Phoebe Walsh is returning to her childhood home to clean it out and get it ready to sell after her father's death a few months ago. Not only is she in the middle of writing her dissertation on the true crime novel genre she's loved and obsessed over since she was younger, but she's getting to spend some quality bonding time with her younger brother and contending with an intriguing next door neighbor whom she refuses to believe is hiding a body in his garage. Besides all this, staying in her childhood home has opened up a lot of feelings about the past and her complicated relationship with her father and her parent's divorce.

I was a little surprised by this book. With the title, I assumed it would maybe be a bit more quirky, but it dealt with many real issues. Many issues that I found myself identifying with Phoebe on in one way or another. Mainly on the complicated feelings, we have towards our parents and the idea of how we interpret our past through the lens of being grown up.

It goes hand in hand with Phoebe's dissertation dealing with the idea of an author interpreting or perceiving their subjects in a certain way and that perception coming through in the narrative. It's an interesting thought and, I won't lie, one I'd gladly delve into myself.

I just really like seeing Phoebe open herself up to exploring the issues from her past and seeing how she can keep herself from inadvertently repeating the same pattern as her parents. Her relationship with Sam is this in a nutshell. She's never wanted to trust someone else before and seeing Phoebe start to trust Sam is really sweet and rewarding. Getting to that place where she can separate her life from what one might feel is a predisposed notion of carrying on a family trait. It also goes hand in hand with the idea of serial killers having families that have to contend with the secrets kept from them. Alicia Thompson really understood how to make these connections even with a rather bleak and dark topic like serial killers. It's kind of the psychology of it all.

I'm really looking forward to what other thoughtful stories Alicia Thompson has for us.

Phoebe Walsh is in Florida to do two things: clean out her dad’s house and finish her dissertation on true crime literature. Not on the list: improve her relationship with her brother, adopt a cat, and fall in love with the neighbor. She knows that the second you stop being vigilant, that’s when the criminal (or genuinely nice guy next door) gets you, and she’s determined to get out of Florida in possession of her heart, but Sam’s going to make that really difficult…

Phoebe Walsh has always loved true crime, so much so that she's currently finishing her dissertation on true crime literature. But when she has to go to Florida to clean out her father's house with her brother she isn't expecting her love of true crime to bleed into her daily life. So when she sees the neighbor out one night her mind has already deem to be a serial killer, it’s not long before Phoebe realizes that he might be something much more frightening — a nice guy who can pierce her armor to reach her vulnerable heart.

Love In The Time Of Serial Killers is quirky romcom about a woman, Phoebe, who is working on her PhD dissertation about true crime and serial killers when she moves into the home of her recently deceased and estranged father. This book was so cute. Phoebe started the book in such a bad place - lonely, stressed and just lost. And I loved watching her find herself, reconnect with her brother and childhood best friend, fall in love and just find happiness. All with snarky and hilarious one liners and perfectly placed pop culture references. And lots of 🔥. This is the perfect late summer beach read.

A “true crime romance” sounds like a bad idea — but Alicia Thompson pulls off the concept in her big-hearted and surprisingly moving debut, Love in the Time of Serial Killers. The novel’s narrator, Phoebe, began reading a true crime as a teen, and now, in her late twenties, she’s writing her doctoral dissertation on the genre.

Over the summer, in between semesters, she moves into her recently deceased father’s home to prepare to sell it. In the dead of night, as she pulls up to the house, she’s startled by new neighbor Sam. A combination of pre-existing trust issues and hours of murder podcasts leave her convinced the man who lives across the street is a serial killer.

Thompson makes the right decision to have Phoebe quickly realize she’s mistaken about Sam’s potentially dangerous tendencies. Clearing up this misconception early ensures the book doesn’t veer off into farce territory. Instead, as Phoebe and Sam begin a tentative relationship, Phoebe’s true-crime and serial-killer obsessions become a metaphor for her difficulty trusting people and putting herself in vulnerable positions. Her parents divorced when she was a teen and her father was emotionally abusive.

“These books promise closure and justice,” Phoebe says, “But ultimately they reinforce the reality that so many lives are interrupted, so many dreams unfulfilled.” Phoebe uses that worldview to build a barrier between herself and Sam, and her brother, and the rest of the world.

Phoebe’s dissertation sounds fascinating — and I wish it were real so I could read it. As she explains to another academic, true crime is “about what do we know about humanity’s capacity for evil and what should we be afraid of. The answers to the questions can tell us a lot especially when you look at the intersections of privilege and power, who are telling the stories, who are the subjects of them. I know a lot of people think true crime is a pulp genre, and not worth of analysis but the fact that it’s so closely tied to mainstream fixations makes it more worthy.”

The novel is filled with nuggets like that. Thompson has clearly spent a lot of time thinking about how to write a book like this respectfully and empathetically (she thanks Sarah Marshall of You’re Wrong About in the acknowledgements) and it shows.

True-crime fans looking for a lighter book to end the summer with should add Love in the Time of Serial Killers to their beach bags.

Elizabeth Held is ending the summer by co-launching “a short-run Substack about Louise Penny’s books, Notes From Three Pines. We’ll have essays from a dozen or so writers on topics such as the science of murder and food in the books.” And you can still find her at What To Read If as well.

Phoebe Walsh is OBSESSED with true crime and has even made it a part of her PhD dissertation. A death in the family sends her back to her childhood home. She notices the neighbor and immediately thinks the worst, that he is a serial killer. As she gets to know the handsome Sam, she finds herself questioning her own motives and finds herself attracted to this stranger.

This was a cute story—I would have liked to see more mystery and less rom-com. Otherwise it was fun

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

3 ⭐️

I thought this book was going to be right up my alley, Unfortunately it was not. As a true crime addict who also looks at everyone under a "true crime' lens I thought I would adore Phoebe, but the spark wasn't really there for me. She felt a little bland to be honest. Sam was okay, I didn't love him but I didn't hate him either. The books' pacing was also a bit slow for me. I was almost half way into the book before I felt anything of significance happened, which made any interest I had wane.

Overall, I felt like this book had a lot of potential but it fell flat.

I thought this was a really great, unique book! Also, I love the cover. Overall, I would definitely recommend reading it!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Ok, this was actually really dang cute.

I gotta be honest, I really thought this book was going to be a lot more sinister? Not in a way that we’d switch lanes into mystery territory, but some little fun mysterious hijinks would’ve been cool? My brain immediately went there and I was a little sad that we didn’t get that, but then BAM! in walks in Sam and I just didn’t care about anything anymore, I love that man!

Phoebe was a little emotionally immature, but I’M also emotionally immature, so we got along great and I really liked being in her little cynical, traumatized brain. I, of course, eventually appreciated her quick little journey of slowly unpacking her childhood and trying to really open herself to love she’s always deserved and should enjoy.

Overall, I wished for a little bit more of ~something~ throughout the course of the story, but honestly, I really enjoyed it and it made me all happy and gooey inside because it really was just so! damn! sweet! Can’t wait to read more from this author!

I absolutely loved this book! Combining true crime with rom-coms is basically the most genius idea ever and I had so much fun reading this one. I loved all the true crime references, but the best part was watching Phoebe's growth throughout the story. Her path was so relatable and real and it definitely punched me right in the feels. I couldn't put this one down!

Phoebe is a true crime fanatic. She reads about it, watches TV shows and documentaries about it, and she is even writing her doctoral thesis based on true crime stories. When she is with other people, she constantly states true crime facts. So she is a bit awkward when it comes to romance, especially when she suspects the handsome stranger next door is a serial killer!

I really enjoyed the true crime references. Many were about famous serial killers I had heard of, but there were also several I did not know about! The main characters, Phoebe and Sam were vulnerable and definitely not perfect; but that made them much more likable for me. Phoebe’s brother Conner was hilarious and made a fun addition to the story. I liked the conclusion; it was believable and perfect for Phoebe and Sam.

Read this if you love true crime and want to venture into romance! And, read this if you love humorous love stories.

My thanks to @berkleypub, @netgalley and @letstalkbookspromo for my digital copy, my thoughts are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was such a funny contemporary romance! I loved the characters, the banter, and the quirkiness, but there were some more serious moments as the main character and her brother are mourning their father.

Phoebe, the female main character, is a hoot and because she’s doing her PhD dissertation on true crime and serial killers, she tends to see it everywhere! That wouldn’t be so bad if her slight paranoia didn’t potentially mess up a relationship. I still loved the book, but the constant self-sabotage irked me a bit.

Thank you to the publisher for this gifted copy!

Wow, I ended up absolutely loving this romance. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself not wanting to put this down and finished it within a day! I really resonated with the main character, Phoebe; with her insecurities, her inability to commit, and her love for true crime. There were MANY true crime references, and while I knew most of them (I am also very into true crime) if you aren't well versed in that area, you might occasionally be confused. Though I do think Alicia Thompson took the time to explain the more nuanced references. I honestly really liked most everything about this book -- Phoebe's relationship with her brother, her relationship with Sam, her grieving process, etc. I did find the relationship with Allison left me wanting more, especially when she wasn't mentioned at all at the end. Overall, I will be adding this to my list of favorite romance novels.

i really love this. it was like the book was written for me. Phoebe was such a fun FMC to follow, I was so entertained by her cynism and how suspicious of every man she was. Sam was so fun bc in a way he looks creepy but at the same time so freaking cute. such a good read!

Thank you Alicia Thompson, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Love in the Time of Serial Killers is out and ready to be read!!

How is one supposed to feel safe in the dating world when you surround yourself with true crime podcasts, true crime shows and books about serial killers. That's what PhD candidate Phoebe has to find out when she goes back home to clean and sell her late fathers home and the attractive neighbor is a little too friendly at one in the morning. Is Sam her new neighbor just being nice while offering his assistance moving a heavy desk or is he in fact a serial killer, I mean come on he came out barefoot to help (redflag am I right, just kidding). And if you really look deeper, does Phoebe actually think her neighbor is a serial killer or is the investigation a distraction from the writing of her dissertation, the grief of losing a distant parent or the fact that she maybe is a little too attracted to Sam. And will she be able to break the wall around her heart before it is too late.

Even though it wasn't exactly what I thought it would be, I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. I couldn't put it down, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I loved that the book was truly about Phoebe’s emotional and personal growth, like I loved how subtle yet all consuming her character development was. I also loved Sam and honestly thought he was a warm cinnamon roll of a male character. The way they interacted felt very real and warm. I highly recommend this book and hope you find as much enjoyment as I did.

This is a great combination of steamy romance and true-crime love. While I expected the content to be a bit more about serial killers (this is really just a romance novel about a woman who loves/studies serial killers) I still found this to be a fun read.

Let me tell you this book is unique for a few reasons: mostly though because it a romance with a true crime loving main character who likes blood, crime, and understanding why people commit murders. Phoebe was so funny and weird and I loved her so much. And Sam is just a cinnamon roll. Phoebe also self-identifies as fat, which I love ("I knew I was fat, a word that didn't bother me as long as the person using it wasn't doing so pejoratively.")

There was a lot of talk of baggage in this, especially Phoebe's baggage after her parents split and her mom died. I loved Phoebe's relationship with her brother and her friend coming back into the picture. Her realization that she was worthy of love and she could build connections with people. I just loved her so much.

A must read!

FYI there is a Harry Potter reference - "we spent an enjoyable twenty minutes talking about the Harry Potter books and what a shame it was that the author was such a TERF"

I highly recommend you get your hands on Love in the Time of Serial Killers ASAP - it’s full of so much heart (and humor!) that I’d be shocked if you don’t enjoy it! This book also deals with some heavier topics (grief) but does so in a respectful, relatable manner - plus Phoebe's true crime obsession is ... amazing.

Thank you to Berkley Romance for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

What an incredible debut!! There's nothing I love more than a cynical, thoroughly relatable female main character and Phoebe Walsh was that for me and so much more!!

A curvy, true-crime aficionado, Phoebe doesn't believe in true love and is trying to finish her PhD dissertation while also spending the summer dealing with her recently deceased father's estate. Cue her friendly next door neighbor Sam, who she initially mistakes for a serial killer (she thinks everyone has the potential to be a killer) and her estranged brother who is helping her, and Phoebe is in for a summer romance she didn't see coming.

I absolutely loved Sam!! He's such a big-hearted cinnamon roll! A teacher and all-around good guy, Sam falls hard for Phoebe, even knowing she doesn't want anything serious and will be leaving at the end of the summer. Additionally the brother-sister relationship in this book was top notch!! Phoebe helps her brother plan his proposal while they both work through the messy family trauma they experienced as children of divorced parents.

Great on audio and highly recommended for fans of books like The make-up test, The sizzle paradox or Bend towards the sun (all books with brainy PhD student female main characters)! Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!! Alicia Thompson is an author to keep an eye on - I for one can't wait to read what she writes next!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Pub for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was so excited to do this Buddy Read with Berit Talks Books! This was such a fun book to discuss!

First of all, this cover and title is EVERYTHING! This book was so hard to put down. I loved Phoebe's character. She was quirky, entertaining, and enjoyed her dry humor. I could relate to her as I am addicted to true crime and sarcastic. And how fun to be analyzing true crime for your dissertation?!
Phoebe's father passes away and she's left with no choice but to go to Florida and deal with her emotions. A cute and mysterious neighbor named Sam lives next door and charms his way into Phoebe's life. Phoebe and Sam's chemistry was on point! I really enjoyed the two of them together. They were hilarious!
Phoebe has some soul-searching to do in order to figure out where she fits in to the world. Will she open her heart and choose to be with Sam?
I was rooting for Phoebe the entire time, and enjoyed how her character developed throughout the book. I also enjoyed the body positivity in this book.

I haven't read a Rom-Com in a few years, so this was uniquely refreshing! Highly recommend!

I really enjoyed this one! It is hysterical (especially if you are a true crime fanatic such as myself). I really connected with the main character, Phoebe, because I'm just as obsessed with true crime. I just thought this was super cute and a great read!!

* Thank you @letstalkbookspromo and @berkleypub for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.*