Not a penny more not a penny less by Jeffrey Archer

Not a penny more not a penny less by Jeffrey Archer... this story is about scam by Harvey Metcalfe, a self-made American millionaire, finalizes an elaborate scam in which he cheats four strangers out of a million dollars. All four of them thought they would be rich; the next day, however, they discover that they are penniless. Stephen Bradley, one of the four strangers and a Harvard mathematics graduate now studying at Oxford, gathers together the other three and makes a proposition: although none of them have ever met each other before, they will now work together to get the one million dollars back from Harvey Metcalfe, using whatever means are necessary. At last, the other three--a doctor, a French art collector, and a lord--agree, and the plot is set in motion.

may be its just me..but I think, Jeffrey Archer is man of personal flaws.. but his books are fun.

this story begins - Henryk Metelski changes his name to Harvey Metcalfe. Wealthy enough at the start of the book, he is a person who would cheat people to earn more. The story starts with Prospecta Oil Company Shares. David Kesler a Harvard graduate working for Prospecta Oil in all innocence made four people invest in Prospecta Oil Shares. David was told that the company had made a fantastic strike in the North Sea and when they announce it the shares of the company would be at an all time peak. The four people involved were: Stephen Bradley, Dr. Robin Oakley, Jean-Pierre Lamanns and Lord James Brigsley. Stephen Bradley was David's friend during Harvard days and a visiting American professor at Oxford. David made a casual visit to the Dr. Robin Oakley, where he mentioned about the strike. David met gallery owner Jean-Pierre Lamanns when he went to buy a piece of art to furnish his apartment and he met Lord James Brigsley while having a drink. The four invested a good chunk of money in Prospecta Oil, only to realize they were tricked . They decided to get their money back.

All the four came up with their individual plans using their skills and area of expertise. James who initially did not come up so easily with the plan, ultimately surprised the other three with his plan. The four with their neatly laid plans went ahead in pursuit of their goal of defeating Metcalfe and getting their money back.

Not a Penny is a fun, light read--and well worth the afternoon it will take to complete it.