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Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite
Mario Kennedy works slinging pizzas but is desperate to break into the tech elite of Silicon Valley in Vince Thompson’s darkly satirical thriller, The Lockup Period. A startup called MenuAi, founded by Noah Stern and marketed by Ravi Singh, announces it is going public, and Mario discovers that his advisory shares might be the warranty he needs. But he will have to survive the ninety-day lockup period, hoping the value of shares continues to grow. On IPO night, he finds himself covering up a potential crime at Noah’s apartment. Mario finds himself trapped in a web of lies during this period and must choose between his hunger for wealth and status and his conscience. Meanwhile, young journalist Jamie Villanueva is on a mission to break the story and bring down MenuAi. She is closing in on a conspiracy that involves extortion, fraud, and money laundering.
Vince Thompson's engaging story examines how desperation can corrupt the mind and lead to disastrous choices. Mario’s need to belong and to be rich is his main character flaw. I found myself following him nonstop, curious about what would become of him, as the author builds suspense and tension in the story. Characters like Noah and Ravi are the symbols of Silicon Valley's moral rot. The Lockup Period is twisty and fast-paced, a story that intrigues with surprising revelations. This author is a master of situational humor, and he cleverly lampoons tech jargon and performative philanthropy. The tension grows with a stylistic coup, with recurring countdowns, stock price monitoring, and Mario’s net worth. With cinematic transitions and crisp writing, this novel was a page-turner for me.
