“This captivating thriller set across Asia, North America and Europe tells the story of Luca Voss’s fight against dark forces conspiring to start a nuclear war. Far out to sea during a fierce storm a Japanese ship is commandeered by mercenaries who kill one of the crew and vanish; North Korea flexes its military muscles by firing a cruise missile into Japanese air space; an unidentified body is dumped on the border between Russia and China. So begins The Secret Broker, the startling debut thriller by Simon Crane, which pitches the suave Swiss orphan Luca Voss and his companion JJ against a cruel megalomaniac trying to manipulate the world’s superpowers from behind closed doors. From the astonishing opening when a mystery helicopter swoops in on a beleaguered boat to the chilling death of the German peace envoy Franz Wetzell and the secret history of the Seven Families, this gripping thriller takes the reader on an international journey of espionage and adventure, calling at Mexico, Myanmar, Switzerland, Japan, China, Italy and more.”

I am delighted to welcome you to my stop on Simon Crane’s The Secret Broker blog tour. The Secret Broker is Simon’s debut novel and features suave high-flyer, Luca Voss (lucavoss.com). Simon has written a fascinating guest post based on his experiences as a first time novelist and the things he has discovered about the publishing world. Over to you Simon…

Being a novice author is at best complicated, especially if you happen to be an amazingly lucky and successful entrepreneur entering your 60s. Frankly there is nothing you don’t know about your chosen business arenas except for the unexpected, which happily returns a proper sense of humility. Add an unaccounted for illness and now you have the most magnificent opportunity to reshape your thoughts, family values, business priorities and your life. Wow, some of us are even lucky enough to survive to tell the tale and then some. So fate begets an author, new business ventures become a reality and inspire you, your family lose you again – this time to writing a novel you never thought you would write, especially as it is full of half-truths and conspiracy. You have a limitless imagination and energy to create the story.

At no point in my life did I ever believe I would write a book yet alone be capable of creating such a yarn. Things change. In my case the story was the easy part, self-discipline produced 20 pages a week and hey presto in no time at all, well less than it takes to have a baby, you have written a book and prepared for the sequels.Now comes the harsh reality of the book business world about which you know nothing; common sense principles go out of the window and old truths simply don’t apply. You are left to the mercy and integrity of your publisher. Gosh I was lucky again in finding Naim Attallah at Quartet Books.

My strong advice to any would be novice authors is to make a lasting friend of him or her and learn to trust their instincts and staff. He or she employed them because they are brilliant at what they do. You don’t have to agree because it’s not your business, it’s theirs. I think I am learning the principles of becoming a control freak faster than Luca Voss is learning to become The Secret Broker. The Secret Broker a tale for modern reality based in centuries of superstition and legend, full of conspiracy and stooped in secrecy.  The Secret Broker is a fast paced, shockingly conspiratorial, sexy spy thriller based on premises that could be true …

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Thank you for such an interesting post, Simon, and a very happy publication day!  If you would like to find out more about The Secret Broker you can watch the trailer by clicking here.  I am delighted to have a copy on my TBR so look out for a review on the blog soon.

The Secret Broker by Simon Crane was published in the UK by Quartet Books on 22nd September 2016 and is available in hardcover | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | Goodreads | Quartet Books | Buy The Secret Broker from Quartet Books |

Writer, Entrepreneur and Financier. Financial market strategist and global trader Simon Crane, began his career as an article clerk for Cooper Brothers. He quickly moved on to become a leading investment banker, advisor and market trader in the early 1980’s – he has worked from Sydney, New York, Singapore and London. In 1987, following a successful career with Bankers Trust and Credit Suisse First Boston he set up his own investment analysis, advisory, strategy and propriety trading business, Crane Investment Analysis Ltd, which has evolved over the years having been frequently sought after by government leaders, policy makers and some of the world’s largest organisations for guidance on how to navigate the increasing complexities of the global financial markets. Today, the firm is involved in finance, world markets, proprietary trading, varied property interests, capital introductions and various entrepreneurial ventures. He is an accomplished professional investor from startups onwards.

Having worked with leading hedge funds and investment bankers across the globe over the past 30 years during catastrophic financial collapses, global political instability,and unparalleled opportunities, Simon is a true believer in the power of relationships. He has built deep lasting friendships with those who influence the world arena. To broker successful deals, Simon lives by the mantra that ‘my word is my bond’ and over the years he has earned the trust of many.

Embarking on his first novel Simon believes that ‘…there is a book in each and everyone of us.’ He hopes to take his readers on a fast paced journey which bridges the realms of fiction and reality.

Author Links: Simon Crane’s Website | Simon Crane on Twitter |