In his latest thriller, Joseph Finder writes about financial hijinks, Russian oligarchs, and the impossibility of disappearing in an age when even the smallest towns have traffic cameras.
Finder must have a crystal ball among the unique objects on his desk. But he denies it when asked about the book’s relationship to current events. “What could I predict? Instead, I was captivated by the notion of what it would be like to marry into the family of a Russian oligarch who is obscenely wealthy, slightly sinister, and mysterious.”
In The Oligarch’s Daughter, Paul Brightman is a man on the run, living under an assumed name in a small New England town. But six years ago, he was a Wall Street star who fell in love with a beautiful photographer named Tatyana—unaware that her father was a Russian oligarch under investigation by several U.S. intelligence agencies. When his identity is unmasked, he must unravel a decades-old conspiracy that extends to the highest reaches of the government in order to survive.
Despite the intriguing premise, Finder almost abandoned the idea when Russia invaded Ukraine. “I came up with the idea before the war, when the oligarchs were buying up real estate in New York and London and all the yachts…Then the Russians invaded Ukraine and all the sudden, the oligarchs were persona non grata. I thought, oh man, that was the end of the idea. Until I realized no, this could make it really interesting. If I have a sequence before the war and then during the war, it will be so different and make it deeper and richer.”
📄 Per Encyclopedia Britannica, the first four Russian billionaires entered the Forbes list in 1997. In 2021, there were 118 of them.
⛵ One of the world’s largest superyachts (Eclipse, owned by Roman Abramovich) has a swimming pool that can be turned into a dance floor, two helipads, and a mini-submarine.
✈️ Another oligarch has used a private plane to fly his corgis around the world because, as one of his staffers explained, “it’s not that comfortable in business class.”
Paul has a troubled family history, particularly with his father. Family was a primary theme for Finder, especially Paul’s relationship to Tatyana. She’s an art photographer living in the East Village. Between her bohemian lifestyle and the creature comforts of Sunday dinners with her family, Paul is drawn in. He overcomes his initial wariness.
On Tatyana’s father, Arkady, Finder says, “I didn’t want him to be an oligarch in the typical sense. He’s homely and homey, warm and inviting, and yet at the same time, mysterious and sinister—a regular person with drawbacks and flaws but also a deep love of family.” Paul finds himself irresistibly drawn to both Tatyana and Arkady and the warmth they show each other and to Paul.
Why Only Joe Could Write This Book:
He has degrees from Yale and Harvard in Russian Studies.
He speaks several languages, including Russian.
He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Association of Former Intelligence Officers.
In The Oligarch’s Daughter, Finder skillfully combines high-stakes intrigue with deep human connections. Through Paul’s perilous journey, Finder explores themes of family, loyalty, and the blurred lines between trust and betrayal, all set against the backdrop of a world steeped in wealth, power, and geopolitical tension. Finder’s ability to weave current events into his narrative without sacrificing depth or nuance makes this novel both timely and timeless. Fans of smart, emotionally charged thrillers will find The Oligarch’s Daughter an unputdownable ride.
