This is a metafictional work that blends a 1970s murder mystery set in a renowned hunting club in upstate New York with lessons on the mystery genre. The author, MSNBC news producer McDorman, is venturing into the realm of fiction for the first time.
The story is narrated through the perspective of Adam McAnnis, a young private detective and Vietnam veteran, who is hired by a guest at the club’s annual Fourth of July event to investigate a potential plot against him. The atmosphere remains uneventful, with the exception of some marijuana use and infidelity in two specific rooms in the clubhouse, until a female guest is discovered dead in the lake, seemingly a suicide. This leads McAnnis into the midst of a murder investigation.
The author of the mystery offers lengthy, knowledgeable commentary, probing into the elements of suspense and anticipation that make up the true excitement of the book. The narrative also explores plot construction, narrative techniques, and references to literary figures such as Shakespeare, Sophocles, Dashiell Hammett, Patricia Highsmith, and others. Despite the intriguing content, it struggles to connect with the murder mystery, which concludes with the reader becoming part of the character ensemble.
