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The Mushroom Murders: A family lunch. Three deaths. What really happened?
The shocking story of a weekend lunch laced with a highly toxic mushroom, and a triple murder trial that gripped the world, shattered a family and gave a mother a life sentence.
On 29 July 2023, Erin Patterson hosted a family lunch at her home in the small regional Victorian town of Leongatha. She had invited her parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, and her husband Ian.
Erin made beef Wellington for her guests, individual beef eye fillets covered in mushroom paste, wrapped in pastry. The following day, all four guests were taken to hospital, and Heather, Gail and Don died. Ian Wilkinson barely survived. A toxicologist found traces of the highly poisonous death cap mushroom in the remains of the meal.
At first, it appeared to be a dreadful accident. As the police investigation continued, the evidence mounted, seeming to point one way. Yet Erin Patterson spun a web of lies, and steadfastly claimed she did not intend to harm her relatives.
Greg Haddrick tells the fascinating inside story of the dramatic murder trial, and the forensic evidence that convinced the jury to convict a suburban mother of a gruesome triple murder. With many details not previously revealed in the media, it is the compelling story of a troubled family, and the world's most poisonous mushroom, which is readily found in parks and gardens.
Praise for Greg Haddrick's In the Dead of Night:
'No one tells a true crime story better than Haddrick.' - John Silvester
'As addictive as the best crime thrillers.' - Matthew Condon
On 29 July 2023, Erin Patterson hosted a family lunch at her home in the small regional Victorian town of Leongatha. She had invited her parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, and her husband Ian.
Erin made beef Wellington for her guests, individual beef eye fillets covered in mushroom paste, wrapped in pastry. The following day, all four guests were taken to hospital, and Heather, Gail and Don died. Ian Wilkinson barely survived. A toxicologist found traces of the highly poisonous death cap mushroom in the remains of the meal.
At first, it appeared to be a dreadful accident. As the police investigation continued, the evidence mounted, seeming to point one way. Yet Erin Patterson spun a web of lies, and steadfastly claimed she did not intend to harm her relatives.
Greg Haddrick tells the fascinating inside story of the dramatic murder trial, and the forensic evidence that convinced the jury to convict a suburban mother of a gruesome triple murder. With many details not previously revealed in the media, it is the compelling story of a troubled family, and the world's most poisonous mushroom, which is readily found in parks and gardens.
Praise for Greg Haddrick's In the Dead of Night:
'No one tells a true crime story better than Haddrick.' - John Silvester
'As addictive as the best crime thrillers.' - Matthew Condon
311 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 7, 2025
88 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
February 8, 2026
This true-crime case that occurred in Australia was well-publicized in North American news reports. This was a unique crime with a woman suspected of killing several relatives by serving them a meal containing poison mushrooms. There was a lack of evidence reported and little written here about the court deliberations.
I was hoping to learn details in a factual true-crime report. I thought this got off on the wrong track by inserting the thoughts of a fictional jury member into the account, and had hoped for a true report of just the facts. A disappointment.
I was hoping to learn details in a factual true-crime report. I thought this got off on the wrong track by inserting the thoughts of a fictional jury member into the account, and had hoped for a true report of just the facts. A disappointment.
November 9, 2025
I’m not sure taking creative license with the point-of-view was entirely necessary for such a sensational case, where the facts are already stranger than fiction. It blurred the line between fact and fiction a bit too much for me, though I'll admit it indulges all of our “would’ve, could’ve, should’ve” speculations.
My full review of The Mushroom Murders is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
My full review of The Mushroom Murders is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
December 27, 2025
5 Stars
January 24, 2026
The Mushroom Murders is a quietly unsettling read that creeps up on you rather than hitting with shocks. Greg Haddrick takes a familiar true-crime premise and treats it with restraint, letting the strangeness and tragedy of the events speak for themselves. What stood out most for me was the careful pacing and the sense of unease that lingers long after you put the book down. It’s thoughtful rather than sensational, and all the more disturbing for it.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
The Mushroom Murders: A family lunch. Three deaths. What really happened? by Greg Haddrick is a mind blowing account of a unique true crime case that took place in a small rural town in Victoria, Australia. Erin Patterson a seemingly ordinary mother of two is suspected of murdering three of her former in-laws and attempting to murder a fourth after inviting them for dinner and serving them Beef Wellington containing highly toxic death cap mushrooms. The case shocked and obsessed the nation and it captured media attention all around the world. I think everyone I knew was talking about the case at the time.
The story is written from the perspective of a fictional female juror and it had me gripped. The beef wellingtons Erin served her guests were made in individual serves and it was interesting to hear about everything that led to this event and the relationship Erin had with her estranged husband Simon.
We follow the murder trial and forensic evidence and I was surprised at the conclusion of the book where it’s revealed that three previous charges against Erin during the time she was married were dropped, that blew my mind!
This was an engaging read that sent shivers up my spine and despite the horror I enjoyed reading it. The tale is well written and meticulously researched and felt like a fictional crime novel.
Publication Date 07 October 2025
Publisher Allen & Unwin
Thank you so much Allen & Unwin for a copy of the book.
The Mushroom Murders: A family lunch. Three deaths. What really happened? by Greg Haddrick is a mind blowing account of a unique true crime case that took place in a small rural town in Victoria, Australia. Erin Patterson a seemingly ordinary mother of two is suspected of murdering three of her former in-laws and attempting to murder a fourth after inviting them for dinner and serving them Beef Wellington containing highly toxic death cap mushrooms. The case shocked and obsessed the nation and it captured media attention all around the world. I think everyone I knew was talking about the case at the time.
The story is written from the perspective of a fictional female juror and it had me gripped. The beef wellingtons Erin served her guests were made in individual serves and it was interesting to hear about everything that led to this event and the relationship Erin had with her estranged husband Simon.
We follow the murder trial and forensic evidence and I was surprised at the conclusion of the book where it’s revealed that three previous charges against Erin during the time she was married were dropped, that blew my mind!
This was an engaging read that sent shivers up my spine and despite the horror I enjoyed reading it. The tale is well written and meticulously researched and felt like a fictional crime novel.
Publication Date 07 October 2025
Publisher Allen & Unwin
Thank you so much Allen & Unwin for a copy of the book.
October 19, 2025
OH. MY. GOD.
Greg Haddrick has written this account of the now infamous 'Mushroom Murders" from the point of view of an imagined female juror, sifting through the evidence during Erin Patterson's trial.
Although there were times I found this imagined juror a little annoying, it generally worked pretty well to make the complexities of a trial such as this quite readable.
Most of us are well aware of the story, but reading about the evidence as it was uncovered and presented to the court was quite fascinating. What was equally as fascinating were the last few chapters, where details of the dropped charges against Erin were presented - I found this absolutely astounding - no spoilers, but... WOW!!
If you've followed along and been as fascinated with this case as I have you need to read this one!!
Fantastic!
Greg Haddrick has written this account of the now infamous 'Mushroom Murders" from the point of view of an imagined female juror, sifting through the evidence during Erin Patterson's trial.
Although there were times I found this imagined juror a little annoying, it generally worked pretty well to make the complexities of a trial such as this quite readable.
Most of us are well aware of the story, but reading about the evidence as it was uncovered and presented to the court was quite fascinating. What was equally as fascinating were the last few chapters, where details of the dropped charges against Erin were presented - I found this absolutely astounding - no spoilers, but... WOW!!
If you've followed along and been as fascinated with this case as I have you need to read this one!!
Fantastic!
Read
December 9, 2025DNFed at 40%. Nope, I can’t take the narrative device of the fictitious female juror anymore, it’s so unnecessary. It’s confusing the way it keeps jumping around, and when the narrator inserts details about their own life and thoughts which I have to keep reminding myself are fake. Also, it’s giving woman written by a man. The last straw, after sexualising the informant, was the following comment about the sole survivor of the lunch, Ian Wilkinson: “In the witness box, he was polite, sincere, gentle and tolerant. A good man. A humble man. Didn’t get my juices flowing, let’s not get too carried away - but he was a decent bloke.” The man was a victim of an attempted murder where three of his family members were killed, including his wife, have some respect!
October 18, 2025
the author did a really good job with this book. it's in the pov of a fictitious juror but goes through the entire trial. i learnt so much i didn't know. i definitely recommend checking this one out especially if you're interested in the case.
rip to Gail, Heather and Don. 🩷🩷🩷
rip to Gail, Heather and Don. 🩷🩷🩷
October 14, 2025
The author can do better than this but in his attempt to be the first to release a book on this case, he invented an imaginary juror to be the narrator. The book would have been much improved if he had just stuck to the story in a factual way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2026
The Mushroom Murders approaches one of Australia’s most infamous recent crimes from a markedly different angle. Rather than retelling the Erin Patterson mushroom poisoning case as straightforward true crime or courtroom reportage, Greg Haddrick frames the story through the perspective of a fictional female juror, inviting the reader inside the mind of a juror and into the moral, emotional, and intellectual weight of deciding guilt.
The novel revisits the now well-known events: a family lunch in regional Victoria, a meal containing deadly mushrooms, three deaths, and a trial that gripped the nation. However, instead of focusing on investigative timelines or forensic detail alone, Haddrick centres the experience of listening, judging, doubting, and deliberating. For a case that has already been extensively covered in the media and in multiple books, this shift in premise feels intentional and refreshing.
Having read three books about the mushroom murders in the past two months, I found this perspective genuinely interesting. The juror’s viewpoint offers a new way of engaging with familiar facts, particularly in how information is revealed selectively. It is only in the epilogue that the reader is given access to material that was withheld from the trial and the public narrative, which adds a quiet but unsettling layer of reflection about truth, justice, and what juries are never allowed to know.
That said, the fictional juror herself occasionally pulled me out of the story. At times, I found her perspective frustrating, and her internal voice distracted from the gravity of the case rather than deepening it. This didn’t ruin the book, but it did slightly weaken my immersion.
I listened to the audiobook, which significantly enhanced the experience. Lisa McCune’s narration was excellent — measured, empathetic, and emotionally controlled — and she brought credibility and nuance to the juror’s voice. Her performance elevated the material and made the reflective tone of the book work more effectively than it might have on the page alone.
Overall, The Mushroom Murders succeeds in doing something genuinely different with a case that “everyone in Australia knows.”
The novel revisits the now well-known events: a family lunch in regional Victoria, a meal containing deadly mushrooms, three deaths, and a trial that gripped the nation. However, instead of focusing on investigative timelines or forensic detail alone, Haddrick centres the experience of listening, judging, doubting, and deliberating. For a case that has already been extensively covered in the media and in multiple books, this shift in premise feels intentional and refreshing.
Having read three books about the mushroom murders in the past two months, I found this perspective genuinely interesting. The juror’s viewpoint offers a new way of engaging with familiar facts, particularly in how information is revealed selectively. It is only in the epilogue that the reader is given access to material that was withheld from the trial and the public narrative, which adds a quiet but unsettling layer of reflection about truth, justice, and what juries are never allowed to know.
That said, the fictional juror herself occasionally pulled me out of the story. At times, I found her perspective frustrating, and her internal voice distracted from the gravity of the case rather than deepening it. This didn’t ruin the book, but it did slightly weaken my immersion.
I listened to the audiobook, which significantly enhanced the experience. Lisa McCune’s narration was excellent — measured, empathetic, and emotionally controlled — and she brought credibility and nuance to the juror’s voice. Her performance elevated the material and made the reflective tone of the book work more effectively than it might have on the page alone.
Overall, The Mushroom Murders succeeds in doing something genuinely different with a case that “everyone in Australia knows.”
October 12, 2025
“Considering the lunch at 84 Gibson Street, Leongatha on 29 July 2023, has become the most talked-about meal since the Last Supper, surprisingly little is known about what was actually said at it.” – Greg Haddrick
On 29 July 2023, Erin Patterson hosted a family lunch at her Leongatha home, serving beef Wellington made with a deadly death cap mushroom paste. Her four guests, Don and Gail Patterson and Heather and Ian Wilkinson, fell gravely ill; three died, and Ian narrowly survived. What first appeared to be a tragic accident quickly turned into a gripping investigation and trial, as evidence pointed toward deliberate poisoning.
Those who know me know I’m not a big fan of the creative method when it comes to true crime. I like my facts straight, not wrapped in fiction. So when I opened Greg Haddrick’s book The Mushroom Murders and read that it was told through the voice of a fictional juror, I braced myself for disappointment.
To my surprise, I actually enjoyed it.
Haddrick takes an unusual approach, narrating the story as if he were part of the jury. While I found this method a little lazy (it meant he didn’t have to dig deeper or interview anyone), it works in its own clever way. He focuses purely on the trial, allowing readers to experience the case as it unfolded, questions and all.
Having attended the trial myself, this book hit differently. It felt personal. Like I was reliving those tense courtroom moments. I could almost hear the witnesses again and feel the mood shift with every testimony.
And surprisingly, I laughed more than I expected. Greg’s dry humour and sharp observations add a touch of humanity to an otherwise dark story.
While I wish he’d spent a few days in court himself to add more depth and atmosphere, The Mushroom Murders is still a well-crafted, easy read. More a courtroom recap than an investigative dive, but a solid one at that.
👨⚖️ Verdict: Even with my criticisms, I’d still recommend it, especially if you followed the case or love courtroom-style storytelling.
On 29 July 2023, Erin Patterson hosted a family lunch at her Leongatha home, serving beef Wellington made with a deadly death cap mushroom paste. Her four guests, Don and Gail Patterson and Heather and Ian Wilkinson, fell gravely ill; three died, and Ian narrowly survived. What first appeared to be a tragic accident quickly turned into a gripping investigation and trial, as evidence pointed toward deliberate poisoning.
Those who know me know I’m not a big fan of the creative method when it comes to true crime. I like my facts straight, not wrapped in fiction. So when I opened Greg Haddrick’s book The Mushroom Murders and read that it was told through the voice of a fictional juror, I braced myself for disappointment.
To my surprise, I actually enjoyed it.
Haddrick takes an unusual approach, narrating the story as if he were part of the jury. While I found this method a little lazy (it meant he didn’t have to dig deeper or interview anyone), it works in its own clever way. He focuses purely on the trial, allowing readers to experience the case as it unfolded, questions and all.
Having attended the trial myself, this book hit differently. It felt personal. Like I was reliving those tense courtroom moments. I could almost hear the witnesses again and feel the mood shift with every testimony.
And surprisingly, I laughed more than I expected. Greg’s dry humour and sharp observations add a touch of humanity to an otherwise dark story.
While I wish he’d spent a few days in court himself to add more depth and atmosphere, The Mushroom Murders is still a well-crafted, easy read. More a courtroom recap than an investigative dive, but a solid one at that.
👨⚖️ Verdict: Even with my criticisms, I’d still recommend it, especially if you followed the case or love courtroom-style storytelling.
November 8, 2025
I listened to the mushroom daily podcast and was extremely captivated by it and the detail it went into of how the trial was run. When I saw there was a book, I was super interested to see how that compared.
Conclusion, thought it was a great, yet horrific insight into what Gail, Don, Heather and Ian went through. Really enjoyed how it was written from the point of view of a fictional juror!
Conclusion, thought it was a great, yet horrific insight into what Gail, Don, Heather and Ian went through. Really enjoyed how it was written from the point of view of a fictional juror!
January 2, 2026
The concept for this book, to create a fictional juror and see all the evidence presented at the trial through the fictional jurors eyes, actually works surprisingly well. The way the narrator assesses and weighs the evidence does make a tonne of sense and you do understand how the genuine jury came to their collective guilty verdict. The question left at the end of the book - why did she do it - well only one person can answer that and she’s locked up in solitary now.
January 31, 2026
This is the second book that I’ve read on this crime. The two books are poles apart in their approach to the subject. I think that this is a more satisfying account of the crime. If I had to recommend one book on the topic this would be it.
January 23, 2026
Knew about 20 pages in that I hated this book. Why did I finish? Because it was a gift from my sister. It’s fair to say I did not enjoy this book. Why? Mainly because it could have been a media article rather than a fictional juror character, with misogynistic bias. Grrrrr.
Not a fan - would not recommend.
Not a fan - would not recommend.
December 31, 2025
This book puts the evidence in chronological order, which makes it an easy read. I'd heard the author had media access to the court happenings and I was led to expect new information that hadn't made it to the daily news cycle, but there was none and if anything lacked detail. Interesting witnesses were omitted wholesale, and detailed evidence was dismissed as too complex for the juror to understand.
Which brings me to the biggest flaw, that the fictional juror aspect of this fell really flat. I was really put off by two sexualised comments about a witness and a victim and just in general the protagonist offered no interesting or novel analysis.
if you haven't followed the case closely you might enjoy this book.
Which brings me to the biggest flaw, that the fictional juror aspect of this fell really flat. I was really put off by two sexualised comments about a witness and a victim and just in general the protagonist offered no interesting or novel analysis.
if you haven't followed the case closely you might enjoy this book.
December 28, 2025
Not a long book, but learned some information that I didn't know about. Author writes from the POV from a jury member, and the evidence they hear, that coincides with what the verdict was. What a tale! Easy read over the holidays. Obviously a pathological liar.
November 26, 2025
I enjoyed the previous Greg Haddrick book, but this was a little odd. Still had good details about the case, but the choice to write from a fictional juror’s point of view was strange. Especially with some of the commentary from the fictional juror… such a weird choice.
November 20, 2025
a fantastic read! very well written, engaging and compulsive! there were a few cringey moments where the author writes from the female perspective and utterly fails, but otherwise, a wonderful book.
October 20, 2025
What utter garbage.
Pushing out the first book in a hypothetical juror scenario. Don’t even bother reading this hogwash.
Pushing out the first book in a hypothetical juror scenario. Don’t even bother reading this hogwash.
November 2, 2025
If you scrolling through reviews to decide on whether to read this, let a Mushroom Murders obsessed follower give you a little overview on whether this is a worthy read or not.
The author creatively narrates the story from a fictions juror’s view. I found this rather clever and almost a double entendre… sharing the focus of how Ms Patterson was convicted but also how all those who watched on, read articles, listened to any information on the case, victims, accused and evidence being shared well before and well into the court case, were also acting as a juror, determining Ms Patterson’s guilt.
Maybe the author didn’t intend that suggestion in his delivery, but with the narrator’s thoughts often drifting to information outside of court presented evidence, I did feel that he was talking to all of us following the case closely.
If you have been avidly following the case, and the court proceedings I feel you may be a little like me , questioning what about this or that? There are definitely some key occurrences and evidence parts missing or given less drama than possibly I would feel important.
However the key reasons to how the jury come to the conclusion are well covered.
I would recommend this read for anyone who just wants to know the main aspects of the case, and how it all unfolded.
If you are looking for a thorough account with every fine detail this may leave you a little disappointed.
Personally I found it enjoyable but did leave me asking questions to how the prosecutor or defence let certain things fly.
My biggest question : who wears white pants when they have diarrhoea??! This is never mentioned.
The author creatively narrates the story from a fictions juror’s view. I found this rather clever and almost a double entendre… sharing the focus of how Ms Patterson was convicted but also how all those who watched on, read articles, listened to any information on the case, victims, accused and evidence being shared well before and well into the court case, were also acting as a juror, determining Ms Patterson’s guilt.
Maybe the author didn’t intend that suggestion in his delivery, but with the narrator’s thoughts often drifting to information outside of court presented evidence, I did feel that he was talking to all of us following the case closely.
If you have been avidly following the case, and the court proceedings I feel you may be a little like me , questioning what about this or that? There are definitely some key occurrences and evidence parts missing or given less drama than possibly I would feel important.
However the key reasons to how the jury come to the conclusion are well covered.
I would recommend this read for anyone who just wants to know the main aspects of the case, and how it all unfolded.
If you are looking for a thorough account with every fine detail this may leave you a little disappointed.
Personally I found it enjoyable but did leave me asking questions to how the prosecutor or defence let certain things fly.
My biggest question : who wears white pants when they have diarrhoea??! This is never mentioned.
November 5, 2025
I thought that writing this book from the POV of the juror was a novel idea but in essence I didn’t love it. So the facts were well laid out and it was interesting to see exactly how Erin and others spoke in court.
January 26, 2026
There has been a massive amount of media coverage about Erin Patterson who was accused and convicted of murdering her ex-husband’s family with poisonous mushrooms during a luncheon she hosted. The magnitude of this crime stunned and horrified locals but also rocked the world. For yes, this Australian case received international attention and as one would expect, spurred a number of documentaries and books exploring and analysing the woman and her crimes.
One such book is by crime writer Greg Haddrick. This was such an interesting approach to tell the story of Erin Patterson from the viewpoint of a fictional jury member. The author takes us through each step, including the extensive and intense jury selection process. We are given the opportunity to explore and be reminded of what a person would be thinking going during the whole ordeal. And once past the initial hurdles, what you would face during the trial if you were chosen for this case. And yes it would have been difficult to remain impartial, considering all the media hype that occurred beforehand. Those involved certainly had their challenges. But Greg’s approach puts us in the driver’s seat with all the questions and observations that anyone would have. And in doing so, draws us inside as if we were experiencing the event.
Without recounting here Erin’s whole character, actions and personality, I found the author gave us plenty to consider in looking at her life, her two faces, the people she worked with, her husband and children, her in-laws, and the steps she took that ended in her crimes. The acts, lies and denials were mind blowing. One question that remains is why did she do it? Justice Beale during the sentencing tells her, “only you know why you committed them”.
The Epilogue offers such vital information that the jury was not given during the trial. But four weeks after the guilty verdict occurred, material labelled inadmissible in the pre-trial was released along with the reasons why Justice Beale chose to remove this evidence. We can understand his rationale but see that her previous attempts on her husband just verified she had tried the poisoning food method before and got away with it. But this time, things went very different for her. If there was any doubt of a ‘guilty’ verdict in anyone’s minds, this newly made known information certainly cemented the decision further and confirmed the jurors made the right call. And the camera footage of her dumping items after the meal at the tip—away from her home raised more suspicion. Since the contents could not be verified, it could not be used.
I found the study of this case taught a lot about the legal system, how it works and the whys behind certain actions. It laid out the process in an organised and clear way. Also the events were presented in a chronological manner that help us get a better picture of what went on inside the trial and in this woman’s life. As Greg Haddrick uncovers and presents the facts, lies and deceptions surrounding the crime, we also get to see the mistakes Erin made that became her undoing. As the fictional juror says, who in their right mind would feed their kids the meal (yes, with pieces removed) that caused others to become violently ill (and die) if she did not know which serves had the poisoned mushrooms? And the whole plate thing of hers being different so that she could single out her own meal, raises more thoughts. Without doubt, the revelations at times startled and disturbed me.
This insightful non-fiction delivery by Greg Haddrick is an intriguing read and those who want to explore more about the Australian crime case of the century, will find it helpful and easy to follow. The author has done an amazing job with such a difficult topic and handled it with clarity and creativity. 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Allen & Unwin for the review copy.
One such book is by crime writer Greg Haddrick. This was such an interesting approach to tell the story of Erin Patterson from the viewpoint of a fictional jury member. The author takes us through each step, including the extensive and intense jury selection process. We are given the opportunity to explore and be reminded of what a person would be thinking going during the whole ordeal. And once past the initial hurdles, what you would face during the trial if you were chosen for this case. And yes it would have been difficult to remain impartial, considering all the media hype that occurred beforehand. Those involved certainly had their challenges. But Greg’s approach puts us in the driver’s seat with all the questions and observations that anyone would have. And in doing so, draws us inside as if we were experiencing the event.
Without recounting here Erin’s whole character, actions and personality, I found the author gave us plenty to consider in looking at her life, her two faces, the people she worked with, her husband and children, her in-laws, and the steps she took that ended in her crimes. The acts, lies and denials were mind blowing. One question that remains is why did she do it? Justice Beale during the sentencing tells her, “only you know why you committed them”.
The Epilogue offers such vital information that the jury was not given during the trial. But four weeks after the guilty verdict occurred, material labelled inadmissible in the pre-trial was released along with the reasons why Justice Beale chose to remove this evidence. We can understand his rationale but see that her previous attempts on her husband just verified she had tried the poisoning food method before and got away with it. But this time, things went very different for her. If there was any doubt of a ‘guilty’ verdict in anyone’s minds, this newly made known information certainly cemented the decision further and confirmed the jurors made the right call. And the camera footage of her dumping items after the meal at the tip—away from her home raised more suspicion. Since the contents could not be verified, it could not be used.
I found the study of this case taught a lot about the legal system, how it works and the whys behind certain actions. It laid out the process in an organised and clear way. Also the events were presented in a chronological manner that help us get a better picture of what went on inside the trial and in this woman’s life. As Greg Haddrick uncovers and presents the facts, lies and deceptions surrounding the crime, we also get to see the mistakes Erin made that became her undoing. As the fictional juror says, who in their right mind would feed their kids the meal (yes, with pieces removed) that caused others to become violently ill (and die) if she did not know which serves had the poisoned mushrooms? And the whole plate thing of hers being different so that she could single out her own meal, raises more thoughts. Without doubt, the revelations at times startled and disturbed me.
This insightful non-fiction delivery by Greg Haddrick is an intriguing read and those who want to explore more about the Australian crime case of the century, will find it helpful and easy to follow. The author has done an amazing job with such a difficult topic and handled it with clarity and creativity. 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Allen & Unwin for the review copy.
November 12, 2025
WHO was this book for???
I heard about this book a month before release and presaved it.
I, like the rest of Australia followed the trial closely.
I, like the rest of Australia pretty much know the case inside an out from the plethora of material already published.
So when I heard a book was written from a fictional jurors perspective I was excited to read a fresh angle about a trial close to my heart.
This Book was so disappointing. Just another retelling of facts already covered hundreds of times by other podcasts who did it alot better.
There is almost nothing about the character... There is a smattering of the characters thoughts about which witness she would or would not sleep with..
The book isn't even written from the first person daily perspective.. just like an overview like a police brief.
To top it all off, IT DOESNT EVEN COVER THE DYNAMICS OF THE JURY ROOM.
That's right, a book that claims to be written from a fictional jurors perspective couldn't even be bothered to write a single fictionalized chapter of what might have been said and raised in their over a week long deliberation.
From the end of the trial to the end of the book I checked audible to see how long this period was, 20 minutes. Not a single moment of those 20 minutes was spent discussing what happened In deliberation.
I ask again, other than a shameless cash grab tacked on to a overfull bandwagon, WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR? What an absolute waste of my audible credit and time.
I thought i was done but I'm not.
The writer makes a few petty remarks about the saturation of content regarding this case.. which is find incredibly ironic as I was listening to the prime example at that very moment.
The writer also takes aim a few times about how outdated the antiquated jury system is... which I also found ironic considering this book spent 90 percent of the time forgetting this was supposed to be the perspective of a juror not an journalist.
I just simply can not overstate how much of a token effort the hook of 'The fictionalized perspective of a juror' is.
I heard about this book a month before release and presaved it.
I, like the rest of Australia followed the trial closely.
I, like the rest of Australia pretty much know the case inside an out from the plethora of material already published.
So when I heard a book was written from a fictional jurors perspective I was excited to read a fresh angle about a trial close to my heart.
This Book was so disappointing. Just another retelling of facts already covered hundreds of times by other podcasts who did it alot better.
There is almost nothing about the character... There is a smattering of the characters thoughts about which witness she would or would not sleep with..
The book isn't even written from the first person daily perspective.. just like an overview like a police brief.
To top it all off, IT DOESNT EVEN COVER THE DYNAMICS OF THE JURY ROOM.
That's right, a book that claims to be written from a fictional jurors perspective couldn't even be bothered to write a single fictionalized chapter of what might have been said and raised in their over a week long deliberation.
From the end of the trial to the end of the book I checked audible to see how long this period was, 20 minutes. Not a single moment of those 20 minutes was spent discussing what happened In deliberation.
I ask again, other than a shameless cash grab tacked on to a overfull bandwagon, WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR? What an absolute waste of my audible credit and time.
I thought i was done but I'm not.
The writer makes a few petty remarks about the saturation of content regarding this case.. which is find incredibly ironic as I was listening to the prime example at that very moment.
The writer also takes aim a few times about how outdated the antiquated jury system is... which I also found ironic considering this book spent 90 percent of the time forgetting this was supposed to be the perspective of a juror not an journalist.
I just simply can not overstate how much of a token effort the hook of 'The fictionalized perspective of a juror' is.
December 7, 2025
I've just finished reading Greg Haddrick's The Mushroom Murders and he takes an unusual position, that of a fictitious juror, a female picture framer from Morwell. I guess he knew that others were tackling the case to write books and he wanted a point of difference.
I wasn't sure that taking such creative licence was entirely necessary, but as I got into it I found it useful in the sense that it showed what the jurors knew (and things they knew but were told to forget) at each point in time. He managed to stir up my biggest pet hate in courtroom matters: the facts that are withheld from the jurors. I could perhaps forgive the judge in his decision to ban consideration of the three attempted murder charges that were dropped just before trial, alleging that Erin Patterson thrice tried to murder her husband. But to ban the jury's knowledge that Erin went to the tip immediately after her lunch guests left, even though her own bins were virtually empty, defies explanation. Sure they couldn't prove what she'd dumped (though likely it was the plates from the meal which were never discovered by police in their searches). But surely that is up to the jury to work out, not for the judge to hide as she falsely claimed to have been at home then, gorging on leftover cake from the lunch. The judge, the prosecution team and the defence team all knew that this was bullshit, but were not allowed to say. There was CCTV vision available that the jury never got to see and as a result she may have got away with triple murder. Our juries would do so much better at coming to the right conclusions with the law just trusting them with the facts.
I wasn't sure that taking such creative licence was entirely necessary, but as I got into it I found it useful in the sense that it showed what the jurors knew (and things they knew but were told to forget) at each point in time. He managed to stir up my biggest pet hate in courtroom matters: the facts that are withheld from the jurors. I could perhaps forgive the judge in his decision to ban consideration of the three attempted murder charges that were dropped just before trial, alleging that Erin Patterson thrice tried to murder her husband. But to ban the jury's knowledge that Erin went to the tip immediately after her lunch guests left, even though her own bins were virtually empty, defies explanation. Sure they couldn't prove what she'd dumped (though likely it was the plates from the meal which were never discovered by police in their searches). But surely that is up to the jury to work out, not for the judge to hide as she falsely claimed to have been at home then, gorging on leftover cake from the lunch. The judge, the prosecution team and the defence team all knew that this was bullshit, but were not allowed to say. There was CCTV vision available that the jury never got to see and as a result she may have got away with triple murder. Our juries would do so much better at coming to the right conclusions with the law just trusting them with the facts.
December 27, 2025
Props to Haddrick for his interesting approach to this book - it’s clear that by writing it from the perspective of a fictional juror learning things in real time he was able to get it written and published faster than anyone else, and it ended up being a great approach.
The style also works to reinforce the importance of juries and why they exist - yes there’s definitely issues in the modern context, but they work and are necessary for a reason.
Since I hadn’t super-closely followed the whole shebang, it was interesting to get through the whole chain of events in that bit more detail. It doesn’t change the fact that three good, honest people were targeted and died at the hands of a woman who evidently was only in it for herself. In the trial and the book her children were “kept out of it,” but the poor people will be paying for the sins of their mother for the rest of their life.
While I’m here - it was interesting to note that Erin had “hundreds of books.” Don and Ian had been perusing her bookcases ahead of sitting down to lunch. In which case, given the age she is and being Australian, she must almost certainly have Bryce Courtenays on her shelves. I can’t help but wonder, having only days ago read a story in his book, The Family Frying Pan, about a woman taking revenge on her abusive husband using deathcap mushrooms in some interesting detail, whether maybe that sowed a bit of a seed for Erin? How I’d love to go and inspect her book collection.
The style also works to reinforce the importance of juries and why they exist - yes there’s definitely issues in the modern context, but they work and are necessary for a reason.
Since I hadn’t super-closely followed the whole shebang, it was interesting to get through the whole chain of events in that bit more detail. It doesn’t change the fact that three good, honest people were targeted and died at the hands of a woman who evidently was only in it for herself. In the trial and the book her children were “kept out of it,” but the poor people will be paying for the sins of their mother for the rest of their life.
While I’m here - it was interesting to note that Erin had “hundreds of books.” Don and Ian had been perusing her bookcases ahead of sitting down to lunch. In which case, given the age she is and being Australian, she must almost certainly have Bryce Courtenays on her shelves. I can’t help but wonder, having only days ago read a story in his book, The Family Frying Pan, about a woman taking revenge on her abusive husband using deathcap mushrooms in some interesting detail, whether maybe that sowed a bit of a seed for Erin? How I’d love to go and inspect her book collection.
October 19, 2025
The shocking story of a weekend lunch laced with a highly toxic mushroom, and a triple murder trial that gripped the world, shattered a family and gave a mother a life sentence.
In 2023, Erin Patterson hosted a family lunch at her home in the small regional Victorian town of Leongatha. She had invited her parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, and her husband Ian. She had also invited her estranged husband, Simon, who declined. They had been separated for some time and were not on good terms. She made beef wellington and the following day, all of her guests were quite sick. Erin herself claimed to have similar symptoms. Heather, Gail and Don died. Ian just managed to pull through. Toxicology results revealed traces of the highly poisonous death cap mushroom in the remains of the meal.
What initially appeared to be a dreadful accident, turned into a homicide investigation.
I rarely read or listen to true crime but I had absorbed so much of this case through the media here and as terrifying as it is, I knew I had to read this one. For those of you familiar with this case, I would say the book covers a lot of facts that I'd not seen in the media and the style in which it was told was so unique. Such a tragic case and I feel for all of the families involved.
Thank you to the team at Allen and Unwin for this gifted review copy.
In 2023, Erin Patterson hosted a family lunch at her home in the small regional Victorian town of Leongatha. She had invited her parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, and her husband Ian. She had also invited her estranged husband, Simon, who declined. They had been separated for some time and were not on good terms. She made beef wellington and the following day, all of her guests were quite sick. Erin herself claimed to have similar symptoms. Heather, Gail and Don died. Ian just managed to pull through. Toxicology results revealed traces of the highly poisonous death cap mushroom in the remains of the meal.
What initially appeared to be a dreadful accident, turned into a homicide investigation.
I rarely read or listen to true crime but I had absorbed so much of this case through the media here and as terrifying as it is, I knew I had to read this one. For those of you familiar with this case, I would say the book covers a lot of facts that I'd not seen in the media and the style in which it was told was so unique. Such a tragic case and I feel for all of the families involved.
Thank you to the team at Allen and Unwin for this gifted review copy.
January 3, 2026
Wow! What a great way to start my 2026 Reading Challenge. Like most Australians, and plenty of individuals around the world, I was completely absorbed by the Erin Patterson case last year. The only other time a case has held my attention so intensely was the disappearance of Azaria Chamberlain at Uluru back in 1980. I remember devouring every article I could find back then and being glued to the TV whenever her name was mentioned. Forty-five years later, I found myself just as invested in this story.
The Mushroom Murders by Greg Haddrick was a fascinating and surprisingly accessible read. I loved the author’s unique choice to narrate the story through the voice of a fictional, middle-aged juror. Following the jury selection process, the courtroom procedures, and the evidence as it was presented made the whole experience feel immediate and engrossing.
I expected the book to be dense or bogged down in dry detail, but it wasn’t at all. I was hooked from the first chapters and genuinely struggled to put it down, and when I did, I kept thinking about what I’d just read. The epilogue, which explored evidence not allowed in court, was especially chilling and left a lasting impression.
Overall, a compelling and highly readable take on a case that has fascinated so many.
The Mushroom Murders by Greg Haddrick was a fascinating and surprisingly accessible read. I loved the author’s unique choice to narrate the story through the voice of a fictional, middle-aged juror. Following the jury selection process, the courtroom procedures, and the evidence as it was presented made the whole experience feel immediate and engrossing.
I expected the book to be dense or bogged down in dry detail, but it wasn’t at all. I was hooked from the first chapters and genuinely struggled to put it down, and when I did, I kept thinking about what I’d just read. The epilogue, which explored evidence not allowed in court, was especially chilling and left a lasting impression.
Overall, a compelling and highly readable take on a case that has fascinated so many.
November 6, 2025
Loved this book! Greg Haddrick used an interesting technique to tell a story that we’re very familiar with - the murder by Erin Patterson of three family members by poisoning with death-cap mushrooms. The book is written as a recount of the trial seen through the eyes of a fictional juror.
Initially I found the juror voice a little annoying. However as I got into the book I really enjoyed the story telling and the different perspective that a juror might bring. Even though I knew the outcome of the trial, the events are written with a tension that is addictive. I binge read the second half of the book.
There are a lot of details included in this recount of the crime that are beyond the bare bones you can read in newspapers or hear on the radio. And the more of these details you read, the more fascinating this crime becomes. And even at the end you are left wondering - not about guilt or innocence, but about motive and the nature of evil.
This is Greg Haddrick’s second book. I loved the first, “In the Dead of the Night” about murders committed by a Jetstar captain; and now I’m looking forward to the third.
Initially I found the juror voice a little annoying. However as I got into the book I really enjoyed the story telling and the different perspective that a juror might bring. Even though I knew the outcome of the trial, the events are written with a tension that is addictive. I binge read the second half of the book.
There are a lot of details included in this recount of the crime that are beyond the bare bones you can read in newspapers or hear on the radio. And the more of these details you read, the more fascinating this crime becomes. And even at the end you are left wondering - not about guilt or innocence, but about motive and the nature of evil.
This is Greg Haddrick’s second book. I loved the first, “In the Dead of the Night” about murders committed by a Jetstar captain; and now I’m looking forward to the third.
November 26, 2025
An insightful analysis of a recent Australian trial, The Mushroom Murders (2025) by Greg Haddrick, is a nonfiction book. Interestingly, Greg reports the trial evidence in the guise of one of the jurors determining the woman’s verdict. It begins with Justice Beal’s instruction that the verdict can only be drawn from evidence presented and there is no need to establish motive, only intention to murder. The details reported at the time are clearly laid out as the juror acknowledges the presumption of innocence and her feelings: it was most likely an accident. The unanimous verdict reached after the eleven-week trial is well-known; however, the epilogue provides additional evidence that was not admissible but is nonetheless, most illuminating. A truly enjoyable read and engaging narrative that covers the evidence and makes for a five star rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without any inducement.
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