The Murder Show - 2 Stars

Review of The Murder Show by Matt Goldman

Welcome to "A Fleeting Thought" where I post relatively short and to the point book reviews.

Book summary at end of review

I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. I went into this book with a certain expectation and that's where I went wrong. Going into books with expectations just sets you up for failure.

I didn't find a redeeming character in the book. I couldn't connect with any of them, couldn't care less about them, and their "quirks" felt way too try hard.

The whole "long lost friends from high school reconnecting" trope really just bothers me. Like, you were friends once, 22 years ago. Why does that grant you some undying loyalty? Idk. Maybe it's a me thing. Maybe I need therapy.

I found Ro to be pushy and insensitive, literally unable to take no for an answer, and in turn putting one of her oldest friends in danger.

Ethan was an annoying, inauthentic try hard who never got over being the nerdy kid so he just victimized himself in everything, yet liked to puff his chest out in false bravado.

He was in his hometown under the pretense of Jewish holidays, but never went to a single service. I felt that that being the reason he was home was rather superfluous. I know more about his parents and their overbearing (and irritating) ways than I know the characters.

The twist felt rushed and lazy and, for the life of me, I could not care less about Ethan's romantic feelings toward anyone. Honestly, the more I think about this book, the more I dislike it. It went from 2 stars to 1 in the period of me writing this review lol.

Book summary:

Showrunner Ethan Harris had a hit with The Murder Show, a television crime drama that features a private detective who solves cases the police can’t. But after his pitch for the fourth season is rejected by the network, he returns home to Minnesota looking for inspiration.

His timing is fortunate — his former classmate Ro Greeman is now a local police officer, and she's uncovered new information about the devastating hit and run that killed their mutual friend Ricky the summer after high school. She asks Ethan to help her investigate and thinks that if he portrays the killing on The Murder Show, the publicity may bring Ricky's killer to justice.

Ethan is skeptical that Ricky's death was anything but a horrible accident, but with the clock running out on his career, he's willing to try anything. It doesn't take long for them to realize they've dug up more than they bargained for. Someone is dead set on stopping Ethan and Ro from looking too closely into Ricky’s death — even if keeping them quiet means killing again...