Genre: Thriller
Length: 416 Pages
Publisher: Bantam Books
Release date: January 28, 2025
Synopsis: A Silicon Valley fixer investigates a billionaire founder’s death while pursuing her own agenda in this twisty, sharply observed debut mystery from a tech world insider.
In her job solving problems for Silicon Valley’s most ruthless venture capitalist, Mackenzie Clyde’s used to playing for high stakes. Even if none of the jaw-dropping sums in play ever seem to make it into her hands.
But her new assignment is something else entirely. The lightning-rod CEO of tech’s hottest startup has just been murdered, leaving behind billions in “dead money” frozen in his will–and as the company’s chief investor, Mackenzie’s boss has a fortune on the line. Which means that solving this impossible crime has just become her problem.
Mackenzie’s a lawyer, not a detective. But suddenly she finds herself riding shotgun with the FBI, guiding the agent in charge through Silicon Valley’s halls of power. And as secrets are revealed and the true stakes of the case come to light, it seems that she’s just getting in deeper and deeper over her head.
But Mackenzie’s used to being underestimated. In fact, she’s counting on it.
Because the way she sees it, this isn’t just an investigation. It’s an opportunity. And she’ll do anything it takes to seize it.
Anything at all.
Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review
As anyone how reads a lot knows, it’s always a gamble when you pick up a book from an author you’ve not read before, let alone any writer’s first effort. And as it happens, Dead Money was well worth that gamble. Dead Money is the debut novel from Jakob Kerr, and one hell of a read. Jakob Kerr’s professions have given him the expertise to provide readers a well crafted novel set in the tech world, a novel that has all the tech right and feeling as legitimate as it can.
Dead Money is a story inside a story, inside another story. The pacing is swift and his characters are multi layered. The twists were many, the surprises shocking, and near the end it has the complex feel of the movie Inception. The story centers around the mystery of a dead tech industry CEO. A character who is bit Elon Musk and a bit Steve Jobs.
As our protagonist, Mackenzie, works her investigation we learn nothing is as it seems. Mackenzie has a few secrets of her own, as well do several characters. This is a plus that only adds to the mystery. The world Jakob Kerr builds is as complex as his characters. The story takes sharp turns and held my attention throughout. This was a hard book to put down. Being the nerd I am about all things tech, Dead Money was right up my alley. The mystery had me guessing, and was honestly not one I could not solve. If you love technology, and thrillers then this will be your next perfect read.
Jakob Kerr, Biography-
In addition to his work as an author, Jakob is a lawyer and communications executive in San Francisco’s tech industry. He was one of the first employees at Airbnb and spent a decade shepherding the company from tiny startup to global phenomenon. Jakob has also been a bartender, sportswriter, and—for one disastrous afternoon—the driver of an ice cream truck. After fifteen years in San Francisco, he recently returned to his native Pacific Northwest, where he now lives with his wife and children. Dead Money is his first novel.
The Scary Reviews 