Epeolatry Book Review: The Murder Show by Matt Goldman
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Title: The Murder Show
Author: Matt Goldman
Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Forge
Publication date: 15th April, 2025
Synopsis: 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…
Writing a book from the writer’s perspective is a tired trope, but Goldman manages to bring something new to this old cliche. Ethan Harris is no starving artist, but a successful showrunner with a hit TV show, except that this story takes place during the recent Hollywood strikes, and the network keeps shooting down his ideas. Ethan returns to his hometown, hoping the change of scenery will give him new ideas. And he gets them.
Enter Ro, Ethan’s (almost) high-school sweetheart and best friend. Their budding teenage relationship was cut short by the tragedy of their friend Ricky’s untimely death. And even though they haven’t seen each other in twenty-plus years, there is still a spark between them. Goldman does well capturing this pair as old friends reunited. Their chemistry and ease around each other lifts off the page, and even though I tire of forced romances in books, I found myself rooting for them to get together.
But this book is not a romance, it’s a mystery and the puzzle at the heart of Ricky’s death is certainly intriguing. What seems like an accident turns out to be anything but, like they so often do in stories like these. Ro and Ethan’s investigation plays out on the page, giving the reader what they need to piece it together without being too obvious or obtuse. I was able to piece together the culprit before the reveal, but there were still twists and turns to keep me jumping.
In general, the book matches the theme of Ro and Ethan’s reunion – excitement, unexpected danger, and an easy connection. Every time I had to step away from the book, I had no problem settling back in and was a little sad when it was over. This is my second Matt Goldman book that I’ve reviewed for Horror Tree, the other being Still Waters, and he is definitely staying on my mystery to-read list.
/5
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Melody lives in Ontario, Canada and writes short, dark fiction. She has been published in several anthologies and online publications. In university, she studied Ancient Greek and Roman Studies and often infuses her work with elements of Greek mythology. She also loves reading, embroidery, and martial arts. You can follow her homepage at: https://www.blog.melodyemcintyre.com/
Homepage: https://www.blog.melodyemcintyre.com/MelodyEMcintyre.com
Twitter: @evamarie41.
