Murder Your Employer
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.
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Rupert Holmes
It’s not often that a bestselling mystery author also happens to be a chart-topping musician, but Rupert Holmes has always defied convention. Known for penning the timeless pop hit Escape (The Piña Colada Song), Holmes took a surprising turn into the world of crime fiction and theater, where his signature blend of wit, suspense, and psychological depth found an entirely new stage.
Born in Northwich, Cheshire, England, and raised in New York, Holmes grew up surrounded by melody and language—his father a U.S. Army bandleader, his mother a British music lover. That early mix of musical rhythm and narrative cadence would later shape his unusual writing style: sharply paced, cleverly constructed, and often laced with dark humor. His stories rarely follow the expected path; instead, they twist and weave, pulling readers deep into puzzles where every character has something to hide.
McMasters Guide to Homicide
At first glance, the McMasters Conservatory might resemble any elite academic institution—ivy-covered walls, rigorous admissions, brilliant minds at work. But behind its genteel façade lies an education unlike any other: this is a school where the curriculum is murder, and the golden rule is simple—only kill those who truly deserve it.
McMasters Guide to Homicide consists of one book and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of one more book. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
