Zodiac

by Neal Stephenson

First published 1988

Sangamon Taylor calls himself a New Age Sam Spade, but he's really an environmental activist who tests water samples and tracks corporate polluters. When he stumbles onto a chemical sludge case that could kill thousands, the stakes turn lethal fast. Someone bombs his house. FBI agents start following him. Assassins want him dead. Taylor can't rely on official channels because the conspiracy reaches into national networks and government agencies. He has only his burnout roommate and a crew of tofu-eating environmental warriors to help him stay alive. As Taylor digs deeper into the toxic cover-up, he must outrun professional killers while gathering evidence that could expose the truth. The polluted waters of Boston Harbor hold secrets that powerful people will murder to protect. Taylor races against time to uncover the conspiracy before it silences him permanently.

Genres: science-fiction, adventure, mystery, crime, thriller, action

Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking

Tropes: amateur-sleuth, conspiracy, cover-up

Setting: Boston, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts

Paperback · Atlantic Monthly Press

Content warnings: violence

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