The Risk Profession: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The Risk Profession: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

The Risk Profession is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Westlake, Donald E. (1933–2008).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The Risk Profession" by Donald E. Westlake is a science fiction novel written during the early 1960s. The narrative revolves around the world of space exploration and insurance, focusing on a claims investigator's journey through the complexities of a unique retirement plan for asteroid prospectors. The story highlights themes of risk and morality in a futuristic setting filled with dangerous work environments. The plot follows Ged Stanton, a claims investigator for a company that provides retirement plans to "uninsurables," like asteroid prospectors. When Ged is assigned to investigate the suspicious death of Jafe McCann, who died shortly after potentially striking it rich, he encounters his partner, Ab Karpin. As Ged digs deeper, he uncovers inconsistencies in Karpin's story regarding McCann's death and a cash-return form submitted posthumously. Throughout his investigation, Ged navigates the treacherous social conditions of the asteroid belt, leading to revelations about greed, identity theft, and ultimately, murder. The story culminates in a twist that unveils the true nature of McCann and Karpin's partnership, ultimately resulting in Ged turning the tables on those involved, showcasing both his wit and resolve.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The Risk Profession
- Author credits: Westlake, Donald E. (1933–2008)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Science fiction
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Crime, Thrillers and Mystery
- Category: Novels
- Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
- Science Fiction
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.


