Paper money

Originally published under the pseudonym Zachary Stone, this is a happily rediscovered suspense thriller written in the mid-'70s by Follett, the bestselling author of Lie Down with Lions.

Its plot, set in London, and intended to show that crime, high finance and journalism are corruptly interconnected, is, according to Follett, the cleverest he has ever devised. The fast-paced action spans, in hour-to-hour fashion, one day in the life of an evening newspaper and features an adulterous politician, a corrupt financier, a criminal gang, a mentally retarded youth and an eager cub reporter, their linked destinies all moving toward a single and intensely exciting climax. Though painted in broad brushstrokes, the characters seem compellingly real, as do their professional environments. Follett can proudly acknowledge this one.