The Millionaires

Having replaced Grisham with Meltzer as my favourite legal thriller writer after reading the Tenth Justice, I picked up The Millionaires the week it came out in Mass Market paperback, but haven't gotten around to reviewing it til now.
Brothers working at a snooty private investment bank fall into money when a deceased client's funds go through the system.
Honestly if you want more plot summary read the other reviews, or better yet read this gem of a book.
Meltzer's main talent in his prose is the fast paced plots true, yet he enhances this with gifting his main characters' with sardonic wit. This novel is no exception as the dark humour flows freely making it an even more enjoyable read as the novel becomes a game of cat and mouse as whose got da money????
Meltzer's writing hasn't waned and I enjoyed this almost as much as The First Counsel (personally I think that was his best offering). My one critique is some of the minor characters seemed a bit less three dimensional than in his other novels. His characterization is one of his main strengths and appeals for me so I feel this was a little flawed otherwise it would get five stars. However having said that if the store peruser's are looking for a fast fun read, better written than your average thriller as I said read this book!

Borrowed this (audio format) from lending library.

I thought it was GREAT..and had to finish it immediately on computer because my road trip was too short.
I thought it was great.

This is written about those starting out in their careers.

A book does not have to be 100% accurate to enjoy it..just slightly plausible. I did not read it to get the inside scoop
on banking, the secret service, private investigation, fraud detection, nor computer security.

I don't want to spoil it for you...so I won't comment on the many things I liked. Just sit back and enjoy.

It is entertaining.

I gave it five stars because I liked it...and was glad I had it to pass the time driving.
Yeah...I never like to drive over a half hour without a book.

The Millionaires is a quick moving, fun book. The characterization of the brothers is excellent. At first, I wasn't sure I liked the younger brother or the dialog between the two. It didn't take long before I was hooked on the story line, and then the brothers and other characters really came alive for me. Even the people who were not likeable were very "real." The premise of the story is that because of extenuating circumstances, the brothers are tempted to commit the undetectible "perfect crime." Since the crime was depicted as "victimless" it was possible to see the characters in a sympathetic role. And oh, how they pay for their lapse of ethics! It's hard to review this book without giving away plot turns that might ruin the reading experience for someone who hasn't yet read the book. I'm especially tempted to comment at length about the ending and the philosophical conclusions one can draw from it. I can't do that to someone who has yet to read the book! All in all, I'd say this is a really fun book, fairly light reading, not too believable but quite entertaining. The people in the story are memorable. I'll keep reading and enjoying books by Meltzer!

I first bumped into this author by listening to an abridged version of 'First Counsel,' which I think, to date, has been one of the best audiobook thriller experiences I've had.

This one comes a very close second, and only does so because I guessed a small part of the plot when the author dropped a clue - and I suppose even so, just because I was paying a lot of attention at that point, I noted it - so I'd figured out the mystery a bit. Not where it ultimately went, but a part of it.

Here's the basic plot set-up: Oliver works at a private bank, a big one, where the clients all need millions just to set up an account. His family is deep into health-related hospital bills, and he needs cash in a big way. When he and his brother realize that someone is about to rip off the bank in a big way, the temptation takes seed...

See, in the U.S., after five years, an unattended account is transferred to the bank. It's been five years, and no next-of-kin has been found for a fellow with three million in his account, and it's about to go to the government. Then, at the last minute, someone steps in and sends a fax saying, "Hey, I'm kin." So Oliver is about to make the transfer when his brother notices the fax number is for the Kinko's next door. Sure enough, they're being bilked...

...so why not take the money themselves? No one is getting hurt, right - the fella is dead, no next-of-kin ever turned up except for the fake one. There's no way to get caught. What could it hurt?

And from there, the double-crosses, betrayals, and confusion escalates, and before long, they're not looking for those millions, they're looking for a way out alive.

Tension jacks up at a nice pace, each tape seems carefully crafted to end you on a high note (a nice touch, and makes you flip over the tape in a manic way). Very recommended.

'Nathan

I always look forward to the latest Meltzer novel and this, again, was no disappointment.
Charlie and Oliver Caruso, two brothers working for Greene and Greene, a private bank that requires a minimum of 2 million dollars to open an account, stumble upon an abandoned account containing 3 million dollars. In what they think is a foolproof plan, they talk themselves into stealing it. Well it wasn't foolproof. First of all, when they transfer the 3 million they receive quite a shock when they look at their deposit. Secondly a friend of theirs is shot and they are blamed. In the meantime two rogue secret service agents are after them as is a private investigator. How do you try to clear your name if indeed you're guilty?
I really enjoyed this fast-paced thriller. Of course, like everyone else, I thought of Grisham when reading this. Better than the new Grisham, comparable to the old. Laced with some humorous dialogue and some surprising twists. I think lovers of the thriller will like this one. Disneyland was a Hoot. The secret service's roll in this novel took me somewhat by surprise.
Highly recommended.

Unbelievable plot cluttered with the juvenile dialog of the two main (mid-30s) characters. This book would have been much more appropriate for teenage readers. Maybe that's who it was intended for?? I don't recall ever reading a book by this author. I doubt if I ever will again.

Two brother, Oliver and Charlie Caruso attempt to pull off the perfect crime-- transfer funds in the private bank in which they are employed from an account of a dead man to an account they create that can't be traced. It may be a very cool three million dollars. However, after the transfer, they realize they are playing a game much larger than they originally thought including the amount they stand to gain if they could pull it off. However, fast on their heels are two violent secret service agents and a relentless female PI.
Brad Meltzer, after only a few novels, has already established himself as one of the best thriller novelists currently working. A characteristic of his work is the very long length of the narratives. It is almost as if he has to stretch the tale out as long as possible to bulk up the size of the book and the resultant sales. Characters are quite sympathetic yet surprisingly comic considering the far-reaching implications their actions have on their life and potential loss of freedom. There is little doubt that this novel's main purpose is to entertain and on that level it succeeds admirably.

Who DOESN'T want to be a millionaire? Better yet, who would pass up a chance at getting what looks like really EASY money? No one knows about it, the alleged owner is dead and why should Uncle Sam get more money when somebody who really needs it could make better use of it? Why not indeed?
Oliver's better instincts are telling him that if it looks to be too good to be true, it probably is. However, his brother Charlie and their friend Shep, convinces him otherwise. And what looked like the dream of a lifetime quickly spirals out of control into Charlie and Oliver's worst nightmare. They quickly find out that nothing and no one is what or who they seem. They also learn that the only people they can depend on is each other. Forget about the money. They just want to get out of the mess they have found themselves in with their LIVES.
This was a great book that read like a movie. I found that I could not turn the pages fast enough. Having never read anything by this author before, I had no complaints at all, unlike some of the other reviews I've seen here. However, I can't wait to read his other books. If they are even better than this one, as some have said, I know that I will enjoy them as much, if not more, than this one. In any event, I would urge anyone looking for a fun, fast-paced beach read to take this book on vacation with them. This is a GREAT book to sweep you away!

This book is an excellent thriller that has you wondering what will happen next. Charlie and Oliver Caruso both work for an exclusive bank dealing with some of the world's richest clients. After giving four years of his life to the bank Oliver realises that he is being screwed. The brothers discover that someone has supplied a bogus identity for a dead man who has three million in his account and decide if someone is going to steal the money it might as well be them. Caught by the banks security guard they are forced to cut him in on the deal but shortly after the crime is even more of a success then they could have hoped, the Secret Service murders him in front of their eyes. They are lucky to escape themselves but now are on the run.
They cannot surrender to the cops as they will be handed over to the secret service who will no doubt kill them as they want the money for themselves. An excellent financial thriller. Ending isn't up to the standard of the rest of the book but still a good read. The best financial thriller in the literary world is The Money Makers by Harry Bingham. Check it out too.

Reading this Meltzer book is like eating an artichoke. You keep peeling off the layers and more plots and twists appear underneath. This one moves along quite nicely as the Caruso brothers, both employees of a private bank, get into more trouble than one would ever hope to be in by yeilding to the temptation to take some money that didn't belong to them because they became convinced that no one would ever know the money was taken.
Once the button is pushed and the money taken their world turns upside down, inside out and every which way but loose as they try to figure out what has happened to their perfect scheme and why is the Secret Service after them and how did 3 million dollars turn into 313 million dollars and where are they going to go to find the answers to these questions.
The answer to where is the same as the MVP of the Super Bowl shouts: "I'm going to Disney World!" I'm not sure that Mickey will be pleased at how The Magic Kingdom fits into all of this, but this is a good book which will keep you happily turning the pages for some time.

Oliver and Charles Caruso are brothers that work at an exclusive New York City bank where you need a minimum of ten million dollars to open an account. According to federal law - at least in the book - if an account has been inactive for more than seven years the money gets transferred and becomes property of the United States government. While performing his job, Oliver finds a three-million-dollar account belonging to a Martin Duckworth. After careful research he discovers that Mr. Duckworth is dead and there are no heirs to be notified. Who is going to miss the money? When he confides to his brother what he found Shep, an agent from the Secret Service, discovers him. Shep agrees not to report them if they give him a cut of the profits.
After careful planning to cover their tracks Ollie transfers the money to an offshore account and all hell breaks loose. Rogue Secret Service agents shoot Shep and the Caruso brothers are running for their lives. When Oliver checks the balance in the account he finds there are three hundred and thirteen million dollars stashed instead of three million dollars. The Caruso brothers go to Florida, the last known address for Mr. Duckworth, and try to figure out what happened. Meltzer brings in a ridiculous conspiracy involving computer viruses, fraud, and Disney World. Was it so hard for the author to come up with a fictional theme park?
If you have read one Brad Meltzer novel you have read them all. They all have the same formula and except for some slight deviations they all turn out to be the same. A young and naïve professional discovers a conspiracy. Instead of reporting it they decide to investigate and find out that it is something way over their heads. Anyone they get close too gets hurt or dies. Introduce a young woman who tries to help or hinder the hero with his dilemma. At the end of the novel the hero loses or quits his job and loses all traces of his former life. Why even bother?

The subject of "The Millionares" by Brad Meltzer is the perfect crime, or what seems to be the perfect crime to brothers Charlie and Oliver Caruso. The two brothers couldn't be any more opposite. Charlie, the calm, cautious, play-by-the-book brother who lives in a run-down apartment differs from Ollie, the carefree, spontaneous and witty brother who remains living with their mother. The two work at the exclusive Green & Greene Bank where clients put up no less than $2 million dollars to open an account. Charlie and Oliver both struggle to get by, helping their mother pay her bills when one day, after dealing with an angry client, Charlie and Oliver discover the existence of an unclaimed account worth $3 million dollars. The two discover the chance to divert the funds elsewhere before the money officially becomes unclaimed and turned over to the state. The two struggle with the decision to go ahead with the theft or turn the money over. An unpleasant discovery by Charlie leads them to go forth with their plan and what ensues leads the duo on an action-packed adventure that seemingly will never end. The two encounter Secret Service agents as well as an aggressive investigator. Knowing who to trust becomes vital as the two, on the run, uncover the secrets behind the mysterious account. Overall, "The Millionares" is an action-packed page-turner that's hard to put down! Any fan of mystery is sure to enjoy this thriller.

After reading all of Meltzer's books and most recently The First Counsel, I was very disappointed with this book. It's his least-favorite of mine.
The plot sounds good, exciting, but as I started this book I immediately knew that something was missing. I don't know what it is exactly, but I do know I had a hard time liking the characters & caring about them. I also found the book to be pretty slow-paced. It also got annoying reading from different characters points of view, usually I enjoy that, but this book just didn't pull it off. And the suspense that was supposed to be there- wasn't there, a lot of the time.
I am still a big fan of Meltzer, I have been since his first book, so if you're looking at reading something of his, I'd recommend First Counsel or Dead Even. Both are much better than this book. I'm still planning on reading his next book, however, this one has made me a bit weary. I think he just tried a concept & it just didn't flow.

Oliver and Charlie are two brothers who plot to steal million[s] from their employer, an exclusive private client bank that caters to the ultra-wealthy. After their illicit transaction, they discover that their theft was more than 100 times the initial amount. How they stole so much involves an unlikely scheme to create millions out of nothing.
And that is precisely what Brad Meltzer has done for himself. While The Millionaires is not a horrible book, it can become tedious at over 500 pages. Was it really necessary to have Miami as a locale? Couldn't Meltzer have had the characters go straight to Orlando and save us 100 pages? A tighter story could have increased the tension.
I have learned that Meltzer does meticulous research about the various geographies in his books. While the landmarks, street and highway names are richly on-target, the characters inhabiting those locations seem to lack the same local color.
In the end, Meltzer has created a serviceable beach novel with a preposterous plot that his editor should have trimmed to make slightly more interesting.

Listening to these two brothers "talk" to each other is tantamount to sitting on a plane between two five-year-olds bickering and screaming at each other. On Meltzer's website, he said he didn't have a brother (just a sister) so he "researched" the brother aspect by talking to people who had brothers. That is like me saying I learned the intricacies of space travel by watching Lost in Space.

While there are many, many problems with this so-called novel, the most egregious by far is the inane dialogue. As opposed to talking to each other, the two lead characters, brothers, communicate by arguing, unfunny in-jokes, figuratively winking at each other and finishing each others thoughts telepathically. Come on ... give me a break.

As I struggled to finish this garbage, I could almost see Meltzer clacking away at his keyboard, self-congratulatory over his sophomoric prose, regaling in his childish dialogue, grinning as he finishes another awkward and clumsily worded chapter. His wife, Cori, devotedly by his side, goading him on, fully aware of the conspiracy they're involved in --- foisting unintelligible, pretentious verbiage upon an unsuspecting American public. I can hear her now, chuckling over another one of her husband's amateurish sentences, "Ohhh, that's terrific, honey, another bestseller, another check!"

I realize that some people will gravitate towards this garbage because it is an easy read, and I'm not proposing reading Tolstoy, but there are soooooooooo many better authors out there. Try Harlan Coben, or Carl Hiaasen, or Robert Ferrigno, or Greg Isles, or Elmore Leonard.

After reading all of Meltzer's books and most recently The First Counsel, I was very disappointed with this book. It's his least-favorite of mine.
The plot sounds good, exciting, but as I started this book I immediately knew that something was missing. I don't know what it is exactly, but I do know I had a hard time liking the characters & caring about them. I also found the book to be pretty slow-paced. It also got annoying reading from different characters points of view, usually I enjoy that, but this book just didn't pull it off. And the suspense that was supposed to be there- wasn't there, a lot of the time.
I am still a big fan of Meltzer, I have been since his first book, so if you're looking at reading something of his, I'd recommend First Counsel or Dead Even. Both are much better than this book. I'm still planning on reading his next book, however, this one has made me a bit weary. I think he just tried a concept & it just didn't flow.

Oliver and Charlie are two brothers who plot to steal million[s] from their employer, an exclusive private client bank that caters to the ultra-wealthy. After their illicit transaction, they discover that their theft was more than 100 times the initial amount. How they stole so much involves an unlikely scheme to create millions out of nothing.
And that is precisely what Brad Meltzer has done for himself. While The Millionaires is not a horrible book, it can become tedious at over 500 pages. Was it really necessary to have Miami as a locale? Couldn't Meltzer have had the characters go straight to Orlando and save us 100 pages? A tighter story could have increased the tension.
I have learned that Meltzer does meticulous research about the various geographies in his books. While the landmarks, street and highway names are richly on-target, the characters inhabiting those locations seem to lack the same local color.
In the end, Meltzer has created a serviceable beach novel with a preposterous plot that his editor should have trimmed to make slightly more interesting.

Listening to these two brothers "talk" to each other is tantamount to sitting on a plane between two five-year-olds bickering and screaming at each other. On Meltzer's website, he said he didn't have a brother (just a sister) so he "researched" the brother aspect by talking to people who had brothers. That is like me saying I learned the intricacies of space travel by watching Lost in Space.

While there are many, many problems with this so-called novel, the most egregious by far is the inane dialogue. As opposed to talking to each other, the two lead characters, brothers, communicate by arguing, unfunny in-jokes, figuratively winking at each other and finishing each others thoughts telepathically. Come on ... give me a break.

As I struggled to finish this garbage, I could almost see Meltzer clacking away at his keyboard, self-congratulatory over his sophomoric prose, regaling in his childish dialogue, grinning as he finishes another awkward and clumsily worded chapter. His wife, Cori, devotedly by his side, goading him on, fully aware of the conspiracy they're involved in --- foisting unintelligible, pretentious verbiage upon an unsuspecting American public. I can hear her now, chuckling over another one of her husband's amateurish sentences, "Ohhh, that's terrific, honey, another bestseller, another check!"

I realize that some people will gravitate towards this garbage because it is an easy read, and I'm not proposing reading Tolstoy, but there are soooooooooo many better authors out there. Try Harlan Coben, or Carl Hiaasen, or Robert Ferrigno, or Greg Isles, or Elmore Leonard.

Brothers Oliver and Charlie Caruso work at the exclusive banking firm of Greene and Greene where client entry begins at two million dollars. However, the siblings soon learn that a boss Henry Lapidus is destroying Oliver's career. Already in major debt, The Caruso brothers decide to embezzle a three million-dollar inactive account owned by a dead client that no one in the firm or the deceased's family seems to realize exists.

However, the smooth felony fails as hidden strings attached to the loot ring alarms to various players. To the sibling's fear and bewilderment, the cash abruptly multiplies one hundred times. The Secret Service, the Disney Corporation, and a thug or two chase after the lads. Desperate Oliver and Caruso flee to Florida in an attempt to get out of this mess by following up on the only lead available, the dead client's daughter.

THE MILLIONAIRES is a wild financial thriller that takes the audience on a strange but interesting trip into the world of not so real but somehow spending money. The story line is fast-paced though marred from the seesawing between past and present tense that at times jars the reader out of the plot. The Caruso brothers gain fan empathy as their one attempt at crime ends up as a Mad Hatter ride leading to the audience singing Brad Meltzer's praise for an enlightening, exciting, and entertaining story.

Harriet Klausner

I enjoyed this fast-paced tale by Brad Melzer. Brothers Oliver and Charlie are regular guys in dead end jobs with a stack of life-sucking medical bills to pay and an overworked mother they both adore. They discover the opportunity to commit what they think is the perfect crime; they'll steal three million dollars from a dead man's abandoned account. It's the classic criminal seduction -- no one is going to get hurt, no one is going to get caught, and everyone is going to end up on easy street with all thier problems solved.
Predictably, as soon as the deed is done, circumstances spin out of control and the brothers are reminded in one painful way after another that all actions have consequences.
A fun and quick read, good for a long rainy day or a boring airplane ride. The writing is tight, the action is non-stop, the characters compelling and the plot interesting.

Oliver and Charlie are brothers working at the same private bank, Oliver as a junior partner, Charlie in the back office. Charlie has a chronic disease requiring expensive medication, which is why Oliver is still stuck at a job he should have moved on from long ago. When Oliver realizes he's being sabotaged by the senior partner he trusted most, he succumbs to Charlie's urging and commits the perfect crime - stealing money no one knew was there. But it turns out they weren't the only ones with that idea, and soon they're running from the bank, a private investigator, and shady secret service agents who not only want the money, but want them dead.

Fast-paced and well-plotted. I loved the relationship between the brothers.

This book has very good potential in being a great book. It has characters with strengths as well as weaknesses, who feel relatively real. You empathize with them as well as want to smack them every time they do something moronic. This book is well-written and well-paced, but I had figured out who was behind it really, really early in the book and just waited until my prediction was true. Note to reader, go with your instincts and it's pretty easy. But even though I figured it out, Meltzer does keep you intrigued on what will happen next (although his chase scenes go on forever). I would recommend this book to a friend but I think that Meltzer could have done something more with it. Something less predictable and more of a surprise whodunnit(there are a few surprises that are good). To the person who said he is better than Grisham...not even close.

The story was told from 3 separate perspectives, making it very choppy and interrupted. The writing was at a very basic level.
Also, the book had chapters about 3 pages long - 89 chapters in this puppy! Why? So the author could add in a ton of unnecessary, silly "Goosebumps-ish" (R.L. Stine) chapter endings... "He saw the gun lift up towards his brother Charlie. "No!" Oliver shouted just as he heard the gun go off."
Cut.
Next chapter.
Puh lease. Of COURSE Charlie wasn't shot, this book has a happily ever after storybook ending. The story-line was also a bit unbelievable. As for the secret "invention," finding it on the disney web site in the manner they did, and the entire Secret Service involvement were all factors too extraordinary and improbable to be believed.
Unfortunately, this is the first book I've read by Meltzer, and I won't pick up another of his without a glowing recommendation from a reader whose tastes I share.

When you read a Brad Meltzer novel, you pretty much know what to expect: some young professional gets caught up in some nefarious scheme and has to rely on either friend or family to get him through, and in this case, suffer the consequences.

Brothers Oliver and Charlie Caruso are two banking employees who stumble upon the perfect crime: three million dollars that a dead man has left in the bank, and with no relatives to claim it, the boys decide that since it will go to the government, why don't they just steal it? A moral issue, but justified by the fact that no one gets hurt AND it will help out their debt-ridden mother.

Meltzer concocts one implausible scene after another, and yet he's a good enough writer, to hold your interest and make you feel like you haven't been cheated.

This one's a little more predictable than most of his previous efforts, and the two brothers aren't all that likeable.

Not a bad read, but not Brad's best.

Meltzer makes a creative problem, then unravels it into a very good climax and ending.
As far as I can remember, he brings in some funny lines and slapstick comedy, but otherwise, most of the book is actiona nd adventure, pure and simple.
As you no doubt have read from other reviews, two brothers work at a "private" ("You don't choose them. They choose you.") back, Greene & Greene. The two brothers are total opposites. One is creative and an excellent artist, the other is an executive wanna-be, basically.
Meltzer brings in new characters, new plot twists, et cetera. Quite easily, the most enjoyable character is Joey, the female P.I. hired by the bank's insurance company to recover the dough.
I would definetely suggest that you read this book, and at $..., it's a steal.

This was a decent book, but everything seemed a little too neat. A little too Hollywood.
The story started off great and had me engaged from the beginning. Too bad things didn't go quite so well from there.
It was a bit hard suspending belief at the typical cliches in the book. Moreover, drawing from my own personal experience, I can say without a doubt that one of the plot points in the book was ridiculous. I don't care to really elaborate on that, but just trust me. ;)
From a positive viewpoint, though, the book was a fast read and I was anxious to get to the end. Unfortunately, it was a good story that probably would have been better with a little more research and a little less Hollywood. Still, if you're looking for a fun read--which, admittedly, it was--this is a decent book.

OK, this book started off promisingly...good plot line, a couple of brothers, poor mom, working with the rich folks and a private bank, etc, etc. Well, a convoluted, no way on earth it could happen, money stealing scheme drops in their laps at a time when our hero is getting some bad news about his lying boss. Coincidence? You decide. An unbelievable "I'd like his role in the film to be played by Brian Denehy" type security VP is involved, an unbelievably bad pair of "super cop" Secret Service guys somehow end up getting bested by the brothers time and again (during fights, shootouts...ya know, something bankers are good at), and, of course, a heroine is inserted into the plot--she starts off chasing and ends up helping! How nice for our boys! (and how formulaic). There's more, but I think you get the hint. Oh, did I mention Disney? I'd better not.

I read the book in a night--had it's ups and downs but I cannot recommend this.

My Two Stars--[bad] read...it will pass the time, but not much else.

From the beginning, this is an interesting book. The premise is plausible and the execution is pretty good. However it finally becomes that beast we know as a "Shaggy-Dog story". That means, a big build up for a low payoff. I must say, when he switched to the Disney World section, I got the feeling he was trying to justify a family vacation to Disney World on his taxes by using it in his book. Bad bad decision, though. The tension immediately was lost when he entered Disney. Also, his Insurance Investigator character was way underused for her build up.

Finally, as a person with deep knowledge of computers and web apps, I must say I was embarrassed at his lack of understanding of how computer stuff works.

The Secret Service rife with thugs, murderers and thieves? For the sake of credibility, perhaps Mr. Meltzer should have stuck to the courts and corporate boardrooms. There isn't an innocent character in this tale of dastardly deeds and dirty money.
Two brothers succumb to temptation, rip off a dormant three million dollar account from a private bank, and soon find that what they've bitten off is about to swallow them whole. On the run, and on occasion caught, roughed up or duped by government bad guys, a clever insurance investigator and freelance agents of the bank, the pair hires a mob lawyer to get them out of New York and into Miami. Once in Florida, the reader even gets a glimpse of Disney World's unattractive underbelly as Charlie and Ollie try to discover why their bit of creative computing turned deadly.
If you are willing to totally suspend disbelief, it is a good read.
An aside on art of writing: Mr. Meltzer's Dead Even was written in the third person with alternating points of view occurring in the same scene, at times in the same paragraph. Quirky? The Millionaires is written in the first person (Ollie's point of view) but we're still privy to Charlies' internal thoughts because a facial expression can telegraph whole sentences between brothers. Quirkier still?

The actual framework of the story is pretty good. Some parts are not believable or realistic, but nothing that makes it too offensive for a work of fiction.

The author did commit one of my pet peeves: "The plot twist lie"

In order to pull off a plot twist, an author must make it a surprise to the reader.

In order to make it a surprise, the author must have you believing the opposite of what he intends to reveal.

An unskilled author will lie to you in order to set you up for the surprise.

That is exactly what he did when Gillian attacked Desanctis and Gallo.

It's a lie because it is way out of character for her as a villain.

The dialogue between Oliver and Charlie is ridiculous. His attempt to create a comedic sidekick fails miserably.

But not altogether bad for a dollarstore novel.

This book is about a storyline relating to corporate boardroom crimes, of the Enron variety that we hear today.
Can be a real-life story as well. The story is about trying to get possession of dollars (in millions) lying in a dead account! The plot is of cinematic variety and one day, there will be a movie made out of it. Some of you may think, why a movie, when we already have Enron (boardroom variety!) No disputes here...
Author has narrated it so well that the irrelevancy of finer details are suitably camouflaged to present a thrilling account of the search for million$ lying in a dead account! Finally, this takes us to Disney Land.
All in all, interesting to read and enjoy. That's all we want, right?

The Millionaires takes us for a ride, from the dark subway corridors of NYC to the, er, dark corridors of Disney World. Oliver is working a dead end job at a very prestigious private bank when he and his brother scheme the perfect crime: stealing money no one would even know is missing. The only thing in their way are their consciences, and a few armed men and women.

I liked this book, but if you've seen any sort of thriller in the past ten years, you can pretty much guess what's going to happen next. The saving grace for this book is the dynamic between the two brothers and the easy to read writing. This book had good concepts and a decent mystery/ thriller aspect, I just wish that I wasn't a step ahead of the plot instead of one step behind, making it seem overly predictable. Some scenes seemed totally unnecessary, mostly the scuba diving scene, and the narrative hops around from character to character, past tense and present, but you get used to it.

If you can ignore some of the silly plot points and just go along for the ride, this can be a fun read.

There is nothing like being at the airport "between books." You really take your chances when you buy something on impulse. That's what happened to me with Brad Melzter's THE MILLIONAIRES. I picked it up and couldn't put it down. A little cheesy at times and BM needs to edit out his use of ellipses (...) but I couldn't wait to buy the rest of his books once I'd finished. There is nothing as gratifying as finding a new author. I hope he keeps us in thrillers for years to come.
This book is about two brothers who find themselves in possession of several hundred million dollars. And you know someone wants that money back. I lost myself in this book from page one.

The Millionaires was my very first Meltzer book and by far one of his better books. I found it to be easy to follow, kept me reading and wanting more. I honestly couldn't put this book down when I started reading it. I'm not one that reads a lot but after I finished this book I went on a Meltzer tear and gobbled up 4 more of his books. The characters were interesting and fun to follow along with as if you actually knew this group of friends. I do have to admit there is a short flat part in the middle but when it gets going again it was worth the wait. I would recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a good book that's not too heavy but not too fluffy. There's twists and turns and will keep your interest once you begin reading. Yes, there are better stories by Brad Meltzer but there's just something about this book that really spoke to me and sparked an interest in reading again.

This book starts out strong and engaging with a fast moving storyline but it quickly turns into a contrived work. The story centers around two brothers Charlie and Oliver who work at an upscale bank and decide to steel money from an abandoned account with the help of their friend Shep who is head of security. One problem, the government was monitoring the account. The G-men quickly unravel the crime and in the process kill Shep (they want the money too of course) So the two brothers run and carnage ensues.
The novel is a fast read despite its length but after the first hundred pages I felt as if I was reading the script to a TV movie of the week. The chapters are short and utilize these ridiculous cliffhanger endings. As the story develops the plot become increasingly silly (spoilers ahead skip to the last paragraph if you don't want to know how it end) involving a secret worm imbedded in Disney's website and the book climaxes at the Magic Kingdom. Of course what would the narrative be with out a love story, so one is thrown in. As implausible as it is Oliver manages to fall in love while he is running for his life. Finally the "twist" ending was especially corny as the two Brothers discover that their friend Shep is alive and Oliver's love interest is actually Shep's wife. Even more outlandish is the revelation that Shep and his wife are in on the plot to steel the money with the corrupt feds.
I picked up this book because I saw Meltzer on CNN with Lou Dobbs and I thought I was in for a first right financial thriller, I was sorely disappointed. I recommend any of John Grisham's earlier books (The Firm, The Pelican brief, The Client) instead of this one. Those novels were great stories that really kept you on the edge of your seat and felt plausible, this book was just one cheap thrill. Literary candy that makes you feel guilty for having consumed it.

Having read and enjoyed The First Counsel, I eagerly awaited the paperback release of Millionaires. Critically, Meltzer is not the world's greatest writer but he does have a knack for coming up with intriguing and entertaining stories that keep readers turning pages. Millionaires is just that - entertainment. It's a quick read despite its length. The characters are well developed given the category of fiction this falls into (thrillers typically don't excel in character development), dialogue is swift and realistic and there exists a great sense of humor and playfulness about the novel.
Overall, Millionaires is a good, quick and entertaining read.

I just finished reading Brad Meltzer's book, and I can't believe how well-written it was. This is the first Meltzer book I've ever read. I discovered him one day while sitting on the train (I live in NYC) and I glanced up at the ads and saw The Millionaires with a brief synopsis. This was several months ago, but for some reason I never forgot the title and when I finished my latest book, I decided to check Meltzer out. At first I thought he was a wanna-be Grisham, but by the time I finished the first chapter I knew I had discovered something new and different. I would sit on the train going to school, reading, totally lost in Charlie and Ollie's world. Meltzer is an amazing writer who knows how to capture the imagination. Pick up the book and read it if you get a chance!

I was nervous reading this book, because while I love and get totally enthralled with Meltzer's books, I tend to be disappointed with his endings. This one, however, did not disappoint.
But, more so than loving the story, I really loved the characters. If you have a sibling, which I do, this story will make you smile - simply because of the very realistic portrayal of a sibling relationship!
These brothers are great - their dialog is great - and, more to the point, their talking without dialog is great! It's worth the read...both for the story, and for the relationship between these two, very different brothers!
Great job Meltzer - you are getting better and better!

I have just recently read the book The Millionaires by Brad Meltzer. This is one of the best books that I have ever read. The book is about two brothers named Oliver and Charlie who work at an ultra exclusive bank. One day they stumble upon a client's account who is dead. They try to steal the three million dollars that is in the account but when the three million turns into three hundred million, they must run from the police. The whole time while they are hiding, they try and figure out how the money multiplied. This book mixes mystery with a lot of suspense. I recomend this book to anyone who is capable of reading it.

I love Meltzer's books, and I enjoyed reading the hardcover edition of this one. I recently got the audio version from audible to listen to on a road trip and was thoroughly disappointed. The narrator is overly dramatic and makes each sentence painful to the ears. Every other word is drawn out or over emphasized to the point that I found myself rolling my eyes and gritting my teeth. Great book, just don't listen to the audio version by Scott Brick!

I've read Meltzer's three earlier books and think very highly of them, especially The First Council. Though I've been looking forward to The Millionaires, I was worried that he was due for a bit of a letdown. I am very pleased to say that The Millionaires may be his best yet.
Oliver and Charles, two brothers, decided to steal three million dollars from the bank at which they work. They need the money to help their mother with her bills and to get out of debt themselves. They develop what they believe to be a fool-proof plan. Someone, however, is one step ahead of them, and the price they pay as a result is high.
The Millionaires is written from the first-person perspective of the main character, Oliver, which makes for a very fast and entertaining read. In fact, Meltzer may be one of the finest first-person writers around today. Each of his characters is well developed and the plot moves quickly. The twists and turns that make this novel so entertaining are unexpected yet believable, which only adds to the feel of the story. Of course, perhaps the most interesting aspect of the book is that as we follow the characters through their ordeals, we can relate to the dilemma that they faced in deciding to take the money.
Other recommendations - The Tenth Justice, Dead Even, and The First Council by Brad Meltzer. Anyone who enjoys Jeffery Deaver, James Patterson, Vince Flynn, John Sandford, or any of John Grishams older books will love this author.

I finished listening to Millionaires and it was a great book. The story line was very realistic and enjoyable. The plot twists were surprising. I enjoyed watching the transformation of Charlie from a carefree anti-society guy to someone with a sense of responsibility. Oliver also underwent a transformation from society's cookie cutter gofer to a balanced guy that can enjoy life. I truly enjoyed the ending. The author did a wonderful job of providing a realistic solution for the main characters without disappointing. This was my first Meltzer book and I am a fan. His style is clear and well thought out. I give it 5 stars!

David Metzler's latest is a departure from his usual legal thrillers. It is a banking thriller, if such a thing exists. Oliver Caruso and his brother Charlie are young turks, well down on the totem pole at Greene & Greene, a New York private bank that only opens accounts for millionaires. They figure out how to [remove] [money amount]in such a way that nobody even knows the money is gone.
That's when things go terribly wrong.
In trying to regain their own safety, the boys end up in, of all places, the tunnels below the Magic Kingdom of Disneyworld, where encounter some unexpected and dangerous surprises.
The novel moves well, and builds conflict in nearly every scene. The characters of Oliver and Charlie, despite being devoted brothers, could not be more opposite, and their opposites lead to much of the conflict, and a few laughs as well. The back story is elaborate, but not unnecessarily so. The bad guys are truly bad, and the plot does twist in unexpected ways.
There are a few problems. A side story that involves an insurance investigator with seemingly superhuman resourcefulness is uninteresting, although her character might be better as the subject of another novel. But as a side character in this one, she is a waste of time.
There is also a switch back and forth between Oliver's first-person point of view and a third person's point of view for scenes that Oliver doesn't participate in. Other reviewers found this distracting and diffcult to follow, but it didn't bother me.
All and all, I thought it was a well-told action thriller, not terribly creative, but a pleasant read nonetheless.

The problem with this book is that the author doesn't know whether to be funny or serious. It's written with a slapstick tone and you think you're gonna be laughing throughout. But then real blood begins to flow. So, hey, maybe it's a serious book. But the plot, which is promising at first, soon becomes ridiculous -- comically so. The two Caruso brothers spend the book running away from two Secret Service heavies while other characters come and go. In the end, the book's denouement takes place in the tunnels below Disney World. Which is appropriate because, not only is this book a fantasy, it's downright goofy. This is my first Meltzer book and I will have to seriously think whether or not I want to read another.

Well, this story is about the world of high finance. But it's more about what happens when the The Perfect Crime meets Murphy's Law. Mostly I read for entertainment, and this book was extremely entertaining. Oliver Caruso believes everything he's told, and his brother Charlie believes nothing until it has been proven to his satisfaction. Although both work at the same private bank, their jobs (and personalities) are far from similar. The story takes us from New York City to Disney World with an amazingly solid cast of characters. And it should have a sobering effect on how you view the power of computers.

I ordered this book dispite all of the bad reviews written on this site, however, I did keep them in mind before reading the book, preparing myself for the worst. That being said, while The Millionaires may not be a great book it was not a bad book either. The Millionaires is the type of book that you read knowing that it is not exactally going to be War & Peace but you take it for what it is, a light beach read and just enjoy the story, which is exactally what I did and in the end I can honestly say that I did enjoy it.

Millionaires by Brad Meltzer is a thrilling tale of greed and today's banking system.
A perfect crime of greed or is it? An account worth millions belonging to a rich guy (now, dead three years) is about to be turned over to the state until two brothers who work for the bank decide they have a plan that can not fail. They set out to make the $3 million dollars their own.
But things suddenly get crazy when a third person wants in on the action.
Millionaires by one of my many favorite writers is a page turning thriller I know you will enjoy reading as much as I have!

As a financial thriller, this is an okay book, but nothing outstanding. I mostly enjoyed reading it because it moved fairly quickly.
The positives: Quick and painless; Different subject; Exploration of the "gray" areas of crime (when you think no one can get hurt, does that make it right?).
The negatives: Dialogue is a bit too cliche at times; Meltzer still has some work to do to perfect his craft as a writer; Unbelievable plot (but that's okay for a quick and painless read); Flat characterization (the villains) or over characterization (the main characters) a bit annoying at times.
Overall, neither bad nor good. Just okay.

Buy this book before they start making the movie! Oliver Caruso, an employee for the VIP-only Greene and Greene Bank, works for the scumbag and crook Henry Lapidus. Charlie-- Oliver's wayward brother-- somehow persuades do-gooder Oliver to pilfer $3 mil from the bank account of a deceased techno wizard. Unfortunately, others in the bank had planned to the same-- and the $3 mil inadvertntly morphs into $300 mil! So bank thugs, the Secret Service, and an assortment of other characters wind up on the Carusos' tail, in a Blues Brothers redux with twice the humor and suspense.
A wonderful follow-up to The First Counsel. Cardboard characters but the moral dilemma is interesting-- two Robin Hoods, and you can't help but root for them. Following the Caruso's misadventures is a fun way to spend the weekend.

I had high hopes that I had discovered another good lawyer/author in Brad Meltzer, but was a little disappointed with this book. On the plus side, the revelation of the bad guy was stunning, and some of the Florida action was pretty good. On the minus side, the dialog between the brothers became very annoying, the financial transactions were confusing, and the Disney scene drug out too long. Check out Steve Martini or Phillip Margolin for better legal thrillers.

The book the Millionaires by Brad Meltzer was an incredible book. The characterization was unbelievable, by the end of the book you felt like you were best friends with the main characters. I am not a huge fan of reading, but this book was my best experience with reading yet. I was so involved with the plot and emotionally attached to the characters that I seriously could not put the book down. Brad Meltzer has a great flow when he writes, it was such an easy read but the plot was so deep that it did not seem like it at all. It was a great book with twists and turns; it really played with your emotions. You cared about the characters so much that you actually wanted to be in the book to help them out. It has a great ending that ties up everything so there are no cliffhangers leaving you wanting to know more. I would highly recommend this book to anybody wanting a good read. I would not suggest children or older folks read it, it seems rather involved for people who are not up to date with technology. The whole book is a manhunt and the technology they use would probably be to advanced for kids and too complex for the elderly. I cannot even say enough good things about the book; you are just going to have to read. I give this book an easy five out of five; it is unreal.

A fairly good story with lots of techno/banking and info on financial trials and tribulations. The actual theme seemed to be a chase that lasted forever. The twists and turns added some spark but it never glowed as I like a story to do. The family feeling between the two brothers was shown strongly and well, but communications between them by sight was a little hard to grasp. All in all it was a fairly good but not a outstanding read.

THE MILLIONAIRES by Brad Meltzer is a pretty good read, detailed and with good twists. Two brothers working at a private banks find some spare money and take and the adventure begins. Well worth your time. RECOMMENDED

I created the ability to review just to stop others from reading this book. It's truly awful. The characters are annoying, the plot is completely unrealistic, and the ending had me imagining his editor calling and saying "Okay, it has to get to the printer by 5:00, wrap it up..."

Most annoying was the dialogue between the two, often written as "I.am.telling.you.no.". It's mind-numbing.

On top of that, these two jokers are able to overpower two Secret Service agents throughout the book. They hit each other with 2x4's, fists, glass blenders, kicks to the groin, shards of glass, etc, and no one misses a beat. It's like the bad guy in Terminator 2, except the Secret Service is the most well-trained law enforcement agency in the history of the world...

The first chapters were very promising. The author managed to give me a wonderful flavour of the two main characters, but alas...
The pace is frenetic but past page 200 the wonderful characters start becoming flat, a run and chase thriller that I could not seem to embrace.
I became more and more disinterested in the plight of the brothers. Two supposedly brilliant minds who quite never caught up to the vast "conspiracy" surrounding them, even when it was as clear as glass just wiped with Windex.
I can't quite come up with a solid reason why this story didn't draw me in... for that I'll give it 3 stars

If you're looking for a "thriller" with little substance that won't tax your brain too extensively, go ahead and give this book a look (I suggest checking it out from your library, so as to avoid buyer's remorse).

Meltzer began with a decent premise for this story, but there were so many inane comments made by the characters, so much "facial communication" between the Hardy Boys, so much cliche bad-guy stuff going on that his promising story became a nearly 500-page head-shaker. I can't remember the number of times I read a paragraph and said to myself, "what a convenient plot twist - yeah, that might happen!"

For those readers who think Meltzer is one of the great novelists of the day, I suggest you pick up one of Tom Wolfe's novels. Wolfe will show you what results when an author focuses on substance rather than volume, on painstaking research rather than simply putting every neat idea he's come across onto the page.

Captured immediately by the book's premise, i slowly lost interest. much too meandering and useless back story. It also completely lost any semblance of reality and though i struggled to get to the end, i gave up at 85%.

The Millionaires is my first Brad Meltzer novel. The dialogue between both brothers was boring at first, but soon the plot, dialogue and characters sprung to life. The plot itself has many twists and turns which kept me interested. The ending though realistic, was not what I had hoped for. I felt both brothers deserved more for their effort.