Paul R Theroux 
Q-23 : A Novel of Espionage and Racqueteering [PDF ebook] 
A Novel of Espionage and Racqueteering

Q-23 is a revolutionary new chemical formula, but research chemist Roger Pate, its discoverer, hardly expects to be murdered because of it. His friend, private investigator Kurt Strong, isn’t as nave as Roger about those who prefer crushing innovation that threatens the status quo. Both men soon find themselves, however, attempting to outwit a powerful enemy in an escalating and violent situation. The normally benign world of research and development takes on a sinister cast in this entertaining and pulse-pounding novel in which ordinary men must do extraordinary things to survive.