Dead Money - by Jakob Kerr

Book Synopsis

"A gripping thriller that pulls back the curtain on the secret world of tech billionaires."--Time (100 Must-Read Books of 2025)

"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

A WASHINGTON POST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

DON'T CALL ME A FIXER. THIS ISN'T HBO.

As the unofficial "problem solver" for Silicon Valley's most ruthless venture capitalist, Mackenzie Clyde's an expert at wrangling tech bros and their multimillions--even as her own shot at a windfall remains just out of reach.

But now she's playing for higher stakes. Because the lightning-rod CEO of tech's hottest startup has just been murdered, leaving behind billions in "dead money" frozen in his will--and Mackenzie's boss is the company's chief investor.

With a fortune on the line and the official investigation going nowhere, it's up to Mackenzie to step in 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 Mackenzie's used to being underestimated. In fact, she's counting on it.

"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)

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.