The Murder Show by Matt Goldman had potential, but for me, it just didn’t quite hit the mark.

Something about the narration felt off—nothing glaringly bad, just enough to make it a little grating. I can’t quite put my finger on why, but it definitely affected my enjoyment of the story.

Then there were the characters. There were a lot of them, and while I don’t mind a big cast, I need something to make me care. Unfortunately, that was missing here. No one really stood out or grabbed my attention in a way that made me invested in their fates.

The plot itself wasn’t terrible, but without strong characters or an engaging delivery, it felt a bit lackluster. I didn’t hate it, but I also wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend it.

If you’re a die-hard Matt Goldman fan, it might be worth a read. Otherwise, there are stronger mysteries out there.

I liked the narration and the general plot but I think it was the characters that kept me from really enjoying this. The relationships between the main character and the women in the story were particularly awkward. The idea of someone trying to solve a mystery from childhood who's in charge of a TV crime show was terrific.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook

Matt Goldman holds a special place in my heart because of his character Nils Shapiro (Yeah I know I spell it way cooler and I am a girl) But even dear Nils couldn't push it over to the 4 star category. This book was not bad by any means...it just wasn't great. Matt Goldman books are more geared towards men in my opinion, there is a lot of Wham Bam Thank You Mam and very little "emotions". I am not sure Goldman has mastered getting into a woman's head like Riley Sager (yes ted he is a man), he does't have that "touch". At the same time, I was dissapointed how he characterized Nils in this novel (a stay at home dad because his wife is head Police Chief-she clearly wore the pants in the family...
Okay now that I have aired all my grievances on to the good stuff.
Ethan returns home since there is a writing strike, only when he gets there his best friend from his teen years, Rowe is convinced their friend Ricky's death years ago was not an accident, but a murder. She ropes him in to using his "detective" skills to piece together the crime.
It was a fun police procedural and very action packed and I loved Goldman's characterization of Ethans dad (His whole wardrobe was from Costco--what could be better?) which helped break up the intense investigation. At times it felt like a tennis match going back and forth with who was lying, who was telling the truth and what actually happened. There were tons of dirty cops , but you have to read to find out the good the bad and the ugly!
Goldman is a solid read as usual, I hope in his future books he brings back the Nils that is clever and savvy....not the stay at home dad.

Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to review this advanced copy of The. Murder Show. I was not influenced or paid in exchange for this honest review.

"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."

The Murder Show is a different perspective on a familiar story: adults investigate a mystery they were involved in as kids. A hit and run accident killed Ro and Ethan's friend, Ricky, and as a writer at loose ends during a strike, Ethan decided to revisit the tragedy to get his creative juices flowing. It's an interesting start to this novel- you're unsure if Ricky's death was an accident or something more sinister.

I would definitely read more from Matt Goldman- this book drew me in and kept my attention to the end.

I received a free audiobook copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

The premise for this book was great and I was very hopeful. Ethan Harris is the show runner for a tv show called The Murder Show. During the writers strike, he visits his hometown and revisits the murder of a high school friend. He decides to investigate the murder to use it as the premise for a new season of his show. Throughout his investigation, he and another friend now police office get embroiled in a decades old cold case.
Overall, this fell flat for me. The narration was oddly suggestive with even mundane conversation, and all of the female characters were read as if they were constantly questioning what they were saying. The ending also felt obvious. I would suggest reading this rather than listening to the audiobook. I think the story and dialogue would read better that way.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Matt Goldman, and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Always eager to experiment with new authors (to me), I turned to this book by Matt Goldman. A unique perspective to a thriller, Goldman targets his story through the eyes of a television writer. The story spans a few decades and it is only when a writer's strike paralyses production that Ethan Harris looks for something to impress. A murder from his youth with an eerie connection to a present-day crime provides Ethan with a thread to follow and hopefully solve before too long. Yet, someone has other ideas as they hope to keep things under wraps. A great story that kept me intrigued as I tried to learn a little more about Matt Goldman and his writing.

Ethan Harris has found success with his television program, The Murder Show. As its showrunner, everyone is sure he's full of great ideas. However, his concept for a fourth season is rejected by the network, just as a writer's strike cripples the industry. Needing some inspiration, Ethan returns to his childhood home in Minneapolis. It's there that a potential idea begins to percolate. 

When he sees his childhood friend, Ro Greenman, Ethan lucks into something. Now a police officer, Ro has come upon some new evidence in the case of their high school friend, Ricky. In what was long thought to have been a hit and run accident, it now appears as though there could have a more sinister side. Ethan is intrigued and wonders if this could be a good jumpstart to a new fourth season idea. Ro seeks Ethan's help investigating the death and they begin putting clues together to see what might have happened to Ricky that summer after high school.

While Ethan is not yet ready to admit that there was anything criminal with Ricky's death, he must remain open-minded. Soon, Ro finds a connection with Ricky's death to a more recent event involving another teenager. It's been over two decades, but Ethan cannot shake the feeling that the two bodies might be connected in some manner. What follows is a race to get the evidence needed to solve Ricky's death and see how things will come together. Ro may have Minneapolis PD behind her, but someone is pushing back, seeking to keep things under wraps. Ethan, always one to pen a thriller, realises that real-life crimes are much more troubling than a piece of television pizzazz. The truth is out there, but Ethan and Ro will have to act carefully or they might become the latest victims in a crime spree. Goldman offers readers a great story and thrilling chase in this publication.

There's nothing like a strong crime thriller that takes on a unique perspective. Matt Goldman lures the reader into the middle of the action and holds their attention until the final pages. A solid narrative provides a roadmap for success, while offering key thrills for the attentive reader. The momentum kicks up and ensures the reader delves deeper into the larger story points. Characters serve their purpose and offer up a great balance to the storytelling. Plot points help bridge ideas and provide moments of surprise to keep things on point. I am eager to explore more by Matt Goldman when I have time in my reading journey.

Kudos, Mr. Goldman, for a strong story and unique perspective.

In this pretty mundane offering, Goldman tells the story of 40-year-old Ethan Harris, showrunner/head writer for The Murder Show. During a visit back home to Minnesota for the Jewish High Holidays, Harris is struggling to find a story to pitch for a fourth season of the program. He has plenty of time available, since the novel is set during the strike of Hollywood writers. His visit with his parents and any pretense of observing the holidays is thrown out the window as Ethan and his near-neighbor Ro Greeman reunite and recount the death of their friend Ricky, back when they were teenagers. The plot expands and contracts in predictable ways and the are they/aren't they relationship between Ethan and Ro is pretty uninteresting. Entanglements ensue as the case expands, sometimes in unbelievable ways. Still, the story will hold interest for readers who like mysteries that aren't impossible to solve. Narrator Dan Bittner's talent helps elevate the book and entices the listener to keep listening.

Loved this book. I don’t normally love male narrated books but this one was great. I loved the idea behind it and the surprises and twists. Well written and well read as well. Overall great book that I finished in one day.

I enjoyed reading this book! It’s a great mystery with interesting twists and turns. A solid 3 star read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an early audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

Showrunner and tv writer Ethan Harris comes home during the writers strike to visit his parents in Minnesota. He catches up with his neighbor and bestie Ro who is now a detective. Ro suggests that Ethan write about the death of their friend in high school to see if they can get new clues to solve the case. I enjoyed the book.


Enjoyed Dan Bittner's narration.

What? What? You think you know what's happening but you have no clue what's going on at all. This book pulls you in and didn't let go until very end! I thought i knew one thing and was rather upset that i was wrong! It was one of those books that was a true rollercoaster! Loved ever minute of this book

eh, it was a so so book. A little all over the place at times. I got a little confused to who was who sometimes, but the writing tise;f wasn't bad. i'd probably read more from this author.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Dan Bittner did a fantastic job of narrating this story and making it come to life for the listener!!

Ethan Harris is a writer for the hit show, The Murder Show. During the Hollywood writers strike, Ethan returns home to Minnesota to visit his family during the high Jewish holidays and to brainstorm for his next season. He runs into his old high school crush, Ro Greenman who is a detective with the police department. Ro is investigating the murder of their highschool friend, Ricky, on the side as she has found a pattern of deaths that match Ricky's and hopes to find the murderer. Ethan, believing that the story would make a great season 4 for his show, agrees to help Ro and the 2 get into more trouble than Ethan bargained for.

I loved the concept, the characters and the story! I found the characters to be believable and relatable. The pacing was fast and the story is well written. I found myself staying up very late to finish the audiobook in one go! Highly recommend!!

First, I want to say the narrator was perfect. He was enthusiastic and entertaining.

The book was interesting and I enjoyed the funny banter between characters, but I don't really feel like it was a "pulse-racing" story.

The premise behind it was interesting but I found it to be more humorous than mysterious or suspenseful.

Ethan Harris returns home to Minnesota during a Hollywood strike. His show, The Murder Show, on an unknown hiatus, Ethan reconnects with his high school crush and current police detective Ro. They team up on an investigation into their past and get deeper into a dangerous mystery.

The Murder Show was a fun listen. The story moves along nicely with several twists and turns. Intrigue, a little romance. Ethan is a relatable lead as a bystander who writes about investigations but has no place being in one. I hope this turns into a series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced listener copy. All opinions are my own.

The Murder Show was entertaining enough, but it didn’t fully work for me. The “twist” fell flat because the villain was so obvious I thought we were supposed to know all along. Plus, there were way too many coincidences and random murders—sure, they moved the plot forward, but they didn’t actually make much sense. It kept me reading, but I wouldn’t enthusiastically recommend.

This was okay -
It gripped me right off the bat due to delivering likable characters and a real/ relatable world and situations. As the mystery unfolds, it’s a mix of fun/ real interactions and … some slower-paced scenes.

I didn’t find the mystery / investigation aspects super gripping. I wouldn’t say ‘bad’ by any means, just not really exciting either.

3 stars.


🎧 Audio:
Fantastic production! The narrator sounded excellent and overall sound quality is perfect.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

After Ethan Harris's pitch is rejected for the fourth season of The Murder Show, Ethan decided to head home for the holidays to get inspiration for his next pitch. When he meets up with an old friend, now local police officer, Ro, she suggests that Ethan help her investigate the hit and run that killed their friend Ricky the summer they graduated High School. They quickly determine there is more to Ricky than they originally thought, and someone is determined to stop them from finding out the truth.

This was a rollercoaster of a mystery that had me so captivated I finished this audiobook in one day. There is plenty of twists throughout the investigation that figuring out what truly happened had me guessing till the very end. This is the first book I have read by Matt Goldman and after finishing The Murder Show, I am excited to read more from this author.

The Murder Show comes out on April 15th.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to review The Murder Show. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Such a great audiobook. Couldn't stop listening to it. Thank you for my advance reader copy. Can't wait to look up other books from this author.