The journalist and the murderer is a study by janet malcolm about the ethics of journalism published by alfred a knopf random house in 1990 it is an examination of the professional choices that shape a work of non fiction as well as a rumination on the morality that underpins the journalistic enterprise. The journalist and the murderer is a multi part essay originally written by janet malcolm for the new yorker published in book form in 1990examining the relationship between subject and journalist malcolm portrays journalism as an inherently psychopathic profession arguing that it capitalizes on a distortion of truth under the guise of objectivity. The journalist and the murderer summary study guide janet malcolm this study guide consists of approximately 31 pages of chapter summaries quotes character analysis themes and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the journalist and the murderer. Complete summary of janet malcolms the journalist and the murderer enotes plot summaries cover all the significant action of the journalist and the murderer. The journalist is joe mcginniss the murderer is jeffrey macdonald subject of mcginniss best selling fatal vision the relationship between the two is the paradigm for malcolms stinging indictment of all journalists relationships to their subjects an indictment that created a furor when published last year in the new yorker and which is here reprinted in full with a new slippery