The business mystery is not the most popular branch of the genre, but such stories can be quite interesting. In his novel, The Inducement, Peter Rowlands (who knows his business) combines such a plot with a romantic story line, and it works.

Rob Crichton is an executive with a London brewing company, specializing in logistics. He recently suffered a nervous breakdown and has been instructed to get away from the pressure for a while. So he heads to the scenic Northumberland coast, where he books a room in a pub. There he meets Catriona, the landlady, who is in the midst of a stormy divorce from her husband Shaun. There’s immediate chemistry between Rob and Catriona, which is not a major problem until Shaun shows up dead, and the police suspect Rob and Catriona of conniving to murder him.

But that’s not Rob’s only problem. He discovers that someone has deposited 50,000 pounds into his bank account. Soon he’s accused of taking a bribe from a contractor, although he was unaware of the deposit and certainly provided no quid pro quo. Then he starts getting threatening notes. All this looks suspicious both in London and in Northumbria, and he’s soon in danger of losing not only his job but his liberty.

Fortunately, Rob is not the kind of man who just lies down and takes it. He pushes back, leading to a final, violent confrontation.

I was reminded of Dick Francis as I read The Inducement. It was the same kind of story, introducing the reader to an unfamiliar corner of the business world, and following a hero who is honest and refuses to be intimidated.

I thought the book could have been shorter, but the writing, dialogue, and characters were all good. I recommend The Inducement, with cautions for mature themes.