A Murder Most Fungal
DETAILS:
Publication Date: June 16, 2026
Format: e-Book
Length: 232 pg.
Read Date: July 6-8, 2026
…for all the damage the Coprinian humans have done to his homeland of Hōppon, they have introduced the fungal peoples to marvels of their colonial culture: Orchestras and operas, films and theater, new genres of music and literature.
What’s A Murder Most Fungal About?
Following the events of Mushroom Blues, the occupation forces have really clamped down on the Hōpponese (aka fungals). Life seems truly miserable for most of them.
But some of them get some perks, a life that’s slightly less oppressive. For example, the chef and his kitchen team who prepare the food for the Military Governor, Duncan MacArthur. MacArthur is of the opinion that to understand his enemy (and that classification tells you a lot about his attitude towards the fungals), he must understand their culture—and the easiest way to do that is by eating their food. So day after day, Pocho Jiro and his small staff prepare the best meals possible for MacArthur and his staff and commanders—and his personal taster (because you can’t trust these people). It should be noted that MacArthur is the only one who tries to enjoy the food, the rest of the humans spend their mealtimes complaining about the food and insulting the cooks (when they’re not ignoring them)—although one new officer arrives who might share MacArthur’s interest partway through the book..
Then one of the many resistance groups threatens the life of Pocho’s only remaining family. Get this intelligence for us and we’ll let her live. And then they come back with another task—kill MacArthur.
The Food
There is harmony in these component parts, in the commingling of delicious flavors that he knows MacArthur and his guests will soon experience. If only things in a kitchen were that easy… Food never holds grudges, nor does it talk back. Food does not disrupt the flow of the song, and instead makes its rhythms possible.
Okay, I don’t have an adventurous palate—there is no way that I’d eat 98% of the dishes described in this book, I know that. But I tell you what—when I read the descriptions of the food that Pocho and his team prepare, the care they put into it, and the way that Gibson and/or Pocho describe it? I wish I could give it a taste, or even just smell and see the meals.
Even better is the way the book depicts the preparation of the food, what it means to the people working in the kitchen to do so, or even just the procurement of the ingredients. It’s just magic. It’s why people watch cooking shows—yeah, I have no idea what the things on Iron Chef or Alex Versus America or whatever taste like—but I love watching them prepare the food. This is like that, but better (if only because the chefs have had time to think about the courses and prepare them without a ridiculous time restriction).
Really, Gibson could abandon the whole Hofmann Report report to just write about fictional chefs (or maybe the occasional passionate fry cook) and I’d be in for it. Sure, Tandri or Viv can brew a heckuva cup of coffee—but Pocho’s fungalfin dishes are works of art.
What does this book tell us about humanity?
If we keep it to humans strictly—the book tells us nothing good. But there is some hope for the species if we treat the fungals Hōpponese as representatives of humanity (as the book wants us to believe).
The humans in the book are utterly despicable—and there are maybe two with a trace of decency (and one of them you have to wait for almost the entire book to encounter). They are hateful toward the Hōpponese, speak of them as animals in their presence (while barely acknowledging that presence), and harass them (at best) constantly.
Now, the Hōpponese, on the other hand. They resent their chains, resent the occupiers, and do what they can to survive under the occupation. Some try to do more than survive—but it has to be done in secret, worried about exposure. We get glimpses of their rich culture from before the occupation—which just makes the current state all the worse.
Then there are the those fomenting rebellion, and well, they’re basically what you think.
If nothing else—we get the idea that those who see people as people who treat them with respect and decency (even if they find themselves on opposing sides of a war/occupation), and those who don’t…well, they’re inhuman at best.
So, what did I think about A Murder Most Fungal ?
the restaurant industry is one that drowns in vices and addictions. Alcohol, drugs, sex, long hours, infidelity; Pocho has seen it all, done it all. But the worst offender is obsession. The addiction to pouring everything you have into an idea, a dream, a project, a craft. Pocho’s experience has taught him that his addiction to cooking has given him everything he ever wanted— success, recognition— but left little room for anything else. Friendships. Family. Love.
As good as I thought Mushroom Blues was, this is better—didn’t Gibson get the memo that second novels are supposed to be a drop in quality? Pocho is just a brilliantly conceived character, and his friendship with/mentorship of Mori is fantastic. I really wish that the circumstances of the novel let us see more of that before we had to get to the nastier stuff. But Gibson gives us enough of a taste of it that we can imagine the preceding years for their friendship—and the rest of the found family. Which makes it worse when things come to disrupt it.
I don’t think I have a criticism of this book—just glowing compliment after glowing compliment. The closest I can come is that I wanted more of everything that wasn’t the plot. More of the street market and Pocho shopping for food, more time in the kitchen with his staff—just them interacting with him and each other. The day to day stuff.
Maybe a little bit with the one officer who seemed to truly want to understand and appreciate the Hōpponese culture and language—let us see him get through to Pocho and start to form some kind of understanding. That’d have raised the stakes for the end game, too.
But that’s just me wishing for more frosting on an already wonderful cake. (and here is where we all understand my struggles keeping my A1C in check).
This is a great SF novel (I think that’s where to categorize these Fungalverse books). It’s a gripping thriller. It’s a fantastic character study of a man with great passions stuck in horrible circumstances. It’s really something you need to read.
This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
