Ethan Harris is a showrunner for the popular TV crime drama The Murder Show. Unfortunately the writers’ strike is underway, and he know that he has to have a solid idea for the next season once everything is settled. Needing inspiration, he travels back to his hometown in Minnesota. He reunites with his childhood friend, Ro Greeman, who is now a local police officer. Upon learning his predicament, Ro suggests that he base his show’s next season on the cold case from nearly 20 years ago. Their friend Ricky died from a hit-and-run accident, but the driver was never identified. Ro believes that if the show focused on the case, someone might come forward with information. At first, Ethan is reluctant. But at this point, he’s willing to try anything. Once they start following clues and reuniting with friends and others about Ricky’s past, more information comes to light. Soon they realize their friends have secrets of their own, and Ricky might have been part of something that ultimately took his life. The Murder Show by Matt Goldman is a suspense/thriller novel in which Ethan and Ro search for the truth, but soon become a target for those who want to keep it hidden.
Book
Ro and Ethan were with Ricky right before he was killed nearly 20 years ago. They were teenagers enjoying their last summer before college. And at that time, Ro and Ethan had just begun to explore their feelings for one another. But once they discovered Ricky’s body, nothing would ever be the same between them. Now in present day, Ro believes that something sinister had been going on at the time of Ricky’s death.
Ro discovered cases where other young men died in similar circumstances. Ethan believes she might be grasping at straws. But he’s also enjoying reconnecting with his old friend. So he investigates with her. They talk to mutual friends and former police officers. And they begin to discover that everyone had secrets that may or may not have to do with Ricky’s death. More details come to light, and someone will do anything to keep the truth hidden. Including silencing Ro and Ethan by any means possible.
Review
Goldman delivers a respectable and suspenseful story with The Murder Show. Some dual timeline moments help shed light on what might have happened all those years ago. The author leads us on as we get to know the other characters and the part they might played all those years ago. So much so that readers can’t be too certain who is telling the truth. No one is 100% innocent.
But underneath the murder mystery is a seemingly second-chance relationship study between Ro and Ethan. The friends have a shared trauma, and for that reason, they were unable to explore what might have been had they not discovered their friend’s body. Readers will wonder if they will get their happily ever after, in addition to the truth about their friend’s death.
In truth, however, some of the characters seemed one-dimensional and the slow pace led to underwhelming storytelling. Even so, the story picked up in the third act and I didn’t quite expect the big reveal. Readers who enjoy suspense novels should add this to their reading list.
Matt Goldman joins the Cantina Book Club Podcast to talk about his work in TV production and bringing this story to life. Keep an ear out for the episode and pick up a copy of The Murder Show, available April 15.
