First published 1978
Doc Fletcher has found the perfect setup. A Swiss bank backed by Mafia cash, a forgotten silver mine in the Iranian desert, and a network of smugglers moving bullion across the Persian Gulf. From his base in England, this American financier orchestrates an audacious plan to manipulate global silver prices and generate enormous profits. As Fletcher navigates between powerful crime bosses and international markets, he discovers that controlling a commodity requires more than just money and connections. The scheme grows increasingly complex as market forces push back against human ambition. Paul Erdman draws on his deep knowledge of international finance to craft a tale where greed collides with economic reality, showing how even the most carefully planned financial conspiracies can spiral beyond their creators' control.
Genres: adventure, crime, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: cat-and-mouse, greed-and-ambition, power-dynamics
Setting: England, Iran, Persian Gulf, Switzerland
Period: 20th-century
294 pages · Paperback · Pocket