I love the premise of this one. A female serial killer who kills bad men, yes please. Unfortunately, the story was told in dual povs. I did not care for Jon's point of view. I would have preferred the story told from only Saffy's perspective. The mystery reveal was a bit of a letdown. I would have liked more of Saffy taking down more despicable men than what was given.

Somehow this “feminist” woman serial killer novel was focused around *checks notes* a man. This plot had so much promise but just fell so flat.

Plot was very predictable and the main characters story is pretty minimal. I wish we heard from her more and about her thoughts, other than scheming. The one or two sentences where she actually did make critiques on society felt very lame and thrown in.

I still somewhat enjoyed the book but dang, this could’ve been so good.

I enjoyed this book but didn't love it. The protagonist, Saffy, was interesting but I wanted her story line of being a female serial killer to be the main one. Unfortunately, the author focused more on the obsession and love interest and their budding romance. The alternating perspectives was also not my favorite.

I tried really hard to get into this one, but I just wasn't able to. I am still really thankful to the publisher, author, and netgalley for granting me advanced access to this digital collection before publication day.

Finlay Donovan meets Stone Cold Fox!! This is a funny thriller (yes it’s a thing)! Saffy is a mastermind and I would read a whole series about her and her serial killer ways!

This follows Saffy, a serial killer who targets bad men, and Jon, a true crime podcaster. Saffy thinks she has finally found a good guy in Jon, but then he is accused of murder. She decides to investigate with him to clear his name.

I liked the premise here, but was confused that it switched between Saffy and Jon. There was also a lot less of Saffy’s murdering throughout than I thought. More chapters seemed to be from Jon’s perspective. It also takes a long while to get to the true plot (like 40% in it got there). The whodunit was also not surprising although there is a good minor twist in the epilogue. A good premise, but just too long to get to the actual plot.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

When socialite and serial killer Saffy Huntley-Oliver sets her sights on unsuspecting true crime podcaster Jon Desrosiers for her next potential suitor, a dead body shows up on his doorstep and he begins receiving ominous messages.

This quirky debut was a fun read. I found myself rooting for Saffy as she took out bad men for their indiscretions against women. Although she’s a serial killer, she’s so relatable and has a soft spot for her sister. When she decides to embark on a mission to win over her crush – who happens to be a popular podcaster – things start to really pick up. Will he figure out her secret?

I enjoyed this book, but I felt like we didn’t get to know Saffy as much as Jon. I felt like she was more of a side character, which was interesting because the book marketed it more about her foray into killing bad men. It felt like the book could be set up to expand into a series, and it could be fun to see if Jon ever finds out Saffy’s little hobby. I’d be interested to follow for more!

Thank you to Julie Mae Cohen, The Overlook Press (Abrams) and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of the book for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers at The Overlook Press (by extension of ABRAMS) for providing this free digital ARC in return for an honest review. My opinion of the book and the content of my review were not altered by my receiving this edition.

I’m going into this blind only knowing that it’s a female serial killer of men.
If Dexter had a female lead and everyone is funny and pretty interesting - as a book.

From the quote at the beginning I was hooked. I devoured this book in one day, less than half a day truly. The pages turned so easily and the wit and humor actually made me laugh to myself a few times. “I kill bad men. As a hobby, it’s not as Instagrammable as baking.” C’MON! That is hilarious!!!

There were some dark elements in this book, as early as our main character’s childhood, and I found that no part of me wanted to root against Saffy, only for her. (Except with the poor pup…..) Saffy is downright side-splitting funny though, and her wit had me highlighting all kinds of lines on my Kindle. “Pavement pizza” “It’s impossible to move bodies around on public transport with any kind of discretion.” “A dress cut that won’t pop a boob when you’re strangling a man from behind.”
Just to name a few. Which is a testament to the mind and writing of the author.

True crime has become a widely popular pastime between podcasts, insider tv spots, and even conventions. The idea of a podcast host and author becoming the target of sociopaths feels very possible and parts of the book dealing with Jon were shocking and felt ripped from a headline.

Even near the end the twists and the follow-through of one very graphic threat were shocking all the way up to the final reveal, the true mastermind taking steps to bring everything together.

I immersed myself in this book, I think it would make a great tv show, I cannot recommend enough!

Thanks to Abrams for a Netgalley copy to review; this title's on sale now.

Bad Men leaned more romance than thriller for me, something I'd expect more from a romantic suspense where the <i>lead</i> is not the killer...

Some very humorous inner monologue moments from Saffy's POV shone through, but I didn't get what I expected from this. Solid three-star read, something for the beach or a trip.

For me this was just an OK book. Definitely not what I expected from the description. Didn't finish it since I lost interest.

I was immediately drawn in by the idea of a female serial killer, I am a true supporter of women's wrongs! I wanted this to be along the same vein as 'They Never Learn' by Layne Fargo, and unfortunately, it didn't quite measure up. It leaned a little too into the romance, which isn't a bad thing, I just wanted it to be more thriller with just a side of romance. It wasn't what I was looking for.

I thought the premise of a FMC serial killer was great but I think the plot missed the mark for me a little, I think I wanted more thriller than romance. Overall good book and excited to read more from this author.

**Thank you to NetGalley and ABRAMS Publishing for the eARC of this title!**

Based on the synopsis describing a female serial killer taking out men that deserved it - I thought this one was going to be perfect for me. Unfortunately I couldn't connect with the FMC at all and didn't find this one to have very many elements of a thriller, instead leaning towards romance.

I didn't hate the writing at all, and I do think this one probably has a strong target audience out there! It just didn't work for me. Late review past publication due to struggling to finish this one and summarize my thoughts on it.

i have never quite read anything like this and i think it's a standout for novel of the year in a way that stuff like nightbitch has been for me. a little american psycho, a little...everything else. LOVED IT.

The story of a female serial killer was an interesting take. I enjoyed the dry humor of the main character but I felt like the character development was a bit off. The ending left much to be desired as well. However, I was on board throughout the book when the author inserted witty quips and drew some parallels between current events and politics. Anything with a feminist tone that cleverly rejects misogyny always catches my interest. Overall definitely worth a read!

Bad Men missed the mark for me. Although it was a good story it was executed poorly and could have been better in my opinion. I still can't wait to read more from this author though. 4 stars from me!

3.5 stars. This book stressed me out from beginning to end. And wow, what an end.

I know recently a movie came out with a very similar plot, however I believe this one is different. Saffy is a serial killer, but she targets "bad men" only. Men who are rapists, child predators, violent abusers, and men who target women for murder. After years of tracking and taking men out, Saffy finally finds a man who she believes to be in love with, and she'll do anything to get him.

I could not put this down because I was so worried she was going to get caught, but also like she should get caught because she's killed so many men. It was a lot to read about so I'll put some trigger warnings below:

•Animal abuse
•Sexual abuse of a child
•Descriptive murder scenes
•Stalking
•Physical violence

And there's probably more, but those were the biggest ones that I saw throughout this book. The animal abuse was probably the most shocking to me because it didn't feel totally necessary. There was also a very Saw-esque scene that was absolutely gross.

I'm not sure I can necessarily recommend this book, but I do think if you enjoy horror and this type of plot you will most likely enjoy it.

Saffy is a glamorous socialite who is also a proficient serial killer. For the past 15 years, she’s hunted down evil men. But leading a double life has left her lonely. Saffy thinks she’s finally found a good man in Jonathan, a true-crime podcaster. When a decapitated body shows up on Jon’s doorstep, he becomes the prime suspect. Saffy’s crush becomes an obsession as she orchestrates a meet and volunteers to help Jon clear his name, using every trick to find the real killer and get her man—no matter the cost.

BAD MEN is an entertaining story about a woman serial killer who preys on evil men and her crush, who has no idea what’s in store. Saffy, at first, is a likable character who is protective of her sister, even if she isn’t all there mentally. I mean, she does kill, after all, even if those scumbags deserve it. I enjoyed observing her psyche, but that later changed when she did something questionable. It wasn’t even the killing men part; I was down for that. 😂

Now, I was excited to read about a serial killer woman with feministic vibes. Sadly, the plot didn’t quite deliver that premise. It was more about Saffy pining after Jonathan. I get it; Jon was a decent guy. But I wanted more killing and fewer heart eyes. The story mainly focused on him instead of Saffy’s. As for the reveal, I wasn’t surprised. A bit cliched. BAD MEN had great potential, but it lost its way a bit. I will say that Julie is remarkable at developing her characters and pulling readers in with her words. I look forward to seeing what else she cooks up next!

I'm not sure if I would call Saffy a serial killer. She is actually doing everyone a service by removing rapists, murderers, domestic abusers, and other men from the streets. It might little bit of a vigilante justice, but someone needs to keep those guys away from our kids and fellow women. Her being a socialite is a plus to get herself out of trouble and do it fast.

When she met this new guys, who was a podcaster with a headless body dropped by his door, Saffy felt something moving inside. She liked this guy. He wasn't one those above. She didn't need to get rid of him, but she could help him get rid of his problem. With her vast knowledge in doing the deed and hiding it well, she could help her podcaster to identify his dangerous stalker.

I loved how Saffy made herself someone she was not just to protect her relationship with this dude. She was doing all the cringey things you wouldn't expect from an socialite with everything laid under her feet. Also, I'm not going to lie, I'm very impressed by the description of that walk-in closet.

Pub date: May 7th, 2024
Huge shoutout to @netgalley for this fun read

When I hear female serial killer, I come running. Also helps when you have a little serial killer girl gang to buddy ready with 👯‍♀️ This book was so fun! I snagged the audio from Hoopla to listen to while at work and the narrator was amazing! I personally loved the character of Saffy. I thought she was witty, smart, a vigilante, and maybe a little obsessive and stalkery 😂 I wish we would’ve had more about her ✨vigilante ways✨ in the book. I enjoyed the dual POV between Saffy and Jon, and we got breadcrumbs throughout the story of why Saffy is the way she is. If you want a quick, cutesy thriller/romance definitely check this one out