let go.

This story begins with a plane crash over the Alps taking the live of personal banker Matthew Werner and one of his clients. Werner leaves behind his grieving wife Annabel who can't come to terms with her loss. She does her own investigating which leaves her with more questions than she started with and makes her the target of those who don't want Matthew's secrets to come to light.

While Annabel is in Geneva, Marina is in Paris with her fiance Grant Ellis. She is getting ready to give up her career as an investigative journalist in order to marry into the powerful Ellis family. Her future father-in-law is soon to announce his candidacy for President of the United States. But a phone call from her mentor has her making a detour to pick up a USB drive that will blow the lid off the corruption in the personal banking industry. Before she can get the USB to him, she receives another phone call telling her that her mentor was killed in a home invasion. She cuts her vacation short to go back home for his funeral.

Marina begins her own investigation to continue her mentor's work and finds direct ties to money laundering, illegal offshore accounts, and ties to terrorism that implicates the family she was ready to marry into. Each step of her investigation puts her and her colleagues into more and more danger.

Meanwhile Annabel is facing dangers of her own as she gets her husband's work laptop from his young assistant Zoe who then disappears. She doesn't know who she can trust at the bank Matthew worked for when all his boss and best work friend are acting suspiciously.

This was a fast-paced thriller that kept ratcheting up the danger and tension throughout the book. Fans of thrillers and international intrigue won't want to miss it.

Wow! Ms. Alger wrote a fantastic novel about what it takes to survive when you are being hunted for something your husband might have done. We all know that off-shore accounts are a bit suspect but she really brings the seedy underside to life in her novel. We meet Annabel and Marina both who will be sucked into this web of deceit but in very different ways. As the book kept picking up speed, I was hoping our multiple heroines would be able to come out on the other side of this with their lives intact. Each of them had so much tragedy and sorrow in such a short period of time that I wanted them to be o.k.

There are definitely some twists and turn throughout the book but none that seemed unrealistic or non-plausible. Especially given the fact that you are dealing with a business that exists on dirty or not completely legal money.

What I loved is we had three strong but different heroines in Annabel, Marina and Zoe. I loved that this story weaved their lives together probably in ways they would have preferred not to have happen in some ways. Each of them brought a different aspect to the story and definitely added unique perspectives. I wasn't expecting Zoe's to be so interesting and intricate to everything.

The Banker's Wife truly sucked me in from the first line and didn't let go. It is definitely a book to take to the beach or pool with you this summer but I read it anywhere I could just to see what was going to happen next.

I received a copy of this book.

An American working for a Swiss bank boards a private flight with a female client. The plane crashes and the banker's widow is left to sort out the scandal he left behind. Was he being unfaithful to her? The client was a family member of a known criminal, which would make his business dealings with her unethical and possibly illegal. Was her husband involved in any criminal dealings? Was the plane crash truly an accident?

I loved the way this story's loose ends were tied up. Without giving any spoilers, I think the ending happened exactly the way I wanted it to. So satisfying.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC, provided for free in exchange for my review.

After Annabel's husband, Matthew, was killed in a small plane crash, both she and journalist Marina investigated the whys. Even though the two woman have never met, their worlds will soon collide in this fast-paced, sophisticated, and suspenseful financial thriller.

This was a fascinating look at offshore banking and hidden Swiss bank accounts and reminded me a bit of books by Ken Follett and Dan Brown. The story focused on two strong female characters: Annabel, who was recently widowed, and Marina, an investigative journalist. After Matthew's death, Annabel started to wonder if things at Swiss United bank, where Matthew worked as a tax attorney, were above board. Did someone at the bank want him silenced? Meanwhile, Marina was on the other side of the world in NYC wondering if her boss, Duncan, was really killed during a random home invasion. Is it possible that the two deaths were somehow related?

I read The Banker's Wife in 1.5 days because I couldn't put it down! This was my first book by this author, and I look forward to more.

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Locations: Geneva Switzerland, New York City, and Somerset Connecticut

I have been reading fewer and fewer thrillers lately & this is actually my first one of summer 2018. I’m so happy that I waited to read one until I had this in my hands because it was absolutely amazing! Two strong female leads. Fabulous European locations along with New York City. And a twisty-turny financial mystery. What more could you want? Bravo to Cristina Alger! Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.

4.5 stars. A really solid, engrossing page-turner that I devoured in the course of a single flight. In this case the rave press reviews and author blubs are justifiable, as The Banker's Wife was on par with Don Winslow and Michael Connelly (far better than much of the standard thriller-esq airport book store offerings). Superb plotting and pacing (a requirement of the genre) and surprisingly excellent characterization (less common in the genre, as a good plot can somewhat carry cardboard characters).

The Banker’s wife is an enjoyable yet contrived novel. The many twists and turns are fairly common place in today’s serial miniseries. As a matter of fact this would make for a good adaptation. Money, power, beauty, great locations, politics, etc, it’s all here. It worked great for me for a returning international flight. Neat, short but ultimately forgettable.

Who can be trusted in this corporate world? There are whistle blowers and codes in an all around suspenseful mystery. Two main characters are clearly defined and the plot involving numerous others revolves aroud them. Similarities to real probable events are included. The ending seemed long and yet rushed in an effort to pull many disparate parts together.

This story is primarily told from the viewpoints of two women, Annabelle and Marina. Annabelle is the wife of a private banker, and Marina is an investigative journalist. The Banker’s Wife will take you on a wild ride through the world of offshore banking which is filled with secrets, murder, and lies. Private banking and investigative journalism come together to provide a fun read that’s sure to keep you guessing till the end!

FINALLY!!! A smart thriller with smart female characters! I have been let down with thrillers and mysteries for so long that I had almost given up hope. Then Cristina Alger introduced me to Marina and Annabel (and lots of other really, really great characters). I thought a book about finance would be boring, but this was absolutely the opposite. Alger does a wonderful job of explaining complex financial and technical concepts in a way that is easy to understand but not so weak and watered down that you don't actually learn something. The chapters alternate between Marina and Annabel and are quick reads at only a few pages each. I'm hearing lots of great reviews from my fellow bookstagrammers and I hope this book gets pushed to the top of all the lists so we can have more reads like this in the future!

This fast paced thriller pulled me in right from the juicy prologue and kept me guessing until the final pages. Fantastic character development and beautiful settings added to the story. This book made it to my top ten must reads list for the summer.
*I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

4 Stars!

Thank you to Putnam publishing #partner and GetRedPR for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book!

What a solid thriller! I wasn't sure what to expect with this one. It has a very different plot then what I am used to but the change of pace was very welcomed!

This story is told from three perspectives: Marina, Annabel and Zoe. They are three women who don't necessarily know each other that well but are all intertwined in the same case. One day, there is a plane crash in the Alps. Annabel gets a knock on her door and she finds out her husband is gone. As this is happening, Marina gets word that her good friend and mentor Duncan Sanders has had something happen to him as well. This starts to get the wheels turning - could these be connected?

All While this is happening, there are some sketchy deals going on at overseas banks. As Annabel is navigating through this with the help of some of Matthew's friends, she discovers who she can and cannot trust. She also learns who she can outsmart. Meanwhile, Marina just came across the biggest story of her career that could help keep Duncan's legacy alive but what if that meant bringing your family down into the ground?

Something I really loved about this book was that it was told from all female perspectives. Where most of the crooks men? Yes. However these three ladies were very strong female characters and I love that in thrillers. I don't think it happens in enough books. I also felt like the pace and handoff to the next character flowed really nicely. Sometimes it can get choppy or you can have a hard time remembering where the last character left off but in this book I knew exactly where each character was at all times. I also loved the ending. I literally sat up and was like WHAT! and that's when you know it was a good thriller.

Why the 4 star? This *may* sound Nit-picky but there were quite a few editorial errors that I caught in the book and it really bothered me. Mixing up names in another characters chapter (and they don't cross paths) is not good, especially when it happened more than once.

I think most people will enjoy this book and luckily it comes out this week on July 3rd. Thriller fans you won't want to miss this one!

“The Bankers Wife” by Cristina Alger opens with a cringe-worthy scenario; someone is throwing a temper tantrum in an airport. If that were not bad enough, a storm with strong crosswinds and a downpour of sleet has reduced visibility to virtually nothing. In the midst of the chaos, a phone call reports, “It’s done. Only one flight departed and they were on it.” Less than one hour later over the French Alps, the plane simply fell off the radar, as though it had never existed at all.

The book continues as two intertwined narratives. Chapters alternate with differing point of view, and each main character is identified in the chapter heading. Marina is a senior journalist at “Press,” magazine, married to Grant, with a father-in-law contemplating running for president. When her boss, Duncan himself, sends her on a clandestine assignment to pick up a flash drive containing highly important but top-secret information, Marina anticipates being on the tail of a good story with dirty money hidden away in shadow accounts. However, things take an unexpected turn.

“It’s Duncan. Duncan Sander. He’s dead.”

Annabel Werner is living in Geneva and married to Matthew, a successful banker. Although she has a lavish lifestyle paid for with giant banker’s salary, Geneva would never be home to her. Annabel was bored, missed work, and wanted children. With a knock on her door, her life takes an unexpected turn as well.

“Your husband’s plane from London did not land as scheduled. We believe it crashed in the Alps.”

Unexplained deaths, a suspicious plane crash, double dealings, bank improprieties, illegal transactions, and downright theft keep readers turning the pages at a frantic pace. Interesting characters, picturesque international settings, and high finance crime blend to make a riveting story. Little clues are woven into the story to tease the outcome.
I received a copy of “The Bankers Wife” from Cristina Alger, Penguin Group, and NetGalley. It is a gripping book with strong, reliable, female characters who anchor the action. I highly recommend it.

Annabel Lerner is devastated when she hears the news her husband Matthew, an employee of Swiss United, has been killed in a plane crash. But his death has left more questions than answers and Annabel becomes convinced some powerful people connected to the offshore bank wanted him dead.

Journalist Marina Tourneau is set to marry Grant, who comes from a wealthy family and whose father is set to run for president. When her colleague and mentor, Duncan, turns up dead, Marina digs deep into the story he was working on about Swiss United and uncovers shocking evidence that could bring down some of the most powerful and prominent people in the world. But publishing the "story of a lifetime" could mean Marina's life is in danger.

While I don't read many books that focus on the financial world, I think it is safe to say most of them revolve around men. So I was pleased this book featured some strong female characters. I loved the back and forth perspectives of the grieving widow and the journalist. This book really held my interest throughout which is exactly what I want in a thriller. The only reason I am giving this 4 stars instead of 5 is because I didn't find anything that surprising or shocking towards the end of the book. Even though there were parts that were fairly predictable, it still was a fun read and I definitely recommend if you like the genre.

Thank you to First to Read for the advance digital copy! I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.

The Banker’s Wife is full of suspense, mystery, and intrigue, all of my favorites! I enjoyed all of the characters so much, as well as the settings that were so vividly described I felt like I was there. The plot twists were unexpected and amazing. I will definitely read more books by this author!

The Banker's Wife by Cristina Alger starts a little slow. The story is told mostly by two of the main characters with occasional input from a third voice. Although dealing with a complicated subject Ms Alger manages to make it easy to read and understand. I was given an early copy to review.

A plane crash leads two women to investigation the world of banking. this , in turn , leads to jeopardy as their actions threaten to expose corruption on an international scale. The two people on the plane, a beautiful hedge fund managerwith possible connection to Syria and the married American banker are the unfortunate passengers on the plane. The banker's wife soon learns she knew little asbout her ambitious husband. The second womasn is a journalist poised to masrry into a rich and powerful family. The biggest story ofher life may just be her last.

The biggest porblem with this book is the uninteresting, shallow characters. I was not exactly moed to tears by the death of the banker and the hedge fund manager. It helps to care about the victims.The only sad part was that the plane was loaded with their ilk or filled with other unsavories like politicians, pedophiles, animaal aabusers, terrorists and the people resposnible for the creation of those mornic insurance commericals. the journalist and the wife and cliched and the plot runs predictably. The writing is okay and the author did a good job of conveying the financial wheelings and dealings. In some wys this is a book about the price greed extracts from the sort of innocent. But whateer, I found I just didn't care.

Thank you Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for my complimentary copy to review.

Have you ever started reading a book and from the first couple chapters your heart is beating rapidly, and you are drawn into the story immediately? THIS BOOK made those exacts emotions come out! THE BANKER’S WIFE begins with a bang. This book feels like a mix between Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder and a touch of 007. Just imagine twists and turns on EVERY page.

I did a little research on the author, Cristina Alger, after reading and it turns out that she used to be a financial analyst and a corporate attorney. This bit of information allowed me as the reader to clearly understand how she was able to describe in detail about economic sanctions, off shore banks, and even money laundering amongst powerful individuals. Only a person with extensive knowledge of these type of dealings would be able to give detailed explanations of the events that are written in THE BANKER’S WIFE.

I also enjoyed how realistic she made each character. You could feel Annabel’s grief over learning about the death of her husband and even Zoe’s fear after realizing she was working amongst dangerous men in the banking world. Being able to “feel” these emotions allowed the story to continue on a steady pace and helped the book read more like a movie. I did find myself having to take note of the many characters, because they eventually overlapped towards the end. I could see how someone may get overwhelmed with the different people presented, but a quick jot down of the names and who they are can help overcome that.

Not only is the plot new and fresh, but it also takes a page out of the Watergate Scandal and correlates to a modern-day Deep Throat. How cool is that? I’m the girl who LIVES for a good thriller, so I know when the writing has been worked on with care and this book is presented to the reader on a silver platter. If you are looking for a fast paced, page turning suspense thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat then check out THE BANKER’S WIFE. I will be recommending this novel to everyone who asks. Hopefully, they fall in love with the storyline as much as I did.

This grabbed pretty much from the first page. The plot is a dual one, going back and forth between two characters.

Marina is in Paris with her fiancé Grant, whose billionaire father is about to run for president, when she gets a call from her boss Duncan at the magazine she works for, asking her to meet a man and pick up a secret USB that's connected to Reiss--a Ponzi schemer who either committed suicide ten years ago or (in Marina's boss's opinion) faked doing so, shortly before the truth about his company was uncovered.

Annabel is in Switzerland, a banker's wife awaiting her husband Matt to return from one of his business trips and join him at a party. Feeling like an outsider and spending her days at home, Matt is pretty much all that she has. And that's when two men from Fedpol come to her house and tell her that Matt's plane was just involved in a crash.

Normally I prefer a focus on one character instead of jumping back and forth between different ones, but in this case, the dual plot lines worked and kept me engaged right until the last page. I found the story to be fast-moving, and enjoyed the exotic locales. Overall, an engaging thriller.

The Banker's Wife is a heart pounding, financial thriller with three strong, smart, and inspiring female protagonists that kept me on the edge of my seat. The novel starts with a plane crash, killing Annabel's husband, Matthew, a private Banker at Swiss United. He dies with a female client on her private plane. Was he having an affair with her or with his assistant, Zoe? Or was there something more to the story of his crash? Next, we meet Marina, a newspaper journalist fighting to report a story to clear the name of her mentor and boss, Duncan. Doing this will hurt her and the man she loves forever, so it is worth it?

It is so rare to read a book with women behaving morally and ethically correct. I loved that - bring on more, please! I cheered for the success of these ladies and I cared about them and their survival. And I am happiest when a novel can carry me to places I dream of traveling to, but could never do in real life. This story takes us from Geneva to London and Mexico, and to Pais and DC, never failing to make me feel like I just woke up in another country.

Strong female characters (who are not "unreliable" for a change!), financial crimes, billions of dollars tied up in crimes, mysterious deaths - what more could you ask for in this financial thriller from Cristina Alger? When journalists begin an investigation into offshore bank accounts that are hiding billions of dollars and all the sudden bodies begin turning up left and right of those who have connections to the money or knowledge of shady doing? Well, I guess you will need to read The Banker’s Wife to find out what comes next! (And trust me, you want to know...)

I received an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This was a fast paced book. It had well developed characters. The author did an excellent job describing the details of money laundering. The story line was very interesting. I was very impressed on how the story unfolded. It is a must read!

This was an excellent thriller about the world of international finance. It was very fast paced, people were dying left and right, others didn't know who they could trust, and trillions of dollars are at stake. I mean, I could NOT get enough! I love it when the story grips you from the beginning - it starts with a plane crash and never lets up from there. As the reader I never got lost in the details, even though it twisted and turned, and I was grateful for that. I love financial thrillers and Alger did such a great job bringing in other components into this one as well, such as art, cartels, etc. I work in banking, so I understood some of the terminology already, but I thought Alger did an excellent job of explaining what was going on in such a way that it stayed interesting and did not lose the pace of the story. I loved the ending as well, did NOT see it coming and it was very satisfying. So well done. I read this one in a couple of sittings because I could not put it down! Highly recommend, it is a 5 star for me! Thanks to NetGalley for the electronic ARC. All opinions are my own.

If you liked Lucifers Banker by Birkenfeld and The International starring Clive Owen and Naiomi Watts then you'll really enjoy this book. It explores similar themes and has the same point of contention(monsterous, unethical bank). The narrative is quick and flows well and the characters are well developed and interesting. The plot line has some real big surprises as well. The best work of fiction I've read in a while.

A fast paced narrative with high stakes. A plane goes down in the Alps, but something is fishy about the wreck and the bank where on of the supposed victims worked. A reporter and the widow work from opposite ends to unravel the mysteries.

This was such a great, quick reading thriller. I loved the characters, the good and bad guys were perfectly written and the plot was complex, but not too hard to understand. I look forward to reading more of this author’s work.