Henry Pierce is President of Amedeo Technologies, a cutting-edge science/technology company in Santa Monica. His lab is on the verge of attaining a patent that will change molecular science and the world. Henry has been living and breathing this project for months, which is why he's lost his girlfriend and the home in which they lived.
Henry starts receiving phone calls at his new number in his new ocean-view apartment. However, all the calls are for someone named Lilly. It's clear that Lilly was the previous owner of the phone number. Curiosity gets the best of Henry and he tries to locate the mysterious Lilly, finding some information at an adults-only web site. He irresponsibly snoops around Lilly's house and finds himself deep in a suspicious disappearance he can't even prove. A simple wrong number may lead to extreme danger for Henry Pierce. His quest for answers related to Lilly and Amedeo's great patent race are the subjects of Michael Connelly's Chasing the Dime.
This is the kind of thriller suspense addicts crave. Connelly penned an engaging page-turner from cover to cover. The computer jargon is toned down. Connelly cleverly explains the complex accomplishments at Amedeo in a conversation between Henry and his simpleminded assistant.
Connelly examines the pending breakthroughs in experimental computers as well as the seedy Internet sex trade. What appear to be opposite ends of the spectrum combine in this stunning tale. Henry Pierce is a likable hero. His impulsiveness is frustrating, but it's these errors in judgment that create suspenseful situations.
The big-time reviewers disagree on whether or not the identity of the bad guy is predictable. The ending is a stunner and I never saw it coming. Kudos to Connelly for exploring other fictional avenues. I love Harry Bosch, but Chasing the Dime is an extremely satisfying change of scenery.
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