Summary
Summary
Knockout Mouse is the gripping debut of a mystery series, set in the high-stakes world of biotechnology. When a dinner guest dies suddenly of an allergic reaction to a food she hasn't eaten, dot-com casualty Bill Damen goes from suspect to sleuth, embroiled in a murder with far-reaching consequences. He follows a trail that leads from cancer research to genetic engineering to secret rogue experiments, as he uncovers motives, means, and characters that could only exist in state-of-the-art Silicon Valley.
Reviews (4)
Publisher's Weekly Review
When Silicon Valley filmmaker Bill Damen learns that a guest at his girlfriend's dinner party has died, allegedly of food poisoning, the natural-born PI goes into investigative "stealth mode"; a quick visit to the dead woman's biotech company, LifeScience Molecules, has him convinced he's looking at a coverup, if not downright murder. James Calder follows the determined Bill through state of the art genetics labs and agricultural research departments led by brilliant, ambitious scientists willing to do anything to get to the top in his well-researched and timely debut, Knockout Mouse. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Kirkus Review
Bill Damen has left behind the "miasma" of Silicon Valley biotechnology to pursue a more fulfilling career as a documentary filmmaker. In this debut entry of a proposed series, Bill's girlfriend Jenny becomes an unlikely murder suspect after a guest dies at one of her dinner parties, apparently from an allergic reaction to the shellfish Jenny serves. Sheila Karros and her friend Marian Roos, both scientists at LifeScience Molecules, were invited as possible dates for Bill's best friend Wes Garzon, ladies' man extraordinaire whom Jenny has targeted as a matchmaking project. (A less promising prospect is Jenny's beautiful business partner Fay Ming, also a dinner guest.) Wes is drawn to pretty, tomboyish Marion, leaving Bill to entertain the winsome Sheila. He finds her vulnerability touching and attractive. When Sheila turns up dead, Bill investigates, both to clear Jenny's name and do right by the fragile scientist. He, Jenny, and Fay search Sheila's apartment and discover that someone has stolen her hard drive. Bill considers other party guests possible but long-shot suspects. He focuses on Lifescience, where everyone he talks to smiles and stalls. The deeper he probes there, the less friendly Sheila's colleagues become. Before long, they're spewing threats and sending thugs to intimidate Bill. He knows he's on the right track. But who at Lifescience is responsible? How did they do it? And how can he prove it? Breezy first-person narrative and an abundance of banter add up to a quick, entertaining read, and a solid series kickoff. Eleventh-hour revelations make a final solution logical-if not organic or satisfying for the armchair sleuth.
Booklist Review
Bill Damen, a casualty of the dot-com crash, has returned to the business of making industrial films and documentaries. After a day of filming at Kumar Biotechnics, he attends his girlfriend Jenny's dinner party, where he meets scientist Sheila Harros and feels an instant connection between them. Unfortunately, Sheila dies later that evening of anaphylactic shock caused by her severe allergy to shellfish. Sheila's family accuses Jenny of negligence in preparing the meal, even though Jenny was aware of the allergy and did not serve shellfish. To protect Jenny and later himself, Damen investigates Sheila's death, poking into her work at another biotech company. This fast-paced debut thriller offers fascinating details about the biotechnology industry along with likable good guys, nasty villains, a well-developed sense of place, a little romance, and plenty of plot twists. --Sue O'Brien
Library Journal Review
This effervescent series debut features Bill Damen, a San Franciscan cameraman who makes his living creating promotional films and documentaries - many in "nearby" Silicon Valley. When an attractive new acquaintance employed there dies of an allergic reaction shortly after eating at Bill's girlfriend's place, Bill feels compelled to investigate. It soon transpires that the victim had crucial information her biotechnology employers will do most anything, including murder, to retrieve. With some telling California backdrops, a few sinister heavies, and solid prose with a memorable kick, this is recommended for both regional and larger public libraries. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.