This Girl's a Killer by Emma C. Wells.
Ask Cordelia Black why she did it. The answer will always be: He had it coming. Cordelia Black loves exactly three things: Her chosen family, her hairdresser (worth every penny plus tip), and killing bad men. By day she's an ambitious pharma rep with a flawless reputation and designer wardrobe. By night, she culls South Louisiana of unscrupulous men—monsters who think they've evaded justice, until they meet her. Sure, the evening news may have started throwing around phrases like "serial killer," but Cordelia knows that's absurd. She's not a killer, she is simply karma. And being karma requires complete and utter control. But when Cordelia discovers a flaw in her perfectly designed system for eliminating monsters, pressure heightens. And it only intensifies when her best friend starts dating a man Cordelia isn't sure is a good person. Someone who might just unravel everything she has worked for. Soon enough Cordelia has to come face to face with the choices she's made. The good, the bad, and the murderous. Both her family, and her freedom, depend on it.-
I really did enjoy this book. I did like the cover. That's what drew me to this book. It was different. Thats what drew me to this book. It was twisty and gripping and fast paced and tense page Turner. I don't know how I felt about Cordelia. She did sound crazy with the handyman. I did like Diane. I did not expect that. I did like the ending and I really hope there is more to come. 4*.

☆☆☆☆

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had so much fun with this one. Cordelia Black is kills very bad men, monsters that go under the radar and continue hurting people. All she wants in life is to protect her best friend and goddaughter, and she will do anything to keep them safe.

This novel follows in the vein of a story like Promising Young Woman. Its quick and delicious and Cordelia is a killer you root for. Emma C. Wells also does an amazing job not glorifying anything, not the violence and horrible acts these men commit, but also not the killing of them either. Its very much Cordelia's story. Especially as it's in first person, we get a long, hard look into her mind and her motivations, how the pain and hurt that she's suffered has molded her into who she is now, how it informs her justice and art.

I really enjoyed This Girl's a Killer. Keep an eye out for it when it hits stores 🔪

4.5 Star for me !

WOWZA! I cannot believe this masterpiece is a debut novel.

Cordelia Black is a pharma rep, doting godmother & BFF by day, stalker and badass, vigilante killer by night. Cordelia is cool, stylish, calculated & I want her as my BFF!
I loved the humor, the drama, the action. I can always get behind a serial killer with a big heart and good intentions.
I adored Cordelia, she is a multi-dimensional character with depth, flaws & all, you will fall in love with her and all of the characters in this book.

This was a fast-paced and highly entertaining read. It had all the feel-good vibes you could ask for, and was the perfect female revenge story. This is my first book by this author, and I can't wait to read more.
I'm recommending this book to everyone, and looking forward to more from this author. Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press, Netgalley & Emma C Wells for the opportunity to review and give my honest review.

I have read several books lately about women serial killers and I must say that "This Girl's a Killer" is among my favorites. I really enjoy the show "Dexter," and I think Cordelia is a female version of Dexter, complete with her own "Code".

The book had just the right amount of humor. Sometimes authors can take the dark humor too far, but Emma balanced all the elements well. She managed to keep a good mix between the humor, the actual killing, and how Cordelia is trying to balance everything.

The writing style was enjoyable, and there was just enough of all aspects of Cordelia's life. Emma balanced everything well, which kept me from getting bored. Sometimes an author will focus too long on one thing, but Emma kept the story moving at a good pace.

This book was a very fast read for me. I kept wanting to come back and see what would happen next.

Cordelia was put together, but she was also a complete mess. I really enjoyed seeing her thoughts, and that she had rules (like Dexter) and that she did truly care about people. She’s not a complete sociopath, just a little bit, lol.

I hope Emma writes more about Cordelia. I’d love to see what she does next.

i loved the cover, the characters, the development of the story, the writing style, the relationship, everything!

Cordelia is a young woman trying to balance many things in her busy life. Her job as a drug rep for a drug that may be responsible for many terrible side effects, her best friend who is getting seriously involved with a bad man, and being a vigilante serial killer. As all these things start to implode at the same time,Cordelia finds her delicate balance slipping quickly. Fun, fast paced smart thriller.

Part of the latest post-Killing Eve literary trend, This Girl's a Killer is a smart take on the 'killer but for a good reason' protagonist of recent years. While it's certainly not the most original, This Girl's a Killer is laced with a dark streak of humour and razor sharp kills, perfect for anyone looking for their next serial killer fic fix.

Cordelia Black is a pharma rep and amazing godmother and BFF by day, stalker and vigilante killer by night. Cordelia is cool, calm, calculated.

Cordelia does not like her BFF Diane's new boyfriend Simon. He gives off a bad vibe she can't put her finger on. And now (thanks for Diane insisting she go on blind dates) Cordelia is set up with a cop, Christopher aka "McSmiley".

But things start to fall apart as Simon shows up to her house unexpectedly, her body-disposal system is gone, there's a class action lawsuit looming over her pharma career, and a salon mishap has her long blonde hair a bobbed brown.

I really enjoyed this debut. It had dark humor, suspense, dead bad guys, and found family. The humor was reminiscent of Santa Clarita Diet or Finlay Donovan and I LOLd a few times.

I received an advanced review e-copy from PoisonPenPress via Netgalley. I'm leaving an honest review voluntarily.

This book gives 'Dexter' but female. I loved this. I was hooked by the synopsis and was enraptured by the story until the very end. 4 stars.

I enjoyed this! As soon as I read the synopsis, I knew that I would love it and I was right - thanks me! This felt like the vigilante version of criminal minds, where the hero is actually the killer serving justice. The one thing I wished this book would've done was give the reader a little more backstory on Cordelia. It was there, but I wanted more, personally. For example, Tim. He's mentioned leaving Cordelia's mom because of her addiction, but what happened? Also, I felt like it took me way too long to realize that Joanie and Cordelia were the same person. I moved on from the mentions of her past asking, "Wait, what happened with Joanie?", "Why the name change?", "What happened to her mom?", etc.

Regardless though, I loved everything else. Cordelia Black was sophisticated and also a mess. It was wild to see her unravel because we find her so put together at the beginning of the book and little by little, every single thing starts going wrong and falling apart. HOWEVER, she does not falter. Cordelia Black remains strong and figures it out and I loved that. Women can surely do anything and everything ;) There is a lot that happens in this book, so props to the author for writing it all so well. I was never lost or confused on the plot, it all flowed smoothly and was easy to keep up with. There were quite a few moments I actually LOL'd, which is always nice with a heavy, bit gruesome and disturbing read like this. I highly suggest looking up the content warnings on Emma's website because there are some things that can be tough for some readers to handle, but if you can withstand it, I think this is a really fun and dark read to add to your collection!

The theme song to this book truly is "Cell Block Tango" from Chicago the Musical.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read an advance copy for a honest review.

Ok. Right out of the gate Emma C. Wells, I hope you are ready for a huge amount of buzz because I truly think that this is going to be one of the top reads of 2024. This is one hell of a debut.

This brilliant, twisted, dark humored, well written thriller had me by the throat and I finished it in one sitting. I tried putting it down but gave in every single time because I absolutely had to know what Mrs. Cordelia Black was up to next. I loved her.

I found the character development to me amazing as well as all the attention to small details. I could also easily see this being adapted to a movie.

Completely and utterly fantastic!

Are you ready to dive into the world of Cordelia Black, a woman who’s as fierce as she is mysterious? Emma C. Wells’ “This Girl’s a Killer” is a gripping thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.Cordelia Black is not your typical protagonist. By day, she’s a successful pharma rep, but by night, she takes matters into her own hands, eliminating the bad men who roam South Louisiana. With a meticulous plan and unwavering determination, Cordelia sees herself not as a killer, but as karma personified. And she’s not afraid to get her hands dirty to deliver justice.

Wells crafts a complex and compelling character in Cordelia. Despite her morally ambiguous actions, you can’t help but root for her as she navigates the murky waters of vigilante justice. The tension mounts as Cordelia’s carefully constructed world begins to unravel, forcing her to confront the consequences of her actions.

One of the highlights of “This Girl’s a Killer” is Wells’ skillful blend of suspense and dark humor. Cordelia’s dry wit and razor-sharp observations add depth to the narrative, keeping readers hooked until the very end. And just when you think you have it all figured out, Wells throws in a twist that will leave you gasping for breath.But beyond the thrills and chills, “This Girl’s a Killer” also explores themes of morality, justice, and the lengths we’ll go to protect the ones we love. It’s a thought-provoking read that will linger in your mind long after you’ve turned the final page.

In conclusion, “This Girl’s a Killer” is a must-read for fans of dark and twisty thrillers. With its compelling protagonist, gripping plot, and thought-provoking themes, Emma C. Wells’ latest novel is sure to leave a lasting impression. So grab a copy, buckle up, and prepare for a wild ride through the mind of Cordelia Black. You won’t be disappointed.

this was so good. i really enjoyed it and could not put it down at all. i was interested the entire time to see where it was going to go! if you love thrillers, i highly recommend this one when it comes out! definitely an author i can see myself reading more of!

“This girls a killer” was SUCH A FANTASTIC read!! 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ all around absolutely loved it! An absolute must read…

The plot follows the life of Cordelia (or many lives), by day she is an entrepreneur, business woman in the pharmaceutical industry as well as her strong connection with her best friend and god daughter. On the side she likes to dabble in her own kind of fun foreplay - desposing of evil bad men.

This book is giving butcher and blackbird vibes, minus the butcher. We don’t need a lovey romance here; we have all the feel goods between her and her bestie/mini bestie. Although at one point I did suspect a certain LI connection between her bestie and McSmiley, perhaps a book 2?

I love her god daughter, she is hilarious and sassy and definitely takes too much after her godmother. I also love the best friend dynamic which shows women that friendships can be enough to fulfil and sustain you without the qualms of messy romantic entanglements.

Everything is going swimmingly for Cordelia, she has her lifestyle organized to the last second and the system works well for her. That is until a wrench is thrown in the mix and things start going from bad to worse. On top of that her bestie seems to be dating a questionably slimy man who may cause even more trouble for her.

I loved the humour, the drama, the action. I can always get behind a serial killer with a big heart and good intentions. This book gave me so much anxiety!! 🤣🤣 To say when things start to go bad, everything that can possibly go wrong.. goes wrong!!! Between all the chaos, drama, running around and endless lines of people turning up to her home at the LEAST convenient of times, my frail heart could barely handle the tension 🤣🤣🤣

This book was fast paced, highly entertaining and had all the feel good 5⭐️ vibes you could ask for.

This is my first book by the author and I can’t wait to read more.

Thank you to Emma C Wells, Poisened Pen Press and NetGalley for the EARC.

Publish date, September 10th

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Cordelia Black is basically a serial killer of bad men. She follows them and pounces with her plan. She then leaves the body for Clarence, who sells body parts for science. However, something goes wrong when her best friend, Diane, starts dating a man named Simon who gives Cordelia the creeps. Something is off about Simon, but Cordelia doesn’t see the smoke in his eyes. She knows something is there but can’t figure out what. Will she kill him too?

Ok on to spoilers.

I’m so glad she was able to get rid of Simon and pin everything on him. He was a gross man for sure and even worked with kids. Yuck. The anxiety Cordelia felt after killing him and trying to get rid of the body along with the Bosephan fiasco and taking care of Mango, her neighbor’s dog, made me anxious as well. I could sense her worries. Luckily, it seemed to work out well.

Also I liked how the author touched upon the real case of Brock Turner at the end. His sentence was a joke and unfortunately, seems he is living his life. It isn’t fair. The book touches on how the victims of the men Cordelia killed were only able to come forward once they knew 100% that their abuser was dead. There should be better justice. I don’t feel bad for what Cordelia did to those men. It was vigilante justice for sure.

I enjoyed this book.

This is an absolute masterpiece. I loved every second of this book. Booktok will blow this up and I really believe it will be one of the top books of the year. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

For a debut thriller this is very good.

Meet Cordelia Black, if she cares about you, she will have your back but if she feels you have committed wrong doings you had better look out. By day, she is a woman working in the pharmaceutical industry, strong, independent, and good at what she does. By night, Cordelia has other callings, and these activities will completely take you in while also entertaining you.

The main person in her life is her best friend Diane, their friendship goes back years and Cordelia will anything to make sure Diane is safe and happy in life. For all her faults and misconceptions, I have to say I really liked Cordelia. The author has built a strong character that even though she blurs the lines of what is right and wrong, she is a fascinating human being that I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know.

I highly recommend this book, it is intense, suspenseful, and contains a fair bit of humor. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

God I love best girl friends stories. Add in some revenge murder, and we have good fun on our hands. Just when I thought Cordelia was done having the universe throw twists at her, here comes another one. Emma Wells is twisted, but in the most fun way possible.

Fun, entertaining, and well-written, this was a quick read for me. The twists in this book aren’t exactly unpredictable, but that doesn’t really detract from the story. A healthy dose of suspension of disbelief is required for this book, but if you’re a fan of the show Dexter, or are in the mood for a slightly tamer and more closed-door version of the Mindf*ck series by S.T. Abby, you’ll probably enjoy it.

Cordelia Black is a killer, literally. She uses her beauty, style, and high maintenance image to rid the world of the monsters among us. Through the use of dating apps, she identifies men who hurt women and children and gives them the justice their victims deserve. After each murder, she uses their blood to create art, a way for her to complete her ritual. Things get complicated when she discovers her best friend is dating a man she believes is not who he pretends to be. I think Cordelia Black is a great, morally-grey character that we find ourselves rooting for, just like Dexter did in the tv show. To the reader, while murder is wrong, it removes our sympathy when we know it is someone who probably deserves it. I adored her relationship with Diane and Samantha; it gave her depth to see that she tries to make the world better for the two people she loves most of all. I was disappointed with how it ended though. It felt like it ended too soon and not enough felt wrapped up, which left me wanting more but not in a good way. I'm curious if this will continue as a series as I can see Cordelia continuing her mission elsewhere and learning more about her past.