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‘The Mushroom Tapes’ Puts the Erin Patterson Trial Under a Self‑Questioning Lens

A new transcript of recorded trial conversations by Helen Garner, Chloe Hooper, Sarah Krasnostein interrogates true‑crime voyeurism.

Overview

  • The book assembles edited transcripts of the authors’ recorded conversations while traveling to the Morwell court, after an initial podcast plan was abandoned.
  • The review foregrounds ethical unease about turning the proceedings into public entertainment and interrogates the role of observers in the media spectacle.
  • Erin Patterson was found guilty of three murders and the attempted murder of a fourth, received life with a 33‑year non‑parole period, and is appealing her conviction.
  • The authors document the scale of attention to the case, noting a court media list of 252 outlets including international representation.
  • Early reception highlights the book’s immediacy and conversational form, with sold‑out author events and debate over its rapid publication timeline.