Thank you NetGalley for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.


REVIEW ☆☆☆.5
Secrets of a serial killer is a suspenseful story that will keep you riveted right up to the end. There are numerous points of view narrating the story, but the serial killer's voice is by far the most compelling and sharp. Unfortunately, this perspective does not get the attention it deserves, and that made the book fall off a bit. It's still a great read with a shocking twist, but it's lacking a certain gritty raw edge. I recommend trying this book, and you'll see what I mean about the different perspectives. Narrowing those down would have taken this story to another level.

A lunatic with a legacy.

A serial killer who frames someone for the crimes he is about to commit.

A journalist poking holes in the handling of missing girl cases by the local police force.

The Urban Dark Reporter, sharing conspiracies and advice on “How to Get Away With Murder”

Four great premises...

None fully developed.

The author should’ve picked ONE.
That would’ve made for a stronger story.

And, given her, her next 3 books!!

It started strong, but fell apart at the 54% point for me, when a new character was introduced..

Thank You to Netgalley, and “One More Chapter” for the digital ARC I received in exchange for a candid review!

Available Aug. 7, 2020

The title and premise of this book intrigued me from the off. I enjoyed reading the serial killer’s perspective in the book and wish it had contained more of this and less of some of the other narrators’ perspectives, although this will appeal to some readers.
The twist in this book was one which got me thinking, and was quite a shock. An enjoyable read.

This is a fabulous thriller! I really enjoyed it - loved the fact pace and found it really atmospheric. Raced through it in just a couple of sittings - I had to find out how it ends! Will definitely look out for more from Rosie Walker. Highly recommend this one to all thriller fans.

On the whole this was an ok book. The premise leads you to expect more from this story though, and in parts of the story it was good, however the ending was rushed and does not really finish the story at all, unless of course this was the point in order to write a sequel.
The story of Alexander could have done with more detail, instead I just felt his background was not thought out enough until something was needed to bridge a gap, to get to the finish.
If the author is considering writing a sequel then please consider explaining a lot more of the back story than you have here.

I liked the premise of this book and was super excited to get an advanced copy.

I loved the serial killers POV in the book. That's exactly what I want to read in a thriller and why I requested this title. However, I really didn't enjoy the other narrators- their parts were less interesting and I found myself skipping over those parts. The twist was a bit odd for me but it was ok and I liked that it had me like what?
I can't wait to read the next book by this author but I hope the focus would be on more the killer.

Thanks to Netgalley for my advanced ebook copy.

In Lancashire, England a serial killer roams freely. While there have been a string of missing girls, who all look the same, the police are not taking it seriously. When there are no bodies and no evidence, surely there is no crime. After seventeen year old Zoe goes missing, her mother, an architect working on restoring the former insane asylum, Lancaster Lune Hospital, into luxury flats, works to uncover clues herself as once again, the police are dragging their feet, refusing to believe that there could be a serial killer on the loose. She can't shake the feeling that the hospital is connected. Will she find Zoe in time or will Zoe become another statistic?

Secrets of a Serial Killer by Rosie Walker is told from multiple view points. With a creepy insane asylum, an unsub, true crime blog posts on the dark web, and a mystery within a mystery, Walker has all the ingredients for a fantastic crime thriller. It was one of those books where I barely moved from my reading perch until I was finished with the book. I loved that while a book about a serial killer, the focus was less on gore and more on the psychology of the mind of the depraved. The ending left me with my mouth hanging open. I rarely like untidy endings but this leaves the door open for another book or letting the reader decide for themselves what they think happens next.

I enjoyed the concept and really liked the beginning of the book. The characters and their interactions in the lead up to the actual plot were well done and interesting to read about. I also enjoyed the references to real true crime cases that were sprinkled in throughout the book.
The main plot of the story however was relatively cut and dry and the twists and back story were a bit predictable and honestly felt unnecessary. I think the killer's story should either be fleshed out a lot more or left unknown and mysterious,
I also think the characters made a lot of illogical choices, the people looking for Zoe went about it with very little sense of urgency and the killer's actions didn't make it seem like they were capable of going completely undetected for so long.
The story is decent but the execution could use some work.

This was as if I were watching an episode of Criminal Minds. It was a fun read and the constant changing perspectives was a nice touch. It was interesting to see the various povs and thoughts from each character. The main story is simple itself but a fun read overall. It was okay and a good thriller. The ending was fine but I wish there was a bit more. Of all the characters I’d have to say I liked Zoe and Thomas the most. An overall good thriller to pick up for a quick

I flirted between four and three stars here, but settled on three ‘cause of the slight predictability of this book. Despite the fact that I could see where it was going, the ideas were executed really well. The characters were likeable and I would have enjoyed there being at least another 100 pages so we could have squeezed a bit more from things!

If you a fan of the show Criminal Minds, true crime podcasts then you might enjoy Rosie Walkers debut novel Secrets of a Serial Killer.

A serial killer has been hunting the town of Lancaster for decades. When 17 year old Zoe goes missing her mother and father take matters into their own hands. Will they find her in time or will the Lancaster killer walk away with another murder under his belt?

Abandoned old asylum, a serial killer, dark woods, a hidden bunker. This book has all the right ingredients for a creepy, gruesome read and it was. I found myself turning the pages so fast needing to know what was going to happen. Walker does a great job scaring the pants off you. This book will have you looking over your shoulder for sure.

Was it perfect? no. I feel it was a little unpolished in a sense. Things seemed to jump around and I just felt there were things that didn't come together nicely. Despite feeling this way I still enjoyed the book and I am already looking for a sequel (fingers crossed).

I would give this a 2.5 for unfinished feel I had while reading the book, but totally would up the start rating to a 3 maybe even 4 for the scare factor and gruesome creepiness of the book .

This book good if not predictable. The plot was neatly planned out, the characters were fully fleshed and believable. I noticed in the first few chapters the writer used Helen’s name so much in one sentence: ‘Helen though that, so Helen got up and Helen drank some water’ for example. I wasn’t entirely in love with the ending of the book, i would have hoped for a more cohesive and solidified ending. But it was readable.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this! It has the feel of a great detective thriller just minus the detective.

I really enjoyed the pace and thrill of this one. I was definitely on the edge of my seat a few times. I enjoyed the narration from the characters and the injection of little online articles throughout.

I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about detectives hunting down killers as much as I do! Once this book comes out in August I think I’ll do a giveaway for this one as well!

For a book that has masses of potential, this one fell a bit flat for me. The plot was predictable, the characters a little one-dimensional and lacking any real development, and it was lacking any pace.

I love a dark twisty thriller, but this book didn’t do what I needed it to. There was some promise; with a bit of editing it has the potential to be great, but it’s not there yet. Avoid.

I normally like suspense, but for some reason I just couldn’t get into this particular book. The writing was good, but it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher’s for the ARC.

A quick summery read. I enjoyed all of the aspects of the story. It centers around 17-year-old Zoe, who gets kidnapped while she's out with friends. The police aren't really much help in finding her and don't really seem all that interested in the case. Her parents do some investigating on their own but the real heroes are a neighbor boy and his cousin who help her escape from the derelict insane asylum where her captor is keeping her. All in all, it was an enjoyable read. I wouldn't say it kept me guessing until the end but definitely kept me intrigued enough to keep turning the pages. One thing that I was sort of bothered by was the lack of actual chapters. It just bounced back and forth between narrators (which was fine) but it didn't seem separate enough. Might have just been the formatting on my Kindle though.

I appreciate the this book for its style, but it wasn’t what I was expecting and isn’t really my cup of tea. I will say for fans that like spooky asylums, that they might enjoy this. It was just hard to get into for me and I couldn’t connect with the writing.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

Like an experienced chessmaster, the author carefully places her pieces around the board, lulling the reader into a false sense of security, before striking swiftly and without warning. I mean, who saw THAT ending coming?

A masterful debut from an author with huge potential. More please!

*My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

⭐⭐⭐⭐ !

Secrets of a Serial Killer is a multi-POV adult thriller following the kidnap of seventeen-year-old Zoe told from her eyes, her young neighbors Thomas and Maggie, her mother, Helen, and the potential killer himself.

Truth be told I went back and forth between three stars and four more than once. I was not immediately gripped at the beginning, and that was probably due in part to how often the POV switched on me. It sort of blended together at first, but once they became more established and things started rolling, it was easy to breeze through this so I ultimately decided to give it a four. Especially since it utilized a trope I so love when it comes to murderers!

Despite getting a grip on the kidnapper and his MO fairly quickly, there was still plenty of room left for surprises in the last third of the book. I especially enjoyed the POV of the children, our unwitting heroes who were most definitely in the wrong place at the right time. The pieces of set up, while initially seeming disjointed, began to fall together in neat patterns that while at times predictable, were executed rather well. There was plenty of conflict and tension between characters of every POV, which granted a richness and realism that made the horror all the more real when it came time for it.

Our culprit took on many names, following old and familiar behaviors of any typical killer. Blaming/crediting his mother with "who he was", harboring a deep sense of inadequacy that he attempted to assuage with bloodlust and a constant mental rhetoric of being the most powerful being on earth. His POV hit disturbing on all cylinders. There was no room for doubt where he was concerned, and the climax hit the ground running when it all began to fall apart.

The ending, while ominous, was not as satisfying as I would have liked. I'm not sure if it was the limited knowledge of the ending POV, or the fact that I needed just—a tiny bit more. Another page, maybe, a few hundred words. I felt like I was on the cusp of leaving with a real cold fear that didn't quite get to form all the way. But I enjoyed this far more than I was expecting with how I reacted to the initial chapters and I am so glad I pressed on.

This one hits the shelves on July 17, 2020 folks! If you want a twisted, ruthless read that gets you right up in the mind of both the monster and his victim alike, you will definitely want to pick this one up!

#SecretsOfASerialKiller #NetGalley
I devoured it. A good read.
A serial killer has been terrorising Lancaster for decades, longer than should ever have been possible. The police are baffled, eluded at every turn by the killer whose victims span generations. Speculation is rife among the true crime forums; is someone passing on their gruesome trade?Every local mother's worst nightmare has become Helen Summerton's reality; he’s taken her daughter, Zoe. As the clock runs down so do her chances of survival. Can Helen unearth the secrets of the killer before it’s too late?
I loved it's plot as well as narration while characters were just ok.
Thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for giving me an advance copy of this awesome psychological thriller.