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Montecristo
Ein Personenschaden in einem Intercity und zwei zufällig entdeckte Hundertfrankenscheine mit identischer Seriennummer: Auf den ersten Blick haben sie nichts miteinander zu tun. Auf den zweiten Blick schon. Videojournalist Jonas Brand ahnt bald, dass es sich nur um die Spitze eines Eisbergs handelt. Ein aktueller, hochspannender Thriller aus der Welt der Banker, Börsenhändler, Journalisten und Politiker – das abgründige Szenario eines folgenreichen Finanzskandals.
310 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2015
About the author
Martin Suter
53 books736 followersMartin Suter is a Swiss author. He became known for his weekly column Business Class in the Weltwoche newspaper (1992–2004), now appearing in the Tages-Anzeiger, and another column appearing in "NZZ Folio". Suter has published seven novels, for which he received various awards. He is married and lives in Spain and Guatemala.
[from Wikipedia]
[from Wikipedia]
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
June 17, 2017
This is an interesting thriller set in the opaque world of banking in Switzerland and makes use of the contemporary global banking failures. It is set primarily in Zurich, where a 40 year old, divorced Jonas Brand lives, working as a video journalist. He works for the lower end of the commercial sector that revolves around stories of celebrities, but occasionally flirts with the idea of being a more serious news journalist. He happens to be travelling on a train where a man appears to have jumped off and died, he begins to video the aftermath of the suicide on the passengers and the train. It later emerges the man who died is a banker. He moves on from the train footage, and dramatically finds himself with two banknotes with the exact same serial numbers, which theoretically should have been impossible.
The banknotes are identified as legal tender and neither are fakes according to Herr Weber, Jonas's bank manager. Jonas decides to follow the story with the invaluable help of his friend Max Gantmann, only to find his home burgled and he is mugged. As Jonas digs deeper, the story unexpectedly connects with the banker's suicide on the train, and indeed, suspicions as to whether what occured was a suicide. Jonas's personal life begins to flourish as he connects with Marina, a woman he becomes serious about. The title of the novel, Montecristo, refers to a pet project of Jonas's, he dreams of becoming a film director, and has the idea of a reinterpretation of the Count of Monte Cristo. However, his idea has been panned by the arts funding groups when right out of the blue, he secures funding. With his attention firmly on directing his film, he makes a decision to forget his other investigation until events take an ever more sinister turn with echoes from the plot of Montecristo.
This novel extrapolates on banking being too big to fail when governments came to their rescue at the expense of the rest of society in recent times. Jonas makes an amiable, at times bumbling, central character, working in the humdrum sector of celebrity lives whilst aspiring to be so much more. Well, he gets his wish for a more exciting if much more dangerous life as he pursues his important and serious story, only to be taken aback by murders, betrayal and the threats to his life. A story of the real politick behind the banking industry and the forces in government who are prepared to support the industry no matter what. An entertaining and fast paced read which I enjoyed. Many thanks to Oldcastle books for an ARC.
The banknotes are identified as legal tender and neither are fakes according to Herr Weber, Jonas's bank manager. Jonas decides to follow the story with the invaluable help of his friend Max Gantmann, only to find his home burgled and he is mugged. As Jonas digs deeper, the story unexpectedly connects with the banker's suicide on the train, and indeed, suspicions as to whether what occured was a suicide. Jonas's personal life begins to flourish as he connects with Marina, a woman he becomes serious about. The title of the novel, Montecristo, refers to a pet project of Jonas's, he dreams of becoming a film director, and has the idea of a reinterpretation of the Count of Monte Cristo. However, his idea has been panned by the arts funding groups when right out of the blue, he secures funding. With his attention firmly on directing his film, he makes a decision to forget his other investigation until events take an ever more sinister turn with echoes from the plot of Montecristo.
This novel extrapolates on banking being too big to fail when governments came to their rescue at the expense of the rest of society in recent times. Jonas makes an amiable, at times bumbling, central character, working in the humdrum sector of celebrity lives whilst aspiring to be so much more. Well, he gets his wish for a more exciting if much more dangerous life as he pursues his important and serious story, only to be taken aback by murders, betrayal and the threats to his life. A story of the real politick behind the banking industry and the forces in government who are prepared to support the industry no matter what. An entertaining and fast paced read which I enjoyed. Many thanks to Oldcastle books for an ARC.
June 11, 2016
An intelligent, well-written financial thriller with a plot that's not just a whole lot of fun, but actually makes sense.
I know, I know: as Mark Twain's yokel said when he saw the giraffe, there ain't no such animal. It's not like I expect you to believe me.
I know, I know: as Mark Twain's yokel said when he saw the giraffe, there ain't no such animal. It's not like I expect you to believe me.
June 3, 2017
Montecristo is about a video journalist in Zurich, approaching his 40s, who finds his artistic aspirations in conflict with his involvement in the murky world of corporate interests and Big Money. As a video journalist in Zurich approaching my 40s and finding etc etc, I must admit this all seemed a little close to home. Fortunately, there were a few differences.
Jonas Brand, the hero of this story, is catapulted into adventure by two events: a stockbroker apparently jumping to his death from a train Jonas is on; and, secondly, coming into possession of two hundred-frank notes with identical serial numbers. My train journeys, by contrast, are generally marked by nothing more exciting than a vague uncertainty over whether the girl opposite me is wearing a skirt or culottes, while the likelihood of my having CHF200 in cash about my person is so low that duplicate serial numbers are the least of my worries.
This is a decently exciting story and most of the incidental details rang pretty true to me, although there were a couple of minor infelicities in Jamie Bulloch's translation: video journalists do not refer to their cameras as ‘camcorders’, and nor do they generally talk about their films as ‘reportages’. I was also highly amused to read that Jonas, as a VJ who occasionally includes himself in his reports, was recognised twice in the course of five pages, and even secured an apartment rental on the strength of his fame! Ha! I was on television daily for about ten years and was recognised precisely once, by a guy at the Lincoln city dump. I guess I found my audience…
Although a lot of this was good fun to read, and the underlying tale of financial misdemeanours was convincing enough, the whole thing did seem to hinge on a very implausible coincidence, and the pointedly cynical dénouement struck me as unlikely in the extreme. Jonas himself is an amiable central character, and his grizzled old-hack mentor is absolutely true to life; his girlfriend, though, is a sex object straight from central casting, who might have been easier to enjoy if there had been a couple of other more well-rounded women about to compare her with. Like a lot of thrillers (I find), the prose has a lot of weirdly unnecessary detail along the lines of He pushed his '99 Audio Quattro 2.1l into fifth gear and merged with traffic heading southbound on the A3…this one kept dropping into these pointless extreme close-ups during conversation:
So much busywork in the writing – just get on with it! Still, I'm not going to pretend this is a some big disaster, because it isn't. It reads well, the story bombs along at a good old clip, and the moody descriptions of Zurich do great work in cementing the city's reputation as the home of shadowy elites and dodgy backroom banking. Everyone's in on the conspiracy, and no one can be trusted: certainly if any commuters ever leap to their death from my train to work, I'll be packing this book in an overnight bag and heading straight for the border, ‘camcorder’ in tow.
Jonas Brand, the hero of this story, is catapulted into adventure by two events: a stockbroker apparently jumping to his death from a train Jonas is on; and, secondly, coming into possession of two hundred-frank notes with identical serial numbers. My train journeys, by contrast, are generally marked by nothing more exciting than a vague uncertainty over whether the girl opposite me is wearing a skirt or culottes, while the likelihood of my having CHF200 in cash about my person is so low that duplicate serial numbers are the least of my worries.
This is a decently exciting story and most of the incidental details rang pretty true to me, although there were a couple of minor infelicities in Jamie Bulloch's translation: video journalists do not refer to their cameras as ‘camcorders’, and nor do they generally talk about their films as ‘reportages’. I was also highly amused to read that Jonas, as a VJ who occasionally includes himself in his reports, was recognised twice in the course of five pages, and even secured an apartment rental on the strength of his fame! Ha! I was on television daily for about ten years and was recognised precisely once, by a guy at the Lincoln city dump. I guess I found my audience…
Although a lot of this was good fun to read, and the underlying tale of financial misdemeanours was convincing enough, the whole thing did seem to hinge on a very implausible coincidence, and the pointedly cynical dénouement struck me as unlikely in the extreme. Jonas himself is an amiable central character, and his grizzled old-hack mentor is absolutely true to life; his girlfriend, though, is a sex object straight from central casting, who might have been easier to enjoy if there had been a couple of other more well-rounded women about to compare her with. Like a lot of thrillers (I find), the prose has a lot of weirdly unnecessary detail along the lines of He pushed his '99 Audio Quattro 2.1l into fifth gear and merged with traffic heading southbound on the A3…this one kept dropping into these pointless extreme close-ups during conversation:
With his knife Jonas pushed some sauce onto a fork of risotto, chewed it carefully and took a sip of wine before asking the crucial question: ‘How long does it take…?’
So much busywork in the writing – just get on with it! Still, I'm not going to pretend this is a some big disaster, because it isn't. It reads well, the story bombs along at a good old clip, and the moody descriptions of Zurich do great work in cementing the city's reputation as the home of shadowy elites and dodgy backroom banking. Everyone's in on the conspiracy, and no one can be trusted: certainly if any commuters ever leap to their death from my train to work, I'll be packing this book in an overnight bag and heading straight for the border, ‘camcorder’ in tow.
November 19, 2021
For English version please scroll down
*************
Thriller aus der Schweizer Hochfinanz
Ein Trader der größten Schweizer Bank fällt aus einem Zug und stirbt. Der Lifestyle-Journalist Jonas Brand, der gern investigativer Journalist wäre, befindet sich zufällig im selben Zug und mach Filmaufnahmen. Relativ zeitgleich bemerkt eben jener Jonas Brand zufällig, dass er zwei 100 Franken-Scheine mit identischer Seriennummer in seinem Besitz hat.
Aus dieser Ausgangssituation entwickelt sich ein spannender Thriller, der mich nur deswegen nicht so richtig mitreissen konnte, da ich Finanz- und Bankenthemen nicht nur langweilig sondern häufig richtiggehend abstossend im Sinne von unmoralisch finde. Die Langeweile hat mir Suter mit ziemlich viel Verschwörung und Mord und Totschlag schnell ausgetrieben, das Gefühl, dass hier was Unappetitliches passiert jedoch nicht. Das Ende der Geschichte war extrem realistisch, für mich jedoch äußerst unbefriedigend.
Das war kein schlechtes Buch, denn Suter schreibt keine schlechten Bücher, aber es hat mir weniger Lesevergnügen bereitet als andere Werke aus Suters Feder.
3 Sterne.
------------------
Thriller from Sitzerland’s finance world
A trader at the largest Swiss bank falls off a train and dies. Lifestyle journalist Jonas Brand, who would like to be an investigative journalist, happens to be on the same train and is filming things. At about the same time, this same Jonas Brand happens to notice that he has two 100 franc notes with identical serial numbers in his possession.
From this initial situation an exciting thriller develops, which just couldn't really get me carried away because I find financial and banking topics not only boring but often downright repulsive in the sense of immoral. Suter quickly eliminated my boredom with quite a lot of conspiracy and murder, but the feeling that something unsavory was happening here remained. The end of the story was extremely realistic, but extremely unsatisfactory to me.
That wasn't a bad book, because Suter doesn't write bad books, but it gave me less reading pleasure than other works from Suter's pen.
3 stars.
*************
Thriller aus der Schweizer Hochfinanz
Ein Trader der größten Schweizer Bank fällt aus einem Zug und stirbt. Der Lifestyle-Journalist Jonas Brand, der gern investigativer Journalist wäre, befindet sich zufällig im selben Zug und mach Filmaufnahmen. Relativ zeitgleich bemerkt eben jener Jonas Brand zufällig, dass er zwei 100 Franken-Scheine mit identischer Seriennummer in seinem Besitz hat.
Aus dieser Ausgangssituation entwickelt sich ein spannender Thriller, der mich nur deswegen nicht so richtig mitreissen konnte, da ich Finanz- und Bankenthemen nicht nur langweilig sondern häufig richtiggehend abstossend im Sinne von unmoralisch finde. Die Langeweile hat mir Suter mit ziemlich viel Verschwörung und Mord und Totschlag schnell ausgetrieben, das Gefühl, dass hier was Unappetitliches passiert jedoch nicht. Das Ende der Geschichte war extrem realistisch, für mich jedoch äußerst unbefriedigend.
Das war kein schlechtes Buch, denn Suter schreibt keine schlechten Bücher, aber es hat mir weniger Lesevergnügen bereitet als andere Werke aus Suters Feder.
3 Sterne.
------------------
Thriller from Sitzerland’s finance world
A trader at the largest Swiss bank falls off a train and dies. Lifestyle journalist Jonas Brand, who would like to be an investigative journalist, happens to be on the same train and is filming things. At about the same time, this same Jonas Brand happens to notice that he has two 100 franc notes with identical serial numbers in his possession.
From this initial situation an exciting thriller develops, which just couldn't really get me carried away because I find financial and banking topics not only boring but often downright repulsive in the sense of immoral. Suter quickly eliminated my boredom with quite a lot of conspiracy and murder, but the feeling that something unsavory was happening here remained. The end of the story was extremely realistic, but extremely unsatisfactory to me.
That wasn't a bad book, because Suter doesn't write bad books, but it gave me less reading pleasure than other works from Suter's pen.
3 stars.
June 20, 2017
Es war absolut perfekt...Und dann hat mich das Ende enttäuscht. Schade!
February 20, 2018
Είναι το πρώτο βιβλίο του Μάρτιν Ζούτερ που διαβάζω και δηλώνω απόλυτα ικανοποιημένος. Το αγόρασα με το που κυκλοφόρησε στα ελληνικά (πριν λίγες μέρες δηλαδή) και δεν άργησα να το πιάσω στα χέρια μου και να το ξεκοκαλίσω. Πρόκειται για ένα ιδιαίτερα απολαυστικό, εθιστικό και καλογραμμένο οικονομικό θρίλερ, που αναδεικνύει τον βρώμικο κόσμο των τραπεζιτών, των χρηματιστών, των πολιτικών και των δημοσιογράφων.
Όλα αρχίζουν με μια κατά τα φαινόμενα αυτοκτονία ενός αγνώστου, ο οποίος βούτηξε από κινούμενο τρένο. Σ'αυτό το τρένο βρισκόταν και ο βιντεοδημοσιογράφος Γιόνας Μπραντ, ο οποίος θα κινηματογραφήσει την βαριά ατμόσφαιρα του τρένου μετά το ατυχές συμβάν. Ο Μπραντ είναι ένας ελεύθερος δημοσιογράφος, που ονειρεύεται να γίνει σκηνοθέτης και να γυρίσει μια ταινία βασισμένη σ'ένα δικό του σενάριο με τον τίτλο "Μοντεχρίστο". Όμως, η ανακάλυψη δυο χαρτονομισμάτων με ίδιους σειριακούς αριθμούς -που οι υπάλληλοι της τράπεζάς του τον βεβαίωσαν άναυδοι ότι είναι απολύτως γνήσια-, όπως επίσης μια ληστεία στο σπίτι του και μια επίθεση που δέχεται στο δρόμο, θα αποτελέσουν την έναρξη κάποιων δυσάρεστων και επικίνδυνων καταστάσεων. Ο Μπραντ έχει ανακαλύψει κάτι που μπορεί να φέρει τα πάνω κάτω στην οικονομία της Ελβετίας...
Μιλάμε για ένα βιβλίο τριακοσίων σαράντα σελίδων, που ουσιαστικά διάβασα σε δυο δόσεις. Δεν ήξερα ποιο βιβλίο να διαβάσω, έπιασα αυτό, άρχισα να διαβάζω τις πρώτες σελίδες δοκιμαστικά, και μετά ούτε που κατάλαβα πότε έφτασα στη σελίδα εκατόν είκοσι. Μιλάμε για τρομερό κόλλημα. Η ιστορία περιέχει μυστήριο, κάποιες εκπλήξεις, μπόλικο σασπένς, καθώς και λίγη δράση. Η γραφή είναι πάρα πολύ καλή, ευκολοδιάβαστη και εθιστική, με ωραίες περιγραφές και φυσικούς διαλόγους. Μπορεί να έχει μικρά προβληματάκια στην πλοκή ή τους χαρακτήρες, όμως χωρίς αμφιβολία πρόκειται για ένα ιδιαίτερα ψυχαγωγικό και έξυπνο οικονομικό θρίλερ. Επίσης, δεν μπορεί να παραβλέψει κανείς τον κυνισμό που κρύβεται πίσω από την όλη ιστορία. Το προτείνω!
Όλα αρχίζουν με μια κατά τα φαινόμενα αυτοκτονία ενός αγνώστου, ο οποίος βούτηξε από κινούμενο τρένο. Σ'αυτό το τρένο βρισκόταν και ο βιντεοδημοσιογράφος Γιόνας Μπραντ, ο οποίος θα κινηματογραφήσει την βαριά ατμόσφαιρα του τρένου μετά το ατυχές συμβάν. Ο Μπραντ είναι ένας ελεύθερος δημοσιογράφος, που ονειρεύεται να γίνει σκηνοθέτης και να γυρίσει μια ταινία βασισμένη σ'ένα δικό του σενάριο με τον τίτλο "Μοντεχρίστο". Όμως, η ανακάλυψη δυο χαρτονομισμάτων με ίδιους σειριακούς αριθμούς -που οι υπάλληλοι της τράπεζάς του τον βεβαίωσαν άναυδοι ότι είναι απολύτως γνήσια-, όπως επίσης μια ληστεία στο σπίτι του και μια επίθεση που δέχεται στο δρόμο, θα αποτελέσουν την έναρξη κάποιων δυσάρεστων και επικίνδυνων καταστάσεων. Ο Μπραντ έχει ανακαλύψει κάτι που μπορεί να φέρει τα πάνω κάτω στην οικονομία της Ελβετίας...
Μιλάμε για ένα βιβλίο τριακοσίων σαράντα σελίδων, που ουσιαστικά διάβασα σε δυο δόσεις. Δεν ήξερα ποιο βιβλίο να διαβάσω, έπιασα αυτό, άρχισα να διαβάζω τις πρώτες σελίδες δοκιμαστικά, και μετά ούτε που κατάλαβα πότε έφτασα στη σελίδα εκατόν είκοσι. Μιλάμε για τρομερό κόλλημα. Η ιστορία περιέχει μυστήριο, κάποιες εκπλήξεις, μπόλικο σασπένς, καθώς και λίγη δράση. Η γραφή είναι πάρα πολύ καλή, ευκολοδιάβαστη και εθιστική, με ωραίες περιγραφές και φυσικούς διαλόγους. Μπορεί να έχει μικρά προβληματάκια στην πλοκή ή τους χαρακτήρες, όμως χωρίς αμφιβολία πρόκειται για ένα ιδιαίτερα ψυχαγωγικό και έξυπνο οικονομικό θρίλερ. Επίσης, δεν μπορεί να παραβλέψει κανείς τον κυνισμό που κρύβεται πίσω από την όλη ιστορία. Το προτείνω!
September 12, 2023
Jonas Brand verdient seinen Lebensunterhalt als freischaffender Videojournalist für die Boulevard-Presse. Für ihn dient dieser Job nur zur Überbrückung, bis sein Filmprojekt "Montecristo" realisiert werden kann - nur leider hat keiner der Geldgeber Interesse daran. Zwei Zufälle lassen Brand in eine Sache hineinschlittern, die größer und gefährlicher ist, als er ahnt: Ein toter Fahrgast in einem Pendlerzug und zwei Hundertfrankenscheine mit identischer Seriennummer. Außerdem tritt Marina Ruiz in sein Leben, in die er sich Hals über Kopf verliebt.
Ein Wirtschaftskrimi in guter alter Suter-Manier - genau das ist "Montecristo". Hier gibt es alles, was ein solider Roman von Martin Suter beinhalten muss: Ein etwas verlorener Protagonist, eine schöne neue Partnerin, die Züricher Upperclass, ausgefallene Settings, sehr gutes Essen und eine gehörige Portion Spannung. Ich mag die Bücher des Autors immer gerne, man weiß schon vorher, was man bekommen wird und Suter liefert auch hier. Vielleicht hätte ich mir ein etwas anderes Ende gewünscht und ein kleines bisschen weniger Vorhersehbarkeit - alles in allem aber ein tolles Urlaubsbuch, das ich jedoch eher für die Wintermonate empfehlen würde (es schneit sehr viel!).
Ein Wirtschaftskrimi in guter alter Suter-Manier - genau das ist "Montecristo". Hier gibt es alles, was ein solider Roman von Martin Suter beinhalten muss: Ein etwas verlorener Protagonist, eine schöne neue Partnerin, die Züricher Upperclass, ausgefallene Settings, sehr gutes Essen und eine gehörige Portion Spannung. Ich mag die Bücher des Autors immer gerne, man weiß schon vorher, was man bekommen wird und Suter liefert auch hier. Vielleicht hätte ich mir ein etwas anderes Ende gewünscht und ein kleines bisschen weniger Vorhersehbarkeit - alles in allem aber ein tolles Urlaubsbuch, das ich jedoch eher für die Wintermonate empfehlen würde (es schneit sehr viel!).
March 27, 2018
Ich fand die Idee des Roman ziemlich gut. Ein Video-Journalist, der sich "vorübergehend" mit Lifestyle über Wasser hält (bzw scheinbar ganz gut davon lebt), stürzt zufällig in eine riesen Verschwörung.
An der Umsetzung hat mich jedoch einiges gestört:
Als jemand der ab und an in Interviews mal kurz auftaucht, wird der Protagonist zu oft erkannt, das ist schon ziemlich unrealistisch und auch wenn es nur eine Nebensache ist, hat es mich doch irgendwie gestört.
Zudem ist es schon ein extremer Zufall, dass 2 Teile eines Puzzles zufällig genau bei ihm landen und er eine Verbindung herstellen kann. Das ist alles etwas unrealistisch und passt einfach zu gut zusammen, dafür, dass es zufällig passiert. Ins Detail gehe ich unten (Achtung Spoiler). Trotzdem ließ sich die Geschichte gut lesen, sie war sogar ein bisschen spannend, das Ende hat mich jedoch völlig enttäuscht und das ganze Buch für mich ruiniert. Ich war nach der letzten Seite unzufrieden und genervt und auch wenn ich zuvor beim Lesen Spaß hatte - das letzte Gefühl ist nun mal das prägenste.
Die Gründe ebenfalls unten.
An der Umsetzung hat mich jedoch einiges gestört:
Als jemand der ab und an in Interviews mal kurz auftaucht, wird der Protagonist zu oft erkannt, das ist schon ziemlich unrealistisch und auch wenn es nur eine Nebensache ist, hat es mich doch irgendwie gestört.
Zudem ist es schon ein extremer Zufall, dass 2 Teile eines Puzzles zufällig genau bei ihm landen und er eine Verbindung herstellen kann. Das ist alles etwas unrealistisch und passt einfach zu gut zusammen, dafür, dass es zufällig passiert. Ins Detail gehe ich unten (Achtung Spoiler). Trotzdem ließ sich die Geschichte gut lesen, sie war sogar ein bisschen spannend, das Ende hat mich jedoch völlig enttäuscht und das ganze Buch für mich ruiniert. Ich war nach der letzten Seite unzufrieden und genervt und auch wenn ich zuvor beim Lesen Spaß hatte - das letzte Gefühl ist nun mal das prägenste.
Die Gründe ebenfalls unten.
May 27, 2020
Θα μπορουσε να είναι και 5 στα 5 , παρ'όλα αυτά 4/5 ! Μου άφησε καποια ερωτήματα αναπάντητα (οχι μεγάλης σημασίας για να αξίζει μικρότερη βαθμολογία) Δυνατή πλοκή!
April 8, 2016
Montecristo – Switzerland Suddenly Got Interesting
Montecristo is the latest book by Swiss based author Martin Suter to be translated in to English, a thriller that suddenly makes Switzerland look rather interesting. Montecristo is a thriller that plunges the reader in to the world of money and high society, with a side line in politics and murder. If you like a good old fashioned conspiracy thriller than this may just be the book for you.
Video Journalist and wannabee film director Jonas Brand is on a train from Zurich heading towards Basel when there is an emergency incident and a passenger has thrown themselves from the train. Jonas films the aftermath but does not really think much about it. Especially as nobody would be interested in the suicide of a Banker.
In a strange coincidence Jonas comes in to possession of two 100 franc notes with identical serial numbers and thinks this would make an interesting investigation. What he does not expect as he begins his inquiries that his long dead film project is brought back to life and he thinks he needs to put his investigation on the back burner.
He tells a former colleague about the two notes who happens to encourage him to keep the investigation live, which he does to an extent. Everybody around Jonas is telling him he needs to concentrate on the film, while his house is broken in to, he is mugged and while away location hunting all most set up as a drug mule.
While Jonas loves his new world of being a film director he cannot escape the investigation he has started and feels like that he is under observation. As he tries to continue his investigation he is shown a world where money talks, politics and the police seem to support the financial system.
As Jonas Brand investigates throughout this thriller we enter a world little known to many where the web of politics, finance and media are interwoven. The thriller breaks the dream of Switzerland of being the land of money, chocolate and cuckoo clocks, it becomes a place on intrigue where exciting things do happen.
Montecristo is an excellent thriller without all the boring details of finance while being about finance and whether some banks are too big to be allowed to fail. What would the world’s governments really do to protect their economies and whether they would kill to protect the status quo. This is the world Montecristo is based on and helps to make this thriller an enjoyable read, this really is an exciting and entertaining read.
Montecristo is the latest book by Swiss based author Martin Suter to be translated in to English, a thriller that suddenly makes Switzerland look rather interesting. Montecristo is a thriller that plunges the reader in to the world of money and high society, with a side line in politics and murder. If you like a good old fashioned conspiracy thriller than this may just be the book for you.
Video Journalist and wannabee film director Jonas Brand is on a train from Zurich heading towards Basel when there is an emergency incident and a passenger has thrown themselves from the train. Jonas films the aftermath but does not really think much about it. Especially as nobody would be interested in the suicide of a Banker.
In a strange coincidence Jonas comes in to possession of two 100 franc notes with identical serial numbers and thinks this would make an interesting investigation. What he does not expect as he begins his inquiries that his long dead film project is brought back to life and he thinks he needs to put his investigation on the back burner.
He tells a former colleague about the two notes who happens to encourage him to keep the investigation live, which he does to an extent. Everybody around Jonas is telling him he needs to concentrate on the film, while his house is broken in to, he is mugged and while away location hunting all most set up as a drug mule.
While Jonas loves his new world of being a film director he cannot escape the investigation he has started and feels like that he is under observation. As he tries to continue his investigation he is shown a world where money talks, politics and the police seem to support the financial system.
As Jonas Brand investigates throughout this thriller we enter a world little known to many where the web of politics, finance and media are interwoven. The thriller breaks the dream of Switzerland of being the land of money, chocolate and cuckoo clocks, it becomes a place on intrigue where exciting things do happen.
Montecristo is an excellent thriller without all the boring details of finance while being about finance and whether some banks are too big to be allowed to fail. What would the world’s governments really do to protect their economies and whether they would kill to protect the status quo. This is the world Montecristo is based on and helps to make this thriller an enjoyable read, this really is an exciting and entertaining read.
March 23, 2016
Este es uno de esos libros que me asombran más por la editorial en la que se publican que cualquier otra cosa. ¿Por qué lo publica "Libros del Asteroide"? Parece más un thriller de Alfaguara.
Porque es lo que es: un thriller bastante convencional. No es malo, de hecho es fácil de leer y consigue hacer entretenido un tema como el mundo financiero, pero tampoco es la gran cosa. Es muy cinematográfico. Mucho. Tanto que el protagonista de la novela podría dirigirla.
Mientras lo leía tenía una sensación extraña, como si no llegara a creerme del todo la historia. No existe nada increible per se, todo, de hecho, parece veraz, y sin embargo noto su verosimilitud gaseosa, como si fuera imposible. Tal vez sea porque el autor usa la táctica Hitchcock para crear tensión: el lector tiene más información que el protagonista. Lo cual hace que a veces el protagonista parezca tonto o demasiado inocente. Y no es cierto. Pensándolo fríamente, Jonas no deja de ser una persona normal en mitad de hechos "extraordinarios" (o tal vez más ordinarios de lo que pensamos en el mundo capitalista) que se comporta como lo haría cualquiera.
O tal vez no. Yo qué sé.
Para mí es un libro que pretende ser entretenido, para pasar el rato. Incluso aunque trate de colarte cierto mensaje, no llega a profundizar demasiado en ello. Es meramente superficial. Si hay alguien que espere algo más, probablemente se sientan decepcionados. Y no es un mal libro. Pero tampoco creo que sea algo más que un thriller convencional.
Porque es lo que es: un thriller bastante convencional. No es malo, de hecho es fácil de leer y consigue hacer entretenido un tema como el mundo financiero, pero tampoco es la gran cosa. Es muy cinematográfico. Mucho. Tanto que el protagonista de la novela podría dirigirla.
Mientras lo leía tenía una sensación extraña, como si no llegara a creerme del todo la historia. No existe nada increible per se, todo, de hecho, parece veraz, y sin embargo noto su verosimilitud gaseosa, como si fuera imposible. Tal vez sea porque el autor usa la táctica Hitchcock para crear tensión: el lector tiene más información que el protagonista. Lo cual hace que a veces el protagonista parezca tonto o demasiado inocente. Y no es cierto. Pensándolo fríamente, Jonas no deja de ser una persona normal en mitad de hechos "extraordinarios" (o tal vez más ordinarios de lo que pensamos en el mundo capitalista) que se comporta como lo haría cualquiera.
O tal vez no. Yo qué sé.
Para mí es un libro que pretende ser entretenido, para pasar el rato. Incluso aunque trate de colarte cierto mensaje, no llega a profundizar demasiado en ello. Es meramente superficial. Si hay alguien que espere algo más, probablemente se sientan decepcionados. Y no es un mal libro. Pero tampoco creo que sea algo más que un thriller convencional.
October 21, 2015
Jonas Brand -un videorreportero suizo asentado en la cuarentena que, a pesar de los escollos logísticos que se le presentan, mantiene viva su esperanza de erigirse como cineasta de éxito- viaja en el vagón restaurante de un Intercity con destino a Basilea cuando de repente el vehículo sufre una parada de emergencia: hay un cadáver obstaculizando las vías. Pocos días después, Jonas descubre de manera fortuita la existencia de dos billetes de cien francos con el mismo número de serie y a partir de ahí comienza a establecer pequeñas conexiones entre ambos sucesos. En un mundo -el de las finanzas- aventado por tipos de interés variable, especulaciones y una flagrante adulteración informativa, Brand se erige como un antihéroe necesario sobre el que recae la responsabilidad de intranquilizar nuestras conciencias. Su personalidad carismática, sus simpáticos escarceos románticos y el continuo empuje de sus sueños frustrados hacen de él un personaje un tanto trágico y por el que no cuesta ningún trabajo mostrar empatía. Si a todo esto le añades un desarrollo argumental atractivo, sorprendente y, por momentos, emocionante, obtienes como resultado un estupendo thriller conspirativo que arroja una nueva luz sobre la fragilidad del sistema económico y cuyo final inquieta y llama a la reflexión.
September 23, 2015
Von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite ein spannendes Buch. Martin Suter arbeitet in allen seinen Werken mit ähnlichen Schemata. Mit "Montecristo" durchbricht er diese zwar nur ansatzweise, doch die Geschichte ist so brillant recherchiert und erzählt, dass dies der Gesamtbewertung nichts abtut. Suter hat mit der Wahl des Themas nicht nur den Nerv der Zeit getroffen, sondern sich dem Konzept "too big to fail" eine völlig neue Bedeutung zugeschrieben. Nebst "der letzte Weynfeldt" sein, meiner Ansicht nach, bestes Werk!
June 20, 2019
Thriller set around ZURICH (a customer incident is all it takes...)
As the book opens, a Swiss train on its way to Basel comes to a grinding halt due to a customer incident. A body has been seen flying from the train. Jonas Brand, a video journalist, happens to be on board and starts filming…. it transpires that it is the body of über-successful stock trader Paulo Contini.
After this dreadful event, Jonas continues with his life as normal, hooking up with new girlfriend Marina and dithering between his desire to become an investigative film maker and doing what he actually does very well, to wit, film social events for the celebrity TV programme Highlife. His mentor Max Gantmann keeps chastising him for taking the easy path and not fulfilling his potential.
Montecristo is the name of the screenplay that Jonas has written, its main protagonist has been shafted by his colleagues at work and he finds himself banged up in Bang Kwang Central Prison in Thailand, accused of drug smuggling (the title, of course, is a nod to the Alexandre Dumas novel The Count of Monte Cristo, who was incarcerated and then escaped). Brand has, however, set this project to one side, as he has approached various film companies time after time but been roundly rebuffed.
Thus a portrait of an average Swiss citizen is formed. What could possibly go wrong in his life? Well, his discovery of two identical 100 SWF notes for a start. They are the same in every way, right down to the serial numbers. So he sets off to talk to those in the know. Each note is confirmed as genuine tender, yet his investigative nose knows he is on to something… something BIG.
Brand forays into the world of banking, which clearly is still teetering on foundations of sand, populated by chancers, greedy and immoral graspers, who will go to any lengths to cover up and deceive. Brand’s life is on the line as he navigates the intrigue in the industry and eventually he has to run for his life. Those squeaky clean Swiss, eh…?
Suter’s style is laconic, perceptive and there are plenty of wry observations. I loved the first two thirds of the novel and then found the last few chapters, as all the threads were coming together, a little frantic (scrappy, even, I hate to say)… it almost felt as though the author had set a timer clock to get to the finish line.
Beautifully translated as ever from the Swiss German by Jamie Bulloch.
And do you know what made it a particularly enjoyable read? Yes. Reading it whilst being in Switzerland!
As the book opens, a Swiss train on its way to Basel comes to a grinding halt due to a customer incident. A body has been seen flying from the train. Jonas Brand, a video journalist, happens to be on board and starts filming…. it transpires that it is the body of über-successful stock trader Paulo Contini.
After this dreadful event, Jonas continues with his life as normal, hooking up with new girlfriend Marina and dithering between his desire to become an investigative film maker and doing what he actually does very well, to wit, film social events for the celebrity TV programme Highlife. His mentor Max Gantmann keeps chastising him for taking the easy path and not fulfilling his potential.
Montecristo is the name of the screenplay that Jonas has written, its main protagonist has been shafted by his colleagues at work and he finds himself banged up in Bang Kwang Central Prison in Thailand, accused of drug smuggling (the title, of course, is a nod to the Alexandre Dumas novel The Count of Monte Cristo, who was incarcerated and then escaped). Brand has, however, set this project to one side, as he has approached various film companies time after time but been roundly rebuffed.
Thus a portrait of an average Swiss citizen is formed. What could possibly go wrong in his life? Well, his discovery of two identical 100 SWF notes for a start. They are the same in every way, right down to the serial numbers. So he sets off to talk to those in the know. Each note is confirmed as genuine tender, yet his investigative nose knows he is on to something… something BIG.
Brand forays into the world of banking, which clearly is still teetering on foundations of sand, populated by chancers, greedy and immoral graspers, who will go to any lengths to cover up and deceive. Brand’s life is on the line as he navigates the intrigue in the industry and eventually he has to run for his life. Those squeaky clean Swiss, eh…?
Suter’s style is laconic, perceptive and there are plenty of wry observations. I loved the first two thirds of the novel and then found the last few chapters, as all the threads were coming together, a little frantic (scrappy, even, I hate to say)… it almost felt as though the author had set a timer clock to get to the finish line.
Beautifully translated as ever from the Swiss German by Jamie Bulloch.
And do you know what made it a particularly enjoyable read? Yes. Reading it whilst being in Switzerland!
January 12, 2016
Das war endlich mal wieder ein spannendes, gut geschriebenes Buch von Martin Suter! Habe ich sehr gerne gelesen ..
July 18, 2019
Ich konnte nicht einmal eine Minute aufhören zu lesen. Alle Kapiteln waren ausgesprochen schön geschrieben mit traumhaften Detaills von Zürich. Die Geschichte ist fesselnd und das Fachwissen in Banking hat durchgehend nie gelitten.
April 18, 2024
4.5/5
March 23, 2016
I read the English version of this book.
Jonas Brand is a Swiss video journalist who, as he approaches 40, wishes above all else to be a film director and thinks his time is running out. The book title is the name of the film he wants to create: a modern take on a classical story.
Two things happen, apparently unconnected, that involve him in a tangled web of conspiracies which put his life and the lives of his friends in danger and test his morals.
My first impressions of this book were all favourable but as time went on I began to have reservations.
The book is an easy read but it does raise some uncomfortable moral issues. The storyline is inventive and it was an interesting change to have a Swiss writer who sets his story in Switzerland. (It appears that going to A&E in Switzerland is a similar experience to that in Britain!).
I liked the written style and thought that the book was well written. The first paragraph had an immediate impact and I liked the descriptive style. The book was originally written in German and the teaming up of this writer and translator seems to be a good combination.
It starts off fast paced and a page turner but I didn’t feel that it maintained its momentum. Towards the end there is a lot of repetition and I got the impression that the writer didn’t really know how to end the book. I was left with unanswered questions. I was also not very comfortable with the end. (To say more would give away the plot).
I want to like my heroes and although I initially liked the character of Jonas and thought it well developed by the end I had started to dislike him and had lost interest in him. The other characters were less well developed.
It started off fast paced and a page turner but towards the end there was a lot of repetition.
I, unfortunately, found much of the plot believable (we really don’t want to think that these things can happen) but I was not convinced by the end.
Jonas Brand is a Swiss video journalist who, as he approaches 40, wishes above all else to be a film director and thinks his time is running out. The book title is the name of the film he wants to create: a modern take on a classical story.
Two things happen, apparently unconnected, that involve him in a tangled web of conspiracies which put his life and the lives of his friends in danger and test his morals.
My first impressions of this book were all favourable but as time went on I began to have reservations.
The book is an easy read but it does raise some uncomfortable moral issues. The storyline is inventive and it was an interesting change to have a Swiss writer who sets his story in Switzerland. (It appears that going to A&E in Switzerland is a similar experience to that in Britain!).
I liked the written style and thought that the book was well written. The first paragraph had an immediate impact and I liked the descriptive style. The book was originally written in German and the teaming up of this writer and translator seems to be a good combination.
It starts off fast paced and a page turner but I didn’t feel that it maintained its momentum. Towards the end there is a lot of repetition and I got the impression that the writer didn’t really know how to end the book. I was left with unanswered questions. I was also not very comfortable with the end. (To say more would give away the plot).
I want to like my heroes and although I initially liked the character of Jonas and thought it well developed by the end I had started to dislike him and had lost interest in him. The other characters were less well developed.
It started off fast paced and a page turner but towards the end there was a lot of repetition.
I, unfortunately, found much of the plot believable (we really don’t want to think that these things can happen) but I was not convinced by the end.
January 1, 2018
Anfangs leicht langweilig, dafür zum Schluss umso spannender.
October 3, 2015
Martin Suter est un grand écrivain et je trouve que, comme le vin, il s'améliore avec le temps. Ce n'est qu'un polar, mais comme les bons polars il sert à critiquer une société qui ne va plus. Quand on finit de lire, on reste plus préoccupé par la réalité qui est décrite que par le sort de Jonas Brand, pour lequel on a souffert pendant 320 pages. L'histoire est très bien construite et est totalement vraisemblable. Il suffit de lire les remerciements pour voir qu'il a été bien conseillé par des personnes qui savent bien de quoi ils parlent. Suter ne tombe jamais dans la solution simple. Comme il se doit dans un bon polar, il y a des changements subites, des surprises, de l'angoisse. Mais, à la différence de beaucoup de polars, il n'est pas évident de dire s'il a un happy end ou plus tôt un sad end. Je reste pessimiste et intranquille.
August 31, 2021
This is a well researched financial thriller that maintains tension and intrigue until the last 20 pages or so.
Focusing on Jonas Brand, a frustrated lifestyle video journalist, as he stumbles onto a secret that leads to unexpected places, the narrative manages to include technical concepts in layman’s language.
I was completely on board with this, as danger and tensions mount and the body count seems likely only to rise. Until a very disappointing and unsatisfactory ending. It made little sense, and contradicted so much of what had been built up to that point.
The translation is a bit off in places - I suspect it is too literal, reflecting denotations rather than connotations. This may affect the ending, but I think not.
Still a decent read, even with the slightly outlandish ending.
Focusing on Jonas Brand, a frustrated lifestyle video journalist, as he stumbles onto a secret that leads to unexpected places, the narrative manages to include technical concepts in layman’s language.
I was completely on board with this, as danger and tensions mount and the body count seems likely only to rise. Until a very disappointing and unsatisfactory ending. It made little sense, and contradicted so much of what had been built up to that point.
The translation is a bit off in places - I suspect it is too literal, reflecting denotations rather than connotations. This may affect the ending, but I think not.
Still a decent read, even with the slightly outlandish ending.
May 19, 2016
Readers do not have to be dyed in the wool lovers of crime novels to become addicted to the work of Martin Suter. Set in the tangled world of finance, politics and the media, Montecristo is a pacy conspiracy thriller full of betrayal and underhand tactics. A sharp and entertaining demonstration of the topical maxim that some banks are simply too big to fail. So well researched that you can't help but reconsider the good old method of keeping your savings tucked away under the mattress.
March 31, 2017
Gutes Buch. Leider teilweise zu viele Zufälle und das Ende fand ich persönlich etwas enttäuschend.
April 17, 2020
It was easy and interesting read and I fully can imagine that similar events may happen.
The main message from this book is that banking business is too big deal for countries and it has to be rescued at any price. It was interesting to read about banking sector and all political intrigues; I liked the investigation and development of the events. Also I would like to praise the author as he has to put a lot of work and studies in order to write this book.
However what let me down is the ending. It was unrealistic and even I can say ridiculous. This is the reason for 3*, whatever anyone thinks, but for me endings are very important part of the book.
The main message from this book is that banking business is too big deal for countries and it has to be rescued at any price. It was interesting to read about banking sector and all political intrigues; I liked the investigation and development of the events. Also I would like to praise the author as he has to put a lot of work and studies in order to write this book.
However what let me down is the ending. It was unrealistic and even I can say ridiculous. This is the reason for 3*, whatever anyone thinks, but for me endings are very important part of the book.
February 4, 2024
Very well written and suspenseful financial thriller playing in Switzerland. The story is beautifully tied together, independent incidents are well put together like puzzle pieces. Throughout the whole story I was very intrigued and couldn’t wait to continue the story.
I was, however, pretty disappointed by the ending. I don’t want to spoil the story, but a different route would have fit the story much better in my opinion. As a passionate journalist do you really give up that quickly?
I was, however, pretty disappointed by the ending. I don’t want to spoil the story, but a different route would have fit the story much better in my opinion. As a passionate journalist do you really give up that quickly?
March 7, 2022
Er schaffts zum jedes mal s gliiche Buech schriibe und ich schaffs zums jedes mal geil finde.
January 30, 2024
ich fande es langweilig
zu viele klischees, die Affäre, die zum Verschwörungskomplott gehört, der verspekulierte Banker, der einzelne Journalist, der die Fehler im Finanzsystem aufdeckt
Ich muss aufhören einfach nur so Romane zu lesen, sondern wirklich schauen, dass diese mir auch gefallen 😅
zu viele klischees, die Affäre, die zum Verschwörungskomplott gehört, der verspekulierte Banker, der einzelne Journalist, der die Fehler im Finanzsystem aufdeckt
Ich muss aufhören einfach nur so Romane zu lesen, sondern wirklich schauen, dass diese mir auch gefallen 😅
September 10, 2023
sooooo spannend!!! i loved it
June 22, 2016
As the back cover of the book will tell you, this story follows the main character, video journalist Jonas Brand, as he finds himself caught up in a conspiracy following the suicide of a stock broker and the appearance of two bank notes that are identical down to the serial number.
This novel began well for me; a suicide from a train that immediately sets the tone of the story and suggests to us that this is going to be coming back again later, which, of course, it does. However, I was soon a little disappointed as the story became lost amongst short snippets of plot that did little to help me develop some attachment towards its main character, or those he came to meet with. In all, I found the first part of the novel to be a little stilted and almost clumsy in its structure, which had nothing to do with this book being a translation from the original Swiss, but just what I found to be an odd way of starting a novel.
It is not until later in the novel that it becomes the ‘pacy thriller’ it is meant to be, and even then there are some questions to be asked (why, for example, did Jonas even check the serial numbers on the two bank notes he had in his possession? Seems a strange habit! And how did he not realise that his house being broken into and turned over and him getting mugged the next day were linked? Not a very astute journalist). Saying that, the story itself is quite enjoyable and easy to read as it progresses. It will not tax your brain much, but that’s alright if you enjoy a thriller, a bit of conspiracy theory and a few clever twists and turns along the way.
I found myself taking to Jonas a bit more later in the novel, but not all of the characters are particularly well developed; Jonas’ girlfriend Marina being a perfect example. Some others, such as Jonas’ friend Max, had much more depth and inspired more empathy. The ending of the novel wasn’t perfect, in fact it left me with a few questions and a feeling that it had been rushed a little with no real finishing point in mind, but I finished thinking I had read a good wee book, and been entertained well enough for a quick summer read. If you enjoy a conspiracy thriller, you won't really go wrong here.
This novel began well for me; a suicide from a train that immediately sets the tone of the story and suggests to us that this is going to be coming back again later, which, of course, it does. However, I was soon a little disappointed as the story became lost amongst short snippets of plot that did little to help me develop some attachment towards its main character, or those he came to meet with. In all, I found the first part of the novel to be a little stilted and almost clumsy in its structure, which had nothing to do with this book being a translation from the original Swiss, but just what I found to be an odd way of starting a novel.
It is not until later in the novel that it becomes the ‘pacy thriller’ it is meant to be, and even then there are some questions to be asked (why, for example, did Jonas even check the serial numbers on the two bank notes he had in his possession? Seems a strange habit! And how did he not realise that his house being broken into and turned over and him getting mugged the next day were linked? Not a very astute journalist). Saying that, the story itself is quite enjoyable and easy to read as it progresses. It will not tax your brain much, but that’s alright if you enjoy a thriller, a bit of conspiracy theory and a few clever twists and turns along the way.
I found myself taking to Jonas a bit more later in the novel, but not all of the characters are particularly well developed; Jonas’ girlfriend Marina being a perfect example. Some others, such as Jonas’ friend Max, had much more depth and inspired more empathy. The ending of the novel wasn’t perfect, in fact it left me with a few questions and a feeling that it had been rushed a little with no real finishing point in mind, but I finished thinking I had read a good wee book, and been entertained well enough for a quick summer read. If you enjoy a conspiracy thriller, you won't really go wrong here.
March 22, 2015
Ich muss gestehen, dass ich weder Suter anhimmle noch gerne Krimis lese. Wohl klatschnass von Vorurteilen, habe ich das Buch trotzdem gelesen, weil mich das Thema neugierig machte, die Machenschaften der Banker und der Märkte.
Ich wage es kaum zu sagen, aber eine frühe Assoziation beim Lesen waren die Heftchenromane, die mein Schwiegermutter so gerne gelesen hat. Die Sprache ist einfach, ein bisschen schülerhaft, erweitert vielleicht mit der Bettlektüre des Dudens. Die zeilenfüllenden, oft nichtssagenden Adjektive wirken schwatzhaft und haben weder viel mit Sprachgefühl zu tun noch sind sie relevant für die Story. Aber auch die Geschichte ist nicht überwältigend, geschickt zusammengebastelt, vieles ist voraussehbar und wenig überraschend. Alles kreuzt sich und fügt sich wunderbar zusammen bis zum ein bisschen kitschigen Ende. Da hilft auch der umfangreiche Dank an die zahlreichen Prominenten nicht, dem Roman ein intellektuelles Gewicht zu geben.
Ich wage es kaum zu sagen, aber eine frühe Assoziation beim Lesen waren die Heftchenromane, die mein Schwiegermutter so gerne gelesen hat. Die Sprache ist einfach, ein bisschen schülerhaft, erweitert vielleicht mit der Bettlektüre des Dudens. Die zeilenfüllenden, oft nichtssagenden Adjektive wirken schwatzhaft und haben weder viel mit Sprachgefühl zu tun noch sind sie relevant für die Story. Aber auch die Geschichte ist nicht überwältigend, geschickt zusammengebastelt, vieles ist voraussehbar und wenig überraschend. Alles kreuzt sich und fügt sich wunderbar zusammen bis zum ein bisschen kitschigen Ende. Da hilft auch der umfangreiche Dank an die zahlreichen Prominenten nicht, dem Roman ein intellektuelles Gewicht zu geben.
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