I’ve had the pleasure of reading a lot of good books this year. So far, I’ve been surprised and impressed more often than not, and this last read was no exception.

When I received an invitation from Poisoned Pen Press to read This Girl’s a Killer, I was a little apprehensive, as I don’t usually read horror or “scary” books. But I loved Finlay Donovan, so I decided to give it a try. I’m so glad I did because I was absolutely blown away. This is why I love new authors; you never know what you’re going to find.

Cordelia Black isn’t crazy. She’s organized. She’s punctual. She has a killer wardrobe. She loves her best friend and goddaughter. She isn’t crazy. She’s just… Karma.

Everything is going just fine until it isn’t. Watching Cordelia’s perfect world fall apart actually gave me anxiety while making me laugh. It was an interesting paradox. This book is dark, twisty, and funny.

I cannot wait to see what Emma Wells comes up with next.

The synopsis for this book sounded right up my alley. Alas I DNF'd it at 18%. I just didn't care for Cordelia and didn't want to continue reading it, since everything was being told from her perspective at that point.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This was such a fun book! This book had lots of twists and turns, and the characters were perfect. Cordelia Black is like a female Dexter, sure she stalks and kills; but only bad men. Cordelia has been killing for years, she has a great system set up and she thought of everything. She has a best friend Diane and a goddaughter nicknamed Sugar that she would do anything for him and has done anything for. When Diane starts dating a new man, a chain of events falls into place that puts everything Cordelia has been doing in jeopardy. can Cordelia set everything in place, and escape or will this be what takes her down?

This book was so much fun to read, and I really enjoyed the characters and the pace of the story. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

So, I read this book in less than 24 hours-- and for most of it, I sat on edge, filled with anxiety and stress. I held my breathe while reading through many chapters; I was wholly invested in her friendship, her hobbies, and her freedom.

I was riddled with anxiety as she worked through her latest problem; even more so, when she wasn't the only one who knew what her lastest problem was.

But as the strong FMC she was, I patiently waited as she got her shit together, found herself once again, and fixed the things that had gotten out of control.

From early on in this book, I felt I was reading a female, feminist version of Dexter. I could definitely see a second book on the horizon.

This book delivers a thrilling and addictive ride with its morally complex, sassy serial killer protagonist, Cordelia, whose dark humor and fierce loyalty make for an unforgettable story. Fans of Dexter and vigilante justice will be hooked from the first page, rooting for this unapologetically bold and entertaining anti-heroine.

The MC of this debut is a female Dexter mixed with a tiny bit of Finlay Donovan. The beginning of the book felt a little too much like Dexter, but then it took a bit of a turn and things wrapped up in a way that was a little hard for me to wrap my head around.

This one fell really flat for me. I had higher hopes based off the description, but the book kind of played out like a Lifetime Original Movie.
A loooooot of time is dedicated to showing how spunky and cool the main character is. Supporting characters. As soon as the easiest path isn’t available to take, the main character spirals out which made me more irritated than tense.
(For example: she has a dog covered in blood from a crime that occurred within hours, but since all official dog-grooming businesses do not have same-day openings, she just decides the only option is to hold on to this dirty bloody dog for two weeks until a grooming appointment??? )
I found myself speed-reading through most of the book and the ending was “meh.” I think there are plenty of people who would really enjoy this; it was just a lot fluffier of a read than I expected based on the marketing and description

I enjoyed this debut novel by Emma C. Wells, which follows a serial killer who targets only bad men. I’d heard that fans of the TV series Dexter would enjoy it, and while I did, I felt there were a few too many similarities to the show, which knocked my rating down a bit.

“Serial killer. I loathed those words. They weren’t fair—not when used against me. Had I made those men disappear? Okay. Yes—but I dealt in karma—not murder.”

Ask Cordelia Black why she did it.
The answer would always be:
𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈.

4.5 stars! Cordelia is the female Dexter and I am rooting for her like I rooted for him! Wheeee what a wild ride this was. An author has to be very talented to make you not only fall in love with but actually root for a serial killer to get away with murder.

“Flowerpots sat empty, or with brittle plant skeletons, because I’d lied, monsters weren’t all I killed.” 🪴 💀 😂

So imagine, if you will, Dexter…but with the added complications of hair highlights left on too long, Loubitans on bloody surfaces, fake Louis Vuitton’s, and one rude and annoying neighbor with a overly intrusive dog. Gold! Gold I’ll tell ya.

This is also one of the most quotable books I’ve read this year. I just love Cordelia! What a spitfire.

“I’d given him the chance to confess his crimes and go free, but it’s difficult to talk when you’re gagged, with your lips duct-taped closed, so on my table he’d remained.” 😳🫣

Thank you to Netgalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and the author for this fantastic ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This was such a fun rollercoaster of a book! This Girl's a Killer by Emma C. Wells had me laughing out loud. This story follows Cordelia Black a pharmaceutical rep by day and Dexter like killer by night. Her best friend Diane and Diane's daughter Samantha (Sugar for short) are Cordelia's family. She would do anything for them, and when Diane starts dating a new guy who isn't what he seems Cordelia had to make some tough choices... like killing him and hiding the body. I really liked this book and I am really hoping for a book 2! I would highly recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this eArc.

Glamorous pharmaceutical sales rep Cordelia Black is living her best life, full of designer brands and her best friend Diane. In her spare time, she carves up monsters in a storage unit, sells them to a body snatcher, and adorns her walls with paintings made with their blood. She has it all down to a science.

When Diane starts dating a new guy, Cordelia pisses him off. He threatens to blow up her whole operation, and Cordelia has to find a way out of the BIG mess she’s made.

Despite the dark subject, the story had some humorous moments, well balanced with tension. However, there was also a lot of repetition, especially with Cordelia thinking about Joanie. That, combined with the one million mentions of Dior and Givenchy and Fendi and whatever other luxury brands, took me out of the flow.

I thought this was a pretty fun twist on the typical tropes, but the premise reminded me of the HBO show Dexter (which I never watched) so I’m not sure how original it really is… and depending on what you hope happens to our murderess, the ending may not be fully satisfying for you. Either way, it was a quick and engaging story that kept me interested through the end.

Fun, but fell flat.

This Girl's a Killer is about a female vigilante purging society of bad men. While the concept is pretty cool, I found this thriller a bit lackluster. The first 70% is slow, and I struggled to connect with any of the characters.

The FMC, Cordelia, has a very weird mix of characteristics. She's a cold-blooded killer but also irrationally emotional. She's borderline co-dependent on her best friend but also an empowered career woman. She's sharp and witty but also a poor decision-maker. She prides herself on being an excellent planner and manipulator but can't foresee obvious consequences. The result was an unrelatable (and sort of annoying) narrator.

There was a lot of dialogue, which dragged the plot to a snail's pace. I wish there was more action and suspense. The last part of the book was much more intense and if the rest of the story had mimicked that format, it could have been an amazing thriller.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for an ARC.

She’s playing a risky game

Cordelia Black had a rough life growing up and has worked hard to become the person she is today. She is highly successful in her career as a pharmaceutical salesperson in Baton Rouge, wears great clothes and is always impeccably groomed. Her “family” is her best friend Diane and Diane’s daughter Samantha (aka Sugar-Bug), whom she adores. Her life is carefully planned and highly organized, and she likes it that way…in part because she has an unusual second calling that requires that same precision. She cannot abide men who prey upon the weak and vulnerable, especially those who seem to escape judgement, and has taken it upon herself to hunt these abusers down and kill them. She doesn’t consider herself a killer; she has a code that she follows to make sure that the men she targets are without question deserving of the fate she delivers. The media has started throwing around the term “serial killer” as they report on the growing number of men who have seemingly gone missing (Cordelia’s plans ensure that the bodies aren’t turning up), but Cordelia disagrees with that assessment. Then things start to spin out of control….first, the main pharmaceutical product that Cordelia sells (and uses to incapacitate her victims) is being yanked from the market, with rumors of deadly side effects that the manufacturer covered up during trials. Then Diane introduces her to Simon, the new love in her life, to whom Cordelia and Sugar have taken an immediate and intense dislike….he may not have all the hallmarks of Cordelia’s victims, but there is definitely something off about him in Cordelia’s opinion. When the police arrest the person who has been buying Cordelia’s victims’ bodies, she is sure that her arrest (and the horror with which Diane and Sugar will surely regard her) is imminent. Can Cordelia remove Simon from Diane’s life, cover up the evidence that she has been stealing samples of the drug she reps for her own purposes (and thus save her career and reputation), get rid of the latest victim’s body which is currently in her bathroom, all while fending off the intrusions of her neighbor’s poodle and using her wiles on her latest date (a police officer) to keep ahead of the investigation?
Is it wrong to find yourself rooting for a self-appointed killer of bad men? With a character like Cordelia Black, who is ferociously protective of those she loves and whose background certainly explains if not justifies why she feels compelled to take out men who really do seem to deserve it, its pretty hard not to find yourself on her side. She’s smart, she’s kind of cranky when things aren’t going her way, and she knows the value of an excellent hair stylist…when she’s not killing, she’s really kind of fun. Her friendship with Diane and her path towards avengerhood intersected years ago, and her role in Sugar’s life brings joy and balance to them both. The male characters aren’t quite as well-developed as are the females, but it is an entertaining and fast-paced albeit somewhat bloody thriller that had me hooked from beginning to end. Fans of Julie Mae Cohen, Jeff Lindsay and Layne Fargo should definitely pick up a copy of This Girl’s A Killer. My thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me early access to a copy of this dark but funny mystery.

This book just wasn’t for me. It’ felt a little reparative and the main character had me wanting to not continue reading.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for my gifted copy.

This Girl’s a Killer has claimed a spot in my top reads of 2024. This book has a dark comedy vibe that had me laughing often, while the thriller aspect kept me on the edge of my seat and thoroughly engaged. If you’re looking to combine your reading loves of comedy and thriller, this book is a must read!

I absolutely loved the main character of this book. Her personality and internal dialogue are captivating. Her growth is relatable.

Emma C. Wells has stolen my heart, and if ever she needs a CP or Beta, I’m here for it. I’m also here for reading all her books!

Thank you NetGalley, and Poisoned Pen Press for this advanced copy.

𝐒𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐛𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆. 𝐈 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝟐𝟒 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫/𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞 𝐊𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞? 𝐀𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭, 𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫.

𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍’𝒔 𝑨 𝑲𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐛𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲 𝐚 𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲—𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧. 𝐈𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐈 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬!

𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜 𝐸𝓂𝓂𝒶 𝒞. 𝒲𝑒𝓁𝓁𝓈, 𝒫𝑜𝒾𝓈𝑜𝓃𝑒𝒹 𝒫𝑒𝓃 𝒫𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓈, 𝒟𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂𝓈𝒸𝒶𝓅𝑒 𝑀𝑒𝒹𝒾𝒶, & 𝒩𝑒𝓉𝒢𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓎 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝑅𝒞! 𝒜𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝓅𝒾𝓃𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝑜𝓌𝓃.

Cordelia Black loves three things: her expensive hair dresser, her chosen family, and killing bad men.

I love female vigilante killer stories and this was a fun, but gory one. Death may be taken lightly in this story, but the victims deserve it and that’s what makes this story light despite the gore. Cordelia is fun to root for, especially as she grows to love her neighbors annoying dog. The story takes place over only a few days, so it’s just one issue she’s dealing with, but the author still manages over 400 pages that never get dull.

“If you’re going to kill bad men and get away with it, you have to be great, because being merely good leads to - well - nowhere good.”

This Girl’s a Killer came out 10/29 and is available now.

This was a cutesy, vigilante-murderess in a spiral of undoing story. In Dexter fashion, Cordelia Black hunts and murders bad men. She is meticulous, we are told, but mistake after mistake pile up putting Cordelia in a precarious position. If she doesn’t get it together, she could be caught or worse, her best friend might hate her. As she unravels, the reader gets a small glimpse into Cordelia’s alter ego (her meek, prior life), but Cordelia is not going to let her old self take over.

Reminiscent of Dexter and You, but flipping the gender stereotype a la Butcher and Blackbird (without the steamy romance). It was a cute story really about strong female friendship - taking care of your ride or die friends.

We are told from the get go of Cordelia’s skill, carefulness, and success in her murdery “calling”, but from the beginning we see the spiral of uncontrolled chaos begin. She spends a lot of time repeating that she doesn’t make mistakes, but all we see are mistakes. I think some buildup of things going really well at the onset, even briefly, wouldve set the tone without the need to repeat it often. There were a few holes in the story - but one stuck out: after murdering one guy who has a job at a hospital, no one reports him missing when he doesn’t show up for work. I was able to look past them for the sake of the story not being convoluted with extraneous detail, but given Cordelia’s best friend worked with him and kept saying he ghosted her, this doesn’t make sense.

The ending was great. That name change at the end was so minor I had to look up the real guy!

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Format:
~📱 Ebook

Overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.4

TW: Murder, gory body parts, animal abuse, mentions sexual assault & pedophilia

This Girl's a Killer is a story about Cordelia Black, who serves vigilante justice to bad men. 'Nuff said. 💪🏼

✴️ World building: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
From a cupcake mess to forging signatures, it's off to an adventurous start in the first few chapters and the shenanigans continue throughout the rest of the book!

✴️ Writing style/ flow: ⭐⭐⭐
The writing is humorous! However, it was surprisingly slower paced than I thought it would be.

✴️ Character development: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I truly enjoyed the FMC Cordelia Black! She made references to Joanie while fighting for control of her own life, but I would love for this former self to have been expanded upon to help the reader understand the motivation of the character. I also enjoyed the side characters, especially the friendship with Diane & her daughter.

✴️ Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
< SPOILER ALERT> I mean, what could go wrong with a hand in a handbag and a head in a refrigerator? 🤣

✴️ Enjoyment: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I absolutely loved this story! I would describe it as bad *ss Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets a quirky mess like Weekend At Bernie's!

✴️ Final thoughts:
What an absolutely amazing debut by author Emma C. Wells! 🫶🏼

The ending was *chef's kiss* 💋 As a sexual abuse survivor advocate, references to an infamous predator touched on a personal note. Cordelia Black - you're my f*cking hero! 🏆

*** Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to review. All opinions are my own

3*

Cordelia Black has been killing bad men for years. By day, she works as a successful pharmaceutical rep and enjoys spending time with her found family-her best friend, Diane, and her goddaughter. At night, she stalks men who have been doing bad things. She has a code that she follows: she has to be able to see the smoke in their eyes as it's a clue that what they are doing is bad. Since she's doing it for the greater good, she doesn't consider herself a serial killer. But when Diane gets a new boyfriend who Cordelia is sure isn't a good person, her grip on her control starts to slip and she might finally get caught.

This was fine enough but didn't really blow me away. I appreciate a Dexter-like serial killer who kills men who are monsters and how far Cordelia would go to keep her found family safe. I also appreciate the way Cordelia worked so hard to cover her tracks. But her complacency and how reckless she was made the story hard to believe. A wig and a little make up doesn't change the fact that you're dating a cop and you have artwork on your walls painted in blood. It just seemed wild to me that this woman killed so many men over so many years when she did so many careless things to deal with Diane's new boyfriend.

There were also several plot lines in this that didn't feel fully fleshed out. I understand the audit of the Cordelia's pharmaceutical sales account was used as a way to show how she was losing control, but it was wrapped up way too easily. Also, Cordelia's past growing up in the trailer park as the kid of a drug addict was mentioned in her internal monologue a lot but really didn't play into the story. I'm also confused as to how the blossoming relationship with Chris ended so quickly after their first, rushed kiss was last luster. They had so much chemistry and gave up way too easily.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing this ARC to me!