This is a bit of an odd book. It starts out slowly with the apparent accidental death of the son of a prominent local figure. The setting of most of the plot is the North Shore of Long Island east of New York City. Apparently this particular area is the home of old money or the royalty of America. The protagonist was brought up here too but the child of working class parents but as things sometimes happen, he was part of the group that ran mostly with the wealthy. He’s now the police chief of the area.

A good deal of the story is told in flashbacks. The entire setup and interaction reminded me of an old Steve Gutenberg movie, ‘Diner’ where a mixed group of teens chat about their soon to be entry into the adult world. Here we get the adult players’ adventures when younger.

The cause of death seemed to me to be apparent from the condition of the body but for some strange reason, the medical examiner refused to agree because of some trivial added trauma. For most of the book, the players shuffled around in a rather desultory manner interacting, reminiscing and generally doing not much. There’s a romance portended that everybody aside from the protagonist can see coming about as subtly as a Mike Tyson right cross.

The final act starts about the 70% mark and it changes the entire tone of the novel. Suddenly the action is coming at the reader hard and heavy. This final act has enough exciting movement to replace so much that has been missing so far. The plot wraps up tying loose ends from the plot neatly, but leaves a glaring technical error unresolved.

Brand new author but wow, he knocks this one right out of the box. He knows the tech industry inside and out and manages to rip it up while taking down the male hierarchy and building a female character who absolutely owns the entire novel. I guess I can call this a tech thriller, not a legal thriller, even though the main protag is a lawyer, and the plot is ostensibly about the murder of a billionaire tech tycoon. I pretty much guessed most of the intrigue after a third of the book, but the action was so intense, so cleverly built, step-by-step, that it was impossible not to go along for the ride. And even having figured the intrigue, I was thrown off by the twists and turns just as if I were on a good Disney ride. I enjoyed having the woman in charge for a change!

Twists, turns, suspense, excitement and mayhem are plentiful in this story. I couldn't put it down.

This was an excellent book. I’ve read several books set in venture capital or startup cultures, but I think this story used that setting to tell a great murder mystery. While technically a lawyer, Mackenzie uses her skill to become an investigator for her VC boss, When the CEO of one of their big investments is murdered, she has to team up with the FBI to track a killer.

That alone made for a top-notch plot, but intermixed are chapters from Mackenzie’s past which explain how she ended up where she is and why being aligned to money and power have become so critical to her.At a certain point as a reader, you realize those chapters are extremely important to what is happening during the present which make the outcome even more clever and entreating.

I was gripped from the get go and would definitely recommend for anyone who enjoys character driven investigate stories set in the tech world.

There’s the tech world combined with a murder of a CEO. I just felt this book was dry, technical and not very interesting. Just didn’t hold my interest and I didn’t care for any of the characters.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Worth The Risk 💻 🔫
I truly loved this book. It was so smartly written. So thoroughly thought out and had so much depth.
I was hooked from beginning to end. Highly recommend!
Mackenzie Clyde knows what she wants and is fully prepared to take the risk to get it.
With her mother’s advice ringing in her ears, Mackenzie heads to Silicon Valley. Always ready to take the once in a lifetime opportunity to get the leg up in life. But this time she may have bit off more than she can chew.
With the hot new billion dollar startup CEO murdered, and Mackenzie’s boss with money on the line, she finds herself riding shotgun with the FBI. The search for the killer is a twisty ride with billions in dead money frozen in his will until his murderer is found.
Will the risk be worth the reward?
Thanks so much to @netgalley for this ARC
Highly recommend adding this one to your TBR and picking it up January 28th!

This book had me hooked right from the opening—a murder scene combined with a blunt, no-nonsense character and a dash of human psychology. It’s such a strong start, and I couldn’t wait to see where the story would go next. Mackenzie, in particular, is a fascinating character. She’s an excellent blur, and I found myself rooting for her even though I couldn’t quite pin her down. Is she the protagonist? The antagonist? I’m still not sure, and I loved that ambiguity.

I did figure out the ending about halfway through, but that didn’t take away from the experience. The way Kerr weaves the characters and plot together is impressive. Plus, I learned so much about Silicon Valley along the way, which added another layer of interest for me.

For a debut novel, this is a winner. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for Kerr’s next book!

I would like to express my deep gratitude to Random House Publishing Group - Ballatine and NetGalley for their generosity in allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House-Ballantine for the advanced reader copy.

The premise of this book--that Travis Canon, one of the wealthiest tech entrepreneurs is killed in his private office that isn't accessible to most other people and Mackenzie, the investigator for the VC firm that's supporting Canon's company, is asked to be part of the investigation into his murder--sounded interesting enough, but the execution of the book was so great. I didn't know what the chapters set in Mackenzie's past would amount to, but the way everything in the past and present intertwined to tell a smart, compelling story. An awesome debut novel.

I was all in the moment I read the book description, and this one did not disappoint. Loved the strong female lead, and she didn't feel cliche coming from a male writer. You can tell, Jakob lived the Tech life in Cali - from the descriptions of office buildings to the characters themselves. All spot on! I can't believe this is his debut novel as it was perfectly executed. I will definitely be watching whatever Netflix movie comes from this.

Very well-written and filled with suspense and tension. I have read other books where the story changes from the present to sometime in the past, but Jacob Kerr has taken this style to a whole new level. Just when you think you have it figured out, Mr. Kerr shows a scene from the past that completely changes everything. This is most definitely an author to watch for in the future, an illustrious career is pending.

Dead Money was a good thriller. Mysteries, murder, multiple financial crimes, revenge, deception…this book has lots of reasons to enjoy! Was evenly paced with alternating timelines to adeptly weave several stories together with some surprises and some expected twists. An afternoon well spent!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing House - Ballentine for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I found this book to be less than what I expected unlike many other reviewers. It was a difficult read for me as I found the characters unlikeable and predictable. On top of that it was easy (at least for me) to figure out who commited the murder after the main characters were introduced. Overall, a book with great potential, but lacking in an engaging writing style.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Goodreads, Net Galley, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog.

A tech company CEO is murdered. Before he is murdered, he changes his will to add a clause that freezes his shares, if he is murdered, until his killer is brought to justice. After the San Francisco police are able to gain traction in the investigation, a powerful and influential investor calls in a favor with the FBI that they take over the investigation and also allow his "investigator" assist. Mackenzie is an "investigator" for the venture capital company, she is teamed up with agent Danner tasked with tracking the killer and releasing the billions of dollars held up by the will. This began as a slow burn but quickly snowballed into a very well paced thriller. Lots of twists!

I loved this book. Every time I thought it was wrapping up, there was another sub plot uncovered. I enjoyed Mackenzie's character - someone who was fed up with putting up with other people's demands and the way she worked things so that it always led to her getting what she wanted. If you like a murder set in the tech world with a strong female lead, that twists and evolves into another story, this one is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

A big 4.5 stars! This creative and unique thriller is sure to be a huge hit when it releases. Set in the tech world (which I am sure will be the setting of many future thrillers), the story jumps off the pages. The characters are well crafted, and the story kept me guessing. The ending is fabulous. I highly recommend this one.

I went in intrigued by the blurb but unsure how I'd like it beyond that and I was pleasantly surprised.

This book was an unexpected treat in every chapter. The ‘silicon valley’ settings are well written
and for people with ties to the area, it’s a fun ride through the sites and sounds of the incredibly
inventive and solidly described back stabbingly brilliant crimes that you will not believe even
when you’re right there as you read what has been taking place. I was surprised to finish the
book in just two days because I just could not put it down, I hope this might be the start of
a series because the characters who survived are poised to return with more
stories in the world of Venture Capital within the confines of the technology sector.
My thanks to Bantam Publishing via Netagalley for the download of
the book for review purposes.

This debut novel features a multi-faceted story of murder, lies, and high-stakes corporate espionage.

Mackenzie Clyde is a lawyer and private liaison for venture capitalist Roger Hammersmith. Her boss requests her unique skills in helping to unravel the details surrounding the murder of Trevor Canon. Trevor was the founder and CEO of a startup company that went viral, amassing a fortune that is now frozen in the grips of a clause recently added to his will.

Despite the easy-to-guess twists in the investigation . . . this narrative is well-paced and entertaining. I recommend this book to those who enjoy police procedurals and the ruthless intricacies facing the corporate world of technology and industry.

I thank NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of Dead Money for my unbiased evaluation.  3.5 stars

A Silicon Valley mystery/thriller? Yep, who knew the world of venture capitalists could be so exciting, so dangerous? Seriously, Dead Money, the debut novel by Jakob Kerr really surprised me with just how good it is. Mackenzie Clyde is a great character and this story…wow, so many twists. I swear every time I thought I had it all figured out, Kerr would throw another curveball and I’d be totally rethinking everything. Now I imagine there are some that are going to say the first half feels a little slow, but I found it interesting and thought Kerr did a great job setting the stage for what was to come. Stellar debut and I look forward to seeing what he comes out with next. 4.5 stars. I also believe the book has been optioned for a show by Paramount. Can’t wait to see the casting for this. I’d like to thank Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Dead Money.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc! This was a good debut, kept my attention, and makes me interested to see what the author does next. It had some flaws typical of first attempts (people were constantly referred to by their first name and never “she said” or “he did” which feels unnatural to read), etc. but overall good!