CW: Corpses; Wounds; Sexual and Physical Abuse; Stalking/Someone Living in Walls; Drowning; Gaslighting; Manipulation

I think this book was more interesting in its ideas than in its execution. In theory, Evie’s story of being on-the-run for murders she did not commit, and her unhealthy relationship with Jae, who she rescued on the scene, was interesting. I thought the relationship aspect between Evie and Jae was the strongest part of the book, not just for their romance, but also for their co-dependence and forced trust as companions on this get away journey. Being mostly in Evie’s point of view, with a bit of Jae later, was done fine and helped with the twist (which I saw coming but other readers might not).

There were a few things that kept this book from being engaging for me. First, Evie’s reactions from the beginning were just… off. Even after finding Jae, there was no reason for her NOT to call the police and make her statement. There would have been no evidence of her committing the crimes, particularly since she had an alibi. That she considered these and STILL acted out with throwing a vase and apparently not being able to take a pulse was just eye rolling. I know this part had to happen for the rest of the book to happen – but that’s the problem. There were other ways to make Evie flee with Jae that wouldn’t have felt like our main character was an overreactive idiot.

Second, that Evie and Jae could avoid capture for so long felt unrealistic. Crossing state and international lines certainly helped, but it was all too easy. Fake IDs work too smoothly, the use of cash in a mostly paperless society was never remarked upon, they were always able to get a car or a place to stay and it was just all too convenient, particularly given that Evie is a privileged, non-criminal.

Finally, I didn’t like Evie or Jae. I didn’t want them to succeed, and I wasn’t invested in them. Even if I think their relationship were the strongest part of the book, there are other issues with how each one of them was written individually that put me off.

SAT tutor Evie finds herself in a nightmare situation when she finds her pupil's parents murdered. Even more shockingly, she finds a woman held captive beneath the family's staircase. When her pupil arrives, and assumes they have killed her parents, she strikes Evie with a lamp. Acting in self-defense, Evie hits her student with a vase, rendering her unconscious. Shocked that her student might be dead, Evie and the unnamed woman escape the house, and go on "the run."

The plot of this story has much potential, as Evie and the unnamed woman travel across the country to evade police. Many moments felt like slightly too much exposition, and those parts were hard to get through. There is a lot of social commentary.

Evie and the woman- later named Jae- form a relationship. This is an open-door romance. Evie's student turns out to be alive but in a coma. When Evie realizes that she has not killed anyone, she contemplates turning herself in to the police. However, the pair find themselves in many difficult situations throughout their journey, making it harder and harder to come clean about the initial murder.

There is a shocking plot twist, and the end isn't exactly what you would expect.

I enjoyed the character development, premise, and plot. The writing was a bit cumbersome and at points hard to get through, making this novel a 3.25/5 read.

Pre-Read Notes

This is another arc that got away, but I'm glad I caught it!

"All things are livable, with enough imagination. When you don’t have money, your imagination is forced to expand beyond the limits of what’s tolerable to rich people, who don’t need imagination at all. When you are rich, the opposite happens: the world shrinks to particularities and patterns. I can drink water only at this temperature. I can sleep on beds only with this thread count, this mattress height. ... The imagination folds in on itself. Space crystallizes and becomes intractable, opaque. When you are poor, space does the inverse: it hollows out. Anything can be a door. Anything can be a place to rest." p230-231

Final Review

This is a book about two young women, fugitives on the run from the law, and that's what it's about. But it's also not about that at all. It's about sexism and how the media treated female villains. It's about the social contract women are forced to make with society that they will remain small, both physically and intellectually. It's about family and friendship, poverty and obscene wealth, how justice isn't uniform and the world isn't accessible for everyone. It's a read that made me think very hard and reread passages out of curiosity and desire to learn more. It's a truly excellent book with a message I fear is about to get lost in the politics of that day.

For me, the subtext is where it's at with this book. This definitely isn't a plot-driven story, which is what I normally go for, but it is story-heavy and that's just as good. Also, Deitch has great style.

This book is a bingeably readable execution of stream of consciousness, which is a style choice that can go awry easily. But Deitch keeps a handle on the story progression while also delivering brilliantly intomate passages of internal landscape or dialogue. The rare change in POV is easily discernable since Deitch takes care to make the voices distinctive and use strong transitions.

I recommend this for fans of fugitive stories, reluctant murderers, and coming of age stories of the dark variety.

My 3 Favorite Things:

✔️ Now when I think about the day I arrived to tutor Serena Victor and discovered her father cradled in sea kelp in the koi pond, blue and bloated and unquestionably dead, I can almost imagine it as a film I watched. When I stumble upon the bloody, bashed-in sinkhole of her mother’s face, I’m like a ghost encountering a crime scene. I have no material form. I touch nothing, removed from the universe of ripple effects and entropy. I’m just a passenger. p10 This is just some fantastic writing. Also I love stories that wonder about time and humanity's place in it. Here, a brilliant description of dissociation, where one separates from one's objective self. Also, yay for presenting a common symptom of mental illness without stigmatizing it or the people who experience it!

✔️ I'm enjoying the story honestly-- I think it's a clever use of unreliable narrator in first person. I really want to know what's going to happen. But part of the suspense for me here comes from whether I will discover stigma or not in the book. The whole concept hinges on a common ableist trope-- the secondary protagonist who the story suggests may be a figment of the primary protagonist 's imagination. Writers who depict complicated health issues have a duty to get the details right and avoid stigmatizing conditions and those who have them. So far, this story is great and ableism hasn't come on the scene, but I'm sort of expecting it. I'll add an edit later.

✔️ It's sort of rare, so I didn't know this until now, but I love the reluctant murderer trope that *isn't* staged as some kind of comedy. This story feels so gritty and authentic and just so real to me!

✔️ Wow! What a book! The final third of the book, from the twist through the denouement, is just such excellent storytelling. The final scene was perfect to wrap up conflicts and suggest that the story goes on after the last page.

Notes:

1. Content warnings: murder, crime scenes, abduction and captivity, claustrophobic situations

2. This novel contains open door sex scenes, which I think are out of place here. This isn't exactly a romance-- the vibes are all wrong for an open door scene. Which is probably why it's so rushed and unpleasant.

3. This is billed as dark humor, but I didn't find it funny. Clever, though.

Thank you to the author Hannah Deitch publishers William Morrow Books, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of KILLER POTENTIAL. All views are mine.

My download was unsuccessful and I didn't realize until after the title was archived - unfortunately will not be able to read for review.

Killer Potential by Hannah Deitch wasn't quite the book I thought I was picking up. I went in expecting a zippy, fun-on-the-run summer thriller, but what I got was something much darker, slower, and more literary in tone. That’s not necessarily a bad thing—it’s just a very different ride than the cover and title suggest.

While I appreciated the book's mood and the themes it explores (avoiding spoilers here), I struggled with the premise. The reasons for the main character being on the run never fully landed for me, making it hard to suspend disbelief. A thoughtful read, for sure—but one I wish I’d approached with different expectations.

Starts out rather slow, but makes up for it further in. A fascinating take on the potential for homicidal tendencies. Lots of intriguing scenarios.

KILLER POTENTIAL is a fantastic, fast-paced, twisty little debut novel by Hannah Deitch.

What I loved most about KILLER POTENTIAL was the world that Hannah created- the world of the elite, with wealth and luxury filling each corner of Evie's world. When that's blown apart by a murder, the story takes an unexpected turn that I couldn't read fast enough.

This book can be read fairly easily, which someone who loves true crime really loving each page of this book. However, for a book club, there's a lot to dive into, talking about classism, ableism, and so much more. It's really fantastic that this book can be read on so many levels.

This book is the answer to “what if someone who never grew out of thinking ‘I’m special, I was in the gifted and talented program in middle school!’ Becomes a fugitive. Honestly, I expected to like it more! Most of what I read is romance, and the “romance” between Jae and Evie is…. So dull.
I am also a true crime person, and the twist of “living in the walls” was excellent! I just found the fleeing to be repetitive.

2.5 stars

I have mixed thoughts about this book - some good some bad.

I’ll start with the good:

This was a **dark, fast-paced thriller with some complex female dynamics**. Could they have been a little more complex? Yes. But for the author’s debut novel, I’ll admit the themes and social commentary were there, they just weren’t explored in a way that gave this book the depth I would have liked. In particular, the relationship between the two main female characters seemed shallow - I could read about it, but I didn’t *feel* it, if that makes sense.

The s**ocial commentary** is obviously present, but like the I feel about the book’s exploration of female relationships, this also could have been given more depth. I felt a disconnect between the plot/pacing and the delivery of the underlying social critique regarding who is regarded as having “potential” and the more romantic notions were are sold about social mobility.

I definitely **didn’t guess the big twist**, which is something that surprised me - I usually see these things coming. But still, the twist didn’t hit me completely sideways. If anything, after the reveal, I felt more confused than anything. But suspension of disbelief won out in the end and I rolled with it.

And now for the bad:

Although it’s marketed as literary fiction in most places I’ve seen. It definitely **reads much more like a thriller**. If the author leaned more into the social commentary and female relationship, I think I could call it literary, but as it stands for me, its more like 90% thriller and 10% literary. So that was a bit disappointing.

But that generally my only disappointment with this book. I definitely recommend to those who love good thrillers, you'll be in for quite a ride. For me it was an enjoyable read, definitely a palate cleanser between heavier books.

Special thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advanced digital copy for review.

Loved the concept! SAT tutor accidentally becomes a serial killer (or so we think). It was funny, fast paced, and had a good twist. Reading as an ARC was difficult as some chapters were in another characters perspective and it took me a bit to pick up on that, but this may have changed in the final proof. Would make a great audiobook!

Killer Potential is darkly humorous and thrilling; such a fun read!

If you have read and appreciated books like the Finlay Donovan series or shows like Dexter, Breaking Bad, and Weeds, give this book a try.

Evie is working as an SAT tutor, a real icon of the millennial burnout post recession. When she shows up to her affluent and famous client’s house for her normal Sunday session, she gets way more than she bargained for. She quite literally stumbles into a murder scene and unintentionally sets herself up as the fall guy in epic wrong place, wrong time fashion. The story follows Evie as she tries to outrun the manhunt while adding to her body count along the way. Will she get caught? Will she be absolved for crimes she didn’t commit? Will she care?

I enjoyed this immensely. Though the plot twist was predictable for me, the characters had more depth to them than anticipated. The inner monologues/multi perspectives really worked well to keep the thrill of the chase alive while also providing us background and context into the characters’ lives. This is a fast paced and funny read that will take you on one of the most dysfunctional cross country trips of your life.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing me a copy to review, all opinions are my own. Killer Potential is out now!

"Killer Potential" by Hannah Deitch was a wild romp and cross-country chase of two young women accused of murder. The author does a good job of mixing suspense with the relatable narrator Evie. The book was a bit uneven but unexpected twists kept it interesting.

Killer Potential is such a smart, addictive debut. Hannah Deitch has a knack for sharp dialogue, layered characters, and just the right amount of dark humor to keep things fun without losing the tension. The pacing is tight, the twists land well, and the story kept me guessing in all the best ways.

What really stood out to me was how character-driven it was. It’s not just about the mystery (though that’s great), but also about ambition, identity, and the lines people are willing to cross. If you’re into thrillers with brains and bite, definitely give this one a read. I’ll be watching for whatever Deitch does next.

***I was given an eARC of this book but all thoughts are my own and based upon a pre-published version of this book.***

Killer Potential is an intriguing blend of suspense and dark humor, with a protagonist whose sharp wit makes the story engaging. The plotting is tight, and the pacing keeps you hooked, though some twists could be more surprising.

I struggled with this book at times because I found my mind drifting as I was reading. At times the book was very witty and made me laugh and other times I was just ready for it to be over. I’m going to give it three starts because it kept me interested enough to finish it. I would be open to reading more from this author.

I really did not like this book. It is trying to be very high brow, but there is no warning of this.

Thank you for the Arc of this book! I was hesitant before starting the book as its not my usual genre. The description of the book intrigued me, giving me high hopes for this debut. I liked Evie and the situation that she found herself in, but i want a big fan of the relationship and sex scenes. I felt that there was a shift from the crime/thrill aspect and it turned more into a romance book. I do think that the book was well written and the characters seemed real/relatable. In the end I liked the book but didn't love and have really thought about it since finishing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of Killer Potential! The story started out really strong — a compelling main character (though not very likeable) thrust into a shocking murder scene, choosing to go on the run with a mysterious and silent companion. I was really invested through the first half, anticipating the unfolding of the truth. Unfortunately, that anticipation devolved into boredom for the majority of the last half. While I appreciated the ending and some depth added to our mysterious companion, it ultimately didn’t hold my excitement or interest through to the end. That being said, I think Deitch has plenty of potential to craft a killer read.

If you’re a big fan of thrillers or love a good road trip story, this book may be for you. However, I unfortunately found this book slow to get into and didn’t make up for the twist, which I found fairly predictable. The concept itself was actually pretty interesting and had potential. I almost feel this might have been in the wrong format and could have been successful as a horror film if developed a little more.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow and Hannah Deitch for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Shout out to both William Morrow for publishing, and NetGalley for providing the ARC.

First I've got to say; that I wanted to love this book so badly - but what goes up must come down.
The opening hooked me - but I wasn't able to suspend disbelief long enough to really get into it.
The story was advertised as an intriguing, page-turning, high stakes crime-thriller but it was, unfortunately, not at all what was delivered. Instead the focus shifted onto the relationships of the characters entirely, and the "crime" aspect became a sub-plot.

This book could have been half as long - and would have been much better for it.