My true crime junkie self enjoyed this book! The concept was very interesting — the grand daughter of a serial killer who gives serial killer tours of San Francisco for a living.

The tours sounded awesome! I’d totally go on one! And of course, let’s not forget a classic, who-dun-it murder mystery where she tries to figure out who is copy catting her grandfather’s murders while also convinced he was actually innocent.

This story had lots of interesting twists and turns and kept me super intrigued!

Thank you to the author/publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for review.

I really enjoyed this one and grabbed my interest from the start. It did seem to go on just a little too long and go too deep into financials and other things that seemed too much for the storyline. It was kind of an easy guess but the secondary storyline had me stumped which was fun to have two mysteries going on simultaneously. The characters were likeable and the story was mostly easy to follow. I will recommend this book when it comes out to those that like mystery novels.

Fun, unique and sprawling.

I love the way the story unfolds, it takes many unexpected twists as Capri finds her self the center of an investigation with parallels to the cold case of her convicted grandfather. She balances respecting her father, with wanting to follow her hutches all while trying to stay true to her personal values. It's emotional, and many characters have full arcs within the pages.

All of the characters are well developed with realistic traits, that play into the plot perfectly. I loved the way Capri re-built her life after divorce into something that she was passionate about. The mix of real life places and a fictional killer makes the read so much more believable. It could have been pages out of I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer.

The ending comes together so fast, and it caught me off guard at first, but the clues were there all along. Dirty secrets, black mail, and lies, this book spans all the dark corners no one wants public. I hope the ending is also hinting at a series. Capri would make a great amateur sleuth across a series of cold cases mixed with current cases.

You'll enjoy this read if you love cozy mysteries with dark aspects, but a fun city build where reality blends into fiction.

I absolutely loved this book! It was such an effortless read!! So engaging!! With many twists and turns that kept me guessing!! I loved the main character, her tours, and her detective work! My heart was pounding through most of it and even a few tears at the end. I hope to read more from this author someday!! I will be recommending this one to many friends!! Thank you for letting me read it!!!

MIchelle Chouinard's The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco has a catchy title which sucked me in to read it. Living in the Midwest, I have only been to San Francisco twice, but the author nails the foggy and ominous atmosphere of the city. I loved the viewpoint of a family member tainted by being related to a convicted murderer. Furthermore, the occupation of the granddaughter who owns a tour company focusing on the history of San Francisco allows the reader to experience the richness of the setting while not having to endure mindless sentences describing history and events. I enjoyed the minor romance with the police detective and look forward to further novels with Capri.

I was looking for an audio to listen to when I found this offering and thought, "why not?" It was worth listening too and I enjoyed the story, but it wasn't the best mystery I've ever read. A bit amateurish, with a lot of telling, and not much showing. I figured out the bad guy almost immediately. The narrator did a very good job though. I also read the ebook version as well. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Capri owns a tour guide business in San Francisco, that gives tours on true crime. She's connected to the topic after believing her grandfather was a Serial Killer he entire life. He was convicted and sent to jail but she still doesn't believe.

After 2 murders emulate her grandfather's killings, including her ex- mother-in-law, she dives in to find the copycat killer and prove her grandfather was truly an innocent man.

The beginning of the book was a little slow to get through but after hitting the 50% mark, I couldn't put it down. I would love to see a second book to see where Capri goes in both her professional and personal life.

Cozy-ish Mystery about a California tour company owner as she turns sleuth after her former mother-in-law's killed by someone copycatting her serial killer grandfather's crimes.

4/5 stars: This is Chouinard's stand-alone Cozy-ish Mystery and takes place in California and features a tour company owner who finds herself turning sleuth after her former mother-in-law and another woman are killed by someone copycatting her serial killer grandfather's crimes. With plenty of twists and turns, Chouinard has crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. I really appreciate how Chouinard's plot unfolds and the way the investigation's resolved. I really liked the true crime elements featuring factual infamous serial killers from San Francisco and the included Killer Crime Tours “tourist facts” chapters. With wit and humor, Chouinard's writing and character work are excellent; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. Capri's a great lady and I liked getting to know her colleagues, friends and family. Chouinard touches on some sensitive topics, so take care and the CWs. Overall, this is a great read and I would enjoy reading further adventures featuring Capri.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

I flew through this book in a single day, so that should tell you how much I enjoyed it!

This book follows Capri, who is a San Francisco tour guide, showing tourists and locals alike the darker side of San Francisco - the serial killer side, to be exact. Granddaughter of the well known Overkill Bill, a serial killer from the 60s, Capri has never believed her grandfather was guilty of the murders pinned on him. When a woman is killed in a seemingly copycat fashion of her grandfather's murders, she's thrust back into the spotlight - as a suspect. Seeking to clear her own name, along with her grandfather's, Capri attempts to exonerate herself by solving the present-day killing, as well as her grandfather's alleged killings from 50+ years ago.

I really, really enjoyed this. I LOVED learning more about San Francisco and all the dark parts of its history, almost as much as I enjoyed the present-day mystery. The mystery was filled with twists and turns, and while I started to have my suspicions towards the middle, I wasn't able to fully piece together the mystery until the end, which in my book is a huge win. Overall, I really really enjoyed it! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5!

The title and cover alone made me want to read this book. It's a fun and entertaining murder mystery. Not so much a thriller, although there is a somewhat shocking reveal. I enjoyed the setting of San Francisco and the descriptions of the city such as Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, etc. Overall, a good whodunit murder mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard was a good read! I had the chance to read this ARC and enjoyed how the story played out.

Capri is a self-made tour guide, taking guests on a serial killer walking tour through the historic streets of San Fransisco. She is also the granddaughter of Overkill Bill, an infamous killer convicted of murdering women decades before.
When her mother in law is found murdered, Capri is pulled into the mess - because the murder is identical to Overkill Bill’s slayings. And she just might be a suspect.
In an effort to find the killer and potentially clear her grandfather’s name, readers are whisked through San Fran on a thrilling adventure that leaves no stone unturned.

I’ll be honest, I was hoping this was going to focus more on the Overkill Bill storyline, but I was content with how things played out. I enjoyed the descriptions of the setting, as it truly was a character in its own right. The best part was that I had no idea who the killer was until it was revealed!

Capri gives tours in San Francisco. These aren't your ordinary tourist trap, these all involve serial killers. Capri has a deep tie to one serial killer in particular, as she's the granddaughter of one.

Soon, someone from her past is killed, using the same methods that her grandfather was using and Capri has to figure out who the copycat is, before they come after her.
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This is a fine mystery, a smidge boring, but overall, it was a fun read. While Capri was the main character, San Francisco, the city, is where the real jewel is. The Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, etc are all described in rich detail, bringing the reader into the fog of the city.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book

This murder mystery, filled with family drama and a gripping cold case, is a captivating read. Capri, the smart and determined main character, throws herself into clearing her name. The unexpected twist of the killer's identity caught me off guard. The vivid descriptions of San Francisco and Alcatraz brought back fond memories of my visit. This book will surely appeal to readers seeking an engaging and thought-provoking mystery.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun little murder mystery with some family drama to go with it. I liked that there were the 2 mysteries to solve, and I feel like they concluded both really well.

Thank you SMP and MacMillan audio for the review copies! I enjoyed a lot of aspects of Michelle Chouinard's writing and storytelling: she offers a strong entry into the growing blend of true crime/internet sleuth/cold case genre with a character uniquely connected to serial killer lore and explores a range of complex family relationships and dynamics within the bigger mystery. I was a big fan of Capri, an interesting and vibrant character making the most, in a healthy and not exploitative way, of her childhood and her knowledge about serial killers; I liked that she was independent and smart.
What missed the mark for me though in both the book and the audiobook was an overall lack of suspense, I was never drawn into a feeling of tension with the writing, more feeling like I was walking through steps of a procedural and check marks on plot development, and never getting into a pace that really made me not want to stop reading. Some of this might be due to the general focus on a mystery that got a bit bogged down with writing that was fine but at times felt overly detailed as well as a plot filled with a range of different roles for Capri (mom, working a somewhat atypical job, dealing with being a murder suspect, handling her family and grief and strained dynamics... how many hours in the day was she on the go???).

This was really fun and campy. I liked the podcast element, I liked the characters, and overall I just had a really good time reading this. It's definitely a cozy mystery, but it's still got some more thrilling action-packed scenes. Capri was a pretty fun narrator, even if she did make a few really dumb decisions.

This was such a fun and thrilling read! This story felt like murder mystery x true crime podcast but it also had family drama and a tiny bit of romance!

I’m a big fan of the main character, Capri! While she was fun and loving, she was also smart and tenacious. Capri wanted to clear her grandfather’s name from a past case while trying to figure out information about the current copycat. I liked that, as a reader, we were along for the ride with her, learning new information at the same time she did.

I really enjoyed Chouinard’s writing style; it kept me wanting to know more and made me feel like I was peeking around a corner to see what surprises would be there. I really had no idea how everything would play out and was on the edge of my seat waiting for the next clue. When I thought I figured it out, something new came along to debunk my theory. I could see this being a fun tv series/movie!

If you’re looking for a fun and compelling mystery, I definitely recommend this book!

I loved the premise of this book, but was a little disappointed in its execution. The format could have been better outlined and I would have loved to see some of the podcast episodes actually included in the book while the main character is investigating the original serial killer murders instead of just being made in the background. The pacing could have also been improved as I found the descriptions of the web of business dealings hard to follow and there were also descriptions of things that weren't necessary to include, like her driving everywhere all the time. I think the book could have leaned into the cozy mystery aspect a bit more since that is what the cover is framing it as. Overall, this definitely felt like an amateur debut novel.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

You know when a mystery fully wraps up all the loose ends? *chef's kiss*

This was a fun book - I liked the dual mystery to be solved and the characters were all interesting and a joy to follow around. The idea of a cold case serial killer, a copy cat killer, and the OG serial killer's granddaughter investigating was so inherently readable! I had to know how all the threads lined up.

A well crafted mystery with a super satisfying ending and a rich, tangled family history.

I love a good "who-dun it" and being a fan of true crime myself this book resonated with me. What a clever and fun novel! Looking forward to reading more from the author!