A Question of Risk

Despite the looming threat of exposure and official retribution, James Ross-Gilbert, a corrupt Lloyds of London underwriter, continues to bleed the private wealth of his backers until he finally fears that they have nothing left to lose

In this top-notch mystery thriller set within the famed Lloyd's insurance colossus, underwriters James Ross-Gilbert and Richard Trene have siphoned off millions of pounds from their syndicates into personal accounts hidden throughout the world. When a journalist reports on one ostensibly legal scam, the financial house of cards begins to tumble and the two men flee Britain, leaving their investors (known as Names) to suffer the unlimited liability to which Lloyd's rules has committed them. One vengeful Name, Lord Henry Allanport, who loses his wife--she dies from complications of pregnancy--and his estates, sets out to kill Ross-Gilbert, the more public of the conspirators. Mal Harris, a private investigator hired by Lloyd's to recover the missing money, must find Ross-Gilbert in order to access the secret accounts before he is slain by either Allanport or another killer hired to make sure a high government figure involved in the misdealings is not exposed. Shakespeare ( Utmost Good Faith ) deftly weaves arcane insurance lore with psychological insights on the effect of guilt and greed on human nature. ( May
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

A complicated tale of fiscal irregularity. Charismatic and popular James Ross-Gilbert, syndicate head and successful Lloyd's underwriter, has skirted the law with various financial machinations in his own favor. Threatened with full disclosure, he retires--but not without incurring the wrath of several important people. Despite an appended list of players and a necessary outline of Lloyd's structure, the author's elevated and somewhat stilted prose, terse observations which leap ahead of the story, and mostly stuffy characters make this a very dry mouthful to swallow. From the author of Utmost Good Faith.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.