The Smart Contract Killer

When Scotland Yard recruits former finance professional Francis J. Barlow to help with their white-collar crimes, it initially seems like a good career move. However, his excitement cools when it becomes clear it’s a mundane desk job with a boss determined to check his advancement. This all changes because of the Brexit demonstrations in October 2018. So, when he’s given an actual out-of-the-office criminal case, and Europol asks him to join their task force, he jumps at the chance to follow the trail to Southeast Asia. This thrusts Francis into a world of unparalleled humidity, heady traffic, amazing cuisine, and the mysteries of Chinese languages and culture that test him at every turn. He’s equally confounded by a scheme involving money laundering, tax evasion, blockchains, and cryptocurrency that begins to unravel before him. The deeper he delves into the art of ordering Asian food and seducing the beautiful Nancy, the closer he seems to get to the source of the mystery. But how is it all connected? Who is the skillful international killer that is killing the people involved? And just who can he trust?