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 out of 5 stars.
Mystery | Thriller.
Publication Date: January 17, 2023.
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