Smasher (The Silicon Valley Mysteries)

Raffel keeps getting better. I could not put this one down and finished in 48 hours. I really liked the multiple story lines, each pulling you onward, that you knew would somehow would converge, but could not tell how. Great also to learn a bit of how Silicon Valley operates and some history of physics while enjoying a delicious mystery. Ian Shrank

You can read the other reviews by the other folks for an outline of the story - I will just tell you this is a very fun book to read. You have to love it when you read a book that you do not want to put down. Through the book's hero, Ian Michaels, the author Keith Raffel, takes us on an exciting and exhilarating run through the fast moving VC driven world of Silicon Valley combining the intrigue and mystery of murder while expertly weaving together today's hot albeit diverse trends into the story such as Facebook, the iPhone and particle physics. But do not be fooled, Ian Michaels is no geek, just a really cool, tech savvy, street smart, fire-in-the-gut driven entrepreneur. Once you get through the book you'll even appreciate the double entendre of the book's title. For those living in and around Palo Alto, it's really fun to see local settings, restaurants, neighborhoods and buildings worked into the story. Although you can read this as a stand alone book, it does help if you have read Raffel's first book dot.dead. In addition to a great story along with subplots that are finely woven together - Raffel injects some fantastic descriptions and original turn of phrase into his writing, particularly in Smasher, that is akin to a master chef perfecting the seasoning on a great dish or a master musician adding just the right tonality. If you like mysteries, you'll like this book.

It has been far too long since Keith Raffel has graced us with his presence on the bookshelves. But his latest effort makes the wait worthwhile. Raffel, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, knows the topography well and demonstrates it in this fast-paced, one-sit read. SMASHER, the follow-up to DOT DEAD, marks the return of Ian Michaels, the brilliant if reluctant CEO of Accelenet, a cutting-edge IT company. Raffel's primary talent is his ability to make that which is complex interesting to the ordinary mind. In SMASHER, he sets two plot lines along razor-sharp paths. One involves a potential takeover of Accelenet by Ricky Frankson, the fabulously successful CEO of the powerful Torii Networks. Frankson wants total control of Accelenet and is lowballing Michaels on the price while inexorably bringing market forces to bear to force the sale. Michaels has no particular love for the company he heads, having been more or less forced into the helm position by the disappearance of his predecessor and former friend. But he nonetheless feels an obligation to Accelenet's employees and stockholders to get desperately needed capital for the company while maintaining control. The result --- a war fought without white weaponry --- is an exciting one due to Raffel's ability to describe what is occurring in the boardroom and on the cell phones in terms that do not require a master's degree in business administration. At the same time, Michaels is given an intriguing assignment by his mother. Her sister and Michael's aunt was Isobel Marter, the first woman in Stanford University's physics department and, as it turns out, a largely unheralded member of the research team responsible for the discovery of quarks. When Stanford names a particle physics lab after Marter, it sparks a conversation between Michaels and his mother, which, in turn, leads Michaels into an investigation of his own. His digging is initially stonewalled by Dr. William Z. Tompkins, an eccentric physicist who was part of the original research team that won the Nobel Prize for the discovery. Tompkins did not get along with Marter and has a vested interest in seeing that the historical record is not disturbed. Michaels, notwithstanding the pressure of Frankson's continuing efforts to buy Accelenet, discovers that Marter's contribution to the research was far greater than the historical record would otherwise indicate. Those (including this reviewer) whose knowledge of physics is limited to a rudimentary understanding of gravity are treated during the course of the narration to a basic, understandable and enjoyable explanation of the makeup of atoms as Michaels slowly comes to the realization that an historical wrong, among others, has been committed. When an unexpected tragedy strikes, Michaels finds his attention further diverted not only from his mother's request but also from his defense of Accelenet. Someone appears to be after him and his beloved wife, Rowena. Is the tragedy the result of happen

A Coup d'Etat! If you want to be swept away, pick up this new thriller. I could barely put this book down. It was a cathartic read whose characters invade your consciousness long after you've finished the last page. Our everyday cafes, workplaces and streets are imbued with new meaning and possibilities after running in Ian and Rowena's shoes. Raffel's details are rich with erudition which edify you while you race to find out who dunnit. Eagerly awaiting the next Smashing experience.

I was a big fan of Raffel's first book -- Dot Dead. Smasher has the same protagonist -- Ian Michaels. Not only is the mystery a good read, but I enjoyed learning about physics (amazing, but true!) and also about Silicon Valley business. Smasher is a clever play on words -- referring both to what happens to atoms and also to the smash and grab takeover strategies used in Silicon Valley. Add to that a very sweet love story between a married couple (amazing but true!) and what you have is an experience both entertaining and educational. This was the perfect book to take on vacation. Too bad I can read books faster than Raffel can write them.