This book had such a genuinely interesting premise. And I enjoyed it! I loved the Thelma and Louise vibe without feeling too close to the source. I fell in love with the characters and loved the plot. My only critique is I feel like the book over-explains itself to the point of affecting the pacing, including through the “action”. I still finished it in a couple of sittings, but felt it could’ve kept its pace.

I really liked this! Are you a litfic girly who is never satisfied with thrillers, but is always looking to read a good thriller??? Then this is perfect! I will say, if you are an actual thriller girly, this might not scratch that for you!

I think my biggest issue was the amount of unbelievable crap that was happening in the book lol suspension of disbelief was at a whole other level, which I guess is common in a thriller. However, not being an avid thriller reader, I found it hard to ignore all the highly improbable events that were occurring. I have one other issue, but I can’t share it because it’s a spoiler.

Aside from that, it had really good character development, and a lot of commentary about our school system, job market, society and class, the American Dream, etc.

Definitely not a hollow book. I had a blast reading this, and went and purchased a copy to have on my shelf. I will absolutely read Deitch’s next book, no questions asked!

I loved this book so much! It is interesting and unique, and it drew me in pretty quickly. I had a minor gripe with how often the main character talked about going to her parents for help. At the beginning of the book, I thought she was in high school, not 29 yrs old. But other than that, this was an amazing book. Thank you, Netgalley for the eARC!

This was a really fun, often thought provoking, read that definitely delivered on its sapphic Thelma and Louise premise; it was a 5 star read by the end, but I struggled with giving it that rating for several reasons. But first--

What worked for me:
-the writing on a line level is incredible. Evocative and yet terse at the same time, it reminded me a lot of Otessa Moshfegh mixed with Capote, and this blend worked very well for me. Especially in the last third of the book, Deitch's writing had me glued to the page
-I genuinely liked Evie as a character, in the sense of: she's insufferable because she's MEANT to be insufferable, and it's the mark of a good writer to portray a complex character like Evie so well
-to some extend, I also liked her roadtrip partner/partner in crime/lover Jae
-the last third of the book was truly phenomenal. Changing up the POV as Deitch did was an excellent move, and I felt she truly stuck the ending. I loved the complexity of Evie and Jae's relationship as well

What didn't:
-as other reviewers have noted, the first chapter involves a LOT of suspension of disbelief. Evie's decision to assault Serena, the Victors' daughter, and flee with Jae makes relatively little sense for a woman who's supposed to be a former gifted and talented student. As a former gifted child myself, I can attest to having absolutely zero common sense BUT Evie's portrayed as rather sensible all things considered throughout the rest of the novel.
-compared to other litfic I've read recently, the themes did not come together as well as I'd hoped. The social commentary often felt meandering relative to the main plot, and relatively superficial until, as noted, the last third of the book
-the twist is rather obvious, though the WHY behind the killer's rationale is less obvious. I'm not sure whether the obviousness is the point, but again--we've got a main character who's supposed to be smart.
-the middle sort of meanders. Going from locale to locale while fleeing the law got old rather fast; I felt this book may have been more propulsive as a novella

Many thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Hannah Deitch for gifting me this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review! Even though I have my gripes with this debut, Deitch is a promising writer and I can't wait to see where she goes next!

There are only two characters in KILLER POTENTIAL that matter and are well developed: Evie Gordon, an overeducated and underemployed SAT tutor; and Jae Park, an enigmatic and silent woman rescued from captivity by Evie. The book begins with Evie arriving at the house of one of her students, finding a dead body or two as well as a woman calling for help, and making an impulse decision that has the pair running from the authorities. The initial feel of the book, with Evie narrating her story, is very self-satirizing and cynical. Once Evie and Jae meet up and the real action begins, that tone drops away in favor of a much more declarative structure. Short sentences and phrases, as well as short chapters, move the plot forward.

As the two find themselves on a desperate road trip to evade capture after Jae’s rescue, their characters, motivations, values, strengths and weaknesses are developed. Their actions as much as their words bring the complexity of their characters to life. All other characters serve mainly as foils for Evie and Jae.

Undergirding the fast paced plot, the book analyzes, from a variety of perspectives, the question of how an individual is seen both by others and by themselves. Deitch deals with the way that suffering can become a commodity through social media, ownership of the power to decide a person’s value, how poverty and privilege define the boundaries of one’s consciousness, and the means by which one’s self can become defined by others’ portrayal. The many aspects of this theme appear again and again, mainly in Evie’s narration of the two women’s motives for their actions.

Despite the thematic and character development, the plot screams along, told in short chapters that engage the reader. There is a breathlessness to the action. Evie and Jae’s development as characters does not suffer from the fast pace since both their ruminations (particularly Evie’s) and actions propel the book. However, the descriptions of setting are less than transformative thanks to a road trip that allows little chance of taking in the sights.

I didn’t enjoy the ironic tone of the beginning of the book, but it did fit with all of the reflection upon personal vs. societal influences on a sense of self that permeated the book. Once the book’s road trip-based plot took off, the theme remained without the irony and I found it much more enjoyable. The plot moved so quickly that it veered a step away from plausibility. This was only apparent in retrospect, however, as the somewhat hazy detail of the road trip kept the focus pinpointed on Evie and Jae’s isolated state. Their self-contained world makes sense while the reader is immersed in that world.

Deitch did a good job with unreliability, so that when the twist came it made complete sense and fueled the book’s resolution, such as it was. I do not love endings that tie things up with a neat bow, and I respected the way that this book resolved some issues and left others open. KILLER POTENTIAL was so well written that it is hard to believe it is a debut! I will be watching for Deitch’s sophomore outing.

This one started great but slowed down for a bit as we learned the characters and background. I was not expecting the steam, so that was a plus. I enjoyed the Bonnie and Clyde type plot it had going.

So...not my favorite read.

It started out okay, though I didn't like Evie. I was interested in the crime and her situation and what promised to be a fascinating crime spree/road trip/getaway novel.

But...it changed. It became a story about the RELATIONSHIP (and, yes, all caps) and sex on the run and way too much blather.

Eventually, as things started coming to a head, I got interested again only to have the author throw in a bit of a twist that I simply didn't like.

I ended it not liking any of our characters (except maybe Evie's parents who were largely non-entities, but pleasant) and really not enjoying the interminable loose end wrap up.

Readable, but not really for me.

Many thanks to Netgalley for the e-arc!

I really enjoyed this book! I liked the narration, I thought Evie narration really helped keep me interested in the book. Can't wait to read other books from this author.

Killer Potential is a literary thriller that will draw you in with both the plot and beautiful sentences. Hannah Deitch writes a compelling story with sentence after sentence of thought provoking gold that will leave you contemplating your own views on both small and big moments of your life.

This story is raw and emotional, following two women as they flea from the law and become the most wanted people in the US.

If you love a thriller and are looking for a story that’s elevated to literary fiction status, this is it. And for those who approach literary novels with caution (like me), this book will leave you satisfied with character growth and some resolution.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for this advanced reader’s copy.

What a ride this book was! I was completely captivated from the beginning. I thought the story was engrossing, and I could not wait to figure out what happened. Did I have to suspend a little belief? Yes, but that’s the fun of the story! I don’t read books just to believe everything that happens, and this book was a true escape. The cover blurb is completely right, this is a Thelma and Louise of our generation and I truly had a blast reading it. I thought it was whip-smart, and I had a hard time putting it down. The only thing that I had issue with was the ending felt a bit rushed, but I truly loved how it ended quite ambiguously. Overall, it was a very fun fast read that should be added to your TBR, especially if you like girls on the run from the police and all the chaos that ensues. 4.25/5 stars!

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advanced reading copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

The main character of Killer Potential, Evie Gordon, is written in such a relatable way. From growing up believing she had to be something bigger, better, or more important, to going on the run and trying to get her life back on track. Turn back time and undo it all while continuing to run. She continued to make me laugh with her inner dialogue, while also trying to puzzle how the heck this could end. Surely there’s no way this has a happy ending right?
But I can’t really comment on that without spoiling things. I will say that as the story went on, I just wanted Evie and her “accomplice” to find a way out. There were slower sections and questionable choices, but I think that’s just called being human. Evie isn’t a professional. She’s not perfect or known for her skills at outrunning the law. Of course she’ll make mistakes. This isn’t some action movie where Evie shoots her way out of situations and doesn’t care who dies in the crossfire. This is a woman who went to tutor her client and found a crime scene. What would you do?
The chemistry between Evie and her accomplice was so well done. I can’t comment anymore on the plot other than to say you’ll have to check it out. I rooted for Evie until the very end, and I do wish it wrapped up a tad bit more, However, I think the story was about more than just resolving issues and instead about dealing with uncertainties.

Killer Potential is a darkly clever, high-octane debut that follows Evie Gordon—a scholarship kid with a spotless record and nowhere to go but up—until she ends up broke, invisible, and stuck tutoring LA’s ultra-privileged teens. But everything flips when she stumbles on a brutal double murder at a client’s mansion and winds up a fugitive alongside a mysterious woman who won’t speak.

What follows is a wild, cross-country manhunt tangled with media obsession, twisted ambition, and the haunting question of who we become when the future we were promised never shows up. Both a razor-sharp social satire and a thriller that refuses to let go, this one asks: what happens when you’re finally somebody—for all the wrong reasons?

WOW, what a read for me, I was so absorbed into this story.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced digital book in exchange for my honest review.

KILLER POTENTIAL by Hannah Deitch is a debut that offers up a bit of romance, a bit of hilarity and a whodunnit of high order. What a wild ride!

Evie Gordon hoped that she would lead a charmed life. A scholarship student in art history, she’s now a SAT tutor for rich kids and gets to see how the one percenters live. She shows up for her session with Serena Victors only to find Serena‘s parents, Peter and Dinah dead in the garden. As she’s fleeing the house she comes across a mute woman being held in a room under the stairs. Why was she locked away and what does she know? As she and the woman are fleeing the scene, they are seen by a witness and become prime suspects in the killings. With their faces splashed all over the media, Evie and the woman can do nothing but run, all the while hoping to clear their names somehow. As it seems like everyone in the country is looking for them, Evie and the woman are hiding out in motel rooms, truck stops, etc. Will they be able to clear their names and get back to their lives or will they be caught and convicted before that? And what really happened at the Victors’s house that day?

This one was a thrill ride from start to finish. The comical parts were interspersed throughout which kept the book on the light side. The writing was clear and concise and led to an enjoyable read. I was surprised to see that this was a debut as it seemed to come from a much more seasoned writer. Hannah Deitch will be a name I add to my list of authors to watch. I can’t wait to see where she takes me next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

I'll be honest, I'm not sure how to actually rate this one. It's probably more like a 2.5-2.75, which means I didn't hate it, but I'm not ever going to re-read it.

I was pitched the ARC of this book with a pretty catchy and light-hearted email (be gay, do crime, I believe), and the book ultimately does include both of those things (LGBTQIA+ representation and crime). However, it isn't really a light-hearted read, but it also really isn't a very interesting thriller.

The first two acts of the book follow Evie and Jae as they make a cross-country run away from the scene of a double homicide that Evie walks into. When she finds Jae under the stairs, tied up, she thinks of her as another victim of the crime and runs with her. These sections are meant, I think, to have a sense of foreboding as the pair avoid the watchful eye of the country. But, I'll be honest, large swaths of the acts are free of any kind of fear. The couple have a pretty non-stressful trek across the country and back, with only minor periods of actually being pursued.

The final act of the book shifts the tone and perspective of the book. It retells Jae's story from the past with the current plight of Evie. That act is actually very interesting from both a storytelling and structure perspective and I wish the whole book felt more like that act and less like the start of the book.

With that act in mind, I look forward to reading more from Hannah Deitch, even if this book fell a little short in my mind.

* Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review! *

I was super excited to get Killer Potential as an advanced copy but it was such a disappointment to me.

It started off strong and I was immediately intrigued and invested. But as it went on it felt like it lost its way. I never really felt that I understood Evie as a character or why she acted how she did and this made the entire book fall flat for me. I think it could have actually been a really good book with just a little more character development. Also it randomly tells you Evie is 29 over halfway through the book? She is described as a college student so that felt super random. Overall it just felt really repetitive and unrealistic which I can handle if the story is better.

I think a lot of people will enjoy this one so definitely take my option with a grain of salt but I found the whole thing pretty lackluster. I was between 2 and 3 stars but I was pretty entertained and didn’t hate the book so it gets a 3.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

*Thank you to William Morrow, Harper Audio, and NetGalley for the advanced copies of this book! All opinions are my own.*

I was lucky enough to get both and e-book and audiobook version of this and it was super fun tandem reading this one! I had a lot of fun with this. I'm seeing a lot of people calling it unrealistic, which seems like a weird criticism for a fiction work imo. I think this genre especially gets a lot of people dissecting how feasible the plot would be in real life, and to those people I say: you're simply no fun.

This book *almost* lost me with the romance subplot. I hate a gratuitous romance subplot, but I let her cook, and the twist made it make more sense. It was all part of Jay's manipulation/delusions!

This book is a perfect kitschy thriller and a wonderful debut. So excited to see what Deitch does now that she's got her feet wet. It's gonna be a popular one with a tone of patrons at my library, and I'll definitely be recommending it to a bunch of people. I'm sorry to those who don't know how to have fun, I guess. :/

Hannah Deitch’s debut thriller “Killer Potential” follows two young women on the run for murders they didn’t commit.
Twenty-nine-year-old Evie Theodora Gordon, the novel’s narrator, works as an SAT tutor for wealthy families in California. She begins the novel with the declaration, “I was once a famous murderess,” and spends the rest of the story explaining how she earned that title.

Evie arrives at the Victor family’s mansion in Los Angeles on a Sunday to find the house empty, with the front door ajar. The house is described in vivid detail, from the table and wallpaper to the bathroom. Upon entering, Evie discovers two bodies outside: Dinah, whose face is smashed in, and Peter, who is floating in the koi pond. Determined to erase all traces of herself, Evie turns to flee but hears a cry for help from behind a door at the bottom of the stairs. When she opens it, she finds a young woman, tied up and unable to escape. Evie frees the woman, but as they attempt to flee the house, Serena, the Victor family’s daughter, returns home. Mistaking them for burglars, she tries to defend her home. Evie throws a vase at Serena’s hand in self-defense, but when Serena’s body goes limp and unresponsive, and her boyfriend Lukas enters the room, the two women flee the scene.

Now on the run, with Evie’s face plastered across all the major news stations, she must rely on the woman she saved for help. The woman remains mute but has experience with theft and hotwiring cars. Together, they journey across the United States, hoping to uncover the truth about the Victors and find the real murderer.

Deitch’s novel is gripping, and the representation of a sapphic romance adds a refreshing layer as the two women fight for survival. As the couple travels from state to state, new obstacles arise, and more witnesses are left behind to recount their traumatic interactions with the women. Evie is constantly torn between turning herself in and moving forward with this new life on the run, knowing she may never see her parents again. While the novel is fast-paced, it lacks believability. The women steal cars, wallets, and money in order to survive and travel, but while their actions may be necessary for survival, the story fails to address the moral implications of their choices. Deitch argues that because the women could be innocent, they shouldn’t be held accountable for the crimes they commit while trying to survive. However, this argument is problematic. While some crimes may be forgivable, committing multiple crimes in the process of avoiding justice undermines the legal system. It would be unrealistic and dangerous for legislators, prosecutors, and judges to ignore the rule of law simply because the women claim they were innocent of the original crime.

A quick read where I wasn’t sure where the story would end up.
This definitely gave me a Thelma and Louise vibe with a criminal mind twist.
People are not always as they seem and remember, some will do anything to stay out of trouble.
Rounded up from 3.5.
Thank you NetGalley for the gifted copy.

This book started off with just a baffling decision by the narrator to flee a crime scene where she didn't commit the crime and thought the police would falsely accuse her. The second she flees, the police immediately pin the crime on her. The entire book I just could not get passed this absolutely stupid decision that makes no sense. This also is less of a murder mystery and more of a girls on the run book. I felt it could have been a lot stronger if it focused on the crime instead of the running away from the crime.

Killer Potential is a great getaway roadtrip story that throws together two women, Evie an SAT tutor to well-heeled seniors and the other one's identity is a mystery for quite a while. We know within a few pages that Evie arrives on a Sunday to tutor Serena Victor and finds both her parents dead, apparently murdered. We know later on, that in connection with this discovery, she also rescues the unnamed woman who called for help but is now unable or unwilling to speak. After a problematic encounter on the scene with Serena and her boyfriend, the two women take off on a getaway roadtrip that was really well conceived. Evie is cast nationally as the murder suspect and her companion a mystery. Her companion has many useful survival skills and Evie has some money that will let them get by initially with food and cheap shelter. At times, cheap shelter involves squatting in vacation homes or empty residences. While there are some similarities between the women, they each have very closed off places and their temperaments are wildly different.

So, at a minimum we have a double death that is probably a double homicide back in California and lots of petty thefts, shoplifting, car thefts, breaking and entering and a few more problematic crimes on the road. Evie's face is plastered all over newspapers but there is only an artist's depiction of her companion. While not central to the moment to moment plot, both women have had both male and female relationships which adds romantic/sexual tension to their evolving relationship. They bounce across the US, leaving clues that force them to bounce toward another planned escape, sometimes within the US and sometimes planning to leave the country. I enjoyed this book a lot. 4.25 stars rounded down.