Millionaires v. Billionaires in NYC

Millionaires v. Billionaires in NYC

From Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger by Paul Ollinger

April 2, 2026 · 1h 6m

About this episode

Chris Pavone discusses his latest thriller, 'The Doorman', and its commentary on wealth and class in modern New York City.

Chris Pavone is the bestselling author of some of the smartest and most stylish thrillers of the past decade. His latest book, The Doorman is set in a glamorous Manhattan apartment building where the lives of the ultra-wealthy residents intersect with the man who quietly watches it all—the doorman. Over the course of one explosive day, secrets, class tensions, and personal betrayals collide in a fast-moving plot that doubles as sharp social satire about modern New York and the divides of race, wealth, politics, and status. This invites an inevitable and much-deserved comparison to Tom Wolfe’s Bonfire of the Vanities, though the Masters of the Universe are now fleece-vest-wearing tech and hedge-fund bros (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Full-disclosure: I loved this book. It's a page-turner! It's eminently-readable! But even more, it's an insightful look at modern society through the lens of New York City. Before becoming a novelist, Chris spent nearly two decades in book publishing, working on—or with—the editorial team for authors like John Grisham and Pat Conroy. Chris' debut novel, The Expats , became an international bestseller, won the Edgar Award and the Anthony…

People in this episode

Host: Paul Ollinger

Guest: Chris Pavone

Topics covered

  • wealth disparity
  • New York City
  • social satire
  • class tensions
  • thriller literature

Keywords

  • millionaires
  • billionaires
  • New York
  • thriller
  • social commentary
  • class divide
  • Chris Pavone

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Doorman, Bonfire of the Vanities, The Expats, The Accident, The Travelers, The Paris Diversion

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