The Directive

"With elements of a technothriller, this is a nonstop, heart-pounding ride. . . . another high-powered hit" from the national bestselling author of The 500 (Booklist, starred review).

After escaping the corrupt back rooms of Washington, DC, Mike Ford is again playing a dangerous game—and this time the stakes are even higher. Mike's brother is in over his head in a powerful conspiracy to steal a secret worth billions from the rarely understood, vitally important trading desk at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.


Trying to bail his brother out, Mike quickly finds himself trapped into planning the heist himself, forced to call on all the skills of his criminal past in order to escape. In this sharp, fast-paced sequel to The 500, Mike Ford again stars as the cunning and courageous former con man with a big heart, and Matthew Quirk confirms that he is one of the most exciting thriller writers at work today.


"A roller coaster of a thriller. . . . If you like Ludlum you are certain to like Quirk." —Forbes.com

"Thrilling. Fascinating details . . . combine with a relentlessly charged plot. Stellar." —Cleveland Plain Dealer

"An action-packed thriller that should end up in many beach bags." —St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"A nonstop, heart-pounding ride . . . Quirk has another high-powered hit on his hands." —Booklist

"An engrossing plot . . . this page-turner will attract not only fans of such financial-thriller authors as Christopher Reich and Joseph Finder but all those looking for a fun, fast-flowing beach read." —Library Journal

"Another exciting page-turner." —Associated Press