Killer Instinct

Joseph Finder has written yet another intelligent, fast-paced thriller sure to please his fans after Paranoia and Company Man. Finder specializes in novels about corporate espionage, where executives' emails and cell phone calls are routinely intercepted by in-house security, and multi-million dollar deals are finalized with a little help from espionage and dirty laundry gathered on the other side.

Here the narrator and protagonist is Jason Steadman, a 30 year old executive working in the suburbs of Boston for an electronics company specializing in plasma screen technology. His boss, who constantly wants to know whether Jason is a "team player" and whether he has the "killer instinct" to close major industrial deals, sounds like a cross between Gordon Gecko of Wall Street and Stuart Scott of Sportscenter. ("Booya" got a little old after a while).

Steadman gets in some car trouble, and when his tow truck driver Kurt Semko turns out to be a ringer softball player with a military special forces background, Steadman helps Kurt land a job with corporate security, despite a shady backgruond including a dishonorable discharge. What happens next is a little predictable, sort of like a business world version of the "Cable Guy", but is a very entertaining read nonetheless.

Steadman at first is surprised to learn of the troubles his competitors within the company keep having, as they botch one presentation after another. It reminded me a little of Rosemary's Baby, when John Cassavettes' career starts skyrocketing (with a little help from Old Scratch) while his rival goes blind. I won't give away any more of the plot, but will simply say that Steadman's efforts to hold on to his scruples, and to reign in Kurt, made for a very interesting second half to the novel.

The book is not without its foibles, for example I still have a hard time going back and fully comprehending Kurt's motivations once his relationship with Jason soured, and I wonder why a guy with his network of friends and confidants started the novel with a dead-end job that he then quickly scuttled. However, overall this was a very fun read. Mr. Finder has a background in intelligence, and his handling of this subject strikes me as right on target. It is truly frightening the scope of information available online, and in Finder's hands the characters know exactly how to find what they need, by any means necessary. I will gladly read anything Finder writes.

Entronics salesman Jason Steadman is struggling. His career and his marriage are both suffering, the former because of lethargic sales of plasma displays and the latter due to a serious case of envy. His sister-in-law's mega-successful Hollywood lifestyle stands in direct contrast to his low-key livelihood.

All that changes one fateful day when he runs his Acura off the road. Steadman isn't hurt. But -- ever the consummate small-talk artist -- he strikes up a conversation with the tow-truck driver who happens to show up. The driver, Kurt Semko, is an interesting fellow. He made it to the minor leagues as a pitcher and later served in the special forces in Iraq. A dishonorable discharge ended his military career, ostensibly because of a disagreement with superior officers.

Steadman, a baseball junkie, recognizes that Semko might fit the bill as a ringer for the company softball team. In addition, he figures that Semko's background would be a good fit for corporate security. With Steadman's strong recommendation, Semko becomes a fixture at the company, on the softball field, and as a personal friend to the salesman.

Soon, Steadman and Semko are working out together and sharing personal experiences. Steadman voices his concerns about other salesmen, cheating competitors, and incompetent management. And, it turns out, Semko listens. Before long, Steadman's rival for the top sales position botches a major customer opportunity with a faulty plasma display. And a competitor's shipment of displays to another large customer has a rather stunning failure rate: 100%, which results in a major sale for Steadman.

Before long, Steadman is moving up the corporate ladder while gradually realizing that Semko is orchestrating the ascent through nefarious means. Recognizing that Semko's behavior is increasingly psychotic, Steadman decides something's got to be done. And that's when things get truly ugly as Semko lives up to his motto -- "Never a better friend, never a worse enemy."

Finder's work is exceptional; his easygoing writing style is a perfect match for a white-collar thriller. Don't expect to get any sleep after you get started with this one. It really is like reading a movie.

Jason Steadman is a hard-working sales executive for Entronics. He's worked hard to get to where he is and while his wife wants to see him climb the corporate ladder, Jason doesn't share her ambition. He is content with his mid-level management position and has no desire to dive into the foxhole of corporate world advancement.

One evening Jason runs his car off the road and befriends the tow truck driver, Kurt Semko. The two quickly hit it off as Jason is mesmerized by Kurt's stories of his days in the Special Forces in Iraq. Soon Kurt is joining the Entronics softball team and hanging out with all the guys. When a corporate security job opens up at work, Jason pulls some strings to get the job for Kurt. Almost immediately good things start to happen for Jason. New contracts are being landed, competition is falling flat on their faces, and suddenly upper management wants to promote him. All is well until Jason begins to suspect foul play behind his sudden rise to the top. It seems someone is going to great lengths to see him succeed, even if it means that lives are being destroyed in the process. Jason must now find a way to stop this deadly game before his own life is at stake.

Joseph Finder has crafted a tantalizing thriller set amidst the intriguing backdrop of corporate sabotage. Written in the first person from Jason Steadman's point of view, we see the story unfold at a methodical pace as Finder cleverly strings us along with a steady mounting tension. Finder treats readers with a revealing look inside major electronics companies and the competitive sales environment within. While there is an abundance of information regarding corporate structuring, never are these details boring or overbearing. Instead they add to the credibility of the plot, thus making the story more enjoyable and relevant. This is top-notch suspense that is absolutely impossible to put down.

Jason Steadman is a man content with his life. He is a sales executive with a nice income and a loving wife. He enjoys hanging out with his friends,playing ball and having a few drinks. As far as he knows, his life is good. When his wife begins to push him to be more ambitious, he has a hard time understanding why. Jason is complacent about the need to climb the corporate ladder. Everything changes when he discovers that he may be tossed aside from his career. The desire to succeed strikes. Unfortunately he has no idea of how to mount a counter-attack in order to save his job. A series of events, beginning with a car wreck, places Jason in the presence of Kurt Semko. Kurt is a former Special Forces man, someone who not only knows how to counter-attack, but someone who has the drive, the fire and the intricate knowledge, as well as the experience to remove any and all obstacles in someone's path. All Kurt needs is a focus for his "skills". When Jason helps him obtain a security position in the company Kurt finds his focal point, it is Jason. Kurt is on a mission to help Jason into the world of power and big money..........whether Jason wants it or not. As stumbling blocks in Jason's path conveniently disappear, Jason begins a rapid climb to success. As the stakes grow bigger, Kurt's tactics become questionable, and then the line is crossed. Not only are stumbling blocks disappearing, people are too!!

Jason finds himself helplessly caught up in the undertow of underhanded maneuvering, blackmail and murder...or is he really as helpless as he appears??

Joseph Finder has created the ultimate tale of manipulation and control. This is a lightning fast thriller that shocks and stuns you. The ending is explosive!! The question is, when the wolf slaughters the lambs, is it the wolf's fault or the one who opened the gate.......

Jason Steadman is coasting along in his mediocre sales job when his wife encourages him to pursue a promotion. He decides to go for it, even though the other two candidates for the job seem more likely to get it than him. Things really start to turn around for Jason one night, though, when he goes in the ditch and befriends the tow truck driver who comes to his aid. He invites Kurt Semko to join his company softball team, and then helps the disgraced ex-Special Forces soldier get hired in the security department where he works. Suddenly, Jason's rivals start suffering career setbacks while information Kurt helpfully provides Jason helps him close several deals, and his career takes off. It doesn't take Jason long to realize Kurt is using underhanded tactics not only to help him, but to harm his rivals. When Kurt starts really stepping over the line, Jason begins to realize that Kurt's insinuation into his life has gone dangerously deep, and he may pay an ultimate price for becoming Kurt's enemy.

It's fun to read a corporate thriller like this once in awhile, peopled by educated yuppies supposedly living the American dream. We get to scratch beneath the manicured surface to the sweat and desperation under the designer suits while getting a glimpse of just how cutthroat the civilized practice of doing business can be. This book also adds an element of danger for a page-turning read and ranks up there among the other white collar thrillers I have read.

Readers who enjoyed "Paranoia" and "The Company Man" will likely enjoy Joseph Finder's "Killer Instinct."

Jason Steadman, the protagonist of "Killer Instinct," reveals his tale of corporate intrigue and mayhem in a generally light-hearted manner. He is a district sales manager at Entronics, a maker of high-tech video monitors, when he befriends, Kurt, a former Special Forces member who was dishonorably discharged.

Kurt begins to "help" Jason win contracts and move up the company ladder. Slowly Jason begins to suspect that Kurt is doing more to help him than just provide choice bits of information about co-workers and competitors.

Jason also has problems at home. His beautiful wife grew up in a very wealthy family and is excited as he is given promotions at work that enable them to move to a nicer house and buy new cars. Kurt always seems to be around the house to help, even when Jason is not home.

Along the way this book tells the reader a little bit about the dynamics of closing a sale and a little about the video monitor industry.

Some of the protagonist's observations about family life, corporate work life, and comments about books on selling are very amusing. I enjoyed the humorous, upbeat attitude of Jason, but it is that same light-heartedness that keeps "Killer Instinct" out of the "thriller" category.

I would categorize this book as a humorous mystery. "Killer Instinct" is a fun read, but it is more "Fletch" than it is "The Bourne Identity."

Killer Instinct is about more than just the story--a point that many of the poor reviews seem to miss. The primary plot thread is just a vehicle to explore several other themes such as:
- the price of success
- the ugly side of high-stakes sales
- the role of money and wealth in family relations
- trust--how is it earned and lost
- business relationships
- uncertainty in modern business
- marriage
- motivations

As with any story, the real value is behind the action. (e.g. Moby Dick isn't really about a whale).

From our vantage point as readers, we can see what is happening to Jason long before he can. I caught myself trying to yell at him on the pages to stop doing what he was doing, but like most of us, he was too caught up what was going on. There are some real warnings to us if we care to read them and don't get lost on the chiches (which are there) and the improbable events (which are there) and instead look for what Finder is saying about life. I think if we are honest, we will see a lot of ourselves in Jason Steadman, and I think that is the point.

The release of Killer Instinct marks the return of Joseph Finder, the talented novelist who began to break onto the national scene with High Crimes, Paranoia, and, most recently, Company Man. Paranoia, a thoroughly entertaining modern thriller with depth, served as my introduction to the author, and I can thankfully report that this new Finder novel retains the admirable qualities of that earlier effort, plus a few new ones to boot. It also manages to avoid an overly ambiguous ending of the type that weakened that former book. Like Finder's other novels, Killer Instinct is a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller largely set in the corporate world; the author has proven himself to be quite adept at writing this type of novel, thereby carving out a substantial literary niche for himself in the process. This book has all of the attributes that make up a quality modern thriller: a story that moves along at a brisk and entertaining clip with plenty of plot twists and exciting sequences, engaging characters, and a solid dose of commentary on contemporary issues. Indeed, like Michael Crichton and excel at writing this type of book, Finder somehow manages to crank out a story that moves along at a near breakneck pace. Readers will be hard-pressed to put the book down at all; avid readers will likely gobble it up in only a setting or two. The characters are also engaging. Jason Steadman, the protagonist, is a likable Everyman, full of wisecracks and practically oozing empathy. Kurt Semko, his foil, is a splendid Finder creation - an intriguing and elusive character who adds an indescribable, but undoubtedly interesting, aura to the overall book.

Of course, many books on the bestseller rack today feature qualities comparable to these, so what sets Finder apart? For starters, he has a crisp, clean, and fluid writing style that has noticeably improved since Paranoia; he writes in a thoroughly admirable modern prose. Also, the domestic scenes and personal elements that Finder injects into the book give it an emotional depth often lacking in other contemporary novels. His interpolated comments on issues ranging from the Iraq War to national security to the nouveau riche -his satirical take on this last group is particularly incisive - also give the book added depth and relevancy that the products of many other present-day authors simply lack. All in all, this book comes highly recommended for anyone looking for an entertaining contemporary novel; indeed, it even has the potential, due to its additional layers of depth, to appeal to a broader audience than those who usually read such works. A final word to those who would have their fingers on the pulse of the national literary marketplace - keep a close eye on Finder. He is a rising star who seems to be improving with every new book and who is a likely candidate for eventually emerging as the next perennially best-selling author of his generation. After all, those who would read contemporary novels will be hard-pressed to find a better and more entertaining author than Finder; Killer Instinct, once again, serves as another bright spot in a career that is looking ever forward.

Jason Steadman's name is a clue to his personality. He is a steady, likeable, and dependable guy who lives with his beautiful and sophisticated wife, Kate, in Boston and enjoys his job as a district sales manager for Entronics, a large electronics company, "up there with Sony and Panasonic." Jason uses his innate charm and gift of gab to push his firm's "cool products": big flat screen LCD and plasma televisions and monitors. However, all is not rosy in the Steadman household. Kate has been trying to conceive a child for years, and so far, she has been unsuccessful in spite of expensive and frustrating fertility treatments. In addition, Kate has been pushing Jason to try for a promotion, so he can start making "real money."

One day, Jason drives his Acura into a ditch, and Kurt Semko, a former member of Special Forces who was dishonorably discharged, tows his car. Jason recruits Kurt to pitch on the Entronics softball team and, later, gets him a job in corporate security. Only when strange mishaps begin to occur to Jason's rivals does he realize that Kurt considers every competitive situation, including business, as a war to be won. Can Jason, in good conscience, profit from Kurt's dirty tricks? On the other hand, if Jason follows his conscience and rats Kurt out, will Kurt retaliate against him?

Finder sets up his story expertly, and as usual, his protagonist is a man whom anyone can root for. Jason is smart, affable, and very good at what he does, but he initially lacks the "killer instinct" to truly excel in the dog-eat-dog world of corporate sales. The author has done his homework, just as he did in "Company Man." Finder dramatically depicts the pressure and stress of an individual who is only as successful as his last big sale. The topical references about mergers, overseas conglomerates, layoffs, and economic downturns give the book a timely feel. In addition, it cannot be an accident that the word "Enron" is hidden in Entronics.

Unfortunately, most of the characters in Killer Instinct are "types." Kurt is a stock villain with no conscience. Gordy, Jason's boss, is a nasty, ruthless, and hypocritical blowhard and most of Jason's colleagues and relatives can be summed up in a few words: alcoholic loser, audiovisual geek, ambitious back-stabber, pretentious brother-in-law, nerdy nephew. "Killer Instinct" is mostly plot with little shading and few surprises. The ending is free of the myriad twists and turns that are de rigueur in most thrillers these days, although there was one unexpected development that caught me completely off guard. Overall, I was disappointed with the pat, abrupt, implausible, and fairly flat conclusion, since I was hoping for a more thoughtful exploration of what is gained and what is lost as one climbs through the corporate ranks. "Killer Instinct" is readable, but it lacks the visceral punch of "Paranoia" and "Company Man."

Knowing we like "thrillers", a friend passed along an advance reading copy of Finder's pre-release seventh novel, "Killer Instinct"; and sensing an unusual setting, we dove right in. We were quickly rewarded with a story not only to which most of us can relate, but one that turns ever more dark and mysterious as the lively, inventive plot proceeds. Our hero is Jason Steadman, a high-achieving salesman for a high-tech plasma TV company, who at first seems little more than a typical upper middle-class suburban yuppie who has transcended his modest roots to fashion a successful career.

When Jason has some car trouble and needs a tow, he is befriended by the truck driver, Kurt Semko, who seems fascinated with Jason's work situation. Soon he is giving Jason "advice" on everything from how to beat out his colleagues for a promotion to how to topple his competitors to land big sales deals. Jason in turn gets Semko, an ex-Special Forces officer (though mysteriously dishonorably discharged) a security job at his firm. When Jason begins to suspect that Kurt's "help" has turned to outright criminal actions, as they say, the plot thickens incredibly. Now that Kurt is an insider, he can tap phones, video comings and goings, and gain the knowledge to track Jason's every move. Semko even ingratiates himself with Jason's ambitious wife Kate, and for a while we weren't quite sure where that might head as an interesting sub-plot. When the good deeds finally include murder, Jason has to use every trick he can think of to turn the tables on his buddy Kurt, who by the end of the tale has our leading man himself in his gun sights.

"Instincts" is a fun, suspenseful read. The author manages to spin a clever yarn and keep the action coming to sustain momentum, yet relate his story in a manner which endears us to our protagonist. Finder's impressive knowledge of corporate skirmishes and multi-national company politics educates and entertains; and more than a few readers will recognize from their own experiences some of the skullduggery that goes on in business. Adding a bit of murder and mayhem to that mix results in a most enjoyable novel, a "corporate thriller" if you will, with some realistic and often humorous family relationship stuff thrown in for good measure. In all, we'd say this latest Finder is quite a find!

Jason Steadman works in the high pressure world of LCD and Plasma TV sales to corporations in the thriller Killer Instinct. Jason is struggling to meet quotas like all other salesmen at Entronics. The sales staff is filled with friends, rivals, drunks; a lot of standard characters that were in Finder's Paranoia. Steadman wrecks his Acura on the way from home and the tow truck driver is Kurt Semko, an ex-special forces marine. Kurt and Jason hit it off and become friends and Kurt is soon playing for the company softball team. Jason even gets Kurt a job as a security consultant at Entronics. Soon good things start happening to Jason at the company. Or more accurately, bad things start happening to his rivals.

At first, Jason is clueless, but soon realizes Kurt may be behind it. Jason accepts it at first because, while the things happening to rivals are bad, unethical and illegal, no one really got hurt. Plus Jason is feeling the pressure of providing for a wife who is used to the finer things in life. Jason starts to realize Kurt may be more of a foe than friend. Jason tries to get Kurt to back off in helping him, but Kurt refuses and warns Jason that as a Marine, he is "no better friend, no worse enemy." Jason moves up the corporate ladder, but is it because he has that "killer instict", or is it because of Kurt?

While the plot revolves around Jason trying to escape the binds of friendship with Kurt, there is a lot of other stuff here. Those who enjoyed Paranoia, will find the same business manueverings in this novel. I rooted for Jason to out-perform his rivals and to earn the promotions he was vying for. This is a fun novel to read, just not to believable. Jason some how escapes any accountability for the devious deeds Kurt performed on his behalf. Oh well, this is fiction, so sit back and enjoy the ride.

I really enjoy Joseph Finder's books. His previous novel, COMPANY MAN, was one of my favorite thriller novels from last year. KILLER INSTINCT is a decent read, but not nearly as good as COMPANY MAN in my opinion.

The plot is straightforward. Jason Steadman is a salesman for an electronics company in the Boston area. He is successful at his job, but not aggressive enough to climb the management ladder. He eventually offers a security job to Kurt Smeko, a former Special Forces officer who did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Smeko, grateful for the job, secretly does "favors" for Steadman that dramatically advance his career. Eventually, however, these favors become murderous and when Steadman learns about this, he discovers that his own life in danger.

I enjoyed this novel overall, but I found the plot fairly predictable. It's pretty easy to tell that Smeko's "favors" will grow increasingly violent and eventually come back to haunt Jason Steadman. This is what happens in the first 300 pages of the novel, which is mostly setup. It's also pretty easy to guess that all of this will boil down to a big one-on-one confrontation between the two men. This is the last 100 pages of the novel. There is very little in this novel that surprised me in the end.

I also thought the characters in this novel were suprisingly cartoonish and one-dimensional. Why is Smeko so violent? The motivation for his psychopathic behavior is never fully explained. Steadman's boss and co-workers were also very cartoonish and unbelievable. I thought the characters in COMPANY MAN were much more realistic and better developed than the ones in this book.

Still, Finder is a fine writer and has a very engaging style. Overall, I found this book highly readable and I thought the last 100 pages were quite suspenseful. This is a good thriller, but I would recommend COMPANY MAN or PARANOIA for first time readers of this author.

In the Prologue of "Killer Instinct," the first thing we find out about Jason Steadman is that he has never fired a gun before. That makes the fact that he is now holding a Colt .45 semiautomatic pistol in the middle of the night on the twentieth floor of his office building rather interesting, especially since his main thought as he squeezes the trigger is that he is never going to live to see the morning. With that hook author Joseph Finder takes us back ten months to the exact moment when Jason Steadman's path to this fateful encounter all began, so we can see how things ended up going so horribly wrong.

The quotation that appears at the front of the book underscores the tale that Finder wants to tell. It is the Buddhist proverb, "When the student is ready, the Master appears." We quickly learn that Jason Steadman is thirtysomething sales executive who works for an electronics giant in Boston. The company is owned by the Japanese and sells big flatscreen LCD and plasma TV's and monitors. Jason is pretty good at his job, but the harsh verdict of his boss is that he lacks the "killer instinct" that would allow him to move up the corporate food chain. Because Jason has married above himself, he is not happy with the idea his career has plateaued, but he does not know what to do about it. Then Jason has a minor car accident and ends up meeting Kurt Semko, a former Special Forces officer just back from Iraq. Semko introduces Jason to the military way of handling problems, and it seems that such an approach might actually benefit Jason at work. The only problem is that Semko seems to be taking the idea that "Business is war" way too literally.

Even though the prologue indicates to us that Jason's chance meeting with Semko is ultimately going to be a bad thing rather than a good thing, part of the appeal of "Killer Instinct" is the practical application of his military experience to the corporate world. Things like the importance of intel might seem like common sense, but this is a brand new world for Jason and we get caught up in his enthusiasm for this new approach (I can see why I identify with Jason, since I scored being a wuss on Finder's online "Killer Instinct" quiz). Besides, Semko has the magic touch and suddenly Jason's lot in life is greatly improved. The only problem is that we are clued in well before Jason that his good fortune is being engineered by his new friend. Then there is the big question of what can Jason possible do once he finally learns what the score really is and whether or not the student can get the better of the master (I am reminded of the old line about how "I didn't teach you everything I know, I just taught you everything you know").

Finder has two major things going for him in "Killer Instinct." The first is that Jason Steadman really is a good guy who has a brain in his head. Getting the protagonist out of the pickle is always a tricky thing at the end of a thriller and Finder manages to do justice to both the character and the situation, which is why I ended up rounding up on this one. The other strong point of this 2006 novel is that it really moves. "Killer Instinct" is a fast read, but not a quick read, by which I simply mean that the action moves, with Finder also paying more attention to his characters than intricacies of technology, without ever feeling like this is a novella printed in a slightly increased font. This is a book just begging to be a television movie (on the off chance somebody in television wants to make a smart thriller for a change). Just be aware that once you get started chances are you are going to want to get to the end of this one sooner rather than later.

In the Prologue of "Killer Instinct," the first thing we find out about Jason Steadman is that he has never fired a gun before. That makes the fact that he is now holding a Colt .45 semiautomatic pistol in the middle of the night on the twentieth floor of his office building rather interesting, especially since his main thought as he squeezes the trigger is that he is never going to live to see the morning. With that hook author Joseph Finder takes us back ten months to the exact moment when Jason Steadman's path to this fateful encounter all began, so we can see how things ended up going so horribly wrong.

The quotation that appears at the front of the book underscores the tale that Finder wants to tell. It is the Buddhist proverb, "When the student is ready, the Master appears." We quickly learn that Jason Steadman is thirtysomething sales executive who works for an electronics giant in Boston. The company is owned by the Japanese and sells big flatscreen LCD and plasma TV's and monitors. Jason is pretty good at his job, but the harsh verdict of his boss is that he lacks the "killer instinct" that would allow him to move up the corporate food chain. Because Jason has married above himself, he is not happy with the idea his career has plateaued, but he does not know what to do about it. Then Jason has a minor car accident and ends up meeting Kurt Semko, a former Special Forces officer just back from Iraq. Semko introduces Jason to the military way of handling problems, and it seems that such an approach might actually benefit Jason at work. The only problem is that Semko seems to be taking the idea that "Business is war" way too literally.

Even though the prologue indicates to us that Jason's chance meeting with Semko is ultimately going to be a bad thing rather than a good thing, part of the appeal of "Killer Instinct" is the practical application of his military experience to the corporate world. Things like the importance of intel might seem like common sense, but this is a brand new world for Jason and we get caught up in his enthusiasm for this new approach (I can see why I identify with Jason, since I scored being a wuss on Finder's online "Killer Instinct" quiz). Besides, Semko has the magic touch and suddenly Jason's lot in life is greatly improved. The only problem is that we are clued in well before Jason that his good fortune is being engineered by his new friend. Then there is the big question of what can Jason possible do once he finally learns what the score really is and whether or not the student can get the better of the master (I am reminded of the old line about how "I didn't teach you everything I know, I just taught you everything you know").

Finder has two major things going for him in "Killer Instinct." The first is that Jason Steadman really is a good guy who has a brain in his head. Getting the protagonist out of the pickle is always a tricky thing at the end of a thriller and Finder manages to do justice to both the character and the situation, which is why I ended up rounding up on this one. The other strong point of this 2006 novel is that it really moves. "Killer Instinct" is a fast read, but not a quick read, by which I simply mean that the action moves, with Finder also paying more attention to his characters than intricacies of technology, without ever feeling like this is a novella printed in a slightly increased font. This is a book just begging to be a television movie (on the off chance somebody in television wants to make a smart thriller for a change). Just be aware that once you get started chances are you are going to want to get to the end of this one sooner rather than later.

There must be a very good reason why Joseph Finder's Killer Instinct sat on my bookshelf for the better part of a year before giving it a shot and the promised review. The reason I say there must be a very good reason is that the "CEO of Suspense" hooked me from the first pages. Jason Steadman is a top sales guy at Entronics, an electronics company that seems to specialize in plasma televisions for corporations. Think of your local car dealership or airport. If they have a plasma television running advertisements in the lobby, that's what Entronics is trying to sell you. That's what Jason Steadman is trying to sell you.

When he runs his car into a ditch while he is talking on his cell phone (ha!) and reaching for his Blackberry (ha!) Jason meets Kurt, the tow truck guy. Jason befriends Kurt when they start talking about baseball. Remember, Jason is a salesman and if he finds the right topic he can talk with anyone. Kurt helps Jason out and gets him a better deal at the repair shop, and Jason helps get Kurt a job in corporate security. See, Kurt is ex-Special Forces and he starts using his skills and resources to do "favors" for Jason. These favors help Jason move up the corporate ladder at the expense of some of his more antagonistic coworkers. Things heat up when Jason realizes the level of what Kurt is doing and Jason tries to get Kurt to stop. Then it gets personal because Kurt takes care of his friends, but you don't want him as an enemy.

I obviously did not know Finder's track record because he has several other thrillers that have sold well, but I found Killer Instinct to be well written and well paced and well constructed and just well done. As I said, Finder hooked me early and got me involved in the story and Finder shows a knowledge of sales and the corporate environment of sales (though I hope to never have a boss like Gordy in any work environment). I do have minor quibbles with story points: I feel that Finder lays the "Business is War" mentality on a little thick and the repetition of Jason listening to business motivational CDs in his car was a bit much, but Kurt was also a bit over the top. I know there are likely highly competent former soldiers out there, but Kurt was too good, too skillful and it stretched my credulity a bit.

But with that said, I thoroughly enjoyed Killer Instinct and only wish that I read it seven months ago.

-Joe Sherry

I was somewhat surprised of the reviews written by a few detractors of this novel. I found the story to be very suspenseful, a real page turner.

Jason Steadman is a saleperson for a high tech company that is continually attempting to increase its niche in the electronics arena. Gordy, his scum bag boss, is constantly stealing Jason's ideas while thinking of ways to promote one of his highly aggressive peers. You see, Jason does not have the killer instinct. Jason's wife, who grew up somewhat of a spoiled rich kid, loves her husband but continully strives to illustrate to Jason just how much more he is capable of accomplishing in his career.

Along comes Kurt Sempko, a dishonorably charged Special Forces agent who works part time for a towing company. They meet when Jason flips his car while talking to his wife while driving home. Jason befriends Kurt and finds him a job as head of security for his firm.

Kurt utilizes his expertice in electronic gadgetry and espionage, that he learned while in the Special Forces, to help Jason climb the corportate ladder. Jason is fully aware of the underhanded means by which Kurt accomplishes his tasks and looks the other way at first. However, when people begin to get hurt, or worse, well, that's another story.

But, you see, breaking off a friendship with Kurt may not be the healthiest thing to do.

Read on, you'll be glad you did. 4.5 stars

Joseph Finder is now officially a "must read" author for me. I recently received an advance readers copy of his latest work Killer Instinct due out in May. He has the corporate espionage/thriller genre down cold, and I stayed up far too late finishing this one...

Jason Steadman is a sales guy for a firm that sells high-end plasma video displays. He's doing well, but his wife wants him to do even better. It's as if he doesn't have the "killer instinct" to keep climbing the corporate ladder. While driving home one night, he wrecks his car while talking on his cell phone. The tow truck driver, Kurt Semko, is an ex-military Special Services type, and for some odd reason Kurt and Jason hit it off. Steadman is able to get him a job in corporate security in order to bring a little stability into Semko's life, and Semko considers that act a favor that needs to be repaid. And repay he does, by starting to "clear the path" for Steadman's rise to the top of the company. Once he figures out what's going on, he tries to stop Semko, but it's too late. Semko can be your best friend or your worst enemy, and killing is not an issue...

As with most really good novels, this one starts fast and doesn't slow down. The path that Steadman is traveling isn't one that seems blatantly wrong until he's in too deep to get out with no consequences. It's easy to empathize with him, and you're pretty glad this is just a novel, or so you hope...

I recommend that you get a copy of this novel when it finally hits the stands. If you're into crime thrillers set in corporate America, you'll come away clamoring for Finder's next book... Recommended read.

Rebeccasreads highly recommends KILLER INSTINCT as a grippingly good thriller about whining about your life, guardian angels with tarnished halos & no scruples.

Jason Steadman is a harried 30-something Boston sales exec who's at the top of his game, until corporate management intimates he's hit his career ceiling because he doesn't have the "killer instinct" to rise above his co-workers. That would mean he'd have to drop his trademark laid-back style, & make a few enemies. His marriage isn't so good either -- trouble making babies.

So there Jason is, late as usual, driving & multi-tasking when he loses control of his Acura & swerves into a ditch. Along comes Kurt Semko in his tow truck, offers him a ride back to the garage, & before Jason knows it, he's pouring out his problems.

& Kurt's a very good listener, even if he is a bit rough around the edges, & not shy about letting it be known he's a former Special Forces officer just back from Iraq. Full of gratitude, Jason suggests Kurt apply for a job in his company's motor pool.

With both now working in the same place, Jason continues to confide in Kurt. & in a series of seemingly innocent "accidents" all his problems begin taking care of themselves, & things are changing on the homefront, too.

Even though that brass ring is so close he can taste it, Jason's getting the feeling it's all too good to be true. & when Kurt reveals some of his secrets, Jason realizes he's headed for a dangerous showdown with a man whose "killer instinct" has been honed by the rules of terrorist war, not office pool sleights-of-hand.

Thirty-year-old Jason Steadman lives in Boston and works as a sales executive for a large electronics company. He's good at his job, but he's not a mover and shaker. The "killer instinct" isn't there in either his professional or personal life. It concerns him and troubles his wife who came from money and wants the "good life." While she dreams of big luxurious homes, he believes his career might be on the skids.

Jason's life is about to change. Following a car accident, he meets a former Special Forces officer, Kurt Semko. They have some things in common and Jason gives Kurt a recommendation for a corporate security job in his company.

Suddenly Jason's stalled career is on the fast track and his rivals suffer. But it's Kurt who is manipulating events. When Jason learns what Kurt is doing and his methods, he attempts to stop him. And Jason's new best friend becomes a dangerous enemy that may cost him everything.

Joseph Finder is a talented storyteller with thrilling action in all of his books. The plot is ingenious, compelling and frightening. As with most suspense novels, there is a requirement to suspend your belief system occasionally, but that just adds to the excitement and flavor. Killer Instinct was a bit slow to start and then it kicked into gear and didn't let up. This novel sizzles.

Armchair Interviews says: If you enjoy Killer Instinct, you might want to check out Joseph Finder's other novels.

The author is a good storyteller however I got very tired of all the "business" descriptions & skipped some of that the further into the story I got. That is just me though - not the authors fault. I see that most people liked the story very much. This is the first book I have read by this author & I will try another one. If you are into this type of book I think you will really enjoy this story.

The central character in this novel is Jason Steadman.He is a

salesman who works for Entronics an electronics firm.Jason has

an overbearing boss named Gordy.Jason's wife Kate wants a huge

house and a more expensive lifestyle.Jason appears to be going

nowhere in his sales job at Entronics.All of that is about to

change.

While driving home from work Steadman has an accident.He is

towed by a wrecker driver named Kurt SemkoSemko is a former Special Forces soldier who has seen duty in Afghanistanand Iraq.Steadman finds out that Semko has some baseball abilities and enlists him for the company softball team. Semko turns out to be a dynamite baseball player. Steadman gets him in corporate security at Entornics.

Steadman's rivals for promotion within the company start having bad luck of every sort.Steadman gets promotions because

of these runs of bad luck that his rivals are having.He even rises to the position of chief of sales.He has began to figure

out that his rise in the company has been due to help from Kurt

Semko.Each act of sabotage is worse than the last one. Steadman

figures out that Semko is a dangerous man.His life and the life of his wife and unborn child are at risk.Steadman is forced to find a way to stop Semko.He has to see if he has the "Killer

Instinct".

Don't miss this book.

I just plain ol' like Joseph Finder novels. I will plod through other novels with their nihilistic outlooks; liberal preachiness; gloomy settings; and depressing, unlikable protagonists (i.e., I had just finished The Shape of Snakes by Minette Walters) and by the time I'm finished, I realize that the hours of my life wasted can never be recovered. Then I pick up a Joseph Finder novel. Although Finder novels are not profound, they are catchy entertainment. Like other Finder novels, Killer Instinct is edgy and the protagonist is flawed yet likable. The pace of Killer Instinct is quick, so one can finish it in short order. And, as in other Finder novels, this one takes place in the corporate sector. If you like to bite into a fast-paced, present-day thriller between your slogs through erudite tomes, by all means read Killer Instinct or any other Joseph Finder work.

Joseph Finder, Killer Instinct (St. Martin's, 2006)

There are few sure things in the book world. It is a sure thing that Stephen King will sell millions of copies of his next novel (though it's certainly not a sure thing that it'll be a good book), and it's a sure thing he'll be one of, at most, a handful of authors to do so. It's a sure thing that Tom Clancy will release another doorstop or two this year, and they'll probably be written by others and billed as "Tom Clancy Presents." It's a sure thing that the romance-novel mavens-- you know the ones, Sandra Brown, Danielle Steel, Nora Roberts and her many alter-egos-- will have released six more novels apiece by the time I finish typing this review, and all of them will sell extraordinarily well.

It's also a sure thing that when Joseph Finder releases a book, it's going to be a hell of a ride, and a readable one at that. It's not always a sure thing, however, that it's going to reach the quality of Finder's best efforts (High Crimes and Paranoia). Killer Instinct hits a pothole or two along the way, but this one's still a great read.

Jason's a nice guy. He's a sales rep for a big electronics company who married way above his station. While under considerable pressure to apply for a promotion that opened up, Jason meets Kurt Semko, an ex-Marine who's driving a tow truck for a living. Jason gets Kurt a job at the firm where he works, lands the promotion, and everything looks like smooth sailing.

I read an ARC of this book, and I really, really hope they change the jacket copy on this (by the time you read this review on the store, we'll know, won't we?), because what's on the ARC violates just about every common-sense rule of jacket copy writing. If they don't change it, I stopped there about halfway through where the jacket copy does. Unfortunately, I also stopped about 3/8 of the way through the book. Major, major spoilers, and I can't go into the rest of the plot without doing the same. Let's just say that while it doesn't look too interesting from a plot synopsis standpoint, if you've read a Joseph Finder novel before, you know there's a whole lot more going on behind the scenes-- and hopefully the jacket copy won't spoil it for you.

As one expects from a Joe Finder novel, this is fast-paced, readable technothriller fun. The characters are well-drawn, though some of the minor ones could have used a bit of fleshing out. I'm tempted to say some of the foreshadowing here is a little too overbearing, but I honestly can't make that judgment-- did I catch the foreshadowing as being overbearing because it was, or because I knew what was coming thanks to bad jacket copy? I've no idea. I'm willing to give Finder the benefit of the doubt, because he hasn't written a nakedly transparent novel yet.

Killer Instinct is good, old-fashioned-yet-newfangled fun. Another winner from Joseph Finder. ****

Jason Steadman seems to be going nowhere in his career as a plasma monitor salesman for Entronics. When he has an auto accident, he meets Kurt Semko, a former Special Services officer who now works for a towing company. Through their mutual interest in baseball, Jason gets Kurt on the company softball team and then helps him land a job in Entronics Corporate Security. Suddenly Jason starts winning sales contracts and advancing in his career, while other members of his sales team run into a lot of bad luck. He realizes that Kurt is using dishonest and cold-blooded tactics to help him win sales and eliminate his competition. Kurt also is taking too much interest in Jason's wife. How can Jason stop him without making a deadly enemy?

This story starts with a bang - literally, and doesn't let up the tension until the last page. After his novels "Paranoia," "Company Man," and now "Killer Instinct," author Joseph Finder has proven himself to be the master of the corporate thriller. Here he has taken the humdrum arena of high-tech sales and turned it into a fast-paced and suspenseful novel. It's obvious that he's done his research well, since the story contains interesting information on how to effectively close a sale as well as details on plasma screen technology, including the optimal configuration parameters for plasma screens.

There is an additional touch of realism with an all-too-familiar scenario in today's global marketplace: Entronics USA is in the process of merging with another monitor manufacturer which was bought out by its Japanese parent company, and there may be major layoffs. Finder also introduces an interesting ethical dilemma. Kurt has over-the-top intelligence gathering skills, far exceeding the capabilities of the typical Corporate Security or Special Forces officer, that enable him to find the skeletons in corporate closets and to artfully choreograph the downfall of Jason's rivals. To him, business is war, and he'll do anything to win. Jason's knowledge and initial acceptance of Kurt's activities causes a conflict of interest between ethical behavior and career advancement that provides some food for thought. This is a captivating story that's hard to put down. Highly recommended.

Eileen Rieback

KILLER INSTINCT by Joseph Finder
May 19, 2006

the store Rating: 4/5 Stars

In Joseph Finder's latest corporate thriller, the protagonist Jason Steadman is the district sales manager of a large corporation, Entronics, which manufactures plasma screen displays. He's married to a beautiful woman, Kate, who grew up in a wealthy family, while Jason grew up in a working class environment. He knows that Kate misses the life she used to have, but his income doesn't exactly come close to giving her what she wants, although it's a big step up from the life his father was able to give him. The two have been trying desperately to get pregnant, but so far nothing is working. This is taking a toll on their relationship, although Jason may not acknowledge it at first.

In the prologue, Jason finds himself and his Acura in a ditch on the side of a road. He had lost control of his car while doing too many things at once, and he's OK but the car is not. A tow truck comes to take the car to a mechanic, and it is this fateful day that Jason meets Kurt, a man that looks like a hippie and used to be part of
Special Forces, fighting with his unit in the Middle East. Once the two begin talking, Kurt explains that he had a DD, a dishonorable discharge, due to something that happened to his friend Jimmy, who lost his life there. Jason commiserates, and feels that Kurt is a good guy. And when the two bond over baseball, a friendship is born.

Jason learns that there is an opening in security at Entronics, and pulls a few strings. He is able to get Kurt in, despite his DD, and Kurt promises he will never forget it. Jason then finds that luck is turning for him, and that things begin to happen to his competing sales co-workers who are vying for the same job going up the corporate ladder. Jason thinks nothing of it at first, but too many "good" things seem to be going his way, and others begin to take note as well. When Jason finally figures it all out, that when the competitor sales reps at Entronics are losing out on major contracts because of dumb luck (an entire warehouse of plasma screens arrive defective, for an example), it looks to be way too much of a coincidence.

When Jason decides that he doesn't want to move up the corporate ladder any way but the honest way, he confronts Kurt, who denies anything and everything. But when Jason threatens to take this to management, things begin to happen that convinces Jason that his life is now in danger.

While the first half of the book moves at a leisurely pace while setting up the story, the second half speeds up in a big way. The book overall is a fast read and the one thing I always remember about Joseph Finder books is that his writing flows magically. It is not difficult for the reader to get immersed in any story he puts on paper. I read this book in two days and the more I read, the more interesting it got. The tension and the pace of the book speeds up with each page, until the last few chapters will have your heart pounding. I dare the reader to put down the book at this point.

KILLER INSTINCT was yet another fast paced novel by Joseph Finder, and the third that I have read of his, the first being PARANOIA. While I thought nothing would top PARANOIA, I think I may like KILLER INSTINCT just a tad more. The Ratmammy recommends KILLER INSTINCT.

Jason Steadman is in his fourth year as a salesman for Entronics, a major electronics company. He was once salesman of the month but now is starting to feel burnt-out. He meets Kurt Semko, a former Navy Seal, when he accidentally drove his car off the road trying to do too many things at once. Jason invites him to drop by his company's slow-pitch game when he hears Kurt was once drafted by the majors. Jason also pushes to get Kurt hired at Entronics. His wife is pushing him to push for a long overdue promotion. Two others are up for the same promotion. Bad things or just coincidences start to happen to everyone else but Jason. As Jason succeeds on the job and gets noticed by his bosses; he tries to stop Kurt from helping him. Great characters and plot keep you riveted to the end.

With "Killer Instinct" the ride starts out with Jason Steadman meeting a seemingly nice tow truck driver, Kurt Semko, who shares Jason's love of baseball. Needing a "good" player on his company's softball team, Jason invites Kurt to stop by and play at the next game. From there, the thrill ride picks up momentum when Jason gets Kurt a position at his company in Security. Jason suddenly begins to rise up the corporate ladder -- only some of his fellow co-workers catch the bad end of the deal. When Jason finally realizes what's going on, he can't seem to get rid of his "friend." From that point until the end of the book, I really couldn't put it down. If you've read "Paranoia," you'll certainly enjoy this book. There are a lot of corporate shannigans and a few twists and turns that make this an entertaining read.

With 'Killer Instinct' Finder has created a tense psychological thriller with a strong core of characters. Jason Steadman is an everyman with little hope of taking charge of his life & career until he meets Kurt Semko, a former Special Forces officer who recently received a dishonorable discharge.

After Steadman gets Semko a job, Semko provides Steadman with an abundance of advice, but also begins an unethical and ultimately deadly campaign to enhance Steadman's career. Although uncomfortable with the approach, Steadman initially welcomes the help and uses it to his advantage. However, Semko eventually crosses a line where Steadman can no longer live with what's going on around him.

The book may have warranted five stars, but once Steadman decides he's had enough, there is a little too much storyline devoted to Semko threatening anything and everything Steadman does.

Despite the minor criticism above, the story reaches a very satisfying conclusion that demonstrates Steadman was learning from Semko throughout the entire story.

Both primary characters were very well written and all of the minor characters come accross as real. A job well done by Finder.

My third read by Joseph Finder was not a disappointment. This, like "Paranoia" was written in the first person, and it paid off! While this was written in traditional Finder-like style, he did lack a little. The crazy thing it, the lack of (so to speak) enhanced the entire story-line. I have yet to be disappointed with a Finder read, and this dialed up the excitement a notch. I tip my cap and toast Mr. Finder with a healthy shot of 18 year old scotch. I'm here to boast that "Killer Instinct" lives up to the name, and delivers a killer read, as silly as that may sound!

I think a lot of people will relate to Jason Steadman. And Jason has an awesome wife who is very ambitious, so you just might say he wants to step it up a notch. Most are going to easily see him as an underdog, and as one who gets outwitted at times. That is, at first. His boss, Gordy, can't stand the Japs, and he can't stand panty-waste businessmen either. He also has his favorites, Trevor being one of them. But that's ok, Jason has Kurt on his side, a man he can trust, right? That appears to be the case, because things are working big- time in Jason's favor. Something else you should know about Kurt... this boy was Special Forces! For a lot of people, this will have the same impact as standing up to the high school bully and punching him square in the nose. It delivers a sense of justice, and the feeling of maybe, girding up the loins, if you will.

So, welcome to Entronics. Pour yourself a scotch, make yourself right at home. Look over your shoulder, and while you're at it, join the softball team, grab a bat, and swing for the fences! Joseph Finder has hit another home run with this, and proves once again that he has what it takes to move in for the kill!! Joe likes to take the panty-waste, and turn `em into prime time! If you're wondering whether or not that happens this time, I can't help you there, mainly because I'm not telling. Always a welcome read with this guy, and I'll be coming back for more.

**Warning: Minor plot spoilers ahead**

Nowhere but in Joseph Finder's stories do high ambition and drive get rewarded with murder and mayhem. And so it is with "Killer Instinct," his latest corporate thriller.

Jason Steadman is a career salesman with one of the big-hitters in the electronics industry, rival to Panasonic and Sony. He's an everyman with just enough interest in his career to allow him to get by, much to the dismay of his much more ambitious wife. Jason allows life to happen to him rather than effecting any changes of his own. And that's how he meets Kurt Semko, former Special Forces officer turned tow truck driver in Jason's town of Boston. The unlikely pair seem to hit it off even though they come from different worlds. It's when Jason offers to help Kurt land a job at the same corporate giant that things begin to turn.

At first it appears fortuitous when Jason is promoted over his rivals. That his competitors seem to have hit a streak of bad luck is all the better for Jason. However, Kurt insinuates himself more and more into the Steadman's lives and Jason begins to figure out that all is not as it seems, that Kurt may very well be manipulating things behind the scenes. In his usual haphazard way, Jason tells Kurt to back off, that he doesn't need the other man's help. Kurt feels otherwise, and sets out to prove it. When two of Jason's co-workers are killed in a suspicious auto accident, he realizes that he is going to have to find his own killer instinct in order to save not only his own life, but that of his pregnant wife's as well.

Finder knows all the right ways to ratchet up the tension, and the terror. In the process, he poses the question: how far would you go to get ahead, especially if your life is tied up in the answer?

Joseph Finder means business in this highly suspensful thriller. Set in cut-throat corporate America, Jason Steadman is a moderately successful sales exec. Wife Kate, from a privileged background, longs to see him move up the corporate ladder....but Jason is very satisfied with his life the way it is. But life never stays very uneventful, so of course a simple cell phone conversation leads to an Acura in a ditch and a meeting with a tow truck driver that will change Jason's life forever....

Indebted to Kurt, the driver, for helping him with his car, Jason in turn gets Kurt a job in security at his company, Entronics. Kurt's Special Forces background make him a shoe in for the position. All seems to be great until Jason's luck turns dramatically for the better, while his competition seem to be literally dropping like flies....plagued by a series of unfortunate events. Jason soon begins to suspect that Kurt's friendship may be slightly toxic, unbalanced....and perhaps even dangerous. When Kurt completely crosses the line, Jason feels compelled to go to the authorities. But the only thing worse than having Kurt as a friend is having Kurt as an enemy.....

Joseph Finder has a writing style that drew me into the story immediately. With just the write touch of humor to make me laugh aloud, in addition to the suspense, I absolutely LOVED this book. Loved it immediately....and would recommend it to everybody. Discovering a new author is one of my favorite things to do...Finder is now listed amongst my favorites.

DYB

When you read the book , you have the filling that the writer was looking for ways to fill the pages.
Too many side track stories, that have nothing to contribute to the main story.
I was reading till page 100 , and started to skip pages.
Foe example Why do I have to read 2 full pages about the preparation of a dinner at home.
Ant believe me there are many others.
Beside it is very unbelievable story. All the information that one of the character (Kurt) is getting from no where. Come on. You need a all network of spies to get that, or to do the things he does.
But the writer is getting it for granted , like the stories of "Mission Impossible" .

My new favorite Joseph Finder book. Finder takes Jason Steadman, an underachieving salesman in a family with a wife formerly of wealth and an overachieving brother-in-law and changes him in to corporate superstar when his previous weekly highlight was the company softball game. But a chance encounter with a tow truck driver and an invitation to play softball turns the staid corporate environment on its head. You see, this underachieving driver just happens to be a former decorated Special Forces officer. This chance encounter leads to a job in Entronics security department and where suddenly Jason's rivals meet with mishaps and tidbits of information turn his career into superstar status. But there eventually is a price to be paid and when dealing with a vindictive character and this time the price is very high.

This is a real page-turner that is difficult to put down. Yes, it starts mediocre as he sets up the characters but quickly this unique relationship is established and it's time to hang on for a wild roller coaster ride as a "corporate" book turns in to a tale of mystery and terror.

My previous favorite Finder book was Paranoia. This is much better as the conflict is so great. Jason Steadman has used just enough services by his new friend that it becomes difficult to turn down. Something like the movie "The Cable Guy". You just can't get him to go away. Read this book for pure enjoyment.

In the Framingham, Massachusetts area Entronics executive Jason Steadman is driving home reading email on his Blackberry when his cell phone rings. He knows his wife Kate is calling so he answers only to hear her crying as once again Dr. DeMarco of Boston IVF tells her they failed again. Distracted Jason sends his Acura into a ditch bruising a few ribs but is otherwise okay.

Tow truck driver Kurt Semko arrives to take the vehicle away and give Jason a lift. Jason and Kurt become friends and the fomer recommends the latter for a job at Entronics. Soon the former Special Forces operative begins doing assignments for Kurt that dramatically increase his sales making him look good. However, soon Kurt apparently goes the extra mile for his buddy and starts killing business adversaries of and rivals of Jason. Unable to figure out how to expedite himself from this mess, Jason soon realizes that even his beloved Kate is at risk so he must confront and stop the invincible killing Kurt.

Joseph Finder provides a fun business serial killer thriller starring an amiable salesman and his new friend a killing machine. The story line is action-packed from the moment Kurt does his first special favor and never slows down until the final stimulating encounter. The villains (yes more than one) seem more like caricatures of their particular role, but no one will care as the audience will be hooked to learn how the COMPANY MAN survives (or not) dealing with a PARANOIA trained killer.

Harriet Klausner

"Killer Instinct" is by far Joseph Finder's best novel. I thought it would be tough to top "Paranoia" (especially after last year's "Company Man"), but he's done so with this story.

Imagine you have a friend in your company who is ex-Special Forces and ready to help you succeed. Now imagine what might happen if he was unstable and you ticked him off! The characters and settings in this novel are mind-blowing. Jason's motivations to succeed were realistic, and Kurt started out as a nice enough guy. As the story unfolded, Finder gives us a subtle slide for Jason into some questionable legal manuevering with Kurt's help. As Kurt's dark side begins to show, it's completely believable. There's no sudden overnight change, but sinister foreshadowing of what this man could become.

There's no slow points in this novel. Trying to find a place to put it down is near impossible...but that's the kind of novel I love to read.

In the post-soviet world, Finder has located the new center of suspense, intrigue and fear; it's the world of work and business.

It's fashionable to employ the metaphor of business as a war fought by well-suited, briefcase-carrying warriors. It's a cute metaphor, but what if you suddenly found your fate tied to someone who took it literally?

Jason has been happy-- perhaps stagnant-- in the world of mid-level management. Fate crosses his path with a real soldier, and soon he's moving up through the ranks, achieving great new levels of success. And he quickly realizes that it's because he's acquired his own personal business-assassin.

Finder creates a convincingly tense world, where a well-meaning decent hero finds himself hemmed in by corrupt bosses, backstabbing co-workers, and an ally who is using brutal and increasingly dangerous methods to clear his path to the top.

What would you do to succeed? How far would you be willing to go? And if you found yourself harnessed to a deadly, dangerous engine of destruction, how would you gain your freedom without losing everything you've ever had or valued?

Gripping, tense, and suspenseful, this is another of Finder's great modern thrillers. It manages to spin a nail-biting story while raising some real questions about the cost of success in a world of high stakes business.

Like his first book, Paranoia, Joseph Finder has written another fun corporate thriller with "Killer Instinct". In this one the lead character wrestles with the gray area of ethics and the surprising run of good fortune he has that propels his career, provides the income and status he feels he has to have in his marriage, and ultimately leads him into a dangerous situation where he may lose it all.

All is not what it seems, and what starts as an act of kindness to employ a person who helps him with his car after a wreck, turns into an amazing and coincidental run of good luck for him, and bad luck for his office rivals. The book is written in the fast paced and engaging style of a Grisham, and once I started I could not put it down. Thankfully I was on an international flight so I finished it in one sitting.

There will be a few critics of the book that will deride the literary style, or the ending that is a bit far fetched, but pay no attention, this is a great book to read this summer. The ethical dilemmas, the temptation for career advancement and success, the office politics, and the way the story unfolds will capture your interest and your time until you finish. That is what novels are supposed to do, and this one does the job well.

This new offering from Joseph Finder is a very worthwhile read if you go into it knowing what to expect. This is not fine literature, nor is it a display of outstanding character development. Its a thriller, no more, no less, and as such it exceeds in its task of entertaining us.

This book gives you a sense of what life is like for high power sales executive Jason Steadman, a self made man whose humble beginnings keep him grounded in a reality that most of us can relate to. His born-rich wife, though at times supportive and at other times quite a pain, is just window dressing. As are most of the other characters in the book save one: Kurt Semko.

Through ordinary circumstances, Jason gets entangled in a dangerous friendship with Kurt, a seemingly likable yet secretly unstable ex-military commando. I won't give away too much of the plot, but suffice it to say that there are terribly predictable aspects to this story and also some surprises that earn the book my four star rating.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers and stories set in the hard-edged world of big business and corporate espionage. Its definitely a good book for summertime reading at the beach or on vacation!

Sales is sometimes compared to war. Jason Steadman is in sales and he soon finds himself in a war. Jason works for a large electronics company. He makes friends with Kurt Semko, formerly Special Forces in the military. Kurt wants to help Jason move up in the company after Jason gets Kurt a job in the security department. At first, Jason is grateful to Kurt for his help, but then learns Kurt's methods are underhanded and even deadly. Kurt must be stopped, but Jason soon finds himself on Kurt's bad side and in a great deal of danger. This is a well-plotted fast moving story. Jason is a strong, likable character. I had trouble believing in Jason's love for his wife, Kate in the beginning (seemed a little stilted), but as the story moved to it's conclusion, this relationship improved. Not a lot of humor in this one, but I did laugh out loud at the term, "corporate cooties". I am not normally a big fan of the corporate novel, but Finder made it interesting in this outing. Being an avid baseball fan, I really enjoyed the brief outings of the company softball team. A very enjoyable read. The ending is a real corker.

Kurt Semko, a former Special Forces soldier, does a favor for a corporate exec stalled on the ladder of upward mobility. And now Semko is using those kill skills to help his buddy, whether he wants it or not.

Semko is a good creation but the endless business scenes and scurrying for this promo and that presentation, the HD industry, it just is a big yawn ultimately. And the Boston location seems lacking entirely, the book could take place an an office park anywhere in the US. Good premise but the backdrop is, hate ot say it, bland as a corporate meeting.

Finder tends to write about ordinary folks in the workplace confronted with extraordinary situations. The result is a riveting story filled with intensity and suspense, abounding with colorful characters and a maze of corkscrew plot twists. Granted, the scene where a character finds a 6 ft. diamondback rattlesnake in his spouses bed is reminiscent of The Godfather (finding a severed horses head in your bed) but this can be forgiven because on the whole the tale is well written and enormously satisfying. This book is nearly impossible to put down. Finder's first book, Paranoia, was a spectacular, his second, The Company Man, somewhat of a disappointment....but with Killer Instinct he's back in top form. This book is a definite winner.

If you are the executive-type who loves to structure his or her time and who loves to read thrillers, do yourself a favor. Write off two or three days in the middle of May.

Joseph Finder, the author of Paranoia and High Crimes, on May 16, 2006 releases his new novel, Killer Instinct, May 16.

Be forewarned, however. Do not start reading unless your spouse is prepared to be ignored for a few days; your children's self-esteem can weather being told not to interrupt you; there is absolutely nothing pending at work and you can drive with a single eye while reading with the other.

Finder has mastered the art of writing thrillers and Killer Instinct, in my opinion is best book yet. It is a funny, yet compelling tale, carried by complex and life-like characters.

Jason Steadman is a thirty-year-old sales executive, married to a lovely woman. They are trying to have a child. Jason works for a Japanese-owned electronics company that makes flat-screen plasma televisions. Although he is popular, he lacks the "killer instinct" required to advance.

One day he befriends a man named Kurt, who was in Special Forces in Iraq. Kurt is fascinated by the whole corporate world, which claims casually to operate by the rules of warfare -- something he knows a whole lot about.

Jason gets Kurt a job in corporate security. Kurt repays the favor by giving him intelligence and guidance. The result: good things happen for Jason; bad things happen to his rivals. In no time, Jason rockets to the top.

When Jason attempts to put a stop to it, the intrigue begins.

Finder is unquestionably one of this country's greatest thrillers writers. Killer Instinct is a credit to his abundant talent.

Joseph Finder's "Killer Instinct" was somewhat entertaining but proved to be utterly implausible ultimately religating it to lightweight status.

Finder's protagonist Jason Steadman is a corporate sales executive for a large electronics firm Entronics, which specializes in plasma screens, monitors and the like. He evidently cannot multi task very well crashing his Acura into a ditch while talking on his cell. This created the opportunity for Steadman to meet tow truck driver Kurt Semko, who winched out his vehicle. Semko, an ex-Special Forces military man took care of the car repairs. An ex minor league pitcher, he was invited by Steadman to pitch as a ringer for his corporate softball team.

Within short order, Steadman's gratitude helped Semko get hired by the security section of Entronics. With Semko's expertise in surveillance and his connections with law enforcement he soon was able to help Steadman climb the corporate ladder. His information helped Steadman cement major deals and vanquish opponents in competiton with him for promotions.

Soon however Semko overstepped his bounds as he caused the death of two Entronics colleagues of Steadman who were vying for the same executive position by causing a violent and lethal auto accident by sabotage. Steadman realized he'd have to take measures to stop Semko who by now had risen to the head of corporate security.

At this point, Finder inexplicably creates a scenario whereby Steadman outwits the extensively trained and disciplined ex-Special Forces operative at his own specialty. This was a stretch that didn't hold up. He followed it with a fairy tale ending that by itself deserved a one star reduction in overall rating.

Jason Steadman is on the corporate sales staff at Entronics, a high tech company in Framingham, Massachusetts, which is a subsidiary of a Japanese conglomerate. His career is on a bus to Abilene. He does not see himself getting a promotion, even though his wife pushes him to apply. The company is in merger talks with a competing company, and there is talk of "low performers" going out the door in a downsizing.

Then Jason has a chance meeting with Kurt Semko, a former Special Forces soldier who was given a dishonorable discharge. Kurt can play baseball, and Jason recruits him as a ringer to pitch for the company ball team. Things go well at the next game, and Jason decides to get Kurt a job in company security, bypassing the more rigid background checks. Kurt starts Jason on a physical conditioning program, and has him start reading books on the art of war (recommended for business managers).

Then things start to happen. Jason's competitors inside the company start to have things go wrong, and another company competing for a sale has a problem with electronics that it delivered. Things start going Jason's way. It turns out that Kurt has assets and experience in intelligence work. It becomes a case of industrial espionage, possible sabotage, and a little blackmail. Jason's career is suddenly on the rise because of other's misfortunes.

But some people who offended Kurt have an unfortunate traffic accident, and Jason realizes that he has made a pact with the devil. The devil can get very offended if you try to break a deal, and Jason finds himself in trouble. This becomes a two part problem, one to escape the pact he has created, and the other to preserve the company.

Jason develops some assets of his own, and finds himself developing a killer instinct as he tries to protect his family and friends. It becomes a face-off between Jason and Kurt, leading to a final confrontation.

Readers who like this novel might also like Gayle Lynds' latest novel, "The Last Spymaster."

Joseph Finder has been dubbed "The CEO of Suspense." Is the name justified? Does he deliver the goods and cause suspense stocks to rise?

In "Killer Instinct," we meet Jason Steadman, a loving husband and reliable employee who has lost some of his ambition. He begins reading the latest "business is war" books, trying to find some motivation to kickstart his career and add new juice to his marriage. Sure enough, a fire gets ignited under him and causes him to rediscover his killer instinct, but the fuel for that fire has nothing to do with cheesy business books. It has everything to do with a chance encounter with a jack-of-all-trades named Kurt Semko.

Semko gets into good graces by pitching a few great innings for the floundering corporate baseball team. Steadman calls in a few favors, pulls some strings, and helps Semko find permanent employment on the company's security staff. And Semko never forgets a favor. He believes that he's the best friend a man can have--and the worst possible sort of enemy. Semko also believes in taking the "business is war" philosophy to its limits. Steadman begins to suspect Semko of shady dealings, and soon the cat-and-mouse game is on between a mediocre salesman and a deadly opponent. Both will discover their true motivations, and only one can remain at the top of the corporate heap.

Finder's nickname is certainly fitting, considering the way he mixes suspense-fiction and corporate America. He may not have created the genre, but with books such as "Company Man," "Paranoia," and "Killer Instinct," he's made it his own in the same way Grisham staked his claim to legal thrillers. Indeed, corporate thrillers have been been taken over by Joseph Finder. Welcome to your new CEO.

Through his amanuensis, the author kindly sent me an advance review copy of this work, and these are my impressions: interspersed among developments in the cloak-and-dagger plot of Killer Instinct are small cameos, object lessons, and wry humor. With apologies to Edith Wharton and to the furniture company, I cite the first-person narrator's introductory comment about his nephew: "Ethan is what you name a kid who you fully expect, even before he's born, to get beat up on the playground, his lunch money stolen, his glasses snapped in two, and his face pushed into the dirt." And, after describing the boy's passing fascination with "instruments of medieval torture," the narrator comments, "You had to wonder about his parents' marriage." Vivid descriptions, keen psychological insights, fully limned characterizations, and a pervasive sense of the tenuousness of good fortune punctuate this memorable tale of an upwardly mobile couple who ascend the slippery pole from Belmont to Cambridge, from an Acura to a Mercedes, and from childlessness to impending parenthood.

Jason Steadman, easy-going, go-with-the-flow type of guy and good provider to his wife Kate, is the primary figure in this book. Kate, Jason's wife, is encouraging him to climb the corporate ladder, instilling in him the need to push forward - derive more of a "killer instinct" to make it big in the Entronics Corporation as a knock-out salesman. Jason is satisfied to do his job and let the others fight for the top of the corporate ladder. By a twist of fate, Jason meets up with Kurt Semko. Kurt happens to be the tow truck driver who comes to Jason's aid when his car goes off the road. The two begin talking to find out that Kurt was part of the Army Special Forces and a semi-professional baseball player - something the Entronics baseball team desperately needs to bring them out of their losing streak. Jason figures he could kill two birds with one stone by being the force behind getting Kurt a job in the company's corporate security division (given his military background) and adding a winning player to the baseball team. Jason begins to see many changes at work and at home and comes to discover Kurt may be at the root of them all. "Killer Instinct" is an excellent read that will have you on the edge of your seat throughout the story. What starts out as a good deed, turns into a dangerous game. Joseph Finder is an excellent author with a style that is sure to please the suspense-driven reader.

Joseph Finder seems to get better and better as he writes. Killer Instinct is another great book by a brilliant and entertaining author. Killer Instinct gives you a glimpse into the life of a cynical salesman in a worldwide electronics company. His ambition and success skyrocket as Kurt Semko enters, and Jason Steadman, like most of us would, gets sucked in.

What follows is a whirlwind tale reminscient of the 1980s hit movie Wall Street. The corporate jargon and sales life are right on, and the book flys by. WONDERFUL job.

Jason Steadman is a thirty-year-old sales executive for a Japanese electronics company. He is going nowhere in life and appears content to stay the course but for a more ambitious wife. She pushes him into applying for a promotion, which under normal circumstances he would consider beyond his reach. But Jason has someone on his side who may make all the difference. He has befriended Kurt Semko,the tow truck driver whom he met while having damaged car removed from a scene of an accident (he was driving while talking on his cell phone). Kurt is ex-military special forces and is quite adept at working through the business hierarchy. With Kurt's help, Jason succeeds beyond his wildest imagination. But the price for his success might be more than Jason is willing to pay - his life.

Joseph Finder is the best writer of corporate thrillers working today. His books start out as the tale of an everyman who soon gets caught up in a situation that spirals far beyond his control. The story gets increasingly complex and the pacing progressively accelerates. By the time the reader has gotten through the first few chapters, things are off and running. KILLER INSTINCT is virtually un-put-downable. It is easily one of the year's best thrillers and a perfect book for the summer months on the beach.

After reading Paranoia (which knocked my sox off!)I was anxious to get into Killer Instinct & get into it I did. Man, I couldn't wait until I could pick it back up again each time I had to put it down. The character development is exceptional, the storyline compelling, the suspense palpable. And Jason Steadman's friend/foe, Kurt Semko, intrigued me & creeped me out at once. This book is a MUST READ if you like intelligent, witty, suspenseful writing. Joseph Finder, you rock!!!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED :0)

I hated almost everything about this book. I knew something was seriously wrong when I found myself rooting for Kurt the supposed "villian."

The hero is a complete jerk and weakling.

I immediately disliked him when he reveals in his thoughts that his first impression of Kurt is as a dumb, unambitious person simply because he drives a tow truck.

I have news for Mr. Finder: You obviously don't know people very well. Not every white collar person is a genius and not every blue collar worker is a Neaderthal.

Given that the hero's parents were both working class, he should have known better.

Then he tries to get Kurt fired behind his back because he is too afraid to face him like an honest person, only a few pages later to ask Kurt to save a business deal that he let slip through. What a snake in the grass! He knows exactly what is going on and uses Kurt for his benefit.

I felt more sympathy for Kurt who came from a very troubled background, and yet chose to serve his country in the military where he obviously was exposed to horrible things. Kurt is obviously brilliant and my feeling was if only someone had helped him i.e. psychological care he could have been a tremendous asset to any organization.

Jason, on the other hand, was almost unbelievably stupid. He doesn't realize the police can trace calls? After a bomb of confetti explodes in his office he doesn't realize Kurt might sabotage his business trip? This guy is a corporate vice president? That was the scariest part of the book.

I lost track of how many times he told the reader how when he was a kid everyone liked him, and how he could charm anyone. People who continually spout their popularity usually aren't.

Other problems I had were:
His wife: rarely have I read a more annoying character. I don't know any pregnant women even high risk ones who have the luxury of lounging in bed all day and then constantly whining about their life. She keeps telling her husband all he should be doing for her. I wanted to shake her and tell her why don't you do something for yourself for a change. The scene with the snake was absolutely pathetic.

Jason's attitude towards his nephew Ethan was also troubling.He was so condescending "poor little Ethan" as to be sickening.

In short, Jason the "charmer", didn't charm me and as the novel's "salesperson" he convinced me never to purchase one of his author's books again!

Once again, Joseph Finder has found intrigue and suspense in the most unlikely of settings: midlevel business. Jason Steadman is a sales associate, neither at the top or at the bottom of his department, a guy who loves to play softball on the company team and who is generally happy with the status quo -- until that is, his wife Kate hints that he should be more ambitious. Jason, though, is down on his luck. His rival Trevor, who tops him in both sales and softball skills, is sure to get the promotion that has just opened up. When Jason drives his Audi into a ditch because he was trying to do too much at once, he meets tow-truck driver, former minor league pitcher, ex-Special Forces Kurt. They take a liking to each other on the drive to the auto body shop, so it seems only natural when Jason offers to get Kurt a better job, one in security, at his company, Entronics. Kurt never forgets a favor, but when Jason's rivals for the promotion start dropping away for mysterious reasons, Jason starts getting nervous. Is Kurt sabotaging other people's work and lives to Jason can go straight to the top? Or is all that happens mere coincidence? What is more important: ethics or pleasing his beautiful wife? When the stakes turn deadly, Jason must decide how he can both keep his new job and get rid of Kurt. The only problem is, no one gets rid of Kurt.

Finder is a master at creating suspense in small, incremental moments that build toward the end. Killer Instinct is not the kind of novel that prompts the reader to read quickly just to see what happens but instead is enjoyable on every page. His characters are likeable and believable -- at least, as much as they can be in a thriller Even wife Kate comes across as a fully drawn: a woman complicated by her past and by the pressure her sister puts on her. It helps that Finder's competent prose does not distract from the plot. It is neither overblown nor mundane, sentences with just enough voice to evoke the stakes of the situation.

Joseph Finder's fans will not be disappointed with this latest effort. It makes for great vacation or late night reading.

Trying to climb the corporate ladder Jason Steadman gets by with a little help from his friend who of course is a (NO BRAINER SPOILER ALERT)psychotic killer.Unlike his last book Joseph Finder doesn't even try to concoct a tricky mystery yet has enormous fun raising office politics to a homicidal level.It's almost a fantasy like scenario...we all wish we had someone to help us get ahead and take care of those in our way.Finder delivers some good suspense yet also plenty of laughs along the way poking fun at a world obsessed with material posessions and punishing fitness.It certainly isn't a masterpiece but for enjoyable suspense this is one of the most entertaining books of 2006.

Readers must be very patient throughout the build up of this story. It progresses, likely intentionally, very very slowly. I tend to get "grabbed" by quick moving stories like Finder's Nick Heller series. I found a couple things toward the end which did seem improbable, but it's fiction after all. Let us all hope we never meet a bad guy like this guy!!! 3-1/2 stars on this one.

This review is for the audio version of this book. The perfect match of narrator to character certainly enhanced my enjoyment of an otherwise ho-hum sort of story. My husband and I listen to thrillers as the narrow overlap of his book preferences and mine. I would be hard-pressed to call this a thriller however, it was more a character study -- and a somewhat improbable one -- that appealed more to my tastes than his. But even I agreed to skip through a tortured scene in a baby accessory store; in fact, the home-life/baby news parts of this book were ridiculously out of place.

Nevertheless, I was certainly drawn into the appealing friendly character of that malevolent Kurt Semko and fascinated with his increasingly evil if implausible machinations. Not a bit regretful over time spent listening to the story, but heavens, skip the epilogue--it will tarnish your enjoyment of the denouement!

Ever since Paranoia, Mr. Finder's work has been getting progressively worse.

Paranoia was a niche, new and exciting. The prospective of corporate espionage, high-tech spying, survival of the most devious, it was a great concept, an exciting new story (as I read it I could almost smell the movie popcorn, the upcoming blockbuster). But then came Company Man, with its disappointing tale and unbelievable characters. And now - Killer Instinct.

What happened, Mr. Finder? Commercialization got in the way? Was it the need to publish, to produce another moneymaking novel without honoring our intelligence? Why write if your characters would be bleak and simpleminded? Why produce a story if it will be as regular as a patient on a fiber diet? Where are the exciting unforeseen circumstances? What happened to eeriness, unpredicted behaviors, risky yet credible propositions? How come your novels are getting worse instead of better? Why the all foreseen Hollywood ending now? Think over these questions and make the right choices in your next book. But keep in mind, it's hard keeping the fans if you produce frequent nonsense.

I don't recommend this one. Try `Paranoia' or check out Grisham or Patterson's books instead.

-by Simon Cleveland