Amber is abducted by a serial killer and then saved at the last minute by a masked woman. Then it gets strange when she thinks the FBI is after her and flees her life. Killing Me is the first book I’ve read by Michelle Gagnon. The plot is a little convoluted and I had a hard time getting into it for quite a while. Very unique storyline that you won’t find elsewhere. Twists and turns kept me guessing the whole way through. In the end, I enjoyed Amber and her collection of misfits.

*ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

In the first chapter of this book our main character gets kidnapped by a serial killer. This madman is killing women and painting them like Pokémon characters and leaving them for the police to find alike some sick Pokémon Go game. And that is the most boring part of the book. When our narrator/main character survives the attack, her story gets even more crazy. Amber is likeable and believable and I rooted for her the entire time. She gets drawn into another dangerous cat and mouse game that kept me glued to the page. I literally could not stop reading this book. I didn't want it to end. The writing is engaging and dynamic. The main characters are complicated and intriguing. Although a couple of the side characters are cliches, they add to the story. This story is a rollercoaster and I enjoyed every page of it. Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and Michelle Gagnon for the arc.

This was my first read by Michelle Gagnon and it was thoroughly enjoyable! It starts off fast paced and the action never stops! It was full of twist and turns that really kept me engaged.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This latest thriller by Michelle Gagnon is my very first book by this author. This was something a little different than other thrillers I have read. This one had humor and I found myself laughing out loud several times. Amber is kidnapped but actually escapes the psychopath who took her and is saved by a mystery woman. Then things start to heat up. She is no stranger to law enforcement either and has a long list of things she has done in her life. A lot of this story takes place in Las Vegas and the author did a great job making me feel like I was on this chase with them!! I enjoyed this book and I know a lot of others will too. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review. To be published May 2023.

This book was phenomenal! I’ve been in a bit of a book slump lately and this pulled me straight out of it. The pacing was perfect, I never felt bored and each scene was so well-written. Every character was enjoyable and the plot left me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and can’t recommend it enough! If you enjoy murder/thrillers, this one has it all in one package, tied up with a pretty bow.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Killing Me.

I admit I was pretty stoked to read this. It's got everything I look for in a novel; a plucky heroine, a serial killer, assorted quirky characters.

Count me in!

Was this entertaining? Yup.
Were the characters, including Amber, personable and likable? Sure.
Was the story just as unique as the characters? Ditto.

This was a female driven story led by Amber, an almost victim of a serial killer, saved by the sister of a serial killer, her own twin brother. Their own father was a notorious serial killer as well.

With me so far?

Yeah, you have to read it to get it.

Was it an exciting read? You betcha.

Was it far fetched with plenty of moments of disbelief? Oh yeahhh.

You'll need to check your disbelief suspension at the door.

Were there familiar tropes and lucky breaks? Of course!

Like how Gunnar is a hottie serial killer and has killed hundreds and evaded authorities for this long.
The twins are trust fund babies (how fortunate) because how else can Grace fund her investigation?
Dot knows everyone in Vegas and can hook up copter rides and stays at motels and find people to stalk Gunnar like she's running her personal undercover operation.
Amber was raised by con artist parents and her quick mind is a result of her unorthodox upbringing

Was this still fun to read? Definitely.

I liked the writing style, the tone, Amber and Carrie, Dot and Marcella, and everyone involved, including Dot's man.

It was great to read a narrative that revolved around strong, independent, resourceful women who didn't need a man or was fighting over a man or getting revenge on a man who had wronged them.

This was just a fun (I can't believe that happened but I'll run with it) kind of read.

Just enjoy it for what it is.

The good guys win, the bad guys don't, and all is right with the world (for most of the characters, at least).

This was an entertaining read and the perspective throughout was a lot of fun. How can you not enjoy the panicky thoughts of someone who is constantly finding themselves in more difficult situations and mentally kicking herself? The pacing was a bit weird at moments and some of the character development seemed a little forced. A fun ride overall and escapism at its best.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

WHAT A RIDE. This book started off so fast paced and barely stopped until the very end. The twist, turns, and events had my head spinning. I found myself questioning every single person’s actions and motives to try and figure out what was happening. I am so excited for the sequel!
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC!

ARC REVIEW

Killing Me by Michelle Gagnon
Release date May 16, 2023

My Review

Killing Me starts with immediate action as the main character is captured by a serial killer outside her college apartment. Amber wakes up later to a mysterious woman rescuing her, and our adventure with a crew of unique characters is off and running.

Amber finds herself a little further from Johnson City, TN with no idea who rescued her and the realization that she must leave before cops start asking questions.

Soon enough, Amber is in Las Vegas meeting a ragtag cast of new friends in the motel scene. But the mysterious stranger who saved her keeps sending texts and Amber will demand answers. The endearing characters end up working as an unlikely team to catch a prolific serial killer in this funny novel perfect for fans of the Finlay Donovan series.

I liked this one from the first page. My favorite parts included the rich cast of characters that society tends to ignore, the distinct personalities they each had, and the easy to consume writing style. I was less of a fan of the pacing around the middle, but I think that story building may pay off in the sequel- which I will definitely pick up!

⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book had good potential to me but it just pushed my willing suspension of disbelief a bit too far. It kept me reading and engaged but I found the characters hard to connect with.

I am not the intended audience for this book. I really struggled with the plot. However, if you love serial killers, murder and mayhem, and a heroine that doesn't follow all of the rules, you might really enjoy this story.

Absolutely love this book, the writing was witty, it had a strong female character and the story itself was very interesting! I would recommend to anybody that likes a decent thriller/mystery and or comedy.. considering the subject, serial killers, the book was actually very believable. Thank you to not galley and the publisher for this Arc in exchange for an honest review.
Definitely five stars!

I don't read many murder mystery books because I usually get super anxious with them most of the time in my real day to day life. This one is a game changer, so EPIC. I laughed so many times while reading and it was all so unexpected. I did not have this high of hopes for this because of the genre I don't typically gravitate towards, but it was SO GREAT! I want to be like Amber if I ever get kidnapped by a serial killer!! Actually, at the beginning of the book I was like this is exactly how my brain thinks and probably what I would be thinking if I was in a van getting taken to who knows where to get murdered. That is what stole my attention from the start. I cannot wait to get my hands on the physical copy of this and the sequel (apparently!). Thank you to the author's kid for suggesting the twist closer to the end, just pure epic. If you get the chance to pick this book up once it's published, I HIGHLY highly recommend. Total 5 star read.


Thank you NetGalley and the publishing team for giving me access to this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Killing Me
Michelle Gagnon
This book starts off with a bang, or perhaps that was the sound of the door of the white van slamming shut. Our heroine Amber Jamison is abducted by a serial killer driving a white van then she is rescued by a person wearing a ski mask.
Amber was on her way home when she was abducted. She found herself bound in a basement. She had been abducted by the Pikachu Killer (he dresses like Pikachu and sends the media the coordinates to where they can find his latest victim.) While Amber was of course frightened she handled it well, perhaps it was her psychological training or perhaps it was her personality, or perhaps it was the fact she was gripped at herself, but she actually had an upbeat attitude even though she expected to be dismembered. Grace to the rescue! Grace is a tall blonde woman wearing a ski mask that tracks serial killers. Amber escaped one serial killer to become the focus of another.
This book starts off with a bang, oh, perhaps that was the sound of the door of the white van slamming shut. Our heroine Amber is abducted by a serial killer driving a white van then she is rescued by a person wearing a ski mask. Amber and her rescuer chase the killer across the country.
You have to love Amber! She is sassy, snarky and sarcastic. She makes this thriller FUN. That’s right, this is a book about a serial killer and its fun. I found myself laughing, she has that type of personality. There are several characters in this book, and they all have the greatest personalities; they were all funny and the banter between them was fantastic.
Author Michelle Gagnon brings readers a fast-paced tale that will take the reader from Tennessee to Las Vegas to Los Angeles. The tale is told from Amber’s point of view. I loved the way you could read/hear Amber’s conversations with herself. It looks like this may be a new series. I highly recommend it. This book will be published May 2023.

This was a great book! I got into it super quickly and it was a delightful ride. I do think that unfortunately it kind of tapers off once you get to the interludes - it feels like the second half of the book is about trying to introduce a lot of doubt and plot twists, and I wasn’t fully sold with the ending: not enough to mark it any less than a 4, but still. Ultimately the book was a fun read though and I enjoyed it a lot!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! If fun/murder-mystery was a genre this would definitely fit that category.

The adventure begins from the POV of our victim/heroine ,Amber. She's just an average college student trying her best to keep her head down and nose clean ,at least for two months until she graduates. Oh, and she's also hyper aware that there is a serial killer on the loose. Surely,she's smart enough to avoid him..right??? Of,course not,the Pikachu Killer butt bumps her into his flower van and chaos ensues.

With a cast of mostly likable characters the story line takes the reader on a crazy ride into the zany underbelly of Vegas and into a twisted twin relationship that involves a sick game of "catch me." I probably am not doing justice to the scope of funny..but believe me there is lots of lough out loud moments.
I loved every moments of this comedic slasher novel. If you enjoy a thriller with a ton of sarcasm and a few twists grab this one!

This book is great!
I love a good thriller but not one that is really dark and depressing!
If you like serial killers and murders but also comedy then this is the book for you!
I loved the writing and just devoured this book pretty much in one sitting
SO GOOD

What a story! This was such a different story than I’ve read in a long time. Every time I thought I was ahead of the twists, something else happened and kept me on the edge of my seat. I really liked all of the characters and how they were developed; they all felt very organic.

Where do I begin?! Ok, this is a strange book and I am glad I gave it a shot. This unbelievable story starts with our main character, Amber, being rescued from a serial killer. Yes friends, this is actually the first chapter. Amber is saved by a very intense new main character named, Ski Mask. Trust me, when you read it you will understand. The chase across country, and the elaborate game of cat and mouse between the hunter and the hunted starts off with a bang!
Along the way, you meet more eccentric friends that poor Amber just drags along for the ride. The ode to old school Las Vegas, and how even the seedy underbelly has amazing people that will go to great lengths to help a friend in need. The ending was almost predictable with just enough variation to make the reader go, “That wasn't quite what I was expecting, but cool!” Its definitely an acquired type of writing. The sarcasm that is obviously a defense mechanism and the undertones of, “oh gee what am I actually going to do next” balance each other out.
I laughed a lot and enjoy the banter between the characters. They each had their unique personalities which could be hard to keep track of, but the author does this almost seamlessly. The gallows humor and quick whit are not for everyone, however if you are down with this sort of thing, this is clearly a quick and easy read. I almost want to see how things would go, now that i've closed my book kindle and finished the story.
Take note, if you are not into this type of humor, or storytelling, this will absolutely grate on all your nerves. The events are so far fetched it clearly a fiction book, not that this is a problem for some. Others will find a hard time being submersed in a story that they just do not see happening somewhere at some point. If you fall in this category, again, not for you! But if you decide to give this book a shot, I feel confident enough in saying that, “there really is just a little bit for everyone!”

If you are a fan of genre mashups then this book is for you.
No, seriously, it's amazing but you have to be willing to consider a chick lit cozy thriller with a side of true crime with some Sapphic romance, but I highly recommend that you do so, right away.

Killing Me is one of the most creative books I've read in a while. I loved how real every character was, regardless of their over-the-top nature. There's everything from a queer female con artist, to a hot, blond serial killer to a bi sex worker, with a couple of femme fatale noir types who own hipster running to seedy, off the strip Vegas hotels for good measure.... and a lot in between.

The novel's structure is energetic and fast-paced, dropping you straight into the story when our MC (the queer, female con artist) is kidnapped and being prepped for demise by a serial killer (not the hot blond one, either). From Tennessee to Las Vegas to LA, the plot moves fast and convincingly in first person POV, and contains some of the cleverest internal dialogue I've read in a long time. My only concern at the end was for our intrepid MC to quickly cash in all that crypto for something more stable.

5 enthusiastic, read-it-in-a-day stars.