Thank you to NetGalley, Matt Witten and Oceanview publishing for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

DNF. I really wanted to be interested in this one and I read over 65% but I was bored and the story just felt like it was having a lot of hate. So much round and round about how she feels. Not for me.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review*

Fantastic - I would recommend it!

I have mixed feelings about the story of "Killer Story." Not about the book. The book is a gripping examination of the pressures of media and social media. The story centers on Petra Kovach, the victim of ruthless cutbacks at two newspapers. She's in a good place with her boyfriend, and - so she thinks - in her latest job. When she finds herself suddenly on the precipice of a another layoff, she thinks fast and promises more than she can deliver. Then she has to make good.

That's where my mixed feelings start coming in. Petra throws good journalism to the wind and starts looking out for number one. It doesn't help that the story she pitched, the one she's counting on to save her career, hits close to home. Petra's sort-of protégé Olivia Anderson was murdered, and she thinks she has a good lead on the killer. Each time she points the finger, new clues come to light that lead to a different suspect. In a way, it's almost comical the number of times she's convinced she's solved the crime only to change her mind in the next chapter. Her boss, the editor who's trying to save his own career, makes equally poor choices.

The victim doesn't inspire a lot of sympathy, either. When we meet Livvy, she's a somewhat idealistic wannabe reporter. By the time she was violently murdered, she had become a YouTube star and darling of the ultra right. She had plenty of enemies.

I will recommend "Killer Story" because it does offer insights into the cutthroat nature of media today, and it's not too far from the truth of what some people have done to try to keep their jobs. It usually doesn't end well for them. It also provides a glimpse into circumstances that might push someone to political extremism. I think older readers like myself will probably have a bigger problem with Petra's actions through the story than readers Petra's own age; I see a lot of what I would term questionable decisions being a generational thing.

The author provided me with a free review copy. Opinions are all my own.

I enjoyed this story. It was a great concept and very relevant to what’s hot right now. This my favorite genre

This is one of those books where you can enjoy the story even when you don't like the main character or many of the others. Petra is a journalist who wants to solve the murder of someone she mentored when she was younger. The problem is that Petra has been fired from multiple jobs, so talks her boss into letting her do a podcast instead of firing her again. In trying to save herself, she accuses multiple people of the crime without doing adequate research. All of the characters are more interested in themselves than finding the truth.

I devoured this book. It was such an easy read, very fast-paced and I enjoyed every last minute of it.

It was an interesting book that I felt touched on today's journalism and the ever-evolving world of podcasts and journalism.

However, I felt like there were a lot of questionable decisions made by the main character and the poor way she tried to justify them, I just couldn't get out of my head. However, she is a fictional person, and we can't all be perfect.

Thank you to netgalley for the chance to read this advanced copy.

That said, it was an advanced copy, so I'm hoping someone went through and cleaned it up before publishing it. It was rather difficult to read with missing letters everywhere. I'm pretty certain missing words (the texts) and who knows what else.
The story was ok, I made it through the book....the protagonist was horrible! I think I hated her from chapter 1.
I would have liked to have seen a cleaned up copy of this book, maybe my stars would have went up.

I was super interested in the storyline based on the summary, but I just could not finish this one! I made it until around 45% and then gave up. It was very repetitive. The main character Petra was beyond annoying! I really did not like her, which contributed to this being an impossible read for me. I know books can often have unbelievable plot lines but this one was just way beyond overboard!

Petra is a journalist trying to keep her job. To avoid being fired, she asks for time to do a true crime podcast about a murder. Petra knew the victim, and wants justice for her friend.

Killer Story is told from Petra’s point of view. Petra is an unlikable character that makes poor, hasty decisions throughout the book. While I wasn’t a fan of Petra, the story really pulled me in.

A fast-paced, gripping mystery. Recommended for readers who enjoy crime fiction and podcasts.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Petra is no stranger to job redundancies in her journalism career, having faced the unsettling prospect more times than she'd care to remember. Unfortunately, it seems like history is about to repeat itself once again. That is until she takes a bold gamble, pitching a somewhat dubious lead to her boss, who surprisingly grants her a mere two weeks to turn it into a viable story. Now, all she needs is the critical information to back her claim.

Petra has spun a tale to her boss, claiming to have a major breakthrough in the murder case of the renowned YouTuber, Olivia Anderson. The truth is, she's bluffing. The next two weeks kick off a frantic scramble for clues and interviews that will make or break Petra's career.

While I can't say I genuinely liked Petra, her tenacity and unwavering determination left a deep impression on me. I couldn't help but sympathize with her as she navigated the challenging world of journalism, struggling to carve out her place despite her undeniable talent. The story's pacing and structure are flawlessly executed, and the writing itself is impeccable. It masterfully weaves through real-life issues and the complexities of our current times. I thoroughly appreciated the exploration of journalistic integrity and the moral dilemmas faced by truth-seekers in their relentless quest for answers. The story strikingly emphasizes the fine line these investigators tread, raising thought-provoking questions about the risks they're willing to take and those they should avoid.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Finally, my first time reading Matt Witten! I actually met him at an author event at @onceuponacrimebooks in Minneapolis for his novel The Necklace, and I was excited to read Killer Story since he talked a bit about the idea of it when I was there. It's always interesting to read something inspired by an author's life and experiences, and the author's note at the end of the book is certainly a must-read. While I can't say I actually liked Petra, I couldn't help but admire her tenacity and feel for her when it came to how many jobs she had lost in journalism and her struggle to make it in that world despite her talent. She did drive me crazy at times, but Natalie was even worse, and I was just WAITING for her to stand up to that girl. The only POV in this story is Petra's and I wouldn't have minded a police officer's POV as well.

I thought the audiobook was really enjoyable for Killer Story, and Harley Jane Kozak did a great job. Her voice is exactly what I would have expected for Petra, and her narration in general was just fantastic. I think she helped me connect to the characters a bit more than if I had simply read the book which is definitely saying something. I loved the podcast element of the book and while the audio unfortunately doesn't do anything to highlight that it was still a fun aspect. I had my suspicions about who the killer would be, but Witten managed to surprise me in other ways and the end was not what I was expecting at all. Overall, this was a solid 4-star read for me, and I can't wait to go back and read The Necklace!

((I wrote this review before reading the author's note. It is extremely troubling that the author based this character on themselves and sees nothing wrong with this behaviour.))

Everything that's wrong with true crime and true crime podcasts.

The female lead is the epitome of why journalists are hated so much. She excitedly exploits the murder of her young friend for her own gain, while betraying and trampling over the lives she's ruined in the process.

*Unlikable female lead (I actually hated her. She is an actual idiot.)
*Everyone's a suspect (to the lead anyway)
*This person and that person, oh and that person, might be the killer.. got very old and tiring by the 60% mark 🥱
*Very unrealistic and messy ending

A fantastic example of how untrained and undisciplined galavanting around can be so detrimental to an investigation.

If you find yourself addicted to true crime and true crime podcasts and social media posts like me, you’ll love this book as much as I did.

The protagonist is flawed (and sometimes very frustrating) but lovable and relatable, especially in this economy. The story is engaging and had me gripped. The author deals with the struggle of journalistic ethics vs click bait pressures very well and his writing kept me guessing til the very end.

Worth checking out if mystery/thriller is your book genre of choice.

I have a confession to make…

I wasn’t a huge fan of this cover. It was dark and didn’t reveal much. However, I loved the description and have always gravitated toward books that have podcast flair and college thrillers. Well, this book has both.

I was incredibly hopeful yet had my reservations even before I opened the book (I’m such a snob!!)

Well, I couldn’t have been more wrong! This book delivers! Matt Witten, did an incredible job captivating my attention and putting me on a ride of a lifetime. The storyline was executed with perfection. The characters were well developed and the twist was mindblowing!

Lesson learned, don’t judge a book by the cover. I would have missed out on a fantastic book!

Teaser:

How far will she go to catch the killer—and make her podcast a hit?

Talented and idealistic young reporter Petra Kovach is on the brink of being laid off from her third failing newspaper in a row. To save her job, she pitches the launch of a true crime podcast about a sensational, unsolved murder.

Years earlier, an alt-right YouTuber was killed in her Harvard dorm room, and the case went cold. Petra knew the victim—she was once her camp counselor and loved her like a little sister, despite their political differences.

Petra's investigation gets off to a rocky start, as her promising leads quickly shrivel up. In her passionate quest for justice—and clicks—Petra burns sources and breaks laws, ultimately putting her own life on the line. Even as her star rises, she worries it could all come crashing down at any moment if her actions are exposed.

When her machinations start to backfire, there's only one way to fix everything and solve the murder—even though it may cost her everything she loves.

So many horrible people, not sure who the biggest villain is. Really interesting to see how a person with good intentions can so easily be lead down a rabbit hole to abandon her morals. Fast read

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this.

This is a book that I enjoyed, but I hated the character Petra. Petra is about to be laid off from her journalist job (again) when in a panic, she tells her boss that she has a lead on the famous murder case of eighteen-year-old Youtuber, Oliva Anderson, who Petra once knew. In reality, she doesn't have any new information but is willing to do anything to save her job, even if it means ruining the lives of others in the process.

While Petra genuinely is wanting to solve Olivia's murder, in the process she does many vile things in her search, going as far as ruining the lives of those she finds. Her moral compass is basically non-existent, and with every person she interviews and ultimately finds some fault with them, fantasises about them being the murderer, without any full proof. It is because of this, I did not like her at all.

In Witten's author's note, one sentence basically summarises what I felt about this book overall regarding the content: "In this ultra-competitive era, getting clicks and flowers can be more important than getting the truth".

This is what I mean when I say I want a podcast thriller. I liked how this book talked about true crime podcasts and the ethics involved in being a journalist, but at the same time you could tell that Petra just really wanted to know the killer of her childhood, turned now influencer, friend. At times I could find Petra annoying and I wasn't entirely sure why she made some of the decisions she did but I had a great time!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Dear Killer Story,
I think my biggest problem with you is the fact that Petra was written by a man. She acted in so many ways that felt counter-intuitive to how a woman would act. She ran out on her fiance the night he proposed, she compromised her principals and morals time and time again, and I found her behavior unrealistic. You were an interesting story, but I just could not buy into Petra and her choices. I genuinely think you would have been a completely different (and better) book if the protagonist was a man. Petra acted in so many ways that a man would act; it felt like her gender was just slapped on top of what the author wanted her to do. It is a harsh criticism, but you were the first book in a long time that I thought about not finishing.

This was a fun one! It took me a bit to get into but I ended up enjoying the story, characters, and it had some great twists in it! Will recommend to others!

Holy CRAP! Author Matt Witten has knocked it so far out of the park YET AGAIN! I first became HOOKED on his writing after previewing a copy of his book “The Necklace”. Needless to say he pulled out all the stops on this one as well! Every single step of the way I thought I had solved the crime and to my surprise each and every time I was wrong!

This book kept me guessing and kept me up into the WEE hours of the night telling myself “just one more chapter!”

Journalist Petra Kovach has been fired from every newspaper she’s ever worked at. Just when she’s feeling comfortable and in her groove she finds out that she’s on the chopping block once again! Thanks to some quick wit and blind courage on Petra’s part, she manages to save her job and in return promises to deliver a Hit Podcast to her editor on the “Murder of the Century”. Emboldened by her ability to think on her feet and save her job, for now, she charges forward to solve the murder of her childhood best friend, can she do it? RUN, do NOT walk to get your copy and find out!

Hats off to author Matt Witten on yet another ENTHRALLING and CAPTIVATING Thriller!