Boyne Falls Baroque
Author: John Bailey
Publisher: DiskUs Publishing
Available At: www.diskuspublishing.com
Publishing Date: Available Now
Genre: Fiction
Format: paperback, ebook disk and download in PDF/HTML
Price: $14.34 paperback, $7.50 disk, $4.50 download
ISBN: 1-58495-473-6
Reviewer: Joyce Handzo

Boyne Falls Baroque is a clever twist on East meets West.

Brian Mercer was once a millionaire, thanks to some stock options at a company called SharTech. His love of computers and his hacker skills were his ticket to this fortune, but an undiversified portfolio was his undoing. Now, he's a lawn care specialist. That is, until he walked into a Thai restaurant and got more on his plate than some spicy food. He met Grampa Sam, a Japanese man who showed him the secrets of stock investing through an ancient Chinese practice called I Ching. As Brian started his rise back to the top, he catches the attention of the FBI, who have a hard time believing his success is due to the predictions made by some Chinese coins.

Although a relatively short book, the author packs a lot of interesting information here. From computers to Chinese philosophy, to classical music, readers will stay absorbed in the story. The plot was very contemporary, as it dealt with the finer points of stock investing. Some of the more complex issues of insider trading, and "pump-and-dump" were explained clearly, and added a realistic touch to the story.

Thanks to the author's twenty-five years as a radio personality, readers will get an up close look at this profession. Brian takes a job at a classical music station, and the day-to-day operations fit in well with the overall story line.

Classical music was also introduced through the character of Miiko, Grampa Sam's granddaughter. An accomplished cellist, she speaks about the subtle aspects of music, and the parts of the brain that become stimulated with various instruments. This was a nice sideline to the main story, and fleshed out this character with wonderful details.

However, the really fun part of this book was when those Chinese coins clinked against Wall Street! As Grampa Sam's predictions ran up a healthy bank account, there was a terrific sense of the underdog beating the system. But, those last pages hold a surprise, and readers can't leave until the closing bell.

Boyne Falls Baroque is a unique medley of elements, hitting all the right musical, as well as bank notes!