I'm extremely disappointed with Brad Meltzer's The Millionaires.  Prior to reading this novel, I would have recommended this author without hesitation, but now I wouldn't jump so quickly. 

The book has a decent premise, and an exciting enough story.  That's not the problem.  The problem is that there is absolutely no one to root for.  I hated every character!  It's one of those books where some sympathetic "good guy" characters decide to pull off a crime, and we're supposed to root for them because they "deserve a break" and because the crime is supposedly "victimless".  As such, I might have rooted for them, but their ridiculously unlikable personalities prevented that from happening.  With nobody to root for, I found myself really disliking this book.

Brothers Oliver and Charlie work at a bank and make an exciting discovery.  A "dead account" containing three million dollars.  The original account owner is dead, and no one has come forth to claim the money.  The brothers decide to help themselves to the money, covering their tracks so that no one will ever know.

Except there wouldn't be a story, if that's really what happens.  Naturally, the minute the money's in their hands, everything starts to go wrong.  It turns out that some very influential people did know that account existed, and they're not too happy to see it wiped out.  Further, the three million dollars were just the tip of the iceberg, when it comes to some secrets that are being held.

The rest of the book follows along as the brothers try to outrun the bad guys, who are trying to find the money, and don't mind one single bit if lives are sacrificed in that endeavor.

Like I said, it's a decent story, that held my interest.  There are some very exciting surprises, and the ending is satisfying.

But I just can't get past the fact that I hated every character in this book.  Let's start with the brothers.  They are unbelievably annoying.  Despite being adults, they seem to be stuck in "big brother versus little brother" mode.  They bicker constantly, and allow their differences to completely cloud their judgment.  I've never seen a book where the supposed "good guys" made so many horrendously stupid decisions.  And I'm not just talking about the fact that they decided to steal the money in the first place.  Even getting past that, the brothers don't seem to have a working brain cell between them.  They continually trust the wrong people, and fall for pranks that seemed obvious to me.  And when either brother occasionally makes an observation that's actually intelligent, the other one manages to convince him he's wrong.  Over and over it was as if Meltzer gave us two bumbling clowns and requested that we care about them.

Then there are the "bad guys" and a few extra characters whose intentions are kept secret throughout most of the book, so you don't really know which side they're on.  Not a single one of these characters was given any depth whatsoever.  I had trouble keeping straight who was who, given that other than having different names, they were all basically the same bland person.

Overall, the story, itself, was fine.  But when you dislike all the characters - even the ones you're supposed to be rooting for - it makes it difficult to enjoy the book.  Brad Meltzer can do better.

Recommended: No