yes i read this in a day.
no i don’t know what to think about it.
other than what the HECK did i just read.
i got this as an arc and just finished it sorry for being behind netgalley

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this copy of "Love Letters to a Serial Killer."

This book was so good! I couldn't stop reading because I had to find out what happened to Hannah, who feels so unappreciated, unseen, and unheard that she's at least superior to an alleged serial killer, isn't she?

Working with online groups to solve the murders of several girls all found in a ravine gives her meaning and purpose, but when the killer is caught, she has nothing left in her life.

So she writes him a letter to tell him that. And then he writes back. And they fall in love. And she goes to his trial to see him. But there's no chance she'll ever get to meet him because he's guilty, right?

It was dark, fun, exciting, fast-paced, suspenseful, and I'm hoping to read more from author Coryell.

Love Letters to a Serial Killer
By Tasha Cornell

Published June 25, 2025

Thank you to @berkleypub @prhaudio for the #gifted copy.

This book was unique! Hannah is obsessed with a true crime case. I am sure many of us who follow true crime can relate. 😅 I will warn you though, Hannah is not likable. She is a bit off the chain. Hannah is one of those women who falls in love with a killer. The one who always has us scratching our head like how does that happen?

Overall, I enjoyed this one and the audio was great!

I wanted to read this book as SOON as I saw the title! And I can say that it did not disappoint! I found myself often shaking my head at how delulu the MFC was! But it made her even more interesting to read about. I would definitely recommend this to anyone and everyone!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝘼𝙣 𝙖𝙞𝙢𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣, 𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙝𝙚’𝙨 𝙖𝙘𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙙, 𝙙𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨.

This cover is stunning 🤩 unfortunately, the story itself is not so much… I had such high hopes and really wanted to love this with the concept.

I’m so bummed I didn’t like this the way I wanted to. The idea of a “romance” between a character falling in love with a serial killer after sending notes to each other had me invested.

The plot was so lackluster that I kept eye-rolling. Hannah was such a frustrating character to deal with, I get the point was probably for her to be unreliable - but my gosh was she so unrealistic.

I wouldn’t really consider this a “thriller” or “romance”. I don’t know where I would place it genre-wise. I do think the true crime aspect was fun and unique though - perfect for fans of that!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Berkley for the review copy in exchange for my honest review!

Readers are either going to feel uncomfortably seen or uncomfortably appalled by Tasha Coryell's Love Letters to a Serial Killer Coryell's MC, Hannah, is awkward, has no idea what she wants out of life (which leads to plenty of poor decisions), and has such a low self-esteem that I couldn't help but find myself identifying with her to a certain degree. Hannah is openly honest in her inner monologues, oftentimes outwardly portraying one thing but confirming the worst about herself and what others think about her internally. Coryell lays out the hypocrisies and conundrums of early adulthood and womanhood in a way that was raw enough to make me uncomfortable through each chapter. This isn't really a suspense or thriller (it isn't that hard to figure out the plot twists if you're paying close-enough attention) but it was a tense ride on a rollercoaster of a MC who is a relatable hot mess that will likely make readers confront aimlessness, loneliness, envy, and restlessness in their own thoughts and lives.

**Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.**

Huge thank you to @prhaudio @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. This audiobook definitely had me entertained!
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This book is straight up b-a-n-a-n-a-s !
Hannah, oh Hannah where do I even start? She is not focused in life except when it comes to writing an alleged serial killer. She spends all her time on a true crime forum and decides to write the handsome William and tell him
how he deserves the death penalty but slowly, letter by letter she finds herself falling for a man behind bars. She befriends other crime junkies and soon finds herself giving up her job, home and normal life to attend trial every day. When a new woman is found murdered everything changes and she has to find out if she is truly safe. When it comes to serial killers no one is safe.
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This was a wild ride narrated from the unhinged mind of a hot mess woman who is aimlessly navigating a mediocre life until one day she learns of a murder that quickly turns into a series of murders. After obsessing over the murders, going deep in serial killer investigation forums, when the killer is caught, she soon turns her obsession to him. She starts writing him letters to vent her frustrations about life and he unexpectedly writes back. Through their correspondence she falls in love with the accused serial killer and takes a road trip to be physically present for his trial as her reality spirals down a dark hole. She’s not the most likable of characters, but I think that is to be expected to find the type of person that falls in love with a murderer, however, I really enjoyed the dialogue in her head. There was a sort of sadness to this psychological suspense when looking at the reality of this pathetic life choices and low self-esteem, but she definitely had character and this made for a very entertaining read.

Dark. Weird. Cringy. This is definitely a memorable book! Sad commentary on our obsession with true crime /romance/mystery/thriller - I'm not sure how to classify this book. it was definitely a pageturner and I enjoyed it!

This is such a unique book premise and it was kinda fascinating to see the perspective of someone who writes letters and falls in love with a suspected serial killer.

Hannah becomes obsessed with a true crime case and follows along with others on a message board. She decides to write him a letter and they become pen pals. So she decides to head across the country to Georgia and be there for the trial.

This was the most deranged book. I couldn't put it down because it was like watching a train wreck. Hannah was the queen of bad choices but I couldn't look away. This was a fun book and I had to keep reading to see what horrible choices she would make next.

Love Letters to a Serial Killer comes out on Tuesday - June 25th!

Thank you @berkleypub @prhaudio for my complimentary audio and digital copies. My thoughts are my own.

WHAT DID I JUST READ?!!! Judging by the cover, I thought this would be a romance, but it turned out to be a DARKLY COMEDIC THRILLER, and in the most delightful way!

When thirty-something Hannah finds herself at lose ends she impulsively writes to a man awaiting trial for multiple murders. To her surprise, he writes back to her, and they continue writing. The story gets crazier from there!

I don’t want to reveal any spoilers, so that is all I will say! But be ready for a wild roller coaster ride with the CRAZIEST, most UNHINGED female main character I read about in quite awhile! I could NOT put this one down! I found myself laughing out loud, and totally puzzled at the same time by the inexplicable mindset of Hannah!

I had my suspicions about a few things, but I was totally unprepared for the ending! I’m not sure I liked the ending, but it was perfect for Hannah!

Thriller lovers, PLEASE treat yourself to this book!

Hannah's life is boring, and she's lonely. So, out of the things she can do, she writes to a serial killer and unexpectedly hears back. Even though he hasn't been convicted due to circumstantial evidence, Hannah and William move in together. Um, girl, what are you thinking!?

Her life decisions were a hot mess. She was so desperate that it made her unlikable in so many ways. Even with that, it's still a binge-worthy read. It was sadly predictable but deranged and fun overall!

I accidentally submitted the review prematurely and am unable to delete it. I will come back to this as soon as possible once I am finished.

This follows the thought process of a thirty-something woman who is trying to find her footing in the world.

Hannah works for a non-profit, has commitment issues or has issues letting go once she becomes committed. Soon a string of killings start happening, and she is like most people. Let's get online and speculate who the killer is, because that's how most thirty-something women handle break-ups...right?

We follow her and her obsession grow into something tangible. As long as he promises not to kill her.

Thanks you to NetGalley and Berkley for my #gifted advanced readers copy! My opinion is voluntary and my own!

Hannah, a 30 year old, loving a mundane existence becomes obsessed over the deaths of several women in Georgia. The victims of a serial killer. When the handsome, lawyer serial killer is uncovered, she starts writing to him and they eventually fall in-love. Hannah has fallen for a serial killer and it’s exciting yet terrifying, yes definitely exciting!

Hannah’s life falls a part, partly because of her obsession over William and his victims, and also because she gives up, wanting to start over. She moves to Georgia during William’s trial and is dubbed “one of those girls”… you know, those obsessively weird serial-killing murderer lovers.

As the trial proceeds, Hannah stalks his family and plans a future with her accused murderous boyfriend. Thinking he is guilty but loving him still. His proposed murderer status tantalizes Hannah…. she really is a weird woman.

William is found innocent when another murder victim is found in the exact spot and in the same way as the other victims. Hannah is whisked away to William’s home and they become engaged…while all along, Hannah believes he really is guilty.

Hannah sneaks about, trying to gather evidence about the man she loves, making innocent and guilty columns and filling them in with clues. Is William really a serial killer? Why does that even excite Hannah and will she really marry a man she thinks is a murderer? Will Hannah finally discover the truth before it’s too late?

My thoughts:
☁️
Woah! This book was phenomenal! I do t understand how some readers found it disappointing because I sure LOVED it! It held my attention and I found it EXCITING and THRILLING! Oh, and such a KILLER twist!! Really, really loved this one and can’t wait to read more by @tashacoryell

Well that was a weird and wild ride. Our MC Hannah becomes obsessed with a true crime case which leads her to falling in love with a potential killer. I got through this pretty quick, I loved the short chapters and the switch in time occasionally but my biggest complaint is that it felt so repetitive. I swear I read the word lamented more times then I want to count… otherwise this was a weird little thriller with a frustrating (in a fun way) MC. Thank so much to NetGally and the publishers for an advance copy for review.

This book was an interesting read! I didn't really know what to expect going into it so for the first 25% of the book I couldn't put it down. I was super interested to see where it was gonna take me. I slowed down a bit in the middle when I was sure I figured out the whodunnit but I was still enjoying it. The ending was a little anticlimactic for me but there was a pretty solid twist at the very end that I didn't see coming which brought the book up to a 3.5 star read for me. Overall I enjoyed it and the story!

Hannah's most recent relationship, if you'd even call it that, ended fairly recently and abruptly. She wanted something very different from her ex and she was taking it poorly. Her best friend recently met someone and their relationship is strained. Hannah finds herself on a true crime online forum of armchair detectives after several young women are found murdered several hours away in Georgia. William, a good-looking attorney is arrested as the accused serial killer. Hannah decides to write a letter to William and they begin a relationship via letters. The attention that William is giving her is unlike anything else, though she has a certain level of shame and is keeping the entirety of her situation away from those close to her. Hannah becomes obsessed and ends up losing her job. With her time now freed, she travels to attend the weeks long trial. Upon the discovery of a new victim, William was acquitted and shortly after he showed up at Hannah's hotel and tells her he wants to marry her. Still suspicious, Hannah continues to snoop around and investigate the murders of the five young women. This puts Hannah in a very dangerous situation.

This was certainly one of those books that you finish and wonder what you read.

3.5 out of 5 stars.

Usually, thrillers that involve serial killers or the "do they have the right guy" trope are really fun... and right up my alley. This one, however, felt quite bland and repetitive. In addition to that, it was incredibly predictable and I had the entire plot figured out the second someone other than the main characters was introduced.

Diving in a little bit deeper now: I actually enjoyed a bit of this book. I liked the delusional main character to an extent - though her shtick got old very fast. I really liked the unreliable feeling that I got from reading her perspective... it just felt very surface level and I think it would've been fun to see that aspect of the story expand past what it was. The delusion was repetitive and really didn't add as much to this story as I was hoping it would.

I also did not care for how this book was written the pacing seemed all-over the place as if the FMC was rumbling. It was a struggle to read and unfortunately I ended up DNFing the book.

2.5 stars

A woman becomes obsessed with an accused murderer and begins writing him letters, only to fall in love with him. As they become pen pals and then lovers, the woman must decide whether she believes in his self-pronounced innocence and that he won’t try to kill her next. Author Tasha Coryell crafts a compelling narrative with an unlikeable protagonist and a paper-thin plot in her debut novel Love Letters to a Serial Killer.

Hannah White’s life is slowly falling apart. Her boyfriend has ghosted her; at least, she thought he was her boyfriend. He certainly didn’t mind sleeping with her and her coming to the concerts he put on with his punk band. But the minute Hannah tries to move the relationship forward, suddenly he’s gone.

It doesn’t help that her job as the communications person for a nonprofit in Minneapolis pays peanuts and she has no passion for it. The job was supposed to be an in-between kind of thing until she found something better, but somehow Hannah has gotten stuck in that weird space. She hates her job, and it’s looking like it hates her back.

Thank goodness there are plenty of distractions. The latest is an awful crime out of Georgia. Upstanding lawyer William Thompson is facing the accusation of murdering four women, and Hannah devours the details of the case. She joins an online forum where followers of William’s story are working together to see if they can definitively prove he did it.

Hannah is all for justice. Those poor women were murdered and thrown into a ravine like trash. In a fit of righteous anger, Hannah decides to write William in prison so he knows how despicable he is.

Except William starts writing her back. And before she realizes it, Hannah begins sharing information about her life with him. He does the same, although he always sidesteps her questions about whether he actually killed the women in question. Instead, the two get to know one another and Hannah comes to a startling realization: she’s fallen in love with William.

When his trial date is set, Hannah goes to Georgia to support him. There she meets other sympathizers and true-crime junkies like herself, but she knows she’s the only person who has a true connection to William. She still can’t quite rid herself of the doubt about his innocence, but the more important thing to Hannah is the love they share.

Then the unthinkable happens: a fifth woman is murdered while William is in prison. The jury lets William, and he turns to Hannah right away. The two pick up their relationship where their letters left off, and Hannah believes she’s found her happy ending.

There is that nagging doubt, though. Now, even as she’s consumed with the idea of spending her life with William, she’s equally overwhelmed with the possibility that he might murder her. And she’s trying to figure out which idea she likes more.

Author Tasha Coryell creates a deeply compelling voice for her protagonist. Hannah’s wry life observations and the deep irony with which she views her situation with William will keep most readers engaged through the first portion of the book. Her journey is similar to a long rabbit hole online where one click leads to another until it’s hard to remember where and when a person started searching.

The plot, however, feels flimsy at best. Much of the book is taken up by Hannah’s shocking declarations and revelations about herself and men. The actual sequence of events moves in stop-and-go motions. The result is a book that moves at a decent pace only to stop for Hannah to share what often sound like memes of her life and then start moving again. More astute readers may not appreciate the jerkiness of the narrative.

The ending too, while it may fit the overall tone and approach of the book, feels rushed and papered over. Those who want a quick true-crime fix may want to check this one out.