Midnight of the Phoenix

About the Book

: Darius Bey, an Egyptian immigrant, has risen to preeminence in corporate America by devious financial manipulation.  He conglomerate, International Holdings, Inc., has recently acquired a medical research firm whose data from a new vaccine indicates a cure for AIDS.  Initially heralding a miraculous break-through, more extensive testing in Zaire divulges an alarming morality rate.  Unwilling to release the damaging results to the FDA, Bey plans to aggressively market the drug while secretly buying millions of shares of company stock with the aid of his Mafia partners.  Aware that he must stay one step ahead of the certain SEC and the FBI investigation, he plans to dump the stock after its initial run-up blaming his executives, specifically a newly hired VP Marketing.

Bey’s devious plan entangles four applicants for the new VP Marketing position.  They have been brought in as a group for interviews.  As the interviews proceed, they become increasingly aware that something is wrong with the project.  What started as competition for a job becomes an ominous involvement leading to violence.  Almost by accident, the candidates start the domino effect that leads to the unraveling of Bey’s plans.  In the process, two love stories develop among the applicants.  Finally exposed, Bey seeks to escape only to die in a fiery plane crash as he is taking off for the Caymans.

There are four principal characters in addition to Darius Bey:  Tom Orrick, divorced ex-Bronco defensive back; Elyda Nelson, a beautiful Black woman with limited expectations yet the most eager for the job; Chris Parker, Boston Brahmin, graduate of Hotchkiss School, Yale University, and Harvard Business School, engaged to a Back Bay socialite; Sue Benson, Miss America runner-up, embittered by her hero father’s infidelity.  Other characters involved are executive recruiters, Orrick’s Bronco buddies, and a nubile young Latino who plays to Bey’s well-known appetites.

The story is dialog driven.  The location is set in downtown Phoenix, Arizona with sorties to various towns in the Valley.

The title derives from the legend (Egyptian) of the ancient Phoenix consumed by flames at midnight but reborn at dawn from its own ashes.

About the Author

The author, a veteran and graduate of Washington and Lee University, is a retired sales executive. He has written and produced five stage plays and has a published novel, The Silver Star. His business experience includes executive positions with US Steel, Arvin Industries and a long-term association with a Japanese steel company. He and his wife have lived in many parts of the country and have traveled to Japan on a number of occasions. They currently live in suburban Phoenix.