Publisher's Weekly Book Life Review Endorses Book, The Vault

Wall St Veteran/Author Delivers a New "exciting and convincing financial thriller"

MONROE TOWNSHIP, NJ, UNITED STATES, January 8, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Vault, a new book by Amazon best-selling author Stuart Z Goldstein, has been characterized in the latest Book Life Review as “an exciting and convincing Wall Street thriller,” according to publisher Pen Paper Press (PPP).

Book Life, a division of Publisher’s Weekly, specializes in reviewing books across genres by indie authors and publishers. The process is highly competitive, and a relatively small percentage of books submitted are reviewed.

Book Life Review:

The Vault is a gripping tale of loyalty, betrayal, and redemption that takes place against the backdrop of Wall Street's largest bank securities vault, where dedicated employee Andy Russo, who has spent decades managing the vault, witnesses the industry's evolution alongside his team’s never-ending sacrifices. When the company announces drastic cuts to pensions and retiree medical benefits, Andy, devastated by the deaths of his wife and a colleague, devises a plan to steal $100 million in bearer bonds from the underground vault to secure his team's future. Meanwhile, the approaching Hurricane Sandy threatens to submerge the vault and expose the crime.

Goldstein weaves a captivating narrative in his fiction debut, exploring the complexities of corporate loyalty and the moral dilemmas faced by employees who feel betrayed by their higher-ups. The characters are richly developed, each with their own backstory of struggle and survival, making their collective decision to commit the heist both understandable and riveting.

Andy's transformation from a "company man" to a protector of his team is particularly poignant, highlighting the impact of personal loss and the lengths one will go to for those they care about. As the heist unfolds, Goldstein skillfully builds tension, with careful attention to detail—the vault’s day-to-day operations and the intricacies of the financial industry—that adds authenticity to the story, making this a fascinating read for those interested in the inner workings of Wall Street.

One of The Vault’s strengths is its treatment of the immigrant experience and the sacrifices made by first-generation Americans, explored through Goldstein’s depiction of the cultural biases that limit work opportunities for the book’s minority and immigrant characters. That kind of thoughtful exposition illuminates the moral complexities of corporate life and the bonds that tie people together, making this compelling narrative stand out in the genre of financial thrillers.”

Alice Sherman, Assistant Director, PPP, pointed out that “In 2012, Hurricane Sandy did indeed flood the largest securities vault responsible for $37 trillions in assets (stocks, corporate bonds, municipal bonds, bearer bonds, money markets, etc.). The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC (aka Americlear in the book) quickly asserted in the media that the financial industry suffered no losses. DTCC argued they had electronic records of all instruments held in their vault.

“But Goldstein imagines an alternative storyline. What if that was not true? What if, when the vault flooded, securities were lost, millions of dollars vanished, and a web of secrets was buried beneath the chaos? Would we have ever known? Would they have told you? How would the world react?”

The Book Life review of The Vault will appear in the early January edition of Publisher’s Weekly, both the monthly news magazine and on online. Publisher’s Weekly is often referred to in the book world as “the bible of the book business” and completes thousands of book reviews each year.

“We are grateful to Book Life for this very positive book review,” said Sherman. “Until the last chapter, the reader won't know if the employees succeed in the theft, whether the flood reveals their criminal act and whether the security personnel uncover video evidence on the "crime of the century. We believe readers will love that The Vault is a roller coaster ride of unpredictable plot twists. "

Amazon simultaneously released the eBook, paperback and a limited edition hard cover copy of The Vault this week for customers who may still want to gift a book to friends and relatives for the holidays.

About the Author:

Goldstein served as spokesperson and senior advisor to three CEOs during his two-decade tenure at The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC). He co-authored two small books in plain English explaining the inner workings of U.S. capital markets that were used in lobbying Congress on the Dodd-Frank legislation, which now requires the reporting of credit default swap trades to a centralized trade repository.

Prior to DTCC, he served as a VP spokesperson for the American Express Co. and VP/Deputy Director National Public Affairs at Citicorp/Citibank.

Alice Sherman
Pen Paper Press
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