Looking for 1980´s book about technocrime, PI uses virus like program

[terrier]

I read this book at the local library in the mid to late 80´s. It starts with the mysterious crash of a hypersonic passenger plane. The main character is a private detective who uses a (virus-like) self-replicating piece of code to snoop around computers. The code leaves replicas and then moves on so as not to be deleted.

 

[monkeypooper]

Never read them but venus prime comes to mind

 

[iansales]

No, it's not the Venus Prime series. They're about a genetically-engineered policewoman called Sparta.

 

[monkeypooper]

just remember seeing them in the library when younger