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20+ Works 1,112 Members 42 Reviews 1 Favorited

About the Author

Includes the name: Rupert Holmes

Works by Rupert Holmes

Associated Works

Christmas at The Mysterious Bookshop (2010) — Contributor — 240 copies
The Best American Mystery Stories 2008 (2008) — Contributor — 167 copies
Dead Man's Hand: Crime Fiction at the Poker Table (2007) — Contributor — 52 copies
A Merry Band of Murderers (2006) — Contributor — 21 copies

Tagged

Common Knowledge

Birthdate
1947-02-24
Gender
male
Nationality
UK (birth)
USA
Birthplace
Northwich, Cheshire, England, UK
Places of residence
Nanuet, New York, USA

Members

Reviews

I love caper stories. And this book has not just one, but three! Excellent use of humorous narration, as well. Most satisfying.
 
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Treebeard_404 | 27 other reviews | Jan 23, 2024 |
This was a great read! But really, what else can you expect from Rupert Holmes (yes, THAT Rupert Holmes; he of the piña colada song “Escape”). Add in Doogie Howser, MD as one of the narrators and you’ve got a book that just can’t lose.

I do think the first half of the story was leagues better than the second. I found myself drumming my fingers during parts of the second half, but there were also some good plot reveals in the second half, so I don’t think I can really complain.
 
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ldyluck | 27 other reviews | Jan 6, 2024 |
Murder You Employer begins with an interesting concept, but quickly turns to a tedious journey into the curriculum of this “special” institution. The first story centers a Cliff Iverson, a recently fired worker, who plots to kill his boss who cuts corners in the construction of airplanes. Cliff actually attempts to kill his boss, Merrill Fiedley, by pushing him into the path of a transit train. The act is not successful and people immediately whisk Cliff to some mysterious school where how to murder stands as the field of study. Many words pop into the vocabulary, such as deletist-the person to kill, executor-the actual killer, and executive-the victim. Rupert Holmes inserts too many charts detailing courses of study and explaining rules of the school. Too many twists and turns that created a sense of disorientation. This book falls into a category of oblivion.… (more)
 
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delphimo | 27 other reviews | Dec 27, 2023 |
Framed as a how-to manual from the McMasters School, which helps people learn how to delete (they're not so crass as to say "murder") the one person in their life who the entire world would be better without, this tells the story of Cliff Iverson, Gemma Lindley, and Doria Maye, our case studies for how (or, perhaps, how not) to go about murdering one's employer successfully.

My mother doesn't read murder mysteries because she has a problem with making murder entertainment. In my mind, mysteries are more about the puzzle, and the real entertainment is seeing how they're solved. This book, however, makes murder the entertainment, full stop. The whole idea of a McMasters School is done in such a (darkly) humorous way, though, that the reader becomes complicit with the characters completing their "thesis" successfully. I found myself straddling the line between cringing at the whole idea and laughing along. And the ending, I have to say, was pitch-perfect.… (more)
½
 
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bell7 | 27 other reviews | Dec 9, 2023 |

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Statistics

Works
20
Also by
7
Members
1,112
Popularity
#23,104
Rating
½ 3.7
Reviews
42
ISBNs
49
Languages
4
Favorited
1

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