Financial systems often run on patterns that only experienced observers recognize. In Stockbroken, Billy and Jan Hemby center the story on a longtime market professional whose career has been built on reading those patterns and understanding the signals hidden beneath financial optimism.
Stockbroken by Billy Hemby and Jan Hemby
After forty years advising clients and studying the behavior of global markets, Bo Parrott believes he understands how economic cycles unfold. The warning signs he notices are not dramatic at first. They appear quietly, buried beneath strong market performance and widespread confidence. Yet to Bo, the signals feel familiar, echoing earlier financial disasters that most people failed to recognize until the damage was already done.
A sudden death unexpectedly pulls Bo into a dangerous network of international power brokers whose fortunes depend on financial instability. What begins as suspicion slowly reveals a coordinated effort to manipulate markets on a massive scale. As the pressure builds, Bo realizes that the knowledge he has spent a lifetime acquiring has made him a threat to those involved. Remaining silent could allow the scheme to unfold unchecked, but exposing it may place his family, his reputation, and his life directly in the crosshairs of powerful forces determined to protect their plans.
Amazon: https://bit.ly/4b8QXXf
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/249255765-stockbroken
Author Interview
What’s a detail, theme, or clue in your book that most readers might miss on the first read—but you secretly hope someone notices?
The murder of Edmond Brockett by his wife, Regina, in a suspicious house fire which appears to have been started by a hitman on assignment from a primary villain in the story as a red herring.
When did this story or idea “click” into place for you—was there a single moment you knew you had to write it?
In the stock market crash of 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 crisis.
Which character or real-life person surprised you the most while writing this book, and why?
Antagonist Kathryn Romanov is multi-dimensional and groomed for world power inspired by global espionage.
If your book had a soundtrack, what three songs would be on it and what scenes or moments would they pair with?
Chapter 3, Return to North Carolina from New York: “In My Mind I’m Going to Carolina” by James Taylor.
Chapter 40, The death of Selby: “Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay
Chapter 53, Bo’s Retirement: “Feeling Good” by Michael Buble
What’s one belief, question, or emotional truth you hope readers carry with them long after they finish your book?
To find out the truth in a matter, follow the money trail.
Tell us about a moment during the writing process when the story (or message) took an unexpected turn.
An initiative to ignite global unrest blows up to destroy the dark consortium that originated the scheme.
If your protagonist (or the central figure in your nonfiction) could give the reader one piece of advice, what would it be?
Lessons learned from history could prove invaluable…and the high cost of forgetting those lessons could prove disastrous.
What real-world place, object, or memory helped shape a key element in your book?
The stock market crash of 1929.
What’s something you had to research, learn, or experience to write this book that genuinely shocked you?
The parallel between current market and economic events and those of the Roaring 20s is somewhat shocking.
If your book were invited to join a shelf with three other titles, which ones would make you happiest—and what would that shelf say about your story?
The Big Short, 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History, and The Great Gatsby. That shelf would say that the book appeals to market enthusiasts, American history buffs, and readers of the classics and love stories.
About the Authors
Billy Hemby is a managing director with Level Four Financial, a division of CRI Advisors, PLLC, and has over thirty years of experience in the financial services business. With multiple books in publication, Jan Hemby is an award-winning fiction novelist and a regional featured speaker. The two are native North Carolinians with deep roots in Southern culture. Their goal is to bring to life money dynamics, global events, and local culture in story form that engages both experienced investment enthusiasts and casual readers alike. Visit them at their website.
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