Death in Budapest — James L. Ross

Praise from Publishers Weekly: "Fans of hard-edged spy fiction will hope that this . . . is but the first from Ross. . . . twists straight out of a John le Carre novel . . . [with] sardonic wit." Patrick McCarry, a down-on-his-luck Wall Street banker, can't expect much sympathy back home. A hedge fund has blown up, and McCarry looks just the right size for a federal prison cell. Hanging out in Europe, he hooks up with a folksy Midwesterner who wants help picking through failed businesses. Chester Holt and his ample wife Charity have a homily for every occasion. One of them is "Don't be a doom and gloomster!" That means if you're right on the doorstep of the Balkans, you're sure to find somebody who wants to buy guns. By the author of Long Pig, 2012 Shamus nominee.