“The worst part was that I felt stupid.
Well, that’s not entirely true. The real worst part was that I was tied up in the back of a van with a hood over my head, and based on recent news reports, something truly horrific was about to happen.
But feeling stupid was definitely second worst.”

Amber is about to become the next victim of a killer who shaved his victims, and then painted them to look like Pokémon characters, a killer aptly named the Pikachu Killer. She’s abducted and wakes up with blue paint in a basement and accepts that she’s probably going to die. That is until she’s saved by a woman in a ski mask, a serial killer hunter. After being saved, Amber would do anything to keep living freely and will do anything to keep her checkered past coming into light. With newfound attention from law enforcement due to her brush with a serial killer, she flees to the west - which puts her in the path of a bigger, more dangerous serial killer.

This book was funny, full of brilliant women characters, and witty. After the description of the Pikachu Killer’s crimes I really thought I would not enjoy this book, but it drew me in and wouldn’t let me go. I enjoyed every single character, the twist at the end, and the thrilling mystery of what would happen next. The acknowledgements said the author wanted the story to be “female-driven, starring women who used what are traditionally considered ‘feminine’ strengths - their smarts, their instincts, their ability to form relationships. And I wanted them to be complicated, flawed, but redeemable.” Gagnon creates lovable, strong characters and made every single one redeemable. I personally loved Dot & Marcella. I’m excited to see how this story continues in the sequel.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam, G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

📖book review📖

Genre: thriller
Pages: 336
ARC: yes
Format: ebook

Synopsis: Amber wakes up, disoriented and strapped to a table after being kidnapped. Much to her surprise, her would-be killer is taken out by a small-framed female in a ski mask. Amber has no choice but to trust ski mask to take her back into town, a decision that would send her life spiraling into the underworld of Las Vegas and into the dangerous web of a serial killer.

💭my thoughts💭

This book was so good! It was thrilling, funny, and the twist at the end had me gasping! There was even a good bit of heart-warming LGBTQ+ romance in there which wasn’t overdone or underdone 👍🏻 I was on the edge of my seat until the end and everything was tied up nice in a cute little bow. Love 💗

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for access to this ARC. My review is an unbiased, honest review in exchange for the book.
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Amber Jamison is smart, savvy and tough, adept at living under the radar. So when a serial killer grabs her as his next victim she is really mad at herself. She escapes with some mysterious assistance but this puts her life on a new trajectory. She has a past and doesn't want to deal with law enforcement. So she runs. The community she finds while trying to stay hidden is fascinating as is the new serial killer who pops up in her life. This is a thriller but also funny.
This is a review if an ARC provided by Netgalley.

I’m going to just start off by saying this book is very quirky and all over the place, in a good way though. Amber gets abducted by a serial killer, only to be saved by a woman who takes it upon herself to hunt down and find serial killers. Amber is intrigued by this but decides to move herself out west just to be found once again in the crosshairs of another serial killer.
I had no idea which way this book was going and it was so fun and interesting. The characters were well written and perfect for the story. I don’t know if this is a book for everyone but I really enjoyed it. 4 ⭐️ thank you to NetGalley and GP Putnam and sons for an arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

Amber Jamison is a young woman who finds herself kidnapped by a serial killer. Somehow things get even weirder once she escapes.

The premise was so up my alley and it didn’t disappoint. At its core, I’d say this is more of a dark comedy than a thriller. There are some really funny moments, but there were also a few times where I felt like the humor was a tad millennial for my taste? Even still, it definitely got a few laughs out of me. And that’s not to say that this isn’t a thriller! The second half of this book had me on the edge of my seat; I practically flew through it once I hit the 50% mark.

I think my favorite aspect of this book is the characters. They’re all so vibrant and full of life, especially the side characters. The setting was also a ton of fun; Las Vegas was a perfect spot for this story and the author really made use of it. This is one of those books that you can just SEE play out in your mind, almost like a movie. It’s a testament to how well-written and engrossing it was! Definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Amber has very strong opinions about people who fall prey to serial killers and is sure that being savvy and street smart will keep her safe. Until she is taken by a serial killer and her life becomes a hot mess. I loved this quirky, snarky book that reads like Janet Evanovich teamed up with Stephen King.

A con-artist, prostitute, and a noir obsessed vigilante team up to catch a serial killer in this clever thriller.

Amber Jamison cannot believe that it actually happened to her. The former con-artist is abducted by a man in a white van. It’s a total cliche, but when she wakes up in his basement naked, shaved, and painted blue she realizes that she is the latest victim of the Pikachu serial killer.

Fortunately, a masked woman frees her before she can be murdered. Who is her savior? Is she really free?

When the FBI calls, Amber must pack up her belongings and start over somewhere else. She is afraid that they will ask about her sordid past as a con-artist.

She was so close to getting her college degree!

A road trip to Vegas leads to unlikely friendships, romance, and a plot to catch ANOTHER serial killer!

The first few chapters of this book are funny and I quickly became invested in Amber’s story. This is a wild adventure that will take some suspension of belief to enjoy. The humor isn’t consistent throughout the book and left me wanting more comical situations.

While somewhat predictable, Killing Me does contain a few decent twists and turns. Gagnon teases that it might be the start to a series, so watch out for more adventures!

Overall, Amber is a great LGBTQ character and I enjoyed her adventure. If you are a fan of the Finlay Donovan series, you will likely have fun with this thriller too.

3.5/5 stars rounded up

Expected publication day: 5/16/23

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC of Killing Me in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun and intriguing read about a serial killer! Amber gets kidnapped by a serial killer and is suddenly saved by a mystery woman, who turns out to be a very important character!! I enjoyed the friendships that developed in this book and had to read it quickly to see what would happen!!

I’m giving this 4 stars as the multiple plot twists did get me! I personally was not a fan of some of the writing choices, but that’s my issue. I also read this in free time between other things, and had I read it all at once I might have felt like I had whiplash from all the different things going on. Again, personally I felt this way, others may not.

Amber is about to finish college and start her new life. That is, until she’s abducted by a serial killer. But then getting saved from a serial killer is the last thing she expects, until bad goes to worse, and she’s being hunted by what might be the most prolific serial killer ever. Along with a merry band of misfits from Vegas’ underbelly, and her new friend “ski-mask girl,” Amber is just trying to stay alive and move on. But what if the mistakes from her own past have come to haunt her? Also, who can you trust in a city of cheats?

Original and quirky serial killer thriller!

I always enjoy a good thriller, but this goes so far beyond that and was one of my favorite reads so far this year! Surprisingly original. I would put hilarious, laugh out loud, serial killer, victim, friendship, murder, family all in the same sentence and Michelle Gagnon brought it all together to create a fascinating and thrilling read that I had to finish well into the night because I wasn't putting it down for anything!

The story starts out with a cliche serial killer kidnapping our main character, Amber. But thinking that is the main story line is a mistake. Amber lives, and no one is as they seem! A nation-wide hunt ensues and the action doesn't stop until 300+ pages later, concluding satisfactorily, making the squeeze worth the juice!

I love the originality of the story lines, and Michelle brings a fresh view to writing that solidifies the reason why i have started reading ARC's this year, and veering away from my norm. So glad to have found Michelle Gagnon through NetGalley and will read whatever she publishes going forward!! This is an author to watch for!!

A special thank you to NetGalley, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and Michelle Gagnon for a remarkable read as an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. I will be back for more!

This book was fantastic. There were so many things I loved about it! Lots of humor that was entangled in between serious suspense, serial killer “who did it vibes”, LGBTQ+, and difficult to put down. I read a lot of true crime/thriller books and the twists towards the end were some of the best I have read and really had me questioning! My fingers are crossed that this book becomes a series because I can’t wait to buy every book from this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC

This was funny...at first...and then it just became annoying. I dint think this con story is really bad per say, but I just didn't enjoy it.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

The book was well written and I really enjoyed the premise but it would be best for people in their 20s, maybe 30s.

Very interesting and worth the read. Definitely a bold start. There were some great characters especially Amber’s friends. If gallows humor isn’t your thing then this book won’t be either. I found this book very easy to read. I read it fairly quickly. There was definitely stuff I liked and stuff I didn’t. Definitely one of those books that are hard to recommend because it’s so niche but if you are in that niche I recommend it so much. If it sounds like something you could like I definitely say give it a try. It could be your next favorite read.

When I first started to read this book, I did not think I was going to enjoy it. I kept reading, and was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the book, the ending was definitely intriguing! #KillingMe #NetGalley Thank you for allowing me an ARC of this book!

*Thank You NetGalley for a free ARC of Killing Me in exchange for an honest review"
Killing Me absolutely killed ME! I have never found a thriller as hilarious as I did this one!
I completely loved this book. The character development was superb. I was highly amused by our main characters' cynical inner monologue. The tone and setting were spot on. I was pleasantly surprised at the originality of this story. There were so many twists and turns that kept me guessing and still completely surprised. This book was very well written, it flowed nicely, and it shocked and awed me. Killing Me was ironic (I mean, how many people would escape one serial killer just to end up in the hands of another?), witty, mysterious, thrilling, captivating, and immensely entertaining.

If I had to describe Killing Me, I'd say it's a creepy thriller about serial killers crossed with a "road trip" kind of Vegas buddy story featuring a fun, light-hearted ensemble cast. As strange as that may sound, it somehow works very well. I've never read this author before, but I'm impressed with Michelle Gagnon and she's definitely on my radar now. These were the perfect characters to have been put together, in the perfect situation to make for a compelling story. I feel really strange calling this a fun read, but I enjoyed everything about this book and had a hard time putting it down. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for review.

3.5 stars.

This one is a wild ride and the pacing was fantastic. I loved the cast of characters and the plot - a gal who is on the run from a serial killer (another one!). I didn’t see that ending coming at all!

Overall, a super quick fun read that def defies some thriller tropes which I totally dug.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy!

KILLING ME by Michelle Gagnon was a fabulously intense read with not one, but a couple of serial killers. You are grabbed in the opening paragraph and the book won’t let go until the final page!

Fast-paced with great writing, it’s easy to get lost in the story and lose track of time. It’s definitely not a traditional serial killer book though. So don’t go in expecting a Silence of the Lambs —you’ll be sorely disappointed!

This story was unique, witty, and laugh out loud funny at moments. Strong characters, including our protagonist, Amber and vigilante, Grace, drive a distinctive and quirky plot. The chemistry slowly builds between these two women, making the book even better. But my favorite character by far was hotel owner, Dot! I just loved her! I want a friend like Dot! And the dialogue between and among characters is fabulous and really propels the story in directions you won’t see coming.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Michelle Gagnon, and Penguin Group Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons for gifting me the ARC of this book! I appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!! It was a privilege to be able to read KILLING ME before publication!

Publication date is May 16, 2023.

Killing Me by Michelle Gagnon

Loved it! What a great thriller by author Michelle Gagnon. I had never heard of the author, but I sure am glad I was given the privilege of being able to read it.

Great mystery with a bit of humor. I enjoyed the main character and her wit.

Give it a read, you definitely won’t be disappointed!!

Rating: 5 Stars!

Release Date: May 16, 2023