The Fractal Murders
Copyright © 2004
by Mark Cohen
Mysterious Press
How to Buy
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A brutal rape and murder. A robbery and bullet to the head. An apparent suicide. Three
victims, three different states, and three apparently unrelated cases. But when Boulder
math professor Jayne Smyers discovers each victim had been researching the geometric
shapes know as fractals, she knows it was not coincidence.
After federal agents fail to link the deaths, Jayne hires Nederland private eye
Pepper Keane — former JAG with a Diet Coke® addiction, an encyclopedic knowledge of
rock'n roll, and a trace of existential angst. As Pepper tenaciously follows leads,
the suspects multiply.
Follow Pepper Keane in a fast-paced adventure that traverses mathematics, economics,
and philosophy. Sometimes violent, sometimes hilarious, The Fractal Murders is an
original mystery with an ending that sneaks up from behind and grabs you by the throat.
— from the publisher
A surprising premise and an extraordinary theme equal an accomplished debut. ... Cohen's
writing style is direct and amazingly lucid, even when handling the concepts and
applications of fractal geometry or outlining the tenets of Martin Heidegger.
Readers looking for something refreshingly different should be well satisfied.
— Publishers Weekly
This clever mystery pits a private eye against a murderer who is systematically slaying
top American mathematicians. ... Pepper Keane, a Colorado private eye ... has a past that
fleshes out his motivation, a wry wit, and an enemy who does everything to keep him
permanently clueless. A consistently absorbing first novel.
— Booklist
Cohen has a gift for making fractals ... not only accessible but exciting. And his hunt
for the killer…crackles with mounting tension.
— Kirkus Reviews
A lively, fast paced, and surprising story woven around my trading time theorem. You don't
need to be a rocket scientist to have fun with this.
— Benoit B Mandelbrot, Sterling Professor of Mathematical Sciences, Yale University,
and founder of fractal geometry
This one definitely adds up. The Fractal Murders
is witty, smart, and inventive, and Mark
Cohen is a terrific new voice on the mystery scene.
— Stephen White, author of The Best Revenge
I don't know when I've enjoyed a mystery as much as I enjoyed The Fractal Murders.
It manages to be both savvy and funny, all the while racing toward a bang-up conclusion.
A thumbs-up to Mark Cohen for an outstanding debut into the mystery world.
— New York Times bestselling author Margaret Coel
An intensely entertaining book that is simply delicious to read.
— Midwest Book Review
Pepper Keane is one heck of a dogged investigator.
— The Rocky Mountain News
Pepper's sleuthing is inspirational and amusing.
— Bookloons
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What the Critics Say
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