Review of 'The Mushroom Murders' by Greg Haddrick

Review of 'The Mushroom Murders' by Greg Haddrick

Release date: October 7th, 2025

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

REVIEW

There has been a massive amount of media coverage about Erin Patterson who was accused and convicted of murdering her ex-husband’s family with poisonous mushrooms during a luncheon she hosted. The magnitude of this crime stunned and horrified locals but also rocked the world. For yes, this Australian case received international attention and as one would expect, spurred a number of documentaries and books exploring and analysing the woman and her crimes.

One such book is by crime writer Greg Haddrick. This was such an interesting approach to tell the story of Erin Patterson from the viewpoint of a fictional jury member. The author takes us through each step, including the extensive and intense jury selection process. We are given the opportunity to explore and be reminded of what a person would be thinking going during the whole ordeal. And once past the initial hurdles, what you would face during the trial if you were chosen for this case. And yes it would have been difficult to remain impartial, considering all the media hype that occurred beforehand. Those involved certainly had their challenges. But Greg’s approach puts us in the driver’s seat with all the questions and observations that anyone would have. And in doing so, draws us inside as if we were experiencing the event.

Without recounting here Erin’s whole character, actions and personality, I found the author gave us plenty to consider in looking at her life, her two faces, the people she worked with, her husband and children, her in-laws, and the steps she took that ended in her crimes. The acts, lies and denials were mind blowing. One question that remains is why did she do it?  Justice Beale during the sentencing tells her, “only you know why you committed them”.

The Epilogue offers such vital information that the jury was not given during the trial. But four weeks after the guilty verdict occurred, material labelled inadmissible in the pre-trial was released along with the reasons why Justice Beale chose to remove this evidence. We can understand his rationale but see that her previous attempts on her husband just verified she had tried the poisoning food method before and got away with it. But this time, things went very different for her. If there was any doubt of a ‘guilty’ verdict in anyone’s minds, this newly made known information certainly cemented the decision further and confirmed the jurors made the right call. And the camera footage of her dumping items after the meal at the tip—away from her home raised more suspicion. Since the contents could not be verified, it could not be used.

I found the study of this case taught a lot about the legal system, how it works and the whys behind certain actions. It laid out the process in an organised and clear way. Also the events were presented in a chronological manner that help us get a better picture of what went on inside the trial and in this woman’s life. As Greg Haddrick uncovers and presents the facts, lies and deceptions surrounding the crime, we also get to see the mistakes Erin made that became her undoing. As the fictional juror says, who in their right mind would feed their kids the meal (yes, with pieces removed) that caused others to become violently ill (and die) if she did not know which serves had the poisoned mushrooms? And the whole plate thing of hers being different so that she could single out her own meal, raises more thoughts. Without doubt, the revelations at times startled and disturbed me.

This insightful non-fiction delivery by Greg Haddrick is an intriguing read and those who want to explore more about the Australian crime case of the century, will find it helpful and easy to follow. The author has done an amazing job with such a difficult topic and handled it with clarity and creativity. 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Allen & Unwin for the review copy.