(Actual: 4.25⭐️) Honestly a great surprise of a read! I didn’t know what to expect from this one, but I found the premise interesting and also just kinda love city-based tours of crime scenes/unusual places, despite how morbid they can be/are. That said, I loved Capri as a character and found her to be both strong & determined without coming off as OTT or annoying. The who-dun-it mystery aspect also kept me engaged throughout, which is sometimes a bit of an issue for me (as someone with ADHD); and, given I’ve visited SF many times, it made me really happy to see all its unique charm really lit up between the pages here. All in all, a solid debut & one I’d definitely recommend to all mystery-lovers (especially if you’re new to the genre & wanting to explore it)!

this wasn't quite what I was expecting. Chouinard's writing is fun and the set-up is cool, but I just had trouble connecting with the story. even though it was pretty well paced, I got bored of it quickly and it became predictable.

Oh, this was such a fantastic read! The idea of your grandfather being a convicted killer, and then someone kills your ex-mother-in-law in the same method? Right after you had a fight with her? Yeah, that's an awkward position to be in!

At first, Capri is looking into Overkill Bill's case, because financially, she needs it, and better her then someone who is unconnected to the story. And then the current murders start up, and it gets even more complicated, with the hope that the past might influence the future.

I really enjoyed her investigation, she had skills from being a journalist, that helped her look into things like companies and who owned them, which was an interesting avenue to take that I don't often see. And as she learned more about Sylvia and why she did what she did, made the ending all the more crushing! Loved it!

The way things ended, that was really satisfying to read! Though I wouldn't mind if this became a series, to see Capri investigate more cases, just maybe ones that weren't so personal to her, since that's had enough upheaval as it was.

Loved reading this book, and i can't wait to read more by Michelle Chouinard!

A fun little mystery! Not the best mystery I’ve read all year but still enjoyed it.








I received a arc of this novel from NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for my honest review.

Cozy mystery with a very good setting. I loved the descriptions of San Fran and Capri’s family drama. I didn’t find the murder mystery very suspenseful, but it was a good read.

I think cozy mystery readers in general will like this book.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for the eARC.

I simultaneously never wanted this book to end and also couldn't put it down, so I ended up devouring this book. I love true crime, especially serial killers, and centering this story around an albeit fictional serial killer was fantastic. I loved the mystery and all of the onion petals of information along the way. It wouldn't be a great whodunit without several red herrings along the way. We get two simultaneous mysteries to dissect, but both are woven together really well. You will both detest and feel for multiple characters along the way. I hope this author is ready to pump another book out because I can't wait to read it!

Capri Sanzio, a San Francisco tour guide and the granddaughter of a notorious convicted serial killer becomes a prime suspect in a pair of copycat murders in this intriguing mystery. Capri begins her own clandestine investigation to find the true copycat killer and exonerate herself before she becomes the next victim.

Intense, clever, and insightful, this whodunit explores the darker realities of the American justice system and the repercussions of being directly related to a convicted murderer. Capri’s character is strong and self reliant while also being empathetic and kind and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for her in this series.

*I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for my honest review.*

Capri (emphasis on the PRI) is a strong willed woman who started a tour company in San Francisco 10 years ago when her marriage fell apart. As the granddaughter of the infamous Overkill Bill serial killer, she emphasizes serial killers and murders in her tours and the company has become quite successful. Then a murder happens and the cops are calling it a copycat of Overkill Bill who has always maintained his innocence and Capri's ex-MIL goes missing and she is the person that the family turns to for help.

I loved that Capri was such a strong character and didn't kowtow to anyone, including the hot detective. (Because, of course, there is a hot detective!) And she even stood up to her own dad about looking into the original Overkill Bill murders to try and find out if her grandfather really was innocent. Adding in several other characters that help with the tour company and her graduate school attending daughter, there is a great cast of characters to build on for any future books in the series! A single POV and snippets of San Francisco tourist locations and this made for a great debut!

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco is an enjoyable book with an unusual premise. Capri is the granddaughter of a convicted serial killer and she’s the owner of a business that conducts tours of San Francisco, including the haunts of past murders. When her grandfather’s crimes are revisited in the press, Capri becomes convinced that he was innocent and sets out to prove just that. Yep, it’s an unusual plot.

There are so many aspects of this book I enjoyed, including the interactions of the characters, the relationship between Capri and Inspector Petito, and the insight into San Franciso’s history and landmarks. The author presents a well-executed plot as Capri pulls lots of threads and puts together seemingly unrelated events in order to develop a theory for the motivations that led to the crimes.

As a side note I have to mention that Ms Chouinard dedicated her book to Lyssa. In the acknowledgments she explains that Lyssa was her dog who accompanied her on her walks around San Francisco as she was writing this book. She reflected how difficult it’s been since Lyssa’s passing. Any dog lover will feel a tug on their heartstrings when they read her words. Dogs always make things better – including writing a book! And this book is a testament to that. NetGalley provided an advance reader copy.

This was unlike any other thriller! A little bit of history of the city. The characters were awesome. You never know what to expect when you're reading this book, it was so hard to put it down. I really enjoyed it!

Thank you for this arc!

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco is full of high society drama and hilarity. I enjoyed the main characters quirks and ability to piece together the mystery as it went along. It was slightly predictable with certain elements falling flat but, on the whole, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story!

Capri is a true crime tour guide - and the granddaughter of a killer. When a copycat murderer shows up, Capri gets in the middle of it all. I love this book! It takes place in San Francisco and having just recently visited there I enjoyed that piece. The mystery was great and I enjoyed the characters. The fun facts of true murders throughout the book was a great touch! This book had me hooked and I could not stop reading. Definitely recommend reading! 4.5 stars!

Capri reinvented her life after her divorce by turning to an unfulfilled part of her upbringing: serial killers. As the granddaughter of OverKill Bill, she's always wondered if there was more to her grandfather's case, if he really was innocent as he claimed. Her father refuses to talk about his dad, but in Capri's ability to do research, and embracing an interest in serial killers, she's found her career. Not as a journalist, but as a tour guide, taking groups to locations where serial killers once left their victims, and their own legacies behind.

Now, when a copycat killer surfaces, Capri realizes it's time to learn the truth behind the Overkill Bill murders once and for all. Especially when her ex-mother-in-law is killed, and all evidence seems to point to either Capri or her daughter.

This one was pretty fast paced and stayed on the lighter side of things without sacrificing story or heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers at St. Martin's Press for an ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was a fun and quick read. It reminded me of the Finlay Donovan books. I enjoyed the main character and was rooting for her. I wanted more of the tour part of the story. 3.5 stars

I love a book that takes place in San Francisco and this book did not disappoint. Filled with fun and quirky characters, the mystery is contemplative and well plotted, The fun facts of true murders that happened in the area is an extra special historical addition to the pages and ties in well with the murder mystery tour business our main character runs! You'll be up to the early morning hours waiting to see what happens next and testing your detective skills until the breathless end. I really enjoyed this story and hope there's more of these characters in my future!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to be able to read and review this book!

4.75/5

This was a mystery that I just couldn't figure out all the different puzzles until the very end. There was humor and some romance throughout. I do want to read her future books. Thanks, netgalley.

Thank you Net Galley and publishers for letting me read an arc of this book in return for an honest review.

I really liked this book. It was a nice mystery to uncover as I read. I enjoyed that the amateur detective was a middle aged mother and not the usual rag tag team of teenage misfits. It was kinda slow paced so it didn't quite surprise me when I found out who the killer was, but I still liked how it all came together. Even the secondary closed case of the family serial killer wrapped up nicely if not a little sad. The main character Capri was a brave and persistent mother who solved this case to help her loved ones and I liked her tenacity for uncovering the truth no matter how much it hurt. I kinda want a series of these characters, I want to know more about Detective Petito, and her tour employees. Very simple kind of murder mystery if you don't want all the action of other mystery books, nice and cozy.

4⭐️
Cute premise that the main character Capri runs a Serial Killer tour guide as a business. And after finding out that her grandfather was a serial killer then a copycat shows up. Capri starts her own little investigating into it. This was a quick read. Has some family drama with a murder mystery in it. It definitely kept me entertained! Good for the true crime junkies, read like a light mystery

Thank you for an advance copy from NetGalley

This was an entertaining read and despite the murders, it flowed along pleasantly for me as Capri went along solving both the current ones and diving back into this past to see if her grandfather was actually "Overkill Bill" or was he a victim of the justice system. There was the connection between past and present as the current murderer seemed to be a copycat. Capri was an enjoyable narrator and I liked the way her mind worked finding all the secrets (though her eating of sweet pickles when stressed was ick!). I also enjoyed the way the story was interspersed with little snippets of previous serial killers who lived in San Francisco (and which Capri used on her many tours). I think I would have enjoyed having her as a tour guide on one of my visits to that city, especially when she did her research on prohibition rooms (secret tucked away spots for illegal alcohol) and speakeasies and such (she really is a woman of many talents, including finding the truth).

So, yes, this was a fun and light read with nice little historical bits about serial killers and cool spots in San Francisco!