Freshman Murders — Gerald M. Weinberg

Freshman Murders is a "Nerder Mystery," which means that the detectives who solve these crimes are nerds-brilliant individuals whose social skills may not equal their skills in mathematics, computers, and science. On the terrified campus of Hurlesburg U., Mathematics Professor and former NSA problem-solver Josh Rosemont, finds a young woman's body in the woods. He is paralyzed by her resemblance to his murdered daughter. As the murders continue, he is enraged into action by an obstructive Dean. Teaming with his cop-turned-anthropologist wife, Carmela, and his four genius grad students, he sets out to prevent another murder. Blending every skill and trick of their professions, Rosy's team hounds a twisted trail of false clues to uncloak the Dean's sex scandal, decipher incriminating evidence in a billion-dollar swindle, and thwart the serial killer-a deranged student who believes raping and killing a potential suicide is not really murder. But did they catch the real killer?