New York Times bestselling author David Hagberg is teaming up with award-winning financial journalist Lawrence Light to write a new standalone financial thriller titled Crash, which is currently slated for release on April 28, 2020.
Hagberg, of course, is best known for his Kirk McGarvey series—which first kicked off in 1989 with Without Honor, and most recently continued with Fist Kill (2019), the 24th book in the series, which is actually a prequel book that takes readers back in time to show the CIA operative’s first mission with the Central Intelligence Agency.
Overall, Hagberg’s series has received mixed reviews from readers and critics alike, with his last few releases earning mostly negative feedback. That said, McGarvey was once a powerhouse in the genre, and Hagberg clearly has the writing chops to deliver fan-pleasing thrillers. So, it makes a lot of sense that he’d step away from his own franchise for the time being to put out a change-of-pace book—which is exactly what Crash sounds like. Check out the cover art and plot details below.
A propulsive financial thriller exploring the coming economic collapse in the tradition of The Big Short and Paul Erdman’s Crash of ’79
Many leading economic authorities are predicting a global financial collapse within the next two to three years. Now acclaimed, awarding-winning, New York Times bestselling novelist David Hagberg, and renowned financial reporter Lawrence Light, have combined forces to dramatize— hour by hour—how this global collapse will go down. Expect to see them discussing this nightmare scenario on TV and podcasts.
In 36 hours, a small group of international business tycoons will obliterate the world economy. They have found allies in China, as the West has imposed economic sanctions that threaten to plunge their country into bankruptcy, and China is determined to fight fire with fire. Their hackers will shut down the East Coast electrical grid in unison with America’s economic meltdown, and mercenary hit teams will assassinate the heads of the three biggest Wall Street banks, along with the U.S. Treasury secretary.
Only one person spots a glitch in the US Stock Exchange computers: SEC computer expert Cindy David. Her warnings sound on deaf ears, however, and she only has time to inform her friend Hank Harris before she is kidnapped by the mercenaries.
A former Navy Seal turned FBI employee, Harris has a day and a half to unravel the plot, save the economy, and, most importantly to him, save his friend. Because once the crash starts to go down, nothing can be done to stop it. The Second Great Depression will begin.
David Hagberg is a former Air Force cryptographer who has spoken at CIA functions and published more than seventy novels of suspense, including the bestselling Allah’s Scorpion, Dance with the Dragon, and The Expediter.
Lawrence Light is an award-winning financial journalist who has worked for the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Money, Business Week, and CBS MoneyWatch. He now serves as treasurer and a national board member of Mystery Writers of America.
Readers looking to pre-order Crash can do so here, though I am told that the publication date could change as we get closer to 2020, so make sure to check back for additional updates in the coming months.
Praised as “one of today’s finest book reviewers” by New York Times bestselling author Gayle Lynds, Ryan Steck (“The Godfather of the thriller genre” — Ben Coes) has “quickly established himself as the authority on mysteries and thrillers” (Author A.J. Tata). Steck also works full-time as a freelance editor and pens a monthly thriller column for CrimeReads. For more information, be sure to follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He currently lives in Southwest Michigan with his wife and their six children.