Going bust big time!

Following Robert Peston’s successful debut into political fiction literature in 2021, with The Whistleblower, which is set in 1997, his new offering commences in August 2007 but still features reporter Gil Peck, who now works as business editor for the BBC.

His former colleague at the Financial Chronicle, Jess Neeskens, is still a close friend and features strongly in this story which starts with Gil discovering problems at Banque de Maghreb, who have to freeze a fund heavily invested in ‘sub prime’ mortgages from US banks (does this ring a bell?). Soon Marilyn Krol, a director of the Bank of England, and on/off lover of Gil, is found hanged and Gill cannot accept the view of Assistant Met Commissioner, Kim Jansen, that it is suicide.

The plot developers with the potential collapse of NewGate Bank and the introduction of numerous politicians, the prime minister and former prime minister, high rolling financiers, corrupt bankers, and others, all set against the background of the looming financial collapse.

It is a fast paced and exciting story - a real page turner - my main criticism would be that, for me, there were just too many characters to be able to keep in my head, together with the position they hold and what their relationship is to the others, but much of this confusion is because right to the end we are unsure who are the really bad guys and who are just pursuing their own self interests.

I read this book from a pre-publication copy kindly supplied by the publisher, but this is an honest review with no concession to their generosity.


https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R1HL8T81BXPR6/ref=pe_1572281_66412651_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

A big thank you to Tracy and the publisher, Zaffre Books for issuing me with my review copy of the book and for inviting me to take part on the blog tour. (I am reading and reviewing this voluntarily and my review is my own and not biased in any way)

The Crash is the follow up to The Whistleblower and is set ten years later in 2007. Gil Peck is now a business editor on the BBC and getting on with his life following the events of the last book. When he receives a tip that a bank appears to be running out of money, he shares the news with the public which then causes panic as people struggle to try and withdraw their money… (does any of this sound familiar?!

Things again turn personal for Gil when his on/off long time lover Marilyn is found dead in an apparent suicide – Marilyn was a director the Bank of England and had been involved with a potential Bank of England bail out and Gil is convinced that something untoward has happened to her.

I really loved the sound of The Crash and it was just as good as I was hoping. It was incredibly fast paced which I pray for in books as it keeps my attention and Robert Peston doesn’t take his foot off the pedal for a moment. Although this is obviously a work of fiction, the politicians and old boys network sound very familiar. A lot of people in charge were at university together and come from very privileged backgrounds.

They are a sleazy group of humans that put profit, reputation and self preservation about all else and the author doesn’t really any punches about their behaviour, although I did at times think that Gil walked a fine line with his own behaviour…..! The people that pull the strings in the background aren’t necessarily the ones in charge and it was actually quite scary at times to read!

I raced through The Crash and couldn’t put it down especially towards the end, what a superb ending. I’m really hoping there will be more instalments featuring Gil and Jess.

‘The Crash’ is definitely what I class a ‘thinking man’s ‘ thriller! Packed full of details about the financial system and the crash of 2008 but not dumbed down for the reader. The author expects that his readers will have the ability to grasp complex systems, interrelated activities and how they relate to the overarching plot. However, he manages to explain them in terms that a layman with no prior knowledge will easily be able to understand them! But that should be no surprise to Robert’s readers and of course his viewers. This is the first book that I have read by the author but I will keep my eye out for what he brings out next!

This was a nail-biting and tense thriller that takes about around the financial crash of 2008 and it is a very authentic and realistic take on the events. Of course, this is due to the extensive experience the author brings to the table on this subject since it was himself who broke numerous stories about Northern Rock and the subprime banking crash. Here we find Gil Peck, an ambitious BBC reporter and author of his economics blog Peckonomics who is breaking the story about the coming melt down of the worlds economy. His big scoop is when he gets a tip-off about a northern bank losing their customer's money, setting off a run-off for the first time in modern banking history which culminates with the Bank of England stepping in to save the bank. When one of his closest friends and on and off again lover Marilyn Krol, a director at the Bank of England, is discovered in her home after committing suicide, Gil wonders if he should have been able to help her more. Gil doesn't believe that she would have done this and thinks she has been murdered and it has something to do with the crash. He decides to investigate with the help of his best friend and fellow reporter Jess but will they get to the truth in time…

I really liked Gil, he was determined to get the crux of the story no matter what but he was also concerned about hurting people in the process. Although he has his flaws, he was a great protagonist and maybe his flaws actually helped make him relatable. You can feel the pressure he is under, trying to get the next story, his mother's illness and then the death of Marilyn. Then having to navigate that bunch of killer sharks is bankers and politicians! Geez no wonder he needs a spa day! There is also the shadow of his sister’s death which he has never recovered from.

You will definitely be able to work out who the characters are based upon quite easily if you like your politics. It made me feel as a reader that I was getting a peak behind the curtain at this world and how it operates. It certainly is a world where power rules!

Let me know if you pick this one up.

This is book 2 in the series - the first being The Whistleblower - so for maximum enjoyment, you might want to read that first. I would recommend you do as it is referenced herein.
So we are now in 2007 and Gil is still a Journalist. As we catch up with him, he has just received a tip that a small bank is about to run out of money. So he does what any journalist worth his salt would do - he writes and publishes a report. And you can imagine what this sparks off... Dozens upon hundreds of people all flocking to withdraw their cash - which only compounds the issue. Disaster...
And then, the next day, Marilyn Krol, a director of the Bank of England, commits suicide. At least that's what it appears to be.
This throws Gil into torment as not only does he feel a bit guilty about the Bank run he sparked, but he also feels responsible for Marilyn's death - the two being very close. Although he can't believe it was suicide.
And then whispers start coming out about people who have gained more than they should have in the Bank's demise... And Gil starts to debate the whole ethos of journalism... Was he simply being used...?
This book mirrors what actually happened within the subprime mortgage market - which I remember the fallout of quite well. It also questions the use of the media by people in power for their own ends and means. This is also something I see quite a lot these days, especially by politicians "leaking" stuff to friendlies to gauge the public interest prior to announcing in the House. If only the Speaker would really get to grips with this, but that's by the by.
I already liked Gil when I first met him in The Whistleblower, and or relationship blossoms through this book too. I also like Peston's style of writing. How he writes very intelligent, detailed, stories but manages to get the crux across in layman's terms without patronising the reader.
For those who follow politics there are some familiar characters to be found along the way. We also have the politics of the BBC and their hierarchy to contend with! All very familiar stuff , again if you are politically aware.
The story is gripping and held my attention nicely all the way through, culminating in a wholly satisfying conclusion.
All in all, a cracking follow up outing for Gil Peck. Although I did reference the series at the start of my review, The two books do not appear to be linked as a such, but I am very much looking forward to catching up with him in his next outing. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

It's a thriller but it's also a thought provoking book that tells about the financial crisis of the end of last decade.
There's a mix of facts and fiction, there's a harsh picture of the world of the master of the universe and the politician who were supporting them.
A tense and fast paced story, well plotted and gripping.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Not sure how autobiographical this novel is - it’s written with an intimate knowledge of how government and the city work together or not. Gil Peck is obviously based on Peston - but how much is accurate ( OCD, family etc) , I don’t know. The story centres around the banking crash of 2008, what and who caused it. I found myself trying to equate people, companies and places to the real world. There is enough to suggest most of this is true-ish. As a window on the machinations of business, it is illuminating. There are obvious parallels to the Bullingdon Club in the Malmsey. I enjoyed the book as I can recall the crash and its ramifications. I have read the first in this series ( The Whistleblower) but this could be read as a standalone. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a prepublication ebook.

Robert Peston was the BBC Economics Editor at the time of the banking crisis in 2007/8 and now he uses that insider experience to pen a sequel to his new labour era novel 'The Whistleblower'. Real life journalists, banks, media moguls and bankers, politicians and spinners are very lightly fictionalised as characters in this thriller set on the background of the UK economic crash nearly 15 years ago..
The alternative reality of using real people as the heroes and villains as our fictional hero Gil Peck, like Peston, the BBC Economics Editor narrator tries to discover whether his lover, Marilyn , a Bank of England Director, really commited suicide and if so why, distracts from the narrative and seems lazy, allowing for two dimensional characterisation rather than convincing authenticity of the plot. Despite this I was genuinely gripped in places by the story and touched by the relationship Gil had with his parents, although I was bemused by the frequent references to the designers of the clothes Gil wears - was Peston paid for product placement or obsessed by labels? Thanks to the publishers for providing an ARC copy for review.

This is the first book by Robert Peston that I have red, I believe there is another book before this one The Whistleblower which has the same protagonist in it Gil Peck. If you like political dramas then this is a read for you. It is clear that the author is drawing on what he knows, blending truth with fiction which works well.

It’s 2007, Gil Peck is the Business editor for the BBC. He is a workaholic constantly attached to his mobile phone, he is ambitious and wants to go to the top. He is constantly looking out for the next big scoop something nice and juicy that he can really get his teeth into and report on it. But then sometimes you may have to be careful what you wish for. Peck hears a hint or maybe a little more than a hint that a bank may have run out of money, possibly due to some bad investments. Peck knows if one bank goes down others could follow. But no one is listening until they are when what he predicted happens. Will the Bank of England come to its rescue? But the day after this happens Peck is shocked to his core that Marilyn Krol the Director of Financial Stability is found dead in her apartment. The police say it is suicide but Peck doesn’t believe that. She was a long term friend and lover of his. But when Peck starts investigating he wonders did he really know Marilyn at all?

Jess Neesken who works for the Financial Chronicle is best friends with Peck she helps with his investigations. But Peck remembers the last time he spoke to Marilyn she had said “this thing is bigger than you think” what had she meant?

Not only is Peck dealing with all this but he also has his mum to worry about as she has been going through cancer treatment, he has also never got over the murder of his sister Clare, no one had ever been caught for her death.

This is an interesting read with corruption, sociopaths, greed, privileged people who think nothing of spending £6000 on a bottle of wine. The characters are all well developed you can almost picture some of them talking. But had Peck been set up over the bank crashing?

This is a well written well paced read, I found the introducing chapters at times a little confusing but once the story got going the pace picked up and by the ending chapters the tension was ramped up. I would highly recommend this read.

Thank you to @netgalley and @ZaffreBooks for my copy of this in exchange for an honest unbiased review, all thoughts and opinions are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

Wonderful! I love the way Peston writes, he has such a clear style. The narrative flows so well.

We return to the world of Gil Peck, a BBC journalist. This time he is embroiled in the world of the financial banking crisis. And those he loves the most suddenly come under attack.

Great characters, gripping plot, and as ever I feel I have managed to learn a lot while also never feeling that I am not reading a novel.

An enlightening read!

The Crash by Robert Peston is set in the alterative universe that Robert introduced in his previous book, The Whistleblower. An alternative history if you like of New Labour and the early noughties in the UK. Now ten years on and we're seeing how the fiscal crisis of 2007 started.

Gil Peck, is a likeable yet fractious character. He causes ripples wherever he goes. His dogged determination to uncover what is behind the death of his close personal friend leads him into situations that he risks his life in. He's focussed on finding that truth to the detriment at times of his friendships.

Robert has sprinkled the story with descriptions of lavish parties and expensive designer wear that the banking world id famous for. It's hard at time to not think of the Prime Ministers mentioned as being the ones who actually existed in the UK at this time. Indeed, if you were to tell me that this really happened, I'd believe him.

I don't usually read books by celebrities as I think there's better authors out there not getting the credit they deserve. Yet Robert Peston writes with an enjoyable and knowledgeable style. As a journalist he knows how to create a riveting story and as such I judge him on his words and not his name. This is a brilliant and exciting read that I really enjoyed.

I'm looking forward to Gil's adventures going forward. The coalition years would be interesting, although the Johson debacle would be unbelievable unless you'd lived through it. This series has mileage left in it and I can't wait to read what happens next.

Having read other novels from this author was looking forward to this one. Enjoyed the thriller and the cast of characters. Always written well.

The Crash by Robert Peston

Brutal, confusing, rude, fast paced, funny, outrageous, educational, sad ....just some of the words I feel that describe Gil Peck's latest outing in this extremely readable Robert Peston book. Don't worry about alot of the political, legal and banking terms used throughout - it all makes sense (well sort of), in the long run. How much is this book really about Peston, and not Peck? Ah! that is for you to decide! Very much looking forward to book three!

This book is brilliant, I enjoyed it even more than Robert Preston’s previous novel, The Whistleblower. Set just before the global banking crash of 2008, this is a story of corruption and greed in the banking world. Though it is fiction, there are great similarities between characters in the book and real life personalities, which makes it all the more entertaining. I absolutely loved it, and I hope there’s a third volume of Gil’s investigations to come.

I think we might all agree that Mr Peston is an intelligent, clever man who knows what he is talking about? If so, perhaps he would care to explain to his readers why he chooses to dumb down such an intelligently written book as The Crash with an avalanche of totally unnecessary expletives, for example, 70 variations of the f-word?

The Crash is, in its self, a fascinating and intelligent page-turner that starts from the base that its readers are able to understand long words and the book is to be commended for that reality. The number of parallels with real occurrences and real people is delightful and so well observed. All in all, the book gripped me from page one to page last and I believe it will do the same for you.

The follow up to The Whistleblower. As you might expect from the author both books are based on his understanding of the potential for political and business criminal activity. I hadn’t read the previous book but this read well as a stand-alone. Set in London in 2007 the main protagonist Gil Peck a business editor with the BBC who has received a tip that a small Northern bank is running out of money. Peston has used his own background to write what is a compelling and frightening story.

Briefly, after sharing the news about the bank in financial difficulties it causes a run on the bank and shortly afterwards Peck’s long time lover, who worked in the Bank of England, is found hanged. Determined to find the truth his investigation put him and his closest friend in mortal danger. Moving amongst the highest echelons of political society can he unearth the truth?

As someone who worked in banking for most of my career so much of this hit home. One hopes it was fictional but there could well be a grain of truth! Peston has written the financial details in a way that I’m sure can be easily understood by anyone, which isn’t easy. Peck is a character I loved to hate, he puts sensationalism before friends and family and is power driven like the people he is trying to bring down. A good financial/political thriller with exciting twists and turns this was an entertaining read. 4.5⭐️

This book is used on the financial and banking world and all the shenanigans and dealing that goes on within.
It is a very plausible plot between the world of high finance and politics. Maybe slightly autobiographical in as much as the author states the characters are amalgamations of people he has come across as a BBC journalist. Very good and looking forward to meeting our hero in another book.

This is an excellent insight into the 2007 financial crash, but, cleverly wrapped in a murder mystery and it really works.

The main character, Gil Peck, is business editor at the BBC and in addition to the journalistic insights, the storyline includes Gil’s romantic liaisons and his family dramas, all of which add fascinating layers to this well told tale.

Overall, I found it to be an interesting, multilayered political thriller that maintained my interest throughout.

Congratulations to the author and thanks to NetGalley and Ellie at Bonnier Books for the opportunity to preview.

Firstly, thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for offering an advanced copy, I really enjoyed Robert Preston’s second book.

This is fiction? Of course it is, but it really runs close to the events up to, during and after the 2007 financial crisis. Not just the plot also the fictional characters who seemed very close to the key players of the time. I was even starting to wonder if Gil was really Robert……. of course not! surely my imagination. This is what this book does to you by almost playing out parallel story lines in my mind. So I found this a different reading experience to many other fiction books and one I thoroughly enjoyed. Robert has a writing craft that retains interest throughout with a thrilling plot you can believe in. I can recommend this as a standalone book meaning having no connection to the events of the financial crisis or to play out a parallel comparison only in your imagination of course. If you are new to Robert Peston’s fiction I suggest starting with Whistleblower, although you can read in any order, as you will definitely want to move onto The Crash.

Author Robert Peston is acknowledged as one of Britain’s top political journalists and TV presenters, and he was the BBC economics editor at the time of the financial crisis, ‘The Crash’.

Blending fact and fiction, ‘The Crash’ gives a front row seat to the ins and outs of the financial crash of 2007 involving the Subprime Mortgage Market, when it looked like people’s savings were seriously at risk, and the banking industry was in danger of collapse.

Journalist Gil Peck is business editor at the BBC, and the biggest story of his career is about to be unveiled, as he has had special access to an unbelievable business scoop, one that will be exclusively revealed by him on his nightly TV show. He intends to blow the whistle on a funding crisis at one of the major banks, and it will mean he’s humiliating the opposition at the same time, something that will give him great satisfaction.

On the face of it things were looking good in the UK in 2007, it’s summer and the economy appears to be booming with the stock market near record highs. But Gil is about to blow the whistle on this smoke screen, with devastating consequences.

I enjoyed the fact that Peck’s personal life was given some prominence, his relationships with family and partners, lightening the seriousness of the storyline, as he’s dragged ever deeper into the rotten heart of politics, mainly involving former members of Oxbridge secret societies, but also Russian Oligarchs, all of whom lacked any kind of moral compass.

Things really began to kick off when Peck’s on off lover Marilyn dies in suspicious circumstances. Marilyn was in a commanding position at the Bank of England, which given the fact that the banking system is teetering on the edge and Peck has just revealed it to the world, is all just a bit too convenient.

The Crash is a very good political thriller with plenty of twists and turns with the tension building to create a great ending.

I was sent a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Wow! What a ride! Politics, plots, journos, shocks, fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat excitement! Absolutely loved it! Looking forward to Peston's next masterpiece. 10/10! Read it!

#NetGalley #TheCrash