Greed book #1

Something fishy is going on with this deal …does anyone knows the true intent of a corporate takeover? When a technology giant swallows up a private company for one the thought of layoffs comes to mind.

Michael Doyle a mid-level management is sure that he and many of his friends will lose their jobs when the top brass announces they have sold out to an international conglomerate. But his self-pity is cut short when he discovers the dismembered body of a co-worker, this gruesome murder gave him purpose to investigate the whodunit and the why.

This a deeply compelling crime drama that chronicles the live of Michael who finds himself on the corporate’s chopping blocks. The plot has a bit of everything: suspense, mystery, adventure, sex, love, corporate power, personal needs, murder, backstabbing, mischief, etc. and is masterfully created to hold our attention throughout. It mainly centers around a corporate sale and on the level of greed necessary to satisfy each personal goal. The author paints a bleak picture with a realistic touch of what could happen to anyone these days.

Lots of suspense builds up while trying to find who is behind the gruesome murder. This fast-paces edge of your seat mystery held my attention captive from page one till I reach the conclusion. I simply couldn’t put the book down and read it in two settings. Another well- written story played out by great characters.

Smooth style, easy to read and a unique storyline, what is not to like. ( )

John W. Mefford’s Fatal Greed offers a complex blend of raw sensuality, sharp violence, mystery, and even occasional unexpected godliness, all packaged around a seemingly meaningless murder. Corporate greed forms the background, with characters innocent and guilty drawn into a murderous web. The protagonist, with his job under threat and his girlfriend looking for commitment (possibly another threat), soon finds himself following the threads of loose ends, while some relationships fall apart and others draw ever tighter. Ecological, financial, social, emotional and corporate greed all claim their due. But one fatality points the way to truth.

The protagonist’s voice, humor and depth all feel pleasingly real. Fatal Greed is an adult novel, a fascinating puzzle, and a really good read.

Disclosure: I won a copy and I’m pleased to offer my honest review. ( )

I’m a fan of John Mefford so I looked forward to reading another of his books. This one didn’t disappoint me either. It’s about the corporate world and takeovers which leads into murder. There is a lot of mystery with a twisting plot and interesting characters. The main character, Michael Doyle, is well written and likable. As the takeover and layoffs begin you really feel for the guy and the name of the book is perfect for what happens.

I may have gotten the book for an honest review but another great book by author Mefford.
11/11/2020 update
It's been two years and I've read it again after the author updated the book. I still feel the same way about the book but here is my new review. Like all of the author’s books, you are held in suspense page after page. He has a way of grabbing your attention and keeping it till the very end. But when you are done, you just want to read more. That’s the way it has been with me from the very beginning of reading his books years ago. This book is no different. The main character Michael Doyle finds a dead body and becomes an amateur sleuth wanting to know how she was killed. He also has some issues in his personal life from the past that doesn’t let him move on with his girlfriend, Marisa. In the story, we follow Michael digging in to find the truth while working for a company who is being bought out which just didn’t seem right to him. Great book and I look forward to more in the series. ( )

I tried to read through the whole book but only got about 35% of it finished. I felt that there were too many characters right at the beginning and the story was moving too slowly.

I did like one of the main characters - Michael Doyle but not enough to keep me reading.

Granted since I didn't read further maybe the story picked up some zest.

I did receive the kindle edition free from the author. ( )

Fatal Greed by John W. Mefford is a 2014 publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The title of this book is certainly apt. While the story does get off to slow start, you will want to stick with it.

This story is one so many can relate to. Michael Doyle is blindsided when his company is bought out and a new regime will soon be in charge. If that weren't enough to grapple with, Michael stumbles upon a the body of a young woman who worked with the company. But, it gets better. Michael's neighbor, a married man with a young family is arrested for the murder. Something in Micheal makes him want to find out the truth about this young woman's death and hopefully reunite the young family with their father .
In the background of the story is Micheal's commitment issues. He has difficulty in that department in several areas of his life, but the main problem is with his longtime girlfriend, Marisa. By all accounts the relationship is pretty solid, even though Marisa really wants him to put a ring on it.
As Michael begins digging into the murder at the request of the local newspaper, he becomes close the the deceased woman's mother, Rosemary. His work life is getting more and more murky as he becomes the hatchet man for the new boss. Between trying to solve a murder and laying off long time loyal employees and dealing with his personal life, Micheal has a lot stress in his life. But, he rises to the occasion determined to come out on the other end with his integrity it tact.

This story was all too real on so many levels. The takeover and the ruthless layoffs and greed of top management was depicted perfectly. It wouldn't surprise me if these tactics weren't practiced in real life. Why not? Maybe not with an actual murder, but all the rest of it was spot on. While this may have been just a crime story, it still left me feeling a little queasy because it was just so realistic. Yes, greed is one of the worst sins , but it is the vice which eventually causes so many downfalls. It will come back to haunt you, you can count on it. While the crime in this book is solved, the story is not finished just yet. I loved the way the story played out. Obviously the author put a great deal of thought into this one and let it all play out in real time with the characters developing as the story progresses. Marisa and Michael are a great couple and made a good team even though they went through some rough patches. I have the other book in the series all queued up and ready to go. ( )