Dead Money

A Novel

De: Jakob Kerr

Narrado por: Rachel Music

“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

“Terrific . . . an unpredictable nesting-box of surprises.”—The New York Times Book Review

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.

©2025 Jakob Kerr (P)2025 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“[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

Tech crime mystery

Great read! Intriguing tech details. Excellent character development. Enough misdirection to make the reader work for the ending.

I hope to read more from this author!

Character voices are unbearable

It’s almost impossible to rate the actual book because the narrator’s character voices are so affected. It’s really a shame because her regular voice isn’t bad. I am about to give up on the novel because of this.

I can’t believe this is a debut novel!

Fantastic! You won’t see anything coming! Plus the characters are so engaging and believable. Loved the Silicon Valley satire as well.

Good but not ideal for audiobook

Overall I enjoyed the story but naming a primary character Stanley Yu and then referring to him as “Yu” the entire book made it impossible to discern who was being discussed, particularly when someone is being spoken to directly. Ie “we thought you did this but then we found out that Yu actually it” - in writing you can tell the difference but in audiobook it’s impossible 90% of the time and it made a huge difference in many of the principal scenes.

Switching the audiobook to refer to him as Stanley in most cases would have made a world of difference in the audible experience.

unexpected twists and turns

I don't usually read murder mysteries but this one was exceptional. The narration was very good, story was believable and touched on some current issues that made me think. highly recommended.

Outstanding!

I hate the word minimum....what a great tale, I had an inkling but wow what an ending

Great Plot, Abysmal Audio Quality

The title could have benefitted greatly from an additional male narrator. Many of the female characters were conveyed with a soft whisper-like performance, almost inaudible without adjusting volume, resulting in a frustrating listening experience. I finished the book because I had to find out how it ended but man, it was a struggle.

Good to the last twist

Very artfully constructed plot, and a carefully crafted and timed backstory that gives complete credibility to the heroine’s choices. The depiction of egos and backstabbing in the VC and tech worlds is both fun and appalling. The plugs for this book were right on the (Dead) Money. I’m glad I jumped on it quickly, and had the patience and trust in the author to let the story unwind and build organically.

Good twists

I would edit this to make it a tad less wordy in parts in order to keep the story moving along. Gets a little talky. But overall a fun read and will make a great movie. 😉

Switch on a switch

I love a story with a good switch that is revealed in the final act! This book has vivid character development, wonderful pacing, evolutions and surprises! No bad notes!