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Kill Show
When sixteen-year-old Sara Parcell goes missing, it’s an utter tragedy—and an entertaining national obsession—in this thoughtful and addictively readable novel that offers a fresh and provocative take on whodunits and true crime.
Sara Parcell disappeared without a trace on a crisp April morning in Frederick, Maryland. Her tragic story was a national obsession and the centerpiece of a controversial television docu-series that followed her disappearance in real time--but is it possible that everyone missed the biggest secret of all? Ten years after these events, the people who knew Sara best are finally ready to talk.
In this genre-bending novel, Daniel Sweren-Becker fashions an oral history around the seemingly familiar crime of a teenage girl gone missing--yet Kill Show, filled with diabolical twists and provocative social commentary, is no standard mystery. Through “interviews” with family members, neighbors, law enforcement, television executives, and a host of other compelling characters, Sweren-Becker constructs a riveting tale about one family’s tragedy—and Hollywood’s insatiable desire to exploit it.
By revealing the seedy underbelly of the true crime entertainment machine, Kill Show probes literary territory beyond the bounds of the standard whodunit. It’s a thoughtful exploration into our obsession with the mysteries, cold cases, and violent tales we turn to for comfort. Groundbreaking, fast-moving, and informed, this is a novel about who’s really responsible for the tragedies we love to consume.
Sara Parcell disappeared without a trace on a crisp April morning in Frederick, Maryland. Her tragic story was a national obsession and the centerpiece of a controversial television docu-series that followed her disappearance in real time--but is it possible that everyone missed the biggest secret of all? Ten years after these events, the people who knew Sara best are finally ready to talk.
In this genre-bending novel, Daniel Sweren-Becker fashions an oral history around the seemingly familiar crime of a teenage girl gone missing--yet Kill Show, filled with diabolical twists and provocative social commentary, is no standard mystery. Through “interviews” with family members, neighbors, law enforcement, television executives, and a host of other compelling characters, Sweren-Becker constructs a riveting tale about one family’s tragedy—and Hollywood’s insatiable desire to exploit it.
By revealing the seedy underbelly of the true crime entertainment machine, Kill Show probes literary territory beyond the bounds of the standard whodunit. It’s a thoughtful exploration into our obsession with the mysteries, cold cases, and violent tales we turn to for comfort. Groundbreaking, fast-moving, and informed, this is a novel about who’s really responsible for the tragedies we love to consume.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published October 3, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 630 reviews
October 2, 2023
FYI to everyone: this is classified as "true crime" but it is a fiction book.
Ten years after teenager Sara Parcell goes missing, a documentary is produced to dissect what happened during and after that event. Each of the key players is interviewed and the shocking events of that situation are brought to light.
To make matters a little confusing, this book's "documentary" features events surrounding the making of a different documentary series when the event happened. It took me a minute to get into the groove of what was going on, but fortunately it became clear fairly quickly. It really helped that there was a glossary of the characters at the beginning, and then when every character spoke, it would say their role/relationship so you didn't forget. That was very appreciated.
I don't feel like the documentary format translates well to a written book. This is the second book recently that I've read in this style, basically reading a script or transcript. It is so, so much telling, which takes me out of the story and makes me more of an observer than a participant. One of the other issues I have is that the foreshadowing is occasionally so blatant that it ruins what is coming up, and sometimes it's not even foreshadowing, it's clear what happened. Because everyone participating in the documentary already knows the outcome of the situation, it's just the reader who is in the dark and that never works for me. It makes the exposition clunky. For example, they tell us almost from the start that Sara is dead. That is a huge reveal that should have been saved to give suspense, because when it actually happened it was totally anticlimactic.
The core story is decent and I was interested throughout, I just didn't love the way it was presented. I feel like authors are trying to capitalize on the true crime/podcast/documentary popularity, but it takes finesse to make it work on the page and this just wasn't it unfortunately. There's a bit of social commentary that is fairly intriguing and does elevate the book, and it is quite fast paced so very easy to read.
Overall, some good and some not-so-good, if this format works for you then you might love it.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Ten years after teenager Sara Parcell goes missing, a documentary is produced to dissect what happened during and after that event. Each of the key players is interviewed and the shocking events of that situation are brought to light.
To make matters a little confusing, this book's "documentary" features events surrounding the making of a different documentary series when the event happened. It took me a minute to get into the groove of what was going on, but fortunately it became clear fairly quickly. It really helped that there was a glossary of the characters at the beginning, and then when every character spoke, it would say their role/relationship so you didn't forget. That was very appreciated.
I don't feel like the documentary format translates well to a written book. This is the second book recently that I've read in this style, basically reading a script or transcript. It is so, so much telling, which takes me out of the story and makes me more of an observer than a participant. One of the other issues I have is that the foreshadowing is occasionally so blatant that it ruins what is coming up, and sometimes it's not even foreshadowing, it's clear what happened. Because everyone participating in the documentary already knows the outcome of the situation, it's just the reader who is in the dark and that never works for me. It makes the exposition clunky. For example, they tell us almost from the start that Sara is dead. That is a huge reveal that should have been saved to give suspense, because when it actually happened it was totally anticlimactic.
The core story is decent and I was interested throughout, I just didn't love the way it was presented. I feel like authors are trying to capitalize on the true crime/podcast/documentary popularity, but it takes finesse to make it work on the page and this just wasn't it unfortunately. There's a bit of social commentary that is fairly intriguing and does elevate the book, and it is quite fast paced so very easy to read.
Overall, some good and some not-so-good, if this format works for you then you might love it.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
July 16, 2023
(3.5) True-crime novels are having a big moment, and Kill Show wades into this increasingly crowded field with a relatively underused hook: a documentary TV series, the fictitious Searching for Sara. The show, broadcast in real time, became a phenomenon. It changed the lives of everyone involved: the family of a missing girl suddenly catapulted to a very strange kind of ‘fame’; the producer who built a career on the back of Searching for Sara’s notoriety; the residents of a small town suddenly overrun with media and conspiracy theorists. Kill Show purports to be an oral history of the show, documenting its effect alongside the fate of the girl at its heart, 16-year-old Sara Parcell.
Kill Show is compulsive reading – fast-paced, full of revelations, lots of characters, the plot rarely pausing for breath. This makes it a very compelling book, yet ultimately a little empty as a story, because we never learn who any of these people are beyond archetypes. The voices also don’t come across distinctly; these very different individuals all talk suspiciously similarly (this would probably be much less of a problem in audiobook format). Unlike recent novels in the same space – think True Crime Story, Six Stories, Penance – it doesn’t attempt any metatextual analysis beyond gesturing towards the idea that any engagement = consumption = perpetuation. Definitely worth a look if you enjoy stories of this type, but more of a beach read than a meaningful examination of true-crime-as-entertainment.
I received an advance review copy of Kill Show from the publisher through Edelweiss.
Kill Show is compulsive reading – fast-paced, full of revelations, lots of characters, the plot rarely pausing for breath. This makes it a very compelling book, yet ultimately a little empty as a story, because we never learn who any of these people are beyond archetypes. The voices also don’t come across distinctly; these very different individuals all talk suspiciously similarly (this would probably be much less of a problem in audiobook format). Unlike recent novels in the same space – think True Crime Story, Six Stories, Penance – it doesn’t attempt any metatextual analysis beyond gesturing towards the idea that any engagement = consumption = perpetuation. Definitely worth a look if you enjoy stories of this type, but more of a beach read than a meaningful examination of true-crime-as-entertainment.
I received an advance review copy of Kill Show from the publisher through Edelweiss.
September 8, 2023
Publication date: October 3, 2023
What an interesting and engaging concept. A young girl's disappearance is told years after the event via interviews with the people involved. It would seem to be a dry way of developing interest in the characters, but it works. Put this one on your "gotta have it list."
My thanks to the aurhor, Daniel Sweren Becker, and the publisher, Harper, from whom I received my ARC of this book. # Goodreads Giveaway
What an interesting and engaging concept. A young girl's disappearance is told years after the event via interviews with the people involved. It would seem to be a dry way of developing interest in the characters, but it works. Put this one on your "gotta have it list."
My thanks to the aurhor, Daniel Sweren Becker, and the publisher, Harper, from whom I received my ARC of this book. # Goodreads Giveaway
December 17, 2023
Kill Show is a unique look at our current obsession with anything involving true crime and the documentaries that exploit it for ratings. A fast paced read, presented in an interview format; it looks at the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a young girl from her high school, ten years earlier. It really holds a mirror up to all of us who can become caught up in the hysteria of it all.
Recommended
Recommended
October 9, 2023
Kill Show was an unexpected surprise! Told in interviews, this fictional true crime book was completely engrossing. I had to know how it all played out and what really happened to Sara. The audio was phenomenal and had a full cast. It was the perfect October read! Highly recommend you check this one out. It just came out this week and at barely 200 pages, you are sure to fly through it.
Thanks to Harper Books for the copy!
Thanks to Harper Books for the copy!
September 23, 2023
I think the scariest thing about Daniel Sweren-Becker's propulsive, brutal thriller is how quickly I know I'd watch a reality show following real people in the midst of an investigation to find their missing daughter. Honestly? I'm more than a little surprised some reality tv producer hasn't tried it already.
What true crime lover wouldn't be immediately obsessed with cameras following every second of an actual investigation as it happens in real time? The arm chair detectives would be falling all over themselves with theories and suspect breakdowns on reddit and Facebook mom's would be salivating to see who's GoFundMe could raise the most money. Every home in America would be glued to their televisions "Searching for Sara."
Which is exactly what happens when reality tv producer Casey Hawthorne get's missing teen Sara Prentiss's parents to sign on the dotted line.
This is a fascinating take down of the true crime industry and a hard look at just what it is about other people's pain and suffering we find so fascinating. Written as a series of interviews conducted by an author researching Sara's disappearance and the ensuing chaos that was the direct result of "Searching for Sara" Sweren-Becker is quick to point out that no one is really innocent in contributing to the tragedy. The nameless author interviews everyone from Casey herself to the boy across the street to sociology professors weighing in on the ramifications of parasocial relationships.
Frankly it was an effort to remember I was reading a novel at times. Despite its subject matter the book is never showboaty or melodramatic. Nobody is chucking champagne in each other's faces or stealing each others boyfriends. Cashing in on someone's tragedy is a different kind of reality tv. Its very impressive that Sweren-Becker manages to tell a damn good story while also ferrying the reader through the complexities of modern societies fascination with murder and mayhem and the lengths some people will go to to cash in on the craze.
There's also a real, genuine story of heartbreak and tragedy within the glitz and glam of producing a hit reality show. Crimes always have a ripple effect that touches more than just the victim. Putting the crime in question under the microscope of a television camera forces us all of us to see them. Its telling that those moments are the "purest" in the book and also clearly the most disregarded by everyone else.
Its also dangerously easy to label the heroes and the villain's in a story like this, another intentional move by Sweren-Becker I'm sure. We immediately want to hate Casey with her smarmy yearning to "tell a story that matters" even while she happily sets up the local weirdo as an easy scapegoat but we're also sitting right there lapping it all up, writing our angry opinions online and sharing our brilliant deductions with each other. We keep the true crime machine pumping and we're not showing any signs of stopping.
Now if you'll excuse me I need to decide on a murder podcast for my ride home.
What true crime lover wouldn't be immediately obsessed with cameras following every second of an actual investigation as it happens in real time? The arm chair detectives would be falling all over themselves with theories and suspect breakdowns on reddit and Facebook mom's would be salivating to see who's GoFundMe could raise the most money. Every home in America would be glued to their televisions "Searching for Sara."
Which is exactly what happens when reality tv producer Casey Hawthorne get's missing teen Sara Prentiss's parents to sign on the dotted line.
This is a fascinating take down of the true crime industry and a hard look at just what it is about other people's pain and suffering we find so fascinating. Written as a series of interviews conducted by an author researching Sara's disappearance and the ensuing chaos that was the direct result of "Searching for Sara" Sweren-Becker is quick to point out that no one is really innocent in contributing to the tragedy. The nameless author interviews everyone from Casey herself to the boy across the street to sociology professors weighing in on the ramifications of parasocial relationships.
Frankly it was an effort to remember I was reading a novel at times. Despite its subject matter the book is never showboaty or melodramatic. Nobody is chucking champagne in each other's faces or stealing each others boyfriends. Cashing in on someone's tragedy is a different kind of reality tv. Its very impressive that Sweren-Becker manages to tell a damn good story while also ferrying the reader through the complexities of modern societies fascination with murder and mayhem and the lengths some people will go to to cash in on the craze.
There's also a real, genuine story of heartbreak and tragedy within the glitz and glam of producing a hit reality show. Crimes always have a ripple effect that touches more than just the victim. Putting the crime in question under the microscope of a television camera forces us all of us to see them. Its telling that those moments are the "purest" in the book and also clearly the most disregarded by everyone else.
Its also dangerously easy to label the heroes and the villain's in a story like this, another intentional move by Sweren-Becker I'm sure. We immediately want to hate Casey with her smarmy yearning to "tell a story that matters" even while she happily sets up the local weirdo as an easy scapegoat but we're also sitting right there lapping it all up, writing our angry opinions online and sharing our brilliant deductions with each other. We keep the true crime machine pumping and we're not showing any signs of stopping.
Now if you'll excuse me I need to decide on a murder podcast for my ride home.
October 10, 2023
fiction writers trying to capitalise on the zeitgeisty true crime podcast/docuseries obsession is becoming a real Thing at the moment and it’s not hard to understand the popularity of the #content: these books are typically very easy to read, easy to write (you don’t need to be a particularly decent prose writer when your novel is entirely made up of faux interview transcripts lol), the mystery hook is immediately compelling, there’s little of the ickyness attached to actual true crime, etc. i do really get the appeal (<- bad personality) and granted i often pick them up when i’m in the mood to read something quick and unchallenging but even so i find myself getting frustrated at just how low the bar is for this kind of book. this one is an especially shitty example - if your novel is entirely told in an oral history format which again is very uncomplicated to write then surely the least you can do is make the characters sound different from one another or even vaguely authentic to their circumstances (an adult man talking about ‘living rent-free in someone’s head,’ a former district attorney referring to the ‘lamestream media’ - really?). on the whole kill show is terribly paced and absolutely resplendent with paper-thin characters, ludicrous motivations, slapdash relationships (being in love with someone after two nights? really?), and nonsensical story beats (a reality show going from initial idea to fully produced & airing within about a two-day timespan? really????). might have given it two stars because honestly my expectations weren’t all that high going in but i think it’s so condescending whenever true crime adjacent media ends with someone directly addressing the consumer to accuse them of being ~part of the problem~ by reading the book/watching the tv show/etc. like sure the readiness of the masses to digest awful things as entertainment is worthy of discussion generally but let’s not pretend like you didn’t create & market the entire thing because you wanted people to give you views and money! and this is doubly fucking stupid in fiction So.
March 7, 2024
Audio is definitely the way to go with this. Full cast narration. Reads like a true story, with so many shocking twists and turns
December 7, 2023
**ARC of this book provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review**
How do you rate a book that is quite unique but have some major problems?
Sixteen year old Sara Parcell goes missing and search for her, broadcasted by national TV, captivates American public. 10 years later a series of interviews with the participants of those events reveal what happened. The book reads like a transcript of docuseries with no narration and just snippets of interviews with parents, TV production crew, local police officers and Sara's friends intertwined together and following the timeline of the events.
Obviously the first thing that stands out is a narration type and while I quite enjoyed it, it had some issues - mainly with over explaining certain plot points. If you don't want to be repeatedly hit over your head with the statements about immorality of true crime genre (podcasts, docuseries, books, you name it) then skip this book. There is also this moment at the end of the book when one of the characters starts dissecting the relationship of two other people and it felt quite bizarre - like author wanted to make sure that you will understand what happened there but instead of believing in your ability to figure it out yourself he decided to provide you with info-dump. No bueno.
The biggest issue I have with this book is that majority of the female characters do not feel like women and more like how author imagines women. I usually don't notice this but here for some reason it felt very perceptible. The off-handed comments about tampons, Sara's friends still speaking like teenagers even though they should be 26 year old when "the interviews" were done, TV series producer being almost cartoonishly aggressive but deep inside yearning for love - it just did not feel right. Fortunately I am not really aggravated by this so I was still able to enjoy this book.
Overall its quite short, pretty well done story with some important message that will probably stay with you for a while. Worth your time.
How do you rate a book that is quite unique but have some major problems?
Sixteen year old Sara Parcell goes missing and search for her, broadcasted by national TV, captivates American public. 10 years later a series of interviews with the participants of those events reveal what happened. The book reads like a transcript of docuseries with no narration and just snippets of interviews with parents, TV production crew, local police officers and Sara's friends intertwined together and following the timeline of the events.
Obviously the first thing that stands out is a narration type and while I quite enjoyed it, it had some issues - mainly with over explaining certain plot points. If you don't want to be repeatedly hit over your head with the statements about immorality of true crime genre (podcasts, docuseries, books, you name it) then skip this book. There is also this moment at the end of the book when one of the characters starts dissecting the relationship of two other people and it felt quite bizarre - like author wanted to make sure that you will understand what happened there but instead of believing in your ability to figure it out yourself he decided to provide you with info-dump. No bueno.
The biggest issue I have with this book is that majority of the female characters do not feel like women and more like how author imagines women. I usually don't notice this but here for some reason it felt very perceptible. The off-handed comments about tampons, Sara's friends still speaking like teenagers even though they should be 26 year old when "the interviews" were done, TV series producer being almost cartoonishly aggressive but deep inside yearning for love - it just did not feel right. Fortunately I am not really aggravated by this so I was still able to enjoy this book.
Overall its quite short, pretty well done story with some important message that will probably stay with you for a while. Worth your time.
September 9, 2023
Before starting this I have to admit that I hadn't heard of this author, so I had no idea whether I would like his writing style. I'm happy to say that I did!
The blurb had me interested with it saying it was about a reality/true crime show and I was hoping that we would get some mixed media used in this. Whilst there wasn't any of that, I'm pleased to say that this book had me invested from the start.
It is told like a transcript from a true crime documentary and I loved that. It really made the plot flow so fast and I couldn't put it down as I wanted to see how it would all play out.
I enjoyed how it all unfolded and I found it tense and gripping and I was fully invested throughout.
This is an author to watch for me.
Expected publication 5 October 2023
thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review
The blurb had me interested with it saying it was about a reality/true crime show and I was hoping that we would get some mixed media used in this. Whilst there wasn't any of that, I'm pleased to say that this book had me invested from the start.
It is told like a transcript from a true crime documentary and I loved that. It really made the plot flow so fast and I couldn't put it down as I wanted to see how it would all play out.
I enjoyed how it all unfolded and I found it tense and gripping and I was fully invested throughout.
This is an author to watch for me.
Expected publication 5 October 2023
thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review
September 23, 2023
This was phenomenal. Think Daisy Jones & The Six…. But as a fictional true crime story.
This is a story about a 16 year old girl who goes missing one day without a trace. We get the personal accounts from all of the key players (parents, investigator, friends, and more) and the way the story was structured with an interview format was absolutely compelling. It starts off with the day she goes missing and we start learning details about all of the key players and how the situation unraveled.
This was twisty and unbelievably thoughtful. The author tackled so many aspects of the true crime phenomenon. He addressed many sociological aspects and told a story that isn’t foreign to any of us. He analyzed not only the key players, but us as a society who perpetuates the true crime obsession.
Themes like missing white girl syndrome, the popularity of documentaries, white male fragility, conspiracy theories, and the exploitation of tragedies were all skillfully explored.
This book felt like watching a true crime documentary and you’ll get lost in the vivid details with how close to home this hits. By the end my heart was pounding, my jaw was on the floor, and I was sickened by society.
While this is a work of fiction it was also a stark reminder that this story easily could have been true. Many documentaries are dramatized, but that’s what they do, don’t they? I mean, look at the Dahmer Netflix series; they didn’t exactly stay faithful to the truth.
This book highlights the troubling frenzy that surrounds the disappearance of white girls and women, our collective consumption of these tragedies through documentaries and books, and how profit is made from others’ suffering.
At the end of the day, this was entertaining, but also eye-opening. This had some profound moments and the story itself was shocking. If you are a true crime aficionado - add this to your TBR. This publishes on 10/3/23.
Thank you to the author & Harper Collins for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
This is a story about a 16 year old girl who goes missing one day without a trace. We get the personal accounts from all of the key players (parents, investigator, friends, and more) and the way the story was structured with an interview format was absolutely compelling. It starts off with the day she goes missing and we start learning details about all of the key players and how the situation unraveled.
This was twisty and unbelievably thoughtful. The author tackled so many aspects of the true crime phenomenon. He addressed many sociological aspects and told a story that isn’t foreign to any of us. He analyzed not only the key players, but us as a society who perpetuates the true crime obsession.
Themes like missing white girl syndrome, the popularity of documentaries, white male fragility, conspiracy theories, and the exploitation of tragedies were all skillfully explored.
This book felt like watching a true crime documentary and you’ll get lost in the vivid details with how close to home this hits. By the end my heart was pounding, my jaw was on the floor, and I was sickened by society.
While this is a work of fiction it was also a stark reminder that this story easily could have been true. Many documentaries are dramatized, but that’s what they do, don’t they? I mean, look at the Dahmer Netflix series; they didn’t exactly stay faithful to the truth.
This book highlights the troubling frenzy that surrounds the disappearance of white girls and women, our collective consumption of these tragedies through documentaries and books, and how profit is made from others’ suffering.
At the end of the day, this was entertaining, but also eye-opening. This had some profound moments and the story itself was shocking. If you are a true crime aficionado - add this to your TBR. This publishes on 10/3/23.
Thank you to the author & Harper Collins for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
October 28, 2023
This was one CRAZY book! The unique format made for such a quick and easy read and the storyline kept me turning pages so fast! If you love true crime stories then this one is for you. It was like Dateline and I Survived had a book baby.
January 30, 2024
IT WAS SO GOOD. COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN.
November 27, 2023
A mystery that keeps you turning the pages. The author has constructed what appears to be a true crime story. The narration is accomplished by interviewing the people participating in the events. Sara, a 16 year old, suddenly disappears. The parents are frantic and agree to a reality show to try to find her. There are lots of characters , but the principals really stand out. I found the book suspenseful and well constructed. The only short coming I found was the fact that part of the conclusion is given away when the characters are named in the beginning of the story.
August 31, 2023
I got this ARC from the bookstore I work at yesterday and finished it today.
This is an incredibly unique tale of the “true crime” (fictional) case of Sara Parcell who goes missing in 2013 and how, at the time, it was turned into a reality show as a way to help find her. This book is “written” ten years later and is comprised of interviews from all the main players of the original case.
I have consumed true crime media in various forms for years, so this sparked my interest. This book creates a fascinating perspective of true crime issues that arose as the genre started to take off; who tells these stories, is it really theirs to tell, who gets caught up in the trauma of rehashing cases, who profits, and how the stories are passed through podcasts, tv shows, tiktok etc.
While I enjoy the genre of true crime, I struggle with coming to terms with these issues while also still wanting to consume this type of media. What I found most interesting about this book is how the author examined them intricately, in specific sections, and woven, more generally, throughout the story. It was more about the hindsight and the impact of telling true crime stories and less about the actual case—that’s what kept me reading.
This is an incredibly unique tale of the “true crime” (fictional) case of Sara Parcell who goes missing in 2013 and how, at the time, it was turned into a reality show as a way to help find her. This book is “written” ten years later and is comprised of interviews from all the main players of the original case.
I have consumed true crime media in various forms for years, so this sparked my interest. This book creates a fascinating perspective of true crime issues that arose as the genre started to take off; who tells these stories, is it really theirs to tell, who gets caught up in the trauma of rehashing cases, who profits, and how the stories are passed through podcasts, tv shows, tiktok etc.
While I enjoy the genre of true crime, I struggle with coming to terms with these issues while also still wanting to consume this type of media. What I found most interesting about this book is how the author examined them intricately, in specific sections, and woven, more generally, throughout the story. It was more about the hindsight and the impact of telling true crime stories and less about the actual case—that’s what kept me reading.
July 23, 2024
This book was such a cool social commentary on true crime and violence and how we sensationalize it no matter how involved you’re in it. Definitely full of unlikeable characters, but that’s what makes this fun. I was almost lost a little bit when a couple characters suddenly “make connections”, just to move the plot forward, but I think overall it was everything I wanted Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter to be!
October 25, 2023
I don't know if this suffered because I read it directly after In Light of All Darkness: Inside the Polly Klaas Kidnapping and the Search for America's Child, which was a How to Perfectly and Respectfully Write a True Crime Book masterclass wherein I earned a PhD in forensics, but this was NOT IT for me
tacky and unrealistic and honestly not great. I participate in the true crime genre, but I also enjoy books that have intelligent and critical things to say about the genre and the 'fandom' surrounding it, cos let's be real it can be hugely problematic (also multilayered and nuanced!). whereas this is a book for people who hate people who are into true crime, written by someone who isn't into true crime. tag yourself, are you the unhinged conspiracy theorist, the exploitative reality tv producer, or the pathetic facebook group member girl who feels like she KNOWS the victim? lol
also rattling off a subpar book criticising the zeitgeist so you can cash in on the zeitgeist is the same as participating in the zeitgeist my dude x
tacky and unrealistic and honestly not great. I participate in the true crime genre, but I also enjoy books that have intelligent and critical things to say about the genre and the 'fandom' surrounding it, cos let's be real it can be hugely problematic (also multilayered and nuanced!). whereas this is a book for people who hate people who are into true crime, written by someone who isn't into true crime. tag yourself, are you the unhinged conspiracy theorist, the exploitative reality tv producer, or the pathetic facebook group member girl who feels like she KNOWS the victim? lol
also rattling off a subpar book criticising the zeitgeist so you can cash in on the zeitgeist is the same as participating in the zeitgeist my dude x
September 25, 2023
Thank you to @thoughtsfromapage for access to this traveling galley through the Patreon group.
This book explores the seen and unseen ramifications of social media and reality television on a missing person investigation.
The book is written as “interviews” with different characters which was a really interesting way to read this story. The documentary style epistolary is written roughly a decade after the events transpired and is looking back as it all unfolded.
This is anything but glamorization of these current ways of communication. It shows how obsessed society is with true crime and the dangerous effects of same.
This was a quick, compelling and page turning read. But I do have to admit that the style lost a little of it’s sparkle towards the end.
I still highly recommend this one for its ability to shock you, engage you and bring you to the forefront of so called reality shows.
This is not a somber read- but it’s also not a light read as it deals with heavy subjects. Pub date: 10.5.23.
This book explores the seen and unseen ramifications of social media and reality television on a missing person investigation.
The book is written as “interviews” with different characters which was a really interesting way to read this story. The documentary style epistolary is written roughly a decade after the events transpired and is looking back as it all unfolded.
This is anything but glamorization of these current ways of communication. It shows how obsessed society is with true crime and the dangerous effects of same.
This was a quick, compelling and page turning read. But I do have to admit that the style lost a little of it’s sparkle towards the end.
I still highly recommend this one for its ability to shock you, engage you and bring you to the forefront of so called reality shows.
This is not a somber read- but it’s also not a light read as it deals with heavy subjects. Pub date: 10.5.23.
July 22, 2024
I enjoyed this! It's clearly looking at how true crime is changing society. Thought it was a fun inventive way of getting a point across!
December 13, 2023
3.5
I listened to this on audio and it was 100% the way to go. It was narrated by a full cast and it was done so well!
Kill Show is a fictional story about a "true crime" event of a missing teen girl. A tv crew quickly options to turn it into a reality tv show as the investigation slowly unfolds. What happens is a mixture of self-protection conflicting with finding of the truth. The ugly comes out as people start airing the dirty laundry.
I was entertained the whole ways through, yet found myself a bit wanting. There were a number of plot points that seemed a bit thin and hard for my rational mind to accept.
This has a lot of characters, basically the whole town from the father to the baker to the principal, but it's not necessary to keep track of who is who because they are labeled and it flows quite well. This felt quite similar to Murder in the Family as far as format goes.
I listened to this on audio and it was 100% the way to go. It was narrated by a full cast and it was done so well!
Kill Show is a fictional story about a "true crime" event of a missing teen girl. A tv crew quickly options to turn it into a reality tv show as the investigation slowly unfolds. What happens is a mixture of self-protection conflicting with finding of the truth. The ugly comes out as people start airing the dirty laundry.
I was entertained the whole ways through, yet found myself a bit wanting. There were a number of plot points that seemed a bit thin and hard for my rational mind to accept.
This has a lot of characters, basically the whole town from the father to the baker to the principal, but it's not necessary to keep track of who is who because they are labeled and it flows quite well. This felt quite similar to Murder in the Family as far as format goes.
October 16, 2023
Kill Show by Daniel Sweren-Becker is the fictional story of a sleepy Maryland town rocked by the disappearance of a teen girl. Desperate for national exposure the family agrees to a true crime reality show. A jarring opening ten years later had this reader questioning if this was fictional or true crime. I was sucked into the unique interview format that follows individual players; The parents, the younger brother, the neighbor, the bus driver, the best friends, the detective, and the tv producer and crew. Everyone is offering a different angle, filling in blanks, and everyone seems to have something to hide.
This is a look at the appetite the public has for true crime and the tv shows that feed that desire. It’s an examination of the thrill of being close to danger, the macabre, and how these stories take on a life of their own. Sweren-Becker does a good job touching on the underbelly, the segment that will deny a crime has taken place. Packed full of unreliable narrators, nuance, shades of gray, misdirection, and twists, it’s a fast, propulsive read. Perfect for fans of The Trade Off by Sandie Jones.
Thank you to my friends at Harper for the review copy!
This is a look at the appetite the public has for true crime and the tv shows that feed that desire. It’s an examination of the thrill of being close to danger, the macabre, and how these stories take on a life of their own. Sweren-Becker does a good job touching on the underbelly, the segment that will deny a crime has taken place. Packed full of unreliable narrators, nuance, shades of gray, misdirection, and twists, it’s a fast, propulsive read. Perfect for fans of The Trade Off by Sandie Jones.
Thank you to my friends at Harper for the review copy!
October 10, 2023
Wow, this book was amazing and gets all the stars from me! Kill Show gave me “A True Crime Story” by Joseph Knox vibes. Kill Show read like a real true crime novel and it was very thought provoking and compulsive. The author did a fantastic job of addressing important themes about society’s obsession with true crime documentaries. I enjoyed the format of the book written in oral history interview style. Pick up this book if you enjoy a small town mystery, plot twists, and true crime tropes.
I received an advanced physical copy from @thoughtsfromapage Lit Lover Patreon Community traveling galley program. Thank you to Cindy Burnett and publisher @harperbooks I appreciated the opportunity to preview this book.
I received an advanced physical copy from @thoughtsfromapage Lit Lover Patreon Community traveling galley program. Thank you to Cindy Burnett and publisher @harperbooks I appreciated the opportunity to preview this book.
October 31, 2023
I’m not a true crime junkie, but when true crime is written at fiction then I guess I am?? I enjoyed the way the story was written with the interviews. It flowed nicely and I wasn’t expecting the outcome. I think a lot was left out which is why it’s not easy to guess where it was going. But that’s also why I didn’t give it more stars because it did leave a lot out. I also hated every character, but I’m assuming it was meant to be that way.
Thank you HarperCollins for my ARC!
Thank you HarperCollins for my ARC!
September 24, 2023
Kill Show by Daniel Sweren-Becker. Thanks to @harperbooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sara Parcell disappears from her high school on morning in Maryland. Her story became a National obsession due to the reality show of the investigation.
I knew I had to read this since it takes place in Frederick, Maryland, a neighboring town of mine. It is faux true crime, which took me a bit to figure out. Written entirely in interviews, it reads true and unravels in real time. I loved the twists and did not expect them. This was a hard story to put down and it read very fast.
“And it was a bleak reminder: Our capacity to imagine what people are capable of is always surpassed by reality.”
Kill Show comes out 10/3.
Sara Parcell disappears from her high school on morning in Maryland. Her story became a National obsession due to the reality show of the investigation.
I knew I had to read this since it takes place in Frederick, Maryland, a neighboring town of mine. It is faux true crime, which took me a bit to figure out. Written entirely in interviews, it reads true and unravels in real time. I loved the twists and did not expect them. This was a hard story to put down and it read very fast.
“And it was a bleak reminder: Our capacity to imagine what people are capable of is always surpassed by reality.”
Kill Show comes out 10/3.
November 21, 2023
Excellent fiction about the impact of true crime on our culture and the communities it happens in. Told in interview style, this book focuses on a teenager disappearance and everything that comes from it.
October 25, 2023
Mark Edwards recently recommended this book whilst on a panel at a book festival so I immediately downloaded it because 9 times out of 10 I have adored Mark’s recommendations.
As an avid reader it’s becoming harder to find something original or different in the crime fiction genre and authors are now beginning to introduce clever new ways to tell their stories. Kill Show is one of these books. Told through character interviews (similar to Daisy Jones and the Six), this story centres around 16 year old Sara Parcell who disappeared one morning on her way to school.
Ten years later twenty-six people who played a role in the events surrounding Sara’s disappearance begin to retell their versions of the truth for an interview. From her parents and brother to her best friends and teachers, the transcripts weave together the story of what happens when a missing teenager and a true crime reality show combine resulting in a series of tragic events.
This is a book with short and snappy chapters and it’s almost impossible to put it down. The reader is transported into the small town of Frederick in Maryland. Jeanette and Dave Parcell, Sara’s parents begin to recall events leading up to their daughters disappearance. With no leads and the police floundering, they are approached by a TV Producer, Casey Hawthorne, who wants to film the family “behind the scenes” capturing their story in real time and airing it nationwide to the public in the hope someone can help find Sara.
Morally, it seems so wrong and awful to think that anyone who is going through such tragedy would even think about agreeing to be part of a reality show at their absolutely lowest, but the Parcell family do and this book looks at the implications and devastation that follow.
I loved each of the characters (all 26), who brought Kill Show to life in such vivid detail and depth. I loved the clever way of telling this story. I loved the plot. I loved the writing. I loved the originality. This is going into my Top 10 books of the year.
Highly recommended.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
As an avid reader it’s becoming harder to find something original or different in the crime fiction genre and authors are now beginning to introduce clever new ways to tell their stories. Kill Show is one of these books. Told through character interviews (similar to Daisy Jones and the Six), this story centres around 16 year old Sara Parcell who disappeared one morning on her way to school.
Ten years later twenty-six people who played a role in the events surrounding Sara’s disappearance begin to retell their versions of the truth for an interview. From her parents and brother to her best friends and teachers, the transcripts weave together the story of what happens when a missing teenager and a true crime reality show combine resulting in a series of tragic events.
This is a book with short and snappy chapters and it’s almost impossible to put it down. The reader is transported into the small town of Frederick in Maryland. Jeanette and Dave Parcell, Sara’s parents begin to recall events leading up to their daughters disappearance. With no leads and the police floundering, they are approached by a TV Producer, Casey Hawthorne, who wants to film the family “behind the scenes” capturing their story in real time and airing it nationwide to the public in the hope someone can help find Sara.
Morally, it seems so wrong and awful to think that anyone who is going through such tragedy would even think about agreeing to be part of a reality show at their absolutely lowest, but the Parcell family do and this book looks at the implications and devastation that follow.
I loved each of the characters (all 26), who brought Kill Show to life in such vivid detail and depth. I loved the clever way of telling this story. I loved the plot. I loved the writing. I loved the originality. This is going into my Top 10 books of the year.
Highly recommended.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
August 17, 2023
My thanks to Cindy at Thoughts From a Page and Harper Collins for an advanced copy of this paperback.
True crime meets an inside look into the media circus that has become so popular in TV, podcasts and books.
16-year old Sara goes missing from one morning from her school and her family is so worried, frustrated that the detective isn't taking this seriously and frantically calling all Sara's friends and searching for her. Sara's little brother posts a video on youTube of his parents in their private grief. The video goes viral and Casey, a film producer, sees it and immediately jumps on a plane to meet the family and follow the story in real time.
So readers follow the missing girl case and her family, as well the media team, the detective, locals, and the many others that come along as popularity in the story rises. Many others meaning therapists, protesters, facebook groupies, and media critics. It makes for a very interesting story that leaves all of us who watch or listen to true crime stories pondering how much media shapes a story.
True crime meets an inside look into the media circus that has become so popular in TV, podcasts and books.
16-year old Sara goes missing from one morning from her school and her family is so worried, frustrated that the detective isn't taking this seriously and frantically calling all Sara's friends and searching for her. Sara's little brother posts a video on youTube of his parents in their private grief. The video goes viral and Casey, a film producer, sees it and immediately jumps on a plane to meet the family and follow the story in real time.
So readers follow the missing girl case and her family, as well the media team, the detective, locals, and the many others that come along as popularity in the story rises. Many others meaning therapists, protesters, facebook groupies, and media critics. It makes for a very interesting story that leaves all of us who watch or listen to true crime stories pondering how much media shapes a story.
August 13, 2023
4.5 | Set a decade after Sara Parcell's disappearance, this book reads like a true crime podcast. This book was so unique, and I preferred it to other books attempting a similar format. I find true crime and the fandom surrounding it so interesting, and this book takes a really unique look at that world. If you want a non-scary, thought-provoking thriller, I highly recommend this one. Perfect for fans of "The Appeal" or anything true crime related. I also think it would make a great audiobook.
Thank you to Harper for my copy.
Thank you to Harper for my copy.
Read
November 17, 2023The pages fly by in this riveting fictional true crime novel that expounds upon America’s obsession with mystery and mayhem. Sara Purcell, a sixteen-year-old violin prodigy, goes missing, and her brother’s viral video transforms her disappearance into a national sensation. A reality show production team comes out to film the search in real time, and the situation and the people involved only get crazier from there.
This book is a wild ride, full of diabolical twists and turns, and at times it feels more real than reality. The story is conveyed as a series of interviews in documentary/podcast style, featuring the perspectives of everyone involved: family, friends, neighbors, teachers, the investigative team, and so forth. The way that people tell the same story in different ways, how their perceptions and memories vary, is psychologically fascinating.
Along with the ingenious narrative form, the mystery itself is expertly plotted, with a perfect use of foreshadowing and a snowballing chain reaction of consequences and exposure, elevating this typical mystery to a whole new level. There’s tension in the mystery, but there’s also tension in the social commentary about how private tragedy is devoured by the public.
Click here to place a hold: Kill Show .
For another disturbing and intricately plotted thriller, try Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll.
This book is a wild ride, full of diabolical twists and turns, and at times it feels more real than reality. The story is conveyed as a series of interviews in documentary/podcast style, featuring the perspectives of everyone involved: family, friends, neighbors, teachers, the investigative team, and so forth. The way that people tell the same story in different ways, how their perceptions and memories vary, is psychologically fascinating.
Along with the ingenious narrative form, the mystery itself is expertly plotted, with a perfect use of foreshadowing and a snowballing chain reaction of consequences and exposure, elevating this typical mystery to a whole new level. There’s tension in the mystery, but there’s also tension in the social commentary about how private tragedy is devoured by the public.
Click here to place a hold: Kill Show .
For another disturbing and intricately plotted thriller, try Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll.
October 10, 2023
I loved this! First of all it’s a nice shorty of a book.
Apparently a script format is my new obsession, it’s entirely written that way and therefore made this a quick easy read.
My goodness the twist about half way 🤯.
The sociologist was an interesting POV, definitely insightful.
Dark ending which of course I also love and I loved how this author ended his last page. Chefs kiss 🤌
Apparently a script format is my new obsession, it’s entirely written that way and therefore made this a quick easy read.
My goodness the twist about half way 🤯.
The sociologist was an interesting POV, definitely insightful.
Dark ending which of course I also love and I loved how this author ended his last page. Chefs kiss 🤌
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