A Most Private Bank: Five days of greed, lies and murder in the Swiss world of hidden money Paperback – December 15, 2021

After coming to know and respect the author’s previous analytical publications, I was fairly surprised to know that his new work is actually a novel and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but after accepting the embarrassment of not being able to pronounce the foreign names in the first few chapters, the story definitely grew on me, you do want to know what happens next and this pushes you to read few extra pages each time.A pleasant read, an interesting set-up, and a climax that doesn’t disappoint.

Great read with a good balance of context and action. Wonderfully set in Zurich with a rich backstory and thrilling finale! Highly recommended!

First, let me say that I know Andreas Clenow as a writer from such action-packed thrillers as "Following the Trend: Diversified Managed Futures Trading" (which is seriously truly excellent), and from his trading and blog website. But as a fiction writer? You've got to be kidding! But I think somewhere along the way he read Matthew Carter's "The Banker Who Died", and said to himself "I can do better than that". (that book is another private Swiss bank action novel written by someone in the business, but not a read I'd particularly recommend). Based on that book, I wasn't expecting much. And the fact that this book appears to have been self-published (unless Equilateral Capital Management is a recent name change for Random House!), didn't add add to my initial expectations.So as I dug into the first chapter, at first my premonitions seemed warranted. I found the writing to be stilted, like you would expect from a technical writer out of his depth. And an immediate deep dive into the world of Swiss watches, which is a feature that runs throughout the book, didn't help. But as I read on, something happened. Actually, two somethings. First, the quality of the writing started to improve, or at least so it seemed to me. Maybe Andreas just needed to get his sea legs, or maybe I just needed to get used to his style of writing. And second, a gripping story started to emerge. In fact, as I read on, I started paying less attention to the writing, and more to the story, so I knew that the novel was growing on me. And not only was the plot line intriguing, but it was also fascinating to learn of some of the details of Swiss private banks, which are a world of their own. By the time I reached the end, I was charging full speed ahead, and raced to the satisfying conclusion at the finish. I even started to develop a (mild) interest in Swiss watches!When I started the book, I said to myself, "Andreas, don't quit your day job", and I still pretty much feel that way. But this first novel turned out to be much better than I expected, and I think that is a testament to the author's imagination, as well as his knowledge of the Swiss private banking system. Who knows, it may even be remotely possible that if he quits his day job, he won't have to starve!

Aside being a well written, and fun to read thriller - the book provides a window, probably theatrical, to the wor!d of Swiss finance and high roller bankers. Just as advertised. Wonderful book & highly recommended.

I enjoyed every chapter of this thriller, the insides of the private banking business all well decorated in the city of Zurich , are well described and support a story that developes over the course of a week at amazing speed. i hope there will be more book with Jim as a character, he has got all my sympathies

I received a complimentary digital copy of “ A Most Private Bank” through Net Galley in return for an honest review.The novel’s plot summary intrigued me: high level financial chicanery in a Swiss private bank in which both great amounts of money and people’s lives are at stake. As with most people , I knew almost nothing about the Swiss banking system, except that they exist for the fabulously rich who keep their wealth hidden and protected.Swiss private banks pride themselves on handling their client’s affairs, i. e., their money, with complete discretion. These banks are owned and run by a family and or some other closely associated people who are not responsible to any stockholders. As long as the forms are correctly filled in and the government rules adhered to, the provenance of the assets in the steel vaults is not their concern.Jim Dixon, an expat American ,is the head of a small trading concern in Switzerland. No longer able to work in Wall Street after his hedge fund fell awry of the SEC, he lives and works abroad. By Swiss standards his operation is not much, maybe in the tens of millions in assets in play. But he and his small staff is always looking for more.Then one rainy day a stunning young woman awaits him in his office. She identifies herself as Chris Rosenblum the daughter of an old friend, recently deceased. Of course she is beautifully dressed and coiffed as only the careless rich can be. She has a proposition: she wants Dixon to arrange the takeover over a Swiss family - owned private bank which is having problems due to some bad trades. As MS Rosenblum outlines her plan , his misgivings fade, especially as Chris offers a fee of five percent of the expected $100 million dollars involved. The prospect of a five million dollar fee eases his doubts , somewhat, just enough to get him started into a tangled and very dangerous affair.With that bit of an introduction, the story drew this reader in. While I knew nothing about the whole Swiss banking system, the author obviously does. He gives the reader just enough information to make everything believable. Dixon layers financial transactions , manipulations and players without ever losing the reader in unnecessary detail . The character of Jim Dixon is of a man who walks a fine line at the edges the legalities of the banking system, with the certain knowledge that everyone is out to get rich- or richer, since one can never have enough wealth. He is a fascinating character. Dixon is smart, but is he smart enough? His cocky self-assurance is barely covers the knowledge that the in waters he swims in “ …you are either become a shark, or. Become lunch.” Words to live by for as the novel unfolds , Dixon is swimming with some very dangerous waters indeed. He pushes himself to the edge, not knowing whom he can trust including the seductive Chris Rosenblum.“ A Most Private Bank” moves at a quick pace, with a finely constructed plot and a primary character who despite his flaws is a one the reader can root for. The climax is tautly done with nothing sure until the final page. Fans of classic film noir should recognize a heritage of “ The Maltese Falcon” , which is hardly a bad thing for a novel to have.Cautions: cynicism , amorality, drug use and greed. All expected in a novel of high finance. One other thing— Jim Dixon has a fixation with very expensive, collector item Swiss watches. I wish I had written their names down to look them up, especially when in his world a current Rolex is low end déclassé.Recommended as a good, entertaining and worthwhile crime novel.

Swiss banks. Ugh. Just saying those words make you feel soiled; played. I don’t think the stigma surrounding Swiss banks will die down any time soon and, to be fair, they don’t help themselves.A Most Private Bank plays on the sordidness of the Swiss banking world and offers a fairly rare insight into a world that most of us will forever be on the outside of. Jim Dixon has already blotted his copybook. Persona non-grata in the States, Jim makes a comfortable living in Zürich but is not really a player. All that seems set to change when an attractive young lady approaches him with an audacious plan to buy a private Swiss bank. Could this be the big break that Jim has been waiting for? American diplomats, Russian gangsters, Swiss financiers, they all get a look in. There’s blood in the water and the sharks are moving in. No-one wants to be a small fish but some will, inevitably, end up as chum.The story keeps you wrong footed but what I enjoyed the most were the observations around power games, dress code and how to bluff your way out of a hole. The world of private banking thrives on appearances and some put on a stronger front than others.So, not just a crime novel, but a fascinating overview of what makes those Swiss gnomes tick.