Unfortunately this one fell a little flat for me. I think with the title and cover I expected a little more humor and fun, but it felt drawn out at times and when it started going deeper into tech and insider trading I started to get bored. I did enjoy the little tour bits between chapters and wish there had been a bit more of that!

Capri, inspired by a lifelong belief that her grandfather is innocent of the killing spree he was imprisoned for, started out studying journalism to learn investigation techniques and ended up with a business giving serial killer tours in San Francisco about other cases she’d studied.

Her daughter Morgan, for similar reasons, is perusing a degree in forensic psychology. At least she was, but after a surprise late night phone call from her Grandmother (on her dad’s side) her main tuition money is being immediately cut off without good reason.

Desperate for money, Capri is considering her friend’s advice to do a podcast/book combo about her grandfather’s case.

When a copycat killer strikes, the interest increases.

The main difference being where the original killer targeted sex workers, the new one is after socialites. And when victim number two is the mother in law that just cut off Capri’s daughter’s tuition, the two become prime suspects.
Now she’s not just trying to clear her grandfather’s name but theirs as well.

I enjoyed the bits between chapters, the ones that felt like you were taking a tour by reading them.
In fact, I wished it had been more about the tours, and less about tech companies and insider training because those parts lost my interest and made the story feel slower.
I also would have liked more about the original objective spread throughout - trying to prove her grandfather’s innocence - because the last 10% of the book where he was the focus was my favorite.

Thank you to NetGalley and smp for the arc
3 1/2 ⭐️

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 336 / Genre: Murder Mystery
Release Date: September 24, 2024

The granddaughter of convicted a serial killer, Capri Sanzio now gives tours around San Francisco highlighting the city’s most famous serial killer haunts and hideouts. But deep down, she always believed he was innocent. So when a copycat killer strikes, she takes it upon herself to investigate both the new murders and the old ones and hopes she can use what she finds to help clear her grandfather’s name.

With such a fun title, I thought it would be a bit more humorous or maybe a more unusual take on what serial killers think and do. It wasn’t either if those things. But it is a decent murder mystery with a nice twist at the end.

Thank you @NetGalley and @StMartinsPress for my gifted copy.

This is overall a solid book, I just feel like it is too drawn out at times. The aspects of cyber crimes being the root cause of problems was boring and not well suited for a book. Especially one that the appearance is so what it is. I wanted more from it overall. There wasn’t as much serial killer as there was family being awful. Then at the end when she falls for the cop, it felt so sudden because half the book is her thinking he’s working against her. She also makes a lot of stupid decisions. There is also the flatness of a wide array of characters. I feel like personality was missing. It was an easy read, but to me not worth more than an average amount of stars. Thank you for the opportunity to read this early !

Having lived in the San Francisco area, I'm always drawn to authors who set their stories there. Chouinard, known for her procedural series featuring Jo Fournier, introduces a new sleuth in the form of Capri Sanzio, a tour guide specializing in San Francisco's darker history. Capri's grandfather was imprisoned for brutal murders, and when her ex-mother-in-law, her daughter's college tuition benefactor, is found killed in a similar manner, Capri feels compelled to investigate. Will delving into her grandfather's past help or hinder the police? And how will it affect her relationship with her father, still grappling with his father's incarceration? Chouinard's professional experience shines through in her portrayal of diverse characters and their motivations. Her lighter touch, evident in Capri's wry musings, adds depth to a serious subject. This book is a must-read for mystery book clubs.

Full disclosure I received this ARC from netgalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an unbiased review.

The plot of this book is seamlessly laid out. Readers will not find a hole they can put their finger in as they enjoy this wonderful murder mystery while learning a great deal about the history of San Francisco. Capri is the storyteller and she makes a captivating one. She is a fierce investigator as she puts herself out there to solve the murders. It is a story that even at the end you will be wishing for just a little bit more.

4/5 stars

Thank you Minotaur Books for the advanced reading copy!

What a fun and quick cozy mystery! The premise was super clever and entertaining from the start. The mystery itself was entertaining and pretty well-done. I was a bit disappointed by the end as a whole, but I overall still enjoyed this one! Capri was an enjoyable MC and the supporting cast of chaotic characters was really fun to read. I was nervous this was going to turn into a typical podcast/true crime knockoff, but it strayed away from that and kept at something a little more unique, which I was thankful for. Overall, a fun fall read! I would definitely read more of this author in the future.

SYNOPSIS -- Capri Sanzio has always been fascinated with serial killers, so much so that she makes her living giving serial killer tours of San Francisco. The fascination likely started as a kid, when she found her that her grandfather was infamous William "Overkill Bill" Sanzio. When an Overkill Bill copycat pops up in the city, killing Capri's ex-mother-in-law, Sylvia, Capri takes this as an opportunity to find the killer AND prove her grandfather's long-questioned innocence. Suddenly, Capri and her daughter are prime suspects in the case she's trying to solve, and as the stakes get higher, Capri gets even more and more desperate for the truth.

Thank you NetGalley and Michelle Chouinard fo the chance to read this ARC!

The granddaughter of the infamous serial killer, Over Kill Bill, has turned her dark family legacy into a career, leading tours of San Francisco's most infamous serial killer sites. However, when a copycat killer emerges decades later and murders her former mother-in-law, Capri, feels driven to investigate both cases. This entertaining and informative murder mystery, gives Riley Thorn and Finlay Donovan vibes, offers a captivating narrative that seamlessly balances suspense and engagement, leaving the reader anticipating the author's next release.

Thank you so much Minotaur Books, St. Martins Press, and Michelle Chouinard for the eARC of The Serial Killer’s Guide to San Francisco. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

True crime/mystery fans: Stop what you’re doing right now and immediately go add The Serial KIller’s Guide to San Francisco to your tbr. It’s that good! 🤩 This novel seamlessly weaves the story of fictional serial killer, Overkill Bill, with facts about real famous serial murders in the San Francisco area. I’m not exaggerating when I say I couldn’t put this one down!

To be honest, I’m not the type of person that’s usually drawn to novels about murder. I initially requested the book because I thought the cover was cute 😂. If your vibe matches mine, please don’t let the phrase “serial killer” throw you off. This book is written in such a way that the historical asides about actual murders add to the plot without things becoming too gruesome. You’ll also learn some really interesting facts about San Francisco along the way!

I felt like FMC, Capri Sanzio, was super relatable (minus the being a granddaughter of a serial killer part 🫠). I loved reading about her juggling her roles as a mom, business owner, and an amateur detective as the mystery of the novel unfolded. She felt like a real person, which is my absolute favorite type of character to read about.

As for the mystery, I refuse to give anything away. Let’s just say the characters pop off the page and the twists and turns will have your mind in overdrive trying to figure it out whodunnit. This was easily a five star read for me! I can’t wait for the second installment!

In the pages you will find:

🔪 Unsolved murders
🗺️ Facts about notorious serial killers
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Complicated family dynamics
💰High Society
🕵️‍♂️ A handsom detective
🚫 No romance
🤝 Workplace friendships
🤯 A shocking ending

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

This book has a very unique concept, a great mystery, and fun and exciting characters to keep it all going! I absolutely loved Capri, and really enjoyed the ride!

This book was such a fun and thrilling read. It was one of the best mysteries I have read in a very long time. It was just a blast to read. Such good writing and story telling.

Capri knows how deadly San Francisco can be because she runs crime tours in the city, inspired from her experience being the granddaughter of a known serial killer. She decides to prove her grandfather’s innocence once a copykat killer reignites interest in the case and throws suspicion on her family. The satisfying mystery, well-developed characters, strong sense of the San Francisco, and complex ties to family and friends draw you into this thoroughly enjoyable book.

This is such a fun mystery! The title is a reference to the protagonist, Capri, who runs a bus tour company that visits sites related to serial killers. Lots of tidbits about that sprinkled into the story. Oh, and Capri's grandfather was a convicted serial killer. So a great deal of depth in the title there. This story also has tons of mesmerizing descriptions of San Francisco. At one point, Chouinard describes the San Fran fog as wrapping around a character's legs like a snake devouring a fog. How dreamy is that?

The plot's a real head scratcher too. So many twists and turns that the reader's head spins. There are very few slow spots in this story and tons of action. The supporting characters are fun to follow as well. And, there's a second mystery, one more personal to Capri, the one regarding if her grandfather was really a serial killer or not. Happily it too is resolved before the final page and, wow, I did not see that one coming.

This is just a fun book and a fast read!

Thank you @macmillanaudio @minotaurbooks and @netgalley for the ALC and eARC!

What a fun and exciting mystery! I was hooked immediately and loved the premise of the story and the flawless execution! I was bamboozled by the crime until about 80% in and couldn’t believe I missed it - that’s what happens when the story is rich and engaging. This was a satisfying and fun mystery and I’d love to see this be a series!

Aside from knowing it was a thriller and the title itself, I had no real expectations going in—which is often my favorite way to approach a book. Right from the start, we’re thrown into family drama and a mystery that needs solving. While it’s labeled as a thriller, the tone is refreshingly light, almost playful at times. I could easily see this being adapted into a comedy-thriller film, and I mean that in the best way. Sure, the plot follows some familiar who-dun-it tropes, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I couldn’t put it down, even though I had a good sense of how things might end (though not exactly who was responsible, but definitely who wasn’t). It’s a fun, easy read that kept me entertained throughout. I highly recommend it, especially if you're looking for a great "palate cleanser" between more intense reads.

Unfortunately, I found this book to be quite slow and hard to want to pick up. I did like the slight romance and comedy that were sprinkled into this book, however, majority of the book was just a slow-burn and was kind of disappointing. I've read a good amount of thrillers and mysteries so I was kind of expecting this to be more fast paced. I also feel like there was just a lot of repetition and lack of details throughout the book for me. For example, we hardly see Capri's daughter or ex-husband throughout the book, Overall, I thought it was just okay but I would still recommend to my peers if they are interested in a more slow-burn mystery/thriller because I did love the idea of the novel and the location!

I loved the premise that a relative of a serial killer leans into the notoriety and runs a Serial Killer Tour. That alone had me picking this book to read. Thankfully, the mystery was also solid. And I became invested in Capri's story arc. Sadly, there wasn't much fleshing out with most of the secondary characters. They were used to move the narrative forward, and I didn't get much satisfaction from their character growth. I give this book 3.5/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the opportunity to review The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard. All opinions are my own.

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard
Narrator: Stephanie Nemeth-Parker
Rating: 4 stars
Pub date: 9/24

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press for my advanced copy and to Macmillan Audio for my complimentary audiobook! #macaudio2024
Capri Sanzio leads serial killer tours around San Francisco, which makes sense since she's the granddaughter of "Overkill Bill," a notorious serial killer. But Capri’s always believed her grandpa was innocent, even though she’s never dug too deep into the case—until now.

When a copycat killer starts imitating Overkill Bill’s crimes, and Capri’s ex-mother-in-law becomes the copycat’s latest victim, Capri decides it’s time to finally investigate her grandfather’s case. And since Capri and her daughter are the police’s prime suspects, it might be the only way to clear their names, along with his.

The book is fast-paced and kept me hooked from the start. Capri’s story is relatable and stressful, and I was completely invested in finding out what really happened. Mixed in with the story are some chapters that share facts about real-life serial killers, which tie into the plot. This added an extra layer of intrigue to the story and kept things interesting.

If you’re into mysteries, true crime, or family drama, this book is a fun ride. Capri’s journey to uncover the truth is filled with twists, and the mix of fact and fiction really makes it stand out. Definitely worth the read!

I loved the San Franscisco setting, and Capri, the protagonist, who can't help investigating her ex-MILs murder, especially when she was killed in the same way as Capri's grandfather killed a series of prostitutes 50 years ago! Capri and her daughter are of course suspects.

This book straddles the line between a thriller and a cozy, which can be great if you are looking for a hard cozy, or a thriller that doesn't give you anxiety.

I loved this book. Great writing with a protagonist you will fall in love with and root for through the entire book. The mystery was clever and detailed to the point you felt like you were right beside Capri finding the clues and putting it all together. Two mysteries intertwined with each other, both resolved in a satisfactory way. I highly recommend this book, clever and original in many ways.

My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions expressed are my own.