In this sequel to The Pride
(2005), evil financial genius Gordon Perkins and Ray Beard, his partner in crime, overdose on "cocaine, champagne and four of the freakiest bitches that New Orleans had to offer" in celebration of double-crossing their financial partners, leaving Gordon in a coma and Ray half-blind and paralyzed. The victims of their scheme—Diedre Douglas; her on-again, off-again husband, Paul Taylor; and colleague Jerome Hardaway—merge assets to save the company Gordon and Ray nearly destroyed. As a seemingly endless stream of characters pop up and recede, Gordon, still in a coma, plots his diabolical comeback, and a lot of distracting backstory and financial maneuvering ensue without gaining much momentum. When a money-grubbing preacher named Quincy Holloway appears with camera crew in tow midway into the book, things begin to perk up, but the tension slackens quickly. Ford introduces enough ideas and story elements to stock a gripping read, but for far too many pages they are as inert as Gordon's comatose body. (Nov.)
