Table of Contents
About The Book
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.
Reading Group Guide
Introduction
Murder Your Employer, Vol. I of the McMasters Guide to Homicide follows a young Cliff Iverson, out to eliminate his murderous boss, Merrill Fiedler, after discovering his influential role in the deaths of two beloved colleagues. A failed attempt at murdering Fiedler leads Cliff unwittingly into the world of McMasters Conservatory, where an anonymous sponsor pays to have him trained in only the best methods of murder deletion while living on a luxurious hidden campus. Cliff’s journal entries supply many intriguing details of his education, interspersed with omniscient narration. Among many other curious fellows at McMasters, Cliff meets film starlet Dulcie Mown (Doria Maye) and the charming Gemma Lindley, both of whom seek to end the lives of their own employers. Filled with cunning and shockingly empathetic characters, devilish humor, and plenty of wit, this bestselling first foray into the maniacally magnificent world of McMasters is an absolute (and dangerous) delight.
Questions for Discussion
1. Of the three McMasters students featured—Doria Maye, Gemma Lindley, and Cliff Iverson, why do you think the author chose to feature only Cliff as a narrator?
2. The personalities of McMasters students are diverse, more so than one might suspect of murderers-in-training (consider the gentleness of Gemma, or the clumsiness of Cubby). Was there any one student in particular who surprised you in their endeavor to commit a murder?
3. Gemma is, technically, a veteran deletist. Can the Four Enquiries be applied to Gemma’s father’s death?
4. After Fiedler’s death, Cliff declares that he died not at someone else’s hands but by suicide. Why do you think Cliff felt it important to make this distinction?
5. Keeping the Four Enquiries in mind, do you believe Cliff is truly guilty of committing a murder?
6. Why do you think the author chose to set the story during the 1950s?
7. Judd Helkampf comes quite close to deleting Cliff and Gemma. At a school that teaches the art of murder, why was Judd scolded and himself deleted for appearing to be a rather quick study?
8. Throughout the book, there are several references to Biblical scripture. What is the significance (and, possibly, the irony) of this?
9. Toward the end of the book, Lilianna Horvath proves to be a rather significant character. Did you ever suspect Liliana to be Cliff’s sponsor? Why, or why not?
10. Gemma is allowed to return to McMasters as a student counselor, even after failing to complete her master’s thesis. Does this rare exception made for Gemma appear to align with McMasters’ values or depart from them?
11. What role do personal and moral values play in this book, particularly in the journeys of Gemma and Cliff?
Enrichment Activities
1. This novel is being made into a movie, and you are the casting director. Create a list of ten characters—including Cliff, Gemma, Doria, Judd, and Dean Harrow—and assign actors to each of them. Discuss your selections together.
2. You are starting your own school for murder (er, deletion). Rewrite the Four Enquiries to suit your purposes, then share with the group. Best to do this in a group with a delicious cocktail (but not a poisonous one!).
About The Author
Rupert Holmes’s New York Times bestseller, Murder Your Employer (the first volume in his new McMasters Guide to Homicide series), was also a Top Ten on the Indie Bestseller List, the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Houston Chronicle, and Associated Press. Holmes has received two Edgar Awards from the Mystery Writers of America, and multiple Tony® and Drama Desk Awards for his Broadway mystery musicals, including Curtains and his Tony® award–winning Best Musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood. His first novel, Where the Truth Lies, was nominated for a Nero Wolfe award for Best American Mystery Novel, was a Booklist Top Ten Debut Novel, and became a motion picture starring Colin Firth and Kevin Bacon. His second novel, Swing, included his own original, clue-bearing musical score. His stories have been anthologized in Best American Mystery Stories, On a Raven's Wing, A Merry Band of Murderers, Dead Man’s Hand, and Christmas at the Mysterious Bookshop. Holmes has adapted Agatha Christie, John Grisham, and R.L. Stine for the Broadway and international stage. His lyrics have been published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and EQ anthologies, and he is also the writer/vocalist of several Top Ten hits, including his Billboard #1 multi-platinum classic with a memorable twist-ending: “Escape (The Pina Colada Song).”
Product Details
- Publisher: Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster (February 21, 2023)
- Length: 400 pages
- ISBN13: 9781451648232
Raves and Reviews
“Holmes is a gifted wordsmith whose latest is a top-notch read that both entertains and amuses. . . . Delightfully wicked . . . An amusing and cheeky tale with excellent pacing replete with droll observations.” —Library Journal (starred review)
“This will be one of the funniest books of the year.” —CrimeReads, “Most Anticipated Crime Fiction of 2023”
“If the illustrations of Edward Gorey came to life, they would be in the same neighborhood as this ‘Poison Ivy League’ college. . . . Although this beautifully designed DIY manual is full of twists, the emphasis is on comedy . . . but the extraordinary Holmes can pull the heartstrings too. . . . You will love this gigglesome guide to the graves of academe.” —The Times (London)
“How has no one thought of this before? Murders set at an imaginary academy set up to train murderers . . . Holmes delights in wordplay that includes puns, literary terms, cultural references, and twists. . . . As Holmes takes hairpin turns from irony back to sincerity for his three McMasters pupils, his zany storytelling will delight fans of The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett, all Sherlock Holmes stories, and even those who love tales of arcane and Gothic institutions.” —Bethanne Patrick, NPR
“A funny, fast-paced, flip-the-playbook mystery in which three ordinary citizens are trained in murder on a luxurious hidden estate . . . a fantasy academy laid out like a combination of Hogwarts, Downton Abbey, and a White Lotus–style resort. . . . Holmes can clearly do anything.” —The Los Angeles Times
“Edgar winner Holmes 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’ . . . [the] farcical plotting, idiosyncratic characters, and witty, stylish prose combine for a fun, frothy read. Fans of humorous historical fiction will be well entertained.” —Publishers Weekly
“Highly entertaining . . . This clever novel imparts revelations from the clandestine McMasters Conservatory, which provides students of all ages with a well-rounded education on the necessary skills to complete their ‘final thesis’ . . . Warning: readers could die laughing.” —Shelf Awareness
“From the fiendishly funny hand of the Edgar- and Tony-winning Holmes (The Mystery of Edwin Drood) . . . [this] thriller is delightfully dark and compelling. . . . Perfect for readers looking for something very different.” —Booklist
“Mega-talented Rupert Holmes has mastered just about every entertainment genre with the awards to prove it. . . . Holmes dips back into the mystery genre with the droll, tongue-in-cheek Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide . . . [turning] the genre upside down by making us root for the killers. . . . The brisk plot smoothly stays on point while Holmes adds bits of farce, quirky characters and a style and sense of place that evoke the 1950s. Murder Your Employer is enhanced with illustrations by Anna Louizos, who designed the sets for the Broadway production of the musical Curtains.” —Sun-Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale)
“A case study in the droll amusements of homicide, Rupert Holmes’s send-up of higher education and even higher crimes and misdemeanors will keep you up at night—alternately turning pages and checking to make sure the front door is locked.” —Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked
“With dry humor and an eye for hidden clues, Rupert Holmes imagines a secret Hogwarts-like school that teaches the fine art of pulling off the perfect (and perfectly deserved) murder. An utterly creative and deliciously diabolical read.” —Alafair Burke, New York Times bestselling author of Find Me
“A college with a degree in Homicide? Only Rupert Holmes could make murder laugh-out-loud funny. This book isn't clever—it's fiendishly clever. And the twists and tricks and endless surprises make me want to sign up for another semester!” —R.L. Stine, author of Goosebumps and Fear Street
“A delightful introduction to the McMasters Conservatory . . . To better understand McMasters, consider it the Harvard of Homicide, the Stanford of Stabbing, or the Princeton of Poisoning. . . . Holmes’ newest novel is a satirical masterpiece. His wry wit and sarcastic sense of humor are on full display. As a mystery writer, Holmes executes misdirection expertly, leading the reader in several directions at once. His stabbing commentary on academia is cut-throat. Holmes kills it in this entertaining tale. For readers looking for a fast and fun book that will slay your funny bone, check out Murder Your Employer. All puns intended.” —Portland Book Review
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