Will Schaefer is not the strong, heroic type of main character in The Muse of Violence by Bruce Hartman. He is, however, a very real character as he engages in his passion for writing by leading a weekly writers' group. Unfortunately, the group members seem to be targeted for murder and the suspicion falls on the remaining writers as the weeks go by. Will and his group’s members struggle with the reality of the characters they portray in the stories they write and read to the group; and how they seem to reflect one another’s personalities. Will seems to be the center of intrigue at work as well as in the group. He is followed by his nosy assistant, Martin, and Detective Falcone since he is seen as a suspect in the murders. Interesting facts come out about each of the writers in turn so the finger of blame is constantly shifting. Will and the last survivors are not sure whom to trust as the story comes to a surprise conclusion.

The Muse of Violence is an interesting work that acts as a lesson in literary analysis and the development of good writing techniques while it also serves to open each of the writing group’s members to psychological scrutiny. The characters are strong and Hartman relies on atypical relationships to highlight the fact that no one knows whom to trust. Many different authors and writing styles are discussed and used to explain and identify the characters in the book so a little knowledge of literature is helpful but not necessary to enjoy the depth and creativity of this story. The Muse of Violence is an wonderful mystery that, in the vein of all good mysteries, keeps you guessing until the very end!