Top Producer

Norb Vonnegut is to Wall Street as John Grisham is to the legal world. I look forward to reading more of his books. "Top Producer" is a timely, fun story that kept me reading past my usual, few chapters a night. The book is full of Wall Street lingo and provides insight as to the way Wall Street functions and how the different players think. Norb hits it dead on in describing how managers, the legal dept. and "top producers" think and what motivates them. I also enjoyed the twists and turns as well as the references to the different parts of NYC. All in all it's a fun and exciting read! Norb, stop in Station Plaza Wine & Spirits in town for a Prosecco on the house. Kevin

Rather than reiterate what others have said, I will simply say that this was the most entertaining book that I've read in quite a while and there was no question in making a 5 star award. My only disappointment upon turning the last page of "Top Producer" is that this is the author's freshman effort so I will have to wait a while to read something else by Norb Vonnegut. The author's writing style is perfect for the genre and I found "Top Producer" to be a not only a good mystery but rather humorous in numerous places (think Office Space). Highly recommended!

Top Producer presents an interesting twist on a whodunit murder mystery. Grove O'Rourke is a young investment broker and one of the top producers at a famous investment firm in New York. When his wealthy, free-spending best friend is killed at a lavish birthday party in an extremely bizarre way right in front of him and 500 other guests, he wants to know why. When his friend's widow pleads poverty and asks him for help in untangling their finances, the search for answers becomes urgent. The friend ran a one-man investment company and covered his tracks well. Grove starts digging, first for the widow's sake and later on behalf of other investor/friends who want to know where their money is. Adding to his anguish about his friends's murder, he also feels guilty because he suggested the location where the murder took place. He is also still suffering from the sudden death of his own beloved wife and child 18 months earlier. I found the book very intriguing on a lot of levels, examining friendships, which are not always what we think they are, the mysteries of investment finance and how someone's reputation and livelihood can be destroyed almost instantly. I actually found the information on intricate finance/investment and brokers' strategy, which is the backdrop to the story, more interesting than the murder, which I solved long before the end (I knew who, but not why). Throughout the story, Mr. Vonnegut provided brief explanations on arcane stuff like hedge funds, selling short and margin calls, in layman's terms so even someone like me, who knows very little about investment finance, could understand. Although I had some minor quibbles with the book, they were not sufficient to detract from the overall story. This was a solid read; I look forward to his next book.

Before you start reading TOP PRODUCER, clear your calendar. You're not going to want to put it down until you finish the last page. This book has everything going for it to become a huge bestseller and, eventually, a hit movie. The novel is centered on Wall Street at the present moment in time. How much of this story was inspired by recent current events and how much, independently, was the product of a fertile and informed imagination is impossible to discern from the tale. Yet how the plot came to be hatched is irrelevant in the reading. This is a brilliant work. Author Norb Vonnegut displays an insider's knowledge of the trading world, making it come alive for an outsider. At times, the narrative almost approaches a primer on investing. The mystery opens with one of the most imaginative (and repulsive)murders in the history of fiction. At a quick pace, it moves on to stock manipulation and Securities fraud, complete with partners-in-crime, double-crosses and triple-crosses. A couple of characters are implausible but not impossible ... and even the greatest writers sometimes rely on coincidence to advance their stories, as Vonnegut does here. He has crafted an intricate and compelling plot that achieves the ultimate thriller status, keeping one absorbed way into the wee hours of the morning. And, best of all -- and rarely true in popular fiction -- Vonnegut displays immense command of language. Taken together, TOP PRODUCER is a winner in every sense. Don't miss this one!

Norb Vonnegut's book, "Top Producer" is stunning. The story line is entertaining throughout, with twists and turns along the way that all come together in the end. The writing is fresh and thought provoking, yet grounded in reality. The characters are fascinating, including some I want to learn more about so they can influence my thinking and some I want to learn more about so I can be sure to avoid anyone like them in any way. All-in-all, a fascinating page turner that shocks sometimes and impresses throughout. Can't wait to read more of this new Vonnegut's creations.