Review: Cash Burn by Michael Berrier

Description:
Billions of dollars flow through Jason Dunn's banking office each year. When he suffers a series of career setbacks and his marriage begins to crumble, he and his attractive new assistant devise a plan to disappear with a slice of the bank's cash flow. The unwelcome appearance of his brother on the scene, just released from prison, threatens to sidetrack Jason's plans. But Jason's brother "Flip" has his own problems with a parole officer who isn't fooled by this dangerous parolee. In the race to the jackpot between Jason and Flip, and the unwinding of their troubled history, the question soon becomes, Who will get burned?

Details:
Kindle Edition
Published June 24th 2011 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
ASIN: B0057Z87JE

Review:
Revenge is a dangerous thing.  We all know that hatred festering can lead to dark things.  Michael Berrier explores these themes in Cash Burn.

I have problems with this book.  Now, this is a fantastic read.  It is easy, except when some technicalities of the banking industry come up—they are a little hard to follow.  It’s just that this book is…unrealistic?  Much of the plotline is very thin.  I figured out some, but not all of, what was going on very early on.  It was like Berrier made an outline of what needed to happen and wrote his book, created his characters, scripted their actions to fit his ultimate goal.  This whole story is very contrived.

So many questions are raised that are left unanswered.  Jason, I HATE JASON.  This character is one-dimensional.  Ruled by his penis, tortured by a past that is really not his fault, fueled by anger.  I mean, he contributed to what happened in an indirect way, but what happened was not of his doing.  So, to allow himself to be tormented by it constantly? Yeah, I’m not buying him at all.  And when Jason was scolded by his boss and completely looses it, blames the world for his problems…does crazy run in the family?  My biggest issue with Jason: How could he not consider the fact that Serena really wasn’t having an affair?!?!  One track mind much?…ugh.  I HATE JASON.

Best chapter in the entire book: 58.  Flip.  I felt sorry for him.  I knew this was coming.  Don’t want to spoil it.  Beautiful, just beautiful.

Everything about the plot is perfect.  It fits perfectly together.  The events perfectly assist the plan of the villain.  It’s just so wonderfully (read with seething sarcasm) perfect.  Neat and tidy.  Like some master puppeteer controlled every aspect of the character’s lives and orchestrated their demise.

What surprised me most about Cash Burn is that it is published by a Christian publisher…I had no idea until the Pastor preached the Gospel of Salvation to Jason and I did some major research on the author, publisher, etc.  The religious aspects of the story were handled gracefully and with tact.  I like it!  This is not your typical Christian novel—relationships were detailed, sensual, there was violence, blood. 

I’ve bashed it a lot.  But that doesn’t mean I disliked Cash Burn.  On the contrary, I was drawn into the story like a moth to a bug zapper and read feverishly to the end.  Now, the end was as I expected it to be, aside from one little twist that I hadn’t figured out yet.  The ending was really good.  I love this book, and I hate it.  I just can’t figure out which side I’m on more.

3 Stars: ???

Many Adventures,
Richard

*Cash Burn was provided to me by the publishers through netGalley*