Impostors' Syndrome: A Matt Mollster Mystery: Matt Mollster, #3

By M.D. Metro

Matt Mollster is struggling with being Matt Mollster. Within a year's time, he's become a semi-national hero, a buzz-worthy author, and basically a good friend. The geeky sleuth's life is finally coming together and yet something feels off. Maybe it's that there's someone posing as Matt Mollster, toying with him, challenging him, calling Matt out to play a game with fatal consequences should he lose. Time ticking away, Matt's greatest trial awaits, and he'll have to answer the question he's been avoiding all year... 'Is Matt Mollster really who he claims to be?'

• Language: English
• Publisher: Neo Apsis Publishing
• Release date: May 26, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393455059

M.D. Metro

Born during the Old West in 1989, M.D. Metro has had time to watch more movies than the human brain was designed to remember. A former video store clerk, M.D. has made Pittsburgh, PA his home. When he's not crafting the next Matt Mollster mystery, he's debating that age old question: do rocks sleep?

Book preview

Chapter 1

M att Mollster's Soulle is for sale. Masking his sneer with a fabricated smile, Gabriel Jammez held up a paperback copy of Matt's book for the camera to see. Greetings and Felices Fiestas, my friends. Hopefully you've taken some time off to spend with your loved ones and with your awesome, collectible treasures found underneath the Christmas tree this year. For any new viewers, I am the Curator, and to kick off my week of year's best, I have returned to the Steel City, the zombie Mecca of the world, to bring you another Christmas treasure. I'm seated inside the quaint retailer known as The Nostalgia Crypt, home to the geek knight detective himself, Matt Mollster. Matthew, welcome back to the show.

Fidgeting in his seat, Matt adjusted his Dragonzord hoodie and fought the urge to look directly at the camera. Happy to be here, Gabriel.

And I'll be even happier in a minute or two, Matt thought. Just do your bit, Gabriel.

You've had a very big year, Matthew, so let's recount. You started off your January being recognized within our little community as the comic clerk who became a real-life hero, no doubt saving the lives of several blackmailed women by bringing down their shady boss Ian Bech and his partner Gregory Ducard.

I don't know if I'd say hero, per se.

Let's go with liberator, then. Has more flare to it!

God, he loves to hear himself talk.

Then in April, you attended PHAME, the Philadelphia Hero, Anime and Media Expo, and local fame grew into national fame when you single-handedly avenged Keanu Kuan and several of his gamer brethren by uncovering the nefarious murder spree of vindictive sales rep Blair Went.

Not single-handedly, though, Matt looked past Gabriel, nodding his head slightly at the small group of people gathered in the back of the store. My friends have been huge success factors in both cases.

As all good friends are. Every Superman needs a Jimmy Olsen.

That's debatable.

And didn't I hear last month you helped save a local dojo, too?

Oh, well, one of our customers here teaches tae kwon do, and mentioned it in passing that his dojo didn't pass its inspection. Faulty wiring. I have a friend from school who's an electrician, so I called in a favor, and he swung by, found the wiring that was faulty and replaced it in time.

If that's not a local hero I don't know what is, Gabriel adjusted his Flash insignia neck tie. But on top of that, even when you're not being selfless, you still manage to be generous, gifting all of us with this accomplishment of yours, Gabriel held up the book again. Tell us about 'The Immortal Soulle.' I know you've been working on it for some time.

You have known, and all the while it was unpublished you took every opportunity that came your way to humiliate me, Matt thought. Well, the tables will be turned soon, asshole.

I have, yeah, well, it's a tale of despair, deceit and distinction.

Perfect, the three D's.

I'd add a fourth just for you, Douchebag.

My main character, Bisonious Soulle, he's a wizard by choice and a vampire by fate, and he becomes both of these things because he lost so much as a child, including himself, and so he spends centuries wandering the world and questioning who he’s meant to be. It's about how time sometimes can't heal all wounds, that sometimes only we can heal ourselves if we really try.

Sounds a lot like Wolverine.

Oh my God, did I rip off Wolverine?

Gabriel pointed to Matt's author picture on the book's back cover. Can we talk about the man behind Bisonious Soulle for a moment? Matthew, you yourself lost your parents young, am I right?

This isn't an expose, dick. What the hell?

In a sense. My parents died in a car accident when I was a junior in high school, so that's young-ish.

Hard time to find yourself all alone.

Yeah, well, I wasn't completely alone. My grandfather was still around, and he took me in until I finished college. And I still had my half-brother, Jeff, and he had always been, like, the guy I looked up to, and he and I... we're tight.

Older brother I gather?

Yeah, yeah, Jeff's mom was my dad's first wife, and Jeff was born in '80, so all my music tastes, and the movies and TV I saw with him, it was all what he grew up with, so I blame him for some of my quotes and references.

I'd be remiss if I didn't ask favorite brotherly show or film?

Highlander. Jeff's a big history buff and I love sci-fi/fantasy, so we both really got into that. He got me in to the theater to see Highlander Endgame when I was 10. Yeah, we were really into the series. I just, the fact that MacLeod saw so much war and strife... huh, now that I think of it, maybe that's where the seeds of the loneliness of immortality were planted in my head.

Maybe I shouldn't have admitted to that out loud..

Highlander, Wolverine? Matthew, these are great archetypes, so Bisonious is in stellar company. Far better company than one of your reviewers would claim, I imagine.

What review was that?

Oh, it was probably a troll... Gabriel looked down at his phone for the quote.

Why bother looking for it? You're probably the one who wrote it...

Okay, here it is. 'Bisonious is a rip off of Blade at best, at worst it's an R-Rated vampire version of Shrek.' Strong words, Matthew.

Everyone's entitled to their opinion of what is and isn't art. That's how we got The Emoji Movie.

Indeed. Well said, Matthew. Insightful art criticism truly is an acquired skill.

And there's my lead-in! Showtime.

A skill you've 'curated' for yourself, right? Matt said.

Gabriel let slip a nervous chuckle. I'm sorry?

Apologies. I guess I shouldn't assume, Matt shrugged. No, it's just I heard back in the spring, when we were both at PHAME, you missed out when 'Blair Went Nuts' because you were at an art gallery. Figured that's what you were referencing about art criticism. Sorry.

No apology necessary, Gabriel cleared his throat. Matthew, when you curate anything, you know one must leave no stone unturned. I often visit my friends when I'm in town, and I happen to be friends with the gallery owner.

Oh, wow, you're friends with Ford Scorpollo? Matt folded his arms. I never would have guessed that! I mean, isn't he the indie filmmaker that has continuously bashed comic books at every turn?

Well, like your review troll, he's entitled to his opinion, Gabriel shuffled his cue cards. Mr. Scopollo's tastes unfortunately do not always align with ours, I'm afraid.

Our tastes? Considering you've liked and commented on nearly every one of his social media posts, I'd say your tastes are more aligned to his than to mine... or to your audience, for that matter.

Gabriel started to sweat.

I got you now, you arrogant blowhard.

Supporting a friend is never a-

Matt looked down at his phone. Okay, here it is. You said 'Agreed. Shazam! was two hours of banal escapism for lazy white boys wrapped in a trite 'new family found' cliché. Each one of these films is another victory for a platform of mass arrested development.'

Well, not every one of these films is a home run-

True, but you go on to say 'And Avengers Endgame was three hours of contrived storytelling masked as a faux operatic coda, which isn't surprising since it's based on decades of patchwork plotting and sophomoric drawings Marvel Comics hocks as art,' Matt set his phone down. Gabriel, I thought a Curator would have appreciation for the pieces he seeks out, not just hunting them down for the money. I mean, it sounds more like you're a... complete fraud.

His face is so red I bet it's hot enough to cook an egg.

Gabriel looked to the camera. We've been talking to Matt Mollster at The Nostalgia Crypt in Pittsburgh, PA, where he’ll be signing copies of his novel this Saturday. Thanks for watching. He then signaled his cameraman to stop filming.

What, you don't want them to subscribe and leave their comments?

How dare you make a fool of me on my own show? Gabriel tossed Matt's book across the store counter. I'll sue you for slander.

That only works if I knew what I said to be false, which in this case, Matt held up his phone to show Gabriel the Facebook post. It's 100% true.

Gabriel stood