Kill Show
Harper
October 3, 2023
Hardcover
240
Free from publisher
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.
My review:
If you've been following my reviews for awhile, you may have noticed that true crime is not a genre I delve into often. It's not a subject that I'm that drawn to, and I don't like to read about violence and gore, which is often present in the stories. This book caught my eye mostly because I really enjoy novels that are told in a medium other than just standard writing. This one is told completely through interviews garnered ten years after the initial disappearance of Sara. It's a good change of pace to read a book told in a different format, and this one was done really well. I was completely engaged throughout, and there were many turns I didn't see coming that kept me flipping pages. It is a short read, due to the interview style and the page count, but I think I would have burned through it even if had it been longer. I will say that I was settled on a 4 star rating until the very last page (and no it's not a giant twist so don't read ahead!). That last interview really hit home as a book consumer, and I knew my rating had to change to 5 stars.
I highly recommend this to anyone who likes true crime, reality tv, and a different writing format. There isn't any grisly parts for those like me that tend to steer away from this type of story. A fast read that really packs a punch!
It sounds like a book I'd enjoy. Thanks!