1 of 2 copies available
Who hasn't wondered for a split second what the world would be like if a person who is the object of your affliction ceased to exist? But then you've probably never heard of The McMasters Conservatory, dedicated to the consummate execution of the homicidal arts. To gain admission, a student must have an ethical reason for erasing someone who deeply deserves a fate no worse (nor better) than death. The campus of this "Poison Ivy League" college—its location unknown to even those who study there—is where you might find yourself the practice target of a classmate...and where one's mandatory graduation thesis is getting away with the perfect murder of someone whose death will make the world a much better place to live.
Prepare for an education you'll never forget. A "fiendishly funny" (Booklist) mix of witty wordplay, breathtaking twists and genuine intrigue, Murder Your Employer will gain you admission into a wholly original world, cocooned within the most entertaining book about well-intentioned would-be murderers you'll ever read.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Awards
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Release date
February 21, 2023 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781797149837
- File size: 409828 KB
- Duration: 14:13:48
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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November 28, 2022
Edgar winner Holmes (Swing) frames this cheeky 1950s-set crime novel as a self-study guide for those who can’t afford tuition to the McMasters Conservatory for the Applied Arts, a “finishing school for finishing people off” whose location is kept secret from even those enrolled. The book-within-a-book’s author, McMasters dean Harbinger Harrow, chronicles the experiences of three students to educate at-home pupils by example. Baltimore engineer Cliff Iverson, British hospital worker Gemma Lindley, and incognito Hollywood star Dulcie Mown may hail from different walks of life, but all are at McMasters for the same reason: to learn how to kill their sadistic employers without getting caught. Harbinger warns from the start that not all three students will succeed in their respective missions, fostering a sense of mystery surrounding who fails, why they fail, and how spectacularly. Though the book feels overlong, sapping some of its drive, and Holmes never fully commits to his conceit, his farcical plotting, idiosyncratic characters, and witty, stylish prose combine for a fun, frothy read. Fans of humorous historical fiction will be well entertained. Agent: Jennifer Joel, ICM Partners. -
Starred review from June 10, 2024
Edgar Award-winning Holmes (Swing) uses witty wordplay and grim humor as the basis for an elaborately detailed story about three students at a most unusual school. The McMasters Conservatory for the Applied Arts is a secret academy for would-be murderers. This highbrow institute would never use a word so crass as "murder"; instead, its claims that its mission is to educate students on how to ethically "delete" those who meet their criteria. Students leave the school as fully accredited graduates with a final "thesis" project in the real world--and the completed thesis is often displayed in an attractive urn. Told through multiple story lines, the novel follows aeronautic engineer Cliff Iverson, who has been sponsored by an anonymous benefactor to attend the conservatory. Initially appalled by the institute, he attempts to escape but then settles into becoming a star pupil. Two other story lines include characters hoping to delete employers. Holmes's novel creates a richly atmospheric 1950s setting, and narrators Simon Vance and Neil Patrick Harris romp through the material, seemingly having a ball as they deliver the puns and cheeky quotes with perfect pacing and gusto. VERDICT Vance and Harris are a listener's dream team. This rollicking mystery is a must-purchase for all libraries.--Christa Van Herreweghe
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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