Men of Greed by Jean Collins

About the book

Men of Greed is a suspense fiction manuscript that has new twists to two traditional themes: sexual discrimination and drug smuggling. The combination of these plots makes Men of Greed marketable to all readers of commercial fiction.

One misplaced computer disk has the potential to destroy an international manufacturing conglomerate and Michael Kimball the head of the U.S. corporation. That disk is unknowingly in the possession of Jennifer Loring, one of Korben's former employees. Information on the disk proves that Korben is a front for a very lucrative drug smuggling operation.

Three former female employees of Korben file a sexual harassment case against Michael and Korben. Jennifer is asked to testify at the trial by Grant Young, the attorney for the women filing the suit. During preparation for her testimony, Jennifer finds the disk. Once Korben's executives learn that Jennifer has the disk, the race is on to locate her and destroy both her and the evidence.

Grant takes Jennifer to a hideaway, so she can compile enough evidence to take to the authorities. Both Jennifer and Grant are dead emotionally -- Grant because of the death of his wife, and Jennifer because of a love affair six years earlier with Hans Jorgen, one of Korben's German executives. While Jennifer and Grant are together at the hidden location, they break the barriers that have haunted them and begin to fall in love.

The discovery of the disk forces Korben's men of greed to discontinue smuggling drugs. As the result of other information found on the disk, Michael and Korben lose the lawsuit. Michael attempts to murder Jennifer because he believes she is the only reason that his livelihood has been destroyed. Hans Jorgen saves Jennifer's life. Jennifer still has feelings for Hans, even though he was involved in Korben's illegal drug operation. Jennifer must choose between Grant and Hans.

One year later, Grant walks into a hospital room to visit Jennifer and their newborn son.

About the author

Jean Collins was born and raised in the farm and coal mining area of western Pennsylvania near Johnstown. After high school, her career growth brought her steadily east to Philadelphia and later to the ocean and mountains of New England. Eight years after she graduated from high school, Jean started college at night to obtain her B.A. in English, while pursuing a career in sales. By the time she graduated magna cum laude from Salem State College in Salem, Massachusetts, her career in international technical sales was flourishing. Although she used her education in English to write technical publications for customers and the sales force, she always had an insatiable urge to write novels and to get them published.

Her sales career gave her the opportunity to travel extensively throughout Europe and the United States. Jean started writing her first novel, Men of Greed, during her frequent business trips. Many nights in her hotel room, the faint click of the computer keys would be the only sound in the room, as she wrote and revised the manuscript. Jean gave up the world of international sales and became a Student Aide at the local high school. This gave her the opportunity to complete and perfect Men of Greed and now allows her more time to work on her second novel.

Jean lives in Beverly, Massachusetts with her husband Jim and their two cats, Niki and Max.