When friends and esteemed writers Helen Garner, Chloe Hooper, and Sarah Krasnostein decided to join forces to report on the infamous Mushroom Murders trial, they had no idea what would come of it, a podcast, a book, or maybe nothing at all. But they recorded every conversation, followed all the court proceedings, and diligently commuted from Melbourne to Morwell throughout the entire eleven-week trial.
What emerged is a brilliant, wholly original book. Structured around key chapters that lay out the facts, it then weaves in the transcripts of their recorded conversations. And those conversations are about so much more than the trial itself. They explore what it means to be a journalist covering true crime, what it feels like to sit inside a courtroom day after day, their musings on the infantilisation of true crime, and the uncomfortable question of what might make a woman finally snap. Their dialogue is sharp, thoughtful, and deeply insightful.
I didn’t really follow the Mushroom Murders at the time, certainly not in the way many others did, but as someone who enjoys a dip into true crime (a larger conversation about the ethics and glorification of the genre is far too big for a mini-review!) I was more than happy to sit down with this as my lore and sink straight into the facts. And I can absolutely see why people were so utterly gripped as the case unfolded.
Equally, if you were a fanatic, this book is a must-read. The conversation between these three writers is such rich, intelligent content that it would feel like re-examining the entire case with fresh eyes.
There was certainly a race among publishers to release their Mushroom Murder books this year, but consider this the one worthy of your time. Absolutely loved it. Highly, highly recommend.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.