What do you think?
Rate this book
Shot
A murder is witnessed by thousands, but who pulled the trigger?
Dahlia and Duncan Crews are rich, famous, glamorous - they share their lifestyle and picture-perfect family with hundreds of thousands of online subscribers. The Crews have it all - until they don't. Shot dead in the middle of a livestream, the couple's teenage daughter, Karma, is the sole survivor. And the prime suspect.
Years later, disgraced true-crime vlogger Jennifer Benedetta is hired to film a cold-case documentary on the unsolved Crews family murders. It's the chance she needs to salvage her reputation, but there's a prove Karma Crews innocent. But something - or someone - is lurking just off camera, and the closer Jennifer gets to the truth, the further she is from safety. Who is watching? And how far will they go to remain unseen?
Praise for Shelley Burr's atmospheric bestsellers WAKE, RIPPER and VANISH:
'A sure-fire page-turner that keeps readers guessing' DAILY TELEGRAPH
'Unnerving' DARCY TINDALE
'One of Australia's most exciting new crime writers' THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S WEEKLY
'Twisty' CANBERRA WEEKLY
'Everything you want from an Australian crime thriller' WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
'Addictive' WOMAN'S DAY
'Sizzling. Boldly original. Intense and utterly gripping' ROSE CARLYLE
'Effortless' LAINIE ANDERSON
Dahlia and Duncan Crews are rich, famous, glamorous - they share their lifestyle and picture-perfect family with hundreds of thousands of online subscribers. The Crews have it all - until they don't. Shot dead in the middle of a livestream, the couple's teenage daughter, Karma, is the sole survivor. And the prime suspect.
Years later, disgraced true-crime vlogger Jennifer Benedetta is hired to film a cold-case documentary on the unsolved Crews family murders. It's the chance she needs to salvage her reputation, but there's a prove Karma Crews innocent. But something - or someone - is lurking just off camera, and the closer Jennifer gets to the truth, the further she is from safety. Who is watching? And how far will they go to remain unseen?
Praise for Shelley Burr's atmospheric bestsellers WAKE, RIPPER and VANISH:
'A sure-fire page-turner that keeps readers guessing' DAILY TELEGRAPH
'Unnerving' DARCY TINDALE
'One of Australia's most exciting new crime writers' THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S WEEKLY
'Twisty' CANBERRA WEEKLY
'Everything you want from an Australian crime thriller' WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
'Addictive' WOMAN'S DAY
'Sizzling. Boldly original. Intense and utterly gripping' ROSE CARLYLE
'Effortless' LAINIE ANDERSON
- GenresMystery
378 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 27, 2026
About the author
Shelley Burr
6 books465 followersShelley Burr works at the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment in Canberra, Australia. She grew up splitting her time between Newcastle and Glenrowan, where her father's family are all sheep farmers.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Shelley Burr’s best book yet… and that is a big call as I have loved all of her books!
Shot is one of those books that will get into your head and keep calling you to finish it. It is clever and thought provoking, with plenty of twists a d turns and a plethora of possibilities on where the story is going to go. Be prepared to lose time when you pick this book up, you will need to clear your schedule and fully commit to finding the killer.
Jen was a bit of a broken soul. She is in a financial mess and has a pending lawsuit against her, so when she is offered the chance to do a Netflix type documentary on the unsolved Crew Family murders she finds she has no choice. She is a true crime vlogger with a decent following but this could make her a star. Along with her friend Paige, they travel to Byron Bay on the NSW north coast to start filming and investigating this story.
The surviving member of the family, Karma, is now ready to talk, 6 years after her parents were murdered on alive stream. She wants her name cleared, the rumours are always speculating that she had something to do with what happened. But Jen finds that she doesn’t quite trust her, as well and new avenues of inquiry opening up. The family were famous and extremely popular, but it seems that they had their fair share of problems and enemies.
I could not get enough of this book. I was certain that I had it all figured out, following the clues along with Jen. Was my radar on target? Well you will have to read it to find out.
A huge thanks to Hachette Australia and Shelley Burr for sending me this incredible book and all the great goodies that came along with it. What an amazing surprise.
Shot is in stores October 28th and is a must read.
Shot is one of those books that will get into your head and keep calling you to finish it. It is clever and thought provoking, with plenty of twists a d turns and a plethora of possibilities on where the story is going to go. Be prepared to lose time when you pick this book up, you will need to clear your schedule and fully commit to finding the killer.
Jen was a bit of a broken soul. She is in a financial mess and has a pending lawsuit against her, so when she is offered the chance to do a Netflix type documentary on the unsolved Crew Family murders she finds she has no choice. She is a true crime vlogger with a decent following but this could make her a star. Along with her friend Paige, they travel to Byron Bay on the NSW north coast to start filming and investigating this story.
The surviving member of the family, Karma, is now ready to talk, 6 years after her parents were murdered on alive stream. She wants her name cleared, the rumours are always speculating that she had something to do with what happened. But Jen finds that she doesn’t quite trust her, as well and new avenues of inquiry opening up. The family were famous and extremely popular, but it seems that they had their fair share of problems and enemies.
I could not get enough of this book. I was certain that I had it all figured out, following the clues along with Jen. Was my radar on target? Well you will have to read it to find out.
A huge thanks to Hachette Australia and Shelley Burr for sending me this incredible book and all the great goodies that came along with it. What an amazing surprise.
Shot is in stores October 28th and is a must read.
November 2, 2026
There are lot of twists in Shot – some I saw coming, some I didn’t at all, some I expected but didn’t come to fruition. I definitely didn’t pick the culprit, so the ultimate reveal was a surprise. Burr has nailed the setting, and the pacing of Shot is perfect. She leaves a door open for a sequel, so I expect we’ll see Jennifer investigate another murder soon.
My full review of Shot is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
My full review of Shot is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
(3.5 stars)
"Being a teenage girl is rough enough without it all beig farmed for content." Mostly I enjoyed Shot for the opportunity to ponder what mummy influencers are doing to their kids when they film them with "orders of magnitude more than even the most prolific child actor." It's a thoroughly contemporary crime novel told from the point of view of a true crime vlogger about an influencer family, two of whom are shot dead while they are live to air.
The book is Australian, set in the Northern Rivers in New South Wales, the heartland of yummy mummy influencers: "If it was near Byron then it was likely expensive, an old beachfront hippie enclave now overrun with influencers and tech millionaires." Before reading the novel, I didn't really hold either group—the influencers or the true crime vloggers—in high regard. Don't read the novel expecting it to fix that.
The twist is a bit fanciful. While I do think there's probably a pathway to OnlyFans for kids who spend their life on camera, I am not convinced the pathway is through adult grooming. Instead it's through being hyper-comfortable with every part of your life on camera. Would you kill to save a kid from a mummy creator? that's the question really that the novel hinges upon. Sadly I don't think we care about children that much.
The descriptive writing leans toward obvious over artistry: "She looked like her picture could appear on the Wikipedia page for 'physical attractiveness', next to a paragraph on the results of scientific studies on the ideal nose size and shape." It's not annoying though, it works to make it feel more authentically a novel about young people: "Jen picked at the fruit. She hated being the only person who was eating."
With thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for sending me a copy to read.
"Being a teenage girl is rough enough without it all beig farmed for content." Mostly I enjoyed Shot for the opportunity to ponder what mummy influencers are doing to their kids when they film them with "orders of magnitude more than even the most prolific child actor." It's a thoroughly contemporary crime novel told from the point of view of a true crime vlogger about an influencer family, two of whom are shot dead while they are live to air.
The book is Australian, set in the Northern Rivers in New South Wales, the heartland of yummy mummy influencers: "If it was near Byron then it was likely expensive, an old beachfront hippie enclave now overrun with influencers and tech millionaires." Before reading the novel, I didn't really hold either group—the influencers or the true crime vloggers—in high regard. Don't read the novel expecting it to fix that.
The twist is a bit fanciful. While I do think there's probably a pathway to OnlyFans for kids who spend their life on camera, I am not convinced the pathway is through adult grooming. Instead it's through being hyper-comfortable with every part of your life on camera. Would you kill to save a kid from a mummy creator? that's the question really that the novel hinges upon. Sadly I don't think we care about children that much.
The descriptive writing leans toward obvious over artistry: "She looked like her picture could appear on the Wikipedia page for 'physical attractiveness', next to a paragraph on the results of scientific studies on the ideal nose size and shape." It's not annoying though, it works to make it feel more authentically a novel about young people: "Jen picked at the fruit. She hated being the only person who was eating."
With thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for sending me a copy to read.
October 26, 2026
A murder witnessed by thousands, but no one knows who the killer was.
Dahlia and Duncan Crews are rich and famous, with their family captured on social media for hundreds of thousands of online subscribers to see. But one day, in the middle of a live stream, they are shot dead and the couple's teenage daughter, Karma is the sole survivor. Some speculate, she is also the prime suspect. Years later, Jennifer, a true crime vlogger suffering some reputational damage, is hired to film a cold-case documentary, to try and prove Karma is innocent. But the closer she gets, the more it seems someone does not want her to find the truth.
The action starts in this one almost immediately when Jennifer and her assistant arrive in the town near Byron, though I can't tell you how it begins, as it would be a spoiler. I enjoyed the writing and the true crime, vlogger aspect, along with the danger that seemed present at every turn for Jennifer. While I was not as drawn to one aspect/twist in the story, overall I found this to be quite an enjoyable novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for this gifted review copy.
Dahlia and Duncan Crews are rich and famous, with their family captured on social media for hundreds of thousands of online subscribers to see. But one day, in the middle of a live stream, they are shot dead and the couple's teenage daughter, Karma is the sole survivor. Some speculate, she is also the prime suspect. Years later, Jennifer, a true crime vlogger suffering some reputational damage, is hired to film a cold-case documentary, to try and prove Karma is innocent. But the closer she gets, the more it seems someone does not want her to find the truth.
The action starts in this one almost immediately when Jennifer and her assistant arrive in the town near Byron, though I can't tell you how it begins, as it would be a spoiler. I enjoyed the writing and the true crime, vlogger aspect, along with the danger that seemed present at every turn for Jennifer. While I was not as drawn to one aspect/twist in the story, overall I found this to be quite an enjoyable novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for this gifted review copy.
November 6, 2026
This was a complete page turner which was what I needed. Shelley Burr is an excellent writer and I am always convinced by her characters and plot.
September 13, 2026
4 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Vibe check: Secret Sleuthing, True Crime Podcast, Murder Mystery
full review ⬇️
This book was very different to what I was expecting from the cover, but in an excellent way.
I went into this expecting one kind of crime story and instead got a very modern take, complete with murdered influencers, true crime podcasts and a fresh investigation into a long standing mystery. Once I was invested in figuring out what had actually happened, this became seriously hard to put down.
I particularly enjoyed the modern approach to the story and how the investigation unfolded. It felt fresh and kept me guessing as I tried to piece everything together alongside the characters. It gave me bookish vibes similar to Ashley Winstead and Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera.
The ending probably wasn’t quite as twisty and jaw dropping as I’d been hoping for, but by that point I was so invested in solving the crime that I still had a really enjoyable time with it.
I’m a big fan of Shelley’s writing and enjoyed this change of crime thriller pace. Thank you to Hachette for sharing this one with me before its release in October.
Vibe check: Secret Sleuthing, True Crime Podcast, Murder Mystery
full review ⬇️
This book was very different to what I was expecting from the cover, but in an excellent way.
I went into this expecting one kind of crime story and instead got a very modern take, complete with murdered influencers, true crime podcasts and a fresh investigation into a long standing mystery. Once I was invested in figuring out what had actually happened, this became seriously hard to put down.
I particularly enjoyed the modern approach to the story and how the investigation unfolded. It felt fresh and kept me guessing as I tried to piece everything together alongside the characters. It gave me bookish vibes similar to Ashley Winstead and Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera.
The ending probably wasn’t quite as twisty and jaw dropping as I’d been hoping for, but by that point I was so invested in solving the crime that I still had a really enjoyable time with it.
I’m a big fan of Shelley’s writing and enjoyed this change of crime thriller pace. Thank you to Hachette for sharing this one with me before its release in October.
October 25, 2026
I was really keen to get stuck into SHOT, and the premise alone had me intrigued. A double murder caught on livestream, a family who’ve made a living sharing their lives online & a true-crime vlogger tasked with proving the sole survivor innocent. There’s a lot to unpack here!
What I particularly enjoyed was how SHOT explored both influencer culture & the true-crime genre, and how the two aren’t necessarily all that different. Both involve turning people’s lives into content for an audience, carefully controlling what’s shared and, in some cases, profiting from someone else’s experiences. There’s also the question of how much of what we’re seeing is actually the truth, and how easily public opinion can be manipulated when someone else is controlling the narrative. I thought this was such an interesting angle to explore, particularly with children growing up in the public eye without much say in how their lives are shared.
I had my suspicions about Karma pretty early on. I wasn’t convinced she’d actually committed the murders, but I was definitely sus on her potentially conspiring. And she certainly wasn’t the only character I was questioning. There were plenty of secrets being kept, and I loved trying to work out who knew what & how it all connected.
I did start piecing things together before the big reveal, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment. I really liked how everything came together, particularly the manipulation & deflection involved and how suspicion was shifted throughout.
Although SHOT is a standalone, the ending certainly hinted at the possibility of another book, with a few threads left open that I’d love to see explored further. Hopefully there’s more to come!
What I particularly enjoyed was how SHOT explored both influencer culture & the true-crime genre, and how the two aren’t necessarily all that different. Both involve turning people’s lives into content for an audience, carefully controlling what’s shared and, in some cases, profiting from someone else’s experiences. There’s also the question of how much of what we’re seeing is actually the truth, and how easily public opinion can be manipulated when someone else is controlling the narrative. I thought this was such an interesting angle to explore, particularly with children growing up in the public eye without much say in how their lives are shared.
I had my suspicions about Karma pretty early on. I wasn’t convinced she’d actually committed the murders, but I was definitely sus on her potentially conspiring. And she certainly wasn’t the only character I was questioning. There were plenty of secrets being kept, and I loved trying to work out who knew what & how it all connected.
I did start piecing things together before the big reveal, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment. I really liked how everything came together, particularly the manipulation & deflection involved and how suspicion was shifted throughout.
Although SHOT is a standalone, the ending certainly hinted at the possibility of another book, with a few threads left open that I’d love to see explored further. Hopefully there’s more to come!
November 6, 2026
Wow!!! I have loved Shelley Burr's stories since Wake. Shot has taken her in a completely different directions - so topical with the main character being a True Crime Podcaster out to solve a murder taken place on a livestream.
The novel was very fast paced and kept you wanting to turn the next page and the next reveal. I am really hoping this is the start of a new series!!
The novel was very fast paced and kept you wanting to turn the next page and the next reveal. I am really hoping this is the start of a new series!!
October 22, 2026
When a wealthy, picture-perfect family is murdered during a livestream, their teenage daughter Karma is left as the sole survivor - and the prime suspect. Years later, disgraced true-crime vlogger Jennifer Benedetta takes on a documentary about the unsolved case, determined to prove Karma’s innocence. But the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous things become.
This is the first book in a while that really hooked me from the get-go. Complex characters, a captivating plot, an isolated setting in the middle of a busy location, and a strong, no-bullshit female main character? Sign me up. I will always appreciate a woman who doesn’t mess around!
I could have deducted points for some things being left without resolution, but the overall gist I got from that ending was that this isn’t the last we’ll hear from Jen and Jocelyn.
A fantastic read to add to your November TBR!
Thank you Hachette for the incredible opportunity to read this before release, in exchange for an honest review!
This is the first book in a while that really hooked me from the get-go. Complex characters, a captivating plot, an isolated setting in the middle of a busy location, and a strong, no-bullshit female main character? Sign me up. I will always appreciate a woman who doesn’t mess around!
I could have deducted points for some things being left without resolution, but the overall gist I got from that ending was that this isn’t the last we’ll hear from Jen and Jocelyn.
A fantastic read to add to your November TBR!
Thank you Hachette for the incredible opportunity to read this before release, in exchange for an honest review!
October 29, 2026
Shot by Shelley Burr
I requested this one on NetGalley because I’d enjoyed Shelley Burr's PI Lane Holland series. I discovered that series by accidentally requesting book three, Vanish, and then having to binge books one and two (Wake and Ripper) before I could read it. Lesson learned: my “pre-read binge” rule now maxes out at three books, since I did something similar with a Vikki Petratis series.
Shot isn’t Australian noir like the Lane Holland books. It’s a standalone thriller about a disgraced true-crime vlogger, Jennifer Benedetta (Jen), who is hired to film a cold-case documentary on the murders of Dahlia and Duncan Crews, a rich, famous influencer couple who were shot dead in the middle of a livestream. The only survivor was their teenage daughter, Karma, who also became the prime suspect. The catch: Jen has to prove Karma innocent, and something (or someone) is lurking just off camera.
I enjoyed the Byron Bay setting, the way the book plays with different online-content tropes, and Jen as a lead. I had some issues with the morals (or maybe the ethics?) of the ending, but I won't say more. The blurb says this one is a standalone, but I think there’s scope for Jen to make more documentaries in the future.
If you like true-crime vloggers, influencer culture gone wrong, or twisty Australian thrillers, this one's for you. 🎬 Shot was released on 27 October, so it’s out now! I took my cover shot at my local Readings to prove it.
📖 @shelleyburrwrites
📚 @hachetteaus
🎯 @netgalley
#booksdeevaareads #2026bookshelf #shotbyshelleyburr #netgalley #bookstagram
Sidenote: I had an eARC from NetGalley, so no multitasking with this one.
Booktober note: I lied when I said What Is Left For Us would be the final book in my Booktober tally, as I managed to sneak this one in. That brings my total to 9 books by Australian/New Zealand authors in October.
I requested this one on NetGalley because I’d enjoyed Shelley Burr's PI Lane Holland series. I discovered that series by accidentally requesting book three, Vanish, and then having to binge books one and two (Wake and Ripper) before I could read it. Lesson learned: my “pre-read binge” rule now maxes out at three books, since I did something similar with a Vikki Petratis series.
Shot isn’t Australian noir like the Lane Holland books. It’s a standalone thriller about a disgraced true-crime vlogger, Jennifer Benedetta (Jen), who is hired to film a cold-case documentary on the murders of Dahlia and Duncan Crews, a rich, famous influencer couple who were shot dead in the middle of a livestream. The only survivor was their teenage daughter, Karma, who also became the prime suspect. The catch: Jen has to prove Karma innocent, and something (or someone) is lurking just off camera.
I enjoyed the Byron Bay setting, the way the book plays with different online-content tropes, and Jen as a lead. I had some issues with the morals (or maybe the ethics?) of the ending, but I won't say more. The blurb says this one is a standalone, but I think there’s scope for Jen to make more documentaries in the future.
If you like true-crime vloggers, influencer culture gone wrong, or twisty Australian thrillers, this one's for you. 🎬 Shot was released on 27 October, so it’s out now! I took my cover shot at my local Readings to prove it.
📖 @shelleyburrwrites
📚 @hachetteaus
🎯 @netgalley
#booksdeevaareads #2026bookshelf #shotbyshelleyburr #netgalley #bookstagram
Sidenote: I had an eARC from NetGalley, so no multitasking with this one.
Booktober note: I lied when I said What Is Left For Us would be the final book in my Booktober tally, as I managed to sneak this one in. That brings my total to 9 books by Australian/New Zealand authors in October.
October 28, 2026
Shot by Shelley Burr is a tense, compelling and twisty crime read that pulses with a constant undercurrent of menace. It pulled me in right from the first page and had me on the edge of my seat as I read.
Burr has taken the very relevant topic of influencer culture and people’s love for true crime podcasts/vlogs and delivered a contemporary thriller. I was suspicious of pretty much every character that was introduced.
Burr reminds readers that what people see in front of the cameras is definitely not what goes on behind the scenes. Briefly touching on some more uncomfortable aspects like grooming and coercion gives a very sinister edge to the narrative.
Shot was a fantastic read that I found entertaining, engaging and twisty. I really hope this is the start of a new series and we see more of Jen and Paige in future books
Thank you to Hachette for a copy to review.
Burr has taken the very relevant topic of influencer culture and people’s love for true crime podcasts/vlogs and delivered a contemporary thriller. I was suspicious of pretty much every character that was introduced.
Burr reminds readers that what people see in front of the cameras is definitely not what goes on behind the scenes. Briefly touching on some more uncomfortable aspects like grooming and coercion gives a very sinister edge to the narrative.
Shot was a fantastic read that I found entertaining, engaging and twisty. I really hope this is the start of a new series and we see more of Jen and Paige in future books
Thank you to Hachette for a copy to review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Have I read every Shelley Burr book? Yes
Did I enjoy Shot? Yes I definitely did.
I honestly couldn't wait to read this book. When I heard Shelley was releasing a new book I had to get an early copy (so thank you Hachette Australia and Netgalley).
The Crews are a famous influencer family. They had their own channel that was doing very well. One day during a live stream Dahlia and Duncan are murdered. To this day no one knows who the murderer is. Their daughter Karma is the sole survivor. A lucky accident or was she involved?
Jennifer has been hired to film a cold case documentary in none other than the Crews old home. Insert chills here. Interviews have been booked, footage taken with different characters and suspects. Karma hands over some raw footage and that assists with finding out what happened all those years ago.
The suspects keep multiplying and it's our job to find out who the killer is. I honestly loved all the twists of this book, it did have me guessing as I had different characters I suspected throughout the book. Of course I didn't have it completely right but that's the fun of a "whodunit".
I would recommend clearing your schedule and sit back with this book. It can easily be read in a day and it will have you turning those pages very quickly.
Thank you Hachette and Netgalley for a gifted copy for my honest book review.
Did I enjoy Shot? Yes I definitely did.
I honestly couldn't wait to read this book. When I heard Shelley was releasing a new book I had to get an early copy (so thank you Hachette Australia and Netgalley).
The Crews are a famous influencer family. They had their own channel that was doing very well. One day during a live stream Dahlia and Duncan are murdered. To this day no one knows who the murderer is. Their daughter Karma is the sole survivor. A lucky accident or was she involved?
Jennifer has been hired to film a cold case documentary in none other than the Crews old home. Insert chills here. Interviews have been booked, footage taken with different characters and suspects. Karma hands over some raw footage and that assists with finding out what happened all those years ago.
The suspects keep multiplying and it's our job to find out who the killer is. I honestly loved all the twists of this book, it did have me guessing as I had different characters I suspected throughout the book. Of course I didn't have it completely right but that's the fun of a "whodunit".
I would recommend clearing your schedule and sit back with this book. It can easily be read in a day and it will have you turning those pages very quickly.
Thank you Hachette and Netgalley for a gifted copy for my honest book review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’ve read Shelley Burr’s previous novels which is a series and I was expecting more in the same vein but this one took me totally by surprise and I loved it!
Six years ago the famous Vlogging family ‘The Crews’ were filming a segment with the hint of announcing something big. Their teenage daughter leaves the room and then her parents are shot in cold blood on live stream.
Their daughter Karma Crew was never really implicated but now she wants to prove once and for all that she didn’t kill her parents, or have a hand in it. She hires disgraced true crime blogger Jennifer Benedetto to follow up on the case. But Jennifer has her own problems as in being traumatised by the murder of her sister and she is being sued by her ex brother in law for
slander. With financial pressures mounting she takes the case but all is definitely not as it seems.
I’m not into live streaming/reality shows at all, so I really enjoyed this bit of show and tell about what goes on behind the scenes and the things they do to get their ratings up.
Loved the way Jen and her friend Paige were working through the timelines and can see sometimes how they can delve differently to the Police. Personally I do like true crime podcasts but just don’t find the time to listen.
This had a good amount of suspense to keep me well hooked and I felt Jen’s backstory with her own situation added to it.
In fact, I desperately hope a 2nd book is on the cards regarding this. Would love to see Jen and Paige work together again.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.
Six years ago the famous Vlogging family ‘The Crews’ were filming a segment with the hint of announcing something big. Their teenage daughter leaves the room and then her parents are shot in cold blood on live stream.
Their daughter Karma Crew was never really implicated but now she wants to prove once and for all that she didn’t kill her parents, or have a hand in it. She hires disgraced true crime blogger Jennifer Benedetto to follow up on the case. But Jennifer has her own problems as in being traumatised by the murder of her sister and she is being sued by her ex brother in law for
slander. With financial pressures mounting she takes the case but all is definitely not as it seems.
I’m not into live streaming/reality shows at all, so I really enjoyed this bit of show and tell about what goes on behind the scenes and the things they do to get their ratings up.
Loved the way Jen and her friend Paige were working through the timelines and can see sometimes how they can delve differently to the Police. Personally I do like true crime podcasts but just don’t find the time to listen.
This had a good amount of suspense to keep me well hooked and I felt Jen’s backstory with her own situation added to it.
In fact, I desperately hope a 2nd book is on the cards regarding this. Would love to see Jen and Paige work together again.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Hatchette Australia & New Zealand for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.
Jennifer Benedetta is a disgraced true-crime v-logger who is presented with a unique opportunity to film a documentary based on an unsolved crime – the murders of Dahlia and Duncan Crews. Dahlia and Duncan were murdered by an unknown figure on one of their livestreams in front of thousands of their followers, with their only child, teenage daughter Karma, suspected and accused of being involved, but nothing ever proven.
Burr sets the scene, and her writing is full of twists, turns, and suspense as Benedetta seeks out the truth as to what happens as she comes up against a force – something or someone who seems to want her to stop her sleuthing and from finding out the truth. This one kept me guessing right until the end, and I just could not put it down. The development and evolution of the character of Jennifer Benedetta throughout her crime-solving endeavour also made for an interesting read. Highly recommend.
Jennifer Benedetta is a disgraced true-crime v-logger who is presented with a unique opportunity to film a documentary based on an unsolved crime – the murders of Dahlia and Duncan Crews. Dahlia and Duncan were murdered by an unknown figure on one of their livestreams in front of thousands of their followers, with their only child, teenage daughter Karma, suspected and accused of being involved, but nothing ever proven.
Burr sets the scene, and her writing is full of twists, turns, and suspense as Benedetta seeks out the truth as to what happens as she comes up against a force – something or someone who seems to want her to stop her sleuthing and from finding out the truth. This one kept me guessing right until the end, and I just could not put it down. The development and evolution of the character of Jennifer Benedetta throughout her crime-solving endeavour also made for an interesting read. Highly recommend.
September 25, 2026
Oh, I flipping loved this.
Shot grabbed me almost immediately and simply refused to let go. It is clever, tense, wonderfully twisty and shot through with a prevailing sense of menace that had me constantly questioning what I thought I knew.
Shelley Burr kept me guessing without ever making the twists feel like the entire point of the book. Because beneath the mystery, there’s something really interesting going on here about our modern obsession with true crime and online lives: who gets to tell someone else’s story, who profits from it, and where the line sits between giving someone a voice and taking away their agency.
There are some particularly uncomfortable threads around influencers, coercion and grooming, and the way manipulation can be packaged as opportunity, protection or even affection. It gives the novel a darker edge that goes well beyond simply discovering whodunnit.
And yet - importantly - it is also just hugely entertaining.
There is something I particularly love about a crime novel where you become increasingly suspicious of absolutely everyone. Every time I thought I might have found solid ground, Burr gave me another reason to reconsider.
Brilliant. Engaging. Twisty. Menacing. Unputdownable.
And I desperately hope this is the beginning of a series, because I am absolutely not ready to leave this world behind.
Now, completely separately from the five stars this book had ALREADY earned…
Imagine me, somewhere on a 36-hour journey from Brisbane to London, happily reading an Australian crime ARC when I encounter the words:
“Shane and Ilya’s entry draft.”
EXCUSE ME??? 🏒😂
A Heated Rivalry Easter egg? A glorious coincidence? Either way, I actually squealed.
Crime fiction 🤝 hockey romance.
Apparently my literary worlds have collided.
Five very enthusiastic stars.
Thank you to Hachette Australia & New Zealand / Letterwing and NetGalley for the advance copy. Shot is published 27 October.
Shot grabbed me almost immediately and simply refused to let go. It is clever, tense, wonderfully twisty and shot through with a prevailing sense of menace that had me constantly questioning what I thought I knew.
Shelley Burr kept me guessing without ever making the twists feel like the entire point of the book. Because beneath the mystery, there’s something really interesting going on here about our modern obsession with true crime and online lives: who gets to tell someone else’s story, who profits from it, and where the line sits between giving someone a voice and taking away their agency.
There are some particularly uncomfortable threads around influencers, coercion and grooming, and the way manipulation can be packaged as opportunity, protection or even affection. It gives the novel a darker edge that goes well beyond simply discovering whodunnit.
And yet - importantly - it is also just hugely entertaining.
There is something I particularly love about a crime novel where you become increasingly suspicious of absolutely everyone. Every time I thought I might have found solid ground, Burr gave me another reason to reconsider.
Brilliant. Engaging. Twisty. Menacing. Unputdownable.
And I desperately hope this is the beginning of a series, because I am absolutely not ready to leave this world behind.
Now, completely separately from the five stars this book had ALREADY earned…
Imagine me, somewhere on a 36-hour journey from Brisbane to London, happily reading an Australian crime ARC when I encounter the words:
“Shane and Ilya’s entry draft.”
EXCUSE ME??? 🏒😂
A Heated Rivalry Easter egg? A glorious coincidence? Either way, I actually squealed.
Crime fiction 🤝 hockey romance.
Apparently my literary worlds have collided.
Five very enthusiastic stars.
Thank you to Hachette Australia & New Zealand / Letterwing and NetGalley for the advance copy. Shot is published 27 October.
September 28, 2026
Dahlia and Duncan Crews are rich, famous and beautiful. Dahlia is a vlogger and her daughter Karma is the centre of her daily posts about their life. One day something unthinkable happens, Dahlia and Duncan are shot dead, live on their show. Karma had walked out of view minutes before it happened and now, years later, no one has been caught for the killings and speculation has always been that Karma was involved. Karma hires true crime podcaster Jen to make a podcast about what happened and show she, Karma, wasn’t to blame, Jen is having troubles of her own. She had found her sister dead, murdered and is 100% sure it was her sisters ex. He is suing her for slander and she is at the end of her limit monitory wise for defending herself. As she isolates herself away in Byron Bay (Australia) she is soon aware that someone is watching her at the house and following her when she is out and about. When she is run off the road she realises someone wants her to stop delving into this cold case.
If you haven’t read any of Shelley Burrs books I can highly recommend all of them.
#Shot. #NetGalley
If you haven’t read any of Shelley Burrs books I can highly recommend all of them.
#Shot. #NetGalley
November 4, 2026
Shelley Burr burst onto the Australian crime scene with a trilogy of books featuring Lane Holland, a former policeman who solves cold cases for money. The first book in that series, and Burr’s, debut, Wake won a slew of awards including the Ned Kelly Award for Debut crime fiction, the British Crime Writer’s Association Dagger Award for best Debut and the Australian Book Industry Association award for best new writer. Burr now returns with Shot, a stand-alone crime novel that leaves plenty of room to develop into a series of its own.
Shot opens with a very modern twist on an age-old crime. Dahlia and Duncan Crews star in a successful family vlog that focusses on their lives and has chronicled the childhood of their teenage daughter Karma. The pair are killed by a masked assassin during a live stream event shortly after Karma had left the house and just before what was to be a major announcement. Six years later, true crime video podcaster Jennifer Bendetta is asked to produce a series on the crime by a major streaming service. The aim of the series is to rehabilitate Karma’s reputation before she launches her own new lifestyle series on the streamer. Jen is dubious, but she is unable to say no as she is deep in debt from fighting a defamation suit with the man who she claimed in a video had killed her sister.
The action moves to Byron Bay where Jen and her friend and editor Paige are put up in the same house where the murder took place, now converted into an AirBNB. There are rumours that the house is haunted and Jen is soon finding that the rumours may be true as she hears strange voices and sees shadowy figures. But she puts her qualms aside and starts investigating the crime, helped by a trove of raw footage given to her by Karma and finding, of course, that nothing she thought was quite as it seemed or as appeared in the finished footage.
Jen is a complicated main character with plenty of baggage. She is living in debt due to the machinations of her brother-in-law who she believes killed her sister. Much like Lane Holland, this dark backstory brings some added depth to the story and provides an ongoing plot line to carry through into the next book. Jen’s investigation of the Crews murder is complicated by the fact that she knows she is being paid to essentially exonerate Karma who had been implicated in the murder without any evidence in the court of public opinion. This is something her friend Paige constantly pulls her up on.
The true crime podcaster is of course the new amateur detective. Recently we’ve had Sarah Bailey’s Olive Groves (The Housemate and Click), Benjamin Stevenson’s Jack Quick (Greenlight and Either Side of Midnight) and Megan Goldin’s The Night Swim. Further afield we’ve had Charlie Donlea’s Sidney Ryan (Don’t Believe It) and one of the best crime novels in recent years Bodie Kane Rebecca Makkai’s I Have Some Questions For You. Many of these books, and Shot is no exception, reflect on the public obsession with true crime and the relationship between these self-styled detectives and the police.
There is plenty at play in Shot. Foremost is the phenomenon of family vlogging – of people who went the Kardashian route and made their private lives intensely public, making themselves of product. Of particular interest to Burr is the impact this has on the younger members of the family, the ways they are manipulated and the ways they learn to behave both on and off screen.
Shot is set in regional Australia but is far from a standard Australian rural crime novel. It is about very topical issues of exploitation, attention seeking and the role of social media. And while the ultimate solution is a little underwhelming, the exploration of these issues and the complex characters set this book apart.
Shot opens with a very modern twist on an age-old crime. Dahlia and Duncan Crews star in a successful family vlog that focusses on their lives and has chronicled the childhood of their teenage daughter Karma. The pair are killed by a masked assassin during a live stream event shortly after Karma had left the house and just before what was to be a major announcement. Six years later, true crime video podcaster Jennifer Bendetta is asked to produce a series on the crime by a major streaming service. The aim of the series is to rehabilitate Karma’s reputation before she launches her own new lifestyle series on the streamer. Jen is dubious, but she is unable to say no as she is deep in debt from fighting a defamation suit with the man who she claimed in a video had killed her sister.
The action moves to Byron Bay where Jen and her friend and editor Paige are put up in the same house where the murder took place, now converted into an AirBNB. There are rumours that the house is haunted and Jen is soon finding that the rumours may be true as she hears strange voices and sees shadowy figures. But she puts her qualms aside and starts investigating the crime, helped by a trove of raw footage given to her by Karma and finding, of course, that nothing she thought was quite as it seemed or as appeared in the finished footage.
Jen is a complicated main character with plenty of baggage. She is living in debt due to the machinations of her brother-in-law who she believes killed her sister. Much like Lane Holland, this dark backstory brings some added depth to the story and provides an ongoing plot line to carry through into the next book. Jen’s investigation of the Crews murder is complicated by the fact that she knows she is being paid to essentially exonerate Karma who had been implicated in the murder without any evidence in the court of public opinion. This is something her friend Paige constantly pulls her up on.
The true crime podcaster is of course the new amateur detective. Recently we’ve had Sarah Bailey’s Olive Groves (The Housemate and Click), Benjamin Stevenson’s Jack Quick (Greenlight and Either Side of Midnight) and Megan Goldin’s The Night Swim. Further afield we’ve had Charlie Donlea’s Sidney Ryan (Don’t Believe It) and one of the best crime novels in recent years Bodie Kane Rebecca Makkai’s I Have Some Questions For You. Many of these books, and Shot is no exception, reflect on the public obsession with true crime and the relationship between these self-styled detectives and the police.
There is plenty at play in Shot. Foremost is the phenomenon of family vlogging – of people who went the Kardashian route and made their private lives intensely public, making themselves of product. Of particular interest to Burr is the impact this has on the younger members of the family, the ways they are manipulated and the ways they learn to behave both on and off screen.
Shot is set in regional Australia but is far from a standard Australian rural crime novel. It is about very topical issues of exploitation, attention seeking and the role of social media. And while the ultimate solution is a little underwhelming, the exploration of these issues and the complex characters set this book apart.
October 25, 2026
Shot by Shelley Burr is a slow but compelling read.
Jennifer Benedetta is a true-crime vlogger who is struggling because she sees herself as having to tell the truth and this leads to her facing a defamation case which is crippling her financially so when offered to undertake a true-crime documentary on the live-streaming murder of Dahlia and Duncan Crew she for head first.
The characters are all very interesting and their interactions are complex but come across as realistic.
Jen gets Paige to join her in the project as her editor and the two worked well together blending their ideas which differed from that of the police leading to some differing angles.
The Crew family are vloggers with mainly Dahlia and her daughter Karma who is filmed nearly all day every day with much of it live streamed until the murder of her parents Dahlia and Duncan which are the unsolved murders which Jen is investigating. The raw footage that Jen and Paige explore is quite confronting and adds an incredible dimension to the story.
It is a complicated story that includes parallels from Jen’s own life and contains many plots and sub-plots that at times gets a bit muddled. However ultimately it does all come together and becomes quite dramatic in the end. Talking about the ending I wonder whether there will be a sequel as quite a few issues that emerged are left hanging - I would love to be able to follow on with that!
Highly recommended read.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from Hatchette Australia & New Zealand via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#SHOT #NetGalley
Jennifer Benedetta is a true-crime vlogger who is struggling because she sees herself as having to tell the truth and this leads to her facing a defamation case which is crippling her financially so when offered to undertake a true-crime documentary on the live-streaming murder of Dahlia and Duncan Crew she for head first.
The characters are all very interesting and their interactions are complex but come across as realistic.
Jen gets Paige to join her in the project as her editor and the two worked well together blending their ideas which differed from that of the police leading to some differing angles.
The Crew family are vloggers with mainly Dahlia and her daughter Karma who is filmed nearly all day every day with much of it live streamed until the murder of her parents Dahlia and Duncan which are the unsolved murders which Jen is investigating. The raw footage that Jen and Paige explore is quite confronting and adds an incredible dimension to the story.
It is a complicated story that includes parallels from Jen’s own life and contains many plots and sub-plots that at times gets a bit muddled. However ultimately it does all come together and becomes quite dramatic in the end. Talking about the ending I wonder whether there will be a sequel as quite a few issues that emerged are left hanging - I would love to be able to follow on with that!
Highly recommended read.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from Hatchette Australia & New Zealand via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#SHOT #NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A disgraced true crime vlogger, Jennifer, is hired to make a series on the cold-case of an influencer family that were shot (Dahlia & Duncan Crews) during a live stream as they were about to drop a big announcement. Their daughter Karma is the sole survivor and the catch is to prove that she’s innocent.
This hooked me from the very start, I’m itching to find out who did it since we’re posting our thoughts at page 170! As to if I think it was Karma, I would say it’s definitely suspicious. The first red flag was the brief that Jen had to prove Karma is innocent, instead of having free rein on the project. Secondly, the company hired the house they were murdered in for Jen to stay at in Byron Bay while she’s investigating without telling her.
I actually got chills about 100 pages in.. Any one of the people Jen has interviewed so far could be involved, from the shooting club president, to the other vlogging family they created content with, to Karma (or her aunt or an ex on her behalf). The thought that Dahlia herself set it all up has also crossed my mind. I love being wrong about who did it, I couldn’t put this down!
This hooked me from the very start, I’m itching to find out who did it since we’re posting our thoughts at page 170! As to if I think it was Karma, I would say it’s definitely suspicious. The first red flag was the brief that Jen had to prove Karma is innocent, instead of having free rein on the project. Secondly, the company hired the house they were murdered in for Jen to stay at in Byron Bay while she’s investigating without telling her.
I actually got chills about 100 pages in.. Any one of the people Jen has interviewed so far could be involved, from the shooting club president, to the other vlogging family they created content with, to Karma (or her aunt or an ex on her behalf). The thought that Dahlia herself set it all up has also crossed my mind. I love being wrong about who did it, I couldn’t put this down!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A standalone murder mystery, Shot (2026) by Shelley Burr is a true-crime podcast tale. It begins with the wealthy Crew family live-streaming their surprise announcement to their thousands of viewers. Six years later, true-crime vlogger Jennifer Benedetta is offered the job of making a documentary regarding the Crew family’s murder. Now eighteen, Karma Crews is about to launch her own lifestyle blog, and her management company want Jennifer to investigate the cold case, proving Karma’s innocence. Jennifer’s seizes the opportunity given her damaged reputation and defamation proceedings. As Jennifer interviews Karma and other sources, she discovers someone is watching her, although police are sceptical. As tension builds, and Jennifer struggles to make headway, her car is run off the road. This engaging murder investigation and whodunit is an enjoyable four star, read rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without any inducement.
November 5, 2026
Shelley Burr just keeps delivering gripping novels, compelling characters and twists that catch you by surprise. And Shot was no exception!
Dahlia and Duncan are wealthy, successful vloggers. During a livestream watched by thousands of subscribers, they are shot dead, leaving their daughter as the sole survivor — and, eventually, the only suspect.
Six years later, Jen, a true-crime vlogger, is hired to investigate the case and make a documentary about the murders. But as Jen starts digging into the past, it becomes increasingly clear that she’s getting dangerously close to the truth. And someone is prepared to go to any lengths to make sure that truth stays buried.
This was a thoroughly gripping thriller. The pacing was spot on, the tension kept building, and it was an absolute binge read.
And now I’m already hoping for a sequel because I want more of Jen and her next investigation.
Thank you so much to @netgalley and @hachetteaus for the ARC copy.
Dahlia and Duncan are wealthy, successful vloggers. During a livestream watched by thousands of subscribers, they are shot dead, leaving their daughter as the sole survivor — and, eventually, the only suspect.
Six years later, Jen, a true-crime vlogger, is hired to investigate the case and make a documentary about the murders. But as Jen starts digging into the past, it becomes increasingly clear that she’s getting dangerously close to the truth. And someone is prepared to go to any lengths to make sure that truth stays buried.
This was a thoroughly gripping thriller. The pacing was spot on, the tension kept building, and it was an absolute binge read.
And now I’m already hoping for a sequel because I want more of Jen and her next investigation.
Thank you so much to @netgalley and @hachetteaus for the ARC copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I do love an Australian story. This one certainly hit the right note with me, even if the characters are not my people. The book tells the story of a true crime podcaster, who is looking at the unsolved live on screen murder of an influencer couple. Their daughter, who was also part of the influencer channel, was the only survivor.
This book touches on plenty of modern day issues around podcasts, influencers, coercion and grooming. These are well handled, even if the story is perhaps occasionally a little far fetched. Without some extremes it probably wouldn’t make for a very interesting story. It provided an insight into what some of these worlds can be like. There were the requisite twists and turns in unravelling the mystery behind the murder of the two influencers. All in all, an entertaining read.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.
This book touches on plenty of modern day issues around podcasts, influencers, coercion and grooming. These are well handled, even if the story is perhaps occasionally a little far fetched. Without some extremes it probably wouldn’t make for a very interesting story. It provided an insight into what some of these worlds can be like. There were the requisite twists and turns in unravelling the mystery behind the murder of the two influencers. All in all, an entertaining read.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.
October 9, 2026
Shot kept me engrossed in the story from the start to the very finish. There were moments through the book where I thought that I knew who the killer was but I was definitely not correct.
I loved the interweaving storyline between what happened to Jen’s sister and the murder of Karma’s parents.
There were a few twists along the way which definitely kept me guessing. Although the big twist at the end felt maybe that murder was a bit extreme and stopped me from giving more stars.
I enjoyed the influencer aspect and actually stopping to think about what goes on behind the camera is so many families that we see online.
I’m hoping that there is a sequel to this book and we find out who murdered Jen’s sister
I received an advanced copy and all opinions are my own.
November 7, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Nearly 100,000 people watched the live stream. Six years later, what did they actually see? That premise alone had me hooked.
*Shot* was my first Shelley Burr book, and I’m so glad it turned up in my Book Box. I loved the Byron Bay setting and the idea of a true-crime vlogger taking on a cold case where her job is to prove the main suspect is innocent. Every time Jennifer found another crack in the family’s picture-perfect online life, I changed my mind about who I trusted.
If you love twisty Aussie crime and a peek behind the scenes of influencer life, give this one a go. I came for the murder mystery and finished it wondering how much of what we see online is just what someone wants us to see.
Safe to say I’ll be picking up another Shelley Burr.
Nearly 100,000 people watched the live stream. Six years later, what did they actually see? That premise alone had me hooked.
*Shot* was my first Shelley Burr book, and I’m so glad it turned up in my Book Box. I loved the Byron Bay setting and the idea of a true-crime vlogger taking on a cold case where her job is to prove the main suspect is innocent. Every time Jennifer found another crack in the family’s picture-perfect online life, I changed my mind about who I trusted.
If you love twisty Aussie crime and a peek behind the scenes of influencer life, give this one a go. I came for the murder mystery and finished it wondering how much of what we see online is just what someone wants us to see.
Safe to say I’ll be picking up another Shelley Burr.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Shelley Burr's "Wake", "Ripper" and "Vanish" was an excellent series, and "Shot" is another top read, this one a stand alone.
The Crews family are rich and famous, the fame coming from streaming their picture-perfect life to online subscribers. Dahlia and Duncan are shot while live-streaming, and their daughter Karma, who had just left the room, is a prime suspect.
The case remains unsolved. 6 years later, true crime vlogger Jennifer Bendetta is hired to film a cold case documentary. Jen has her own trauma which shapes her investigation into the story.
All of this makes for a rivetting read that you will find hard to put down.
The Crews family are rich and famous, the fame coming from streaming their picture-perfect life to online subscribers. Dahlia and Duncan are shot while live-streaming, and their daughter Karma, who had just left the room, is a prime suspect.
The case remains unsolved. 6 years later, true crime vlogger Jennifer Bendetta is hired to film a cold case documentary. Jen has her own trauma which shapes her investigation into the story.
All of this makes for a rivetting read that you will find hard to put down.
November 3, 2026
Not a bad yarn, if not a little predictable.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews