Christopher Reich
BIO
Christopher Reich was born in Tokyo in 1961. A graduate of Georgetown University and the University of Texas at Austin, he worked in Switzerland before returning to the United States to pursue a career as a novelist. The bestselling author of five other acclaimed novels, NUMBERED ACCOUNT, THE RUNNER, THE FIRST BILLION, THE DEVIL’S BANKER and RULES OF DECEPTION, he lives in California with his wife and children.
INTERVIEW
August 7, 2009
RULES OF VENGEANCE is the second installment in Christopher Reich's series starring mountain-climbing, Doctors Without Borders surgeon Jonathan Ransom (following 2008’s RULES OF DECEPTION). In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Joe Hartlaub, Reich describes creating Ransom's character as an exercise in wishful thinking and names some of the authors who have influenced the mystery elements in this thriller. He also shares his thoughts on what he perceives to be the largest global crisis today, thinks back to what he might have done differently earlier in his writing career, and hints at what's in store for his hero in the next book, RULES OF ATTACK.
Bookreporter.com: RULES OF VENGEANCE is a very different book from its predecessor, RULES OF DECEPTION. RULES OF DECEPTION begins with Jonathan Ransom believing that his wife Emma has been killed right in front of him; he later discovers that 1) she’s a secret agent, and 2) she’s still alive. In RULES OF VENGEANCE he is suspected of being involved with her in a terrorist act and is pursued by law enforcement officials from several different countries as he pursues his wife to prevent her from causing even further and more widespread carnage. Along the way he learns just how deep her deception has been, a fact that, with many others, changes their relationship, perhaps irrevocably. What methods did you use to make RULES OF VENGEANCE so distinct from RULES OF DECEPTION, notwithstanding their shared use of primary characters?
Christopher Reich: Every story begins with a new idea. In RULES OF VENGEANCE, I tried to imagine the circumstances under which Jonathan and Emma might get back together. I saw them meeting up in London, but knowing Emma, I figured she'd have an ulterior motive for risking her safety other than just to see Jonathan. From there, the story just took off. When her actions get Jonathan in deep trouble, it seemed only natural that Jonathan would do his best to clear his name and try to find out once and for all who exactly his wife is, and for whom she's working!
BRC: In the space of two novels, Jonathan Ransom has become one of my favorite thriller characters. He is extremely believable; while a rank amateur as a spy, he is a quick study, based on elementary skill sets in the field that he has picked up --- consciously and otherwise --- from his wife. He knows just enough to get himself in trouble and occasionally out of it. How did you begin developing Ransom’s persona? Will we see more changes in the future? And how long or far do you see the series going?
CR: Jonathan Ransom very much comes out of the man I'd like to be myself. I've always marveled at the dedication required to become a surgeon. Put that together with my respect and interest for Doctors Without Borders and "presto," you have a recipe for a new hero. Since I knew that I'd be asking so much of Jonathan as the series progressed, I made sure that he possessed some pretty impressive skills, himself, going in to this thing. He's a world-class climber, a top-notch physician, and a guy with a courageous streak a half mile wide. I think he's ready for pretty much any challenge, don't you? In my view, the series is just beginning. We are just starting to tap the surface of Jonathan and Emma's relationship, and we haven't yet begun to learn how and why Jonathan was chosen by Emma and Division in the first place. All that is to come. I see this as a big Dickensian story that can go on and on.
BRC: After an explosive beginning, RULES OF VENGEANCE presents a classic “locked room mystery” with several very modern twists. What appears to be a death by suicide is in fact a murder. The question is how the murderer gained access to the victim’s heavily secured and fortified apartment building. This was one of my favorite elements of the book. Have you been a long-time fan of mysteries? Was this influenced by your reading of the classic masters? If so, what influenced you?
CR: I am a voracious reader, and yes, I love mysteries. Agatha Christie, Ross MacDonald, Jeffery Deaver and Michael Connelly are among my favorites. And so while RULES OF VENGEANCE is very much a "thriller," there is a large element of mystery involved. It's like having two lines of gunpowder running across your desk. You have to stop the ticking clock, and you have to learn "why" it's ticking in the first place.
BRC: One of the more interesting elements of RULES OF VENGEANCE was the use of the Global Stress Points Matrix (GSPM), a list of 20 potential geopolitical crisis points ranked upon probability of occurrence, as a plot point. What, in your opinion, is the most significant global crisis? And how would you start --- if not necessarily finish --- resolving it?
CR: The most significant global crisis today is how to stop the Iranians from obtaining nuclear weapons, and this is coming to a head in the next 24 months. I don't foresee a diplomatic conclusion. That leaves only a military option. What people don't realize is that it isn't only Israel who doesn't want Iran to have a bomb. It's also Saudi Arabia. Either way, it's going to get ugly. Expect war in the region.
BRC: Your novels contain a great deal of detail. How do you research in order to get things just right? And how did you go about choosing the geographical settings for RULES OF VENGEANCE?
CR: Detail adds texture and believability. I do my best to get things like geography, settings and atmosphere right. All this requires traveling to the locales where the book takes place. There simply isn't a substitute for going there. I find that I fashion large parts of my stories from the facts I learn on the ground. Here's a little secret: often, my stories' locales are dictated simply by where I feel like visiting. For RULES OF VENGEANCE, it was Europe all the way. London, Rome, Monte Carlo and Paris. There are tougher places to visit!
BRC: When you began writing RULES OF DECEPTION, did you conceive of it as the first in an ongoing series? If so, was there anything in particular that you did to set up the series?
CR: I was about halfway through RULES OF DECEPTION when I started to think that these characters might lend themselves to a series. Once the seed was planted, it took immediate root and I began to map out not only the ending to DECEPTION, but what might happen to Jonathan and Emma afterwards. I saw the series as an emotional saga as much as a series of exciting exploits --- kind of a combination of THE THORNBIRDS and Jason Bourne.
BRC: You initially conceived your first novel, NUMBERED ACCOUNT, shortly after you began working in the international banking industry. How has your writing schedule changed since then? Do you find it to be easier or more difficult to focus on writing now that you have, at least theoretically, more time?
CR: My writing schedule has remained the same over the past 12 years. I get to my desk as early as possible and research/outline/write as long as I can go. I try to apply the same work habits I learned as an investment banker to being a novelist. There is no substiute for keeping your behind in the chair.
BRC: RULES OF VENGEANCE is your fifth novel. Looking back from this point in your writing career, is there anything you wish you had done differently in the beginning? And is there any action that you took as you were starting out that you were glad you did at this point?
CR: Sometimes, I do wish I had started a series earlier on. But I don't believe in hindsight. I wrote what I wanted at the time and I'm proud of my body of work, especially my historical novel, THE RUNNER, set at the closing of the Second World War.
BRC: You have primarily written stand-alone novels, and now appear poised to keep Jonathan Ransom as the feature of an ongoing series. Do you prefer writing stand-alone works or serial novels? What have you found to be the advantages and disadvantages of each?
CR: I am totally enthralled with creating this series. Jonathan and Emma Ransom have become a large part of my world. I can't imagine leaving them, though I do hope to write another stand-alone in between Rules #4 and #5. To an extent, it is much more difficult to write stand-alone thrillers simply because you are creating an entirely new universe each time. But...it's equally hard to keep a series fresh and exciting. Both have their pluses and minuses, but right now, I'm firmly in my "series attack mode!"
BRC: Your background, at least initially, was in the banking and brokerage business. How is it that you come at this stage in life to be writing thrillers? And if you weren’t writing for a living, or pursuing one of your former careers, what do you see yourself doing?
CR: I've been writing since the age of 34, so now at age 47, I can't remember doing anything else. If the writing hadn't worked out, I like to think I'd be a partner at Goldman Sachs. Most probably, though, I would have been fired long ago. Making documentary films is my next profession!
BRC: What books have you read in the past six months that you would like to recommend to our readers?
CR: THE DAWN PATROL by Don Winslow (one of my favorite authors!), SHIBUMI by Trevanian, GONE TOMORROW by Lee Child and EXTREME MEASURES by Vince Flynn. I love Flynn and Child, too. They never disappoint!
BRC: What are you working on now, and when might readers expect to see it?
CR: Right now, I'm working on RULES OF ATTACK, the third episode in the Jonathan Ransom saga. All I can say is this: Jonathan is in a dark place and he's ready to lash out. Watch out world!!
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INTERVIEW
July 18, 2008
Bestselling author Christopher Reich's latest work of fiction, RULES OF DECEPTION, is the first installment in a series featuring mountaineer and Doctors Without Borders surgeon Dr. Jonathan Ransom. In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Joe Hartlaub, Reich describes how an encounter with General Tommy Franks inspired the plot of this book and discusses some of the real-life counterparts upon which his characters are based. He also sheds light on how he manages to balance his writing career with his family life, mentions some of his past and present favorite reads, and shares details about his current writing and travel plans.
Bookreporter.com: RULES OF DECEPTION features Dr. Jonathan Ransom, one of your most intriguing characters to date. Ransom is a physician with Doctors Without Borders who, after losing his wife during a skiing accident, finds himself thrust into a mysterious --- and deadly --- cat-and-mouse chase when he discovers that his wife has been leading a mysterious double life. The flashbacks concerning Ransom’s experiences while working with DWB are some of the most interesting, and poignant, in the book. Have you come into contact with that organization in the past? If so, in what capacity? And were any of Ransom’s accounts based on true events?
Christopher Reich: I’ve been a doctor “wannabe” since my time in college, when I roomed with two pre-med students. I first read about Doctors Without Borders 20 years ago. Since that time, I’ve followed their work with interest and concern. What excites me about the group is that they view themselves strictly as caregivers. Often they work in difficult political climates, but they never take sides in a conflict. It’s all about the patient. Many of the scenes depicted in the book are drawn from interviews with men and women who are DWB veterans. I don’t think there is a more selfless organization helping others in the world today.
BRC: Most of RULES OF DECEPTION takes place in Switzerland, a country to which you have significant familial and vocational history. Have you been turning the concepts behind the book over in your head for a while, or did the story behind the novel occur fairly recently?
CR: I first got the idea for RULES OF DECEPTION about four years ago. At the time, I was working on a television pilot called “The Diplomat,” to star Christopher Lambert. One of our consultants was General Tommy Franks. Franks spoke admiringly about some of the work done by members of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), men and women he called “operators.” The stories were straight out of “Mission: Impossible.” But they were all true…amazingly so. Franks was clear on one point: his “operators” never spoke about their missions. Never. The germ for RULES OF DECEPTION was planted right then and there. I started wondering what would happen if you were married to one of these operators and didn’t know it.
I set the book in Switzerland because I know the country so well and find it the most romantic, exciting, beautiful place in the world.
BRC: A part of RULES OF DECEPTION turns upon “dual use” technology, with respect to materials and equipment that can be utilized for both peaceful and military ends. These not only play a role in what occurs in the book but also, in a very strong way, serve as a metaphor for a number of the principal characters in the story. What sparked your interest in dual use developments as a springboard for a plot line?
CR: When the story about Dr. A.Q. Khan, the founder of the Pakistani nuclear weapons program --- and later the man who sold nuclear plans to dozens of countries around the world --- broke, I read every page. I wanted to figure out a way how one could get around all the so-called restrictions on nuclear weapons technology. To my chagrin, I found out it wasn’t that difficult. If you go back over the years, there has always been one individual, a company, or a country willing to supply the equipment necessary to enrich uranium or to help in other facets of building a “bomb.”
BRC: Does the technology exist for the “butterfly” and the “drone” prototypes, as used in RULES OF DECEPTION, or are you extrapolating their existence based on what we know now? If it does exist, who has it? And for what purposes is it presently being used?
CR: All the technology described in the book exists….and more. Drones and unmanned aerial vehicles are at the forefront of our military research. For good reason: it's better to have machines in combat than human beings. But, yes, all that stuff about the butterfly and the drone is absolutely real. Scary, isn’t it?
BRC: Another secondary, but important, plot point in RULES OF DECEPTION turns on international banking practices and the situations you create. You have some vocational history in the field and have utilized elements of international banking in some of your other novels. Did you base any of the banking characters upon real-world individuals who you have encountered? If so, do you think they would recognize themselves?
CR: Now you’re asking about some private information! To tell you the truth, I often base my characters upon real acquaintances or upon figures I’ve read about in the news. I based the character of Tobias Tingeli on a Swiss banker, and member of the Rothschild banking dynasty, who was shot dead a few years ago by his mistress in Geneva. At the time of his murder, he was wearing a body-length rubber latex suit with only eye and mouth holes cut out. Pretty weird, huh? I can’t make that stuff up.
BRC: RULES OF DECEPTION features a fairly complex plot with a number of different players who are seemingly at odds with each other. At the same time it is very readable, never becoming bogged down in its own details while maintaining a quick, strong pace. While you were writing it, what steps did you go through to maintain both plot integrity and readability without sacrificing one element for the other? Do you have a select group of people to whom you go to read your work in progress, or do you rely entirely on yourself to determine whether you are on the right track?
CR: Its very difficult to keep a complicated plot simple. But I had some good teachers --- namely, the works of Frederick Forsyth and John le Carré, both of whom could tell incredibly complex tales without confusing the reader. The key is to break the story apart into logical chunks, each of which advances the plot a little at a time. With RULES OF DECEPTION, I felt that the story was so real that it practically told itself.
As for readers, I rely first on my wife, then on my agent, Richard Pine, Elisa Petrini, and my editor at Doubleday, Stacy Creamer. Writing books like these is a team effort, and I’m grateful to the superlative talents of these individuals. The best part is that they make it fun.
BRC: You dedicate RULES OF DECEPTION to your daughters. Since some of our readers may be laboring over their own manuscripts, they will want to know: How do you balance the duties of family with the demands of writing? What is your writing schedule like? Does it vary appreciably from when you first began your writing career? And has your schedule become easier or more difficult to follow over time?
CR: I’ve always treated writing as a profession no different than any other. I go to work at 7 and I work until 5 or 6, taking an hour for lunch. There’s no substitute for time spent at your desk. It’s as simple as that. The discipline I learned as an investment banker has served me well. I guess the bottom line is that you can’t wait for a muse to land on your shoulder and inspire you. Like everything else, you have to dig down and gut it out. Oh, and the last thing --- it never gets easier, because I’m always trying to get better.
BRC: You are known for novels that stand alone as opposed to series works. What made you decide to start a series now? Do you have a vision for how long the series may go on?
CR: I didn’t start RULES OF DECEPTION with the idea of it being a series. About halfway through it --- that is to say, after about seven months --- I realized that Jonathan Ransom was the hero I’d always wanted to write. He came alive to me in a way that others (since Nick Neumann in NUMBERED ACCOUNT) hadn’t. And of course, I love Emma. She’s the 21st-Century Woman. It's going to be good fun sending Jonathan all around the world.
BRC: You have noted that one of your favorite authors is Franklin W. Dixon, the creator of the Hardy Boys series. Which book in that series is your favorite? Why? And how did you discover them originally?
CR: The Hardy Boys ignited my love of reading. I don’t have a favorite; they were all wonderful. But I loved other writers as well, notably John Steinbeck, James Clavell, Len Deighton and Frederick Forsyth. If you ask me my favorite books, they’re all thrillers of one type or another. NOBLE HOUSE, THE DAY OF THE JACKAL, NIGHT MANAGER by John le Carré and JAWS by Peter Benchley. (The book is better than the movie.)
BRC: What book have you read in the past six months that you are recommending to people?
CR: I loved THE DAWN PATROL by Don Winslow and THE GHOST by Robert Harris. I’m hearing great things about THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE, as well. I have it on my night table and can’t wait to get to it.
BRC: What are you working on at the moment? Do you ever take time off from writing, or do you have the need to always be working on something?
CR: I’m just finishing up RULES OF VENGEANCE, the sequel to RULES OF DECEPTION. This one is set in London, Italy, and the South of France. I’m answering these questions while on vacation in Catalina Island. We come here every year for the 4th of July and just love it. I love writing, but I love vacations, too. After my book tour, we’re heading over to Switzerland for three weeks. We have lots of friends and family there, and bounce between Zurich, Ascona and Zermatt. Mountain climbing is my new passion and I hope to get up the Matterhorn this year. Wish me luck!
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September 12, 2003
In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight team (Carol Fitzgerald, Joe Hartlaub and Wiley Saichek), Christopher Reich talks about fighting the war on terrorism, which is the subject of his latest thriller THE DEVIL'S BANKER. He also reveals why he admires John Le Carre, the books of Le Carre's he has enjoyed most, and the memorable encounter he had with Le Carre at a hotel in Zurich.
BRC: On your website Q&A, you wrote that you utilize newspapers, magazines, and the Internet in your research. How have your research methods changed over the course of writing four novels? How much time did you spend talking to various government agencies while working on THE DEVIL'S BANKER?
CR: I still read a ton, but personal interviews always yield the most interesting information. Last April I spent 10 days in D.C. talking to the CIA, FinCEN, Treasury and Customs. It was fascinating and frightening. I can tell you one thing --- we are not skimping in our fight to keep our nation safe from terrorist attack.
BRC: From your research and what you learned while writing, do you feel comfortable with how we are combatting terrorism, or are you a lot more circumspect given what you know? On this same note, do you think the efforts on the part of government should be kept as secrets or shared with the American people?
CR: I have mixed feelings. I was very impressed with nearly every agent either of the CIA, the Treasury Department, Customs or the IRS with whom I met. These are top notch, crackerjack individuals who could be making a fortune on Wall Street or as lawyers in private practice. Guys and gals, I call, that are programmed for success in any field. We have great personnel. The problem is the "cowboy" culture that encourages agents to work alone combined with a terrible, smothering bureaucracy. The system is getting in the way of allowing the good guys to do their job. One good thing about the Patriot Act is that it has broken down the walls between agency and legalized communication between them. The IRS can now look at the Treasury's files, the CIA can talk to the FBI, and on and on. Now it's just a question of if they will!
BRC: Tracking the money to find the terrorists sounds like a new concept to many of us. In the course of your research did you find that this methodology has been employed for a while now?
CR: Yes, but it's getting more and more sophisticated. Most important is keeping channels open across borders. France is a great help to us. Germany, far less so. Each country has laws and traditions that either help or hinder efforts to follow the money as it travels the world.
BRC: You have a real disdain for the way the media delivers news to us. What's a better way?
CR: I don't know about that. I respect the media on the whole. I feel they are tendentious and inflammatory, but that's what happens when you have a free press. It's our choice whether to buy newspapers or to watch TV. I don't think we can blame them for pandering when we're buying everything they're creating. Americans in general have very little self-discipline. They'll sit there and watch an E! True Hollywood Story murmuring to themselves, "This is such trash," but then they'll tune in again the next day.
One thing is for sure --- if you want straight unbiased news it's out there. Look at the BBC or Reuters. Everything's on the Net.
BRC: Reading your books, many people have written that suddenly the financial world does not seem as intimidating any more. Our January Suspense/Thriller author Stephen Frey, who also writes financial thrillers, told us when he first started writing he would go into too much detail for the average reader. Do you find it easy to write for the layman about a world in which you were so entrenched, or has this evolved?
CR: I think the financial world is more intimidating than ever. People have no idea how vast and dependent we all are on the smooth and efficient functioning of our capital markets --- the stock market, bond market, corporate debt, currencies and derivatives. It is all so huge and to an extent so fragile. Just you wait … we're going to have a major financial crisis within ten years and then you won't think things are so simple any more.
I don't know if it's easy to write about this world, but its essential and fascinating. High finance is fast-paced, sexy and explosive. You never know what's going to happen when a billion dollars is on the table.
BRC: Adam Chapel and Sarah Churchill were a hit with our readers who read advanced copies of the book. Many wanted to know if their characters will return. We think they will as the end of the book seems to leave a door open. Are we right about that?
CR: That's a great question. Sarah is a spy at heart and wedded to her ideals. She loves Chapel but doesn't yet realize just how much. Adam, on the other hand, is a fighter. He's not going to just let her walk away. More is definitely in store for these two!
BRC: In an earlier interview you mentioned a novel called BLOOD MONEY --- was this THE DEVIL'S BANKER with a title change? If so, why did you make the title change? Share with us how you decide to title your novels.
CR: BLOOD MONEY was the working title, but there are like fifty other books with the same name. Ergo, time to come up with a new title.
BRC: In the Q&A on ChristopherReich.com, you wrote "everything I learned about writing, I got from Le Carre." Would you elaborate with us on that comment? What about Le Carre do you especially enjoy? Do you have a favorite title?
CR: John Le Carre is my favorite author. I get choked up just trying to explain why I like him so much, but I'll try. First off, he tells interesting, exciting stories about spies and arms dealers and corrupt bankers --- the dark arts that I find compelling. Secondly, he is a supremely gifted writer. His use of the English language, his ability to describe characters through their psyche, their emotional state, is second to none.
But what I really love about his novels is his intimate knowledge of the human heart. His characters are all so full bodied, so lovable, so flawed, so arch ... so sadly human. There is so much emotion in these books. So much insight into man's character. Where does he find it in himself? Every time I read Le Carre, I feel he's teaching me something about myself. He is the master. My favorites are THE NIGHT MANAGER, THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD, THE HONORABLE SCHOOLBOY, and TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY.
By the way, I met him once in Zurich. David Cornwell is his real name. He was staying in my hotel --- The Dolder Grand (setting of THE NIGHT MANAGER). I listen to his books on tape too, and when I heard his voice in the lobby, I nearly fell to my knees with excitement. I sent a note to his room, explaining who I was, and asking if we might meet. He sent a note back beginning, "Dear Mr. Reich, Of course I know who you are…." We had drinks together and he was utterly charming and gracious. One of England's finest. The occasion remains one of the great thrills of my life.
BRC: Readers wanting to find out "what's next" can read a brief description of your work-in-progress on your website. The big question for fans remains: when will we be seeing this novel?
CR: The new one should be out next year, but I'm taking my time with this one. I don't want to cheat the readers, or myself.
September 5, 2003
In this exclusive Bookreporter.com Suspense/Thriller interview Nelson DeMille, the bestselling author of UP COUNTRY, talks to Christopher Reich about Reich's latest novel THE DEVIL'S BANKER, as well as what Reich loves about writing, the books that have influenced him the most, and the details of his next project.
Nelson DeMille: One of my favorite authors, Ernest Hemingway, once said: "Writing, at its best, is a lonely life…. For he [the writer] does his work alone and if he is a good enough writer he must face eternity, or lack of it, every day." On my own site, I confess I hate the writing process but that I don't know how to do anything else. Chris, you left another career to become a writer --- ever think about going back to private banking? As one author to another, what's the point in the writing process you like best and the one that is like Hemingway's "eternity", the part you hate most?
Christopher Reich: Once I jumped into writing and had my first book published, I gave up any idea of returning to a career in investment banking. Frankly, I never even considered having the option. It was a career as an author or nothing. Anyway, I'm having too much fun writing books. I couldn't imagine working for someone else, having to report to work at 8 and stay until 6. The irony is that I work longer hours than I used to, but it's a totally different thing when you're your own boss.
I always enjoy the initial stages of writing my books the most: the plotting, the researching, the whole puppet master thing, you know --- creating your characters, placing them upon the stage and deciding how they're going to act. The actual writing of the book is what requires the most discipline and, I think, the part that keeps so many people from becoming successful authors. You've got to stay put at a desk for eight hours a day writing. It is a craft and it requires a kind of stubborn concentration. Words don't just flow from the tip of a pen. They've got to be coaxed, massaged, wrestled with. It's a struggle, but the end result is always worth it. If there is a miserable part, it's the copyediting. Double-checking your work. Rereading it over and over again for errors. That can become tedious really quick.
Nelson DeMille: This is hard work, this writing for an audience. Do you think about the reader and the experience you want the reader to have? Has being published changed your experience of, say, enjoying other books? Of going into a bookstore?
Christopher Reich: I just completed my fourth book, THE DEVIL'S BANKER, and I think I'm more aware of my ability to manipulate an audience than I used to. Frankly, I'm not sure it's a good thing, because I like my stories to feel realistic and not contrived in the least. On the other hand, I'm more aware of my responsibilities to deliver a thumping good yarn.
The sad part about this business is that I find I have less and less time to read fiction. So often at night, I'm reading the research for the stuff I have to write the next day. As a specialist in financial fiction, I have to pour through a dozen papers and magazines each week, just to keep up. When I do read a novel, I find myself going back to the grand storytellers like Leon Uris, Anton Myrer, James Clavell, Herman Wouk --- guys I've read before, but who entrance me every time. Lately, though, I loved THE DA VINCI CODE and UP COUNTRY wasn't too bad!
Nelson DeMille: NUMBERED ACCOUNT was a sensational hit; you've followed it with THE FIRST BILLION and really staked your territory as the market's leading writer of international financial thrillers. Now, there's the new hardcover, THE DEVIL'S BANKER. I know the background for all three novels comes from the banking world you know so well, but of course I can't fail to see the "ripped from the headlines" aspect of chasing terrorist organizations by following the money to find the masterminds behind the destruction. What inspired you here? And how much of THE DEVIL'S BANKER is based on actual investigations?
Christopher Reich: The idea for THE DEVIL'S BANKER came to me a few days after 9/11. For the first time, I saw the entire first act of the book unspool in my head, almost as if I were watching the movie of it. I was just curious how these bad guys move their money around without being caught, and how much of it comes from America. I figure that if I'm interested in a subject, there's probably a few more like me out there. So, I picked up the phone and started making some calls to people in the know asking how we track down and cut off, or to use the vernacular, how we "disrupt and dismantle," terrorist financing networks.
Last April, I found myself at the Treasury Department, Customs, the IRS, FinCEN, and the CIA talking to the men and women who've been tasked with this very job. I was more impressed than I've been in a very long time, not only by our government's commitment to see the job done right, but by the savvy, dedicated enforcement officers I met with. Like I say in the book, its like a Tom Clancy movie…but for real. I'll tell you one thing: I wouldn't want to be the guy they're going after.
Nelson DeMille: I've heard you say that you focus on what money makes people do. You call money the "purest of all motives." Explain this, please.
Christopher Reich: Money is the purest of all motives because it cuts through the bs and lets you know why someone is doing something. There's nothing wrong with needing money or wanting it…even a lot of it. There is something wrong however about breaking the law or allowing one's morals to be corrupted to get it.
Nelson DeMille: Come clean --- what's the plot of the very first novel you wrote, the one that hasn't yet seen the light of day? And how old were you?
Christopher Reich: I never actually got around to writing a book before NUMBERED ACCOUNT, but I did spend the second half of my senior year at Georgetown researching and outlining a climbing drama set in the Himalayas. I was big into Everest then, but not big enough to think of climbing it.
Nelson DeMille: Don't stop to think --- what's the title of the book that influenced you most? Why?
Christopher Reich: That would be THE BOURNE IDENTITY. I was spending the summer in France at a small language school in Objat, smack in the middle of nowhere, and after lessons I'd sneak into my room and spend five or six hours straight reading that book. I have never been so caught up in a book as that one. There were other books before, though, that taught me the joy of reading. SHOGUN, THE THORN BIRDS, THE WINDS OF WAR. I love sagas.
Nelson DeMille: I know you attended this year's Book Expo America and met booksellers from across the country. And you've had some experience meeting fans. What is the most inspiring or striking thing a fan or bookseller has said to you? Or, if you prefer, what's the oddest experience you've had?
Christopher Reich: You can't hear enough that people enjoy your work. Writing is in the end a lonely profession, so when you get out in front of the people, you pretty much just want to hear how much people like it. It feels great. I also love it when people tell they enjoyed a certain character or a certain scene. Then I feel like I've done a good job.
The strangest thing happened to me at the Book Expo. An older man and his teenage son walked up to me at the Bantam Dell signing booth where I was autographing THE DEVIL'S BANKER and told me how much he enjoyed my correspondence with him. He said it was so nice of me to write him in England and that he had resolved to take my advice. I smiled and said, "sure thing," but I had no idea who this man was. And then it hit me, he had mistaken me for someone else. I still have no idea who he thought I was.
Nelson DeMille: Is it fair to ask what's next? Are you already into another project?
Christopher Reich: The new one is all about the nexus of the military, Wall Street and Capitol Hill called the Iron Triangle. I'm fascinated by this stuff that John Poindexter's doing with Terrorist Information Awareness, conveniently changed from Total Information Awareness and the government's growing powers of surveillance. This Patriot Act while necessary can lead to some major abuses of power. The technology being developed for snooping is terrifying. I'm also interested in the power wielded by some of the larger private equity firms like The Carlyle Group, who hire the most influential politicians in the world to work on their behalf and pay them with staggering sums of money, often in the form of participation in the deals they're doing. We're talking forty, fifty, sixty million dollars! We're talking Darth Vader here. The Dark Side of the Force is growing.
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AUTHOR TALK: THE FIRST BILLION
August 2002
Q: You've written two thrillers that break open a fairly covert world—in NUMBERED ACCOUNT it is the world of private Swiss banking and in THE FIRST BILLION it is the high-stakes business of bringing a company public. How do you assess what information to present to the reading public in order to tease their interest, and what to "embellish" for the sake of page-turning plotting?
CR: Any business where on a daily basis men and women stand to gain or lose millions of dollars_sometimes in just minutes_is, by definition interesting. Nowhere is the tension higher than in the IPO game. IPO stands for initial public offering. Bringing a company public is a long process and involves many different parts of an investment bank. You could write a whole book about the process itself, but I don't know if it would be a thriller. The exciting part comes at the beginning_winning the business_and at the end_taking the deal to market. In between is the hard part, the grunt work that fills most I-bankers's days: due diligence, number crunching, road shows, etc. In THE FIRST BILLION I keep to the exciting parts.
Q: Tell us about THE FIRST BILLION: Was this novel inspired by a true event? A trend? Or something you see in the future?
CR: In fact, THE FIRST BILLION was inspired not by any goings on in the stock market but by a paper I read about the disastrous state of the Russian KGB, the equivalent to our CIA. During the 1990s, the once vaunted spy agency suffered from devastating budget cuts and fell on very hard times. Simply put, they had no money. No longer could they fly agents around the world on commercial aircraft. Federal Express canceled their account for nonpayment. At their headquarters outside Moscow they had no photo paper to develop microfilm. The list goes on. All I could think was "My God, these guys must be angry. They must desperately want to get back on the playing field."
That, along with my interest in the wild and woolly world of the Russian oligarchs, the group of 10 to15 businessmen who have taken control of more than half the Russian economy, set the story in motion. The more I read about these guys, the more I knew there was a great thriller to be written.
Q: What is the impact of technology on the global market? What is the impact on a writer such as yourself? Has the process changed since you first put pen to paper on your debut novel, NUMBERED ACCOUNT?
CR: Quite simply, technology has made the world move faster, mostly through the increased speed of communications or information transfer. It has also created a whole class of information spectators. There are people who live their lives on the Internet, viewing others' actions as a proxy for their own, a kind of vicarious cyberexistence. The world has become a much smaller place. Too small, by my reckoning. But there is no going back. I still wonder, though, whether we're getting that much more done, or if knowing so much makes us happier or not. Still, I wouldn't trade my PC for a paper and quill for anything!
Q: You've said in the past that your writing heroes are authors as diverse as Crichton, Demille, Franklin W. Dixon and especially John le Carré. Why these? And are you ready to reveal any new names you admire? What are you reading right now?
CR: There are so many wonderful authors; it's not a question of finding them but of finding the time to read them all. Recently, I've been drawn to Irwin Shaw, author THE YOUNG LIONS and RICH MAN, POOR MAN. Great stories, great insight into the human condition, vivid prose. Le Carré is and always will be my favorite author. Simply put, a genius and one with a giving heart. Anton Myrer is an author of those big, juicy epics that I love. ONCE AN EAGLE is a masterpiece. But who is better at that than James Clavell? TAIPAN, SH_GUN, NOBLE HOUSE. Page-turners at their finest! The list of contemporary authors who I rush out to buy is shorter: Martin Cruz Smith, Nelson DeMille, Thomas Harris, Scott Turow. Right now I'm reading THE BIG BREACH by Richard Tomlinson, the memoirs of a former MI6 agent, who spent a year in jail for trying to get the book published. It's a great read_very informative about the kind of training a spy gets these days. Next up, though, is something fun: THE EMPEROR OF OCEAN PARK.
Q: Do you find the process of preparing to write has changed now that you have three very successful yet different suspense novels under your belt?
CR: There are four phases to writing a book. Coming up with the idea. Outlining the story. Writing the book. Then re-writing it. Experience has sharpened the skills needed during each phase. Coming up with the idea is the most fun. And rewriting it is where you earn your money. But you still have to spend eight hours a day trying to get the right words onto the page. There is no substitute for working. Elmore Leonard said easy reading means hard writing. Boy, is that the truth.
Q: The company featured in THE FIRST BILLION is a media/communications company making its way onto the global stage. Was there a reason you picked a media/communications company? Do you see the role of major corporations and major corporate executives changing in our ever-more-intimate world economy?
CR: I chose the media industry because more than any other single sector, it has the power to affect our daily lives. Everybody watches TV, goes online, reads magazines, and listens to the radio on a daily basis. Think about your life without media. There's a big hole, right? Personally, I find that a shame. I do not own a television. As a father of two young girls, I don't have the time or the inclination. Anyway, media is a good area to write about. It's sure a lot sexier than meat products.
Q: How about some insider knowledge: What is the next book we can expect from Christopher Reich?
CR: The new book is presently titled BLOOD MONEY, and it deals with our government's efforts to root out terrorist financing. The story concerns an elite team of financial investigators, members of the Foreign Terrorist Asset Tracking Team, (FTAT), and their quest to hunt down a shadowy figure known as "the Director" before he can perpetrate a terrorist act on American soil. I drew a lot of the story from my research into the area. The work being done in Washington, and in concert with our allies, is as fascinating as it is urgent. Stop the money and you stop the acts. But first you have to find the money, and it's not as easy as you might think. On the plus side, our government has earmarked a lot of money to the task. I was in D.C. earlier this year and had the honor of meeting professionals at the Financial Crime Enforcement Network, Customs, the IRS, and the Treasury Department. I'll tell you one thing: I wouldn't want to be the bad guys. Make no mistake; we are going to nail them.
AUTHOR TALK: THE RUNNER
April 2000
Q: You've spoken about the moment in history that inspired THE RUNNER. Can you describe it for readers, and explain why it sparked this thriller from you?
CR: I've been a World War II buff as long as I can remember. Growing up, the Second War was always lurking in my imagination. I read Cornelius Ryan, saw "The Battle of Britain" about ten times, "The Guns of Navarone," too. But I'd never really heard or read too much about what happened right after the war ended. What happened to all the soldiers who surrendered? Where did they go? What did they go? Doing some preliminary reading, I came across a mention of some fanatical German soldiers who called themselves 'Werewolves' who'd sworn never to give up. Just the name 'werewolf' sent a chill through my blood. I was hooked! I began to imagine what one of these soldiers might be like, what he'd do for his country, a man for whom losing the war was worse than death, itself. What came from those thoughts is THE RUNNER.
Q: NUMBERED ACCOUNT took readers behind-the-scenes in international finance. THE RUNNER takes readers behind-the-scenes of the post-W.W.II war crimes justice system, as well as back in time. How is writing about the past different from writing about the "now?" How do you thread such fact through the fiction and keep the narrative moving?
CR: The greatest difficulty about writing about past events-- certainly events that took place before you were born--is being faithful not only to the facts of the era but to its spirit. The world has certainly changed a lot since 1945. We, as Americans, live by far more relaxed morals and conventions than our parents and grandparents. Just look at how we dress for work, how we address our superiors on the job, or better yet, look at our sex lives. So you can't just bury yourself in a pile of books, you have to listen to the people who were alive then. When I started THE RUNNER, I knew what I wanted to happen ‹ that is, how the plot needed to unfold ‹ but I didn't know how. I let my research write the story for me. Scenes of the German black market and in Jake's Joint, the American Roadhouse outside of Munich, were drawn directly from interview with an American pilot and a former German soldier who after the war became the 'self proclaimed' king of the Heidelberg black market. The key was to select only the stories - the facts, the details - that propel the story forward. Keep those pages turning!
Q: Are your novels a reflection of the kind of fiction you enjoy reading? Who are your author heroes?
CR: Without question, I try and write the kind of stories I enjoy reading. I've always been a voracious reader. To crib from Jay McInerney, I grew up with the classics: Ludlum, Forsyth, Deighton and of course, Franklin W. Dixon. (Ten points to all you former Hardy Boys fans). Another favorite was James Clavell. I can remember getting lost for days on end in King Rat, Taipan, Shogun and Noble House. My current all-star list includes Nelson DeMille, Tom Wolfe, and Peter Blauner. Still, the one writer whose work I most admire is John Le Carre. Though he's been labeled a writer of spy fiction, he's much, much more. No writer plumbs the hearts of his character like Le Carre, or provides greater insight into their actions. He is nothing short of brilliant. His books taught me everything I know today about writing. I recently had the chance to meet him in Zurich and can say that his talent is exceeded only by his kindness.
Q: Tell us more about how you write. Do you follow a routine? What most surprises you about the process? Do you begin with a character, an idea, or a title? Reviewers all call your fiction fast-paced or page-turning. How do you describe your fiction, and how to you craft the pages to draw readers through the narrative?
CR: Writing is a job, a vocation, not an avocation. To those who wait for the muse to dance upon their shoulder, good luck. Writing is hard work and success depends just as much on one's ability to keep his or her butt in a chair and get the job done as it does on talent. I try and put in eight hours a day, beginning by 8:30 and finishing up by 5 or 5:30 with an hour and a half for lunch. I like to tell people to do as much outlining of the story as possible before you start. Have your plot pretty much figured out. Know the main events that have to take place in the book and how it's going to end. Your characters are paramount. The more you can suss out about them beforehand the better. I like to write long biographies about the principal players, so I really know who they are ‹ where they grew up, pivotal childhood events, favorite books, parental memories and lots, lots, more. So much of a story comes out of character. I always keep in mind that I am trying to write top notch commercial fiction. A fast paced story that teaches the reader something about an interesting subject and maybe something about themselves. In doing so, I like to end each chapter on a mysterious note ‹ either something has gone wrong or something big is about to happen. Mostly, though, I want the reader to feel that he or she absolutely has to know what's coming next. The title is the last thing that comes to mind.
Q: What was the most surprising thing about the success of NUMBERED ACCOUNT? What was different or surprising about preparing for THE RUNNER?
CR: Learning that NUMBERED ACCOUNT, my first novel had hit the New York Times Bestseller list ranks among the greatest rushes in my life. You can hope, you can pray, but when it actually happens, it's simply marvelous. I think the biggest surprise about NUMBERED ACCOUNT was that the book found such a large audience. Readers didn't shy away because of subject matter ‹ I mean how many people think that they're going to find a rip-roaring yarn about intrigue in a Swiss bank. Word of mouth spread that most of all it was a really exciting story. A young guy gets caught way over his head with some of the savviest, most sophisticated criminals in the world and has to fight his way out. When I set out to write THE RUNNER, I wanted to explore another area that fascinated me - the Second World War and what happened in its aftermath.
Q: Care to share what's coming next?
CR: The next book is just getting off the ground. Set in contemporary times, it's the story of a young CIA spy, fresh out of training, who is sent into Russia to bring down the head of a Moscow Crime Syndicate, a smooth type who has plans to harm certain interests of the United States. It's appalling how much of Russia today is controlled by organized crime. Some say up to 75% of all business and industry is mob run. That means the government is involved as well. And that makes good grist for a thriller writer's mill. Anyway, I'll be spending most of the summer in Moscow researching the book. Look for it in the Spring of 2002.
Q: If you could be asked one question by the readers of your books, what would you hope the question to be?
CR: The question I like to hear the most is "When is the next book coming out?"
Q: What advice would you give aspiring authors?
CR: My advice to aspiring authors is simple: Take a look into the mirror and make sure you have the talent to get the job done. Don't fool yourselves. If you do, sit down and start writing and don't quit until your done. Once their finished, I'd advise them to be humble and be ready to edit, edit, edit!
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