Friday, the Thirteenth: A Novel

A frantic voice crackles through the receiver, pulling the narrator from a routine office moment into the chaotic heart of the New York Stock Exchange on a dreaded Friday the 13th. A junior partner warns that a volatile trader named Bob Brownley is unleashing a “sulphur‑filled” frenzy that threatens to wreck markets, banks, and the city itself. The protagonist, a seasoned broker, feels the weight of the ticking clock as stocks tumble and panic spreads like a storm across the trading floor.

The story pits disciplined, old‑school finance against a single, merciless figure whose aggressive tactics could shatter the fragile order of the market. Alongside his loyal brother Fred, the narrator must decide whether to step into the breach and confront the reckless force driving the crisis. With vivid descriptions of the exchange’s frantic energy and a palpable sense of impending disaster, the novel immerses listeners in a high‑stakes battle where every decision could reshape fortunes in an instant.