2.5 stars rounded up to a 3. This book was super addictive. I wasn’t expecting it to have a romcom aspect, but it generally worked.

My biggest gripe is that the main character is an intelligent, charming, feminist sociopath and serial killer, yet that felt like an unnecessary detail that was mostly glossed over. I would’ve loved to learn more about the backstory of our anti-hero or had her be more than an accessory to this story (irony?).

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Fans of "You" and "Dexter" will definitely enjoy this book. Saffy is a very likeable protagonist despite being a serial killer. You can't help but root for her since she follows a code of ethics and only kills "Bad Men". I thought this was a fun read and would recommend. Thank you to Julie Mae Cohen and ABRAMS for allowing me to read this ARC.

Thank you Abrams: Overlook Press and Netgalley for my copy of BAD MEN by Julie Mae Cohen, out 5/7/24!

Not gonna lie, the cover got me to read. But the writing got me to stay and finish. What a FUN thriller! Every second was a ball. Saffy Huntley-Oliver is a glamorous and smart socialite, and she also kills men for fun! For 15 years, starting with her pedophile stepfather, she has tracked down rapists, domestic abusers and murderers and killed them as her lil side hobby. Leading this double life has left her a lil lonely. She thinks she’s finally found a good man - Jonathan Desrosiers, a true-crime podcaster who cracks cold cases and brings justice to forgotten victims.

But wait. A decapitated body shows up on his doorstep the day after his wife leaves him, making him the chief suspect. Saffy does whatever she can to find the real killer and get her man! This book is FUNNY. It is so hard to put down because Sally is a hoot from start to finish. If you liked the book/show YOU or DEXTER, you’ll love this one!

It’s refreshing as a thriller because yes, people get murdered, but it’s not so dark and depressing as it usually is. It’s also nice to follow a protagonist (antagonist?) who isn’t drunk and stupid all the time. It’s weird, but you really root for the sociopath in this one. Well, at least one of them. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller you can read in one sitting.

Saffy is a strong independent woman who also happens to be a serial killer who kills bad men....
In full disclosure I did dnf this book at 50%. Not because of the usual reasons like poor writing or plot issues. Overall the book was very well written and the plot itself was super interesting. My reason is although the plot and the beginning caught my attention early on and it seemed so promising it slowly dwindled into a slow burn which are hard for me and this made it hard for me to connect with the characters and the story.
If you like twisty dark slow burns and well developed storylines this book is definitely for you.
Thank you to netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read this arc.

This book reminded me of the show You. And this book gave me the same vibes as the novel "They Never Learn". This is about a female serial killer who kills "Bad Men '' It reminds me of "You" in the sense that the author does an amazing job at making you root for her sociopath tendencies. Which stems from her childhood. I think people who are fans of thrillers will enjoy this. I will say that the ending was a bit predictable but nonetheless this was enjoyable.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this e-arc. This book was a fast paced and I enjoyed my time reading.

Relatively predictable plot line but overall fun & fast-paced read. The humor was refreshing and a nice break from dark psychological thrillers. Overall entertaining, but pretty basic plot.

First off thank you to Abrams Books, The Overlook Press, and Julie Mae Cohen for this advanced copy of Bad Men!
Actual Rating: 3.75 🌟
When I read the synopsis of this I was instantly intrigued, I mean who doesn’t love a bada*s female serial k*ller who takes out scummy men?
I did thoroughly enjoy this and I was rooting for the FMC, Saffy, the entire time. She’s quick witted, hilariously self aware, and extremely confident.
While this was a nice refreshing mix up from my usual romance novels I did have a couple of issues with the plot and pacing.
I really wish this had focused more on Saffy and how she’s able to maintain her life as a socialite but also a k*ller. To me this felt like the entire book focused more on the MMC, Jon, and the issues he was dealing with.
The ending also felt a bit meh too. It felt like the whole conclusion was rushed in the last 2 chapters and I think the author could have definitely drawn it out a bit more.
I did like the bit of the twist ending in the Epilogue. I do hope that the author has plans for a sequel because the everything feels like it was left open ended and, that there’s so much more Jon and Saffy have to learn about each other!

This book had interesting character development and had a number of twists to it. I enjoyed this book overall - it was an easy read!

Fans of Dexter (TV series) and You (book and TV series) will enjoy this book about a female serial killer who kills bad men. Cheeky and witty, you can’t help but cheer on this psychopath sometimes and also want to stay as far away as possible from her other times.

Saffy is a woman who has been killing ever since she protected herself and her younger sister from an abusive stepfather. Ever since she has been killing men who are rapists, murderers, and domestic abusers. But then she meets Jonathan and the possibility that she might have found a good man is too hopeful to pass up. What unfolds is a twisty and messed up plot to win his affection. I enjoyed this book and read it quickly!

This was a fast-paced, fun read! I wouldn't consider this a romance book though. A psychopathic stalker who manipulates and lies to the guy she likes is NOT romantic to me. I found myself really not liking/liking Saffy at the same time. (I hope that's what the author intended lol.) It's just hard for me to like a narcissistic killer no matter if they feel like their killings are justified. Romance aside, I enjoyed the plot of this book and thought the ending was intense and extremely entertaining! I would definitely recommend this as a fun thriller, but be warned that Saffy and Jon's relationship is super toxic and full of red flags on both sides in my opinion.

I really enjoyed Bad Men.

If morally gray characters that you end up rooting for are your thing, you'll probably really like Saffy.

I really liked the way the author incorporated humor into a more dark theme. It reminded me a lot of Dexter, and I loved that show a lot.

I wish there was a little more from Saffy. It went between her and her love interest Jonathan...but I did enjoy the way it was written.

It had humor, true crime, murder, and a little bit of romance too.

I really enjoyed it a lot and would be very interested in a sequel featuring them and their next adventures, because knowing the two of them, there will probably be many. I could easily see this turning into a series and I'd read it for sure!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC.

Delightfully dark and fun. A recommended purchase for collections where crime and thrillers are popular.

Quick , fast paced intriguing read :) I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a page turner ! I didn't see the ending coming! I thoroughly enjoyed this read.

Bad Men is about Seraphina "Saffy" Huntley-Oliver, an heiress who has it all, but is also a prolific serial killer. Unlike some other sociopaths, Saffy has a crush on true crime podcaster Jonathan (Jon). Her crush turns into her doing whatever it takes - including adopting a dog just to arrange a meet-cure - and becoming his own personal Nancy Drew when Jon becomes a suspect for murder (that he didn't actually commit).

This book definitely gave dark comedy, and many parts were hilarious. It was fast-paced and suspenseful, but I didn't really see any twists until about 80% in and I knew what they were going to be. Nevertheless, I enjoyed each one. Jon seemed to be the main one out of the loop. The dual POV make the book interesting, and it would have been great to hear more about Saffy's previous crimes against Bad Men. I wanted it to be a little more thriller/suspense than a rom com, but that's neither here nor there.

Thanks to Overlook Press & NetGalley for the chance to read this book!

TW for pedophilia and sexual assault from the jump of the book.

I absolutely loved this book told alternately between a sexy and psychopathic serial killer (only of bad men who deserve it) and the hapless true crime writer and podcaster she’s developed an infatuation with. The writing is wonderful and witty, and I honestly loved both characters. I kind of guessed what was going to happen but it didn’t matter because I loved it all. I’d happily read dozens of books in a series if more come — kind of like a much better, more likable and feminist version of You. I wouldn’t ordinarily call a brutal murder book delightful, but this one most definitely was.

I read a digital copy of this book for review.

I really, terribly wanted to love this book but it just fell flat for me. I don’t feel like it really picked up until about 75-80% through and i just felt bored nearly the entire time. The very last twist was so predictable and I really hope other people enjoy this, it just wasn’t for me.

I had fun with this. It was fast paced and a good time, I just wanted to hear more from Saffy than Jon. Saffy was the serial killer I couldn't help but root for and Jon was just wallowing and a bit boring. It's definitely more of a romance and I think it would have been more fun if Saffy's killings got more on page time!

Bad Men is about Saffy Huntley-Oliver, an heiress who has it all, and also is a serial killer. Through the novel we discover that she has a crush on true crime podcaster Jonathan (Jon). Her crush turns into her doing whatever it takes (even grabbing a dog for a meet-cute, which is wild!) and becoming a Nancy Drew when Jon becomes a suspect for murder.
This book definitely gave dark comedy, and many parts were hilarious. It was fast-paced and suspenseful, but I didn't really see any twists until about 80% in and I expected them to happen. Jon seemed to be the main one out of the loop. The dual POV make the book interesting, and it would have been great to hear more about Saffy's previous crimes against Bad Men. If you've read My Sister, the Serial Killer, it has similar vibes! I would recommend to others that like a mix of dark comedies & thrillers!

Thanks to Overlook Press & NetGalley for the chance to read this book!

CW for pedophilia and sexual assault from the jump of the book.

My literature teacher once told us that the end does not justify the mean… but damn, the main character is a serial killer who kills terrible men. AND I AM HERE FOR IT!
The book was entertaining and the chapters were short, which is good because at least the author knows how to make the story fast paced. There are some parts that kinda lacks some elements- plot holes but it is something I am not really worried about because this was (at least for me) marketed as a fast read.