KGB Banker by William Burton McCormick, John Christmas
What’s better than an espionage thriller spanning the world stage of finance and global geopolitics? How about one with a central protagonist who is not a CIA-Military-Superhero type, but simply an honest every-man who rises to the occasion? And to make this story even better, KGB Banker (Milford House Press) by William Burton McCormick and John Christmas is based on a true story.
WHEN A GOOD DEED TAKES YOU TO NEW PLACES
Bob Vanags is a widowed banker, raising his son, David, in the suburbs of Park Ridge, Chicago. Vanags is also considered to be an honest man, but honesty may be his greatest weakness, at least as far as his employer is concerned.
Face to face with a highly connected and unscrupulous customer, Vanags turns down a large loan request, an opportunity his employer does not miss. But the same day he declines the loan, Vanags’ luck seems to turn around for the better when he is contacted by a headhunter with a juicy job offer in Latvia, part of the former Soviet Union, and the country from where Vanags’ parents emigrated. The position is with Turaida, Latvia’s biggest bank and a significant player in the Baltic region, awarding billions in loans to businesses throughout Latvia, Estonia, Belarus and Ukraine.
AN OPPORTUNITY GONE WRONG
Looking to reset his life while also exploring his roots, Vanags and his son, David, move to Riga, Latvia’s capital. But Vanags realizes almost immediately that not everything at Turaida is on the level. Several people, including his predecessor, have died or disappeared under questionable circumstances. And the rules of legitimate global banking don’t seem to apply to Turaida. Billions of questionable loans have been awarded to a small handful of shell corporations, seemingly controlled by several murderous Russian Oligarchs.
Struggling with his conscience and worried about the safety of his son, Vanags finally decides to blow the whistle on Turaida, and his world turns completely upside-down. Bob and David must run for their lives as lovers become enemies and enemies become friends. Add in a fearless Latvian journalist, willing to risk her life to help Vanags tell his story to the world, and nothing is as it seems.
A STORY THAT WAS TOO CLOSE TO HOME
McCormick and Christmas have a deep understanding of the business and political dynamics of the Baltic region. This knowledge serves them well as they team up to tell a story based on Christmas’ experience as a whistleblower. The writing is crisp and clean, moving the story forward at a brisk pace, and the plot never threatens to go off the rails into needless backstories or selfish writerly contortions. KGB Banker was an enjoyable story and well worth the read.
About William Burton McCormick:
William Burton McCormick is a Thriller, Shamus, Derringer, Silver Falchion and Claymore awards finalist whose fiction regularly appears in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, The Saturday Evening Post and elsewhere. A native of Nevada, William lived decades in Latvia, Estonia and Ukraine, the key settings of KGB Banker.
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About John Christmas:
John Christmas is a former banker whose career ended when his whistleblowing against his employer was covered up by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. He earned a BA at Dartmouth College and an MBA at Cornell University. His experiences as a whistleblower inspired KGB Banker.
