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Recipe for Murder
THE DEFINITIVE ACCOUNT OF ERIN PATTERSON AND THE MUSHROOM MURDER TRIAL THAT ENTHRALLED THE WORLD
It is the case that has fascinated many.
On 29 July 2023 in Leongatha, a small town in rural Victoria, family and friends of local woman Erin Patterson sit down for Saturday lunch. On the menu, Beef Wellington.
The next day, four of the guests are hospitalised. Doctors suspect death cap mushroom poisoning. Within a week, three of them will be dead.
On 2 November that same year, Erin Patterson is arrested and charged with three counts of murder and five of attempted murder. Held in custody at Dame Phyllis Frost women's prison until her trial began in April 2025, the case captured media attention around the world.
Did Patterson deliberately poison her estranged husband's parents, aunt and uncle?
Was the lunch a recipe for murder? Patterson insisted no. She was innocent of any crime. Not guilty, she declared to the court.
A jury of her peers have now decided the answer to those two questions. So how did a respected country woman come to find her relationships and behaviour dissected by police and prosecutors?
Bestselling author, investigative journalist and former detective, Duncan McNab has sifted through the evidence, spoken to witnesses and attended the nine-week trial.
In this gripping book, McNab expertly explains the sequence of events that left three people dead, a community and family shattered and brought Erin Patterson to stand trial. With forensic detail he reveals why the verdict fell the way it did. GUILTY!
It is the case that has fascinated many.
On 29 July 2023 in Leongatha, a small town in rural Victoria, family and friends of local woman Erin Patterson sit down for Saturday lunch. On the menu, Beef Wellington.
The next day, four of the guests are hospitalised. Doctors suspect death cap mushroom poisoning. Within a week, three of them will be dead.
On 2 November that same year, Erin Patterson is arrested and charged with three counts of murder and five of attempted murder. Held in custody at Dame Phyllis Frost women's prison until her trial began in April 2025, the case captured media attention around the world.
Did Patterson deliberately poison her estranged husband's parents, aunt and uncle?
Was the lunch a recipe for murder? Patterson insisted no. She was innocent of any crime. Not guilty, she declared to the court.
A jury of her peers have now decided the answer to those two questions. So how did a respected country woman come to find her relationships and behaviour dissected by police and prosecutors?
Bestselling author, investigative journalist and former detective, Duncan McNab has sifted through the evidence, spoken to witnesses and attended the nine-week trial.
In this gripping book, McNab expertly explains the sequence of events that left three people dead, a community and family shattered and brought Erin Patterson to stand trial. With forensic detail he reveals why the verdict fell the way it did. GUILTY!
299 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 14, 2025
28 people are currently reading
136 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
March 12, 2026
what happened, in chronological order. not much more. while it's fair to say that this is an appropriate way to approach writing one of these books, it's hard to not feel like there's something fairly dramatic missing here in terms of the writing and the overall vibe of the book.
the first half of the book does a good job of running through the leadup to the fatal lunch and the lunch itself, as well as the lunch itself. patterson is obviously, comically guilty and it's infuriating to read her running around being a self-interested piece of shit who rapidly loses control of the situation. there's a certain amount of schadenfreude at watching her instantly realise that she is out of her depth, and when she's arrested it is extremely satisfying.
the problems really start in the second half of the book. the author writes in a fairly clinical, detached tone, and as a result the book slows to an absolute crawl as we wade through chapter after chapter of uninteresting legal procedure. every single witness gets at least a paragraph, regardless of how meaningful or important their testimony is, and we hear ad nauseum about the affability and politeness of all involved. is this accurate? probably! is it interesting? god no
beyond this there's a lot of shit that simply is irrelevant that gets mentioned constantly. erin was in a lot of facebook groups, and changed her name on there a few times. this is completely irrelevant to the trial but because some of the trial witnesses are from the facebook groups we need to have what feel like dozens of references to these fucking groups. stop mentioning the groups!
i guess the book is the victim of how well the trial was run and the obvious guilt of patterson. there's few surprises, the trial runs smoothly, the police are in rare form in terms of procedural competency and, well, she obviously did it. once things are in motion there's a fairly set outcome and there is no real question of whether she'll be found guilty. as a result the court part of the book feels intolerably dry and drawn out and leaves you with a fairly tedious plod to the end. on the one hand i'm not sure that the author investing more of himself into the book or increasing the emotionality of the story would be necessarily an improvement, but as it is it's like eating ten dry weetbix back to back.
there's a bit towards the end where one of the doctors who'd treated the victims speaks and he says "holy fucking shit, you fucking did it, you crazy bitch, you poisoned them all". it was notable because it was the first time that anyone, at any point of the book, spoke in a tone that felt even slightly appropriate to the tragedy. where is the outrage? where is the grief? everyone feels like they've been taking valium and can't react, there's a strange concussed vibe to the whole thing. why is it only at the very end that we hear someone have a genuine human reaction?
it's a book that will tell you what happened and why, and as a result it's hard to score it lower than a 3. it's entirely functional if heartless, and you should pick it up if you want to get an idea of the case. there will likely be better versions though, if you are happy to wait
ps: the book ends with the author making a pun out of the title saying "erin patterson really had found... a recipe for murder". fuck off!
the first half of the book does a good job of running through the leadup to the fatal lunch and the lunch itself, as well as the lunch itself. patterson is obviously, comically guilty and it's infuriating to read her running around being a self-interested piece of shit who rapidly loses control of the situation. there's a certain amount of schadenfreude at watching her instantly realise that she is out of her depth, and when she's arrested it is extremely satisfying.
the problems really start in the second half of the book. the author writes in a fairly clinical, detached tone, and as a result the book slows to an absolute crawl as we wade through chapter after chapter of uninteresting legal procedure. every single witness gets at least a paragraph, regardless of how meaningful or important their testimony is, and we hear ad nauseum about the affability and politeness of all involved. is this accurate? probably! is it interesting? god no
beyond this there's a lot of shit that simply is irrelevant that gets mentioned constantly. erin was in a lot of facebook groups, and changed her name on there a few times. this is completely irrelevant to the trial but because some of the trial witnesses are from the facebook groups we need to have what feel like dozens of references to these fucking groups. stop mentioning the groups!
i guess the book is the victim of how well the trial was run and the obvious guilt of patterson. there's few surprises, the trial runs smoothly, the police are in rare form in terms of procedural competency and, well, she obviously did it. once things are in motion there's a fairly set outcome and there is no real question of whether she'll be found guilty. as a result the court part of the book feels intolerably dry and drawn out and leaves you with a fairly tedious plod to the end. on the one hand i'm not sure that the author investing more of himself into the book or increasing the emotionality of the story would be necessarily an improvement, but as it is it's like eating ten dry weetbix back to back.
there's a bit towards the end where one of the doctors who'd treated the victims speaks and he says "holy fucking shit, you fucking did it, you crazy bitch, you poisoned them all". it was notable because it was the first time that anyone, at any point of the book, spoke in a tone that felt even slightly appropriate to the tragedy. where is the outrage? where is the grief? everyone feels like they've been taking valium and can't react, there's a strange concussed vibe to the whole thing. why is it only at the very end that we hear someone have a genuine human reaction?
it's a book that will tell you what happened and why, and as a result it's hard to score it lower than a 3. it's entirely functional if heartless, and you should pick it up if you want to get an idea of the case. there will likely be better versions though, if you are happy to wait
ps: the book ends with the author making a pun out of the title saying "erin patterson really had found... a recipe for murder". fuck off!
November 16, 2025
Recipe for Murder by Duncan McNab is a gripping and meticulously researched deep dive into one of Australia’s most disturbing true-crime cases. McNab blends his background in policing and journalism to create a narrative that is both sharply analytical and highly readable, turning court documents and interviews into a story that unfolds with cinematic clarity.
What sets this book apart is McNab’s ability to honour the victims while exposing the dark psychology behind the crime and the complexities of the investigation. The pacing is tight, the insights are compelling, and the storytelling never loses momentum. For true-crime readers who value accuracy as much as atmosphere, Recipe for Murder is an outstanding and unforgettable read.
What sets this book apart is McNab’s ability to honour the victims while exposing the dark psychology behind the crime and the complexities of the investigation. The pacing is tight, the insights are compelling, and the storytelling never loses momentum. For true-crime readers who value accuracy as much as atmosphere, Recipe for Murder is an outstanding and unforgettable read.
December 6, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
It’s so wild to hear all the names of the places mentioned in this book. I grew up in Leongatha and it is a small country town. Very relaxed and quiet. Now it will forever be known as the place of the “mushroom killer”! What a horrible thing to put you on the map 😭 I’m very glad Patterson is in prison where she belongs. The multiple attempts to murder her ex husband is truly diabolical and my heart goes out to the family of those who passed due to her horrible actions. A very thorough and interesting account of this event, a bit long and dragging in it detail at times, but that may be because I already knew quite a lot of the content. If you are interested in this case then this is 100% worth a read!
It’s so wild to hear all the names of the places mentioned in this book. I grew up in Leongatha and it is a small country town. Very relaxed and quiet. Now it will forever be known as the place of the “mushroom killer”! What a horrible thing to put you on the map 😭 I’m very glad Patterson is in prison where she belongs. The multiple attempts to murder her ex husband is truly diabolical and my heart goes out to the family of those who passed due to her horrible actions. A very thorough and interesting account of this event, a bit long and dragging in it detail at times, but that may be because I already knew quite a lot of the content. If you are interested in this case then this is 100% worth a read!
December 28, 2025
On 29 July 2023 in Leongatha, a small town in rural Victoria, family and friends of local woman Erin Patterson sit down for Saturday lunch. On the menu, Beef Wellington. The next day, four of the guests are hospitalised. Doctors suspect death cap mushroom poisoning. Within a week, three of them will be dead.
On 2 November that same year, Erin Patterson is arrested and charged with three counts of murder and five of attempted murder. Held in custody at Dame Phyllis Frost women's prison until her trial began in April 2025, the case captured media attention around the world.
Did Patterson deliberately poison her estranged husband's parents, aunt and uncle?
Was the lunch a recipe for murder? Patterson insisted she was innocent, not guilty. A jury decided otherwise. So how did a respected country woman come to be found guilty of three counts of murder and multiple counts of attempted murder?
Bestselling author, investigative journalist and former detective, Duncan McNab has sifted through the evidence, spoken to witnesses and attended the nine-week trial.
If you are interested in the Erin Patterson case then this book is 100% worth a read! When the media were covering the case I deliberately steered clear of the coverage as I wanted to wait for a book that laid the evidence out in a clear, concise timeline from start to finish. McNab has expertly done this by explaining the sequence of events that left three people dead, a community and family shattered and the evidence that brought Erin Patterson to stand trial. I was surprised to learn that Erin had previously attempted to murder her ex-husband in multiple attempts. I also found it baffling that, despite becoming seriously ill and being hospitalised three times after eating Erin’s cooking, her ex-husband did not warn his parents or express any concerns.
McNab also examines the evidence that was withheld from the jury. While I can understand the desire to keep the charges relating to Erin Patterson’s alleged attempts to murder her ex-husband separate from this trial. It is far more difficult to understand why internet searches for death cap mushrooms and hemlock on her devices were not presented to the jury. Equally baffling is the decision to prevent jurors from knowing that Erin went to the tip immediately after her lunch guests left, despite her household bins being virtually empty. Although it could not be proven exactly what she disposed of, possibly the plates from the meal, which were never recovered by police, surely assessing the significance of this information should have been left to the jury instead of being excluded.
Recipe for Murder by Duncan McNab is a gripping and meticulously researched deep dive into one of Australia’s most disturbing true-crime cases. McNab blends his background in policing and journalism to create a narrative that is both sharply analytical and highly readable, turning court documents and interviews into a story that unfolds with cinematic clarity.
On 2 November that same year, Erin Patterson is arrested and charged with three counts of murder and five of attempted murder. Held in custody at Dame Phyllis Frost women's prison until her trial began in April 2025, the case captured media attention around the world.
Did Patterson deliberately poison her estranged husband's parents, aunt and uncle?
Was the lunch a recipe for murder? Patterson insisted she was innocent, not guilty. A jury decided otherwise. So how did a respected country woman come to be found guilty of three counts of murder and multiple counts of attempted murder?
Bestselling author, investigative journalist and former detective, Duncan McNab has sifted through the evidence, spoken to witnesses and attended the nine-week trial.
If you are interested in the Erin Patterson case then this book is 100% worth a read! When the media were covering the case I deliberately steered clear of the coverage as I wanted to wait for a book that laid the evidence out in a clear, concise timeline from start to finish. McNab has expertly done this by explaining the sequence of events that left three people dead, a community and family shattered and the evidence that brought Erin Patterson to stand trial. I was surprised to learn that Erin had previously attempted to murder her ex-husband in multiple attempts. I also found it baffling that, despite becoming seriously ill and being hospitalised three times after eating Erin’s cooking, her ex-husband did not warn his parents or express any concerns.
McNab also examines the evidence that was withheld from the jury. While I can understand the desire to keep the charges relating to Erin Patterson’s alleged attempts to murder her ex-husband separate from this trial. It is far more difficult to understand why internet searches for death cap mushrooms and hemlock on her devices were not presented to the jury. Equally baffling is the decision to prevent jurors from knowing that Erin went to the tip immediately after her lunch guests left, despite her household bins being virtually empty. Although it could not be proven exactly what she disposed of, possibly the plates from the meal, which were never recovered by police, surely assessing the significance of this information should have been left to the jury instead of being excluded.
Recipe for Murder by Duncan McNab is a gripping and meticulously researched deep dive into one of Australia’s most disturbing true-crime cases. McNab blends his background in policing and journalism to create a narrative that is both sharply analytical and highly readable, turning court documents and interviews into a story that unfolds with cinematic clarity.
December 11, 2025
I intend reading all of the books published about this trial, this is the second.
Again it brings up my pet hate in jury trials, how much is withheld from the jury, but known by the judge, the prosecutor and the defence. The jurors are not given enough respect for their ability to decide what is, and what is not, important in a trial.
I can understand the desire to hold back the trial of Erin Patterson on charges of thrice attempting to murder her husband, keeping the issues separate arguably has merit. But why were searches for death cap mushrooms and hemlock on her devices not put before the jury? To ban the jury's knowledge that Erin went to the tip immediately after her lunch guests left, even though her own bins were virtually empty, defies explanation. It couldn't be proven what she'd dumped (though likely it was the plates from the meal which were never discovered by police in their searches). But surely that is up to the jury to work out, not for the judge to hide as she falsely claimed to have been at home then, gorging on leftover cake from the lunch.
The book is a worthwhile contribution to the discussion of this baffling case. It did cause me to consider whether the victims' deaths were what she intended. If in fact she did poison her husband three times and he survived, perhaps her intent was to punish, rather than kill, his close relatives. It was fascinating that when he was seriously ill in hospital on those occasions, Erin cleaned his house, paid his bills and even had his car serviced, subsequently looking after him at her home while he recovered.
Again it brings up my pet hate in jury trials, how much is withheld from the jury, but known by the judge, the prosecutor and the defence. The jurors are not given enough respect for their ability to decide what is, and what is not, important in a trial.
I can understand the desire to hold back the trial of Erin Patterson on charges of thrice attempting to murder her husband, keeping the issues separate arguably has merit. But why were searches for death cap mushrooms and hemlock on her devices not put before the jury? To ban the jury's knowledge that Erin went to the tip immediately after her lunch guests left, even though her own bins were virtually empty, defies explanation. It couldn't be proven what she'd dumped (though likely it was the plates from the meal which were never discovered by police in their searches). But surely that is up to the jury to work out, not for the judge to hide as she falsely claimed to have been at home then, gorging on leftover cake from the lunch.
The book is a worthwhile contribution to the discussion of this baffling case. It did cause me to consider whether the victims' deaths were what she intended. If in fact she did poison her husband three times and he survived, perhaps her intent was to punish, rather than kill, his close relatives. It was fascinating that when he was seriously ill in hospital on those occasions, Erin cleaned his house, paid his bills and even had his car serviced, subsequently looking after him at her home while he recovered.
December 24, 2025
Took me so long to get through this book, having to renew it like 3 times from the library. You can clearly tell that this was a rush job trying to capitalise on the interest in the case (I started reading in October, the last event mentioned in the book was September 2025). The book could have gone through another round of editing, in my opinion. This book reads like an old man waffling on to meet the word count. Ironically, on page 205, he wrote, "When he [Justice Beale] speaks, it's both concise and precise- words aren't wasted." Yeah buddy, you could learn a thing or two about that. You just said the same thing twice.
Certain things in the book that I thought was unnecessary. For example, he mentioned at one point that he didn't know/see if Erin was wearing shoes or sandals. Why was this important, guess we'll never know. He also referenced the Daily Mail way too often for my linking. If you know the Australian news landscape, the Daily Mail is not exactly scoring stellar marks for reliability or credibility.
The author also seemed to be enamoured by the police, describing them as if there were favours being exchanged under the table. We get it, the police are the good guys and Erin is the big bad wolf. For a crime that shook the nation and seemingly captured the interest of the world, McNab's recount of it made it seems like a cold burrito made with unseasoned chicken. If I wasn't so desperate to finish it for my reading goal, I would have abandoned it ages ago.
Certain things in the book that I thought was unnecessary. For example, he mentioned at one point that he didn't know/see if Erin was wearing shoes or sandals. Why was this important, guess we'll never know. He also referenced the Daily Mail way too often for my linking. If you know the Australian news landscape, the Daily Mail is not exactly scoring stellar marks for reliability or credibility.
The author also seemed to be enamoured by the police, describing them as if there were favours being exchanged under the table. We get it, the police are the good guys and Erin is the big bad wolf. For a crime that shook the nation and seemingly captured the interest of the world, McNab's recount of it made it seems like a cold burrito made with unseasoned chicken. If I wasn't so desperate to finish it for my reading goal, I would have abandoned it ages ago.
March 23, 2026
2.5 stars. Underwhelming.
Lead-up: the book lays out the months before the fatal lunch — Erin’s online activity, social ties and the slow build of motive and opportunity.
The lunch: the narrative runs well. Patterson comes across as selfish; watching her lose control is satisfyingly grim.
The trial: initially, the procedural reporting is tight and clear — evidence, witnesses and the straightforward unravelling of Patterson’s guilt. The trial then drags: then the book collapses into clinical tedium. Chapter after chapter of legal minutiae, every witness given equal, often pointless space.
Emotional vacuum: despite the gravity, the tone is sedated throughout. Outrage and grief are almost entirely absent; only one late, profane outburst from a doctor briefly gives the story any human qualities.
Conclusion: Despite enjoying McNab's writing, this isn't one I enjoyed. There are better accounts of this case out there.
Lead-up: the book lays out the months before the fatal lunch — Erin’s online activity, social ties and the slow build of motive and opportunity.
The lunch: the narrative runs well. Patterson comes across as selfish; watching her lose control is satisfyingly grim.
The trial: initially, the procedural reporting is tight and clear — evidence, witnesses and the straightforward unravelling of Patterson’s guilt. The trial then drags: then the book collapses into clinical tedium. Chapter after chapter of legal minutiae, every witness given equal, often pointless space.
Emotional vacuum: despite the gravity, the tone is sedated throughout. Outrage and grief are almost entirely absent; only one late, profane outburst from a doctor briefly gives the story any human qualities.
Conclusion: Despite enjoying McNab's writing, this isn't one I enjoyed. There are better accounts of this case out there.
January 6, 2026
Recipe for Murder was a really thorough deep dive into a case that had a huge impact on my local area. You can tell the author has a strong grasp of the investigative process, and everything is handled in a detailed but respectful way toward everyone involved. Some parts did feel a bit long, but that’s mostly because I’ve followed the case closely and was already familiar with a lot of the information - still, it kept my interest.
I especially liked how Erin’s family history was explored. I’d always wondered what her family life and relationships were like before she committed such a horrific crime, so that insight was really interesting.
Overall, it’s a well-researched and engaging read, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone interested in the case.
I especially liked how Erin’s family history was explored. I’d always wondered what her family life and relationships were like before she committed such a horrific crime, so that insight was really interesting.
Overall, it’s a well-researched and engaging read, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone interested in the case.
January 8, 2026
There would be very few people (at least in Victoria) that aren’t familiar with the infamous lunch. Considering I’d heard a lot about this in the media and recently watched a documentary, I actually found the book to go into quite a bit of detail and reveal things I wasn’t aware of, which was very interesting. I found this book to very easy to read and follow along chronologically, and also liked how it explained some of the behind the scenes investigative and court processes.
February 22, 2026
Duncan McNab is a fantastic author and i love reading all he writes. I enjoy the bits and pieces that I had not heard from this case. The media was bombing us with so much information I could not keep up.
I just want to make mention that I have bookshelves full of true crime and I haven't and will never kill anyone. I felt I should defend myself from something that was in this book. I felt really called out. (joking)
I just want to make mention that I have bookshelves full of true crime and I haven't and will never kill anyone. I felt I should defend myself from something that was in this book. I felt really called out. (joking)
December 31, 2025
This is probably the strongest of the "three" books that have been published all around the same time. Duncan McNab's research and expertise were really valuable and his opinions and personal anecdotes really fascinating.
I commend him on withstanding such a long trial and for his excellent and powerful book.
January 9, 2026
What an interesting and sad case!!
I can’t believe she could do something so cruel and think she’d get away with it.
The fact that she had poisoned her husband multiple times before was crazy to me.
I can’t believe she could do something so cruel and think she’d get away with it.
The fact that she had poisoned her husband multiple times before was crazy to me.
February 28, 2026
A meticulously detailed and intensely engaging account of the Erin Patterson/Mushroom Murderer case. I followed reports of the trial closely and read another book on the subject, yet still learned so much from Duncan McNab’s account.
March 3, 2026
A fascinating re-telling of this story which I thoroughly enjoyed. An awful story about how someone felt the need to take lives away because she felt threatened. We may never fully understand the full story but I did enjoy reading this book from my favourite crime book store in York.
November 5, 2025
An interesting read with enough back story and courtroom evidence to make it interesting without becoming boring or overly full of minutiae.
November 6, 2025
Very detailed account of the murders and the surrounding issues.
November 11, 2025
His career in policing gives Duncan McNab a well rounded knowledge of the court process.
This book explained the legalities of the evidence and summed up the case well
This book explained the legalities of the evidence and summed up the case well
December 12, 2025
This book is well researched and informative and does an excellent job of laying out the facts. That said, I personally did not find the narrative flow and writing style very interesting.
December 24, 2025
decent clear discussion of the events of the mushroom murder s
December 26, 2025
Duncan McNabb never disappoints
December 31, 2025
A good precis of the backstory, lead up and trail of Erin Patterson.
January 11, 2026
Roman Empire forever and ever and ever, give me all the books on this 🤓
January 17, 2026
The start was too slow and boring, the climax was great but became incredibly rushed after the first few prosecution witnesses’ and the end was lightning fast.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2026
A good procedural report of this infamous case; not sensational and forensic in quality.
January 26, 2026
Skipped over some of the juiciest parts. Tone and side commentary was off-putting.
February 25, 2026
A fascinating crime. The story gripped the world.
I do not like to give such a low rating but I found the writing heavy going and repetitive.
I do not like to give such a low rating but I found the writing heavy going and repetitive.
February 26, 2026
This is my first McNab book and I will definitely read more of his books. I enjoyed his writing style and found some of his comments humorous.
March 28, 2026
Clearly outlined and throughly reported.
April 10, 2026
3.5 stars
February 13, 2026
The book was well researched and well written. The author was sensitive and respectful towards the victims, their family and friends, and the community. Due to McNab's career experience he maintained impartiality; avoided bias as much as possible by stating the views of all concerned parties; and stated facts, evidence, and events as they were with some explanations of judicial and police procedures.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews