Leverage by Amran Gowani
A High-Stakes Introduction to Financial Thrillers
After rediscovering this gem on my Kindle recently, I realized I never shared my thoughts on Leverage by Amran Gowani, which I originally read back in July. This was my first real foray into the world of financial thrillers, and I was thoroughly impressed by the author’s talent.
The story centers on Ali Jaffar, a Wall Street outsider working under a nightmare boss. When Ali loses $300 million in a single day, he is forced into a high-pressure race against time: make the money back in ninety days or spend the rest of his life behind bars. The book moves at lightning speed and has a cinematic quality that would translate perfectly to a TV show. Given the legal threats and the cutthroat environment, it would be fascinating to see this adapted as a high-stakes court case drama, perhaps in the style of Suits or Billions, where the tension of the courtroom meets the intensity of the trading floor.
Ali is a fantastic protagonist—quick-witted and humorous—and I especially enjoyed how he used pop culture references to navigate his chaotic situation. While the book depicts a significant amount of racism and sexism within the financial industry that was a bit much for me at times, it felt like an accurate reflection of that cutthroat world and didn’t pull me out of the story. Even though I wish I were a bit more versed in the mechanics of finance, I had a great time reading this. If you enjoy high-stakes dramas, this is definitely a book you would enjoy, and it has certainly made me want to explore more of this genre.
