Omg this was a fun ride! Writing humor, especially within a thriller about serial killers, is incredibly difficult and Gagnon does it with a deft hand. I was legit laughing out loud during the opening scenes, which, subject matter speaking, were quite frightening. Making the reader laugh without being over the top or ridiculous requires some serious talent so props to Gagnon! The characters were nuanced, the storyline twisty without being unrealistic, and the pacing quick and engaging. My favorite parts were Amber’s internal dialogue and my least favorite were the spicy scenes. A quick read with a wonderful balance of gore, humor, and human connection, I enjoyed this from start to finish! I know the author came out of “retirement” for this and I hope she keeps writing because I look forward to more books from her!

Thank you to NetGalley and GP Putnam’s Sons for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was a fast paced story about a serial killer and a former(?) grifter who is in his sights.
The book starts with amber being grabbed by a serial killer outside her apartment and thrown in the back of a non-descript van. The stream of conscious story goes on from there. It takes us from the east coast to Las Vegas to California, with memorable quirky characters.
This was a fun read and it kept me turning pages way past bed-time.
I hope there is a sequel.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me this book for free in return for an unbiased review.

I LOVED this book. The use of humor in a thriller is always appreciated. The character reminded me a bit of Finlay Donovan, which I absolutely enjoyed.

I'll
be posting the review soon! on my good reads! very good ! The first part is really confusing, I might reread it...

This was such a great, suspenseful thriller! I couldn't put this book down and I would love to read more by this author. You'll never guess the twist at the end!

I really enjoyed the pacing of this book! Very entertaining and enthralling read. I enjoyed that this is a "serial killer book" but doesn't feel constantly heavy or dark. A great job by author Michelle Gagon.

This is a fun mystery read for fans of the Finlay Donovan series.

The love interest lacked for me, but I know our main character needed something to fight for. It read as a fling more than a potential relationship. I had hoped the MC would get together with Grace instead. I did enjoy the characters throughout the story. .

From the beginning until just past the middle the book is nonstop with new characters and situations for our main character. The story lags a little after that, but does pick up to give the story a good ending. For me the story was longer than it felt necessary, but I understand what the author was doing with it. The story has a good flow and it isn't hard to follow what is going on.

Overall I did enjoy this book. I've been in a slump lately and this certainly helped.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

SYNOPSIS: The main character Amber can't believe her life rn.... she was literally kidnapped by a serial killer who paints his victims like... POKEMON CHARACTERS?! Just when she had accepted defeat, she is rescued by a someone who seems to be the Robin Hood vigilante slayer nemesis type of serial killers... aka they hunt them and kill them before they can continue to kill more people. Determined not to be left behind, she latches onto them, and the pair go on a series of... wildly unpredictable and highly entertaining adventures.

MY FEELS: I listened to the audiobook for a portion of this book and the narration really adds to the humor of the book. TBH, it seems weird to be laughing out loud while reading a serial killer thriller... but the main character is just so ridiculous and funny, you can't help it. As someone who reads a lot of thrillers, I enjoyed how unpredictable this book was - and found it to be a wild ride beginning to end.

4/5 Stars

[Gifted from G.P. Putnam's Sons and Netgalley - thank you! All opinions are my own.]

Killing Me by Michelle Gagnon was a HOOT! This thriller had such endearing and quirky qualities, yet also got my heart racing at certain points, so it was the total unexpected package. From start to finish, this novel had twists and turns that I could never have predicted (I mean...the Pokemon fetish?? C'mon!!!). From the unreliable leading lady to our band of Vegas misfits, I found Killing Me to have so many qualities in a story that I didn't know I needed!

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the eARC!

Rating of 3.5 stars.
I enjoyed the change in story telling from the traditional, "how someone got into a situation of being caught by a killer and just narrowly escaped." The focus on what happens afterward and how it was not a perfectly wrapped ending was enjoyably. I did not get how Amber could so easily just move past being kidnapped and almost murdered, and want to get back to her normal daily life. I loved the introduction of the characters in Vegas, and they were my favorite part honestly. I would have liked more of the little interludes that provided more background info of how the situation was escalating from Gunner's perspective.

***ending spoilers***

I think the twist of Grace actually being the killer instead of her brother would have been so much better than the actual ending. It was kind of lack luster as it was, and explaining the plan afterwards seemed more like a movie kind of move, and I didn't really appreciate that in a book.

A funny, sarcastic, dark thriller with a flair of mystery. Amber is caught in the middle of a cat and mouse game that she did not ask to be a part of. First, she appears to be the next victim of a prolific serial killer, next she ends up rescued by the killer's...stalker? She moves away in order to start fresh but finds herself still embroiled in a never ending journey where she's just stuck in the midst of it all. A very fresh, quick read that left me amused and satisfied cover to cover. Greatly recommended to anyone who wants a solid, enjoyable LGBTQ+ character to identify with and for those who like a little silly with their murder.

I enjoyed this read. I did, however, find the ending too predictable for my personal tastes. The location and female friendships were the best aspect of the story.

When Amber escapes a serial killer she thinks she is safe. Think again. Now she is getting texts from the strange woman that saved her, but can she be trusted. She is trying to outrun her past, so ends up moving to Las Vegas. But when she encounters the strange woman again, she realizes that she has put her new eccentric friends at risk of danger.

This is a very interesting book. I wasn't sure at first if I was going to like it, but ended up really enjoying it! Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest opinion.

This is the first book on my Arctober list. I started it on September 30 and finished it on October 1. I am off to a really great start!

The book starts with Amber being kidnapped by a serial killer. He was named the Pikachu killer. How funny is that? She was shaved bald and painted blue before a random woman in the ski mask saves her. Why did she save her? How did she know that Amber would be there?

This is just the beginning of the book, and it was nothing like what I expected. It was a delight to read this book. Amber is a hoot. Some of the stuff she says made me laugh out loud. If you like the Stephanie Plum or Finlay Donavan series, definitely look into this book. It reminded me of those two series.

It is really difficult to be a funny thriller. Honestly, I haven't read many that were able to make the cut for me to able to recommend them. Fortunately, this one made the cut. It was hilarious! It was suspenseful. Y'all just read this book

Favorite Quote: The illuminate circle contained enough to inspire nightmares for the rest of my natural life, which, judging by how things were going, wouldn't be very long.

Thank you to @michelleagagnon & @putnambooks for allowing me an advanced ecopy of this book. It is out now. I'm sorry I didn't read it sooner. I'm also sad I don't have a copy for my shelves.

On my Scale of Buy, Bargain, Borrow, Bud, or Bust, I'm putting this one in the Bargain category. I'll definitely re-read this in the future.

Read This Book If:
🔑You don't want a really dark thriller for spooky season. I promise the beginning is the darkest part of the whole book.
🔑You want to laugh out loud at some of the stuff Amber thinks.

This book is bonkers. I loved it. This book is bonkers. I loved it. This book is bonkers. I loved it. (NetGalley requires 100 characters lol)

This was a DNF for me. I think the plot as well as campy vibes did not mesh well with my reading style and I could not get myself to finish it

It kills me to say this, but this is a DNF for me.

rating: DNF
finished percentage: 49%
genre: mystery, suspense

After getting almost HALFWAY through this novel, I still have no idea what's happening. And while I enjoy the writing style and the overall tone of the FMC...I just can't bring myself to keep going. Every chapter brings a new question and it seems like a lot of the book is the FMC getting drunk or high and blacking out for hours at a time.

The audiobook was enjoyable though! So I would recommend that route if this is on your list!
I also enjoyed the writing enough that I'd definitely check out Michelle Gagnon's next book! This one just wasn't for me, unfortunately.

Really funny novel. Love the characters. Love the trouble that seems to follow. Such a fun novel. I must read for those that need a good laugh.

What a fun book! The main character is so likeable and the characters that come along the way are certainly fun. This book was very snarky and funny and that, in itself, kept me reading. Throw in a serial killer and murders and you've got a great book! I really hope this author puts more books out with the main character.

This was unexpectedly a fun read! Amber is about to become a victim of a serial killer but she is mysteriously saved. She becomes obsessed with tracking down her unexpected savior and instead finds herself inserted in a game between two people that has been going on for years. Will she be so lucky next time the serial killer comes around?

I'm deliberately being vague in my review because I don't want to give away any spoilers!