Thank you to Stable Book Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review High Finance.

High Finance by Ken Miller is an incredibly in-depth debut that examines not only the collapse of Lehman Brothers, but also what it meant to be part of that relentless, high-pressure machine. Themes of sacrifice, repercussions, obsessiveness, and depression weave throughout the narrative, creating a layered and introspective read.

Told through multiple points of view, the story pieces together the many factors that shaped Jed Czincosca into the person he became. While I personally found these shifting perspectives engaging, some readers might find them jarring or harder to follow.

The novel takes you through each pivotal stage of Jed’s life, from childhood to senior years, showing how his intelligence, drive, and spearheaded determination evolved over decades. But alongside the triumphs comes the inevitable downfall, a stark reminder of how decades of work can be undone in mere minutes.

What drew me in most were the tough, unflinching topics at the heart of the story, and the introspective look at how one’s actions can ripple outward. That said, High Finance wasn’t entirely for me. I can still appreciate its historical depth, ambitious scope, and the thoughtful exploration of ambition, consequence, and loss.

I was drawn to High Finance right away—partly because I lived through the 2008 financial crisis and partly because the premise sounded incredibly promising. A novel about the human side of Wall Street, ambition, collapse, and moral reckoning? That’s right up my alley. Unfortunately, while the book has some strong moments, it didn’t quite deliver what I was hoping for.

What does stand out is how it captures the psychological pressure behind the financial system. It’s not just about numbers and boardroom politics—it's about ego, insecurity, and the high-stakes environment where everyone is expected to win and no one can afford to look weak. Even without much background in finance, I found that part of the novel surprisingly immersive and sharp.

But the structure made it hard to stay connected. The story jumps between different narrators, and just when I started to get invested in one, it would move on. I get the intention—showing the bigger system from multiple angles—but in practice, it felt scattered and emotionally thin. I wanted more time with the characters, more depth, more focus.

The writing also felt rushed. It’s fast-paced and casual, which might work for some readers, but for me it skimmed over too many important moments. The novel touches on major themes—responsibility, failure, the cost of unchecked ambition—but rarely slows down enough to explore them in a meaningful way.

Still, I give the book credit for tackling a topic that’s rarely handled in fiction. When it does pause to ask tough questions—about who gets held accountable, and what we owe each other in systems built around self-interest—it really shines. I just wish there were more of those moments.

In the end, High Finance didn’t fully click for me. But if you’re curious about the human stories behind the financial crisis, or you enjoy novels that examine power and moral ambiguity in high-pressure environments, this might still be worth checking out.

As someone who vividly remembers the collapse of Lehman Brothers, I was drawn to High Finance with high hopes. The premise—tracing the rise and fall of a Wall Street insider—seemed tailor-made for readers interested in the human side of financial history.
While the book is clearly well-researched and offers a unique perspective, I found it hard to connect with the narrative. Despite the sharp satire and authentic detail, it just didn’t quite land for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Stable Book Group for providing me with an Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

High Finance by Ken Miller--This book is about the fall of Lehman Brothers, told in a way that is imminently relatable. Captured in a series of vignettes showing the impact of Lehman Brothers and its fall, this fictional story gives Miller the creative license to tell a truly insightful story about human condition and connection. Given Miller's background as former vice chairman of both Credit Suisse and Merrill Lynch, it's tough not to read his characters closest to Lehman as self-inserts. In that way, then, the book is a really poignant, introspective examination of how one person's action or inaction can haunt them. I really enjoyed this book, and recommend it to anyone interested in this topic. I should point out, for transparency, that I did receive an advance copy of this book to review, and it comes out in September. Thumbs up.