Friday, January 20, 2023

1.20.2023 - Killer Story

Killer Story by Matt Witten 

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!

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