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MWSA Review
Chasing Money: A Marty and Bo Thriller is a twisting mystery romp, a mixture of satire and dark humor that keeps readers hooked from the first page.
Marty and Bo are struggling entrepreneurs, always chasing money to fund their struggling new business. When they connect with Nico Scava, he seems to be the perfect angel investor: the answer to their prayers, with connections in the art world and a creative idea. But instead, Nico proves the adage, “Be careful what you wish for.”
The plot involves the Russian mob, faked artwork, a bogus baron, violent murders, and a frantic chase from a cabin on Mount Hood to a Portland strip club. Debut author Michael Balter’s wry humor, clear writing style, and knowledge of art history make this a captivating story.
Balter has teamed up with Mission Point Press, a publishing firm with a history of transforming first-time authors into success stories. Chasing Money, published in 2023, has already garnered an impressive roster of literary awards. This is the first of two Marty and Bo thrillers, with a sequel eagerly anticipated.
Review by James Elsener (May 2025)
Author's Synopsis
Most investor pitch meetings don’t end in murder - but then Marty and Bo haven’t had a lot of luck lately. They’ve been struggling to keep their startup business alive. It’s not high-tech, it’s not highly successful and the pressure to find capital has strained their bank accounts and Marty’s marriage.
So when Nico Scava offered to invest they eagerly accepted. He had money, connections in the art world, and a creative idea, but maybe they should have asked more questions. Now Nico’s dead and they’re on the hook for whatever scheme he was running. The Russian mob is after them, and if they don’t find $10 million and a mysterious missing painting in the next few days they’ll be dead too.
Their frantic chase will lead them from a cabin in the Oregon woods to a Portland strip club, from an aging artist to a bogus baron, and deep into the history of a missing masterpiece that someone is willing to kill to obtain. As the bodies pile up, Marty and Bo will have some tough choices to make about how far they’ll go to protect their families, their company, and themselves.
Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller/Crime
Number of Pages: 286
Word Count: 79000