Murder Off Mike

Talk Radio #1

by Joyce Krieg

Murder Off Mike introduces Shauna J. Bogart, a small and sassy radio talk show host/amateur sleuth. Shauna J. is used to dealing with the controversial, the contentious, the cranky, and the just plain crazed as the host of the afternoon gab fest on the top-rated station in California’s state capital. But nothing prepares her for the day a fellow shock jock turns up with a bullet in his head. The cops say it’s suicide, but Shauna J. isn’t buying it. She launches her own investigation, putting herself at peril.

Her investigation, aided and abetted by her loyal callers, leads her to a shattering secret that could derail the campaign of the leading candidate for governor. Meanwhile, behind-the-scenes shenanigans threaten the very existence of the radio station Shauna J. calls home.

The action climaxes in a down-to-the-second pursuit through the streets of historic Old Sacramento during the city’s world-famous Jazz Jubilee. Armed with only a roll of copper wire, a pirate radio transmitter, and her ingenuity, can Shauna J. get the station back on the air in time to reveal the truth to her listeners?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

288 pages, Hardcover

First published April 7, 2003

Reviews

[Kevin Findley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fun read of local media in Sacramento CA. I could easily see this book made into a movie with the Shauna J character becoming a really interesting character. There are two more books in the series and I am most certainly going to look for them.

The mystery centered partially around the implosion of locally owned stations back in the late 90s and early 00s. It did nothing to improve radio, and just handed large groups of stations over to politicians on both sides of the spectrum to push their agendas. Shauna J is fighting this almost as much as trying to find a killer throughout the book.

The supporting characters are pretty well fleshed out for a first novel, which always makes for a better read.

Find it! Buy It! READ IT!

[Steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea of a mystery set in the world of talk radio is fine but I think that Murder Off Mike just has too many flaws.

In the first place, I will accept that radio personnel, either disc jockeys or talk show hosts, may used assumed names but I don't believe that if the name is obviously phony, even the person's best friends call him by that name. The person who is murdered at the beginning of this book is "Dr. Hipster" and that is how everyone refers to him. His co-workers consistently refer to him as "Dr. Hipster." The police investigating his death refer to him as "Dr. Hipster." The protoganist of the book, whose radio name is Shauna J. Bogart, says that he was her best friend; she always refers to him as "Dr. Hipster."

The motive for the killings is awfully thin. I strongly doubt that a wealthy man would have people murdered just so he can have his own radio talk show and be "Terry Tiger." (And why couldn't Terry apply for a job at a different station?)

Not a big deal, but this is a quote from "the sharpest campaign consultant in [California]":

Sorry, but the voters in this state just aren't ready to elect a female and a Jew

This is taking place in California. The book was published in 2003 and evidently takes place then. (It is definitely no earlier than
2001.) Dianne Feinstein has been one of the senators from California since 1992. I recognize that this is fiction and that the Senate race discussed in the book never took place; however, this purports to represent the feelings of the people of California.

Even beside these issues, I don't think much of the book is remotely plausible. I don't know if the scene with the "Aha! Now I've got the gun!" plot is supposed to be satire of some sort; if not, was it meant to be taken seriously?

I will stop here. I almost never give two-star ratings but I do think it is fair in this case.

[audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slightly caperish mystery that's probably really only 3 stars unless you're either from Sacramento or love radio. Seeing as I'm in both those categories, I had way too much fun reading this.

[Alton Motobu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two and a half stars. Author just could not get the words flowing enough to make this an enjoyable read. She seems to be trying to follow some sort of formula with the right kind of characters (staff of a local radio station) involved in a seemingly interesting line of work (talk radio) in a scenario full of flavor and atmosphere (jazz festival in downtown Sacramento). But there are so many tangents and diversions that digress from the plot and add nothing to the story line, like a weekend in Monterey unrelated to anything and a long description of dressing in a "Nell Carter" dress for a party. It was a relief to finally get through it.

[Antoinette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder Off Mike, written in 2003, reads like a history of radio talk shows. I loved listening to the radio, Motown as a teen, then folk music in college, moving on to classical music and golden oldies as an adult. Never enjoyed talk shows, but after reading Murder Off Mike I understand them better. Well written, fast paced plot, fascinating characters. The setting, Sacramento, even shows up to add to the mix. Highly recommend it to any mystery fan.

[Hugh Heinsohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great fun. Good story and characters. You’ll definitely enjoy it if you’ve ever been connected with the radio business.

[Kellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was all right. At first, I thought I was going to really like it. It had some good humor, it was a murder mystery and a radio talk show host as the protagonist(Shauna). I especially liked the way the author periodically summarized the open issues through out the book. The negative: There was really no suspense. It felt kind of choppy to me. Most of the loose ends are tied up at the end. I just thought it could have been more simple. There was a lot going on in the 292 page paperback book. A great comment from a reader off Amazon “Joyce Krieg did a very good job in creating her characters. It really is the major redeeming value of this overwritten and overblown debut. The talk radio industry she describes is not interesting enough to compel the reader to turn the pages. The pacing is so lethargic that by the time we reach the conclusion, we really don't care. A very average debut”

[Mark Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shauna J. Bogart, Sacramento talk show host, is devastated when her fellow talk show host Dr. Hipster is murdered. When the police rule it a suicide, she starts to investigate. This debut grabbed me from the start with the real characters and the fast paced twisty plot.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Mamatufy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shauna Bogart is a radio personality in Sacramento & she's just lost her mentor & friend to a supposed self-inflicted gunshot wound. The first weird thing is that her name is made up, odd. Also, she begins to investigate the death of her friend to find out what really happened. An interesting book.

[Sep · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shauna J. Bogart is a radio talk host who gets concerned when one of her fellow hosts, Dr. Hipster is found dead. The police think it's suicide by Shauna knows better. The mystery is clever but the behind the scenes radio detail is GREAT. Plus it's fun to read about downtown Sacramento (Temperature 100 plus) without having to be there. I don't care if it is a dry heat; it is still hot.

[Glen · Rating 2 out of 5]

A rather rudimentary mystery set in the world of Sacramento talk radio. While I enjoyed the setting and the sections about the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee, I found the detective unlikable, and mystery itself wasn't much.

[Debbie Maskus · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for Mystery Book Club 3/2005

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joyce, who knew? This is terrific. I love that I know you!