Finders Keepers: The Story of a Man who found $1 Million

Written by Mark Bowden

Narrated by Mark Bowden

Who hasn't dreamed of finding a million dollars?
Joey Coyle was down and out -- the affable, boyish South Philadelphian hadn't found dock work in months, he was living with his ailing mother, and he was fighting a drug habit and what seemed like a lifetime of bouncing into and out of bad luck. One morning, while cruising the streets just blocks from his home, fate took a turn worthy of Hollywood when he spotted a curious yellow tub he thought might make a good toolbox. It contained $1.2 million in unmarked bills -- casino money that had just fallen off the back of an armored truck.
Detective Pat Laurenzi, with the help of the FBI, was working around the clock to track it down, Joey Coyle, meanwhile, was off on a bungling, swashbuckling misadventure, sharing his windfall with everyone from his girlfriend to total strangers to the two neighborhood kids who drove him past it. To hide the money, Joey turned to the local mob bos -- a shadowy, fearsome man who may or may not have helped launder it. But as adrenaline-filled nights began taking their toll, Joey Coyle's dream-come-true evolved into a nightmare: Whom could he trust?
By one of our most evocative and versatile chroniclers of American life, Finders Keepers is not only a gripping true life thriller, it is the remarkable tale of an ordinary man faced with an extraordinary dilemma, and the fascinating reactions -- from complicity to concern to betrayal -- of the friends, family, and neighbors to whom he turns.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Oct 1, 2002
• ISBN: 9780743547031

Mark Bowden

Mark Bowden, voted the number one body language professional in the world by Global Gurus, is a renowned thought leader in the field of nonverbal communication. Principal at groundbreaking communications organization TRUTHPLANE, Mark is sought after internationally for his entertaining and inspirational keynote speeches. He has a popular TEDx talk, media appearances worldwide, and bestselling books enjoyed by millions. Tracey Thomson, co-founder of TRUTHPLANE, advises the world's top companies and individuals on issues involving communication and body language. Her background in directing and training performers internationally in the psychology of movement, as well as her professional experience analyzing and supplying solutions to the dramas we find ourselves in, gives her unique insights into human behavior and what people are really thinking.

Reviews for Finders Keepers

[slug9000 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is an extremely fast read. I probably read this book in around two hours (spread over a few days). It is an engaging non-fiction story that reads like a novel. It is a well-organized and straightforward account of a true story.

A lot of other reviewers have complained about the main character, Joey Coyle, who finds 1.2 million dollars lying on the street, because he behaves like a real idiot. I will grant that he is probably the worst possible person to have encountered a giant pile of cash in the street. A drug addict with really poor decision-making skills, he bumbled around South Philly and made a series of decisions so stupid as to be almost comical. So in that regard, it is frustrating, and I found myself thinking, "Well, if *I* had found that money..." etc. All that being said, I still think the book is very enjoyable, and the author does an excellent job setting us up for Joey Coyle's ridiculous decisions. Additionally, I found myself feeling sorry for him because of his crippling addiction. The author is honest, albeit slightly sympathetic, in his portrayal of Coyle.

I definitely recommend this book. Just be forewarned that you will spend the whole book wishing you had been the person to find that $1.2 million

[eric_j._guignard · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

REVIEWED: Finders Keepers: The Story of a Man Who Found $1 Million
WRITTEN BY: Mark Bowden
PUBLISHED: October, 2002

This is a journalistic account of the true story of Joey Coyle, an out-of-work and drug-addicted 28 year old man, who finds $1.2 million which had fallen from an armored truck. It’s a riveting drama which at turns takes twists into humor and suspense but ends, unfortunately, as a tragedy. Coyle is portrayed as an amiable man who essentially blows through much of the money in two weeks, simply by giving it away to homeless, using it on drugs, “forgetting” where he put it, and sharing it with shady businessmen and friends who find out about his fortune and begin to confront him for a piece of the loot. Add to all this, Joey increasingly uses methamphetamine (speed) which causes him paranoid delusions and crippling anxiety. Finders Keepers is sharp and well-written; a fascinating tale of an ordinary man faced with a moral dilemma, and the ensuing reactions of family, friends, neighbors, and police who become a part of his misadventures.

Five out of Five stars