Thoroughly enjoyed this one! I feel like San Francisco is never used in thrillers/romances/general and it was a driving point for me to request the ARC. Being from the Bay Area and reading along Capri's mystery it almost feels like you're with her and you know what street/area she's talking about. It's a fun read that definitely has a twist ending,

I live in San Francisco so I really wanted to love this one. It was fun, entertaining, a cozy mystery but it didn't completely grab me. I think I'm realizing that cozy mysteries are maybe not completely for me.

In The Serial Killer’s Guide to San Francisco, Capri finds herself in a precarious position. The granddaughter of a serial killer, the ex-daughter in-law of a socialite who’s been killed and a suspect in that murder. In a story of a woman who wants to prove her grandfathers innocence years later but also wants to clear her and her daughter as murder suspects, Capri relies heavily on her job as a tour guide for San Francisco’s serial killers!

I’ve realized that if the prose and dialogue aren’t done right, no amount of plot can make me slog through. The title and cover pulled me in but the basic writing made me DNF.

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco might have a campy cover (which I do love), but don’t let that fool you! When I received this book, I thought I would get a campy and possibly cozy mystery. However, that was not the case. It’s not a cozy mystery or your dark thriller, and I think that makes it a good book for those newly introduced to the mystery/thriller genre. I loved our FMC, Capri, from the beginning. She’s 49 and the granddaughter of Overkill Bill, a convicted serial killer in San Francisco. When her mother-in-law is murdered and an Overkill Bill copycat is to blame, of course Capri must investigate! Did I mention that Capri thinks her grandfather is innocent? This amateur sleuth is on the hunt to solve not only the murder of her mother-in-law, but also exonerate her grandfather! This leads to a lot of suspense and a twist that I genuinely did not see coming. I do wish that the podcast/book plot line had been fleshed out a little bit more or reworked because I feel like it got a little lost in the larger plot.
 I hope that Michelle Chouinard turns this into a series because I already miss Capri and her tour guide sidekicks!


A huge thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, and Michelle Chouinard for an ARC to review!

The cover of this book initially drew me in but the story is what kept me turning the pages. The book follows Capri who is the grand-daughter of alleged notorious San Francisco serial killer “Overkill Bill”. Her infamous family history has become her career: Capri now runs tours that delve into the city’s darkest corners, showcasing the sites of past crimes.

Things take a terrifying personal turn when Capri’s ex-mother-in-law is murdered in a way that echoes her grandfather’s signature style. Capri suddenly finds herself at the top of the suspect list. With the clock ticking and the possibility of prison on the horizon, Capri must clear her name and uncover the real culprit before she becomes the next victim of the copycat killer.

While I enjoyed this book and these characters immensely, the show stopper for me was Chouinard’s uncanny ability to make the city of San Francisco like its own character within the book. She has an incredible talent for transporting her readers directly into San Francisco’s eclectic neighborhoods and making you feel like you’d visited its famous landmarks with her descriptions of places like the Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge.

This one was definitely a fun read for mystery lovers, and I really hope that this turns into a series because I’d definitely be interested in more books about Capri’s adventures in San Francisco.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the Advanced Readers Copy

I received an advance copy of this book for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The wonderful writing of this easy read made me feel for all of the characters, even the misunderstood ones. I thought I knew the “whodunnit” but I was wrong on both accounts. Highly recommend.

I really liked the characters in the story. I thought they were interesting. This is a good book for someone looking for an amateur sleuth who sets out to solve the murder of her mother in law.

Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book.

Murder runs in the family... or does it? This was a fun read about family legacies, murder and tourism - all wrapped up in a modern cozy mystery. If you enjoy true crime and light thrills in your mysteries, this one is for you.

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco follows Capri Sanzio who runs serial killer tours around San Francisco. She becomes wrapped up in a mystery when her mother-in-law goes missing and then is found dead in what appears to be a "copy-cat" murder related to her grandfather's killings. Capri goes on a deep dive to solve the mystery of her MIL's murder as well as look into the evidence to see if her grandfather was guilty of the murders he was accused of. This story is fast paced, leaving you on a cliffhanger at the end of chapters making you want to continue to read more. I was impressed with the twist at the end. This was a great debut mystery/thriller and I will definitely look to pick up more of Michelle's books in the future. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for a honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of this book. This book started out strong - it was very fun and campy. However, I felt the middle to end started to drag. I found the MC’s deep dive into the financial investigation aspect of the mystery to drag and ultimately felt that time could have been better spent developing what happened at the end which winds up feeling a bit rushed.

The Serial Killer's Guide to San Francisco" is a cleverly written mystery novel that follows the story of Capri, who is the granddaughter of a convicted serial killer named Overkill Bill. Capri owns and operates a touring company in the San Francisco area that takes tourists to famous serial killer sights and other famous historical landmarks in the Bay Area. Capri never truly believed that her grandfather was a serial killer and wanted to research the case, but her father refused to discuss or talk about it.

Capri noticed that the killings in the area followed the same signature as her grandfather's. She didn't want to deal with the press bringing up old family history, but after her ex-mother-in-law cut off her daughter's tuition, she needed to come up with cash fast. Her friends talked her into podcasting and writing a book about her grandfather. However, she received a call that her ex-mother-in-law was missing and went to find her. The police found her body and she was killed in the same way as Overkill Bill's victims.

With two murders and a past serial killer, Capri is on the case and needs to find answers to clear herself as a suspect as well as her daughter. The book takes you on a ride between the present and the past, with San Francisco in the background. It has family drama and choices that must be made to bring the truth to light. It was a wild ride, and I am happy that I experienced it.

Thank you to Michelle Chouinard, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco is a fun take on one woman’s dive into her accused serial killer grandfathers crimes. From the start, it’s easy to fall in love with Capri, a lighthearted San Fran native that started a company giving tours of serial killer habitats around the city. When faced with a financial hardship, Capri decides it’s finally time to reveal everything she can about her grandfathers past.

This airy thriller was fun and easy to read. The characters were likable and the plot enjoyable. Overall, 3.5 stars. I would recommend this to friends that are not into deep, dark thrillers as an intro the the genre.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this advanced readers copy!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Michelle Chouinard for the ARC!!!

Releases: Sep. 24, 2024

I really enjoyed this. It was a fun short mystery that was super fast paced and had me guessing everything.

Capri is the granddaughter of Overkill Bill, a San Francisco serial killer… or is he? Capri isn’t convinced he was guilty and has always wanted to prove his innocence even after he passed. She started a city tour taking people around famous places where serial killings happened after growing up addicted to true crime. Someone ends up dead with the same signature as Overkill Bill.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a nice blend of humor with murder mystery. It’s a little more on the tame side from what I’m usually used to. The story follows Capri, who is a tour guide in SF specializing in murder tours, as her grandfather was arrested for being a famous serial killer. The book goes between Capri’s amateur detective work on her the murders her late grandfather was imprisoned for, and trying to prove that she wasn’t the copycat who murdered her ex mother in law.

The characters were well written, and I didn’t suspect the killer at all. Overall I was super happy with this book!

The basic plot of this book was very compelling. I enjoyed the way the past and present crimes worked together in the larger plot. However, the book felt too long and very rarely had me hooked enough to want to go back to it quickly. Unfortunately, it was not a very engaging read. Some moments felt like an ad read, such as when she says she sets down her Pilot Precise pen. The man with piercing blue eyes and one dimple was not used enough for how strong the implication of romance was in the scenes he was a part of. The crime spot article inserts were also strange.

Holy cow. First of all, look at that cover.., I mean… I know there’s a knife on it but it’s just so cute and colorful! I was SO excited to be chosen to read this book.

I’m going to write a review and try my best for no spoilers!

The storyline is so unique, like nothing I have read before. I love to read thrillers, and grew up loving Nancy Drew and other page turning mysteries. This book took both of these genres and meshed it into one. The granddaughter of a serial killer turned into a sleuth to protect her family all while deep diving into her AND her ex-husband’s family’s past. But don’t worry, the writing not only keeps you on your toes, but is also organized in a way where you won’t get lost. I really enjoyed this read and I’ll be looking for more from this author!

This is a fun mystery with some family drama and history. I found myself enjoying the first third of the book, but found it challenging as the book progressed. I felt as though the story was dragging and then suddenly it was the end. The build up didn't quite happen for me. I really appreciated the characters; Capri was quirky and I liked how she handled herself throughout the situations she found herself in. The characters were descried well and I could picture what they were wearing and how they would act in my minds eye. Overall, I found the book entertaining, but it wasn't as gripping as I had hoped it would be.

OMG, this was.....this was incredible! 🤩
If this is the type of writing to expect from Michelle Chouinard, she's an author to keep an eye on. Will have to check out more of her work because I couldn't get enough of this book!
The serial killer aspect of the story was interesting. Loved how she wanted to find out the truth about her grandfather and how that passion even turned into a job for her!
Honestly the cover is too cookie cutter sweet for the kind of thriller this turned out to be 🙀
Capri was used to stories of murder and mayhem, but when a murder takes place right in her home town, one that mimicks her grandfather's case, she is thrown in the chaos and is desperate to make sure her family isn't pressured guilty again!
Loved how smart she was about the investigation and enjoyed that even though the cops weren't convinced by her theories they weren't condescending about it like other detectives are in this kind of book.
Honestly, was hard to put down one the investigation got rolling! Suspense, hidden cameras, secrets rooms, family drama, hidden files, multiple suspects....and even a little hint of romance, this book checked all the boxes 😍
It's a must buy for me!

Only thing I hated was Capri's father honestly. I couldn't stand him or his illogical thought process 😤. But at least Capri had her daughter. They're relationship was such a lovely mother daughter relationship 🥰

Cute little murder mystery. I loved that it was funny but it was so slow paced that I was more than ready for it to be over.