The Serial Killer Support Group by D.B. Stephens
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

With a title like The Serial Killer Support Group, I had to know more—and this thriller did not disappoint. Fast-paced and darkly intriguing, it follows a group bound by a chilling connection, unraveling secrets and moral dilemmas along the way.

Stephens keeps the tension high with sharp twists and a blend of psychological suspense and dark humor. While some characters are more developed than others and the ending felt a bit rushed, the gripping premise and nonstop momentum kept me hooked.

A solid pick for fans of unique, fast-paced thrillers with a dark edge!

Special thanks to Harper Collins/OMC and NetGalley for sharing an early release copy in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! What a read! It took very little time for this one to get me hooked and I could hardly put it down to sleep.

Pacy, disturbing, gripping - what more is there to say? Good characterisation as well.

I'm going to have to read the next ones in the series when they come out.

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to read this ARC via NetGalley!

Summary: this book follows the journey of a girl called Jess who is currently in an abusive relationship. She attends a support group for women who have suffered domestic abuse, and makes some friends. Then, a killer begins to kill the ex’s of the girls in the group, and we find out who this is and why they did it.

What I liked:
- this book is such a genuine and accurate description of abuse, how abuse can make you feel, and how it seeps into every aspect of your life. It felt real, there was no ‘gimmicky’ aspects. It was a respectful portrayal
- the characters are so loveable and funny. The character building is great; there’s enough time for us to know the characters, and it doesn’t go on for an age
- the pace of the book was excellent. This book had me hooked from the very beginning, and I was desperate to continue reading and consume it
- there are some unpredictable twists and turns to keep you on your feet
- the whole book in general tbh. It was such an enjoyable read. It was comedic but not cringe, it was relevant to today’s times, and it was just so excellently written. I’ll be waiting for the next one 👀

Rating: 5/5 stars (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

I’m a big fan of this author’s books and this is my favourite so far.

Jess has had enough of the physical abuse by her partner and through a referral joins a domestic abuse support group. She becomes friends with the other women who start to find their own abusers now being victims by a vigilante calling himself the Caretaker. Things escalate quickly with Jess accidentally becoming friends with Sophie, the detective in charge of the case trying to find the Caretaker.

I very much liked the writing style and even though a little far-fetched, the story tackles the moral dilemma of whether a vigilante can be classed as a hero or a criminal. I found it thought provoking and really enjoyable with some nice twists to keep things interesting and some great characters too. The ending leaves it open for a second book which will be great to see how the characters develop further on an already solid base. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the book in return for an honest review.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from Netgalley. This was a compelling read, which was well - paced and replete with interesting, well-rounded characters. The author sensitively explored a challenging subject matter, yet took it to a fascinating new level. I can't wait to read more in this series.

Being centred around domestic violence, this book naturally deals with a lot of heavy topics. From page one these topics are looked at in depth, which was at times tough to read but also really helped to bring home the authors point of how damaging domestic violence is and how ineffective the justice system is regarding it. This was a really fast paced read that I found myself flying through. The multiple POVs really helped to round out the story, keep the pace quick, and lead up to the twists.

Thank you to Netgalley, One More Chapter and D B Stephens for this ARC. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, it was well crafted and gripping throughout.

The premise is original, and with such a shocking title I was expecting a lot. It really delivered, the pacing was excellent. The book has quite short chapters which really suited the tone of fast-paced edge-of-your-seat entertainment. I didn't find it predictable and was pleasantly surprised by the ending. Stephens rounded out the story in a very satisfying way.

The characters were well developed. I found myself really caring for the main characters throughout. The writing really brought them to life, I felt I could picture them and the setting so well that it was like watching a film in my head.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys slashers and/or thrillers. It wasn't overly scary but trigger warning for domestic violence.

The title alone was enough to draw me into this book! The premise was something I hadn't really come across before and I found it really intriguing to see what direction it would go in!

I felt an instant connection to the characters and found myself rooting for them and caring what happened to them.

There were plenty of twists in this and at times it was incredibly gory. What I liked were these parts were not just there for shock factor, they showed the emotion and depravity that can happen due to abuse.

The subject of this book was eye opening and done in a way where it never felt contrived or exploitative.

The only reason I knocked one start off this was the ending didn't quote for the direction I expected but I do like the fact it does mean a possible sequel/series happening!

The Caretaker is killing men who abuse their significant others. Who is The Caretaker? What does a support group for victims of domestic violence have to do with him? This book will keep you guessing all the way to the end. 4 stars.

So what's weird is that, in the past month, I've read two books with almost this exact same title. This one is THE Serial Killer Support Group. The other one didn't have the THE.

Read the one with the THE because this is the much more successful book!

Yes, it's a bit unbelievable. I sort of expected the who, but I (even in the end) never believed the how of it all. But it's a lot of fun.

Expect to like our characters, hate their partners, and be rooting for the (maybe) wrong person.

A beach read and a good one!

I absolutely loved this book. It certainly made me think and hopefully it will make others think about the reality of domestic violence. The characters became stronger and stronger as the story unfolded. A must read and well worth 5 stars.

What an amazing book! I cannot wait to read more books in this series and would love to know what happens next - definitely feels wide open for a next book! I couldn’t put it down - finished in one sitting! Thank you!

The Serial Killer Suppot Group by D B Stephens is hard hitting at times difficult to read as it takes on board the subject of domestic violence. A group for survivors Jess joins the womens group after ending her relationship with her violent partner glad to be amongst people who understand. However directly after she joins things start happening to other people in the groups partners.
The book is highly enjoyable emotional to read at times. The group focuses on the womens group and Jess, but the author does include the men's group aswell which is good.
Thank you for advanced copy.

4.5🌟 rounded up

"They say an eye for an eye, and the whole world goes blind.
F*ck what they say."


I was not expecting to get sucked into this like I did! Another read where I finished it in 24hrs and couldn't put it down. The premise of this book is unique and intriguing. There's a lot of truth behind what victims of DV endure and this is like a "what if" story, if they were able to take things into their own hands and if they had people who actually fought for them. If you're looking for a unique thriller with a side of vigilante justice and karma, this book is for you! Highly entertaining read.

I love that this is a start to a new series as I can't wait to continue the journey's of "The Caretaker" and the detective.

Thank you to Netgalley and One More Chapter publishing for this addictive ARC in exchange for an honest review. Publication Date is May 8th, 2025 and I can't recommend enough to go check this out!

This book was so good. I was immediately hooked and finished it in 2 sittings! The ending either left a big chunk out or there's a potential for a part 2 so I'm excited to see what's hopefully next.

Riveting suspense.
Jess joins a support group after walking away from a domestic abuser and
having him arrested. All she wants is a path forward and some friends who
understand what she has been through.
The support group is exactly what she was hoping for.
And more.
When the men who abused some of the women in the group, start
being killed, both she and the detective investigating, start wondering
at the possible connection.
Suddenly, everyone is suspect.
Great character definitions with an intriguing and quite unique story line.

This was a brilliant read about domestic violence, Jess who has suffered violence from her ex boyfriend joins a Support Group who talk about their experiences and most of them are very scared so talking openly certainly helps as the Police did nothing to help these women.

It’s hard to put this book down I have never read anything else from this author and it won’t be my last.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins One More Chapter for an ARC

3.5
As a mystery thriller fan, how could I resist that title? It’s certainly tantalising. Jess Pendle has been determined that she will not be a victim of domestic violence as her mother has been but here she is as Lewis looms over her and this time she’s really hurt. History is repeating itself. She courageously decides enough is enough and once the police statement is made, they give her an information leaflet for a support group. For some, the past will catch up with them.

I like the premise of the novel and it makes a lot of valid points from the perspective of members of the support group. It doesn’t hang back in certain areas, deservedly so and is thought provoking on aspects of morality. For example, what constitutes a hero? It’s scary, dark, fear inducing and there’s much understandable anger and frustration. I admire the strength of these women and their desire to take back the control they had lost. There are twists, there’s some tension but the wheels start to come off for me and it gets too far-fetched for my taste.

I’m not a huge fan of the way it’s written, it’s a bit one dimensional in places. There needs to be more substance, for example, some characters need further development. The ending is abrupt, one of those decide for yourself ones but I think it could be setting up for another book and I would like to see how one intriguing scenario plays out.

Overall, I applaud what the author is trying to do here in raising issues that need to be addressed, especially with regard to the law.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins/One More Chapter for the much appreciated EPUB return for an honest review.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! What a great read! I cannot wait to read more books in this series and would love to know what happens next! I couldn’t put it down!!

I really enjoyed this book; it’s such a unique and interesting thriller. When I first started reading, I thought it was a little predictable, but I really didn’t see all the twists and turns coming. This is the first thriller I’ve read where I found myself rooting for the bad guy.

I also liked how it brought awareness to domestic violence; this book, dare I say, was empowering to all the women out there who struggle with domestic violence. The only thing I didn’t love was the ending; I thought it was a little abrupt and left some things unresolved. I’m hoping there will be another book. All in all, I really recommend this book.