Metadata Murders

by William H. Fietzer

Internet security expert, Benjamin Hackwell, has put his life back together when he receives e-mail from his daughter, Caitline. Eager for any communication from her, Ben watches in horror as Caitline stars in her own snuff flick. Determined to find out if what he has seen is real, Ben discovers that all of Caitline's bank accounts are closed, her phone is disconnected, and her whereabouts unknown. Ben's investigation plunges him into the underworld of the dark Web where data is hidden. The electronic information that identifies and furthers man's noblest ambitions also can promote identity theft, virtual prostitution, and murder by remote control. The metadata that surrounds that information and makes activities such as text messaging and online banking possible can be manipulated to deceive, enslave, and destroy as well. Metadata Murders is a saga of man's definition of what it means to be human. Beyond his programming skill or knowledge of the Internet, Ben's quest challenges the truth of human commitment. It tests whether man's love for others can triumph over the basest aspects of our existence and bring true knowledge to light.

308 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Former English instructor and academic librarian William Fietzer moved to Poughkeepsie, NY from Minneapolis with his wife and Norwegian forest cat, Selene, in June, 2019. He has and continues to publish articles and stories about the Twin Cities, Hudson Valley, and national cultural scenes.

His novels explore the mysteries of the world from a baby-boomer perspective; his world view indebted to the mean streets of Raymond Chandler and the merry pranksters of Ken Kesey with a soupcon of Marcel Proust. It's not a pretty world or one you want to live in, but one you’d recognize having asymptotic parallels with your own reality.

In this vein, his two previous novels, Penal Fires and Metadata Murders, examined America's underworld of class, crime, and technology. His latest, Mission: Soul Rescue, adds the paranormal to that mix. His forthcoming novel, Mission: Soul Sacrifice, continues his investigations into our spiritual and cultural realities.