This book reminded me of when you see a train wreck about to happen (figuratively) and you can't help but watch or peek through your fingers... There is something so fascinating and addicting about this book. I don't know if it is my love for true crime (movies, TV shows, podcasts) that really drew me into this story, or if it was Hannah's spiral of a life that I was rooting for her to fix. Either way, I flew through this and I absolutely devoured it. While there is the overarching question of "is William truly a serial killer?" the book is more so focused on Hannah finding herself throughout the trial and her relationship. I would not go into this book looking for a straight up thriller or murder mystery, although you will get some of those vibes. To me this book was almost like reading a true crime novel through the lens of romance and a journey of self discovery. I would definitely read this again.

4.25/5, Rounded down for GR

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really liked this! I’m one of those true crime girlies who love following cases and murders, but I could never see myself LOVING the killer.

This follows Hannah, a pretty boring no one who’s ex (even though he never labeled their relationship) ghosted her, her best friend got engaged and doesn’t have time for her, and her job is going no where. She starts following this forum discussing these murdered women and trying to find out who is murdering them. Turns out it’s this handsome man William (murderers always have to be handsome right? Wrong look at the green river killer or BTK)

She starts writing to William while he’s in jail awaiting his trial, it starts off as her questioning why he did this. Then turns into friendship, and then he asks her to be his girlfriend. (Side note, I never understand how you can get into a relationship with someone in jail/prison like.., what…) Anyway she decides to go down to Georgia to watch the trial in real life. While she’s there she befriends Williams brother Bentley, and some other women who are in love with William. Right before William gets convicted there’s another murder!!!!

Read the book to find out the rest….. it’s great

Love Letters to a Serial Killer features a protagonist who latches onto a suspected serial killer. Her delusional dreams consume her everyday. She's got poor decision-making skills and lacks any ounce of self-respect. I often wondered about the women who fall for criminals, and this novel provides glimspe into these women.

This novel was a bit predictable with loads of unlikable characters. The only sane character is William, and I cheered when he let her go!

Thank you, Berkley

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of publication! My review will appear on my blog on 6/25/24. I will also feature the review on Instagram that same day and post my review to Goodreads, The Storygraph, Fable, and retail sites.

Review:

The title alone is what made me request this book on NetGalley. For some reason, the cover made me think it would be a dark comedy, but that is not at all what I got (and I am totally okay with that). This book is pretty dark - as one would expect when serial killers are involved - and dives deep into people's obsession with true crime and serial killers. This is Coryell's first book, and I am already a fan!

The story follows Hannah, a bored and disillusioned young woman who doesn't have a whole lot going for her. She lives in a small studio apartment in the Midwest and works a non-profit job that brings her little joy. Often bored at work, Hannah entertains herself on internet forums where armchair detectives try to solve crimes. Her latest obsession? A serial killer who is preying on women in Georgia. When William (the alleged killer) is caught, Hannah decides to write to him as he awaits his trial. She intends to tell him what a POS he is and be done with it, but when he writes her back, Hannah is shocked, a little nervous, and intrigued. So, she replies to his letter and thus begins her relationship with an accused serial killer. But what starts as a harmless outlet for her frustrations quickly spirals into an obsession as Hannah becomes more and more entangled in the case and more and more emotionally attached to William to the point that she begins to make some very questionable decisions that may cost her her life.

The character development in this book is exceptional. Hannah is a complex and flawed protagonist whose descent into obsession is both fascinating and terrifying to witness. At the same time, I have read many true-life stories of people who go down this path. It's both disturbing and fascinating. Likewise, William (the accused) is a compelling and enigmatic character, keeping readers guessing about his true nature until the very end. Coryell delves deep into the psyche of her characters and explores the dark and unsettling nature of their relationship. The dynamic between these two characters creates a tense and suspenseful narrative that will keep readers turning the pages well past their bedtime.

The side characters are also very well-developed. From William's influential lawyer father to his enigmatic brother and the other armchair detectives that Hannah befriends, each one serves a distinct purpose, and their time on the page is not wasted. As the stakes rise and the tension escalates, the book barrels to a satisfying conclusion, and while I wasn't surprised by the twist at the end, it was still a satisfying read.

While not the dark comedy I expected, this book ended up being way more than I thought it would be. It's a dark and riveting thriller full of well-drawn characters and a compelling plot that is as chilling as it is captivating. With a unique premise and a gripping narrative, this book is a must-read for fans of true crime and psychological thrillers.

This really worked for me. It was easy to read, and while I won’t say any of the characters were particularly likable, I still enjoyed it!

The title pretty much says it all. Hannah, who’s in a dead end job with a love life that’s going nowhere, reads about a potential serial killer and becomes obsessed. She starts writing to him in jail, and then he writes back.

From there we get a sort of twisted romance with a bit of a mystery. Everything really worked for me, but especially the ending. I love an ending like that, but I know it’s not for everyone. Hannah was relatable, even though at times she was annoying. While I found parts of it to be predictable, I still thought it was well done.

4.5 stars

This book started a little slow. It definitely put me in the feels and soon after reading I was on tik-tok watching video's and one showed up where a serial killer sent this girl a letter. It's always the same thought in books or movies like this. What did you think was going to happen.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this eARC. This book was something new for me, I haven’t found a concept similar to what this story portrays and I can appreciate the creativity for that. Unfortunately the main character is absolutely horrendous. There was no redemption for her and i feel like she could really benefit from a psychiatrist. The story follows Hannah as she ruins her life and career over a true crime forum as she falls in love with an accused serial killer, while also obsessing over a failed fling to the point that she’s absolutely harassing this other guy. There are some interesting qualities to this book though, I liked some of the side plot and I appreciated that it wasn’t as straightforward (even if the plot twist is extremely obvious and guessable as soon as you meet that character.) I also would recommend changing the blurb due to it spoiling some of the key points of this book. This book does keep it moving tho, and I appreciate that it was difficult to put down. Kind of like when you see a car accident and can’t look away? Love Letters to a Serial Killer holds you in a grip where you can’t put it down. I wouldn’t say I enjoyed this book but I didn’t hate it either, I’m pretty neutral to it.

A flawed woman with serious psychological issues begins corresponding with a man on trial for multiple murders. While the protagonist was extremely difficult to like, I found myself turning the pages to see what happened next.

Hannah’s love is spiraling out of control. She needs to start fresh, so why not get a pen pal? Except this pen pal isn’t any ordinary person. William is a convicted serial killer who murdered multiple women. Hannah finds herself falling for William, but will it work out?

This book was a great read. The dynamic between the characters was something I haven’t read before. Hannah and Williams relationship seems bizarre, but definitely interesting! I do think the synopsis revealed a little too much info about the book, especially a spoiler. Overall I rate this book 3.5⭐️

I loved the premise of this book.
I thought it was super different and i was super excited! I think it started out super strong right from chapter one. I wanted to
Complain about all the bad decisions that Hannah was making but Clearly she’s had some psychological issues lol.
Around the middle it kind of lost me , and unfortunately it was a bit predictable.
Overall i thought it was an entertaining read.

I very much enjoyed the character development of Hannah - her lack of direction in life, parental pressure, struggling to stay on top of life and bills. And in comes a serial killer - true crime forums, blood lust, a desperate need for connection.
It just fell so flat for me.

When handsome lawyer, Wesley, is arrested for a series of murders, recently ghosted thirty-something Hannah begins writing him letters as an outlet for both her frustration at her failure to launch, and her feminist rage. The exercise empowers her, and even feels healthy at first - until Wesley writes back….

Hannah is struggling in all areas of her life - lost motivation at work, her best friend is getting married, her boyfriend (if you call him that) is starting to ghost her. She’s feeling lonely and angry and takes out that negative energy by writing to William, a man charged with murder. She becomes completely obsessed and loses touch with the life she has right in front of her. I found the synopsis of this story to be interesting and couldn’t wait to read it, but I struggled with how unlikable Hannah was. In the words of my 8 year old, her character was “cringe”. The ending was pretty wild, but enjoyable. Dropping everything to follow a stranger on trial? It’s a pretty crazy story so I wouldn’t go into this one taking it too seriously.

I received a gifted galley of LOVE LETTERS TO A SERIAL KILLER by Tasha Coryell for an honest review. Thank you to PRH Audio, Berkley Publishing Group, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

LOVE LETTERS TO A SERIAL KILLER follows Hannah, a young woman who becomes obsessed by true crime. She begins writing to William, a man accused of being a serial killer while he is in jail awaiting trial. Initially she believes in his guilt, but even though he doesn’t argue the point, he does write back. Hannah begins to question things and she starts looking into his case.

Soon, Hannah is obsessed by William’s case and she finds herself falling for this man. When the charges against William must be dropped, Hannah must confront her feelings for a man she never believed she would see out from behind bars even as she continues to try to investigate his potential life as a serial killer.

This was one of those books that you just want to yell at the main character. Hannah is so quickly drawn in by William and by the idea of falling for a man she can never have. Bad decisions abound in this book! I will admit this made it hard for me to feel like rooting for Hannah at times.

I did find the ideas introduced to be very interesting and it definitely had me intrigued to figure out what was really going on in William’s life. The author did manage to hit me with a few unexpected twists as well!

The ending of this story knocked me off my boots and left me SHOCKED. I was incredibly hooked from this book from start to finish, but I loved it even more after everything came together, piece by piece. It was an incredible experience!

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would give this story a 3.5 🌟 out of 5.

Getting into the head of someone who falls in love with a serial killer is the draw to this story. And it is a warped mind indeed.

The alternating timeline enhances the mystery element.

The main character is hard to connect with. And this is by design, due to a person who falls in love with a serial killer is someone who is easily manipulated. And I hated watching the character be manipulated. The author did an excellent job portraying this character that is highly susceptible to being manipulated, but also attention seeking behavior and self-destructive. But she is overall just a horrible person.

Wowwwwwww!!!!! This has to be one of the best ARCs I’ve read in a long time! I honestly did not know where this story was going to take me but I was addicted from the very first page! I have never read a story like this but it was just so damn good! The whole time I caught myself being stuck between feeling bad for certain characters and thinking they’re complete idiots. What a wild ride this legit felt like I was watching this whole story play out in front of me, it just felt so real! If you’re looking for something thrilling, unique and completely wtf worthy this is it! I hope this author writes more books because I will be the first in line to read them!

Thank you Netgallery for the ARC of this book!
Hannah is someone who seems like she will never be happy. She expects more from boyfriends than they are willing to give, reads more into relationships than the guys she's with, but seems to be stuck with her own crazy thoughts.
She starts hearing about murdered girls that keep showing up in the same area. Hannah becomes obsessed with these murders and trying to help solve the cases. The whole ordeal takes over her life, causing her to get fired.
Once William is arrested for the murders, she starts writing to him in jail. She is so invested in hoping he really was the killer that she takes what is left of her money to drive to his trial and stay the whole time. At this point they have become boyfriend/girlfriend. She loves the idea that he may have done this.
Once acquitted, she is still trying to figure out how he killed these girls. There is a huge twist where the actual killer is revealed and Hannah isn't sure whether she likes the thought of being with an accused serial killer or the actual killer..because nothing ever seems enough for her.
It was a great read that made me question everyone throughout the book! I really enjoyed it!

This one won’t be for everyone, but damn I really liked it. I’ve always been fascinated by those women who write letters to convicted criminals so the premise sounded so interesting to me. What interests me the most is what type of person could actually fall in love with a killer? Getting to know Hannah in this book provided some insight into here and while I could never claim to understand her motivations, this did provide a unique look into exactly how it could happen. She’s not relatable, and she’s not all that likable either but I could not stop reading about. She’s an unhinged train wreck and I couldn’t wait to see what she would do next. This has three parts and the middle section did drag a little for me but part three truly sucked me back in. Things really start to go off the rails and while parts of the conclusion were a little predictable, I was pretty satisfied by how it all ended. Try this if you want something different, or something character driven or even if you’re like me and want to know what kind of women writes love letters to a man facing a murder trial.

United States Publication: June 25, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this advanced reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

Thirty-something Hannah is feeling stuck in life. She's in a dead-end job, no man seems to want to keep her around past the booty call, and her parents seem mostly dissatisfied with her. So, when a string of murders grips the nation's interest, Hannah finds herself sucked into one of the numerous online boards dedicated to "assisting" the police department with their investigations. It gives her something to focus on that isn't her own dismal life. And when she takes it a step further and starts communicating with the suspect in custody, making clear she believes he's guilty, she begins to thrive not just survive. Maybe. Her obsession with the murders, and now with the murderer, results in Hannah losing her dead-end job and her last-minute decision to drive to Atlanta from Minnesota and attend the trial of her boyfriend, suspected serial murderer William Thompson. She's 50/50 on whether William is guilty or not and believes that being in Atlanta will help her decide his guilt, regardless of what the jury decides. What is William's end game? For that matter, what is Hannah's end game?

Coryell crafts a fictional account of what seems to be one way women and men get enmeshed with murderers. They start corresponding with the criminal, sometimes out of a need to express their outrage and sometimes out of a weird compulsion for the "bad boy/girl," and eventually, that communication leads to much more than they anticipated, especially when they are at first reaching out to the inmate with outrage. It's weird. The dedication at the beginning of the book says, "To anyone who has ever felt unappreciated," and the idea of being and/or feeling unappreciated is one that runs throughout the book, specifically with the character of Hannah. But that is one of the reasons the book doesn't get higher marks from me, Hannah. She's a little annoying. In some of the ways she isn't feeling appreciated, it is by her own hand; she's a master at self-sabotage. She is also a portrait of every complaint that has ever been uttered about millennials. It's a little too on the nose for me. By part three of the book, I was tired of Hannah and kind of wishing someone would kill HER. The book also ended on a lackluster note, in my opinion, which also accounts for the rating I ultimately give it. Despite my annoyance with Hannah, I did enjoy the story overall.

It was an easy and entertaining read. It had its moments of comedy, intrigue, cringe, deadly fantasies, and obsession. Hannah is a woman in her 30s and she feels like she is failing in life. Her loneliness drove her to get into an unhealthy and dangerous relationship. As a true crime fan, I understand the pull that true crime has, but how Hannah got involved really crossed a line. I found myself saying “Girl no” multiple times.

The outcome of the story was predictable, but I enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC. This is my honest opinion.