Dead Money by Jakob Kerr ~ a Review

by MK French

Mackenzie Clyde is a Silicon Valley lawyer, used to fixing things for her clients. The latest problem is the murder of a tech startup's CEO, leaving behind billions in “dead money” frozen in his will. Mackenzie’s boss was a primary investor in the company and now wants her to help solve the crime. This leaves her helping the FBI, guiding the agent in charge through Silicon Valley. Secrets are revealed and the true stakes are discovered. But this is still an opportunity, and she's determined to come out ahead.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

January 2025; Bantam; 978-0593726709
audio, ebook, print (416 pages); mystery

Dead money is a term used when a will includes a clause that nothing can be done within a company until certain conditions are met. The head of tech startup Journy is killed, and $20B cannot be divested to the proper people, including Mackenzie's boss until his murder is solved. The local police were frozen out, so Mackenzie is sent to help the FBI agent understand the world of high finances and tech bros that they lived in. The inner circle at the company all have reason to have wanted Trevor Canon dead, as they all have the irritants and jealousies that create motive. Between all of the players involved, none were aware of the dead money clause until the murder forces his will to be read.

There is incredible tension as the two question everyone they can surrounding Trevor Canon. Financial ties, history between people, and competition in a very small playing field all provide ample motive. The pressure is on the FBI to solve this quickly and free up billions in investment money, and Mackenzie needs to prove she's worth the position she was given. We see that she grew up poor to a single mother, driven and fully aware that the rich are given different opportunities than everyone else. Tall and capable of holding her own in this world, she's still our inside look into this high-stakes game of getting a bigger payday. There are several twists during the investigation, pulling suspects in and out of consideration, until the final quarter of the book when we find out exactly what happened and how. It's amazing and kept me up late to finish the story. 

Buy Dead Money at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

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