Whoever said "write what you know" to Michael Armstrong got their message through loud and clear. THE MALL is set in the world of high finance commercial real estate, and features the wheeling, dealing, and dodging goings on of that, as well as the life and times of an ambitious young Curtis Ryan.
The blurb is worth reading on this one, with the final paragraph worth using as the kicking off point for this review:
The Mall peels back the curtain on the hidden world of shopping centres and dives deep into the little-known domain of the retail leasing agents. With sharp dialogue, complex characters, and a relentless narrative drive, this first book in The Shopping Centre Chronicles promises to captivate readers who enjoy stories of ambition, intrigue, and the high-stakes tension of modern business.
I will confess a decided preference for the hidden world of shopping centres and the domain of retail leasing agents to remain hidden. Having said that, the dialogue is indeed sharp, the characters complex if not unexpected, and the narrative powers along at a rapid clip. There is, however, a lot of real estate talk which may or may not cause some readers to glaze over. There's also a hefty amount of what's the glamorous girlfriend up to, and a lot of social lifestyle that was very very inner city focused as you'd expect.
Unsurprisingly given we're talking the world of big money and dodgy characters, the crime at the centre of THE MALL is fraud, and it turns out that Ryan is the one who can unmask the criminal within his own team. All despite a boss who is a bit of a tyrant, a very dodgy developer with underworld connections, suspect corporate executives, and a weight chucking about billionaire investor. All whilst dealing with some very hefty work pressures and expectations.
Needless to say a world away from that which this reader would ever want to occupy, THE MALL drew a vivid picture of the world it inhabits, with a plot that was a bit different from your standard crime fiction offering.
The Mall
Curtis Ryan is ambitious and optimistic, navigating the challenging world of commercial real estate in Sydney. His career has been on a steady upward trajectory, paralleled by a glamorous social lifestyle with his stunning girlfriend.
However, when a pivotal deal collapses, Curtis faces mounting pressure from his tyrannical boss and the demands of their a high-profile billionaire investor, corporate executives with opaque motivations, and a shady developer with underworld connections.
As the clock ticks, Curtis unwittingly uncovers a fraud that could shake the foundations of his company. Balancing relentless cold calls, tense negotiations, and a crumbling personal life, Curtis must now unmask the criminal within his team.
The Mall peels back the curtain on the hidden world of shopping centres and dives deep into the little-known domain of the retail leasing agents. With sharp dialogue, complex characters, and a relentless narrative drive, this first book in The Shopping Centre Chronicles promises to captivate readers who enjoy stories of ambition, intrigue, and the high-stakes tension of modern business.
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