“When a man dies from a bullet entering his chest, it’s a homicide.
When a man dies from a meteorite landing on his head, it’s a tragedy.
Don’t use bullets. Use meteorites
Don’t commit a homicide. Commit a Tragedy.
-Guy McMaster”
― Rupert Holmes, Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide

While reading review journals, I stumbled upon Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide by Rupert Holmes. My first question: Is this the Rupert Holmes who write ‘Escape (The Pina Colada Song)‘? Answer: it IS the same Rupert Holmes! My second question: what type of book is this? This is the first volume in new mystery series by Holmes. I was intrigued from the start and couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy.

The McMasters Conservatory for the Applied Arts is not your traditional college. You see, no one knows where it is located and they don’t advertise for students like other colleges do. This clandestine, secret college focuses on the art of murder, which isn’t exactly something they wish to be widely known. McMasters does count among their alumni some very powerful people in government, politics, law enforcement, corporations, etc. Its prestigious students spend their time learning how to best ‘delete’ their victim. (‘Delete’ being the McMasters term for murder).

Students selected to attend McMasters must go through a screening process that includes a necessary outline for the ethical reasons they have for wanting to eliminate someone. Their proposed victim must deserve this deadly fate. Once accepted, students are taught a wide range of homicidal arts, giving them a well-rounded knowledge of how to delete their victim in case their murderous graduation thesis necessitates a change. They are charged to get away with the perfect murder. If they fail, deletion is their own fate. Outside of classes, students may find themselves the practice target of a classmate. Students are encouraged to practice their skills on their classmates, although they are warned to stop before completion of their practice deletion. Points are awarded for succeeding, while points are deducted from the practice victim for not being vigilant enough.

Readers are privy to the lives of three McMasters students – Cliff, Gemma, and Dorie – as they traverse their way through their studies on their quests to perfecting their mandatory graduation thesis of deletion of their employer. All three must plan and execute the perfect murder, as well as get away with the crime. Their victim: someone whose deletion will make the world a better place to live for many others.

This first introduction to the world of McMasters was an utter delight. Each character presented has their own reasons for why they want to commit murder. You follow their journeys from their arrivals at McMasters, through their studies, and then their release back into the real world where they attempt to complete their deletion thesis. Holmes has written a tongue-in-cheek story full of murder and adventure told from multiple viewpoints that leave you wondering what the actual truth is.

This title is also available as a Libby eBook.

“After all, when the behavior of another person leaves you no choice but to kill them, their murder is simply involuntary suicide.”
― Rupert Holmes, Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide