“A stone-cold banger of a novel—a twisty journey through Silicon Valley’s dark side, wrapped in a stunning mystery package with some wild surprises along the way.”—Blake Crouch, New York Times bestselling author of Dark Matter.
Don’t call me a fixer. This isn’t HBO.
In her job as unofficial “problem solver” for Silicon Valley’s most ruthless venture capitalist, Mackenzie Clyde’s gotten used to playing for high stakes. Even if none of those tech-bro millions she’s so good at wrangling ever make it into her pockets.
But this time, she’s in way over her head—or so it seems.
The lightning-rod CEO of tech’s hottest startup has just been murdered, leaving behind billions in “dead money” frozen in his will. As the company’s chief investor, Mackenzie’s boss has a fortune on the line—and with the police treading water, it’s up to Mackenzie to step up and resolve things, fast.
Mackenzie’s a lawyer, not a detective. Cracking this fiendishly clever killing, with its list of suspects that reads like a who’s-who of Valley power players, should be way out of her league.
Except that Mackenzie’s used to being underestimated. In fact, she’s counting on it.
Because the way she sees it, this isn’t an investigation. It’s an opportunity. And she’ll do anything it takes to seize it.
Anything at all.
Featuring jaw-dropping twists and a wily, outsider heroine you can’t help rooting for, Dead Money is a brilliant sleight-of-hand mystery. Written by a longtime insider, it is also a dead-on snapshot of the Valley’s rich and famous—and a glimpse at the darkness lurking behind the tech world’s cheery facade.
Don't just take our word for it...
“Kerr’s twisty, propulsive debut explores Silicon Valley’s dark side through the eyes of a wily outsider heroine. . . . Kerr has created one of the most memorable female thriller protagonists in recent years.”
– Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Impressively unpredictable . . . After setting the stage for a standard, albeit glitzy, murder mystery, Kerr takes the narrative on a series of hairpin turns before arriving at a jaw-dropping finale. This marks the arrival of a formidable new talent.”
– Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Reverse, reveal, surprise is my recipe for a great thriller, and it’s one that Jakob Kerr has mastered in Dead Money, a terrific first novel that constantly surprises.”
– Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of The Oligarch’s Daughter
Taste the very first page
Tony found the body on a Tuesday.
The shift began like any other. Tony rolled his custodial station across the carpet, wheels echoing in the deserted office.
Standing desks lurked to either side, chairs abandoned. Whiteboards sat clustered with unfinished ideas, Post-its scattered in rainbows of paper buckshot. The conference rooms were shadowed and vacant.
The designer sofas were unoccupied.
The craft beer taps were covered.
The ping-pong tables were pingless.
The arcade games were unplugged, the movie theater shuttered, the alternative-milk frothers cleaned and dormant.
Even the ball pit was empty.
Tony was surrounded by black Apple monitors. Their quiet faces stared back at him, eerie and reflective in the soft darkness. It was 2:36 a.m.
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