What do you think?
Rate this book
Killer Casting
‘A Docu-drama about a murder. And the killer’s in the cast.’ Jessica, an up-and-coming young director is helming her first full documentary. It focuses on the story of a young girl, murdered fifteen years before in New York. The girl’s father was convicted and has been in prison ever since. But he’s innocent. Joe killed her. Joe’s killed a lot of people. When Joe sees the call for amateur actors to join the cast, he has an idea. Joe gets lots of ideas. That’s how he’s survived this long. But this time, has he gone too far?
222 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2022
1 person is currently reading
7 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 9, 2023
The blurb immediately grabbed me for Killer Casting. A thriller set to the backdrop of a true crime documentary, detailing the case of a father who supposedly killed his daughter and her boyfriend, yet the actual killer infiltrates the filming. As someone who loves a serial killer thriller, it ticked all the boxes for me!
It was a fast-paced read, with short sharp chapters and even though we know who our serial killer was, there were still shocks and surprises along the way.
The chapters from Joe's point of view were creepy, yet fascinating. We see him confident, having gotten away with so many murders, but his ego gets the best of him and we see his perfectly built facade crumble.
I didn't particularly warm to any of the other characters in the book, especially Jessica's assistant director and supposed friend Lucy, who just kind of got on my nerves!
If you love a serial killer thriller that really gets into the mind of a killer, then I'd highly recommend this book to you.
It was a fast-paced read, with short sharp chapters and even though we know who our serial killer was, there were still shocks and surprises along the way.
The chapters from Joe's point of view were creepy, yet fascinating. We see him confident, having gotten away with so many murders, but his ego gets the best of him and we see his perfectly built facade crumble.
I didn't particularly warm to any of the other characters in the book, especially Jessica's assistant director and supposed friend Lucy, who just kind of got on my nerves!
If you love a serial killer thriller that really gets into the mind of a killer, then I'd highly recommend this book to you.
March 9, 2023
I really enjoyed killer casting it was a book with a triple threat. Great plot. Great characters and a nice pace.
Killer casting for me had an incredible storyline, which I thought was brilliant, that, with the strong main characters made it a great read and I was unable to put the book down. Joe was by far my favourite character, he was definitely an odd and different kind of chap. That I wanted to try and understand.
This was one of my favourite books I have read so far this year, however I did find certain things a little unrealistic in how Jessica came about things. It didn’t deter me from reading but it wasn’t something that I couldn’t not think about either.
Over all this is a cracking little thriller.
Killer casting for me had an incredible storyline, which I thought was brilliant, that, with the strong main characters made it a great read and I was unable to put the book down. Joe was by far my favourite character, he was definitely an odd and different kind of chap. That I wanted to try and understand.
This was one of my favourite books I have read so far this year, however I did find certain things a little unrealistic in how Jessica came about things. It didn’t deter me from reading but it wasn’t something that I couldn’t not think about either.
Over all this is a cracking little thriller.
February 20, 2023
I was given a copy to review via ZooLoo’s Book Tours as part of their book tour. My reviews are always honest and all opinions are my own. #KillerCasting #SimonMaltman #ZooLooBookTour #BookTourReview #BookTour #BookReview
Killer Casting is a brilliant thriller. Jessica and her small crew have the chance of a life time to complete a docu-drama about the murder of a teenage girl with her father convicted of the crime but the father’s claims of innocence are completely true and slowly it becomes clear that the real killer is still out there and a lot closer to the crew of the docu-drama than any of them could have imagined.
Where to start with this one? I loved everything about it – and was pleasantly surprised how comfortable Joe made me feel. I’ve recently started to read more crime thrillers and have to say this has got to be one of my favourites. We know who the killer is from the start and at first I thought this would make the tension and suspense be lacking but I couldn’t be more wrong. I found myself willing the characters to piece together the clues that were there in time to save themselves and each other.
Speaking of characters they were all brilliant. I adored Jessica and Joe the most, despite Joe making my skin crawl. Maltman does a brilliant job of bringing the psyche of a serial killer to life from what little we know about them. The fact Joe was self aware made it all the more real and terrifying. I also loved the grounding of the story in real life with references to other serial killers and events in previous years.
The plot and pacing was perfect for me with the chapters being short enough to keep you hooked. The downside to this was the dreaded just one more chapter set in and I ended up finishing this book in just two sittings after staying up a little later than I probably should. If you are looking for a fantastic, pacy thriller this is the one for you.
Killer Casting is a brilliant thriller. Jessica and her small crew have the chance of a life time to complete a docu-drama about the murder of a teenage girl with her father convicted of the crime but the father’s claims of innocence are completely true and slowly it becomes clear that the real killer is still out there and a lot closer to the crew of the docu-drama than any of them could have imagined.
Where to start with this one? I loved everything about it – and was pleasantly surprised how comfortable Joe made me feel. I’ve recently started to read more crime thrillers and have to say this has got to be one of my favourites. We know who the killer is from the start and at first I thought this would make the tension and suspense be lacking but I couldn’t be more wrong. I found myself willing the characters to piece together the clues that were there in time to save themselves and each other.
Speaking of characters they were all brilliant. I adored Jessica and Joe the most, despite Joe making my skin crawl. Maltman does a brilliant job of bringing the psyche of a serial killer to life from what little we know about them. The fact Joe was self aware made it all the more real and terrifying. I also loved the grounding of the story in real life with references to other serial killers and events in previous years.
The plot and pacing was perfect for me with the chapters being short enough to keep you hooked. The downside to this was the dreaded just one more chapter set in and I ended up finishing this book in just two sittings after staying up a little later than I probably should. If you are looking for a fantastic, pacy thriller this is the one for you.
March 16, 2023
What a unique and brilliant thriller. I loved this from start to finish!
We first meet Joe, who is a devious and evil serial killer. We know this straight away as he openly shows us, the reader, his latest target and we hear his thoughts and feelings. He loves what he does and shows absolutely no remorse.
Jessica is an upcoming director and has been given her first solo documentary. She has chosen to produce a true crime documentary based on the deaths of a young girl and her boyfriend. The father was imprisoned years ago, but is appealing the decision as he claims to be innocent.
Joe decides it's too good an opportunity to pass up and applies and is cast as the detective in the production - is he being too ambitious and will he slip up?
I loved the characters in this.
Jessica starting off a little innocent and trusting - but later becoming curious and getting a sense of something not quite right, playing detective herself to uncover the truth.
Joe was brilliant. The way he developed throughout mirroring Jessica inversely. As she becomes bolder, he becomes more unguarded and starts to make mistakes and show weakness, after being super confident and thorough.
With some great little twists towards the end - this was such a good plot with a great pace in the writing. A really quick and exciting read.
Can't wait to see more from this author. Who knows...we might even have a sequel?....
We first meet Joe, who is a devious and evil serial killer. We know this straight away as he openly shows us, the reader, his latest target and we hear his thoughts and feelings. He loves what he does and shows absolutely no remorse.
Jessica is an upcoming director and has been given her first solo documentary. She has chosen to produce a true crime documentary based on the deaths of a young girl and her boyfriend. The father was imprisoned years ago, but is appealing the decision as he claims to be innocent.
Joe decides it's too good an opportunity to pass up and applies and is cast as the detective in the production - is he being too ambitious and will he slip up?
I loved the characters in this.
Jessica starting off a little innocent and trusting - but later becoming curious and getting a sense of something not quite right, playing detective herself to uncover the truth.
Joe was brilliant. The way he developed throughout mirroring Jessica inversely. As she becomes bolder, he becomes more unguarded and starts to make mistakes and show weakness, after being super confident and thorough.
With some great little twists towards the end - this was such a good plot with a great pace in the writing. A really quick and exciting read.
Can't wait to see more from this author. Who knows...we might even have a sequel?....
March 13, 2023
It is no suprise or secret that my favourite genre is thrillers and this one was absolutely fantastic.
It belongs to a group of original thrillers in that it tells us who the murderer is right at the start and then the story goes from there. I have read a couple like this and I have really enjoyed the originality of them.
The book was well written with a storyline that was gripping and kept me hooked all the way through. The characters were well developed and were all believable, especially the murderer who was simply terrifying because they knew exactly what they were doing and they were enjoying the thrill of it.
The book was fast paced and completely compelling, I genuinely couldn't put it down. There were moments that literally took my breath away and had me with goosebumps all over and feeling like my skin could crawl of my body.
I loved it
It belongs to a group of original thrillers in that it tells us who the murderer is right at the start and then the story goes from there. I have read a couple like this and I have really enjoyed the originality of them.
The book was well written with a storyline that was gripping and kept me hooked all the way through. The characters were well developed and were all believable, especially the murderer who was simply terrifying because they knew exactly what they were doing and they were enjoying the thrill of it.
The book was fast paced and completely compelling, I genuinely couldn't put it down. There were moments that literally took my breath away and had me with goosebumps all over and feeling like my skin could crawl of my body.
I loved it
February 24, 2023
Fantastic read!
I have really enjoyed Simon's others books but this one is by far my favourite. He manages to capture the different characters so well and brings New York to life. The plot was clever and genuinely kept you guessing till the end. Bring on the sequel!!
I have really enjoyed Simon's others books but this one is by far my favourite. He manages to capture the different characters so well and brings New York to life. The plot was clever and genuinely kept you guessing till the end. Bring on the sequel!!
March 8, 2023
I really loved this book. Jessica is a great character she is really well written and loveable. The documentary she was making I wish it was so real. I couldn't put this book down saying just one more page. Just one more page lol.
February 11, 2023
Review
Jessica has the chance of a lifetime.. she’s directing a documentary around the murder of a young girl.. the father convicted for her murder. Little does she or the small crew know he’s innocent and they are about to come face to face with the real killer.
Joe.. ah Joe..he’s a killer who is slowly escalating.. he used to be able to control the urge but now the thrill wears off too fast and the need to kill comes more and more quickly..
Luckily for Joe his fix comes in the form of auditioning for a role in Jessica’s documentary.. the very murder he actually committed.. to Joe there can be nothing sweeter! Especially when he's able to come face to face with the man he put in jail.
Joe continues to kill throughout but balancing all these versions of himself slowly starts to take it’s toll..and Jessica can sense something is off.. but she has no real idea what..
That is until everything unravels..If you think I’m going to spoil the ending think again ha. Let’s just say the suspense and the twists had me hooked, I loved the characters, even Joe.
Plot wise I loved it, Riveting! The pace quickly builds, short sharp chapters and those last few are dynamite. Joe thought this would be a fun idea.. how wrong he was.. but he’s got away with everything until now.. so can he find a way out of this one too?
For my first foray into the authors work I was really pleased to say the least, pace is spot on, chapter length perfect. Joe’s development is absolutely on point.. after all this is his tale, you even feel his thrill during the kills.. his excitement.. Jessica too steals the show as her development copies Joe’s as you learn more about them both, their lives, feelings, everything you need to make that person feel real.
Well worth grabbing a copy if you enjoy the genre! Very much enjoyed this one, easy flowing and engaging 5/5 stars!
Jessica has the chance of a lifetime.. she’s directing a documentary around the murder of a young girl.. the father convicted for her murder. Little does she or the small crew know he’s innocent and they are about to come face to face with the real killer.
Joe.. ah Joe..he’s a killer who is slowly escalating.. he used to be able to control the urge but now the thrill wears off too fast and the need to kill comes more and more quickly..
Luckily for Joe his fix comes in the form of auditioning for a role in Jessica’s documentary.. the very murder he actually committed.. to Joe there can be nothing sweeter! Especially when he's able to come face to face with the man he put in jail.
Joe continues to kill throughout but balancing all these versions of himself slowly starts to take it’s toll..and Jessica can sense something is off.. but she has no real idea what..
That is until everything unravels..If you think I’m going to spoil the ending think again ha. Let’s just say the suspense and the twists had me hooked, I loved the characters, even Joe.
Plot wise I loved it, Riveting! The pace quickly builds, short sharp chapters and those last few are dynamite. Joe thought this would be a fun idea.. how wrong he was.. but he’s got away with everything until now.. so can he find a way out of this one too?
For my first foray into the authors work I was really pleased to say the least, pace is spot on, chapter length perfect. Joe’s development is absolutely on point.. after all this is his tale, you even feel his thrill during the kills.. his excitement.. Jessica too steals the show as her development copies Joe’s as you learn more about them both, their lives, feelings, everything you need to make that person feel real.
Well worth grabbing a copy if you enjoy the genre! Very much enjoyed this one, easy flowing and engaging 5/5 stars!
February 14, 2023
Oh how we love a serial killer (as long as they are safely between the covers of a book and not sharing office space with us….) This book isn’t a who-dunnit it’s a how-far-will-he-go. And he’ll go just about anywhere. It’s also an interesting voyage into the mind of a serial killer – I never found myself very interested in the aspirant movie-making team who are the good guys in the book,(though there’s also an interesting prisoner who I enjoyed a lot), but every time evil Joe came into sight I was completely gripped. A very persuasive study of that mindset. He is pretty insightful, knows what he is, what he does, but he feels his self-knowledge gives him a certain integrity about it, and being good at it is something to be proud of, and inside his head he’s almost a likeable guy. Oh dear. There were moment when I found myself feeling almost friendly towards him. Just a shame that he likes killing people quite so much.
The plot did not often surprise me, so it wasn't the “what happens” that made it so gripping. It was the slow but perfectly paced build up of tension as the main character dances closer and closer to death, half knowing it, making too many mistakes, and every time I thought oh-no-this-is-it. As the tension mounted, I felt it very close - getting a bit jumpy myself. That's rare for me. I was impressed.
There’s an open ending and an epilogue that looks suspiciously like it’s setting up a sequel, but I wouldn’t recommend that. The books sits well on its own – the author (who I know from other books) has an interesting and ever-inventive creativity. I want to see where he takes me next... He would be wasted as a writer of series.
The plot did not often surprise me, so it wasn't the “what happens” that made it so gripping. It was the slow but perfectly paced build up of tension as the main character dances closer and closer to death, half knowing it, making too many mistakes, and every time I thought oh-no-this-is-it. As the tension mounted, I felt it very close - getting a bit jumpy myself. That's rare for me. I was impressed.
There’s an open ending and an epilogue that looks suspiciously like it’s setting up a sequel, but I wouldn’t recommend that. The books sits well on its own – the author (who I know from other books) has an interesting and ever-inventive creativity. I want to see where he takes me next... He would be wasted as a writer of series.
November 11, 2023
My Thoughts: anyone who knows me knows that I love a crime docu-series, I’ve been known to binge them on Netflix for hours 🤣 so reading about one was just up my street!
I do love a thriller that already outlines who the bad guy is for the reader, it adds an extra element to the story.. like it’s letting you in on its secrets.. but it takes a special kind of thriller that can do that and still keep you hooked on the story..
Simons ability to do just that was incredible.. this was yet again another one sitting read for me because I was so invested that everything else in my life was put on hold.
I found myself cringing at some parts of the story whilst also being in awe of Joes audacity in others.
The only thing I didn’t get was why Joe was killing people, there’s normally a reason or something that the culprit thinks they are gaining from the murders but this time they felt random and for no reason which left me feeling more than a little uncomfortable 😂
This might sound daft to say but the book actually read like a tv show 😅 I could picture what was happening so easily!
Will definitely be making sure I pick up more books from Simon in the future.
I do love a thriller that already outlines who the bad guy is for the reader, it adds an extra element to the story.. like it’s letting you in on its secrets.. but it takes a special kind of thriller that can do that and still keep you hooked on the story..
Simons ability to do just that was incredible.. this was yet again another one sitting read for me because I was so invested that everything else in my life was put on hold.
I found myself cringing at some parts of the story whilst also being in awe of Joes audacity in others.
The only thing I didn’t get was why Joe was killing people, there’s normally a reason or something that the culprit thinks they are gaining from the murders but this time they felt random and for no reason which left me feeling more than a little uncomfortable 😂
This might sound daft to say but the book actually read like a tv show 😅 I could picture what was happening so easily!
Will definitely be making sure I pick up more books from Simon in the future.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews