We’ve handpicked a selection of standout books our team discovered over the summer—perfect picks to kick off the “back-to-school" season. These compelling reads offer deep insight into the mechanics of financial crimes, the systemic vulnerabilities they exploit, and the far-reaching consequences they leave behind. Whether you’re a compliance professional, investigator, or simply interested in the fascinating and troubling world of financial crime, each book on this list provides thoughtful analysis and real-world narratives that illuminate the challenges we face in fighting financial crime.
Poached is a fascinating first-person journey into the global underworld of wildlife trafficking—an illegal trade that is both ruthless and devastating. With the precision of a journalist and the heart of a conservationist, Rachel Love Nuwer exposes the complex web of poachers, smugglers, corrupt officials, and organised crime networks that drive species to the brink of extinction. What really brings this book to life is the first-person perspective and narrative which brings the stats off the page and creates a thread of suspense not always found in non-fiction books. The author travels to the frontlines—like Southeast Asia’s wet markets and African game reserves—risking her own safety to uncover how animals like pangolins, rhinos, and tigers are exploited, exterminated, and consumed for profit. It's not always a comfortable read but alongside the heart-wrenching details of the individual trafficked animals Nuwer encounters, Poached is also a story of resistance, highlighting the scientists, activists, and rangers fighting to turn the tide.
The War on Dirty Money examines the modern globalism of dirty money and its impact on all aspects of the world today—from fueling urban inequality to providing a mechanism for large-scale corruption. Drawing on their extensive backgrounds in financial crime policy and law enforcement, authors Nicholas Gilmour and Tristram Hicks deliver a sharp, authoritative critique of the fundamental flaws in today’s anti–money laundering system. They argue that, despite colossal investments, pervasive misunderstandings and systemic complacency have produced inefficiencies in how financial crime is tackled. Exploring various elements of the system, from prosecution to asset recovery, the book serves as a call to arms—advocating for a philosophical realignment of our AML approach today.
From the award-winning journalist Patrick Radden Keefe comes a gripping collection that dives deep into the dark side of human behaviour—exploring the shadowy boundary between good and evil, legality and crime, truth and lies. Whether unraveling the tangled world of international arms dealers, profiling wine fraudsters and their lives of luxury, or diving deep into corruption in Guinea’s iron-ore mining sector, Rogues explores the intricate world of crime, power, and exploitation. The book includes tangled financial scandals and dark criminal networks, perfect for anyone fascinated by the underbelly of society. Together, these stories don’t just chronicle crime—they explore the choices and motivations behind them.
In Dead in the Water, award-winning journalists Matthew Campbell and Kit Chellel unravel a gripping tale of maritime fraud and the shadowy corridors of global shipping. Recounting the story of the oil tanker Brillante Virtuoso, which while stalled in the Gulf of Aden in July 2011 suffered an attack by pirates and an explosion that would damage the ship beyond repair, the book delves into a meticulously orchestrated scheme that blurred the lines between piracy and insurance fraud. Through the authors’ chilling expose, which pieces together the timeline of events that may have led to the murder of a maritime surveyor who inspected the ship’s wreckage, questions about the global insurance market and the nebulous world of international shipping are brought to the fore.
Tracers in the Dark delves into the hidden world of cybercriminals who believe they can operate undetected behind a “digital cloak of invisibility.” Andy Greenberg exposes how this illusion of anonymity—fueled by cryptocurrencies and the dark web—has lulled hackers, drug traffickers, and other criminals into a false sense of security. Through gripping storytelling and investigative insight, Greenberg reveals how a new generation of digital detectives—programmers, analysts, and data sleuths—is unraveling these criminal networks by following the online breadcrumbs they leave behind. The book challenges the myth of online anonymity and showcases the growing power of forensic technology in the digital age.
The Prize is a classic for anyone wishing to understand one of the underlying guiding forces of historical and modern geopolitics: oil. This Pulitzer Prize winner is a real epic, providing a sweeping, meticulously researched chronicle of how oil came to shape the world as we know it. Spanning over a century of global history, it blends politics, economics, war, and innovation into a compelling narrative, remarkable in how clearly it connects the dots between oil and so many of the major geopolitical shifts of the last hundred years. It’s a book that reveals how energy — something so many of us take for granted — is intricately tied to power, conflict, and global change. For those looking to understand the energy transition that's shaping our future, it's essential (if not quite beach) reading, explaining not just the past but why the power struggles over oil still define much of our world today.
Some of the Themis team had the pleasure of seeing Monica Feria-Tinta speak, and the passion and clear-headedness she brought to how legal action can be a powerful tool in the fight against environmental crime and degradation was truly inspiring. A barrister who assisted in bringing the landmark petition by Torres Strait Islanders to the UN HRC against Australia, Feria-Tinta draws on her extensive experience to bring her book to life. A Barrister for the Earth explores ten real-life cases that delve into various environmental challenges, highlighting the intersection of environmental justice, financial crime, and legal frameworks. The book offers something we don’t often hear when it comes to the climate crisis: hope - and we could definitely all do with a little more of that.
Diving into Jonathan Marshall’s meticulously researched examination of the global drug trade and Lebanon’s pivotal role in it, one begins to understand how profound the impact of one nation’s political and social landscape can be on the world of transnational crime. Drawing from previously classified US government records and interviews with former narcotic agents,Marshall looks at how Lebanon’s drug industry became deeply intertwined with political elite and militia groups during the 1975-1990 civil war. TheLebanese Connection is a fascinating dive into political patronage, sectarian divisions, and the convergence of illicit economies and political power.
An engrossing exploration of how organised crime has seeped into the very structures of global society, Galeotti blends historical context with modern case studies to illustrate the staggering scale of crime today. Homo Criminalis traces organised crime back to antiquity and relic frauds, underlining how deceit has long been entangled with global systems. From exploring links between UK real estate and money laundering to shadowy cybercriminal networks, the book holds your attention with highly entertaining and fast-paced stories. Galeotti delivers a wake-up call as well: how our everyday global systems need to be better at combating the threats from within.
Laci Mosley’s Scam Goddess is a hilarious collection of essays that blends memoir, scam history, and cultural critique. As the host of the award-winning podcast of the same name, Mosley bring her ability to intertwine wit and storytelling into her examination of the “scammer mindset”—and adds a personal lens from her upbringing in rural Texas to her experiences navigating Hollywood. For readers looking for a lighter read with substance, this is it.
Compliance jargon is packed with ever-multiplying KYA acronyms. This blog explores where they came from, what they actually mean, and why understanding them matters, blending humour with practical insight to help you navigate the acronym jungle.
A discussion of how fraud damages brand reputation, customer trust and long-term growth.
This article explains how data and analytics are used to detect insurance fraud more effectively.
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