Dead Money

What a twisty techno thriller from Jakob Kerr. Even the title contributes to the subtrefuge. There are deceptions within deceptions. Publishers Weekly offers this summary and review:

"Kerr puts his background as a lawyer and tech executive to good use in his impressively unpredictable debut. Mackenzie Clyde, an attorney from humble beginnings, now works as an investigator for Hammersmith, one of San Francisco's hottest venture capital firms. When Trevor Canon, head of tech startup Journy, is discovered dead in his office and the SFPD fail to make headway on the case, the founder of Hammersmith--whose firm made a $5 billion investment in Journy--uses his influence to bring in the FBI. Mackenzie joins FBI agent Jameson Danner, the son of a U.S. senator, in leading the investigation, and the pair soon discovers that, before Trevor's death, he inserted a clause into his will freezing his assets (including Hammersmith's investment) until his murderer is caught. It gradually becomes clear that only a Journy executive would have had the access necessary to kill Trevor, but each one has an airtight alibi--except for the chief technology officer, who's just disappeared. After setting the stage for a standard, albeit glitzy, murder mystery, Kerr takes the narrative on a series of hairpin turns before arriving at a jaw-dropping finale. "

Booklist says of Kerr's character development of the female protagonist, "flashbacks take the reader through Mackenzie's past. She is a confident rebel, and these vignettes show just how far she'll go to get what she wants. Kerr's writing in the main story is fast paced and straightforward; it's in the flashbacks where the story shines, giving the reader insight into Mackenzie's character." Kirkus opens their review by saying, "Tech insider Kerr’s twisty, propulsive debut explores Silicon Valley’s dark side through the eyes of a wily outsider heroine." They go on to conclude, "This surprising nesting doll of a thriller, in which no one is who they appear to be, layers one story inside another within another...Kerr has created one of the most memorable female thriller protagonists in recent years. Striking not only because of her unusually tall height, the independent Mackenzie is determined to control her destiny in a male-dominated industry. A sharply observed portrait of the tech world and the role ambitious women play in it."

The Diamond Eye

 Another great historical novel from Kate Quinn featuring a strong female protagonist. Here is the summary and review from Publishers Weekly:

"Quinn ... draws on a historical female sharpshooter from WWII in her exciting latest. In 1937, Mila Pavlichenko studies history at Kiev University and raises her five-year-old son, Slavka. She's estranged from her husband, Alexei, a surgeon whom she met when she was 15. When the Germans invade Russia, Mila, who's already trained at a marksmanship school, enlists in the army, is assigned sniper duty, and earns the nickname "Lady Death" for her high number of kills. In battle, Mila is steadfast about completing her missions with her partner, Kostia, and also finds time to write letters to Slavka. In 1942, Soviet leaders send Mila with a delegation to Washington, D.C., to meet with President Roosevelt in a bid to seek American support... Mila unexpectedly develops a friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt, but faces a threat from a misogynistic male marksman who sends her threatening notes. Quinn humanizes Mila by showing how she and Kostia use humor--along with a healthy amount of vodka--to cope with their risk-taking, and she convinces with her description of Eleanor's political savvy and influence on the president. Historical fiction fans will be riveted. " 

Library Journal also praises with these additional observations: "There's so much packed into this book, from subtle, complex characters who grow and change throughout to lessons about this the real history behind the book. The relationships build an emotionally engaging foundation as tension builds on battlefields and danger tracks Mila in Washington. Quinn (The Rose Code) specializes in centering strong women; each of her books exceeds expectations set by the previous title." Booklist calls the book "thrilling" and concludes, "Recommend it to... all lovers of smart historical fiction....[Quinn's] inspiration for the hero of this powerful WWII tale, a librarian-turned-military-sniper, will appeal to an even greater audience."