逆向誘拐 (book)

There is something glamorous but even light-hearted about the setting.

In the fictional city of T, investment bankers work day and nights to push through an import funding round for a tech company. They may have all fancy degrees, but in the end, the work boils down to Excel sheets (on the junior end) and wining and dining clients (on the senior end).

The material rewards are significant, but described in a somewhat impersonal way. Late night drinking parties with (predictably) wild antics. An diamond engagement ring obtained on the cheap through a supplier through word of mouth.

Outside of the investment banks, flash mobs gather for unclear purposes: this was the 2010s when forums were still anonymous and the “internet crowd” was still distinct from the general population.

In this context, the plot twists and reveal at the end feels natural and satisfying. Everything seems slightly topsy-turvy: just like the erie period of calm after QE quelled the worst of the 2008 crash.