Inexplicable drops in world markets for oil, copper, coal, and other commodities are destabilizing nations to the point of economic collapse. A conspicuous increase in production numbers for primary oil producing companies results in a call for help from governments and a large oil distributor. The R-Group quietly engages amid fears that further drops in value could devastate multiple economies of first world countries.
Jacob Michaels is called by ePetro’s Mike Patrick, CEO of the multinational oil broker, due to some prior data and network security engagement work. This prompts early investigation into the production numbers by Jacob. With support from Petra they suspect the problem is a result of hacking by an unidentified dark matter organization. In tracing back all the available threads they find it impossible to determine where this organization is operating, who is at the helm driving commodity prices down, and how are the profits being taken without detection. They realize early on that a single misstep places not only Jacob and Petra, but other members of R-Group directly into the path of mortal danger!
This cyber terror organization is fierce and lethal when it comes to protecting itself and the plans made to take control of global commodity markets. The lieutenants of this agenda are quick to execute orders without question. Failure does not get a second chance with these enforcers. R-Group’s advantage of leading technology resources, brilliant technologists, and years of experience may not be enough to locate the genius source bent on commodity market domination. Has this insidious cyber evil from the dark net become a challenge the R-Group simply cannot defeat?
The Enigma Broker, is the 8th book in The Enigma Series by the award-winning authors Breakfield and Burkey. It uses relevant technology layered with travel, intrigue, humor, mystery, and romance from the affluence of London to the extreme poverty of Argentina, the train yards of Fort Worth Texas, and places in between. The layers of planning and conspiracy by the cruel dark matter organization supplies suspense and intrigue to the very end.
Join us in this chilling journey into a dangerous digital underworld that raises troubling questions about our dependence on technology and our current obsession with social media avenues for communication.
In Breakfield and Burkey’s (The Enigma Gamers, 2016, etc.) latest series installment, predatory pricing in the commodity markets may be part of a much bigger and more sinister plan.Mike Patrick, the CEO of multinational commodities broker ePETRO, notices a conspicuous increase in oil companies’ production numbers. It’s soon apparent that none of the companies are overproducing, so someone must be tampering with the figures. This scheme not only hurts the companies themselves by dropping commodity prices, but it also harms other firms that are developing renewable energy technology, as they could lose investments. Mike calls Jacob Michaels, who did security work for him before joining the R-Group, a family-owned and -run business that combats cyberattackers. An unnamed U.S. government agency also requests R-Group’s help in explaining the plummeting prices of oil and other materials, such as coal. Jacob immediately suspects that the culprit is a “Dark Matter Organization,” manipulating commodity markets for its own purpose. It turns out that a DMO is indeed responsible, and its leadership assigns an enforcer named LJ to make sure that no one identifies them or their “carefully orchestrated plan.” This puts both Jacob and his lover, Petra, in peril when they take their investigation to London. Readers new to the series may be intimidated by the many characters in Breakfield and Burkey’s book, most of whom are returning, such as R-Group veterans Otto, Wolfgang, and Quentin “Quip” Waters. But the authors handle their players as skillfully as casino dealers handle cards, and the various subplots are consistently engaging. The main storyline is energized by its formidable villains: LJ is dangerous, but his boss is unquestionably more so—a bad performance review, for example, can end in death. The authors also sprinkle welcome touches of romance throughout, involving quite a few couples—one of whom plans to get married. The humor is more subtle but equally satisfactory, such as Mike’s private insults regarding his boss, the ePETRO chairman.
Another exciting thriller entry in a series that shows no signs of slowing down.
Who doesn’t love a good cyber-crime story peppered with intrigue and action? An excellent addition to that genre is none other than The Enigma Broker by Breakfield and Burkey. The current entry in a series that has chronicled an alternate future, this book is filled with thrills and chills. While the cast of characters is quite large, so much so that a single protagonist cannot be identified, the villains themselves aren’t quite so numerous, but their fearful plots are devious and cruel. It is not necessary to read previous installments in the chronicles, but it would undoubtedly be helpful at providing external context to the characters and their relationships. The intense nature of the crimes in this tale and the quick actions to circumvent them will leave readers breathless and waiting for more. There is truly very little to be disappointed with in this engaging tale.
The formatting and layout of the book is fantastic. The short-ish chapters make the story easy to read and take a break from if necessary. Some of the technical terms may go over the heads of readers and the authors have taken steps to address these concerns at the back of the book. You don’t have to be a computer genius to be able to understand what is happening, but it does not hurt to have some basic technical knowledge beyond pressing the power button on a computer. If you fall into the latter part, you may find yourself slightly lost while trying to follow those pieces of the story. The rest of the book more than makes up for that, however.
The relationships with the characters have some carry over from previous installments in this series. That can be difficult when you come into the series out of order, but it is dealt with easily by our authors. They give enough backstory and enough context that the present relationships are easily understood. As there seems to be a focus on romance and the development of these said relationships, this is crucial to get across to your readers who do not have the luxury of that backstory. The humor and action sequences are well thought out and planned accordingly. Nothing feels unnecessary or over the top. Everything has a place and the characters comply with their given roles.
A techno-thriller with a vast cast of characters can seem like more than the average reader is willing to take on. However, The Enigma Broker by Breakfield and Burkey is not one to be passed over. Any reader can tell that the research and partnership for this book was executed expertly. There is no clashing in the story where two authors disagree. Instead, this is a seamless book that flows as if it were written by one person. The romance and the action combine to give this book an added flair. Any reader would get a great read out of this.
Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite - 5 stars
The Enigma Broker by Breakfield and Burkey is a first-class conspiracy novel dealing with the digital manipulation of financial information. I like a good, well thought out, well written, and well researched conspiracy novel and The Enigma Broker satisfied on every level. It is complex and would be a little hard to follow in some instances, but the authors deftly change the point of view by switching from character to character and group to group smoothly enough and often enough to keep the story going quickly and the input of new information manageable. I am not familiar with the world of commodity trading, but could follow the story and learn as I read, which is one sign of good writing. Rich in detail and knowledge of both corporate management and international trading, The Enigma Broker also has a wealth of good old relationship drama, crime, and lessons in loyalty.
It is very evident that Breakfield and Burkey know the ins and outs of the commodities markets, as well as a thing or two about the corporations that operate in this world and other corporations that provide them with security. Avid readers of World War II history and historical fiction will recognize Enigma as an actual machine used to encode messages during this epic conflict. The title of this book is derived directly from that machine and this story revolves around people who were in that conflict, but mostly about their descendants. The Enigma Broker is vast in scope and a very satisfying read.
Arya Fomonyuy - 5 Star
The Enigma Broker by Breakfield and Burkey is Book 8 in The Enigma Series, a powerful thriller laced with realism that explores a phenomenon that could threaten the world’s civilizations and economy. The symptoms are very obvious — falling prices in commodities like oil, coal, copper and others — but it seems everyone is turning a blind eye to it. Perhaps no one seems to see the danger this could pose to the economy of entire nations. The R-Group’s attention is roused and they come in to investigate. What might have seemed to be a phenomenon that could be easily explained becomes a complex issue involving an underground system that could wreck humanity. It’s breathtaking to see skilled agents Jacob and Petra team up with other agencies to solve the mystery.
The Enigma Broker handles a danger that could be very real. Those who have read earlier works in the series, like Enigma Rising, will enjoy the author’s mastery of technology and current issues. I enjoyed how authors Breakfield and Burkey integrated social media and technology into this engaging page-turner. The conflict starts from the very first page of the story. I love characters that always have something threatening them, a problem they have to solve, a mystery to understand. Such are the kinds of characters readers will encounter in The Enigma Broker and the sense of impending danger that permeates the entire story makes it even more interesting to read. This series will grab the interest of fans of thrillers and readers who love works featuring high technology and high stakes. Highly recommended!
Ruffina Oserio - 5 Stars
The Enigma Broker by Breakfield and Burkey is another powerful entry in a series that is undoubtedly spellbinding and loved by fans of thrillers and works featuring large-scale conspiracy and fraud. This time around, in Book 8 of The Enigma series, the R-Group is faced with another crisis and it has to find the solution fast before the entire world crumbles. Prices of commodities like oil and copper are drastically falling, and this can pose a great threat not only to international markets, but to the economies of many countries. How is this happening? No one knows and no one seems to care, but the R-Group already senses something sinister. They know if the threat is not stopped in time, mankind could be in for yet another devastating fall in history. Petra and Jacob are back in the game of unveiling a very cunning group poised to do harm to the world’s economy. It is riveting to watch agencies as they team up to fight a monster that is as powerful as it is elusive.
With the impending sense of danger mounting at every turn in the story, readers are in for a thrill ride. With its fast-paced and complex plot, The Enigma Broker becomes one of the entertaining books that will have readers turning the pages nonstop. Authors Breakfield and Burkey know how to weave a complex technology into an already complicated story. The way the characters are built is amazing and the tools they use to hunt the brain behind the current economic crisis is nothing short of brilliant. The characters are complex and many of them are very memorable. I enjoyed the themes explored in this book, especially the authors' handling of conspiracy, the power of teamwork, the strength of love. Set against a society ruled by science and technology, this book could be very prophetic of some of the threats our contemporary economy could be faced with.
