Girl power 😍

The story follows Jess, who finds herself in a support group for domestic violence survivors. The quick-paced chapters kept me hooked from beginning to end, and the plot was incredibly engaging. It was one of those books I couldn't put down, constantly wanting to know what would happen next and figure out what was going on. The suspense and twists definitely kept me on my toes.

That said, I did wish there was more depth to the characters. At times, they felt a bit one-dimensional, which made it harder to fully connect with them. Still, the story was strong enough to keep me invested. If you enjoy books with a gripping storyline and a fast pace, you’ll likely love this one. Freida fans will enjoy this one!

Overall, a solid read that I would definitely recommend, though a bit more character development would’ve made it even better. A huge thank you to the author and One More Chapter for the ARC copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

From its gripping title to its powerful premise, The Serial Killer Support Group is a prolific thriller that not only delivers suspense but also carries a deeply thought-provoking message about domestic violence. The portrayal of this issue is both accurate and impactful, woven seamlessly into the narrative in a way that resonates and lingers long after the final page.

The short, fast-paced chapters create a thrilling momentum, and it was beautiful to witness a group of strong women—each broken by their own circumstances—come together, uplift one another, and fight back. While Jess and Sophie were well-developed, I do wish the women in the support group had received a bit more depth.

The pacing, though mostly engaging, became slightly jarring toward the end, with the resolution wrapped up at warp speed and culminating in a major cliffhanger. Thankfully, as Darren O'Sullivan confirms in the acknowledgements, this is the start of a series, so the unanswered questions won't be left hanging for long. I'm eagerly anticipating what's in store for the next installment!

I received a free complimentary advanced reader's copy (ARC) of this book from NetGalley and HarperCollins UK/One More Chapter. I am voluntarily leaving this review; all opinions and thoughts are my own.

The Serial Killer Support Group by D.B. Stephens is a fast-paced, gripping read that kept me hooked from start to finish. The story’s suspenseful twists and engaging writing made it hard to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more from D.B. Stephens.

Thanks to Net Galley and Harper Collins/One More Chapter for the ARC of this book. The premise of this is great but it leaves a lot to be desired. I found some inconsistencies in the story and a ton of unanswered questions. I liked the main character Jess and how she interacted with Sophie but I wanted to know more about the other women.

I will start by saying that I am very much on board with the premise here. I have absolutely zero objection to a vigilante deciding to rain poetic justice down upon the heads of those who would victimize their intimate partners. I think if such actions were actually met with more significant consequences, the perpetrators would think twice before committing such acts. Unfortunately, the author’s portrayal of inaction and, often, disinterest, on the part of law enforcement is accurate, and it’s a global issue. So, I’ve no moral dilemma here. We’re all good with the gray.

I just can’t say that I can suspend disbelief enough to go along with the plot, unfortunately.

I don’t know that The Caretaker meets the criteria for a serial killer, for one. It cannot be denied that he fits at least part of the definition (‘the unlawful killing of two or more victims by the same offender(s), in separate events’). And I don’t want to give away any of the plot so I will simply say that a solid argument can be made that he meets the criteria for causality. But psychopathy is generally agreed to be a characteristic of a serial killer, and while The Caretaker is definitely angry, they aren’t mad; The Caretaker is no psychopath. And of course, the reader knows this; they’re in on it. But my point is that by the time the book is half done, the police know what motivates The Caretaker, so they too would know that he is not a serial killer. All of which is to say that while the title and the idea behind it are clever and catchy, the book doesn’t follow through.

When I read books like this I keep very firmly in mind the fact that the thought process and reactions of an abuse survivor don’t always make sense and it is not for me to judge. Having said that, I find quite a bit of this story implausible and contradictory. That Jess would be courageous enough to report Lewis and leave him, strong and determined enough to go to a support group, and enough of a fighter to change the locks and get the cameras and contact the police with the footage from those cameras… but she would not contact the police when his new girlfriend assaults her? Which her cameras would surely have recorded? Furthermore, she has at least some financial security, and an emotional support system; why does she not move rather than following the course of action she ultimately chooses?

There is a line in the book: “Once, men were better. They cared, nurtured, they didn’t wander or stray.” And I will be frank, my reaction to this was to scoff and pen an extensive note. I won’t regurgitate it all here, but suffice it to say that this line is what gave me the first hint that D B Stephens was a man, because I do not know a single woman of any orientation who believes this. But to be completely honest credulity was strained more than usual with this one when I discovered that the author was a man writing a main character who is a woman in the first person POV. I’m fully aware that men can also be the victims of abuse and in fact I applaud this book for pointing that out, but it does actually raise a salient point: why have a main character who is a woman? Why not a main character who is a man who survived domestic abuse? I think the answer to that question is fairly obvious, and it’s actually a little bit repellent. There were several other instances in the book where Jess’ inner thoughts, as written by the author, simply did not gel with the way a woman thinks, and frankly I found it uncomfortable and jarring to read a book about domestic abuse from a woman’s POV that was written by a man.

Special needs children are also featured in the book, at least one of whom is autistic. I don’t know a great deal about autism or the struggles of raising a child on the spectrum, but what I do know seems to indicate that it’s pretty accurate in this regard. Representation matters and I applaud the author for including this in the book. But I find it highly doubtful that a female Detective Sergeant would be granted as much grace as the child’s mother is in the book. She is the lead investigator on the Caretaker case, responsible for solving several homicides, and she is frequently unavailable because her child is in crisis. I don’t question her priorities; I do question whether the hierarchy of a bureaucracy would have such tolerance or sympathy for them. In my own experience it is highly unlikely.

Even as I wrote this review I tried to challenge my own assumptions and glean some insight into the author’s thought process and motivations. Particularly given the subject matter in this book, it seemed not only fair but critical to do so. But I struggled with the fact that it didn’t seem to have occurred to either the author or anyone on the editorial team to raise any of the questions above. And yes, this is absolutely fiction, but these are serious issues.

The writing itself isn’t bad. I did find many of the characters to be stock, frankly: Abusive Boyfriend #1. But perhaps under the circumstances it’s unfair to expect more. The four primary protagonists are reasonably well developed, and I suspect they will become more so as the series continues. The book ends on a cliffhanger; as I discovered after I began reading, it is the first in a new series. I can’t in all honesty say that it is one that I would continue because while I do like the plot and find the themes worth exploring, I have to be honest and say that even after sitting with it for a while I am uncomfortable with the way that was done in this book.

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am leaving a voluntary review.

DNF @ 30%.

I was so excited to read this book and I absolutely love the concept of the book but the writing style just wasn't for me.

I loved the main female character and really felt for her in the parts of the book I did read.

Unfortunately for me there was too many POVs, some being written in first person and some in third made this very confusing for me and that's why I struggled to finish this one.

2 stars for the first 30% and concept of the book.

Thank you NetGalley, D. B. Stephen’s, and One More Chapter Publishing for an E-Arc of this book.

This is my first read by this author and it was a fast read. I had the book figured out pretty early but there were still some twists and turns. This book kept my interest and is a good light read compared to some other thriller books I’ve read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC!!

Remarkably captivating and incredibly addictive! I couldn't help but binge-read this thrilling story in a single sitting; I simply couldn’t put it down. The narrative is masterfully crafted, featuring relatable characters and spine-tingling moments! This is absolutely a must-read for the year!

Jess has to go to hospital for treatment on New Year’s Eve because her boyfriend Lewis has beaten her up again. Although she is too scared to say that her boyfriend did this to her she is given a leaflet for a support group for battered women.
When Jess decides to turn up at the group meeting she finds women in the same situation as her and possibly a way to set herself free from the violence inflicted on her.
I enjoyed reading this story and will be looking out for more work from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow !!!! This was a wild ride !!! I loved the story and plot !! It had wow moments !!! The character development was lacking but the plot carried the story and I loved it,

A gripping read that had me on the edge of my seat from start the finish. The pacing was very well done and I was always excited to pick it up and read.

Thank you to NetGalley and to One More Chapter for providing me with this ARC.

Unfortunately I DNF’d around the 25% mark. The writing felt too simple for what I prefer, the dialogue felt stilted, and it felt like everything was over explained.

But this isn’t my main gripe. My primary issue is a reference to a character’s daughter’s autism being “a gift.” I wonder if there were autistic sensitivity readers (this does not mean parents of an autistic child but the autistic person themselves), and if not there should have been. I am autistic and do not consider it to be a gift—it is a disability and one that makes every day very difficult. This “autism is a superpower” mentality tries to be so pro-autism that it circles back to being ableist. This isn’t a Matt Murdock situation, and I find the echoing of this concept in various forms of media to be patronizing and invalidating.

I am marking this as three stars because I DNF’d and cannot know if the autism line is better fleshed out later in the book to alleviate my issues.

Thank you netgalley, the publishers, and DB Stephens for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.



Book contains subject matter that some readers may find disturbing. Book talks about domestic violence. Review contains spoilers.



On New Years Eve a young woman named Jess is abused by her boyfriend, which lands her in the hospital. Knowing she can not continue to stay in this relationship, she leaves. A flyer that had been shoved into her hands, advertises a domestic violence support group. Needing help, she attends, meeting women who are just like her. The group gives her life back. She forms a bond with these women, gains back her confidence, and stands up to her abusive ex.

We are also introduced to The Caretaker. A nameless man, a vigilante. He has one purpose, and that's to make these abusive men pay. At first he attacks these men the same way they attacked their partners. Then it elevates to murder. The victims, all the abusers of the women in the group. The police, especially a Sgt Salam, needs to figure out who the killer is. But is the killer a man or someone else? That's where the serial killer support group comes into play.





I have to say, I loved this book. It hits you right in the face from the start. It can get a bit brutal when describing the violence towards the men, but scales back when referring to the women. Don't get me wrong, it can be a bit graphic, but there is a respect given. Jess, the main character, grows as a person. And I found myself loving her and cheering for her when she stood up for herself. I suppose the criticism I have is with Sgt Salam. Not so much her as a character. She is a domestic abuse survivor, and while that's super important for this book, the brief introduction from her abuser wasn't. It was two lines and then nothing. Unnecessary. You don't have to introduce the abuser to show the damage he has done. Overall, I loved this book. And this is one of the books I will purchase a copy of when it comes out. Not something I do often. I suggest you do the same when it comes out.



5/5

I was so excited to receive a copy of this book because of the title alone. I thought this would be just up my street and I wasn’t disappointed.
Jess Pendle has suffered domestic abuse in the hands of her boyfriend Lewis. She has suffered it on a regular occurrence but this time he has gone too far, when she ends up in hospital. She reports Lewis but nothing is ever done, and she leaves in fear of happening again. She is given details of a support group for people in abusive relationships. She decides to go to the group, and she is sceptic at first. But she finds out that there is more to the group that meets the eye.
When a killer called ‘The Caretaker’ starts injuring and killing the abusers of the victims of the Support group the Police get involved and try figure what is the link between the two and who ‘The Caretaker’ is.
The is a fabulous, fast paced page turner. It is a gritty thriller, with great well-developed characters that you wanted to route for. and found the storyline unique. This had lots of twists and turns to the end. But it was left hanging I thought. Is there another book in the mix. 4 stars from me.

If you want something different then this is for you
Right from the beginning you know there is something different and unusual about this book. You can visualise the characters and the part they play in this book,
When the book starts to unfold, then watch out because it will be an all nighter

Thank you B.D Stephens
Harper Collins UK
One more chapter
Netgalley

I have never read this author before but when I saw the title and read the synopsis I knew I had to read this. I was hooked from the first sentence. I love the unexpected twists and turns of the Caretaker. Incredibly done. The ending was not what I was expecting either and put such a smile on my face. I definitely want a continuation of this story. If not, I look forward to reading more from this author.

This was an interesting premise! I was hooked by the synopsis, and I think it somewhat delivered. I’d not realized this was the start of a series, and I can’t say I’m interested enough to keep going. But it was a quick, easy, fast-paced read. The twists weren’t entirely surprising and I found myself skimming sections that dragged, but I think more consistent thriller readers will enjoy this one.

Jess, fed up with the abuse from her boyfriend, opens up to a doctor treating her latest injuries. He gives her a card for a support group for women in similar situations, where she begins to face her reality alongside others who understand her struggle. As a vigilante begins taking down abusive men, the women grow stronger, especially as their own abusers become targets.

With plenty of unexpected twists, the story only gets more intense. The ending leaves room for a possible sequel, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for it!

Astonishingly Brilliant and hugely addictive.
I binge read this thrilling tale in one sitting as I could not and WOULD NOT put it down.
The story is crafted exquisitely with believable characters and chills and cheers in equal measure.
DEFINITELY NOT ONE TO MISS THIS YEAR!
Recommended without question and an obviously deserving 5 Stars.
I cannot wait for another installment.

3.5 stars ⭐️

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7338408855 The title of this book intrigued me and reeled me in so where do I even start? Jess joins a support group for domestic abuse survivors but then the abusive ex-partners of some of the women of the support group start being taken out whether that be attacked or even murdered by a vigilante calling themselves the Caretaker. The caretaker has made it their mission to help these women when the police had failed to do just that but why?
Do the support group know this “caretaker”?

It was a good read and did keep you gripped at certain points and a good plot twist but I don’t think it’s a book that I’d want to read again.


Thanks to NetGalley for the arc of this