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.
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.

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

Petra is about to be fired from her third job as a newspaper reporter, so in desperation, she pitches an idea to her boss about creating a podcast to investigate the unsolved murder of a friend. Her boss gives her two weeks to prove herself in order to save her job.

I liked Petra until she went to record the first episode of her podcast. Then she started making one bad decision after another. She lied and manipulated, violated journalism ethics, and broke the law. Even though she became such an unlikable character, this book was fast-paced, and I was anxious to find out who the killer was. I was happy with the ending and thought it wrapped the story up very well.

Thank you, @netgalley and @oceanviewpub
for the gifted e-arc of this book!

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for this advanced reader copy.

This week’s headline? Fame over integrity
Why this book? Synopsis sounded interesting as I like crime podcasts
Which book format? ARC
Primary reading environment? Couch
Any preconceived notions? I think I’ll like this?
Identify most with? Ugh
Three little words? “any conscious decision”
Goes well with? Coffee, and lots of it
Recommend this to? I don’t know
Other cultural accompaniments: Serial
Grade: 1.5/5
I leave you with this: “Tonight’s show will be a little different from what you expected”

📚📚📚

Sometimes I wonder why it is that most men are incapable of writing a believable woman character. I’m not sure what I expected when I began reading this but I ended up disappointed. I don’t know what more I can say as I read this quite a bit ago and can’t remember much else besides that and I didn’t care for the main character, which means this book is pretty forgettable.

Killer Story will be published on January 17, 2023.

Okay, I know the true crime podcast trope is everywhere right now. In fact, this is the third book I've read just this month that uses that trope, but if it's done well, I'm not sick of it yet!

What I liked: I loved the pacing of this story. It was a super quick read for me, and it sucks you in right from the beginning, with each chapter propelling you forward. I also liked some aspects of the investigation, and I liked how the story is set in today's climate.

What didn't work for me: Petra, as a character, is awful. I don't mind an unlikable character, but there has to be some redeeming quality that makes me want to root for them. Petra is extremely unlikable, to the point where I was hoping she would fail. I also found her interactions with other characters--mainly her boyfriend - to be difficult to believe. The story felt a bit repetitive as well, and if I were listening to the podcast she was putting out, I would have stopped with the second episode, because it got silly.

Overall, this was a quick, easy read for me. I didn't love the characters and had some issues with the storyline, but if you love the true crime podcast trope and don't mind some extremely unlikable characters, check this one out. It's out now!

4.5 stars. This was a pretty powerful read about the pervasive problems that abound with press, social media, influencers, cancel culture. You have to be willing to go above and beyond in the cutthroat news business, but how far is too far and do the ends truly justify the means? I think our main character was a good person who was trying to do the right thing, but she frequently saw herself at odds between her personal morals and what she was willing to do to get to the truth, and I feel she made some pretty poor (albeit understandable) choices until she was against the wall and had to make life-altering decisions. This was a very immersive story and a definite page-turner.

I love podcasts. I really do. But I would hate one by this protagonist. She has no moral compass and takes the medium to a whole new low. I wish she could have been redeemed. Most of the characters suffer from being stereotypes in a now saturated theme.

Matt Witten you have a really good book with Killer Story. This is a suspenseful thriller that will have you question the reliability of journalism and the press. A fast paced story with characters you will love to hate or maybe just dislike. Mr. Witten’s writing made it hard to put this one down. The characters helped to pull you right into this one! This is my first book by this very talented author. I enjoyed the way he involved the social media and podcast aspect, I learned a lot from this one. There are other aspects going on, including murder, violence, toxic relationships and more. The way he put this one together was fascinating. I look forward to reading more from Matt Witten.

Thank you NetGalley, Matt Witten and Oceanview Publishing for this compelling novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
#netgalley #killerstory. #mattwitten #arc #oceanviewpublishing

Killer Story by Matt Witten

I’ve been a bit behind this year but also trying to give myself more grace when things don’t happen as planned. So cheers to that!

Killer Story follows a journalist who is about to be laid off from her 3rd paper and to save her job she pitches a story/podcast combo in which she solves the murder of an alt-right YouTuber who was killed in her dorm room, a girl she also happened to know.

But so determined to prove herself and keep her job Petra starts destroying other peoples lives left and right, puts herself in danger, and repeatedly makes the wrong choice.

Will she solve the murder? And if so at what cost? Find out when Killer Story release tomorrow 1/17.

Thanks to @netgalley and @oceanviewpub for this advanced reader!!

#BookReview #Bookstagram #MattWitten #KillerStory #OceanviewPublishing #BookishLife #Reading #Bibliophile #BookPhotography #BookRecommendations #Instabooks #BookNerd #Thriller #Fiction

At first I was excited to read this book because books about true crime podcasters seem to be the flavor of the fiction world currently.
I quickly grew to despise the main character, Petra Kovach. Desperate to keep her “journalist” job she casts aspersions on anyone and everyone without credible evidence without nary a care about who she shits on and destroys. This book is labeled fiction but the media describes it in fits the drivel spewed today that is passed off as news.
Petra deserved a much harsher punishment than what she received and she truly was a vampire of lies, deceit, innuendoes, and fabrication.

Killer 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. 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.

Petra Kovach is a young reporter who fears she'll be laid off from her third newspaper job, this time at the Boston Clarion. But Petra pitches the launch of a true crime podcast focusing on an unsolved murder case to save her career. Alt-right YouTuber Olivia was killed in her Harvard dorm room 2 years ago. Petra has a personal connection to Olivia, she was her camp counselor and considered her like a little sister.

At first, Petra’s investigation and early podcast episodes get increasing interest, online clicks and revenue for the newspaper. As her podcast star rises, Petra wonders if can fend off her main rival Natalie, get the fame she deserves & justice for Olivia. Petra is willing to make unethical decisions and crucify her sources and possible murder suspects online and in the ensuing national media coverage. But when her tactics start to backfire, Petra takes one final desperate move to fix everything and save her career at any cost. A disturbing view of the addictive quest for clicks and questionable tactics used by some journalists.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Oceanview Publishing. All opinions are my own.

A thriller that explores a person’s role on social media and the lengths a journalist will go to find a killer and to get her story. This one is short but packs a punch. I drawn in immediately by the epilogue where the author really sets the scene and draws you in. I was keen to find out why Livvy changed so much and what happened to her. It keeps up at a decent pace the whole way through. I was lured in by all the red herrings along the way and taken by surprise by the ending. I was fascinated by behind the scenes of a true crime blog, the rivalries and how cutthroat the journalism industry can be.

I have never had such mixed feelings about a main character before. On one hand I admired Petra’s drive and determination and the way she cared for Livvy. However, the way she treated people, distorted the truth in the name of a good story and some her questionable decisions and actions made her very unlikeable. I was so frustrated by her but I still needed to keep reading to find out what was next! A solid thriller.

4.5 ⭐️‘s
Petra Kovach met Olivia Anderson when Olivia was just fourteen and Petra was a twenty-one year old college senior working as a counselor at a journalism boot camp. All Olivia wanted was to do good in the world and be famous. The two became close and bonded even more over similar family tragedies. Years later when Olivia starts college at Harvard, she’s a totally different person, she’s morphed into a wild extremist creating YouTube videos full of hate. Videos that caught fire as her followers grew exponentially. Soon after Olivia announces big news of a new video dropping, she is found dead in her college dorm. Two and a half years later, Petra is working as an investigative reporter for the Boston Clarion. She’s not had the best luck with jobs and when her back is to the wall once again, she claims she has new information on Olivia’s death and wants a chance to do a podcast. Determined to save and make her career, Petra doesn’t always make the most ethical choices determined to get the scoop before another ambitious young journalist assigned to help with her podcast gets there first. While the world thinks they know who killed Olivia, Petra comes up with a host of new suspects, crossing lines and not caring if people get hurt in the process, Petra is determined to get the justice Olivia deserves, but will she come up with the answers she is so hard pressed for or will she sell her soul for the outcome she is is desperate for. With a plot that could be ripped right out of today’s headlines, Witten once again has a winner of a book. One that grips you fast and holds on tight until the final twist. Well done!! Thank you to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

What a tangled web! It’s a twisted story for sure. I can’t say I really liked any of the characters. Petra and Natalie both annoyed me. The story did keep my attention. I mainly kept reading to find out who the killer really was.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Fantastic story that brings you into the mind and drama on how journalist see things and work. Maybe not as crazy as in this story but then again you never know.
Well written that makes you want to pick it up and read it and get lost in the story.
I truly enjoyed this book.

Thanks to the author,the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

I started Matt Witten's KILLER STORY, put it down. Started it again and read through, aching for someone to like, something to grasp onto in a convoluted, poorly constructed story about Petra, a journalist who is supposedly going to solve a cold case because she is passionate about justice for a person she once knew and also because it will resuscitate a floundering career in publication. Cardboard characters, predictable twists and turns overwhelmed a fascinating premise that needed a powerful, believable protagonist driven by more than the feel good and save herself impulses that characterized this book. Given this experience, I was shocked to discover that earlier work, specifically THE NECKLACE, are tight, interesting, well-written stories. I received a copy of this book and these thoughts are my own, unbiased opinions.

Killer Story by Matt Witten is an edgy thriller focused on a journalist investigating a young woman’s murder. But it is so much more, as the story unfolds under a larger umbrella of the quest for personal integrity balanced with journalistic license.
The protagonist, Petra, is a print journalist who is caught in the imploding newspaper industry. When her younger mentee, Olivia, is found savagely murdered, Petra decides to solve the murder and, in desperation to retain her job, peddles a podcast to her newspaper editor. Along the way, Petra deals with the need for popularity/”clicks” in the social media arena, unscrupulous competitive co-workers, and her fiancée Jonah’s concerns about her obsession with her true-crime podcast.
I very much like the way Matt Witten tells a story, with short, staccato chapters infusing energy into the narrative, and a compulsively readable storyline. The characters are well-drawn—Petra is suitably self-absorbed in her career ups and downs, while unfortunately lacking a solid moral compass. Her fiancée Jonah provides the compass, but she rarely takes the high road in her decisions. It is sometimes uncomfortable to read, as Petra espouses the pursuit of the truth but also destroys reputations with little basis or regard for the consequences. It certainly captures real life in the current world of blogs, vlogs, and sensational digital journalism. This story does expose the dilemma of honest journalists who seek the truth but may not be heard over the clamor of the hungry tabloid media.
The strength of Witten’s story-telling kept me reading intently to the end. Rather than like Petra, though, I was happy to be free of this complicated character, who professes commitment to the truth as she spreads untruths on a larger digital platform. Read this as a well-told cautionary tale for those aspiring to journalistic integrity amid the challenges of the 21st century communications industry.
Witten is an accomplished writer. I recommend this novel, as well as his previous excellent work “The Necklace.”

Thank you to OceanView and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

Killer Story is my first novel by Matt Witten. I picked it up because it features a true crime podcast at its center and that's like catnip for me. Petra is a reporter who is about to lose her job, one of many such losses that she's experienced in recent years. Determined to not be fired she comes up with the idea of doing a podcast on a local murder. Her editor gives her the go-ahead but Petra doesn't really have any information to jumpstart her podcast. Suddenly, she finds herself in over her head trying to solve the murder of the century. Read and enjoy!

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 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.