Wall Street murders
From day one the lower social and economic class has been convinced that those at the totem-pole came to their fame and fortune dishonestly. Luck, too, but only in the sense that they made their own luck. They appear to work, but what keeps them busy is their underhanded dealings. The poor don’t respect the rich, but envy them. In their novels, authors reinforce this mindset. To a degree, they are right. In a dog-eat-dog world, there’s a scramble to achieve power and wealth. The weaker rivals fall — indeed are kicked — to the roadside. Even at the top, the rich strive to get richer.
Millionaires are determined to become billionaires. It makes no sense, really. They can’t take it with them, yet are reluctant to leave it behind. Their families inherit it and proceed to acquire more. Alas, possessing more than they could possibly need doesn’t make them honest. Certainly, more ruthless. James Patterson and Marshall Karp focus on this in NYPD Red 3. It’s set in the Big Apple, the financial capital of the world. Is it any wonder that it was the target of Sept 9, 2001, referred to several times in this story? A serial killer is on the loose, as in many crime thrillers. This one targets the moguls of Wall Street.
His MO is to kidnap, decapitate and leave their headless bodies in a public place. The finest of New York’s finest, Zach Jordan and Kylie MacDonald, are handed the case. Both are married, but not to each other. His wife strays from his bed and board. Divorce seems to be in the offing.
Mega-rich Hunter Alden recovered from the loss of his first wife in the Twin Towers outrage to wed beautiful Miss Alabama, but he has a wandering eye. The distaff mayor seems fair game. Not surprisingly, the people he walked over on the way up hate him. Clearly a motive for murder.
The Alden family is dysfunctional. Daddy and Hunter can hardly stand each other. Another son, Tripp, is gay with a Haitian boyfriend. There’s a flash-drive floating around which is said will put 9/11 in a new light. The denizens of Wall Street don’t come out well here.
The reader is given the impression that the killer is legally guilty and deserves to have the book thrown at him when apprehended, yet his victims deserved what they got. More than one author implies the same. This reviewer doesn’t condone vigilantism. But, I can’t help wondering whether there aren’t exceptions.