What an absolutely incredible mystery! It has been a long time since I’ve read a true, step-by-step, methodical mystery. This is one of the most original mysteries I’ve ever read!

Capri Sanzio owns her own company giving tours of famous spots known for serial killers in San Francisco. She is also the granddaughter of a famous serial killer. After her mother-in-law is murdered much in the same manner of her grandfather’s victims, Capri has some problems - she’s a suspect. What happens next is a mystery filled with so many suspects and many twists and turns.

This book has great characters, and a tough, smart, and clever female protagonist. Capri is fantastic! The story is original and fresh. There are so many details in this one. I was hooked from the first page. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

Also, what an ending!

I absolutely loved this book! Stephanie Nemeth-Parker is one of my favorite audiobook narrators, and she does an amazing job with this one! I highly recommend this audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley, St.Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read/listen to this book! This one releases on September 24th, so preorder it. I highly recommend this one!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC and SMP for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Receiving an advanced gifted book copy does not impact or influence my review in any way. #MacAudio2024

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco was an unexpectedly fun read with a mix of a new and old crime case that the MC investigates! It wasn't until the new case opened that I found myself interested in the story and thrown into really interesting characters. I'm not sure if the author intended to be a little funny, but I did find the MC and her close friends humorous and found myself enjoying them the most.

While there was plenty of investigation and a lot of moving pieces that really brought the picture together, the pacing could've been better and some parts felt dragged out. The book also touched on several points like: old vs new money, family dysfunction, single mom challenges, family trauma, social hierarchies, and more, but still never fully fleshed any of them out. This made the story feel odd at times and disjointed. I also managed to predict the ending, which didn't ruin the story for me but fell a little flat for me. Still, I have to give the book huge credit for being the first mystery novel I finish!

I really enjoyed the bit of romance sprinkled in the book and really liked the main character! The audiobook narrator did a great job voicing Capri, and made her seem like a real person. I think overall, this book was a fun read! I just needed a bit more suspense.

Audiobook Thoughts:
Single narrator, Stephanie Nemeth-Parker does a great job of narrating both the male and female parts. So well, it was easy to tell who she was voicing at the time. With chapter changes spoken, following the plot was not difficult. On some chapter changes, though, it might catch the listener by surprise as real life sites and killers of the Bay Area are noted as though the reader was on the tour lead by the main character, Capri. I thoroughly enjoyed that added bit.

The plot revolves around Capri and her co-workers, daughter, ex-husband, ex-inlaws, and the dark cloud that sits on Capri's family's shoulders thanks to Grandpa Sanzio who died in prison, convicted as the noted Overkill Bill serial killer. That bit of family history resurfaces when another woman is found to have died in the same manner - decades later.

As Capri and her daughter become targets of investigation, the relationships between workers and family develop that allow for the reader to engage with the characters that will surely pop up again in future installments. Easily read as a stand alone as all the background a reader needs is supplied at this time. The focus on the crime and how Capri thinks as she attempts to both solve the current murder and absolve her grandfather from his past conviction with plenty of clues for the reader to pick up. Though I wasn't completely invested in the side characters, I was certainly tuned into solving the crime.

I was lucky enough to receive both an uncorrected electronic copy and an audio copy. I listened during the day and read at night. That was a combo I will do again. Though, it needs to be noted that chapters on the audio version were not exact to the e-book.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC and St. Martin's Press for the uncorrected ecopy via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

As someone who reads a lot, I enjoy any book that has a really unique or interesting take on a storyline that's been done a lot. So I was pretty excited to check out The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco. While some of the story had some tried and true tropes, other aspects were definitely original. I would have enjoyed a little more character development, as I thought fleshing out the characters more would definitely help to bring the story to life and given the reader more insight as to why certain characters did what they did. However, I thought this was a great mystery overall, even if it was a little predictable.

A fun cozy mystery set in LA that follows the granddaughter of a famous serial killer who does serial killer tours in San Francisco. She is set to figure out if her grandfather was innocent because other murders with the same MO are happening while he’s locked up and it’s either the original, or a copycat, and some of the murders could be pinned on her.

I think you’d enjoy it if you like the Finlay Donovan series. The main character had a funny inner monologue and the story kept my attention the entire time.

Narrated by Stephanie Németh-Parker who did great!

Thanks so much to MacMillan Audio, Minotaur Books & NetGalley for my ALC/ARC.

#MacAudio2024

3 ⭐️. I really wanted to love this one, I’ve had it on my arc radar for months now and unfortunately it just didn’t live up to my expectations. It starts off strong with some backstory on Capri’s serial killer grandfather and her serial killer tourist business until murders happen in a copy cat fashion and she becomes a suspect. Sounds great right? Too bad it takes a weird turn starting with who was murdered, I didn’t care for that woman at all and all the backstory with her businesses just bored me so much. I felt like this was an unfunny version of one of the Finlay Donovan books. It had so much potential only for me to stop caring halfway through and was not even thrilled or surprised by the ending, it was so cliche. So if I’m being honest with myself, I probably should have rated this lower. The good news is I sped through the audio and I honestly had to look up the narrator to see if it was the same person who did the Finlay series (it isn’t), but she did a great job at keeping me on track to finish.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for the advance listeners copy in exchange for my honest review. This book is out September 24, 2024.

This was so interesting!l and clever. More of a mystery than a thriller maybe. Or maybe both, I’m not sure.

Anyway, Capri is the granddaughter of a serial killer so needless to say her family is a little messed up. As an adult she somehow ends up marrying into a wealthy family. After she and her husband divorce she is still connected to her ex’s family.

But when women start being murdered the same way her accused grandfather killed his victims she has an opportunity to not only find the killer but clear her grandfather’s name.

When I went into this book, I was expecting more of a dark comedy along the lines of "Love Letters to a Serial Killer", but it's actually more of a cozy mystery. While I wasn't totally blown away by it, I enjoyed it and thought the plot was very creative. I also listened to an advance listener copy while reading the ARC which further enhanced the experience for me.

This book follows a middle-aged woman named Capri Sanzio, a tour guide specializing in tours about famous serial killers in San Francisco. Capri has a connection to serial killers, seeing as how her late grandfather was the infamous serial killer dubbed "Overkill Bill" due to the way he murdered his victims. Despite her father's unwillingness to discuss his father's alleged sordid past, Capri embraces the family name - not because she is proud of her grandfather's alleged crimes, but because she has often wondered whether he was the one who actually committed the crimes. The evidence was all suspect, and over the years, Capri has learned a thing or two about serial killers and how they are investigated.

Her knowledge may come in handy when her wealthy ex-mother-in-law suddenly announces that she will no longer pay for her granddaughter's (Capri's daughter) college tuition, putting Capri in a bit of a bind. She doesn't make enough money to also pay for tuition, so maybe it's time to start diving into her grandfather's case and document it through a podcast and accompanying Patreon page. But things take a sinister turn when a copycat killer emulating "Overkill Bill" emerges in the city, putting a spotlight on Capri and her family. How convenient that this started up right as she was about to start looking into her grandfather's case publicly. Now Capri and her daughter are suspects, and she needs to clear their names alongside her grandfather's before the killer strikes again.

One of the things that makes the book work so well is the characters. I loved Capri. She was strong, determined and no-nonsense. She wasn't at all surprised when the police honed in on her, but growing up with her grandfather's shadow looming over her, she knows a thing or two about serial killers, how crime investigations work, and her rights, which allows her to stay just ahead of the police. I also loved that she ran a tour company that took true crime fanatics around San Francisco and showed where some infamous murderers struck around the city. The rest of the cast is also enjoyable, but Capri really made the story.

While I'm typically not one for cozy mysteries (I like the grit, the shocks, and the thrills of a darker thriller), I ended up enjoying this one. Sure, it was lighter than I typically go for, but I enjoyed watching things come together. While I would have liked a little more on the crimes of "Overkill Bill," (that storyline really took a backseat to the current murders and Capri's journey to bring them down), I did enjoy how it all played out.

As far as the audiobook goes, I feel that Stephanie Németh-Parker did an excellent job of narrating the book. The novel is told from Capri's first-person perspective, and I thought she captured her voice and portrayed her perfectly.

While it isn't the dark and gritty crime thriller I typically go for, I still enjoyed this cozy mystery. Chouinard's writing is sharp and engaging, and her ability to weave together an exciting mystery with a compelling family drama makes this book all the more enjoyable. If you're interested in true crime or if serial killers intrigue you but you like your mysteries on the lighter side, this book is definitely for you.

This was a fun but predictable story. The characters were charming and well thought out. The twist of adding a serial killer tour guide and some facts about San Francisco was a great addition to the story. Capri was a strong character whose tough choice at the end was unexpected.

The chill of a San Francisco summer can be deadly. No one knows this better than Capri Sanzio, who makes her living giving serial killer tours of the city. Capri has been interested in the topic since she was a kid, when she discovered she’s the granddaughter of serial killer William ‘Overkill Bill’ Sanzio. She’s always believed in his innocence, though she's never taken the leap to fully dive into the case.
But now an Overkill Bill copycat has struck in San Francisco. What will Capri do as family secrets unfold and chaos ensues?

This was a cozy fun 5 star read for me. I would love to join Capri on one of her tours. She was a lovable MC from beginning to end. I enjoyed her amateur sleuthing skills and as she dove into her grandfathers case and the copycat. There were a few twists and red herrings well laid out for the reader to be thrown until the very end. I did not see the killer coming! If you are looking for a fun read that is quirky but gives enough mystery this is the book for you.

Thank you MacMillian Audio and Minotaur books for this advanced audio. This book is out on shelves September 24,

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I love the narrator, and overall pace of the book. How the storyline and the copycat killer u was also really well done. I had my suspicions about who the copycat murder was, and I was wrong! Big surprise!
As someone who grew up an hour south of SF and who also went to college there, this book appealed to me. The landmarks that were mentioned (The Legion of Honor) were places I had been, which was great too. I enjoyed the family dynamics and family secrets resurfacing.
Loved Capri’s character and her strength and ability to bring the truth to the forefront.
This is a light mystery that will keep you interested and rooting for Capri until the end!

Easy to get into and quick to capture the audience. I was not expecting who the current killer was. There is an emotional ending which invokes a lot of feelings. Very enjoyable book. Great narrator who does a great job on the reading!! Great for spooky season

A family secret…
A copy cat serial killer….
An overbearing mother-in-law goes missing…
What more could you want?
I loved this. It was faced paced and bright even for being about murders and dark family secrets. Capri is likable and winning. I highly recommend The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard.

I was pleasantly surprised by this story! I laughed a lot more than I expected and loved the mystery aspect. I have to say, the twist really shocked me! I was sure I knew who was behind it all, but I was very very wrong! I enjoyed the narration a lot which made this a very enjoyable book for me.

I like the title of the book because it's not just a mystery, but also a literal guide to San Francisco. The mystery aspects of the book played out well with multiple red herrings, nicely placed clues, foreshadowing (but not too much), and surprising twists. The "guide" part came off a little like trying too hard, or like the author had all this information that she was bursting to tell the reader. Some facts that slipped into the narrative had nothing to do with the story. I also could have done without some of the awkward repetitive gestures like pinching the bridge of the nose (lots of characters do this multiple times), and rather than just leave it at that, the character would pinch their nose bridge and the author would then tell the reader exactly how they were feeling. Very little nuance. These little writing hiccups pulled me out of the story. Another thing I noticed is the main character is overly aware of how her brain is working. All of the psychologically-termed phrases got to be too much. But the author IS a psychologist, so maybe she just couldn't help herself. Still, I enjoyed the book enough that I'm hoping it's the start of a series. I need more of the push and pull between Capri and Mr. Homicide Detective.

Great read. I fell in love with the characters form the start. The story line flowed easily. The ending was predictable but satisfying.

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco offers a cleverly crafted mystery that delves into the life of Capri Sanzio, a tour guide burdened by a dark legacy. As the granddaughter of the infamous serial killer "Overkill Bill," Capri's life is already overshadowed by her family's grim past. However, when a copycat killer emerges, replicating her grandfather’s gruesome crimes, and her former mother-in-law becomes a victim, Capri finds herself under intense suspicion. Author, Michelle Chouinard, masterfully intertwines past and present, creating a suspenseful narrative that keeps readers engaged as Capri races to uncover the truth. The novel's unique premise, coupled with well-drawn characters and the atmospheric backdrop of San Francisco, makes for a compelling read.

The audiobook, narrated by Stephanie Németh-Parker, further enhances the experience. Németh-Parker’s dynamic and engaging narration captures the essence of each character, bringing the story’s tension to life. Her ability to convey emotion and suspense adds depth to the listening experience, making it easy to become absorbed in the unfolding drama. The pacing of the narration aligns well with the story’s rhythm, maintaining suspense and keeping me invested throughout.

Overall, The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco is a gripping mystery that will appeal to fans of both cozy mysteries and mystery thrillers. Michelle Chouinard skillfully blends an intriguing plot with well-executed twists, ensuring readers are kept on their toes throughout the novel. Despite a minor lull in the middle, the narrative regains momentum, leading to a satisfying and unexpected conclusion. I was unable to correctly guess either suspect, which is a testament to the book's cleverly crafted mystery. 4/5!

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Yes! I loved this book. I had it finished in no time and then I wanted more. Great narrator and story. No language, not gory but full of fun and twists and turns. I have already recommended it to many.

Cozy Mysteries exist for a reason and appeal to a certain group of people. I find myself teetering on either being slightly entertained or totally not engaged. I am never swept off my feet, probably stemming from the fact that the stakes are low and the mystery is pretty straight forward. So here I am once again finishing a "cozy" with my size 8.5s planted on the floor.
The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco was a cute story, that had a decent plot, with mediocre characters. Capri our main lead, was tolerable, however not memorable. If this were to turn into a series I could see myslef warming up to her and maybe even befriending her. But for this book I don't feel like I really got to know Capri or her crowd. There was a lot going on between Capri trying to solve her grandfather's mystery, how her ex mother in law was killed and the whole financial scheme. I checked out a few times because there were some boring points that lagged, but it picked up at the end and actually was pretty entertaining.
However like many typical Cozys there are some pretty "buffoonish" characters and choices-Namely her daughter and how she evaded the police. Capri's ex husband was pretty goofy himself, but I think Chouinard needed a few people to create some conflict and tension.
This book has a lot of potential and if there are more in this series I can see myself reading the next.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy of The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco. I was not paid or influenced in exchange for this honest review,

I really had such a blast listening to this book! I loved the plot with all its twists and family drama/chaos. The book feels really fast paced, the book flew by! It kept me guessing the whole time, I had my suspicions that kept changing through the whole book. While I'm not sure if I would put this in the 'cozy' mystery genre, it does have a very cozy vibe to it!

Really well done! I will 100% be looking into more of Michelle Chouinard's books!

The Narrator was fantastic!