A glamorous female serial killer who only kills bad men. This sounded right up my alley. It's dubbed as "wicked fun" and "darkly comedic" and I did appreciate the sarcasm and wit in the book. Saffy is a serial killer looking for love. Dating can be hard enough, but try dating when you are not only trying to determine if this man is 'the one' or is he the next kill? But Saffy will not be deterred, she has her sights on a certain man......

Jonathan is a true crime podcaster who enjoys solving cold cases and bringing people to justice. When he becomes a suspect in a crime that he did not commit, he must clear his own name and Saffy is determined to help!

Readers are given both Saffy and Jonathan's POV. This book is a little bit of everything - romance, mystery, and thrills. It is not your usual book about serial killers. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a fabulous job bringing the book to life.

While I found this book to be enjoyable, it was just missing that little bit of something that would have elevated my rating. I wanted more of Saffy for starters. I also wanted a little more mystery as well. What I did enjoy is learning about Saffy's background and what was the catalyst of her killing bad men. I also enjoyed her struggles with dating and what happens when a man catches her attention.

If you are thinking of reading this book, I do recommend the audiobook as I thought the narrator did a fantastic job!

I loved the premise of this book, but it didn’t live up to my expectations. It seemed more like a school girl crush than a thriller.


Thanks to NetGalley and the author for an ARC of this book.

I was approved for this book and it caught my attention from the start. I love revenge plot books especially when it’s a female lead. This is an absolutely well written book and the story carries from start to finish. Definitely a must read if you enjoy thrillers and suspense books.

Bad Men
By Julie Mae Cohen

Saffy Huntley-Oliver has it all - she’s smart and has a glamorous life. But that’s not all, she also has a secret. A big secret. She is a serial killer who targets men who, in her estimation or based on the word of others, are bad men. This peculiarity of Saffy’s means that dating can be tough and Saffy is getting lonely. Then Jonathan Desrosiers enters her life. He’s a true crime podcaster. A decapitated body appears on his doorstep, instantly making him the prime suspect in the murder. Saffy arranges a “random” meeting with him, develops a crush and is determined to clear his name. Will she succeed? Will she get caught? Can she balance love, life, and murder?

I got an advance copy of the audiobook from NetGalley so here are my honest thoughts: I enjoyed this one. You just never know what’s going on behind closed doors or what people are really like. Saffy was a sympathetic character even as a murderer, and I wanted her to come out on top. Lots of dark humor, suspense, twists, and turns in this one. The narrator did a great job bringing the various characters to life.

The story was not just murder and mayhem. Saffy’s relationship with her sister, Susie, was also explored deeply. It painted a fuller picture of Saffy as a person. I thought the author was witty and clever, and had a great style of writing. I didn’t know what would happen next, and more than once I stayed in my car after reaching a destination to listen to just a little bit more. The story reminded me of the book/movie American Psycho in spirit. Saffy is a much more morally acceptable killer than Patrick Bateman, but both led an unsuspecting life with a totally hidden side to themselves. This is a good read/listen and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a high energy thriller with lots of action and some romance and a strong female lead character!

Thank you Julie Mae Cohen, NetGalley, and publisher The Overlook Press for allowing me to read Bad Men! The synopsis presents with a fun premise: a stunning female serial killer who hunts and rids the world of bad men. This is not her only secret: her other secret is she has fallen hard for a true crime podcaster who just so happens to interfere with her next murder. The lines between good and evil are blurred. Audiobook narrator Nathalie Buscombe really adds to the characters and does a good job keeping the reader engaged. I finished this in a day thanks to her reading!
Bad Men began as a clever book with Dexter-esque vibes. The plot is told from dual POV’s Saffy’s and Jonathan’s. Female protagonist Saffy Huntley-Oliver, a wealthy, glamorous, charming socialite who refers to herself as “beautiful and brilliant,” also happens to be a sociopathic serial killer. Her backstory will reveal her reasons. Deeply protective of her sister, for fifteen years Saffy has hunted down misognysts, murderers, domestic abusers, scum of the earth rapists,—each one clearly a bad man. Saffy’s double life is a bit too solitary for her preference, so she seeks a significant other that she can trust (and doesn’t end up on her hit list). It was difficult to decipher if Saffy was a strong feminist or an obsessed stalker trying to make a man love her. There is a great deal of inner monologue in Bad Men. Saffy thinks she’s finally found 'the one' in Jonathan Desrosiers, a popular true crime podcaster and author who’s amassed throngs of loyal followers that share his penchant for cracking cold cases and bringing justice to victims. Jon is recently single because his fed up wife, Amy, has decided to divorce him due to his workaholic ways. Amy is the rightful owner of the marital home, so Jon leaves his podcast and home for Scotland to lick his wounds. Saffy goes above and beyond to attract his attention. I will not spoil how Saffy connives a meeting with Jonathan, but...
The plot takes another turn when a body in a bin shows up on Jon's doorstep as payback for his podcast sleuthing ‘the bin bag killer.’ Someone is not a fan of Jon's episodes, and the police in London call Jon back. The true crime podcaster suddenly and stunningly finds himself the leading suspect of the murder, and Saffy decides to make it her mission to exonerate him and track down the real murderer. This is where the plot veers more romance than thriller, as Saffy’s obsession with Jon overwhelms any further inkling of feminist Dexter. Bad Men is supposed to focus on a feminist female serial killer, not a stalker obsession to date a man.
Jonathan’s POV is definitely more prevalent than Saffy’s. He wallows in the breakdown of his marriage much more than we hear from Saffy again. The plot wraps up in lightning speed, and the person framing Jon was indeed predictable with no element of surprise. At times there was decent suspense, however Bad Men is not the thriller I anticipated. 2.5/5

I find books with mix genre always gets mixed feelings when I read them. This premise was intriguing with Saffy who kills bad men and falls for a true crime podcaster, Jonathan, who is a suspect for a killing. I felt the story wasn't romance enough and was more lust. I like to see the romance develop and this didn't have that. On the thriller side, we don't really know much about Saffy and her vigilante ways which I wanted more of. The killer on the loose was easy to figure out. I did enjoy the overall story and the narrator did a good job with bringing all the characters to life.

Thank you @overlookpress @recordedbooks @netgalley for a copy of this.

Well the writing was okay but there was no way this main character was getting away with what she did when she took such ridiculous chances and made such stupid mistakes. Really unlikeable main character and a ridiculous plot.

Thank you @Netgalley for my free advanced listeners copy!

Serial killers are bountiful in this stalker-ish mystery thriller. A female serial killer bent on righting wrongs and seeking justice on cheating, abusive men obsess over true crime podcaster and writer. She sets up the perfect trap to ensnare the famous writer and sparks a romance between the two. As they grow closer, the writer comes closer to the very unexpected truth that he's seeking. Will he discover her murderous secret or be her next victim?

Fans of Freida McFadden and Kirsten Modglin will LOVE this thrilling read!

What a great book for true crime junkies! It's a little silly and the plot is a little bit obvious, but I loved it for that! The main character is very convinced her moral code is acceptable - even making jokes about killing people casually. This is a good stand alone book, but I could see it becoming a series too. I listened to the audiobook version of this book. The narrator did a good job. Thanks to the publisher, The Overlook Press, and #NetGalley for giving me advanced access to #BadMen.

This was a quick read, with some very dark humor! The tone reminded me of They Never Learn by Layne Fargo. I really struggled to connect with main character at all - she’s a rich socialite who likes to murder and manipulate people. The backstory of why she does this was too flimsy to make her sympathetic. I was interested in the storyline, but I was definitely not rooting for the romance!

Because of this, I found the ending somewhat unsatisfying - a lot of things were left unsaid and unaddressed. I listened to this book on audio, and though the narrator did a decent job - though I might have enjoyed it more if the dual POVs had their own narrators. While I was entertained and enjoyed the humor, this one didn’t quite meet my expectations.

That said, I would recommend this if you like thrillers about serial killers or dark humor!

This was interesting since Saffy was a serial killer and Jonathan was a true crime podcaster. I really wish they had got someone else to voice Jonathan though it would have made the story more enjoyable. I do not want to give much away but the killer(s), well one was believable and the other I had hopes it was someone else. The romance was a little strange to me. I did not love this book but it was different than anything I have read.

3.5 🌟 I listened to the audiobook narrated by Nathalie Buscombe. This was enjoyable read and quite fast paced in the beginning but felt a little slow at times too.
The whole premise of this book really was intriguing and exciting which is why I picked it up as it said Saffy who is serial killer; “she’s hunted down and dispatched rapists, murderers, domestic abusers—bad men all.” I did feel like I was more interested in Saffy’s pov but there wasnt much of it and she felt like side character rather than the main one. This also at times read like a romance book rather than thriller with how obsessed she was with the true-crime podcaster Jon, as she thought she met a good man. It definitely focused more on her crush rather than her killing tendencies as serial killer which was kinda disappointing but overall was good read.

“YOU KNOW THAT SAYING: Behind every great man is a great woman? What it really means is this. Behind every man, no matter what his merit, there is a perfectly normal woman working her ass off to make sure that everything works out the way it’s supposed to, without getting any of the credit, while the man basks in the praise.”

I listened to the audiobook for this one and I thought the narrator did an excellent job. It’s unsurprising that her female narrator was slightly superior to the male narrator, but both characters were brought to life by her reading. I imagine I enjoyed the book more than I would have if I read it myself because of the narrator. I loved the premise for this book. Saffy is a beautiful, rich socialite and in her spare time she kills horrible men. As a hobby it’s a bit unique but possible to understand (even for those of us who don’t turn our hatred into murder). Saffy has a crush on a podcaster and author who does true crime, Jonathan. After ensuring she met him properly and formed a connection she is smitten. And can you imagine forming meaningful relationships when you think you may need to kill your boyfriend at any minute? Jonathan is different, he is a good man and they have overlapping interests. But Jonathan has a bit more on his plate than the beautiful woman he has just met, but Saffy is not one who will be ignored. I thought this was a fast paced story that was fun and wild ride. With saying that I didn’t find the twists to be very twisty (I don’t think there was one I didn’t see coming), but they were still fun.

WOW this book was addicting. I don't know the last time I wanted to read a book so much.
Saffy Huntley-Oliver is an intelligent and glamorous socialite; she also happens to be a proficient serial killer. Saffy only kills bad men.
I loved the concept and pacing of this book, it kept me entertained throughout. I also loved the narrator of this book, highly recommend listening to this one on audio.
👫 Multiple POVS
🔪💖 True Crime x Romance
Why I have it 4 instead of 5 stars:
I really wanted more info on Saffy. I loved her POVs. I really also wanted more info about her and what she did. Halfway through the book, it turns more into a romance novel rather than a true crime type of book. That being said, I really hope this turns into some kind of series because I would love that.
If you're looking for a true crime meets a romance, this one is for you! This book publishes this coming week so snag yourself a copy! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel.

I would love for this to be made into a series! Saffy’s character was utterly addictive and the storyline was a seriously good one. I particularly liked that, underneath the dark comedy, there was a lesson in morality about how some people consume true crime.

Currently hoping & praying that the author will write a sequel because I couldn’t get enough of Saffy in just one story

Rating: 5 stars!

I absolutely loved this book! The humor, the murder, the crazy plot line. I laughed out loud multiple times! The main character is a badass hottie with a goal to rid the world of bad men. I had the best time listening to this one!

Thank you NetGalley and Recorded Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Is this the feminist killer we’ve been waiting for?

Is the feminist you are looking for a spoiled rich woman who kills men not because of what other women will suffer (she doesn’t even seem to like other women) but because she is angry?

Is the feminist you are looking for one who does everything for a man that she thinks he would want regardless of how she feels about it just because she just accepts that is how it is?

Is the feminist you are looking for one who would fail the Bechdel test because she only speaks to one woman and it is completely about men?

It’s not mine.

There are so many cliches and cringy moments. I am surprised I finished it. There was really no reason to make the character a serial killer. She could just as easily not be and be basically the same.

This is why you believe dogs.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced reader copy of "Bad Men" by Julie Mae Cohen! I was hesitant to read this due to some negative reviews, but I absolutely loved this book. It was fast-paced, quick witted, full of twists and surprises, and had a great "whodunit" plot throughout the story. "Bad Men" switches between the perspective of Saffy, who is a psychotic (literal psychopath) and hilarious woman, and John, a true crime podcaster and writer. As their paths intertwine, the story unfolds into a funny, suspenseful, and incredibly enjoyable read.

I will stop trying books like this one day. I will eventually remember that they never end up working for me. I will no longer whisper “This one is going to be different!” to myself. I will finally know who I am.

Since that didn’t happen this time, here is my review:

I did feel like Bad Men started off well, but the enjoyable aspects were short lived. I appreciated Saffy’s backstory, as it provided a plausible catalyst to her life as a serial killer. Obviously, most individuals with similar childhood experiences will not take such a path, but it still allowed me to understand her state of mind.

I was also intrigued by what I thought was going to be a tense mystery involving the body Jonathan found and his desperate search for the real killer in an effort to prove his innocence.

But that’s not at all what this was.

In fact, the suspense aspect was over almost as quickly as it started. Oh, sure, it resurfaced quietly a little later in the story, but it was a background player. This was actually, I guess, a romcom. Perhaps the “meet-cute” phrasing in the synopsis should have clued me in, but I was excited about all of the details that preceded that.

I’m not incapable of switching gears mentally, though. Under the right circumstances, I might have rooted for Saffy and Jonathan’s romance. Jonathan did seem to be a decent fellow. Saffy… not so much.

Okay, I know she’s a serial killer. That’s definitely a strike against her character. But Dexter was likable. (Actually, I don’t know if Dexter of the books was likable, but Michael C. Hall certainly played a lovable murderer on screen.) Like Dexter, Saffy is killing bad people (specifically bad men, hence the title of the book) so that redeems her a bit, doesn’t it? I’m not saying that killing is the answer, but I will confess to finding a little satisfaction in fiction that doles out a bit of vigilante justice when, in real life, the system has failed and will continue to fail our gender.

But Saffy was loathsome. She was incredibly obnoxious, pushy, and shallow. I know it may seem hypocritical to add this criticism since I had no qualms about her murderous hobby when I started Bad Men, but animal cruelty, stalking, and gaslighting are not okay. While her homicidal tendencies *almost* seemed justified, her other actions did not.

It is also worth noting that, as a romcom, the comedy seemed to be absent. I laughed a few times early on, but the quirk quickly morphed into an unamusing disaster. Saffy was not funny, although I’m pretty sure the author was aiming for hilarity with her internal dialogue.

Let me quickly circle back to the mystery element before I close this out. It was awful. The moment a certain character was introduced in this book, I suspected that character of foul play. I was not wrong. The author tried to build tension before her big reveal, but I’d known what was coming for almost the entirety of the novel. I was not surprised by anything that followed, not even the epilogue. I generally hate to call a book predictable, as I know we all carry in different experiences that affect how we perceive the information we are given, but I really will be stunned if most readers don’t see all of this coming, too.

I am immensely grateful to Recorded Books and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.

This book started slow but was pretty good. I'm still confused why the main character wanted to date someone who was capable of uncovering secret?