Murder Your Employer
The McMasters Guide to Homicide
By Rupert Holmes
Read by Neil Patrick Harris and Simon Vance
Table of Contents
About The Book
A New York Times bestseller! From Edgar Award–winning novelist, playwright, and story-songwriter Rupert Holmes comes a diabolical thriller with a killer concept: The McMasters Conservatory for the Applied Arts, “a fantasy academy laid out like a combination of Hogwarts, Downton Abbey, and a White Lotus–style resort” (Los Angeles Times) dedicated to the art of murder where students study how best to “delete” their most deserving victim.
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.
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
This reading group guide for Murder Your Employer includes an introduction, discussion questions, and ideas for enhancing your book club. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.
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!).
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
Susan Woog Wagner
Rupert Holmes
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).”
About The Readers
Neil Patrick Harris
Simon Vance
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (February 21, 2023)
- Runtime: 14 hours and 13 minutes
- ISBN13: 9781797149837
Resources and Downloads
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