The Trade Off
A novel opening with the stock market crash of 1929 and first chapter set in 1926 has suspense built in. Chapters begin with the date and Dow Daily Average.
Twins Bea and Jake Abramovitz grow up on New York City’s Lower East Side. Bea’s gift is numbers. She loved the stock market since childhood, playing prediction games with her father. Jake’s strongest traits are personal charm, the ability to sell anything to anyone, and wild get-rich-quick dreams. Practical Bea cautions him as best she can, but she has her own dreams. Determined to become a stockbroker, she discovers the odds are against a woman, even more the daughter of Jewish immigrants. Jake leaves home for richer opportunities in the west, and Bea gets a job at J. P. Morgan in the wire room, where she can see the daily tickers and hone her skills at understanding trends. Her friendship with two other “misfits” at J. P. Morgan helps her become a modern girl in a family with old world values. They introduce her to the jazzy side of the city, and an unexpected romance brings its own delights and challenges.
After Jake returns, the plot expands, as do Bea’s possibilities. Tensions build during the sparkling Twenties, from speakeasies and the Cotton Club to a party that reminds one of Jay Gatsby to fashion and flirtation, underscored by the ever-increasing stock market and prospects of wealth to investors in all walks of life. The market’s incredible rewards outweigh fears of risk, but Bea teeters between the two. She endears herself to us for her family loyalty, knowledge of the market, trail-blazing achievements, and her loves. This richly nuanced story, its fast pace, and Bea’s fiery character make The Trade-Off an exciting read. It includes an outstanding author’s note and discussion questions.
