WHAT A RIDE!!!!! This was fantastic. I really enjoyed reading it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Extremely smart story that kept me guessing until the end! The story is fast paced, easy to read. I loved the strong female representation. Even the backstories were highly engaging!

I'll definitely be looking for future stories by Kerr.... I think this would make a great series.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review. Highly recommend this thriller!

Review of Uncorrected eBook File

Tony’s work at Journy’s offices was explicit, and he handled it exactly as was expected of him . . . and then he found the body of Trevor Canon.

Who killed Journy’s founder and CEO? And why?

That’s precisely what lawyer Mackenzie Clyde intends to find out. As a problem-solver for Roger Hammersmith, she’s used to high stakes. Then FBI Agent Jameson Danner becomes part of the investigation, and Mackenzie seems to be in over her head.

But Mackenzie is used to being underestimated . . . and she sees an impossible-to-ignore opportunity.

=========

From the outset, the fast pace of this high-stakes adventure is a relentless thrill ride hurtling the narrative forward and keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The plot is complex, filled with intrigue and surprises. Strong, believable characters . . . with close-held secrets . . . populate this tale of the high-tech world of the Silicon Valley and the cutthroat offices of the rich and powerful.

The unfolding narrative slowly peels away the layers of secrets, lies, and conspiracies with its unexpected, mind-boggling revelations. The corporate technology twist keeps the mystery feeling fresh; this electrifying tale is both compelling and unputdownable.

Readers who enjoy technological thrillers or mysteries will find much to appreciate here. as it races toward a denouement the reader simply won’t see coming.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine / Bantam and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#DeadMoney #NetGalley

Mackenzie Clyde makes an interesting lead character as she plays multiple roles in Dead money, a debut novel by Jakob Kerr. It centers around a murder of a tech tycoon, and there is plenty of insight into tech life. What grabbed me the most though were the scenes at the Burning Man festival in the desert. I have never attended, so I enjoyed the peek at that scene as background to solving the case.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Great mystery and really liked the characters/setting. For the most part I could not guess the outcome until close to the end of the book. I recommend this book!

Thanks for the ARC Random House and NetGalley! Dead Money was great. I didn't know anything about it or Jakob Kerr going in, but it's the best book I've read so far this year. Will definitely keep an eye out for more books by Jakob.

Wow, just wow. All I kept thinking about as I read this book was how it’s going to be made into a movie. Better than The Firm.
Startup tech and venture capital. Murder and Russian Oligarchs. All this combined with a strong lead character and twists and turns makes Dead Money the best book I’ve read in 2024.

Thanks to the publisher for early access to this book, which is certain to do well in bookstores. It was very well plotted with enough twists to keep the seasoned thriller-lover on the edge of their seat. I enjoyed the setting in SF's burgeoning tech-startup/VC industry.

Wow what a Journy! Really good book with lots of excellent twists and turns. There were several times throughout that I thought I had it and just was 100% wrong. I liked that the book kept you guessing but also kept the story moving forward without a lot of fluff. Really entertaining from start the finish.

Thanks to NetGalley, Jakob Kerr, and Bantam for providing me an advanced reading copy.

In this twisty and sharply observed debut mystery, Mackenzie Clyde, problem-solver extraordinaire, finds herself embroiled in a high-stakes case.
Kerr’s writing captures the frenetic energy of the tech world, and the pacing keeps you turning pages. The characters are intriguing, and the plot twists are satisfyingly unexpected. The overall experience is a thrilling ride through the cutthroat world of venture capital and corporate intrigue.
If you’re a fan of tech thrillers with a Silicon Valley backdrop, “Dead Money” is worth adding to your reading list. Just be prepared for a rollercoaster of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

One of the best debut novels I’ve read in years. A great caper thriller.
I thought I’d solved the murder when (spoiler) the Russian oligarchs showed up, but I was way behind the author’s plot twists. I especially appreciated the flashbacks to explain Mackenzie’s character.

A non-stop thrill ride that keeps you on the edge of your seat. This was my first experience with the author and I will be looking forward to future works.

Jakob Kerr's "Dead Money" follows Mackenzie Clyde, director of investigations for Silicon Valley's hottest venture capital firm, as she becomes embroiled in a murder investigation. Tech company founder Trevor Canon has been murdered, and a clause in his will stipulates that all of his company shares--worth billions of dollars--are to be frozen until his killer is brought to justice. That "dead money" motivates Roger Hammersmith, Mackenzie's boss and the major funder of Canon's company, to bring in the FBI and attach Mackenzie as liaison.

What starts out as a relatively straightforward murder investigation spirals into a cacophony of conspiracy, lies, and layers upon layers of deception. The tech world atmosphere is so wonderfully rendered, with details and insider knowledge that really made it come to life. I really enjoyed Mackenzie as a character--she's headstrong, smart, and resourceful. The plot was tight and incredibly well-paced--I didn't want to put this book down. All in all, I absolutely loved this book and would highly recommend it!

Jakob Kerr's debut novel, Dead Money, is a thrilling ride through the high-stakes world of Silicon Valley. The story centers on Mackenzie Clyde, a fixer for a ruthless venture capitalist, who finds herself entangled in the murder investigation of a tech CEO.

From the start, I was hooked. The plot is engaging, filled with twists and turns that kept me guessing. Mackenzie is a compelling character, and her dynamic with the FBI agent adds depth to the narrative. The tech industry backdrop adds a unique twist to the mystery genre, making the story fresh and exciting.

Overall, Dead Money is a gripping read that left me wanting more. Highly recommended for those who love a good mystery with a tech twist!

I read an advanced readers copy thanks to the publisher and really enjoyed Jakob Kerr's Dead Money. This is a mystery novel with a technology industry twist. The murder is of the founder of one of Silicon Valley's leading tech firms. The title refers to the clause the deceased put in his will that if he is murdered, all of his stocks and company resources are frozen, until his murderer is tried for the crime. Trevor knew he had enemies and knew his life was in jeopardy.

The book follows the investigation, tag teaming a investigator for the venture capital firm which funded the deceased man's company, with an FBI agent. At first, that combo seemed a bit off, as in the real world, the FBI doesn't partner with private investigators to conduct a criminal investigation, but i went along with it. As the book proceeds, the story becomes more complex, and the book gets more and more interesting. The main character, Mackenzie's back story is revealed through sporadic chapters that tell her story from high school through the present day. Spoiler alert - these chapters are quite important to the story, so see if you can sort it out.

In the end, the book has more twists and turns than a mountain highway, and it comes to a satisfying end. I recommend this book, and while it was perhaps a bit longer than it needed to be, I enjoyed the novel a great deal.

Great debut novel! Suspenseful and kept me guessing til the bitter end. thanks netgalley & the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 50%. Although I liked our main character, and our FBI agent started to grow on me, I was bored stiff. Aside from our initial murder, almost nothing happened except talking. Lots and lots of talking. The tech stuff was marginally interesting, but not enough to sustain me.

A debut novel that is full of twists and turns that kept you guessing till the end . I feel this author the author has a bright future ahead
Thanks for letting me read and review this book to Netgalley and the publisher

Five stars! Fast-paced, highly readable thriller that I couldn't put dow.n. I read it in practically one sitting. Twists and turns and an ending that doesn't disappoint!

What a fun book! Protagonist Mackenzie Clyde has an intriguing job--investigator for a huge venture capitalist firm. While normally her job involves doing due diligence and digging up dirt on potential investors or startups. But when the CEO of one of the firm's biggest investments is murdered, Mackenzie is tasked with teaming up with the FBI to investigate.

Mackenzie is a fascinating character, and we learn about her through flashbacks throughout the book. As the daughter of a single mom who struggled to make ends meet, she didn't have an easy childhood, and she vowed to "grab her chance" when it came. She works hard and takes advantages of opportunities that come her way. This contrasts with her "partner" at the FBI, who also works hard and is good at his job, but is trying to escape the shadow of his powerful and wealthy father.

This book had a rare combination of compelling characters and nonstop twists and turns. I can't wait to see what this debut author does next!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.