Dead Money - by Jakob Kerr (Hardcover)

About the Book

"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."--

Book Synopsis

"Terrific . . . filled with jaw-dropping twists and turns . . . an unpredictable nesting-box of surprises."--The New York Times Book Review (Best Thrillers of the Year So Far)

"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.

Review Quotes

"[Jakob] Kerr's terrific debut . . . appears to be a traditional whodunit but is really an unpredictable nesting-box of surprises. Kerr, who worked at Airbnb for a decade, brings an insider's knowledge and a satirist's sensibility to the vanities and delusions of Silicon Valley . . . Mackenzie--6-foot-2, full of secrets, constantly underestimated--is the most interesting character of all."--The New York Times Book Review

"Fascinating, dark, and full of surprises . . . a twisty, fast-paced, and engrossing look at the world of venture capitalists and the tech industry."--Mystery & Suspense Magazine

"A fast-paced dissection of modern tech culture and a genuinely thrilling page-turner."--CrimeReads

"With Dead Money, Jakob Kerr has penned a stone-cold banger of a novel--a twisty journey through Silicon Valley's dark side, all wrapped in a stunning mystery package with some wild surprises along the way. . . . Compulsively readable."--​Blake Crouch, New York Times bestselling author of Dark Matter

"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

"A propulsive tale that brings together a skillfully constructed mystery and an instantly compelling heroine as it delves into the weird and wild world of the tech industry. It had me hooked from start to thrilling finish."--Kate Alice Marshall, national bestselling author of What Lies in the Woods

"Impressively unpredictable."--Publishers Weekly, starred review

"A must-read thriller set in the world of high tech's billionaires."--Phillip Margolin, New York Times bestselling author of An Insignificant Case

"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

"Compulsively readable, twisty, and unpredictable . . . The ending made me gasp."--Robert Dugoni, New York Times bestselling author of the Tracy Crosswhite series.

"A fine modern murder mystery. Just don't be sure you understood the first page until you've read the last one."--Thomas Perry, New York Times bestselling author of The Old Man

"A novel that works on so many levels, and the key to everything, as always, is the mother."--William Lashner, New York Times bestselling author of Freedom Road

"If you've ever dreamed of murdering a tech billionaire--or if you simply love a good story--Dead Money is for you."--Nick Petrie, author of The Price You Pay

"A glamorous, galling and sometimes humorous . . . exploration of high-stakes finance."--BookPage

About the Author

Jakob Kerr is a lawyer and communications executive working in the tech industry. He was one of the first employees at Airbnb and spent over a decade shepherding the company from tiny startup to global phenomenon. He 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.