Books like How to Sell

I really wanted to like this book. I enjoyed the author's writing style, and the first chapter felt like it really was setting things up nicely... but as I continued to read, the book became progressively boring. I read page after page, but nothing ever really happened - and by that I mean nothing interesting happened. There were no insights or ideas(aside from the almost gimmicky jewelery business info which I quickly found tiring); the characters were flat and boring... there just wasn't a thing to invest myself in. I'm surprised I finished it, really. I mean, towards the end of the novel when we learn that something horrible has happened to one of the characters, all I could muster was a 'meh'. Actually, that one word pretty much sums up my entire feelings on the book.