Leverage

By: Amran Gowani

Narrated by: Shawn K. Jain

A CRIMEREADS BEST BOOK OF 2025!

“A pulse-pounding plot propels a narrative steeped in the language and culture of tech bros….An exciting and timely debut of an original voice.” —People, Best Books of the Month

A hotshot hedge fund employee must risk everything to save his job—and his life—in this timely and darkly funny thriller about race, power, and the corrupting influence of the almighty dollar.

Ali “Al” Jafar is a rising star at notorious hedge fund Prism Capital, but fortunes change fast on Wall Street. When his biggest investment goes up in smoke, Al loses $300 million—and his fragile sense of self-worth—in a single afternoon. He’s certain he’ll be fired, but Prism’s obscenely rich and politically connected founder isn’t that merciful. Instead, he gives Al an impossible ultimatum: recover the lost money in three months or become the fall guy for the government’s insider-trading investigation into the firm.

Desperate and depressed, Al turns to high finance’s dark side, where he battles back-stabbing coworkers and cutthroat competitors and digs himself into an even deeper hole. As the clock winds down, and the pressure mounts, Al’s mental health deteriorates. To survive, he’ll have to outfox one of the world’s most powerful men and decide if he values the dearest asset of all: himself.

Smart, witty page-turner

Great novel! Fast, thrilling, and funny read for anyone who wants an inside look at the scoundrels of finance who fancy themselves “masters of the universe.”

Rough narration

So the performance is likely in keeping with that tone and plot but it to me was super shouty and not well modulated. Kind of a tough listen.

Interesting!

A compelling story about the dystopian greed of finance bros. The protagonist is intelligent, self aware and can’t catch a break. His very masculine self deprecating voice is oddly endearing. The story is full of Lifestyles of the Rich (and corrupt) details of extreme wealth. Really good read.

Funny, sharp, and full of surprises

Leverage is a witty, self-deprecating thriller that had me laughing and reminiscing about the hip-hop of my adolescence as much as it had me on edge. I enjoyed the character development, the insights about the temptations and vices of those working in the financial world, and having a story set in San Francisco (instead of on Wall St.). Funny, smart, and unlike anything I’ve ever read - highly recommend!

A clever financial thriller

For anyone who has spent time working in the financial industry, it is clear that the author knows his stuff. The likable protagonist goes up against a hedge fund titan and the story moves along quickly. Lots of fun!