A thrilling book about the dangers of true crime obsession and the ways in which we use the tragedy of others for our entertainment purposes. This one is really well written with a lot of twists and turns. It kept me guessing and always wondering what little nugget was going to be revealed next. It was easy to believe that character would find themselves in a situation like this after watching the Murdaugh trial or the Idaho Student murder coverage.

Thank you Berkley for the gifted copy.

As we all know, every book is not for every reader, and unfortunately that was the case with this one for me.

I found the female main character, Hannah, completely insufferable, hypocritical, and irredeemable. She will talk about how "in love" she is with her accused serial killer boyfriend and in the same breath go on to say the victims of his alleged crimes deserve justice. As a character she made no sense and I found her absolutely exhausting.

There were also certain times this book felt written for the male gaze. The line "Before she was murdered, Kelsey Jenkins was a bartender. She had the right look for the profession, with big boobs and a tiny waist." really gave me pause. It's disappointing that a line like this would be written by a woman.

The ending of the book also wrapped up incredibly quickly, and it left a lot to be desired for me.

"Why not? What was the very worst that could happen?"

I've been trying to put my feelings for this book into words since I finished it, and it's tricky! I think your opinion on this will greatly vary depending on what kind of book you're looking for.

Once more, this is a book where the pre-publication material, specifically the blurb, reveals FAR too much about the story in question. This seems like a particularly big thing now; I had the exact same problem with the last Netgalley book I read, Jesse Sutanto's You Will Never Be Me. I get that it's a big thing to ask readers not to read blurbs, but I honestly think this book especially rewards knowing only the bare minimum about it. It's about a woman who becomes embroiled in correspondence with a suspected serial killer. That's it. That's all you need to know. The blurb reveals three-quarters of the story and I think possibly hampers the book as a result, because it might create an expectation level where the reader wants to get through most of the story before being surprised by it....and then it ends.

I didn't feel that way. I was absolutely mesmerised by the vast majority of this book. I was immediately involved in Hannah, Coryell's lonely, struggling everywoman...who starts writing to a serial killer. As insane as it sounds, she was so relatable and real to me. She's desperate for a connection, to be loved, yet increasingly alienated by the pressures of her job, by modern dating, and by being alone. Coryell walks a tightrope with Hannah and it kept me on the edge of my seat. In theory, Hannah does something crazy, but she's also so funny, complex, self-aware, sad, and real that I found myself wanting her to either do something crazier, so I could ignore how much I related to her, or for her to be vindicated in her behaviour.

And I loved that. Coryell pushes the boundaries of what's acceptable, but she also integrates it perfectly in an all-too-realistic depiction of modern life that doesn't seem to be going at all like Hannah wants it. This is a challenging book, and it's also beautifully-written, gripping, and so intense that I couldn't take my eyes off the page. I kept saying to myself that I didn't relate to it, but I did.

I knew I liked a man when I started to feel like I might die if he didn't contact me.

So this book easily could've been a new top ten favourite. Until the last fifty pages, I thought that it was a new favourite.

This is where expectations become a problem. I was hooked on Love Letters to a Serial Killer because of its terrifyingly good blend of millennial ennui and crime/mystery pulp. Towards the end of the book, though, the balance starts to shift seriously in favour of mystery/thriller - unraveling loose ends and revealing secrets. The issue I had was that I just didn't believe in the final section of the book. It all became a little too heightened and almost goofy for me. While I'm sure some readers would argue that the whole book is not very plausible, I just felt like I was being asked to suspend my disbelief too far.

I still really loved it, though.

My most exciting post of the year so far! My first ever ARC!!! Thank you so, so much to @netgalley and @berkleypub for the opportunity to read this book! I am admittedly not a full-fledged “Bookstagrammer” but I admire them so and long to be one! This was a dream come true, honestly!
So, as has been well documented in my last few posts especially, I am a true crime fan. “Love Letters to a Serial Killer” is about a millennial girl who is rather aimless. She becomes obsessed with a serial killer and his victims so she begins to write him during his trial - and he writes back. What follows is equal parts hysterical (I laughed out loud a LOT) and horrifying. This book reminded me some of “Yellowface” - the protagonist is just so off the wall unbelievable and outrageous, but you can’t stop reading! It also scared me that I saw a bit of myself in Hannah (LOL!) In this way, I think this book is almost satirical/a social commentary on female serial killer aficionados… Am I one of “those women”?? Maybe…I think all female true crime lovers are. Something about the danger allures and fascinates us - the victims COULD be us, but aren’t. Hannah is all of us, she is just the unhinged version. I loved this book, even though I guessed the end - it was such a fun read. I wish it was fleshed out a little more - not because the story wasn’t good, but because I wanted more and it read quick! Such a great debut novel!! Everyone pick it up when it comes out in June! @goodreads 16/55 #netgalley #loveletterstoaserialkiller @tashacoryell

Oh my god what a fun thriller!

Hannah's life takes a sharp turn when she stumbles upon a true crime forum dedicated to solving the mysterious deaths of three women in Atlanta. All three victims had ties to the charming lawyer, William Thompson. Determined to seek justice, Hannah decides to write a scathing letter to William, never expecting a response. But when he does reply, it sets off a series of events that could alter Hannah's life forever.

Who knew she'd end up falling for the ultimate bad boy? Hannah's journey is just beginning, and the twists and turns are far from over. Definitely recommend it!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

I’m going to steal from Rotten Tomatoes and certify this one as fresh.

When Hannah’s most recent soulmate ghosts her and her BFF gets engaged, Hannah takes her obsession with true crime to a whole different level and starts looking for love in all the wrong places. Specifically, as a pen pal with a suspected serial killer who has been charged with murder four women and dumping their bodies in a ravine. What’s the harm, right? I mean all signs point to a conviction so it’s not like she’s actually at risk of being victim #5. That is until an actual fifth body is found while William is on trial which obviously makes him not guilty, he gets released and is ready for his happily ever after with his new girlfriend. Then it becomes a question or did he or didn’t he . . . or maybe more appropriate, will he or won’t he?

Simply put, this was a lot of fun. From the “Burn Book” style of cover art to the new take on “romance” in your 30s, I had a ball. The whodunit won’t be much of a shocker, but this made for a most enjoyable day out on the deck soaking up some unseasonably warm weather here in flyover country.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this advanced copy.
This an author I’ve never heard of, nor a book I’d heard of, but the premises caught me. Unbelievable to me, yet I’m also like true crime. Podcasts are my medium, but I certainly don’t try to solve anything, and definitely don’t fall in love. While it seems slightly predictable as the story unfolds it was a read that kept my attention. We get to know Hannah who is feeling completely overwhelmed, lonely and looking for direction (and love) in her life. She learns of these murders and online forum and starts to build her own little true crime junkie community, she decides to reach out to William ( the handsome lawyer charged with the crime). She connects with him in jail (because who doesn’t love writing serial killers.)
She decides to head to Atlanta for the trail and things definitely spiral while there.
I will say, there really isn’t a likeable character in this story, from Hannah, to her best friend, her ex, her boss and so on, so I definitely wasn’t rooting for anyone; and yet I was able to fly through the book with ease. I am however now more curious as to why women fall in love with murders, and it’s certainly something I would read up on later.
It’s pretty predictable (in my opinion), but it’s a quick read that will definitely have you shaking your head.

There's so much I want to say about this book, but after reading it in one sitting, I had to walk away for a few hours to get my brain ready to talk about it.

The main character was such a complex and weird person to follow (I'm so glad it was written in first person POV and not third). If you've ever read "Like Me" by Hayley Phelan, you'll remember the manic, insane, somehow enjoyable mess of the main character Mickey. In Love Letters to a Serial Killer, the main character Hannah reminds me of Mickey, but a less psychotic but more desperate version.

Hannah is lonely, can't seem to keep a friend of boyfriend, and tends to obsess over anyone who will give her an ounce of attention. Stuck in a dead-end non-profit job, she spends her time in online forums reading about a recent serial killer. Upon his capture, she starts to send him letters. These letters morph over time into love letters and soon the could-be serial killer and Hannah are dating.

Hannah follows William and moves out of town to attend his trial. She stalks his family, makes friends with the other serial killer groupies, and maxes out her credit cards. She's an absolute nightmare of a hot mess who cannot make a good decision to save her life.

There's so much more to this storyline, and I hope everyone picks it up to find out what happens.

I loved the fresh concept of this, but I felt the development left something to be desired. I also predicted the big twist about half way through. Overall, I would definitely recommend for thriller lovers who feel like they’re stuck reading the same ole same ole.

Hannah is over the monotony of her job, and when women in Georgia start dropping like flies, she’s invested. Eventually an arrest is made, and out of frustration with her own life, she sends an angry letter to William, the apprehended suspect. Soon the two become intrigued with one another, and William and Hannah pursue a “relationship.” Their letters continue through the trial, but is William guilty? Is Hannah exposing herself to a serial killer?

Talk about falling for the proverbial bad boy!

Hannah is floundering. A dead end job. Friends fading away as their own lives fall nicely in to place. And most painful, being ghosted by her most recent boyfriend- though he never liked to label their relationship. (Well of course he didn’t!)🙄

Looking for a new direction, or at least something to occupy her time, she happens on an online forum dedicated to a murdered woman in Georgia. As more victims are identified, a suspect, William is taken into custody.

As Hannah’s obsession with the case ramps up she decides to write to William in Jail. Why not right? What harm can it do? But what happens when he responds!?😳

Overall, a fun thriller. Having just finished binging Prison Brides so this was right up my alley!

And yes, I had the same reaction. Screaming at Hannah as I did the women on the show, “what did you think was going to happen!?” 💁🏻‍♀️

If you’re looking for something different and a bit out of the box this would be a good fit!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing via NetGalley

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC, it was a fun and refreshing take on a true crime mystery. Out this June!

I won't give away too much because I went into this one blind and would recommend other readers do the same, I had no idea what was coming next and that was part of the draw that made me read this so fast! Hannah goes down into a true crime wormhole when Wesley, an esteemed lawyer, is accused of being a serial killer. This leads her down a path of no return, where she ends up taking an online obsession and turning it into a real life personal investigation The characters were unreliable and unpredictable, just the way I like them, with an err of mystery that added to my curiosity. The overall storyline was interesting and unique, and overall an easy read that was part mystery and part romance, and partly both combined 😉

There were a few good twists, some were a little predictable but not all, and I had fun reading them anyway. I would have liked to see a bit more from Wesley, in particular in the second half or so of the book, as he seems like a rather "flat" character for having such a big part in the story.

Overall a super fun read and definitely would recommend for those fans of true crime out there, especially ones like me who can easily get sucked into a good podcast or Netflix series - Hannah's your girl!

This story was a really good one. From the beginning I was intrigued by the story and what it was going to be about. This story was a lot of fun to read. I love the burn book look of the title.

I think this was supposed to be satire but I just simply did not enjoy a single chapter of this book idk this book just wasn’t for me and I was actually rooting for the fmc to be taken out by her “serial killer???” boyfriend because she was so annoying

I’ve never tried writing to an accused serial killer but this book gave me that experience. The author made it easy to slip into Hannah’s mind and see why she made the choice to write him in the first place. I felt like I could tell what was coming but the ending still surprised me. The inner dialogue of Hannah really kept me scratching my head and sometimes I just couldn’t believe the things she would think were coming from a sane person. I felt the author did a great job of giving us a sense of who Hannah is and left more to the imagination of the other characters but in a good way.

💌 ARC from Netgalley

["This was not to suggest that being murdered and being shunned by a boy that I wasn't even in a real relationship with were equivalent, but to say that it was a bad time for a lot of us."]

I haven't watched SWARM, but I imagine this is what SWARM would be if it were about a serial killer instead of a celebrity.

[In some ways it was easier to face Anna Leigh's corpse than it was to grapple with my own personal failings. My tiny income and even smaller apartment. My novel draft that refused to grow no matter how long I kept the document open.]

I knew this book was going to follow the spiral of obsession as Hannah, our MC, began to write to William, our accused serial killer. Her obsession comes on strong and hard, and soon enough, Hannah is revealing things about herself to William that she's never revealed to anyone. When William's trial begins, Hannah packs her bag and travels to Georgia to be there in person, but her obsession with the trail won't allow her to be a passive observer. Soon Hannah is doing her own investigation, but as she delves deeper and deeper, it becomes unclear if Hannah actually wants William to be innocent, or if she likes the idea of being in love with a serial killer.

One thing LOVE LETTERS TO A SERIAL KILLER does particularly well is portray the way modern audiences interact with true crime. In an age where influencers do their makeup or eat a huge meal while talking about horrifying cases, often without considering the real people who were affected by it, Hannah works as a fascinating portrait of the lines people cross when chasing after these stories. Hannah not only goes to the places the victims frequented in life -- even getting called out at one for supporting the Accused -- but she begins her own investigation during the trial that raises dozens of red flags about her own state of mind. Hannah is an unhinged character through and through, but I think that's part of the draw of this book -- can someone who is that deep into their obsession have the ability to judge someone else's state of mind?

[It's painful to think of all the things that I didn't let myself love when I wanted to love them.]

LOVE LETTERS TO A SERIAL KILLER
GENRE: thriller(ish)
FINAL RATING: 3.5 rounded up to 4 out of 5

Overall rating: 3,5 stars

Hannah is feeling totally fed up after getting ghosted and watching her friends drift off to the suburbs. But fear not, because she stumbles upon a true-crime forum that's all about solving the mystery behind the murders of four women in Atlanta. And guess what? This handsome lawyer named William gets busted for the crimes.

Now, Hannah isn't one to sit back and chill. Oh no, she starts writing letters to William as a way to let out her pent-up frustration and rage. At first, it's like therapy for her, you know? But then, surprise surprise, William writes back! And that's when things take a sharp left turn into Crazytown.

"Love Letters to a Serial Killer" had me hooked, no doubt about it. But did I enjoy it? Well, that's a tricky one. Hannah is not exactly the most likable character. In fact, she might just give the killer a run for his money in the crazy department.

The story's got some decent twists and turns, even if it does drag a bit in places. If you're into delving into the minds of those "women who love killers" and you're down for a unique story that's equal parts fascinating and unsettling, give this book a whirl. It's not your typical love story, that's for sure, but it'll definitely keep you on your toes!

DNF @ 20%

This book felt tedious. I didn't enjoy the FMC. She felt annoying, whiny, and irredeemable.
The premise intrigued me, but the writing and pacing didn't allow for a solid execution. And something about this felt like a satire that didn't realize it was satire, so it's just awkward.

I was lucky to win Love Letters to a Serial Killer through a giveaway. I enjoyed this book and it’s to me a book perfect as a beach read. It kept me on my toes waiting to see how everything was going to go down and found Hannah’s choices and how she sees things are interesting. The only really cons for me is I sometimes had a hard time with liking Hannah and the story at times just felt a little slow. Thank you for this opportunity.

Hannah, the FMC, becomes obsessed with a serial killer after hearing about a few bodies that are found in the same area. She spends all her time on a forum researching the killings until it completely takes over her life and she loses everything else. She then starts writing letters to the accused killer in jail. She even drops her whole life to attend the trial.

My thoughts: the FMC Hannah has some sort of serious mental issues. She is obsessive, impulsive, and needs professional help. She is NOT a likable main character. Do not expect to resonate with her in any way. But also, I could NOT stop reading. She was such an interesting main character. I don’t think she ever made a rational decision once in this book.

I actually know someone this desperate and obsessive in real life and the whole time I was reading it I was thinking “is this really what goes on in her mind?” It was definitely very interesting to read.

Even though serial killers and murder are a main topic in the book, it is not gruesome in my opinion. The book is more focused on Hannah’s behavior.

The ending was a wild ride, but I enjoyed it.

To be honest, I feel like this book isn’t meant to be taken fully seriously. It is supposed to be a fun ride with a crazy narrator in my opinion. I think some of the bad reviews took the book the wrong way?

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book! (My very first ARC!!)

This was a fun ride! A bit predictable, but I don't mind a little bit of predictably if the journey is fun.

Hannah is a woman in her mid 30's. Stuck in her boring job, stuck in bad relationships. Like many of us, she happens to get caught up in the whirlwind of news and pretending to be internet sleuths. She decides to send an angry letter to William (The blurb about the book called him Wesley?) and when he responds, she can't believe it!

The book read like stream of consciousness, and Hannah is relatable- well, some of the time...

Like I said, the ending was a bit predictable, I "called it" probably half way though, but I didn't mind- I just felt vindicated when I realized I was right!

Overall, I didn't want to put this down, I was very interested in the story. I will definitely recommend this to friends when it comes out! Also, I think the title is great and the cover is eye-catching!