The Teller - Softcover

Jonathan Stone does most of his writing on the commuter train between the Connecticut suburbs and Manhattan, where he is the creative director of a midtown advertising agency. His novel Moving Day was selected as an Amazon Kindle First, and has been optioned for film by Nick Wechsler and Steve Schwartz. Two of his short stories, “Hedge” and “East Meets West,” are anthologized in the Mystery Writers of America’s recent annual collections. A graduate of Yale University, Jon is married with two college-age children.

Elaine Kelly struggles to take care of her dying mother while working as a bank teller, when, one day, she makes an impulsive decision that propels her into a living nightmare. She's handled deposits for a particular little old man for some time, but one day, as he leaves the bank, he's struck by a truck, which kills him instantly, and Elaine transfers over a million dollars into her own bank account. Soon, she discovers that the money she stole was dirty money, and the people whom it actually belongs to want it back. If she doesn't return the cash, they'll make her pay another way. At first blush, this seems to be a straightforward thriller, but it quickly becomes a study of a young woman who must find herself and her strength, amid horrifying circumstances, and how power and privilege can corrupt. Elaine is very relatable, and readers will root for her as she navigates the grimy underbelly of New York City. VERDICT: Stone's (Moving Day) plotting is tight as a drum, and his writing lean, with short, staccato sentences that create an immediate and immersive experience. Fans of Stone's other suspense titles will be thrilled, and newcomers will scramble for more.