leap second consists of an adventure novel based on a plausible corporate fraud funded by a terrorist-backed drug cartel. it explores the interworkings of international finance, computers and corporate politics. there are three main characters. all in their early thirties, they are eleanor, a highly professional female merchant banker, thomas, a bored male computer engineer, and sean, his brother, a former enforcer for the provisional ira. their interactions are sometimes violent, sometimes sexual and sometimes humorous. a clever man, a smarter lady and an unemployed terrorist contain all the ingredients necessary for a controlled explosion. the initial fraud is based on the fact that just as there is a leap year every four years, there are also leap seconds which allow international computer clocks to synchronise. in the first instance this extra second is used for a sequence of illegal fund transfers. the next phase converts 'accounting money' into 'real money'. this explores the interaction between banks and the open market of stocks and shares. the conclusion describes the construction and destruction of a large company as an ingenious form of money cleansing. it will be of interest to those who like a good adventure novel. it will also be of interest to those who wish to find out more about the workings of finance and technology which underpin their lives.