My Darlings is a dark, thrilling, and suburban tale with a wealthy wife in the best social circles being a psychopath. This book was like the movie Serial Mom but somehow better. The main character was expertly written, and I am thinking I should question the author's sanity. This fast-paced book captivated me from the first chapter, and I finished this in one sitting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing Co. for this ARC!

I love thrillers, but this one stands out as one of the best I’ve ever read. The suspense was gripping, and the characters felt incredibly real. The shocking conclusion still has me thinking about the story.

I loved this “quick to take over your entire day” thriller. My absolute favorite part was that the main protagonist was a villainous female, which we rarely get in the world of mystery, thriller and crimes. To have your bad guy, be a bad gal was refreshing and also horrifying.

I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting a quick murder mystery where you are inside the head of the killer from page 1, and the rest of the cast doesn’t know who it is. Definitely check your own trigger warnings and proceed with caution if you have any triggers with emotional abuse or unresolved issues with an overbearing mother figure. Even so, it’s still worth reading!

Some parts of this book were a bit tongue in cheek and I absolutely LOVED IT. I ate it up, watching the wealthy and the head of the PTO be the murderer everyone is scared of. Watching the elite clutch their pearls while dining on the finest of meals, not realizing they are sitting with the big bad wolf was amazing and such a great spin.

I loved it, I want more.

What an outrageous main character! A truly depraved woman goes on a killing spree in her neighborhood. Plenty of juicy drama. I love that we got to find out more about Eloises upbringing. This was surprisingly funny, given the subject matter. A little slapstick toward the end but nothing that wouldn’t make me recommend.

This book has earned a solid spot on my top reads of 2024! Eloise was such a unique character and I loved getting to see how she became who she ended up being. I love a good multiple POV story and this one delivered, and I was NOT expecting that dramatic ending! What a dark and twisted book 💀

3.5⭐️
While it was refreshing to witness more female serial killer characters, I couldn’t get comfortable with the endless unlikeable rich characters, their gossip, and the extent to which the main protagonist herself gets away with so much. Eloise is painted as a highly-manipulative and cold personality, hiding behind an exclusive persona and perfect family. Her dark tendencies are explored throughout, and I was hoping for a more rewarding revenge from all whom she’s wronged in her path of destruction. Her friends are all vapid, the events seem too convenient in Eloise’s favour, I don’t know how one character didn’t simply contest their innocence when arrested. I also hoped for more of a connection between Eloise and her daughter in the way the ending resulted. The ending also suggests a likely sequel. It just felt a bit messy. But I enjoyed the writing and the multiple POVs. It has promise and perhaps some readers would get a kick out of it.

Thank you Netgalley, Marie still and the publisher for this digital arc.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of My Darlings by Marie Still

Omg what did I just read, this book! It was awesome! The characters, I loved and hated them. Just wow, so well written. You will not want to put this book down, seriously! I hope there is a sequel.
I was hooked as soon as I started reading this book. It's told from multiple viewpoints and a bit of the book is told in the past.
Incredible plot and unfolding of events will keep any lover of psychological thrillers reading into the wee hours.
First book I've read by this author, certainly not the last.

My Darlings is a crazy, psychotic, addictive ride with some deranged housewives. It was definitely a fast paced read that kept me hooked. Told through multiple POV's and short snippy chapters, it truly makes for an unputdownable one. The storyline was definitely an interesting and diabolical one, but it being compared to Dexter, upped certain expectations for me, so I would remove that from your head prior to reading.

The characters are all pretty despicable. Their actions questionable, the lies, the secrets, the manipulations and the betrayals all made for a thrilling ride. I truly didn't know who to root for or truly care what happened to any of them as they were not likable. The storyline was very interesting in the first 50% for me, but then I did struggle with staying engaged a little.

Overall, an enjoyable fast addicting thriller that is easily bingeable. Definitely a fun and crazy ride !

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @risingaction & Marie Still for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been recommending this took to EVERYONE who will listen. I literally bought three copies so I’d have two to give out to friends. This is the sociopathic serial killer story I’ve been waiting for. Can’t wait for the show!

My Darlings by Marie Still is a dark, twisted thriller about Eloise Williams— a perfect suburban mom who's also a serial killer. As the secrets of her affluent inner circle unravel, the body count rises, and Eloise's control slips.

If you're into thrillers packed with suspense and morally complex characters, this one's a wild ride! But beware, it's not for the faint of heart with heavy content warnings (murder, abuse, child death, etc.)

Stay-at-home mom Eloise is the PTO president and a respected local philanthropist. In addition to being a doting wife and mother, she is also a serial killer. But Eloise isn’t the only lady in society playing a part. As the hidden lives of Eloise's inner circle are exposed, the body count rises. When the stalker becomes prey, Eloise desperately clings to control. Money and power can only buy influence and safety for so long. Eventually, the curtains lift, exposing the chilling reality hiding in plain sight.

MY DARLINGS is a thrilling tale centered around a complex character, Eloise, who leads a double life as a seemingly ordinary suburban mother and wife while harboring a dark and unhinged side. Despite her despicable nature and lack of remorse, Eloise's erratic behavior had me hooked. I loved to hate her. There is something about a female serial killer, especially when written well, that always captivates my attention. It's sad that her daughter was treated so badly by her mother, but the story does a good job of showing how one person can really affect the lives of the people around them.

Marie Still not only introduced a memorable serial killer, but her associates were equally intriguing. The constant drama and bickering provided great entertainment. Additionally, the "watcher" perspective kept me guessing about their identity until the very end. While the conclusion felt somewhat abrupt, it left me satisfied. I was captivated by the twisted mindset of Eloise and her minions throughout the years and wished the story could continue. Marie's writing style is truly remarkable, and I can't wait for her future works. A sequel to this book would be delightful, as I am eager for more of "darlings!"

Thanks to NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing for the eARC.

This was my first novel by Marie Still. It was an over the top, popcorn thriller in the best way. Really fun.

I loved this book! I do think it’s a mistake to compare it to Dexter though - so push that out of your mind prior to reading it.
It’’s about a rich, white woman serial killer in suburbia 👀

I saw another review compare this to The Desperate Housewives meets Dexter, and that is the absolute perfect description! WOW! Juicy and scandalous, set in DC, for fans of rich & powerful people doing bad things.

Wow! I was fully invested in this story, it did not disappoint.

There are so many twists and even though I guessed a few of them correctly, I still enjoyed the way they flowed with the intensity of the story.

It was so interesting yet creepy to read the POV of a female serial killer, Eloise, and I enjoyed the comedic take on it. She is very full of herself and finds humans to essentially be a waste of space in her mind.

We also get the POV of other characters that are close to Eloise and their opinions of her, her stalker outside of her inner circle(the Watcher) and her daughter.

I don't want to give too much away, but I highly recommend this story, although it could be very triggering for some. This is a very dark and twisted thriller that includes domestic abuse and lots of violence with gore.

This was a quick read that's heavy on the drama, psychological suspense, the shocking things even the rich and privileged do behind closed doors. Or, in Eloise's world, in the middle of the running trail... The world of the elite in a rich D.C. suburb are up to a whole lot of no good in Marie Still's murdery soap opera, My Darlings. You never can tell what's behind people's motives, and Eloise is one of the best at faking feelings and the perfect public persona. She lives to manipulate the world around her, including friends, family, and her victims. I loved the drama, the fast-paced plot, the multiple POV, and the subtly few flashbacks to help readers understand who "The Watcher" was and how psychotic Eloise truly was. My only issue is that there was all this build up but the ending was incredibly rushed. There's plenty of action to keep the plot moving and scenes that were so unexpected my jaw dropped (which really doesn't happen often), but then it was almost like the author hit a page count and had to wrap things up quickly. Gave me a bit of whiplash and left me wanting more, which may have been what Still was going for. A seriously good read for fans of Oxygen's true crime show Snapped!

**Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.**

Eliose isn’t a regular mom, she’s a killer mom.

A great fast paced thriller, perfect for spooky season.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc.

My Darlings is a creepy thriller that’ll hook you from the beginning, and the “unlikeable” characters will keep you deeply invested. It is an unputdownable read you won’t want to miss, especially if you love dark thrillers with themes of lies, rich people doing bad things, and murder.

This story is multi-pov, which is cleverly done, layering in the drama of each woman in the story, and adding to the heightening tension. Each character is so unique and morally ambiguous in their own way.

Thank you NetGalley and Rising Action for this advanced readers copy.

A fast paced thriller about a housewife who seemed to have it all but not everything is all smiles and made up lawns because Eloise is a serial killer. Ugh! She is a villain I like to hate but I was rooting for her lol! I have never sided with a villain before since Gone Girl.
Also, congratulations to the author because this book just got a deal to be a series.

This book had me hooked immediately I love the sinister attitude of Eloise and how she really loves what she does. All of the women are out there but it really made for a great story. I felt like there is constant action so to speak where the ladies are doing something a bit off though we have a hidden character all through out as well.