Murder at First Principles
From venture capitalist Ben Wiener comes a rollicking debut novel that artfully blends business strategy with murder mystery, and keeps you guessing to the very end.
Addie Morita, a frustrated young crime researcher, finally gets her big career break when a serial killer targets her successful former classmates from an elite San Francisco Bay Area college. Addie must match wits with both the taunting killer and the intimidating Special Agent assigned to the case, racing to decipher key clues buried in a famous startup strategy book - before it’s too late.
Murder at First Principles is the debut Startup Fiction novel by successful venture capitalist Ben Wiener. Written as a murder mystery, the plot is designed to enlighten and entertain, introducing readers to Hamilton Helmer’s iconic work, 7 Powers, and its seven market-proven strategies for sustained competitive advantage. Every suspect in this story is hiding something — strap yourself in and try to uncover their secrets while discovering the secret “powers” innovative businesses harness to create persistent differential returns.
Talking About Murder 😜
Gilbert Gottfried, Isaiah Mustafa (the Old Spice man) and Jonathan Goldsmith (The Most Interesting Man in the World) “salute” Ben on the publication of his debut novel, Murder at First Principles.
Endorsements
"A well-designed thriller that I didn’t want to put down! Ben Wiener's incisive, fast-paced novel balances plot and well-developed characters with strategy lessons drawn from Hamilton Helmers’ renowned 7 Powers."
— NICOLAS COLIN, cofounder of The Family, writer at European Straits, author of Hedge: A Greater Safety Net for the Entrepreneurial Age
"Ben Wiener has a gift for weaving together clever, captivating narrative and essential startup principles. If you haven't yet read Ben's writing, Murder at First Principles is the place to start.”
— IAN HATHAWAY, Co-Author of The Startup Community Way
“An educating, entertaining, and captivating book for novices and executives alike. Ben Wiener makes important business strategy concepts accessible via an intriguing whodunit that perfectly captures the the San Francisco Bay Area vibe. A fun read!”
— JOSEPH LIPUMA, Senior Lecturer and Global Entrepreneurship Faculty, Boston University Questrom School of Business
“This page turner of a mystery book is an engaging way to dig deep into successful business strategies. I liked this book so much I read it a second time to get the business concepts that Wiener does such a good job of integrating into the mystery.”
— KERRY PLEMMONS, Professor of Practice, Daniels College of Business, University of Denver
