William von Becker gestiva una delle più grandi banche d'investimento del Nord America, fino a quando il fondo non è crollato, smascherando così una colossale frode. Quando von Becker muore suicida in carcere, la sua famiglia decide di assumere l'investigatore finanziario Jason Stafford. Ci sono ancora parecchi soldi fuori, da qualche parte - gli viene detto - e vogliono che Stafford li trovi prima che lo facciano i federali e altri "intermediari finanziari" se così li si può chiamare, che agiscono al limite della legge. Con questi ultimi sarebbe meglio non avere a che fare, ma una volta iniziata l'indagine Stafford non riuscirà a tenersi lontano dai guai. Come se non bastasse, la sua ex moglie ha scelto di trasferirsi a New York per riallacciare i rapporti con il figlio autistico, e Stafford teme che possa sconvolgere il suo mondo così fragile e faticosamente costruito. Seguendo una pista di riciclaggio di denaro sporco e risalendo, d'intermediario in intermediario, fino al più pericoloso dei mandanti, Stafford rischia, come al solito, di scoprire più di quanto non gli sia stato richiesto...

Jason Stafford è un ex pezzo grosso di Wall Street che ha perso tutto: famiglia, lavoro e soldi. Ha pagato il prezzo di una frode finanziaria con due anni di carcere, e dopo essere uscito cerca di rimettersi in sesto. Ogni tipo di lavoro nel mondo della finanza sembra essergli precluso, ma l'esperienza di truffatore gli fa ottenere un posto in una società di investimenti: il suo incarico sarà quello di svolgere delle indagini sulle attività sospette di un giovane agente di borsa, morto da poco in un incidente in barca. Per denaro, Stafford accetta, ma quello che scopre è più scottante del previsto e finisce per coinvolgere livelli a cui sarebbe meglio non arrivare. Fra documenti criptati, ricatti, rivalità e segreti, Stafford mette a repentaglio la sua stessa vita. Una vita che era finalmente pronto a ricostruire insieme all'unica persona che gli aveva insegnato ad amarla di nuovo e che ha davvero bisogno di lui: il figlio autistico di cinque anni.

Barack Obama's presidential victory led many people to believe that the United States might finally be moving into a post-racial era. Obama's Race---and its eye-opening account of the role played by race in the election---paints a dramatically different picture.

The authors argue that the 2008 election was more polarized by racial attitudes than any other presidential election on record and, perhaps more significantly, that there were two sides to this racialization: resentful opposition to and racially liberal support for Obama. As Obama's campaign was given a boost in the primaries from racial liberals that extended well beyond that usually offered to ideologically similar white candidates, Hillary Clinton lost much of her longstanding support and instead became the preferred candidate of Democratic racial conservatives. Time and again, voter's racial predispositions trumped their ideological preferences as John McCain---seldom described as conservative in matters of race---became the darling of racial conservatives from both parties. Hard-hitting and sure to be controversial, Obama's Race will be both praised and critized-but certainly not ignored.

"Michael Tesler and David O. Sears do a masterful job of driving yet another nail into the coffin of the pernicious myth that President Obama's presidency signifies the advent of a `post-racial' America. Obama's Race makes the discouraging, but insightful point that American politics, even the politics of partisanship, ideology, class, and gender, is distorted by racial, specifically anti-black, animus. Tesler and Sears also use scientific analysis to confirm the newest dire twist to the politics of race---the degree to which it has become entwined with religious intolerance. This combination of racial and religious intolerance, Tesler and Sears demonstrate, make it nearly impossible for all too many Americans to objectively judge the President's policy proposals. Obama's Race is must reading for not only serious students of American politics, but for all readers concerned about the future of democracy in America."---Michael Dawson, University of Chicago

"Obama's Race is a timely, provocative, and important book that political scientists, political pundits, journalists, and anyone with a passing interest in politics simply must read. How should we interpret the historic election of this country's first African American president? Does it mark an extraordinary shift in how ordinary citizens think about race and politics? In their careful and detailed analysis, Tesler and Sears make a persuasive case for why the election of Barack Obama does not represent a fundamental sea change in how people think about politics. The results are striking, sobering, and deeply revealing."---Cindy D. Kam, Vanderbilt University

"This is an important book on an important topic. Michael Tesler and David O. Sears examine the impact of racial attitudes on political behavior in the 2008 election and they find that racial resentment played a major role in both the democratic primaries and the general election. Demonstrating the spillover effects of racial resentment on both policy and candidate evaluations, the authors show how resentment toward African Americans shaped views of the candidates, including Hillary Clinton and John McCain, and even how it influenced opinions on Barack Obama's tax policies. Of interest not only to scholars and students, this book should be consulted by anyone who wants to understand the 2008 election and the course of American politics since then. This is an innovative, interestin, and influential work."---Philip Klinkner, Hamilton College