The Coffee Trader

I was walking through the library one day when I saw this book sitting on the shelf.  This was kind of an impulse read something for the morning commute.  I must say that I was surprised not by the overall story but by the twisted events of described by one of the characters who is revealed to be the puppet master of the events told throughout the book.  The story revolves around Jews moving to Amsterdam and the emergence of the international trading markets in the 17th century similar to that of modern day Wall Street.  The story takes several twist and turns but the end is what really sold me on this title.  The reveal of Miguel Lienzo's true scheme leads to even bigger reveals that show just how untrustworthy a great many people really are.  But it also shows how innocent some of their intentions can be while hurting others through their schemes.  There are some plot threads that are left hanging even after the back cover is closed.  Overall this is a title that stacks up to older text like Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice.  I highly recommend simply for the climax alone.