I loved this suspenseful thriller about a female serial killer who kills evil men. I loved the writing style and the snarky sense of humour in the narration. Cordelia’s character was a standout - determined, and unapologetic. The pacing was great, and the fast-paced plot kept me hooked - I couldn’t put it down.

However, there were moments where the story felt slightly repetitive, which slightly disrupted the otherwise gripping narrative.

Ultimately, a great thriller that I would highly recommend to fans of the genre.

This was by far one of my favorite books I’ve read this year - and I’ve read a lot of books this year. The concept was enticing - a female Dexter plus trauma and chosen family. The execution of the concept was phenomenal. The writing was excellent and you could really feel the highs and lows the FMC experienced. The author also did a great show of showing how she thought, which was a ton of fun to read. I loved the characters, especially the FMC and her besties. The story with McSmiley felt a bit like a throw away and he didn’t seem to add a ton? But that also felt authentic to the FMC who would have only viewed him as useful if he was the means to an end. Such a great read and I truly cannot believe this is the author’s debut! Thrilled to see what she writes next!

This Girl's a Killer is the debut novel from Emma C. Wells. It's another book with the "kill the bad men" trope.

"By day, Cordelia Black is a drug rep, but nighttime is different. When she's not hanging out with her favorite people - Diane and Samantha - Cordelia is hunting men who deserve to be taken out - men with smoke behind their eyes - men who hurt women and kids. She wonders if she needs to intervene with Diane's new boyfriend, but then several things go wrong with her system. Are the police coming to her door? What will she do about the body in the tub?"

This book felt like a "Stephanie Plum becomes a serial killer" story. Cordelia has her reasons and you see them a little at a time. I liked the friendship bewteen Cordelia and Diane and Samantha, especially when Cordelia thinks it's threatened.
There'a a lot of tension when Cordelia is trying to hide things from her police officer date and handyman and obnoxious neighbor - Some hilarious moments.

Nice debut from Wells.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this eARC. This book was a fun read. Cordelia was a complex and interesting character, though at times a little one-dimensional. I think the tension in this book was great - as is characteristic of most serial-killer fiction - the essential question is will she get caught? It was fun and fast-paced. A thrilling weekend read.

I wanted to love Cordelia so bad. But her character grated on me so much. I loved Dexter so this premise excited me, but Cordelia is much more immature than Dexter.
If this book wasn't in first person, I probably would have liked it better. I just couldn't wait to be out of her head. I know this type of woman exists, but it's not who I choose to surround myself with. It made me uncomfortable having to spend time with her.
I know other women are going to eat this up! But it's not for me.

Entertaining and a really easy read, but there were a few plot holes and abandoned story lines. Additionally, there were a few paragraphs that felt repeated throughout. If you like Dexter, you'll like this.

LOVE LOVE LOVE Cordelia. I love the book just for Cordelia. Is she real? Can we be BFF's.

An addictive read, written quite well and I couldn't put it down.

DNF 47%

I had to stop reading when the gory violence got a bit much for me. Even the desire to read about what happens to the characters was not enough motivation to keep going despite having invested time in the novel. My reaction is why I don't do slasher movies either.

I am obviously in the minority here. 🤷🏻‍♀️

This Girl's A Killer left me SHOOK! This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time, thanks to the badass serial killer Cordelia. She's not your typical protagonist, but that's what makes her so intriguing. She's all about taking down evil men and protecting her chosen family. 🙌🏼 And can we talk about her unhinged and diva-like personality? I couldn't get enough of it! If you're a fan of Dexter, then this book is a MUST-read. Trust me, you won't be able to put it down.

A fast paced story about Cordelia Black, a pharmaceutical rep by day and a vigilante by night. Think Dexter in designer threads. This is a fun one with an engaging main character. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

If you love Dexter, this book is for you! Cordelia Black is a posh pharmaceutical rep who also disposes of bad men in her spare time. Who would suspect a woman wearing Jimmy Choos as a killer? This book had me laughing out loud and also shaking with anxiety worried how she would get out of a particularly sticky situation (iykyk). This is Emma C. Wells DEBUT and, honestly, I was shocked to learn that little tidbit because the humor is on point, the pacing is perfect, and I was thoroughly entertained the entire time! I’ll definitely be reading whatever she puts out next!

Stefanie Kay is the perfect choice for narrating this book! She amplified all of the sarcasm, humor, and looming dread with her performance. The story pulled me in and Stefanie’s narration kept me hooked! I binged this one in a day and enjoyed every second!

I really enjoyed this book , it was my first time reading from this author and have to say it won’t be the last time , I really enjoyed the authors writing style.

I really enjoyed this one. It was hard to put down. It kept me wanting more. The characters are amazing! And I love the title and the story line. Such an amazing book!

Cordelia Black is a pharmaceutical rep by day and a vigilante serial killer by night. She has a code and a system of disposing of her prey. She is very much a lone wolf with the exception of her best friend, Diane, and goddaughter, Sugar. The tension and twists in this tale kept me on the edge of my seat. Watching Cordelia try to escape her wretched past and maintain her daytime facade was exhilarating. I read the whole thing in one sitting. I wish the ending could've gone a slightly different direction, but was still thoroughly happy with the story as a whole. This is a great book for people who love Dexter Morgan. Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Emma C. Wells for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I wanted to love this one, but sometimes you just don’t vibe with the protagonist and this was the case with me. The inner dialogue of the protagonist was repetitive throughout the book to the point where it was hard not to skim. How many times did we need to be told that people don’t assume a woman dressed in high-end clothes isn’t dangerous? How many times do we need to hear about how competent Cordelia Black is? How many times do we need to hear how being meticulous is key? Constantly. If these paragraphs could have been edited down, it would have tightened up this read immensely. The author also heavily relied on telling rather than showing, which left the characters feeling more devoid of emotion than I prefer.

Largely due to the overwriting, the plot of the story felt painfully slow. It was buried underneath those unnecessary repetitions in a way that drastically decreased the tension and the feeling of high stakes that should have been present. Also, despite how often we’re told that the protagonist is meticulous, she makes a lot of stupid mistakes and spur-of-the-moment decisions. So which is it?

I wouldn’t call this a thriller, and it often felt more comedic (and even slapstick) in general. My thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I love a female serial killer trope, and this one did not disappoint. I was drawn in from the very beginning, and could not put this one down. I would recommend to any of my fellow lovers of novels of badass women taking things into their own hands.

Cordelia Black is an irresistibly sharp and darkly funny thriller that hooked me from the first page. Cordelia is a complex, magnetic protagonist—flawlessly polished by day and ruthlessly vengeful by night. Her double life as a pharma rep and avenger of wrongs brings a refreshing twist to the vigilante narrative, blending biting humor with nail-biting tension.

The story’s South Louisiana setting adds a rich backdrop to the escalating stakes as Cordelia’s perfect system starts to crack, pulling her into a web of personal and moral conflict. The mix of high-stakes action, sharp dialogue, and genuine emotional depth makes this a standout read.

truly enjoyed this book! great read.

would definitely recommend this. Very good story.

Truly thankful that I was picked to receive an arc for this book.

When I started this I was super excited. I thought this was had the vibe of Butcher and Blackbird and I was here for it. But the main character became insufferable by the end and I didn't want to finish it. I did push myself but honestly I didn't love the ending. I felt like it was resolved super easily. Also the writing was very repetitive. If I heard about how Sugar and her mom were going to have ruined lives if she was caught one more time I was going to scream.

Links to come.

Lookout Dexter, Cordelia Black has arrived! One of the standout elements of this one was the suspense. That ever-present “getting caught” factor had me on edge the entire time, especially as Cordelia Black navigated her dangerous double life. Emma C. Wells masterfully built tension, making every close call pulse-pounding. She also added the best girlie humor throughout Cordelia’s shenanigans.

I also loved the way Cordelia’s old and new selves were compared throughout the story. The internal dialogue she had with her old identity was fascinating—it added a lot of depth to her character and made her transformation feel very real. The fact that she wasn’t fully comfortable in her new skin made her relatable, even as the stakes escalated.

One of the more surprising and heartwarming aspects of the book was Cordelia’s bond with the neighbor’s puppy. I loved how she grew attached to the little dog and how much she wanted to protect it. That softer side of her character added balance to the story and gave me someone (or something!) to root for alongside her.

On the flip side, I initially enjoyed her brief relationship with the cop. It seemed like it could bring an interesting dynamic to the plot, but ultimately, it didn’t work for me. It felt rushed and disjointed, especially as the story wrapped up. It just didn’t carry the weight I think it was meant to.

What really stood out, though, was Cordelia’s relationship with her best friend. That friendship was everything! They were so close and had the kind of bond anyone would envy—well, aside from, you know, the whole dead body situation. But even with that, their loyalty to each other was believable and made me smile in between the darker moments of the book.

Thank you #NetGalley and #PoisonedPenPress for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review! It was a fun one!