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Reviews tagging 'Racism'
How to murder your Boss – McMasters Handbuch zum Morden by Rupert Holmes
19 reviews
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book could use a better editor, much of the narration and exposition is unnecessary and it makes it difficult to get into. There are also way too many puns and quips that slow down the pacing, it's funny but would be so much funnier if someone cut down the amount of punchlines in parentheses. Once the plot got rolling I was genuinely invested in the characters and overall thought it was a fun ride but can't overlook the weird tones of homophobia, transphobia, racism, and pro-life messaging that come through in the last 50 pages.
The book is set in the 1950s and while I imagine the author would justify his choices with that explanation, in the year 2023 there's just no reason to make trans women out to be dangerous, queerness out to be shameful, or suggest an unborn fetus is a whole person. Not to mention a cartoonishly evil woman is granted a second chance just because she's pregnant, to which I say- her unborn kid is better off never meeting her. There are also a few micro-aggresive descriptions of one of the non-white characters, saying her darker skin would help her blend in the dark?? and adding that her complexion would be "helpful for once" which maybe was supposed to be a commentary on racism but the author is a white dude... what compelled him to suggest a woman of color's skin is a negative in her life is beyond me. On top of all of this the book hinges on the idea that McMasters is a top secret institution that will kill you if you let the word out about it, but people are yapping about it the whole book. The rule only sometimes applies and the ending is so corny that even for a corny book, I had a hard time suspending my disbelief.
OH and after a very convoluted murder plot is executed by our (annoyingly perfect) main character, I couldn't help but notice a major hole in the plan that is never addressed. He makes it look like his boss committed suicide with the help of a two page typed suicide note...a typed note is suspicious regardless of context, but they establish moments before that his boss doesn't really know how to type. So much complicated thought went into this plan and it's honestly hard to follow at times, but the book overlooks that obvious blunder.
The book is set in the 1950s and while I imagine the author would justify his choices with that explanation, in the year 2023 there's just no reason to make trans women out to be dangerous, queerness out to be shameful, or suggest an unborn fetus is a whole person. Not to mention a cartoonishly evil woman is granted a second chance just because she's pregnant, to which I say- her unborn kid is better off never meeting her. There are also a few micro-aggresive descriptions of one of the non-white characters, saying her darker skin would help her blend in the dark?? and adding that her complexion would be "helpful for once" which maybe was supposed to be a commentary on racism but the author is a white dude... what compelled him to suggest a woman of color's skin is a negative in her life is beyond me. On top of all of this the book hinges on the idea that McMasters is a top secret institution that will kill you if you let the word out about it, but people are yapping about it the whole book. The rule only sometimes applies and the ending is so corny that even for a corny book, I had a hard time suspending my disbelief.
OH and after a very convoluted murder plot is executed by our (annoyingly perfect) main character, I couldn't help but notice a major hole in the plan that is never addressed. He makes it look like his boss committed suicide with the help of a two page typed suicide note...a typed note is suspicious regardless of context, but they establish moments before that his boss doesn't really know how to type. So much complicated thought went into this plan and it's honestly hard to follow at times, but the book overlooks that obvious blunder.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Transphobia
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Pros: Lighthearted and humorous tone, charming fictional setting with a dark academia/more "grownup" Hogwarts vibe, the bits of the story that focused exclusively on the schooling and classes were the most fun and intriguing!
Cons: The plot wasn't particularly strong and felt somewhat bland at times for a novel centered on "how to murder someone" fictionally of course. I only found one of the three main characters highly likeable, the other two were unremarkable. The resolution at the end left something to be desired in my opinion.
Cons: The plot wasn't particularly strong and felt somewhat bland at times for a novel centered on "how to murder someone" fictionally of course. I only found one of the three main characters highly likeable, the other two were unremarkable. The resolution at the end left something to be desired in my opinion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Sexism, Violence, Sexual harassment
Minor: Racism, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Gaslighting
Set in the 1950s, so sexism is prevalent in heavy doses alongside sexual harassment. Brief racism encounters mentioned also.
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is everything I love in a campy mystery- it’s quirky, laugh out loud funny, and perfectly convoluted. And after finishing it I’ve learned that the author is the same Rupert Holmes who is a 2 time Tony winner and wrote the Piña Colada song. If I believed in such things I’d say it’s proof that god really does have favorites because this man is supremely talented.
The manner is which the story is told could be confusing for anyone not in the right headspace. Primarily it is a manuscript written by the Dean of a university for would-be murderers (aka deletists)- telling the story of three students of the school, all angling to kill their employers, and we learn that one of them will not be successful. Cliff Iverson’s story is told primarily through journal entries as he must document his studies for his sponsor, whereas Gemma Lindley’s and Doria Maye’s (aka Dulcie Mown) stories are told primarily through a third person omniscient narrator. It is implied that these omniscient sections are retellings of their events from undercover agents and former graduates of McMasters. Additionally, the book is split in two clear parts. The first takes place at the school where our student heroes are learning all the skills they need to become well-rounded deletists; the second is their return to the real world where they must complete their thesis (murder) in order to graduate and failure will result in their own deletion.
The only reason I cannot give this a full five stars is the tendency to use underlines to ensure a pun, double entendre, joke, etc lands correctly. It was distracting for me. I will still readily recommend this to anyone looking for a mystery book that takes an unconventional approach to the subject.
The manner is which the story is told could be confusing for anyone not in the right headspace. Primarily it is a manuscript written by the Dean of a university for would-be murderers (aka deletists)- telling the story of three students of the school, all angling to kill their employers, and we learn that one of them will not be successful. Cliff Iverson’s story is told primarily through journal entries as he must document his studies for his sponsor, whereas Gemma Lindley’s and Doria Maye’s (aka Dulcie Mown) stories are told primarily through a third person omniscient narrator. It is implied that these omniscient sections are retellings of their events from undercover agents and former graduates of McMasters. Additionally, the book is split in two clear parts. The first takes place at the school where our student heroes are learning all the skills they need to become well-rounded deletists; the second is their return to the real world where they must complete their thesis (murder) in order to graduate and failure will result in their own deletion.
The only reason I cannot give this a full five stars is the tendency to use underlines to ensure a pun, double entendre, joke, etc lands correctly. It was distracting for me. I will still readily recommend this to anyone looking for a mystery book that takes an unconventional approach to the subject.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Murder, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia, Racism, Suicide, Transphobia, Alcohol
Death, murder: I hope if these trigger you that you haven’t picked this book up. Multiple people will be murdered in this book, with specific details as to how it was done included.
Sexual harassment: Doria’s target Leonid Kosta exploits women looking to break into the film industry to lure them to his home. He also uses refusal of his advances against her, thus resulting in her desire to kill him. Gemma’s target Adele Underton essentially pimps her out (using blackmail) to a big wig coming to the hospital to secure them more funding. Gemma does not go through with it.
Sexual assault: Cliff’s target Merrill Fiedler regularly uses his station to entice women to his bed (or office). He also drugs them so they’re unaware as he takes photos of them in a compromised state that he can later use as blackmail when he wants them to go away so he can victimize someone else, but also as a threat to keep them under his thumb.
Injury: Gemma is nearly strangled at the school. Later she is hit with cinder blocks from 3-4 stories off the ground. Other injuries occur including a few poisonings, plus the murders themselves.
Alcohol: They drink occasionally. Alcohol is mainly used as a method of concealing poison.
Homophobia: There is clearly shame given to same sex partners that would be period appropriate. They are minor mentions.
Racism: Gemma notes that it’s acceptable that her white father married a woman of color but that it would not have been so if their races had been reversed. Some microaggressions about her mixed race in her real life.
Suicide: Cliff’s crush Cora overdosed on pills due to his murder target’s blackmail.
Transphobia: Police make some comments about the “evidence” left at one of the crime scenes showing how the murderer must be a man masquerading as a woman. They toe the line between homophobia and transphobia depending on if they believe the target knew about the guise, which is all manufactured evidence anyway.
dark
funny
Very unique, funny but dark. McMasters is kind of like Hogwarts for murderers, where they teach you all the arts needed to complete a "deletion." Has you rooting for the students!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Racism
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really, really liked this book! The characters were funny, the plotting was tense, and the ending was fantastic. Saying too much more would spoil things.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Classism
Moderate: Racism, Rape, Sexism, Suicide, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia, Transphobia
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Suicide, Sexual harassment
Minor: Racism, Transphobia
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Murder, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Racism, Pregnancy, Alcohol
Minor: Animal death, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As a mystery fan, this book sank its hooks into me from the very beginning. The world-building, fascinating information, and characters are so in-depth, they drew me in as if I was really there. I'd never commit murder, but it was such fun being immersed into the world and learning along with the students that I really wanted to study at the school. And though all the characters we follow are planning for and enacting murders, I couldn't help but root for them when the time came. I loved this book and I am very excited to know that there will be more to come!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder
Minor: Homophobia, Racism
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Wryly humorous, darkly satisfying, and only a bit too clever for it's own good, MURDER YOUR EMPLOYER is an ambitious and entertaining murder mystery turned inside out. Readers of this case study guide to homicide follow three would-be student assassins in the 1950s as they study, train, and enact their final murderous theses to successfully matriculate from McMasters Conservatory of the Applied [Homicidal] Arts. McMasters is a [poison] Ivy League-calibre "finishing school for finishing people off." The course work is high stakes but each student has such a deserving thesis subject that we can't help but root for high marks.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Suicide, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment
Minor: Racism, Pregnancy
Blackmail, assisted suicide, organized crime, vigilante justice, and a scene that plays too dangerously close to homophobic/transphobic for Reasons (those being context, motivation, and era)