Oliver Caruso is fed up with his job at Greene & Greene. The institution is so exclusive that the account minimum is 2 million dollars and you have to be invited to be a member. However, the riches never seem to trickle down to the mid-level employees.
While doing grunt work, Oliver discovers a forgotten $3 million account in the name of Arthur Duckworth. An attempt was made months ago to locate him or his family members, but no one has come forward. In a matter of hours the money will be turned over to the government.
Charlie Caruso is a lower-level employee at Greene & Greene as well. He convinces his older brother to electronically steal the forgotten millions to take care of their mother and pay mountainous medical bills. All Oliver has to do is claim the cash in the name of the owner and have it transferred to an offshore account.
It would have been the perfect crime, if the Caruso boys hadn't been caught. A former Secret Service agent who is in change of Greene & Greene security, wants in on the deal.
What begins as a simple felony quickly gets complicated. The three million bucks mysteriously grows 100 times and secrets of the account owner are revealed. The Caruso boys want solve the discrepancy and clear their name from any involvement. It turns out that several people planned to gain from the forgotten account, without realizing others wanted to steal the money as well. To get their hands on the cash, they'll have to outwit their fellow thieves by any means necessary.
The Millionaires follows the cast as they scramble in search of the money. Crooked Secret Service agents Gallo and DeSanctis are chasing and trying to kill Oliver and Charlie. Bank-hired female investigator Joey Lemont is after the brothers, the agents and the money. In the middle of the chase is a woman who befriends the Carusos, claiming to be the Duckworth's daughter. Is she telling the truth? Or is she just another bluff in the game?
Brad Meltzer's story pulls readers right into the action. You won't be able to distinguish the good guys from the bad ones. It's fun to follow the story and attempt to determine which players can be trusted. There's not much character development, though. Instead of playing the sympathy card, the author chooses to cut right to the chase. Readers will have to justify the brother's theft in the name of their mother.
The hunt for the cyberfunds is exciting. The Caruso brothers zip from New York to Florida in a life-threatening attempt to erase any trace of their involvement. The Secret Service agents are only one step behind them. Using all the best tracking equipment, Joey is a close third.
The Millionaires is a thrilling read, despite some corny dialogue. The brothers Caruso trade one-liners you'd expect to hear at high school. If I ever face the enemy, the first words out of my mouth won't be "Drop dead, dickhead." Oliver and Charlie may be in over their financial heads, but they talk like they couldn't get dates for the prom.
Still, you don't have to buy the Robin Hood justification of the Carusos' intentions to enjoy this story. Meltzer keeps the pace moving with ample suspense and a short timeline. The surveillance toys and computers give the novel a spy-like feel. The Millionaires is a page-turner. Plan a long weekend when you read this book. Once you start it, you won't want to put it down.
