The Murder Show is Matt Goldman's new novel

Our lead character is Ethan Harris. Ethan has run a TV crime fiction program for three successful years. But the higher ups have rejected the fourth year case he’s chosen. He’s going to have to come up with something really good to change their minds. And he thinks he has - there’s an unsolved mystery in his own town. It’s an old one, but it has a personal connection. The victim was one of Harris‘s best friends in high school.

I must say, I really enjoy cold cases. They are more difficult to solve and different methods have to be used. There’s another layer to The Murder Show. Ethan has to face what he did in the past, and if he can redeem himself in present day. Both layers pace the book.

I chose to listen to The Murder Show. The reader was Dan Bittner and he did a great job. Bittner was perfect for this character. He’s got a bit of smooth operator in his voice. He was very easy on the ears. He enunciate well and the pace of reading was right on. He has created and used voices that bring the characters to life. He doesn’t simply read, he performs. A new author for me to follow and a new narrator to follow as well. Well done.

Ethan Harris is a television writer for The Murder Show. Stumped for ideas as a new season comes up he heads home in hopes of finding inspiration. When he runs into his childhood friend, Ro, who is now a police officer, he starts to come up with an idea. Ro has come up with new evidence in a murder case from when they were in high school, where their friend Ricky died. Was it a hit and run? Was it a murder?

I really enjoyed this audiobook. It was fast paced with lots of action and suspense. I liked the characters and their story lines. It was a quick and easy read. The ending came a tad quickly but overall I enjoyed the ending and the twists! I will definitely be reading more from this author!

Thanks to #macmillanaudio and #NetGalley for the audio ARC of #TheMurderShow. Loved this narration and the storyline! I had it somewhat figured out, but not completely. I would love to read/listen to another book with these same characters! I especially liked Ro and I hope we get a new book to see if the romantic relationship materializes.

The plot of this book was original. While amateur sleuths investigating crimes may not be original, the idea of one writing for a murder television show is. I was on to the culpret(s) early on but the author does a good job of adding in many red herrings to throw you off the scent. I really enjoyed most of the characters. The ending was a little abrupt in my opinion and didn't leave me fully satisfied. Since I am invested in the characters and because of the ending, I hope this is the first in a new series and not a stand alone.

All in all, this was a solid Mystery/Procedural novel. This was a first for me by this author and I look forward to reading more.

When Ethan, a tv show writer heads home during a writers strike, he reconnects with his old neighbour and friend. She is now a police officer, and they discuss the hit and run of their friend from high school. Maybe Ethan can use his story for the new season of the tv show, the murder show. As they begin to ask around about their old friend, and come up with more questions than answers. And someone, wants them to stop snooping.

Fast paced and fun story. They characters were a little flat, but Ethan and Ro, but the story was a ride. Investigating and Ethan learning far too much for a civilian to learn from the police.

Listened to as an audiobook, and I enjoyed the listen.

In The Murder Show, Matt Goldman presents a compelling premise that blends crime, mystery, and small-town intrigue. While the audiobook delivers moments of high-stakes action and gripping suspense, the overall pacing occasionally falters, causing parts of the narrative to drag.

There are some threads in the story that don’t fully come together, leaving a few loose ends and questions unanswered. However, Goldman’s strong concept and vivid setting help maintain interest throughout. The story has enough momentum—particularly during its more action-packed sequences—to keep listeners engaged and eager to uncover the truth behind the unsettling events in this town.

Though not without its flaws, The Murder Show still offers a solid listening experience, especially for fans of crime thrillers who enjoy atmospheric storytelling and complex investigations.

𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧 𝗣𝗘𝗘𝗞
TV showrunner Ethan Harris returns to his hometown for the Jewish high holidays. There, he reconnects with former classmate Ro Greeman, now a police officer, and together they reopen the case of their friend’s long-ago hit-and-run, uncovering secrets someone will kill to keep hidden.

𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗡
I liked Ethan right away, and his dynamic with Ro felt so natural. As someone who’s worked in TV and is Jewish, those early scenes really resonated.

But once it shifted into procedural territory, it lost a bit of spark for me. I just wasn’t expecting that based on how it started.

I listened on audio and thought the narrator nailed Ethan and the vibe overall (though the Jewish mom, not so much). And speaking of the mom - she felt off. I don’t know one Jewish mother who’d be fine with her kid skipping synagogue and dinner - even with attempted murders involved!

The lack of flashbacks and a fairly obvious whodunnit made this feel more flat than I’d hoped. Nonetheless, I can’t deny I was entertained and I did enjoy the coziness of it all.

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗?
This is ultimately a procedural with a cozy, character-driven thread running through it. If that’s your thing, you’ll enjoy it - just go in knowing it leans more crime drama than twisty domestic thriller.

Thanks to @Netgalley and
@macmillan.audio for access to this advanced readers copy

This was my first book by Matt Goldman and I will definitely be going back and reading some of the other books by this author. This was a great introduction and I can't wait to read more.

By the end, I thought this was simply just another mystery/thriller book, but yet I appreciated the unique part about the MC being a writer for a popular TV show, though his career was fledging upon renewal. I also appreciated that the characters were likable and I wanted to see them through. This was done well, researched through, planned out, and the characters that were not fluff. I definitely enjoyed the adrenaline, the mystery, but somehow I couldn't place how I felt about the final reveal/ending. It wasn't the climax that I was hoping for, but somehow I wasn't too disappointed.

So bottom line: this was a fun read. If you love crime shows and thrillers, you'll love this. Ro was a character that I wasn't sure I would like, but she warmed up to me. I would love to read more about her. The audio narration was also done so well.

Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio, and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

I loved this! Sidelined by the writer’s strike, a writer finds himself at his childhood home trying to write a plot line for the next season of his TV show. His old girlfriend (literally the girl next door—who’s now a cop) suggests they look into a cold case of their buddy who was murdered and justice never found.

I guessed the twist early (and for once I was right!!) but this was still a twisty, suspenseful read. It had a wildly good atmosphere (rural Minnesota and Wisconsin), tons of secondary characters with good stories, and what these two uncovered was shocking.

The narration was five stars!

This story was really good and I loved most of the characters. Ethan’s dad was probably my favorite, if I’m being honest! He was hilarious! The relationship between Ethan and Ro was so sweet (albeit disappointing considering they stayed in the friend zone despite the flirtations). I thought using a tv writer character was really unique, as was the idea behind his reasoning for the “research” he was doing. I remember the writer’s strike vividly, as does every other writer, so it was really neat to see it in action and to see the effects of it for those writers. The juxtaposition of drive and desperation in Ethan was really well-done. I had a feeling who was involved, and even though I was right, I was disappointed. I really hoped it wasn’t going that way. But for the most part, the story was great. The ending did fall a bit flat for me, but I would still recommend this book to any fans of mysteries!

Huge thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

I need to think about what did and didn't connect with me for a bit.

I wanted more from the whole "Murder Show" concept, but the show is on hiatus due to the writers' strike. Ethan, the showrunner, is home for a visit, trying to come up with a storyline for the next season. I couldn't fully wrap my mind around what the show is even about. Like fictionalized true crime maybe?

The head hopping in this narrative is really jarring. It's like we're third person omniscient for almost every character. It wouldn't be so bad if it switched with each chapter, but sometimes we get in multiple heads in one chapter. It was quite noticeable since I listened to the audiobook. Speaking of the audiobook, the narrator is male, but there are quite a few female parts (and heads that we're inhabiting) which might have played better and not been as over the top if they had been narrated by a female.

I was intrigued at the mystery at first, but I pretty much called the bad guy from the beginning. I thought it was a little too obvious.

Overall this is a decent read, but nothing spectacular. It is fast paced and I finished it fairly quickly, but I don't think I'm going to remember much about it.

The Murder Show written by Matt Goldman and narrated by Dan Bitner, is a fast exciting read about Eathan Harris who goes back to his hometown in Minnesota when the writers go on strike. to make matters worse his pitch for the fourth season of his popular show was denied and he is scrambling to come up with a new plot line. When he arrives home he reconnects with Roe greenmen, his teenage crush and backyard neighbor. she’s now a detective in their small town and tells Eathan they should investigate the accident that killed their high school friend Ricky because it’s something that still haunts her. At first he says no as he is only home to visit his parents and wait for the writer strike to be over but just like when they were kids she talks him into it. They will find out many strange things about the case but the first twist is that Ricky wasn’t the only Minnesota teenager to be struck down on side of the highway but it seems the closer they get to the answer the more people that are killed. Eathan knows he’s bitten off more than he can chew but every time he tries to bow out Roe comes up with a reason for him to stay just a little longer. I really enjoyed this book it was a fast awesome read but really thought it could’ve done without all the potential romantic things between Eathan and Roe, for some reason I just didn’t buy a romance between them I thought he was better suited to Anna but alas that wasn’t to be either. All in all this was a really great book and if you love good murder mysteries with very likable characters to root for then you will definitely love this book. I listened to the audio version and thought it was awesome the narrator Dan Bittner did such a great job with character distinction setting an awesome tone and just giving a great performance. #NetGalley, #McMillanAudio, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview,#MattGoldman, #TheMurderShow, #DanBittner,

4.5 stars. I thought this was a really good mystery. An on-strike TV show writer has returned home to Minnesota to visit his parents. He immediately runs into an old (almost) flame who is now on the police force. When they were in high school, a friend of theirs died. It was ruled as an accident, but Ro isn't convinced and offers it up to Ethan as a possible story line for his show. The two start investigating and find nothing but trouble.

I listened to the audio version narrated by Dan Bittner and really enjoyed the narration. The voices were good (I loved Ethan's parents!). It was a fast moving story that had me finishing it in two days.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audio. All thoughts are my own.

NOT YET PUBLISHED!!
Release date is : 4/15/25!!

I believe this is the first I've read of this author, but, hoping not the last!!

Ethan Harris is a writer for the crime show "The Murder Show". He now finds that he has some time on his hands, as a strike paralyzes production on the show. So, he decides to return home to see his Mom and Dad in Michigan.

First person he sees (other than Mom and Dad) was his HS crush, Ro. And she's right outside of his window. He goes to speak with her/catch up, and they feel like no time has passed.. although it is well over 20 years now.

And then they start talking about what happened all those years ago... when their friend died! All these years Ethan thought it was just a cruel accident, but Ro has other ideas. And being as she is now a Police Officer, she thinks maybe it's time to loop Ethan in on what she thinks... and get his opinion... and help, as she's never given up on finding out what really happened that night.

But, weird things keep happening. And Ro has found some connections to their friend's death all those years ago. And... people keep dying. People that they know.

So, although Ethan thinks he might be able to use some of what they are finding out as episodes in his upcoming crime shows (once the strike is over!), Ro just wants to get to the bottom of it and close up that chapter of her life once and for all.

This one had a bunch of twists, and will keep you guessing right up until the end!

4 big, bright, Hollywood ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!!

#TheMurderShow by #MattGoldman and narrated beautifully by #DanBittner.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.
*** Release date is next week on... 4/15/25, so look 👀 for it on then !! ***

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There was nothing wrong with this book, but I found my attention being pulled away quite often. While it was def a shock just what happened back then and the role they all played, it just got kind of draining. I really liked his previous book series.

I really enjoyed the plot and setting of this book and was hooked from start to finish. I enjoyed the narrators voice but I didn’t not feel like he brought the characters to life for me and I don’t know if it was him or the writing but I felt 0 chemistry between any of the characters and a lot of the lines they said to each other felt fake. Other than that I loved everything else and would still recommend this book.

The Murder Show

By Matt Goldman

From Forge Books & Macmillan Audio
304 pages in hardcover
7 hours, 47 minutes in audio, performed by Dan Bittner
Releases April 15, 2025

A TV writer and his old high school friend — now a cop — start digging into a death from their past.

Ethan Harris grew up moving constantly until his family settled in Minneapolis. There, he found his people. The summer after graduation, their friend Rickey was killed in a hit-and-run.

Twenty-two years later, Ethan, now a TV writer, and Ro, a police officer, begin to suspect Rickey’s death wasn’t an accident. Drug cartels, the FBI, Baltic hitmen, crooked cops, paranoia, and danger swirl as the two uncover far more than they expected.

The flashbacks to their teenage years are warm and relatable, with a cast that feels real and familiar. Ethan’s experience as a kid always on the move makes him easy to root for, and his insights as a TV writer are sharp and entertaining.

The law enforcement side of the story, though, often feels like TV cop drama filler rather than authentic detail. And for a metro area of 4 million, these characters bump into people they know a lot.

The set-up works, the pacing is solid, but the final act falls apart — descending from complex mystery to soap opera nonsense. It’s trite, overstuffed, and unrealistic.

This isn’t the edgy thriller it wants to be. But it’s still an easy read (or listen), great for a road trip. Dan Bittner’s narration is excellent, and Goldman’s writing style is engaging.

The Murder Show is a mixed bag. Grade: B-

But I’ll absolutely give Matt Goldman another shot.

*3.5 rounded down*
I LOVE me some Matt Goldman books. I really do. I couldn't wait to read this one. I wanted so badly to rate this book even one star higher, but it wouldn't be my honest opinion. The premise of The Murder Show was great. The beginning had me immediately drawn in & I never lost interest.

As usual, Goldman did an amazing job building his characters. I never have trouble picturing any of his characters, which is one of the main reasons I'll read anything the man writes. This wasn't bad, by any means, but it was my least favorite of all his books so far. My main issues were:

1. It felt very "cat and mouse," not in the "detective is trying to uncover a killer" way that I love, but more like "characters are constantly running from someone & it's going to end how this always ends."
2. Ending/reveal was underwhelming. I'm not sure if it's that it was too obvious or just my least favorite of the available options.
3. It was a little irritating hearing the words "The Murder Show" so many times.

I was thrilled to get a small dose of one of my favorite characters ever - Nils Shapiro, although I hope the new Nils (stay-at-home dad) isn't a hint that the series is over! That would be majorly depressing. Overall, I think the book was good, just not as good as all the others. I will still scream with excitement if I hear that Matt Goldman has another book, and I will be antsy until I get my hands on it...triple that reaction if it's a Nils Shapiro book! Thank you for the opportunity to enjoy this ARC!

Ethan Harris is the producer of a hit true crime TV show, The Murder Show. He is searching for inspiration for the new season of the TV show, he returns to his hometown hoping for a spark. He reunites with a high school friend, Ro, who is now a police detective that may have uncovered new information regarding a classmate that died under mysterious circumstances. The two embark on a game of cat and mouse search for the person responsible for the death. A very fast paced and highly enjoyable suspense thriller.

4 stars

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Forge Books for the ALC / ARC. The narrator Dan Bittner does an awesome job.