Still Desperately Seeking Story

[Karen Mayfield]

I'm beginning to think I hallucinated this story. A previous post didn't result in locating it, but I'm still hoping it will ring a bell with someone. It was about a national "game" whereby each day someone is chosen to be murdered. A "master of ceremonies" oversees a (radio?) broadcast, giving clues which gradually narrow down the possible victims (regional location, gender, occupation, etc.) Eventually there is only one possible victim, and whoever kills him/her wins the prize (money?) Each citizen has a knife with their unique identification number on it, which is how the murderer is identified since there likely will be multiple stabbings. Thanks for any help you can give me in identifying this story.

 

[Danny McG]

hello. I've read that story also but can't get the title. further info , the national tv game show is called IT COULD BE YOU and it's referred to as ICBY through the story. The victim works in a large department store called Central Stores. throughout the story him and his work colleague keep consulting their 'odds book' and seeing their fate looming nearer. SPOILER ALERT ** in the final chapter the crowds surround him and his mate. they are both standing on shop counter kicking people away. then the announcer says it's the big guy Steve. the victim manages to take two or three with him before he's killed. the survivor then spots his own wife in the crowd and sees she has a lottery dagger. she assures him it wasn't personal - she just wanted the bounty money.... hope this memory helps somebody recognise this story

 

[monkeypooper]

Doesnt ring any bells except for i think an episode of something on the tv the newer twilight zones i think

 

[otistdog]

Sounds like it might be Frank Robert's "It Could Be You" (1964)? I haven't read it, but it's mentioned on Wikipedia in a way that sounds right: "'It Could Be You' (1964), a short story by Australian Frank Roberts, features a day-in-day-out televised blood sport."

 

[monkeypooper]

"It Could Be You" (1964), a short story by Australian Frank Roberts


Bugger beaten to it while looking