Snake Oil

From the author of Girl in the Rearview Mirror comes a stunning novel set in the high-stakes world of Silicon Valley.

Snake Oil is a fast-growing wellness startup, rumoured to be approaching "unicorn" status. But on the night of a booze-fuelled party celebrating another round of venture capital investment, a woman's body is found outside the company's San Francisco HQ. Did she fall from the roof? Did she jump? Or was she pushed?

Rhoda West, Radical's luminous founder and CEO, has attracted both avid followers and vocal detractors in the building of her wellness company. Her Instagram page exhorts followers to #bebetter, showcasing intimate glimpses of Rhoda's glamorous personal life alongside promotions for the mysterious, cult-status products created in Radical's secretive Lab.

Dani, her enthusiastic employee and a "radigal", has fully immersed herself in the Radical lifestyle, eagerly testing products while covering up a pregnancy she's not sure she's ready for. When @Radicalidiocy, a Twitter account devoted to lambasting the company online, starts to expose company secrets, Dani suspects her colleague and on-the-rocks friend Cecilia, a disgruntled customer service rep, might be running the account.

As Rhoda engages in a cat-and-mouse chase with the Twitter author and struggles to maintain her power against mounting pressure, the women's ambitions and beliefs will clash—with deadly results.

A page-turning literary thriller, Dimberg's new book is an incisive examination of the high-stakes startup world, where the reputation of a leader carries outsize influence on the value of a brand, and the barbed double-standards applied to female CEOs.

Praise for Girl in the Rearview Mirror:

"An exciting, intoxicating debut, it will hold you until its startling final pages" - Megan Abbott

"Gripping and cinematic, this debut is pure modern noir" - Flynn Berry

"Utterly compelling. A gripping story that expertly weaves domestic and political intrigue" - Rosamund Lupton

"A riveting tale of an appealing young woman caught in the thrall of a powerful political family's prestige and privilege" - Hallie Ephron

"A truly accomplished debut. Kelsey Rae Dimberg has that rare ability to blend breakneck pace with razor-sharp characterization and shimmering, immersive prose. A charged, tense, highly emotional story that will stay with you" - Caz Frear