Jason Stafford is a rich, high-powered  Wall Street trader with a trophy wife and a young, autistic son whose his illegal trades land him in prison for 2 years. Upon his release, he finds that his wife has taken their son out-of-state and he must retrieve the boy from an abusive situation, bringing him back to New York and learning to live with the oddities of life with an autistic child. Stafford is asked by an investment firm to use his criminal expertise to look into the files of a trader who died in an accident–there are rumors of an SEC investigation into the company and corporate heads are hoping to discover irregularities before formal charges are filed. While meticulously searching through records, Stafford uncovers a far-reaching conspiracy, putting his and his son’s lives in danger. Stafford is a complex, likeable character with overwhelming love  and a desire to be the best parent he can be to his autistic son, and they develop a touching relationship.

Black Fridays is a fast-paced, timely, intelligent thriller. The author, a former Wall Street trader, provides insight as to how financial corruption can spread and influence people and economies well beyond the boundaries of Wall Street. This is the first in a planned series featuring the character Jason Stafford and his son, and Michael Sears is off to a great start with this debut mystery.