What do you think?
Rate this book
Killer Story
How far will she go to catch the killer—and make her podcast a hit?
Petra Kovach, a talented and idealistic young reporter, is on the brink of being laid off from her third failing newspaper in a row. To save her job, she pitches the launch of a true crime podcast about a sensational, unsolved murder.
Years earlier, an alt-right YouTuber was killed in her Harvard dorm room, and the case went cold. Petra knew the victim—she was once her camp counselor and loved her like a little sister, despite their political differences.
Petra's investigation gets off to a rocky start, as her promising leads quickly shrivel up. In her passionate quest for justice—and clicks—Petra burns sources and breaks laws, ultimately putting her own life on the line. Even as her star rises, she worries it could all come crashing down at any moment if her actions are exposed.
When her machinations start to backfire, there's only one way to fix everything and solve the murder—even though it may cost her everything she loves.
Petra Kovach, a talented and idealistic young reporter, is on the brink of being laid off from her third failing newspaper in a row. To save her job, she pitches the launch of a true crime podcast about a sensational, unsolved murder.
Years earlier, an alt-right YouTuber was killed in her Harvard dorm room, and the case went cold. Petra knew the victim—she was once her camp counselor and loved her like a little sister, despite their political differences.
Petra's investigation gets off to a rocky start, as her promising leads quickly shrivel up. In her passionate quest for justice—and clicks—Petra burns sources and breaks laws, ultimately putting her own life on the line. Even as her star rises, she worries it could all come crashing down at any moment if her actions are exposed.
When her machinations start to backfire, there's only one way to fix everything and solve the murder—even though it may cost her everything she loves.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 17, 2023
13 people are currently reading
5836 people want to read
About the author
Matt Witten
10 books168 followersMatt Witten is a TV writer, novelist, playwright and screenwriter who has been writing for television for the past twenty years, including such shows as House, Pretty Little Liars, Law & Order, CSI: Miami, Medium, JAG, The Glades, Homicide, Judging Amy, and Women’s Murder Club. His novel The Necklace came out in 2021 from Oceanview Publishing. The Necklace is an Amazon Editors' choice for Best Mystery, Thriller and Suspense, and has been optioned for film by Appian Way and Cartel Pictures, with Leonardo DiCaprio attached as producer. His next novel, Killer Story, will come out from Oceanview in January, 2023. He has written four mystery novels that were published by Signet: Breakfast at Madeline’s, Grand Delusion, Strange Bedfellows, and The Killing Bee. Matt is currently writing a Hallmark Mystery Movie based on A Dark and Stormy Murder, by Julia Buckley.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
January 8, 2023
With a lot of podcast type books hitting the shelves lately I think it becomes harder to fully capture the depth of the storyline. I really liked a few other similar type books and appreciated the investigative side it must take to tell the story to its full potential. I loved the prologue of this book. It really pulled me in as it was unusually long and I actually had a sense of what the story was about before it even started. The rest of the book dragged a bit and with the MC's hard to love personality it was hard for me to connect with her..
I did like the ending as it had a very unique twist and gave closure to all the unanswered questions.
Thank you Netgalley and Oceanview Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
I did like the ending as it had a very unique twist and gave closure to all the unanswered questions.
Thank you Netgalley and Oceanview Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
January 31, 2023
Well, there are a lot of issues in this book, with the main plot involving a young journalist, who has been fired 3 times in her early career, now trying to hold on to a new position at a Boston newspaper by doing a True Crime podcast in which she attempts to find the killer of a childhood friend. If the police cannot find the killer then Petra, our protagonist, is going to reveal the identity. Now this starts the 2nd theme in the book which deals with the reliability of podcast information, and lastly journalistic ethics. It is all there as we follow Petra in her quest. But is the quest to find the killer or save here job, and what will she do in order to get the results she wants.
A very readable book, that deals with todays journalism, and the rapidly expanding world of podcast, instant journalism and down right the competition for success and money from advertisers.
The deeper you get into the book the more these issues come to the fore and one must wonder if solving the mystery of who killed the young lady (Livvy) is really the top priority.
Well written, fast paced book that deals with todays society and issues that come along with new journalism. You may question Petra, but you cannot question the quality of this book!
A very readable book, that deals with todays journalism, and the rapidly expanding world of podcast, instant journalism and down right the competition for success and money from advertisers.
The deeper you get into the book the more these issues come to the fore and one must wonder if solving the mystery of who killed the young lady (Livvy) is really the top priority.
Well written, fast paced book that deals with todays society and issues that come along with new journalism. You may question Petra, but you cannot question the quality of this book!
November 22, 2022
So, despite hating the main character, I really enjoyed this book. I read it over 2 nights and got caught up in the mystery. There was a lot of questionable decisions made by Petra and the way she justified them was pretty terrible. But hey, it is fiction so just go with it.
Petra is a journalist and has been made redundant more times than she likes to remember. And it appears that it is about to happen again, until she bluffs an idea to her boss. He gives her 2 weeks to make it work. Now she needs the information. She has told her boss that she has a big lead in the murder of You Tube influencer, Olivia Anderson. Only she really doesn’t. Then begins the hunt for clues and interviews. Oh and the boss wants a podcast.. no biggie right.
Thanks to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Published January 17th
Petra is a journalist and has been made redundant more times than she likes to remember. And it appears that it is about to happen again, until she bluffs an idea to her boss. He gives her 2 weeks to make it work. Now she needs the information. She has told her boss that she has a big lead in the murder of You Tube influencer, Olivia Anderson. Only she really doesn’t. Then begins the hunt for clues and interviews. Oh and the boss wants a podcast.. no biggie right.
Thanks to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Published January 17th
Read
January 16, 2023Killer Story is an incredibly fast-paced mystery that has countless twists and turns in the plot. Petra Kovach is a newspaper journalist in a world where traditional newspapers are dying. But she has a case she wants–no needs–to solve. Two years ago, a girl she mentored was murdered, and her killer was never caught. Petra is about to pitch this story to her boss when he fires her because of cutbacks. She convinces him that she has new evidence in the case, and he keeps her on his payroll to create a podcast about her friend’s murder.
This book is a highly politically charged thriller. It seems like this book touches on all the potential triggers for a reader. Petra will do whatever it takes to find Olivia’s killer. But at what cost? It isn’t too long before she throws all pretense of journalistic integrity out the window. I cringed at some of the difficult and, quite frankly, disgusting decisions she makes. She ruins lives for her podcast. She does this under the pretext that she wants to find Olivia’s killer, but it seems like it's truly her ambition and desire for fame that drives her.
Petra lies a lot to get leads, exaggerates evidence, and burns her sources. She keeps digging herself deeper and deeper into her web of lies—I’m mixing metaphors but you can probably catch my drift (Another metaphor for you 😉). I feel like a woman immigrant would be a little more sensitive to the people whose lives she’s destroying. More empathy. The character is a tad unrealistic in that sense.
As the book progressed, my mild dislike for Petra transformed into an intense hatred. She should have been less excited about disturbing leads in the case and instead taken the time to mourn someone she claimed was like a younger sister. It got to the point where I was genuinely rooting for Petra’s house of cards to come tumbling down around her. This book was unputdownable for this reason, along with the fast-paced, easy-to-read writing style.
All in all, this is a plot-driven novel that reads like a briskly paced TV show, but it has a despicable protagonist who makes despicable decisions.
*Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the ebook to review*
This review appeared first on https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/
Book Blog | Instagram | TikTok | Website | Twitter
My Reading Challenge
POPSUGAR Reading Challenge 2022: This book fulfills the "A book you meant to read in 2022" category.
This book is a highly politically charged thriller. It seems like this book touches on all the potential triggers for a reader. Petra will do whatever it takes to find Olivia’s killer. But at what cost? It isn’t too long before she throws all pretense of journalistic integrity out the window. I cringed at some of the difficult and, quite frankly, disgusting decisions she makes. She ruins lives for her podcast. She does this under the pretext that she wants to find Olivia’s killer, but it seems like it's truly her ambition and desire for fame that drives her.
Petra lies a lot to get leads, exaggerates evidence, and burns her sources. She keeps digging herself deeper and deeper into her web of lies—I’m mixing metaphors but you can probably catch my drift (Another metaphor for you 😉). I feel like a woman immigrant would be a little more sensitive to the people whose lives she’s destroying. More empathy. The character is a tad unrealistic in that sense.
As the book progressed, my mild dislike for Petra transformed into an intense hatred. She should have been less excited about disturbing leads in the case and instead taken the time to mourn someone she claimed was like a younger sister. It got to the point where I was genuinely rooting for Petra’s house of cards to come tumbling down around her. This book was unputdownable for this reason, along with the fast-paced, easy-to-read writing style.
All in all, this is a plot-driven novel that reads like a briskly paced TV show, but it has a despicable protagonist who makes despicable decisions.
*Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the ebook to review*
This review appeared first on https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/
Book Blog | Instagram | TikTok | Website | Twitter
My Reading Challenge
POPSUGAR Reading Challenge 2022: This book fulfills the "A book you meant to read in 2022" category.
September 27, 2022
i have lost my faith in humanity, yet again
meet our protagonist petra kovach, a terrible person and even more terrible journalist.she'd ruin your life, implicate you in a crime you didn't commit if she thought she could get 2 more clicks on her podcast. it would've been fine if she or the author acknowledged how fucking terrible she was but no we are supposed to think of her a shining champion of justice!
i had no interest in solving the mystery in the book because i wanted to slap the characters who were doing it. natalie, dave and petra make insufferable trio of people to read about.
side characters are much better but they are not focused on enough.
one minor itch i had was the numbers being thrown around in the book. like i can believe petra's podcast getting that many listens but it is hard to imagine an 18 year old talking personal opinions on politics and getting 5 million views. it didn't feel very realistic.
good things about the book were the first 150 pages when i still liked petra and she was yk desperate and kinda terrible but still relatable. one other positive quality is how readable it is. except for some of petra monologue it didn't feel insufferable to get through.
and i would read something from Matt Witten again because i think he has what it takes to write a great story.
thank you to netgalley and publisher for arc
meet our protagonist petra kovach, a terrible person and even more terrible journalist.she'd ruin your life, implicate you in a crime you didn't commit if she thought she could get 2 more clicks on her podcast. it would've been fine if she or the author acknowledged how fucking terrible she was but no we are supposed to think of her a shining champion of justice!
i had no interest in solving the mystery in the book because i wanted to slap the characters who were doing it. natalie, dave and petra make insufferable trio of people to read about.
side characters are much better but they are not focused on enough.
one minor itch i had was the numbers being thrown around in the book. like i can believe petra's podcast getting that many listens but it is hard to imagine an 18 year old talking personal opinions on politics and getting 5 million views. it didn't feel very realistic.
good things about the book were the first 150 pages when i still liked petra and she was yk desperate and kinda terrible but still relatable. one other positive quality is how readable it is. except for some of petra monologue it didn't feel insufferable to get through.
and i would read something from Matt Witten again because i think he has what it takes to write a great story.
thank you to netgalley and publisher for arc
January 8, 2023
As a camp counselor, Petra Kovach mentored young Livvy and treated her like a sister. Petra went on to become a print journalist while Livvy attended Harvard, started an alt right YouTube program and was murdered in her dormitory. Although someone was arrested for the crime, he was acquitted. In the troubled days of the newspaper business, Petra lost two jobs. Her next job offer finds her in the same city where Livvy was killed. About to lose this job, she makes a last ditch effort to save it by pitching a story about finally solving Livvy’s murder as well as hosting a podcast about it. As her career becomes more and more threatened, Petra becomes desperate to succeed. How far will she go, who will she hurt and is she willing to sacrifice her own personal happiness?
True crime podcasts have become a popular device in mysteries/thrillers. This story is riveting and raises many ethical issues as well as what people will do or say for clickbait. I found some of the characters not only unlikable, but difficult to believe. Whenever there was a minor clue or mention of another suspect, Petra jumped right on it and felt that she had solved the crime. Could she really be that naive to be so easily convinced? I also found it appalling that the editor of a supposed respectable paper would act as though it was a tabloid. As annoyed as I was with the characters, the story totally drew me in and I didn’t want to put it down.
Thanks to #netgalley and #oceanviewpublishing for the ARC
January 19, 2023
This book started off with a bang and a super-fresh premise. I was immediately hooked…and I remained hooked, even as I got more and more confused. Eventually I went from raising my brow, to eye rolling, to laughing, and then the last chapter was perfect.
Petra is a journalist on the struggle. Like so many print journalists over the past couple decades, she keeps getting fired or laid off for not getting enough clicks on her lame city council stories. She has a great boyfriend, Jonah, who follows her around the country as she pursues her dreams- but when she gets fired yet another time, she’s worried he’s going to leave her.
The plan? Get unfired by pitching a podcast about the cold case murder of an old friend. Petra was Olivia’s camp counselor and the two remained close, until “Livvy” started a right-wing hate speech platform on YouTube. They drifted apart, then Olivia was murdered in her Harvard dorm room. The case was solved, at least in most people’s minds. A professor was having an affair with Livvy, and he was charged with her crime but found innocent. Petra believes the killer is still out there and that she can use her firing to reopen the case.
The next part is when the eye rolling started. I won’t give up too much, but you’ll soon realize that Petra is THE MOST STUPID REPORTER ON EARTH. Whether that’s because she’s really that daft, because she’s blinded by potential podcast fame, or because she’s relentless about finding her friend’s killer is up for you to decide. Eventually, I just started laughing at her “investigations” and “gray areas”. I’ll say one thing though, it was definitely entertaining.
This book IS entertaining, and I enjoyed it despite how ridiculous the main character is. The author wrote an epilogue talking a little bit about how he came up with the idea of Petra, but it still didn’t clear anything up for me. I thought it was a parody of what social media does to people, but I’m not sure. Just taking this at face value though, this was well-written, entertaining and the final chapter made me laugh the hardest! 3.5/5 stars, rounded up.
(Thank you to Oceanview Publishing, Matt Witten and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
Petra is a journalist on the struggle. Like so many print journalists over the past couple decades, she keeps getting fired or laid off for not getting enough clicks on her lame city council stories. She has a great boyfriend, Jonah, who follows her around the country as she pursues her dreams- but when she gets fired yet another time, she’s worried he’s going to leave her.
The plan? Get unfired by pitching a podcast about the cold case murder of an old friend. Petra was Olivia’s camp counselor and the two remained close, until “Livvy” started a right-wing hate speech platform on YouTube. They drifted apart, then Olivia was murdered in her Harvard dorm room. The case was solved, at least in most people’s minds. A professor was having an affair with Livvy, and he was charged with her crime but found innocent. Petra believes the killer is still out there and that she can use her firing to reopen the case.
The next part is when the eye rolling started. I won’t give up too much, but you’ll soon realize that Petra is THE MOST STUPID REPORTER ON EARTH. Whether that’s because she’s really that daft, because she’s blinded by potential podcast fame, or because she’s relentless about finding her friend’s killer is up for you to decide. Eventually, I just started laughing at her “investigations” and “gray areas”. I’ll say one thing though, it was definitely entertaining.
This book IS entertaining, and I enjoyed it despite how ridiculous the main character is. The author wrote an epilogue talking a little bit about how he came up with the idea of Petra, but it still didn’t clear anything up for me. I thought it was a parody of what social media does to people, but I’m not sure. Just taking this at face value though, this was well-written, entertaining and the final chapter made me laugh the hardest! 3.5/5 stars, rounded up.
(Thank you to Oceanview Publishing, Matt Witten and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
January 17, 2023
Petra Kovach has high hopes for a successful career in journalism. But after a steady stream of terminations, she needs a new gameplan. To keep her latest job working for a Boston newspaper, she pitches a true crime podcast series about the unsolved murder of Olivia "Livvy" Anderson, an alt-right blogger brutally killed in her Harvard dorm several years before. Petra has an inside track as she was a former camp counselor of Livvy's and the two had once been very close. Petra disagreed with Livvy's extreme political views but still felt that the case needed to be reopened. The accused killer was acquitted, and the police simply felt the jury got it wrong, not them. Petra starts her own investigation and throws all journalistic ethics out the window, pushed by her boss who is also worried about losing his job. Petra presents a slew of possible and legitimate suspects - but has total disregard for the impact these accusations might have on each of them. Will the crime ever be solved and if so, at what cost?
Killer Story by Matt Witten is a well-developed mystery thriller that raises many questions about the current state of journalism. The book is often an uncomfortable read. Petra's tactics are despicable, and she defends her decision to continually cross the lines of journalistic integrity because she is seeking "justice for Olivia'' yet she seems to be thoroughly enjoying her newfound adoration and fame as podcast click-throughs keep increasing. The mystery of who killed Olivia took some interesting twists and turns and kept me guessing. I generally like to root for the main character but found that near impossible with Petra, yet her characterization made complete sense given the theme of the story. It's a timely book worth a look.
Many thanks to Oceanview Publishing for the advance.
Rated 3.75 stars.
Killer Story by Matt Witten is a well-developed mystery thriller that raises many questions about the current state of journalism. The book is often an uncomfortable read. Petra's tactics are despicable, and she defends her decision to continually cross the lines of journalistic integrity because she is seeking "justice for Olivia'' yet she seems to be thoroughly enjoying her newfound adoration and fame as podcast click-throughs keep increasing. The mystery of who killed Olivia took some interesting twists and turns and kept me guessing. I generally like to root for the main character but found that near impossible with Petra, yet her characterization made complete sense given the theme of the story. It's a timely book worth a look.
Many thanks to Oceanview Publishing for the advance.
Rated 3.75 stars.
July 3, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with a digital copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
This thrilling novel follows a journalist who displays deep hunger and passion for the potential to discover the truth behind the murder of her well-known acquaintance, an infamous YouTuber. In a desperate attempt to save her reporting career, Petra Kovach pitches the idea of a true-crime podcast, one that explores the depth behind this unsolved murder, and her trials lie within both her office, as well as weaving in between the lies that are told by each potential suspect. The realistic and riveting tale of the web of suspicion that is a part of journalism becomes foggily clear in this deliciously captivating novel as Matt Witten provides thrills with every sentence.
I am potentially a biased and unreliable source to be considered a reviewer of this phenomenal book, due to my fascination with the law, justice, and true crime. But that only mirrors the realistic unreliability and emotional instabilities of a narrator and protagonist such as Petra Kovach. The first-person perspective of this story can pull the readers in as the thematic strands of corrupt justice systems and the unrealistic standards of the press are explored, especially as it ponders the question: How far is a reporter willing to go for fame? The realism is only the beginning of such a riveting tale, as the plot continues with the moral and ethical instabilities that are displayed in each character as their turn in the spotlight for murder, becomes highlighted by such a "justice-hungry" reporter like Petra Kovach. While I usually read thrillers with some hesitation, because I often obsess over the facts, the author's mindset, and formulate evidence charts in my head for extended periods of time, so much so that I discover the culprits within only a few chapters, this book captivated me in ways that almost no other thriller could. I had my suspicions proven right and right again, but reading the author's expression of such drastic events made the novel itself unable to leave my hands, from start to finish. I was so eager to give this five stars, but it was sadly missed by just a little mark. There was not enough closure at the end and I firmly believe that with at least 7 more pages of closure, my rating would have been at its maximum point, rather than being a solid 4.5 stars.
Overall, I think that everyone should read this book. I'm not kidding. There's so much suspenseful interest within these pages that I desperately want more people to come across them. The questioning about the reliability of the press and journalists is something that has fogged the mind of almost every individual, and I think that this novel does a magnificent job of touching on such a current-day topic. This book is highly recommended by me, and I truly hope that it gets the love that it deserves upon publishing. I am eternally grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with the opportunity to read this phenomenal story.
This thrilling novel follows a journalist who displays deep hunger and passion for the potential to discover the truth behind the murder of her well-known acquaintance, an infamous YouTuber. In a desperate attempt to save her reporting career, Petra Kovach pitches the idea of a true-crime podcast, one that explores the depth behind this unsolved murder, and her trials lie within both her office, as well as weaving in between the lies that are told by each potential suspect. The realistic and riveting tale of the web of suspicion that is a part of journalism becomes foggily clear in this deliciously captivating novel as Matt Witten provides thrills with every sentence.
I am potentially a biased and unreliable source to be considered a reviewer of this phenomenal book, due to my fascination with the law, justice, and true crime. But that only mirrors the realistic unreliability and emotional instabilities of a narrator and protagonist such as Petra Kovach. The first-person perspective of this story can pull the readers in as the thematic strands of corrupt justice systems and the unrealistic standards of the press are explored, especially as it ponders the question: How far is a reporter willing to go for fame? The realism is only the beginning of such a riveting tale, as the plot continues with the moral and ethical instabilities that are displayed in each character as their turn in the spotlight for murder, becomes highlighted by such a "justice-hungry" reporter like Petra Kovach. While I usually read thrillers with some hesitation, because I often obsess over the facts, the author's mindset, and formulate evidence charts in my head for extended periods of time, so much so that I discover the culprits within only a few chapters, this book captivated me in ways that almost no other thriller could. I had my suspicions proven right and right again, but reading the author's expression of such drastic events made the novel itself unable to leave my hands, from start to finish. I was so eager to give this five stars, but it was sadly missed by just a little mark. There was not enough closure at the end and I firmly believe that with at least 7 more pages of closure, my rating would have been at its maximum point, rather than being a solid 4.5 stars.
Overall, I think that everyone should read this book. I'm not kidding. There's so much suspenseful interest within these pages that I desperately want more people to come across them. The questioning about the reliability of the press and journalists is something that has fogged the mind of almost every individual, and I think that this novel does a magnificent job of touching on such a current-day topic. This book is highly recommended by me, and I truly hope that it gets the love that it deserves upon publishing. I am eternally grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with the opportunity to read this phenomenal story.
November 21, 2022
DNF, but went ahead and read the last few chapters for good measure.
“I still couldn’t believe what I’d just done. Jesus, I am a total bitch. I should go back in there and apologize. But what good would that do?” A summary of our MC. She has no redeeming qualities and does not care about anyone else, including ruining people's lives for the sake of her podcast. Multiple cringey storylines came out of this, and her whole internal dialogue was just not it.
“I still couldn’t believe what I’d just done. Jesus, I am a total bitch. I should go back in there and apologize. But what good would that do?” A summary of our MC. She has no redeeming qualities and does not care about anyone else, including ruining people's lives for the sake of her podcast. Multiple cringey storylines came out of this, and her whole internal dialogue was just not it.
January 20, 2023
Many thanks to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Matt Witten - 4.5 stars!
Petra Kovach is determined to succeed at her latest journalism job because she's been laid-off or fired too many times in the past. But as she's being let go once again, she pitches the idea of a cold case podcast to her boss. The story will be focused on the death of a popular alt-right YouTuber, Olivia, someone that Petra knew years ago as a camp counselor. Her boss agrees and gives her a short deadline, but she has to bend a few of her ethical guidelines to get a story. When the podcast becomes a hit, she crosses even more lines.
I thought this was an intriguing mystery - I didn't guess the culprit. But it was also a somewhat disturbing look into what we as a society want from our news. We want instant access, breaking news, all the gory details. But are those stories published before all the facts can be verified just to ensure being the first to print? Has social media blurred even more lines with the drive for more likes and shares? And the sad state of print journalism - is it a dinosaur in today's instant access world? I love a good mystery that also brings up pertinent issues that make you think - this one definitely fits the bill!
Petra Kovach is determined to succeed at her latest journalism job because she's been laid-off or fired too many times in the past. But as she's being let go once again, she pitches the idea of a cold case podcast to her boss. The story will be focused on the death of a popular alt-right YouTuber, Olivia, someone that Petra knew years ago as a camp counselor. Her boss agrees and gives her a short deadline, but she has to bend a few of her ethical guidelines to get a story. When the podcast becomes a hit, she crosses even more lines.
I thought this was an intriguing mystery - I didn't guess the culprit. But it was also a somewhat disturbing look into what we as a society want from our news. We want instant access, breaking news, all the gory details. But are those stories published before all the facts can be verified just to ensure being the first to print? Has social media blurred even more lines with the drive for more likes and shares? And the sad state of print journalism - is it a dinosaur in today's instant access world? I love a good mystery that also brings up pertinent issues that make you think - this one definitely fits the bill!
October 5, 2023
Finally, my first time reading Matt Witten! I actually met him at an author event at @onceuponacrimebooks in Minneapolis for his novel The Necklace, and I was excited to read Killer Story since he talked a bit about the idea of it when I was there. It's always interesting to read something inspired by an author's life and experiences, and the author's note at the end of the book is certainly a must-read. While I can't say I actually liked Petra, I couldn't help but admire her tenacity and feel for her when it came to how many jobs she had lost in journalism and her struggle to make it in that world despite her talent. She did drive me crazy at times, but Natalie was even worse, and I was just WAITING for her to stand up to that girl. The only POV in this story is Petra's and I wouldn't have minded a police officer's POV as well.
I thought the audiobook was really enjoyable for Killer Story, and Harley Jane Kozak did a great job. Her voice is exactly what I would have expected for Petra, and her narration in general was just fantastic. I think she helped me connect to the characters a bit more than if I had simply read the book which is definitely saying something. I loved the podcast element of the book and while the audio unfortunately doesn't do anything to highlight that it was still a fun aspect. I had my suspicions about who the killer would be, but Witten managed to surprise me in other ways and the end was not what I was expecting at all. Overall, this was a solid 4-star read for me, and I can't wait to go back and read The Necklace!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I thought the audiobook was really enjoyable for Killer Story, and Harley Jane Kozak did a great job. Her voice is exactly what I would have expected for Petra, and her narration in general was just fantastic. I think she helped me connect to the characters a bit more than if I had simply read the book which is definitely saying something. I loved the podcast element of the book and while the audio unfortunately doesn't do anything to highlight that it was still a fun aspect. I had my suspicions about who the killer would be, but Witten managed to surprise me in other ways and the end was not what I was expecting at all. Overall, this was a solid 4-star read for me, and I can't wait to go back and read The Necklace!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
December 19, 2022
Author and screenwriter, Matt Witten’s Killer Story is a standalone thriller mystery. A young reporter, Petra Kovach finds herself yet again facing termination, so she offers to make a true crime podcast of an unsolved murder. The sensational killing of an alt-right blogger in her Harvard dorm room years ago, was also a former camp counsellor of Petra’s. As Petra investigates and searches for justice, her behaviour is often unethical, ignoring moral boundaries and treating friends and sources despicably. The effort to place the theme of modern journalism in a crime mystery context means that neither one is credibly portrayed. So overall, whilst a promising premise, it makes for a three stars read rating. With thanks to Oceanview Publishing and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.
January 21, 2023
After reading this author's "The Necklace" in August of last year, I was keen to read more of his work. Once again I was rewarded with an enjoyable, fast-paced, and satisfying read.
Set in Boston, Massachusetts in autumn, the story maintained a good sense of place. Petra lives with her boyfriend Jonah, on the top floor of a purple triple-decker in the North End of the city.
Petra works for the Boston Clarion, a newspaper that is just hanging on due to financial pressures. One of the people she works with is her nemesis, Natalie. The author has written Natalie's character as one the reader loves to hate. He succeeded in my case. His portrayal of cut-throat office politics and rivalry was compelling.
The overriding theme in my opinion was ethics. In particular journalistic ethics. Just how far would our protagonist, Petra Kovach, go in search of the truth? When is too far? Do several wrongs make a right if the truth is finally revealed?
Petra was so driven - and SO desperate. Partly due to the precarious career she had chosen for herself, she had been fired several times. With newspapers downsizing, and many of them folding altogether, good journalism jobs were scarce. Now with imminent unemployment on the cards, she had one last ditch effort to salvage her career AND find justice by finding the true murderer of a young woman she had been fond of. Did she go too far? You be the judge.
With 'fake news' in the media spotlight, this was a very timely novel in many ways. It makes the reader question what they see and hear on mainstream media. And internet media, with its myriad podcasts and YouTube videos might be even more suspect. What should you believe?
If you find you are in the midst of a reading slump, this novel is the one to cure it. I found "Killer Story" hard to put down. It was a skilfully written, thought-provoking, and riveting thriller. Highly recommended!
Set in Boston, Massachusetts in autumn, the story maintained a good sense of place. Petra lives with her boyfriend Jonah, on the top floor of a purple triple-decker in the North End of the city.
Petra works for the Boston Clarion, a newspaper that is just hanging on due to financial pressures. One of the people she works with is her nemesis, Natalie. The author has written Natalie's character as one the reader loves to hate. He succeeded in my case. His portrayal of cut-throat office politics and rivalry was compelling.
The overriding theme in my opinion was ethics. In particular journalistic ethics. Just how far would our protagonist, Petra Kovach, go in search of the truth? When is too far? Do several wrongs make a right if the truth is finally revealed?
Petra was so driven - and SO desperate. Partly due to the precarious career she had chosen for herself, she had been fired several times. With newspapers downsizing, and many of them folding altogether, good journalism jobs were scarce. Now with imminent unemployment on the cards, she had one last ditch effort to salvage her career AND find justice by finding the true murderer of a young woman she had been fond of. Did she go too far? You be the judge.
With 'fake news' in the media spotlight, this was a very timely novel in many ways. It makes the reader question what they see and hear on mainstream media. And internet media, with its myriad podcasts and YouTube videos might be even more suspect. What should you believe?
If you find you are in the midst of a reading slump, this novel is the one to cure it. I found "Killer Story" hard to put down. It was a skilfully written, thought-provoking, and riveting thriller. Highly recommended!
December 6, 2022
What happens when a reporter, who’s walking a fine line of losing her job, loses herself for a story? That’s what we explore in Killer Story with Petra Kovich. After losing four reporting jobs, she’s learned she’s about to lose her 5th. So when she pitches a podcast at the last minute to save her job and finally solve her friend’s murder, it seems perfect. But Petra might lose herself in the process.
This was a near-perfect, 5-star read for me. But those that know me, know I’m not a fan of using PTSD in a storyline when it’s thrown in for shock. Listen Petra, you don’t have PTSD from getting fired a lot. Those of us with PTSD are living with flashbacks, night terrors, hypervigilance, anxiety, and so much more. So it hurts when people use it as a buzzword, saying things like, “This is just my PTSD from getting fired.” No, no, it’s not. I get it, it sucks, but it’s not PTSD.
I read a few reviews before writing this, and I totally get people not liking Petra because she’s so desperate that she’s going to unimaginable lengths to get this story out there. She can’t handle getting fired again, so she wants this to be the best. Plus, she has to deal with her coworker Natalie, who’s shady and conniving. But people are getting burned in Petra’s wake. The dumpster fire she’s become is what keeps the reader engaged, flipping pages to get more of the drama. It’s so dramatic you can’t help but keep reading. You don’t have to love her to appreciate the dramatic storyline.
My dislike of misusing PTSD is minor in the grand scheme of the book and doesn’t deter my enjoyment of it overall. I absolutely loved this one. Once I started reading, I didn’t want to put the book down. It was dramatic and intense and everything you want in a thriller.
This was a near-perfect, 5-star read for me. But those that know me, know I’m not a fan of using PTSD in a storyline when it’s thrown in for shock. Listen Petra, you don’t have PTSD from getting fired a lot. Those of us with PTSD are living with flashbacks, night terrors, hypervigilance, anxiety, and so much more. So it hurts when people use it as a buzzword, saying things like, “This is just my PTSD from getting fired.” No, no, it’s not. I get it, it sucks, but it’s not PTSD.
I read a few reviews before writing this, and I totally get people not liking Petra because she’s so desperate that she’s going to unimaginable lengths to get this story out there. She can’t handle getting fired again, so she wants this to be the best. Plus, she has to deal with her coworker Natalie, who’s shady and conniving. But people are getting burned in Petra’s wake. The dumpster fire she’s become is what keeps the reader engaged, flipping pages to get more of the drama. It’s so dramatic you can’t help but keep reading. You don’t have to love her to appreciate the dramatic storyline.
My dislike of misusing PTSD is minor in the grand scheme of the book and doesn’t deter my enjoyment of it overall. I absolutely loved this one. Once I started reading, I didn’t want to put the book down. It was dramatic and intense and everything you want in a thriller.
December 18, 2022
I'm kind of torn on how to review this. While I think it relied too heavily on shock value and things you hear about only on Twitter, it is interesting how someone so likable in person can get online and sound like a straight up lunatic. We live in strange times. So it was clever but the main character was annoying and made all the things about herself, as if she alone could have changed anything.
I think this might be for a more politically charged person or perhaps a younger audience.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review. It is an interesting concept.
I think this might be for a more politically charged person or perhaps a younger audience.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review. It is an interesting concept.
July 17, 2022
In this novel, our protagonist is Petra — a forever “aspiring” print journalist, frequently laid off by cross-country newspapers (mostly budgetary reasons), but who has an incredibly loyal boyfriend who has a job that makes it fairly easy to pull up roots and follow her from state to state. Petra just might be at her last chance place of journalistic employment in Boston. In order to avoid another layoff, she pitches a local story about a friend who was murdered 4 years ago. Her boss wants her to turn it into a podcast. Her friend was Livvy — who was a talented 14 year old when they met while Petra was mentoring at a teen writers’s camp at UCLA. And Livvy was extraordinarily talented — she was admitted to Harvard and became, to Petra’s dismay, a right wing firebrand (think Tomi Lauren) and influencer with millions of followers, who was murdered just off-screen after her last live broadcast. Someone was arrested and surprisingly acquitted, but Petra increasingly isn’t so sure that the presumed killer got away. Faced with various personal crises, she decides to write about Livvy’s end days, her “killer story.”
Matt Witten’s characters (as in “The Necklace”) aren’t totally drawn in black and white. Petra finds herself crossing ethical lines to get others to reveal secrets (like considering burning a confidential source). She puts herself in questionable situations to “get the story” and she’s not totally forthcoming with a fiancé who deserves her full honesty. There are times when Petra is more concerned with her quippy exit lines instead of realizing she just received another version of “no comment.” This podcast will revive her career and possibly make her famous. How far is she willing to go? Will justice actually be served? Or will the episodes be tailored for drama instead of truth?
I was caught up in the grayish aspects of the story — like real life, solving mysteries is messy and so are the challenges of 21st century journalism. How much is about the truth and how much is about the potential number of clicks? Rather than dwelling on the real murderer, I found myself thinking a lot about Petra’s methods. She was definitely a flawed heroine. 4 stars for a multi-layered thriller!
Thank you to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!
Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Natalie, the rival, has greenish eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO The Boston home of Petra and Jonah has roses and sunflowers out front, but it wasn’t specifically said they co-existed at the *same* time (fairly impossible since roses are June blooms and sunflowers are August flowers).
Matt Witten’s characters (as in “The Necklace”) aren’t totally drawn in black and white. Petra finds herself crossing ethical lines to get others to reveal secrets (like considering burning a confidential source). She puts herself in questionable situations to “get the story” and she’s not totally forthcoming with a fiancé who deserves her full honesty. There are times when Petra is more concerned with her quippy exit lines instead of realizing she just received another version of “no comment.” This podcast will revive her career and possibly make her famous. How far is she willing to go? Will justice actually be served? Or will the episodes be tailored for drama instead of truth?
I was caught up in the grayish aspects of the story — like real life, solving mysteries is messy and so are the challenges of 21st century journalism. How much is about the truth and how much is about the potential number of clicks? Rather than dwelling on the real murderer, I found myself thinking a lot about Petra’s methods. She was definitely a flawed heroine. 4 stars for a multi-layered thriller!
Thank you to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!
Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Natalie, the rival, has greenish eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO The Boston home of Petra and Jonah has roses and sunflowers out front, but it wasn’t specifically said they co-existed at the *same* time (fairly impossible since roses are June blooms and sunflowers are August flowers).
July 4, 2022
How far will she go to catch the killer—and make her podcast a hit?
Petra Kovach, a talented and idealistic young reporter, is on the brink of being laid off from her third failing newspaper in a row. To save her job, she pitches the launch of a true crime podcast about a sensational, unsolved murder.
Years earlier, an alt-right YouTuber was killed in her Harvard dorm room, and the case went cold. Petra knew the victim—she was once her camp counselor and loved her like a little sister, despite their political differences.
Petra's investigation gets off to a rocky start, as her promising leads quickly shrivel up. In her passionate quest for justice—and clicks—Petra burns sources and breaks laws, ultimately putting her own life on the line. Even as her star rises, she worries it could all come crashing down at any moment if her actions are exposed.
When her machinations start to backfire, there's only one way to fix everything and solve the murder—even though it may cost her everything she loves.
Since I had read The Necklace, I was eager to read Killer Story. It did not disappoint. Petra Kovach is the type of person who knows what a podcast needs and she is bound and determined to make it work. She ends up vying for her job with Natalie and Dave working against her. I got caught up with Petra's story from the beginning and finished reading it in one sitting. I am looking forward to my next Matt Witten story as he is a remarkable writer. Thanks to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for a copy for an honest review.
Petra Kovach, a talented and idealistic young reporter, is on the brink of being laid off from her third failing newspaper in a row. To save her job, she pitches the launch of a true crime podcast about a sensational, unsolved murder.
Years earlier, an alt-right YouTuber was killed in her Harvard dorm room, and the case went cold. Petra knew the victim—she was once her camp counselor and loved her like a little sister, despite their political differences.
Petra's investigation gets off to a rocky start, as her promising leads quickly shrivel up. In her passionate quest for justice—and clicks—Petra burns sources and breaks laws, ultimately putting her own life on the line. Even as her star rises, she worries it could all come crashing down at any moment if her actions are exposed.
When her machinations start to backfire, there's only one way to fix everything and solve the murder—even though it may cost her everything she loves.
Since I had read The Necklace, I was eager to read Killer Story. It did not disappoint. Petra Kovach is the type of person who knows what a podcast needs and she is bound and determined to make it work. She ends up vying for her job with Natalie and Dave working against her. I got caught up with Petra's story from the beginning and finished reading it in one sitting. I am looking forward to my next Matt Witten story as he is a remarkable writer. Thanks to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for a copy for an honest review.
January 9, 2023
Petra Kovach is about to be laid off from her third newspaper. In a last-ditch effort to save her job, she pitches her boss the idea of a true crime podcast. Not just any crime - but to solve the murder of a young girl she used to know. Petra jumps in full speed ahead. But as her leads begin to dry up, she burns some bridges in attempts to find more information. With only a few weeks to crack the case, Petra will stop at nothing - including breaking the law and putting her own life at risk.
Whew. I felt like I had a lot to digest after finishing this story. Although Petra’s heart was in the right place, she did some questionable things to say the least. At what point does one stop saying “the ends justify the means”? I can’t remember the last book I read with such a morally gray main character. On one hand, she made me so angry but on the other, I was rooting for her to get to the truth. And the final twist really got me good! I also loved the journalist point of view - I could never do that life but greatly am amazed by those who do! All in a all, this was a fun, thought-provoking and twisty read. It was the first I read by Matt Witten but I look forward to checking out more of his work! Thank you to Netgalley, Oceanview Publishing and Matt Witten for the ARC. “Killer Story” releases January 17th!
This review will be shared to my Instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly 😊
Whew. I felt like I had a lot to digest after finishing this story. Although Petra’s heart was in the right place, she did some questionable things to say the least. At what point does one stop saying “the ends justify the means”? I can’t remember the last book I read with such a morally gray main character. On one hand, she made me so angry but on the other, I was rooting for her to get to the truth. And the final twist really got me good! I also loved the journalist point of view - I could never do that life but greatly am amazed by those who do! All in a all, this was a fun, thought-provoking and twisty read. It was the first I read by Matt Witten but I look forward to checking out more of his work! Thank you to Netgalley, Oceanview Publishing and Matt Witten for the ARC. “Killer Story” releases January 17th!
This review will be shared to my Instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly 😊
February 19, 2023
I totally binged this book! I’m a sucker for plots that revolve around podcasts and I was immediately intrigued by the premise and unsolved mystery this one centred around!
I throughly enjoyed the exploration of journalistic integrity and the fine line that many investigators thread when trying to desperately uncover the truth and the risks they’re willing to take, or shouldn’t for that matter.
Petra was an incredibly unlikeable protagonist and her decision making was often questionable, undoubtably controversial and certainly cringe worthy, but somehow I couldn’t put it down and it only fed into the addictiveness of the plot and story!
While this one may not be for everyone, it was definitely a solid whodunit that I ultimately flew through!
I throughly enjoyed the exploration of journalistic integrity and the fine line that many investigators thread when trying to desperately uncover the truth and the risks they’re willing to take, or shouldn’t for that matter.
Petra was an incredibly unlikeable protagonist and her decision making was often questionable, undoubtably controversial and certainly cringe worthy, but somehow I couldn’t put it down and it only fed into the addictiveness of the plot and story!
While this one may not be for everyone, it was definitely a solid whodunit that I ultimately flew through!
December 23, 2022
I loved this book as it deals with so many relevant issues: podcasts, social media, the #MeToo movement, and college life that is almost always complicated! Petra is a journalist about to be fired due to cutbacks and she is determined to keep her job; this prompts her to follow up on a friend's murder years ago (that was apparently solved) but she's not so sure. The novel deals with her personal life, her work life, her friendships, and the complications of modern journalism. It kept me flying through the pages!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
January 6, 2023
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader along with a Q&A with the author (who had some great answers).
---
WHAT'S KILLER STORY ABOUT?
While studying journalism in school, Petra acted as a counselor for a high school journalism camp. In that role, she met and befriended a young girl named Livvy Anderson. Over the years since then, the two forged a strong friendship—almost like sisters. At some point though, the relationship faltered—in college, Livvy started posting videos online spouting (in Petra's view) extreme right-wing politics, hateful speech, and the like. For example, she defended a star football player accused of raping a woman on campus by trashing her reputation and exposing personal details. Rather than pushing back or even arguing with her friend, Petra chilled communication, assuming it was a phase, and focused on her own work.
And it might have been a phase if Livvy hadn't been killed. The murder was fairly sensational—it happened while Livvy was recording a video (but she paused the recording so no one saw it or the murderer). The accused killer was acquitted—and most of the country (including Petra) assumed it was a travesty of justice and that he got away with it. The Court of Public Opinion definitely found him guilty.
Years later, Petra has found herself (like most young print journalists) bouncing around from newspaper to newspaper, trying to stay employed. She's now at a major Boston newspaper and thinks that life is stable—the subjects of her stories might not be that glamorous, but she's working, and the big story is around the corner.
Until she's laid off. She panics at this point—her boyfriend (who moved cross-country with her for this job, changing the course of his career) isn't going to put up with the lack of stability much longer, and it's going to only get harder getting a job at the rate she's going. So she throws out a mad pitch to her editor—what if she could definitively prove who killed Olivia Anderson? She tells him this story isn't just the kind of thing for the paper—it'd make a great podcast.
Visions of the kind of revenue that Serial and similar podcasts could bring to the paper, not to mention the publicity of this kind of story, he gives her two weeks to firm up the story, start producing the podcast, and they'll see what happens.
Petra heads off to find the evidence she pretended to have during that meeting—and hopefully much more.
THE JOURNALISM OF THIS NOVEL
I've talked before about how I'm a sucker for a novel about a driven journalist—typically a print journalist, too. I'm always ready, willing, and able to embrace and fall into the romance of the crusading reporter. Or just one who does the job well, without a crusade.
But those kinds of stories are getting harder to tell and to believe in our current media landscape. Not just because print journalism is dying (for worse or for worser). It's definitely not the track that Witten takes here. Petra is desperate and acts desperately—she lies to her editor at every turn, overstating her case and the evidence she has at each step of the way. Almost every fictional reporter* cuts a corner here and there and bends a rule and the truth in pursuit of the story and/or the truth. Even thosPetra amputates corners and forces the truth about her actions into positions only the most experienced yogi can handle—at least when it comes to what she tells her editor, coworkers, the police, her boyfriend, and so on.
* Lawyers, please note that I'm not saying anything about the methods of actual reporters or the companies they work for. Please don't sue me.
When it comes to her actual reporting, however—in print, podcast, and elsewhere—Petra is much more honest. Bowing to editorial pressure she may say something earlier than she should* and while she never lies, she sure edges close to it. Her scripts feature incredibly well-chosen words—true, but open to interpretation.
* There are a few hundred words I could write about other journalistic ethical moves here, but I'd be getting sidetracked.
The journalism—both in print and in the podcast—we see here is very likely what fills our screens and earbuds. It's sensationalistic, click-driven, and not necessarily all that honest. It's depressing to think about, and it's not great to read about if you think about it in those terms—but it makes for a thrilling (and realistic) read. Still, I think I need to go watch Deadline – U.S.A. or something to restore my faith in humanity.
THE ALT-RIGHT DEPICTION
Thanks to Livvy's online persona, even now, she has a good number of fans. Many of those fans are not happy about Petra's podcast—and make that displeasure well known online. At least one goes further than that. Between them and Livvy's videos (and other online activities), Witten has to walk a careful line—he needs to depict them in an honest and believable way without turning them into a convenient punching bag for a reader or character to spend a lot of time venting about their politics (perhaps even himself). Or, to go in the other direction, too.
I really appreciated the restraint he showed in this regard, it'd be easy to slip here, but on the whole, he simply reports on the views espoused—sure, it's clear that Petra and her colleagues (and many of the witnesses that talk about it) disagree with Livvy and her fans/defenders, but with only one exception, we don't get details their differences with the alt-right views.
That exception comes from Petra having to do a deep dive into their activities and to try to interact—so it comes about organically. Even then, Witten doesn't let Petra go too far.
I mention this to say that readers shouldn't let the politics involved in the book dissuade them—it's there, but it's just part of the atmosphere. And it's fairly evenly handled, and I can't imagine many readers having a problem with it.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT KILLER STORY?
Early on in the novel, I made assumptions (as you do) about the kind of story that Witten was telling and what kind of things the reader should expect from the plot and characters. I was wrong on just about every point. It was a very different kind of story, the characters ended up going in directions I wouldn't have guessed (Petra's editor, boyfriend, and best friend were probably the exceptions to this), and every theory I had about the killing was wrong.* And the result is a richer, deeper, and more satisfying novel than what I thought I was going to get (and I anticipated this being a good one!).
* Well, almost. I did have the motive and killer right for a chapter or two, but Witten and Petra got me off of that path.
Witten's story in last year's Jacked was one of the higher points in a collection full of high points, and this novel solidified my appreciation for his writing. Before I got to the point where I realized that the novel wasn't telling the story that I thought it was and shifted my expectations, I spent a good deal of time not liking the book—but I couldn't stop reading it or thinking and talking about it when I wasn't reading it. It was just too well done. It got under my skin. Actually, it's still there—I can't stop thinking about Petra and her choices. I even emailed Witten to ask a couple of questions I had about some points—points that I think the reader could have divergent opinions on, but I wanted his authorial take on it. I've never done this before. But I had to know—and even having his take on them, I'm chewing on it.
I'm going to be haunted by Killer Story for a bit—in the best way. If you're looking for a mystery you can sink your teeth into and chew on, look no further.
---
WHAT'S KILLER STORY ABOUT?
While studying journalism in school, Petra acted as a counselor for a high school journalism camp. In that role, she met and befriended a young girl named Livvy Anderson. Over the years since then, the two forged a strong friendship—almost like sisters. At some point though, the relationship faltered—in college, Livvy started posting videos online spouting (in Petra's view) extreme right-wing politics, hateful speech, and the like. For example, she defended a star football player accused of raping a woman on campus by trashing her reputation and exposing personal details. Rather than pushing back or even arguing with her friend, Petra chilled communication, assuming it was a phase, and focused on her own work.
And it might have been a phase if Livvy hadn't been killed. The murder was fairly sensational—it happened while Livvy was recording a video (but she paused the recording so no one saw it or the murderer). The accused killer was acquitted—and most of the country (including Petra) assumed it was a travesty of justice and that he got away with it. The Court of Public Opinion definitely found him guilty.
Years later, Petra has found herself (like most young print journalists) bouncing around from newspaper to newspaper, trying to stay employed. She's now at a major Boston newspaper and thinks that life is stable—the subjects of her stories might not be that glamorous, but she's working, and the big story is around the corner.
Until she's laid off. She panics at this point—her boyfriend (who moved cross-country with her for this job, changing the course of his career) isn't going to put up with the lack of stability much longer, and it's going to only get harder getting a job at the rate she's going. So she throws out a mad pitch to her editor—what if she could definitively prove who killed Olivia Anderson? She tells him this story isn't just the kind of thing for the paper—it'd make a great podcast.
Visions of the kind of revenue that Serial and similar podcasts could bring to the paper, not to mention the publicity of this kind of story, he gives her two weeks to firm up the story, start producing the podcast, and they'll see what happens.
Petra heads off to find the evidence she pretended to have during that meeting—and hopefully much more.
THE JOURNALISM OF THIS NOVEL
I've talked before about how I'm a sucker for a novel about a driven journalist—typically a print journalist, too. I'm always ready, willing, and able to embrace and fall into the romance of the crusading reporter. Or just one who does the job well, without a crusade.
But those kinds of stories are getting harder to tell and to believe in our current media landscape. Not just because print journalism is dying (for worse or for worser). It's definitely not the track that Witten takes here. Petra is desperate and acts desperately—she lies to her editor at every turn, overstating her case and the evidence she has at each step of the way. Almost every fictional reporter* cuts a corner here and there and bends a rule and the truth in pursuit of the story and/or the truth. Even thosPetra amputates corners and forces the truth about her actions into positions only the most experienced yogi can handle—at least when it comes to what she tells her editor, coworkers, the police, her boyfriend, and so on.
* Lawyers, please note that I'm not saying anything about the methods of actual reporters or the companies they work for. Please don't sue me.
When it comes to her actual reporting, however—in print, podcast, and elsewhere—Petra is much more honest. Bowing to editorial pressure she may say something earlier than she should* and while she never lies, she sure edges close to it. Her scripts feature incredibly well-chosen words—true, but open to interpretation.
* There are a few hundred words I could write about other journalistic ethical moves here, but I'd be getting sidetracked.
The journalism—both in print and in the podcast—we see here is very likely what fills our screens and earbuds. It's sensationalistic, click-driven, and not necessarily all that honest. It's depressing to think about, and it's not great to read about if you think about it in those terms—but it makes for a thrilling (and realistic) read. Still, I think I need to go watch Deadline – U.S.A. or something to restore my faith in humanity.
THE ALT-RIGHT DEPICTION
Thanks to Livvy's online persona, even now, she has a good number of fans. Many of those fans are not happy about Petra's podcast—and make that displeasure well known online. At least one goes further than that. Between them and Livvy's videos (and other online activities), Witten has to walk a careful line—he needs to depict them in an honest and believable way without turning them into a convenient punching bag for a reader or character to spend a lot of time venting about their politics (perhaps even himself). Or, to go in the other direction, too.
I really appreciated the restraint he showed in this regard, it'd be easy to slip here, but on the whole, he simply reports on the views espoused—sure, it's clear that Petra and her colleagues (and many of the witnesses that talk about it) disagree with Livvy and her fans/defenders, but with only one exception, we don't get details their differences with the alt-right views.
That exception comes from Petra having to do a deep dive into their activities and to try to interact—so it comes about organically. Even then, Witten doesn't let Petra go too far.
I mention this to say that readers shouldn't let the politics involved in the book dissuade them—it's there, but it's just part of the atmosphere. And it's fairly evenly handled, and I can't imagine many readers having a problem with it.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT KILLER STORY?
Early on in the novel, I made assumptions (as you do) about the kind of story that Witten was telling and what kind of things the reader should expect from the plot and characters. I was wrong on just about every point. It was a very different kind of story, the characters ended up going in directions I wouldn't have guessed (Petra's editor, boyfriend, and best friend were probably the exceptions to this), and every theory I had about the killing was wrong.* And the result is a richer, deeper, and more satisfying novel than what I thought I was going to get (and I anticipated this being a good one!).
* Well, almost. I did have the motive and killer right for a chapter or two, but Witten and Petra got me off of that path.
Witten's story in last year's Jacked was one of the higher points in a collection full of high points, and this novel solidified my appreciation for his writing. Before I got to the point where I realized that the novel wasn't telling the story that I thought it was and shifted my expectations, I spent a good deal of time not liking the book—but I couldn't stop reading it or thinking and talking about it when I wasn't reading it. It was just too well done. It got under my skin. Actually, it's still there—I can't stop thinking about Petra and her choices. I even emailed Witten to ask a couple of questions I had about some points—points that I think the reader could have divergent opinions on, but I wanted his authorial take on it. I've never done this before. But I had to know—and even having his take on them, I'm chewing on it.
I'm going to be haunted by Killer Story for a bit—in the best way. If you're looking for a mystery you can sink your teeth into and chew on, look no further.
July 4, 2022
THE KILLER STORY follows struggling journalist (and absolute bloody nightmare) Petra Kovach, who resolves to escape the crosshairs of her third consecutive layoff by launching a true-crime podcast investigation into the unsolved murder of Olivia Anderson, an infamous alt-right YouTube influencer whom Petra mentored at journalism camp when she was younger. While Petra scrambles to unmask Olivia's killer and secure enough views to justify keeping her job, she also reckons with various personal trials, the pressures and inconsistency of Internet fame, and a moral consciousness that flips with the wind.
The one thing this book has got going for it is its compulsive readability—as many problems as I had with it, I could not force myself to put it down. The plot and chapters are structured in such a way as to just naturally keep kicking you from one movement into the next without interruption, and actually the pacing of it all felt really strong. In that respect, this was a super quick and easy read. (I'd hesitate to call it a 'thriller', though; it's more of a procedural, in a really basic, fanfiction-y kind of way. But I can see where other readers might disagree.)
Unfortunately, Petra's character... I mean, to put it plainly, she sucked. My disbelief is not capable of the Olympics-level gymnastics that would be required for me (or any reader, I think) to come out of this book believing that even the smallest, minutest segment of Petra's behaviour was okay or justified. She made so many terrible moral choices and violated so many professional ethical standards that it became almost exhausting to continue pretending to care about who killed Olivia, because past a certain point all I really wanted was for somebody to kill Petra. And it would be one thing if I felt like hating her was the point, but there were so many awkward references to "Olivia deserving justice" and "Olivia was my best friend", so many invocations of Petra's own requisite Tragic Backstory, that I really do think the author was trying to convince me that her whole investigation was some sort of ultimate service to truth. And that destroying lives without proof, publishing material and interviews without consent or corroboration, is totally fine as long as you actually get the guy in the end. (It isn't. And umm, sir, Petra is the literal worst.)
The one thing this book has got going for it is its compulsive readability—as many problems as I had with it, I could not force myself to put it down. The plot and chapters are structured in such a way as to just naturally keep kicking you from one movement into the next without interruption, and actually the pacing of it all felt really strong. In that respect, this was a super quick and easy read. (I'd hesitate to call it a 'thriller', though; it's more of a procedural, in a really basic, fanfiction-y kind of way. But I can see where other readers might disagree.)
Unfortunately, Petra's character... I mean, to put it plainly, she sucked. My disbelief is not capable of the Olympics-level gymnastics that would be required for me (or any reader, I think) to come out of this book believing that even the smallest, minutest segment of Petra's behaviour was okay or justified. She made so many terrible moral choices and violated so many professional ethical standards that it became almost exhausting to continue pretending to care about who killed Olivia, because past a certain point all I really wanted was for somebody to kill Petra. And it would be one thing if I felt like hating her was the point, but there were so many awkward references to "Olivia deserving justice" and "Olivia was my best friend", so many invocations of Petra's own requisite Tragic Backstory, that I really do think the author was trying to convince me that her whole investigation was some sort of ultimate service to truth. And that destroying lives without proof, publishing material and interviews without consent or corroboration, is totally fine as long as you actually get the guy in the end. (It isn't. And umm, sir, Petra is the literal worst.)
October 26, 2022
Publishing date: 01/17/2023
CW: Abuse, rape, murder
Petra has not had the best luck at keeping her job as a reporter at various Companies across the country. Even now, she is on the verge of being laid off again. However, Petra comes into some new information about Olivia, a young collage Youtube star's murder. Petra starts a podcast to help solve the murder of her friend and bring justice to Oliva, and well…. Save her job.
This is my second book by Matt Witten. I loved his book "The Necklace" and was looking forward to reading this new book. Once again Matt had me hooked. His writing style is so good that it pulls you in from the start wanting to solve this murder mystery. I could not stop reading this book and was done in a day. However, I had mixed feelings about various aspects. As the story progressed, the main character was less and less likeable (her coworkers were even worse). Even her own boyfriend did not recognize who she was or understand the lengths she went to save her job. There were many questionable moral decisions made. Now, just like "the Necklace", the authors note at the end once again saved the book for me. I understand that he wanted to show the obstacles that journalists are now facing and the lengths they are willing to go to make it in this "dying" industry. He always connects his stories to real life people and real life issues which I love. So the fact that I disliked the decisions these characters made, was part of his storytelling.
In relation to the writing, I found the book to be a bit repetitive at times. The amount of times Petra mentioned she was getting justice for Olivia or that she had figured out who murdered Olivia was a lot.
Even though I had my qualms about the character, I really enjoy reading it and I engulfed it in 2 sittings. Matt has a great writing style that just locks you in. I enjoyed the twists and the "whodunit" up until the very end and I am glad there was "justice" made. With all this being said I would recommend this book, for the writing, for the twists and especially after I read the authors note (which again was exactly what happened when I read The Necklace).
Thank you to the author, publishing company and NetGalley for this electronic review copy in exchange for my honest review!
CW: Abuse, rape, murder
Petra has not had the best luck at keeping her job as a reporter at various Companies across the country. Even now, she is on the verge of being laid off again. However, Petra comes into some new information about Olivia, a young collage Youtube star's murder. Petra starts a podcast to help solve the murder of her friend and bring justice to Oliva, and well…. Save her job.
This is my second book by Matt Witten. I loved his book "The Necklace" and was looking forward to reading this new book. Once again Matt had me hooked. His writing style is so good that it pulls you in from the start wanting to solve this murder mystery. I could not stop reading this book and was done in a day. However, I had mixed feelings about various aspects. As the story progressed, the main character was less and less likeable (her coworkers were even worse). Even her own boyfriend did not recognize who she was or understand the lengths she went to save her job. There were many questionable moral decisions made. Now, just like "the Necklace", the authors note at the end once again saved the book for me. I understand that he wanted to show the obstacles that journalists are now facing and the lengths they are willing to go to make it in this "dying" industry. He always connects his stories to real life people and real life issues which I love. So the fact that I disliked the decisions these characters made, was part of his storytelling.
In relation to the writing, I found the book to be a bit repetitive at times. The amount of times Petra mentioned she was getting justice for Olivia or that she had figured out who murdered Olivia was a lot.
Even though I had my qualms about the character, I really enjoy reading it and I engulfed it in 2 sittings. Matt has a great writing style that just locks you in. I enjoyed the twists and the "whodunit" up until the very end and I am glad there was "justice" made. With all this being said I would recommend this book, for the writing, for the twists and especially after I read the authors note (which again was exactly what happened when I read The Necklace).
Thank you to the author, publishing company and NetGalley for this electronic review copy in exchange for my honest review!
August 14, 2022
Name of Book: Killer Story
Author: Matt Witten
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Pub Date: January 17, 2023
My Rating: 3 Stars!
I have read only one other Matt Witten story The Necklace and was awarded an Orange pencil by Oceanview Publishers for my review.
In this story, protagonist Petra Kovach, is a struggling young journalist who comes up with the idea to create a podcast investigating the unsolved murder of college student Olivia Anderson.
Petra actually met Olivia when she was a teenager. Petra was her mentor when they met on a student journalism boot camp.
Now Petra pursues leads as well as editorial challenges as she attempts to uncover the truth and find who murdered Olivia.
I've read a few stories involving podcasts. This had me curious but right at the start when Olivia was at Harvard, I didn’t like her nasty language and certainly wasn’t a fan of how she felt about immigrant families, I wasn’t so sure about this story.
I hung in there as I like Matt Witten
Although I didn’t love this story, I did like that the acknowledgements and note from the publisher was at the beginning of the story.
I always enjoy reading the author’s notes and acknowledgements. In this case Matt Witten ‘Author’s Notes ‘ are at the end of the book which is typical. He tells us the basis for his inspiration:
He loves crime podcasts and names the ones he likes an interesting.
He has praise for those dedicated to going into journalism as there are many obstacles.
Olivia was inspired by Tomi Lahren
Petra was based partly on himself.
Book Club members will also like the ‘Book Club Discussion Questions’.
Actually even if you are in a book club the questions will make you think!
Want to thank NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for this early eGalley
Publishing Release Date scheduled for January 17, 2023
Author: Matt Witten
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Pub Date: January 17, 2023
My Rating: 3 Stars!
I have read only one other Matt Witten story The Necklace and was awarded an Orange pencil by Oceanview Publishers for my review.
In this story, protagonist Petra Kovach, is a struggling young journalist who comes up with the idea to create a podcast investigating the unsolved murder of college student Olivia Anderson.
Petra actually met Olivia when she was a teenager. Petra was her mentor when they met on a student journalism boot camp.
Now Petra pursues leads as well as editorial challenges as she attempts to uncover the truth and find who murdered Olivia.
I've read a few stories involving podcasts. This had me curious but right at the start when Olivia was at Harvard, I didn’t like her nasty language and certainly wasn’t a fan of how she felt about immigrant families, I wasn’t so sure about this story.
I hung in there as I like Matt Witten
Although I didn’t love this story, I did like that the acknowledgements and note from the publisher was at the beginning of the story.
I always enjoy reading the author’s notes and acknowledgements. In this case Matt Witten ‘Author’s Notes ‘ are at the end of the book which is typical. He tells us the basis for his inspiration:
He loves crime podcasts and names the ones he likes an interesting.
He has praise for those dedicated to going into journalism as there are many obstacles.
Olivia was inspired by Tomi Lahren
Petra was based partly on himself.
Book Club members will also like the ‘Book Club Discussion Questions’.
Actually even if you are in a book club the questions will make you think!
Want to thank NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for this early eGalley
Publishing Release Date scheduled for January 17, 2023
June 26, 2022
Matt Witten's previous book The Necklace is one of my books of 2022 so I couldn't wait to read this.
A deeply involving and unusual thriller based around Petra Kovach, a young journalist struggling to stay in work. Facing yet another redundancy she comes up with the idea to create a podcast investigating the unsolved murder of college student Olivia Anderson.
Petra first met Olivia on a student journalism boot camp. Petra, a mentor to Olivia the bright eyed idealistic teenager. In the intervening years Olivia veered to the alt-Right, finding fame hosting a hugely popular video blog.
It's an intricate and involving story, very well told. Petra pursues the leads and faces personal, moral and editorial challenges as she attempts to uncover the truth and justice, and keep the revenue coming in for her newspaper.
She's not in control of her personal or professional life and is pushed to the limits by her fears and new-found fame.
I've read a few thrillers involving podcasts and social media celebrities, this is definitely the best, it's integral to the story instead of being tacked as a plot device. The challenges faced by a journalist, the moral dilemmas are also fascinating.
It's unusual, involving and extremely rewarding. Definitely recommended and I look forwards to reading whatever Matt Witten writes next.
Thanks to Netgalley and Oceanview Publishing
A deeply involving and unusual thriller based around Petra Kovach, a young journalist struggling to stay in work. Facing yet another redundancy she comes up with the idea to create a podcast investigating the unsolved murder of college student Olivia Anderson.
Petra first met Olivia on a student journalism boot camp. Petra, a mentor to Olivia the bright eyed idealistic teenager. In the intervening years Olivia veered to the alt-Right, finding fame hosting a hugely popular video blog.
It's an intricate and involving story, very well told. Petra pursues the leads and faces personal, moral and editorial challenges as she attempts to uncover the truth and justice, and keep the revenue coming in for her newspaper.
She's not in control of her personal or professional life and is pushed to the limits by her fears and new-found fame.
I've read a few thrillers involving podcasts and social media celebrities, this is definitely the best, it's integral to the story instead of being tacked as a plot device. The challenges faced by a journalist, the moral dilemmas are also fascinating.
It's unusual, involving and extremely rewarding. Definitely recommended and I look forwards to reading whatever Matt Witten writes next.
Thanks to Netgalley and Oceanview Publishing
April 28, 2023
Petra is about to be fired ... again. As a last-ditch effort to save her job, she promises her boss a new podcast exposing new facts about an unsolved murder from years earlier. She knew the victim and has a renewed determination to solve the murder. (Which really didn’t make a lot of sense)
I wanted to like this one, the premise was a good one and I was pulled in from the beginning. However, Petra became SO unlikeable. The lengths she was willing to go to and the people she was willing to ruin to save face and her job ... so off-putting.
The reveals just kept getting more out there, I assume to shoot for a shock value, maybe? It was just reaching and missed it.
I wanted to like this one, the premise was a good one and I was pulled in from the beginning. However, Petra became SO unlikeable. The lengths she was willing to go to and the people she was willing to ruin to save face and her job ... so off-putting.
The reveals just kept getting more out there, I assume to shoot for a shock value, maybe? It was just reaching and missed it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2022
Killer Story
Matt Witten
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trying to find your best friends killer, and you don’t give a care about who you hurt along the way? Another girl trying to still your thunder…. This book definitely kept me invested!!! I wanted to know the true killer probably more than what the author did! Matt Witten, you have an evil mind that makes you write the most amazing books!!! Just like the necklace this one was hard to put done, and that ending!!!
Matt Witten
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trying to find your best friends killer, and you don’t give a care about who you hurt along the way? Another girl trying to still your thunder…. This book definitely kept me invested!!! I wanted to know the true killer probably more than what the author did! Matt Witten, you have an evil mind that makes you write the most amazing books!!! Just like the necklace this one was hard to put done, and that ending!!!
January 12, 2023
The main character of this fast-paced mystery is Petra Kovach, a struggling reporter with a past connection to the victim in the "Murder of the Century", Olivia Anderson, a social media star with very polarizing opinions. Petra is willing to cross the line to get justice for her old friend and save her career, no matter who is hurt in the process. Petra is an interesting character even though she is sometimes hard to like.
Petra feels so much pressure from her boss, who is also worried about his job and a competitive, back-stabbing colleague, that she often makes questionable decisions in the effort to be successful. Petra continues to race against deadlines and the need to increase her podcast's audience, rumors and under-researched theories are presented as facts, and if they're proven wrong, it's on to the next theory! I have actually seen this method in some true crime shows I've watched!
Even when I was frustrated by Petra, I was completely engaged with the story - both the case she was investigating and what would happen with the podcast and in Petra's personal life. With all of the things that occur, it's clear that not all the characters will get a "happily ever after", but the unique ending makes sense and I like it. I really enjoyed this compelling story and fans of true crime books, tv shows, or podcasts will also like it. I rated it 4.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for the advance copy of this ebook. It was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
Petra feels so much pressure from her boss, who is also worried about his job and a competitive, back-stabbing colleague, that she often makes questionable decisions in the effort to be successful. Petra continues to race against deadlines and the need to increase her podcast's audience, rumors and under-researched theories are presented as facts, and if they're proven wrong, it's on to the next theory! I have actually seen this method in some true crime shows I've watched!
Even when I was frustrated by Petra, I was completely engaged with the story - both the case she was investigating and what would happen with the podcast and in Petra's personal life. With all of the things that occur, it's clear that not all the characters will get a "happily ever after", but the unique ending makes sense and I like it. I really enjoyed this compelling story and fans of true crime books, tv shows, or podcasts will also like it. I rated it 4.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for the advance copy of this ebook. It was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
March 28, 2023
How far will she go to catch the killer—and make her podcast a hit?
Talented and idealistic young reporter Petra Kovach is on the brink of being laid off from her third failing newspaper in a row. To save her job, she pitches the launch of a true crime podcast about a sensational, unsolved murder.
Who doesn't love a good crime story that keeps you guessing?
Such a captivating story and a page-turner!
I found the MC Petra unlikable, i was gritting my teeth throughout the story. I just couldnt stand her especially with her methods, haste decisions and accusations without given a toss about its repercussion... her "the end justifies the means attitude was appalling as well as unrealistic in a media field"
At the end... Petra burns sources and breaks laws, ultimately putting her own life on the line.
As much as I couldn't stand her, i enjoyed the time I spent following her through to catch the killer I didn't expect.
This could have been an easy 5⭐ for me but I didn't really like any of the characters as much as I liked the story.
Indeed Killer Story is perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter and Harlan Coben.
I Recommend this!
Thank You NetGalley & Oceanview Publishing for this ARC.
Talented and idealistic young reporter Petra Kovach is on the brink of being laid off from her third failing newspaper in a row. To save her job, she pitches the launch of a true crime podcast about a sensational, unsolved murder.
Who doesn't love a good crime story that keeps you guessing?
Such a captivating story and a page-turner!
I found the MC Petra unlikable, i was gritting my teeth throughout the story. I just couldnt stand her especially with her methods, haste decisions and accusations without given a toss about its repercussion... her "the end justifies the means attitude was appalling as well as unrealistic in a media field"
At the end... Petra burns sources and breaks laws, ultimately putting her own life on the line.
As much as I couldn't stand her, i enjoyed the time I spent following her through to catch the killer I didn't expect.
This could have been an easy 5⭐ for me but I didn't really like any of the characters as much as I liked the story.
Indeed Killer Story is perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter and Harlan Coben.
I Recommend this!
Thank You NetGalley & Oceanview Publishing for this ARC.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews