I think this will do well at libraries, but it was not to my taste. Not funny enough to be "black humor".

I really wanted to like this book because the description made it sound very much in my wheelhouse. A thriller with a female serial killer who doles out her own form of vigilante justice? Sounds like fun! Unfortunately, this book felt very young and underdeveloped in its writing. I feel like this book needed another pass or two with a better editor.

Cordelia Black is supposed to be meticulous, put together, in control. The book tells us that, repeatedly. Except the character is a hot mess from the beginning. She never appears to be fully in control and makes many mistakes, some careless and preventable, throughout the story.

The characters are mostly one dimensional and the emotional beats of the story felt superficial. There were so many interesting possibilities for where the story could go but nothing was fully developed. It felt like things were mentioned because they were useful for the plot but then it’s not needed anymore and we’ll never discuss it again.

Cordelia didn’t have any self-awareness or introspection and was filled with self-loathing. The pharmaceutical rep job was just convenient to get the sleeping aid to knock out her victims. The scandal related to the sleeping aid was only used to create a hurdle for her in covertly accessing the pills and never really relevant to the story at large. It was never dealt with except in a trite blackmail scheme with a doctor’s office manager. The characters aren’t remotely likable mostly because they’re so underdeveloped. The relationship with the cop was interesting for a moment, but that also didn’t go anywhere. Cordelia spends the whole time lying to her best friend and that doesn’t really have any severe consequences in the end. And Cordelia is kind of dumb for someone who’s supposedly been killing for a long time.

The plot line with Mango the dog was one of the highlights and I very much enjoyed that. This could have been such a good story but it felt juvenile and disconnected. I’m sorry I can’t be more complimentary of a debut but after thinking about this for a while the book just really fell flat in so many ways.

This is the most satisfying crime/thriller book that I've ever read!
My first reaction of this book was nervousness.
My ass is iterally at the edge of my couch with my hand in my mouth because so much shit is happening. I was literally so scared for Cordelia.
But at the same time I was smiling because of what Cordelia was doing.
She is a hero!
Crazy, right? I don't care because I freaking love her!

The past few weeks I’ve been having a lot of trouble focusing through my pain enough to sit and read. However, I devoured this book in under two days so I think that alone should say a lot! The writing was exactly the kind of style I enjoy; straight forward, no flowery superlatives or over explaining unnecessary details, and written like you’re simply telling a story to a friend. Cordelia, the main character, is morally grey and mildly unhinged. Yes, she’s a murderess, but in a vigilante sort of way that makes it hard to sympathize with her victims and even harder to hate her. Her relationship with her best friend Diane and her goddaughter Sugar is so wholesome that it makes you root for Cordelia even more. The plot itself, while not wholly unseen before, is written in a quirky way that adds humor to the darkness at just the right times. I think that’s what gave the story a more original feel and kept me guessing on what was coming next. By the end of the book I was pretty sure I knew how it would play out but it still felt like it could be a coin toss. Upon finishing, I immediately searched for other tittles from Wells and was surprised to see this was a debut novel. I won’t be surprised if she has a very lengthy writing career because she has a true talent for it!

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced copy!

3 stars

Content warnings: murder, violence, blood, mentions of: pedophilia, sexual assault, domestic abuse, etc

Note: the author actual has a lovely note at the beginning about content warnings and where to find more details about them

Conceptually this book is entirely intriguing, but in execution, I found it to be on the disappointing end. Fortunately, Cordelia has enough likability to counteract some of the most disappointing and irritating facets of the novel, but I ended up feeling like this could have been more.

The plot hinges on the wild and, frankly, psychotic actions of Cordelia Black, who herself hinges on meticulousness planning and methodical action. Things, of course, go off the rails, in spite of her attention to detail. What ensues is Cordelia's attempts to right the ship, which she does by making a bigger mess in an effort to clean up the first mess. And then another bigger mess. And another. And another.

It's actually a lot of fun in concept and I generally enjoyed reading about her and the other characters in the novel. Where it all falls down for me is the author's general <i>lack</i> of attention to detail. For instance, very near the beginning of the book, Cordelia talks up her goddaughter Sugar's love of video games, and then proceeds to tell us about how Sugar is playing Zelda... on an Xbox. This seems like a very easy detail to get right, and yeah, sure, this is small and nit-picky, but it doesn't stop there.

There's a character by the name of Doctor Ezell (Ezelle? Ezzel? Ezzelle?) and the spelling of the name changes nearly constantly. From page to page, her name changes.

In regards to the plot, there is at least one major detail that rubs me the wrong way that should be considered a mistake on Cordelia's part.

There is also something that happens in the resolution of the book that I think lacks attention to detail involving cell phones and Cordelia's apparent lack of sense about them. Without (hopefully) spoiling too much, it seems like a rookie mistake to not pay attention to when a phone is turned off or on or where that phone might ping cell towers.

Cordelia also never shuts up about her clothes and her shoes and her makeup. I get it. She wears designer. (This actually will be plot relevant, but the mentions of her designer wardrobe could be toned down. The reader doesn't need their hand held every step of the way.)

All the negative aside, this is a fun romp through Thriller Land. A little Dexter, a little Thelma and Louise. I think a lot of people are going to enjoy this, even with drawbacks, and for someone looking for a thriller that actually feels suspenseful at times, that's a little break from the usual thriller fare, this might just be the book for you.

Oh my goodness, this was FANTASTIC! I cannot believe this is a debut. I had a feeling this was going to be a 5 star for me very early on and I’m so happy it proved me right!

Cordelia Black is a business woman in pharmaceutical sales, she’s blond and fabulous, and she loves designer brands. She’s a godmother Samantha and the definition of a ride or die to her best friend Diane. When she’s not breaking monthly sales, shopping for her newest LV or spending time with her family, she hunts and kills bad men.

This book had me hooked from start to finish. It is fast paced, and gives you that “on the edge of your seat” thriller vibe, which I always LOVE! I had not read a thriller like this in so long. I truly could not put it down. Emma Wells did such an amazing job writing Cordelia as a hero and a villain. Cordelia has a complex past, and I enjoyed getting to know more about her that shed light into why she kills bad men. I lost count of times I said “oh my god” while reading. Things just kept happening in like a snowball effect and I could not predict the ending at all. The way everything was wrapped up at the end was so so good.

I loved
🔪Cordelia’s humor and inner monologue
💊Samantha’s sassiness
🔪The found family aspect with Samantha and Diane
💊A tiny dog named Mango who loves cheese
🔪Cordelia’s paintings - so creative!

I’m really hoping this is the start of a continued series because I would love to read more about Cordelia’s shenanigans!

If you enjoyed Blackbird, from Butcher & Blackbird, Joe Goldberg from YOU, or Dexter, you definitely need to pick this up!

Thank you NetGalley, Emma Wells and Poisoned Pen Press for the arc. All opinions are my own.

Meet Cordelia Black: by day, she’s a pharmaceutical rep, and by night, she’s a vigilante serial killer taking out the trash (aka men who really deserve it). Talk about a twist on the classic antihero! 💀✨ The dark humor sprinkled throughout definitely keeps the vibe lively, and if you loved the *Finlay Donovan* series, this one's right up your alley!

The premise had me hooked from the start, and while it mostly kept my attention, I did find Cordelia to be a bit obnoxious at times—like, girl, what are you doing!?! 😂 There were some loose ends that left me scratching my head, and the ending? Well, let’s just say it fell a little flat for me. 😕
That being said, it’s still a fun and entertaining read that had me laughing and cringing in equal measure. If you’re looking for a quirky thriller with a side of dark comedy, give this one a shot! Overall, I’d rate it 3.5 stars! 🌟✨

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Cordelia Black is a pharmaceutical rep by day and a killer at night. She targets bad men who deserve what’s coming to them. She meticulously plans her kills, but when something goes wrong, she needs to figure out how to fix her problem.

I really enjoyed this book! It reminded me a lot of Finlay Donovan is Killing it, which I also liked. Cordelia is a fun character, and I appreciated her dark humor. The middle of the book got somewhat slow, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment, and I liked the ending!

Cordelia Black is a pharmaceutical sales rep by day, avenger by night, taking out the bad guys with intricate planning.

This book was a quick read and the characters were interesting and well developed, especially Cordelia. We meet Cordelia, her best friend Diane, and Diane’s daughter Sugar. From there, the story takes twists and turns as we figure out if Diana’s new boyfriend, Simon, is one of the creeps Cordelia usually watches.

The story is dark but also filled with some comical moments that lighten things up a bit. The tension build was excellent and the conclusion was one I didn’t see coming.

This is Emma C. Wells’ debut novel and she killed it! Definitely recommend this book if you like dark mysteries and strong friendship stories. I would read more about Cordelia’s story if this becomes a series.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I believe that Emma C. Wells is a debut publisher author. This book absolutely blew me away. In the perspective of a woman who escaped her own monsters, she becomes a killer, only dispatching the world of monsters who go after women and children.

Cordelia Black is a pharmaceutical sales rep in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Her best friend Diane is an accountant at the local hospital and mother of a 6th grade girl, Samantha, who is Cordelia's goddaughter. Cordelia calls her Sugar and is very protective of her. We learn that Diane is dating a new guy who rubs Cordelia the wrong way. Simon appears to be a nerdy, cool guy, traveling nurse, but Cordelia knows better. There's something off about him.

Meanwhile, Cordelia is ready for her latest victim, or monster. She has a blind date with a cop. Her orderly way of killing and disposing of the bodies makes sure that there's no evidence leading back to her. She relishes targeting and hunting these monsters. Until complications arise.

Every moment of this book was simultaneously entertaining and horrifying, impossible to put down. Cordelia works hard to keep her lives compartmentalized and separate. The writing was immensely satisfying. At no point did the plot or pacing slow down. Right up until the end.

TW for mention of pedophilia/child p0rn but nothing graphic, along with other things that go along w disposing of bodies. 5/5☆ October 29th just in time for Halloween. I'll be looking for future books by this author.

I love a good lady killer story and this one did not disappoint. Although she’s a psychopath killer, she's still the girl you would want as your BFF. She’s a female Dexter and she’s helping make the world a better place, one evil man at a time. At times a real nail biter, it was a fun read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a free advanced copy of this ebook to review. All opinions are my own.

This Girl's a Killer introduces us to Cordelia, and her own brand of vigilante justice. Being sure to never dub herself a murderer, she upends her best friends life when everything goes awry.

This was a quick paced read, but it didn't feel very innovative to me. I felt like I'd read it before.

This book was a fantastic read! The plot twists were amazing and the smoke detail gave it that different touch that I always look for in books!

Cordelia Black love 3 things - her chosen family, her hairdresser, & killing bad men. You've heard of Dexter, right? Well, this is the female version and she only goes after men who think that they have escaped justice and always will. Can this go on forever? We all know it can't.

It's not often I root for a serial killer but Cordelia Black is different. She'd do anything to protect the weak and helpless and most importantly her best friend and goddaughter. When she makes an impulse kill one night she puts everything at risk. Will she be found out? Will she mess up and miss something she should have taken care of? This page turner will keep you guessing until the very end.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to receive an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!</i>

okayyyyy miss female dexter! lana myers vibes if you have read the book mindf*ck. cordelia black was quite a character and this story was fun and kept me interested. the badass vibes cordelia radiated with her manicured nails, designer outfits and stilettos was everything.

cordelia black is a woman who is best friends to diane and godmother to samantha ‘sugar’. she is very protective and loving to her family made and has some trauma with her blood family. she lives almost two lives, her normal day job/best friend life, and her stalking and k*lling of bad men night life. she is careful and very intentional with her k*lls and almost sees herself as a vigilante fighting for justice that is not given by the law. she finds herself in a big predicament in this book and we see her kind of unravel and do whatever she can to maintain her facade and life she has made for herself.

i found myself actually laughing out loud at some of the inner dialogue of cordelia and certain points in this book. it was funny and witty. definitely sarcastic humor that was silly and very unserious at times. i wish it was slightly more twisty and had a better plot but i did find myself enjoying this book and the craziness that ensued. this was a good and fun, ‘f*ck around and find out’ and ‘f*ck men’ book.

This book was bonkers. I very much enjoyed the way the story of Cordelia Black weaved her thoughts and reasons why she's a serial killer.

THIS GIRL'S A KILLER is, what I think, of as the female protagonist's Dexter. Is she a protagonist though?

Killing men left and right who harm women and children is her code of conduct. But what happens when her bestie's new boyfriend is one of the evil men lurking in the world?

I sped through the first 75 percent of the book. I felt the last 25 percent was unbelievable. Although, I don't know, I guess I could see how the police could miss major connections to a serial killer... I was also left with big questions about her relationship with her own new "boyfriend."

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an e-copy of THIS GIRL'S A KILLER to review.

I rate THIS GIRL'S A KILLER four out of five stars.

It feels weird to say this was a fun read given the contents, but, man, did I find myself rooting Cordelia on! She was a fantasticly complex character who is both loving and a ruthless killer. I truly appreciated her protectiveness of Sugar and Diane. My biggest critique is some of the silly mistakes she madethrough the whole ordeal, like forgetting you have someone a key (twice!!) and using her vehicle too remove the body.

I would recommend this to those who are into thriller books! I’m more of a horror girl, but I’m glad I checked this out! I liked the main character and her chosen family. It did take me a while to get into this book though, the beginning kind of dragged for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for a review. This book very much gives "Dexter" vibes; Cordelia has a code she lives by when killing and wipes out those she deems are dangerous to humanity. I liked this book but wasn't a fan of the constant brand name dropping; I know though that it was done to show us how upscale Cordelia is but it was excessive. I found it amusing how nonchalant Cordelia was with having a head in the freezer. Overall, this was a good read. There was one part that I found annoying, listed it below b/c it's a bit of a spoiler.
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I found it a bit annoying when Cordelia takes her sweet time disposing of the body (I won't say whose, don't want to give it ALL away!). I mean really, why do we need to keep a body in kitty litter in the bathtub, then switch to ice. She's a smart lady, figure out a new way to get rid of it. She doesn't seem bothered by it at all. I was getting anxious for her!