I was super excited for this book.. The cover is cute and the description sounded great. However, I found it to be a tiny bit more cutesy than I think I was in the mood for. It read a bit like a procedural tv show, having a serial killer tour guide help with a case in which she is also a suspect.

The story was slower than I hoped but there were some twists that I enjoyed throughout the book. I also had a few hunches that were not correct but I think that is due to me watching too many procedurals with my mom growing up.. I also found the MCs daughter to be very annoying for an.. adult woman.

Title: The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco
Author: Michelle Chouinard
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: September 24, 2024

I received complimentary eARC and ALC copies from Minotaur Books (St. Martin's Press) and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted

T H R E E • W O R D S

Creative • Fun • Predictable

📖 S Y N O P S I S

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. And Capri’s former mother-in-law, Sylvia, just cut off Capri’s daughter’s tuition payments. Needing cash, Capri wonders if this is the time to exonerate her grandfather. The case is back in the news and the police will be looking to understand the past to catch a present-day killer. Capri could finally uncover the truth about Overkill Bill—documenting the process with a podcast and a book—and hopefully earn some money.

Before Capri can get very far, the cops discover the copycat’s latest victim: Sylvia. Capri soon finds herself at the heart of the police’s investigation for an entirely different reason. She and her daughter are prime suspects.

💭 T H O U G H T S

The fun title and lighthearted cover were what originally drew me to The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco. After reading the synopsis, I was drawn to the idea of city tours, a main character with a mysterious past, and the amateur sleuthing. It felt like the perfect place to jumpstart my fall reading.

Told in the present timeline with glimpses into the past, this novel has a creative and clever plot. It unfolds at a slower pace that I was anticipating and the mystery is a little too simple, yet the lack of character development was what kept this from being an entirely engaging experience.

I really enjoyed the main character, her tour guide company, and the San Francisco setting. It is the tours that provide a background guide to San Francisco and offer the historical context to the plot. This element really bring the city to life as San Francisco becomes a character in itself.

The audiobook narrated by Stephanie Németh-Parker is very well executed. Each character has a distinct tone, allowing to easily distinguish between them. The pacing suits the plot and the interviews make it feel like a true crime series.

Overall, The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco is a fun read with complex family dynamics that made me want to travel to the city. There are certainly flaws in the execution, yet it's a palette cleanser worth picking up this fall, especially when looking for something lighter.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• learning about a city's history
• amateur sleuthing
• true crime

⚠️ CW: murder, gun violence, violence, death, death of parent, grief, blood, infidelity, classism, injury/injury detail, alcohol, suicide

The Serial Killer Guide to San Fransisco is literally about someone who does just that. Capri runs tours of the whats and wheres of serial killers who have roamed San Fransisco. She is also the granddaughter of a convicted serial killer. Capri doesn’t believe he was guilty and has always wanted to prove it. Well after her grandfather has passed, a new set of crimes exaclty matching the crimes on which he was convicted. The rest is her running around proving that neither she nor her daughter didn’t do it. As all civilians in books, she stumbles onto clues and, eventually, the killer.

The book was fun to read but it didn’t offer anything that was new or inventive. The one crime I was really interested in solving was shoved in at the very end. I’d have much rather the story been about that.

The Serial Killer Guide To San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard read like a love letter to the city and had me yearning for another visit! The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco in quick, rapid-fire thoughts.

-I instantly loved main character Capri from the get-go. She reminded me a lot of Tess from Tamara Berry's By The Book Mysteries series in the best of ways!
-even still, this book took a bit for the plot to grow on me, but then it was love and not simply infatuation!
-two mysteries for the price of one, plus a bonus bit of romance on the side!
-I wished the names of the two detectives, besides Homicide Inspector Dan Petito, were less stereotypical
-I screamed, "That's who it is" at one reveal, happy and delighted by the outcome
-audiobook narrator Stephanie Németh-Parker added to the fun Chouinard created, nailing the voices for each of the characters

Not to compare to Finlay Donovan, but this mystery is similar, but with more substance and less reality suspension needed!

I desperately want this to be made into a series, so if you're listening publishing Gods, can you make that happen!? (Although I don't know where the series would go - but I'd happily take a romance as a spin off!)

Have you ever been to San Francisco? Like me, are you equally obsessed with speakeasies?

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary copies to read and review.

I found this story to be pure entertainment, from the family drama to the whodunnit. I really liked that even though this is a story about a serial killer, it still managed to be cozy, light and fun. It was so easy to become immersed in the mystery with Capri!

As a big fan of Stephanie Plum and Finlay Donovan, I LOVE a good amateur sleuthing story and this book hit that spot flawlessly for me! I loved Capri’s character, she was witty, fun and SMART! The pacing was steady (which made it easy for me to binge!) with a satisfying ending.

Stephanie Nemeth-Parker did a great job narrating this story! Her voice fit Capri’s personality perfectly, but she also did an amazing job bringing personality to each and every character!

After having tried a few ARCs similar to this one, I realize now that cozy murder mystery/amateur sleuth books are not for me. With that being said, if you do enjoy these types of books, this one is more unique than the others with the main character being the granddaughter of a famous serial killer. Thank you to Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for a review!

This book was a fun read! Light and fast-paced, it would make a great beach or vacation read. I did find it frustrating when the narrator mispronounced some things, but overall I thought she was great. I would not put this in a curriculum but would recommend it to older students and especially staff who enjoy mysteries.

As someone who lives in San Francisco, I wanted to love this book. Having said that, I also had higher expectations going into it than someone who has no or little experience with the city. I will say that I enjoyed the SF facts and believe it was unique and appreciated. The story itself though dragged on for me and the writing itself was a bit of a distraction at times; over-explanation at some points, redundant use of some non-high frequency words (so it stood out), etc. There didn't seem to be a gradual, sensical build to the mystery's solution. Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed in several ways, but was really hoping to love this SF-based book! Thank you for the opportunity to read this!

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 Hearts

I loved this! I am so glad I was able to squeeze this one into the schedule. The Serial Killer's Guide to San Francisco was very smart, fun and easy to read. Our main point of view and teller of the story is Capri. She is a divorced mother of a graduate student daughter, Morgan. At the time of her divorce, she had to develop a way to support them and came up with running a tour company about serial killers in San Francisco. It's been successful.

As the grand-daughter of a famous serial killer (who died in prison claiming to be innocent), she has never learned much about him. When her ex-mother-in-law cuts off Morgan's school funding, there is a copy-cat murder, her lovely co-workers suggest she do a podcast and write a book, solving the old murder and the new.

Capri was so smart and her journalism background gave her skills to research and dig out the facts for us. She also has the fear of an innocent being arrested for something they didn't do, like her grandfather. Her co-workers are a found family of sorts and were great supporters. All the while, she and Morgan were also suspects. They are also dealing with their devastated ex-father-in-law and horrible ex-husband.

I won't say more for fear of spoiling the mystery and investigation. It had some tense moments. I recommend this read highly!

Narration:

I have listened to this narrator before. I really appreciated her clear and distinct voices for characters. The emotional tones added to the performance which was a pleasure. I listened at my usual 1.5x speed.

“So, you’re just a person who lives in San Francisco. And yes, San Francisco homicide inspectors are allowed to date people who live in San Francisco. In fact, most of us do.” 😂

✨ Genre: Light Murder Mystery
✨ Steamy rating: Mild
✨ Profanity: Moderate

Capri is no stranger to murder. Her grandfather died in prison after being convicted for murdering prostitutes. He got the nickname “Overkill Bill” for the gruesome ways he murdered his victims. However, Capri doubts her grandpa killed anyone. After learning her mother-in-law is cutting off her daughter’s tuition, Capri decides to research the “Overkill Bill” murders and make a podcast for some extra cash. Then “Overkill Bill” copycat murders close to Capri start happening.

This was a quick and light “who did it?” Murder mystery. I liked Capri’s strong character and the close relationship she has with her daughter. Some aspects of the case seemed quite far fetched, but it was overall entertaining.

🎧 Method: Macmillan Audiobook
📖 2024 book count: 115

Triggers: Murder, infidelity, divorce, prostitutes, assault, and death of a family member

Thank you @macmillan.audio for an early copy. This one took a creative and humorous twist to murder mysteries.

I didn’t quite expect this much of an in-depth murder mystery with a cute/sweet cover such as this one. Following Capri’s journey to find the copycat killer had many pieces as well as the added bonus of finding out about the original serial killer and family. Especially… knowing that she has close ties to the original serial killer. This mystery was fun hearing about the streets of San Francisco and the tours that are available there too. It made me want to go back and take part in some of the tours such as Alcatraz. The host of characters who were aside our FMC were entertaining! From the beginning I was invested and throughly entertained. There was a small portion that I felt dragged on, but overall from beginning to end it was a fun mystery to crack. Did I figure out the suspect, yes I did, but it didn’t take away from the enjoyment!

This was such a fun and clever mystery! I loved the concept of this book. The plot was so creative and different from any other mystery I’ve ever read. I was hooked on the story from the very beginning and could not put it down, excited to find out what happened next. Capri was a great main character, and I really liked that she was an older MC and a mom. I found her very relatable (other than being the granddaughter of a serial killer!), and I would love to see this book become a series. This is a perfect cozy mystery to snuggle up with this fall!

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Stephanie Németh-Parker. She was a delight to listen to and enhanced my audiobook listening experience. She was the perfect narrator for Capri. Her pacing was great, and she kept me engaged. She really brought the characters and the story to life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Despite the title and the plot centering on the main character set on clearing her convicted serial killer grandfather's name, this is really more a quirky cozy mystery than a thriller. It was initially fast paced and drew me in quickly, but then got mired down in a long and complex explanation of fraud schemes and business failures that became boring.

The narrative is in first person point of view, Capri Sanzio, who leads tours of famous murder sites and crimes in San Francisco. She is fixated on proving that her paternal grandfather, William (Overkill Bill) Sanzio, did not commit the 3 murders that landed him in prison where he eventually died. Apparently, though, her family can't escape their violent destiny, and new questions arise when her ex-husband's mother, Sylvia Clement, is murdered. And the MO of the killing is a copycat of her grandfather's.

As I said, though occasionally light and humorous, there is way too much going on in the character's head and my interest waned as her whole amateur sleuthing became more convoluted. I also didn't appreciate the insta romance with the cop nor her business friends -- all stereotypical with, of course, the techy guy who can hack and crack.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator was OK with the lines she had to work with even though the character got on my nerves. She could certainly turn on the drama when necessary. This production could have benefitted from having a male voice cast as well.

I would like to start by standing on my soapbox and begging everyone to stop naming books “xx guide to xx.” I HATE it. And yet, I still drank this one up because I love a serial killer story. Capri was a smart amateur detective who didn’t put herself in risky situations. Her tour team need their own book s because I ate up the chapters with them talking through their theories. I didn’t love the reveal but enjoyed what happened afterward. The audiobook was done well and the narration was perfect.

A solid cozy mystery that I enjoyed with a fun cast of side characters. Meet Capri - who is attempting to solve two mysteries (one of which is from the past). Will she be able to posthumously exonerate her grandfather or will he remain guilty? There were many LOL moments I enjoyed while listening to this audiobook. Thank you to NETGALLEY and Macmillan audio for this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Pub Date: 9/24
•
I went into The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco thinking it would be a cozy mystery of sorts. I mean come on. Look at this awesome cover. Anyways, this was a step or two up from a cozy mystery, and it was a fun ride, just a little bit slow for me.
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This story started out pretty fast paced. I was pretty hooked to the story and really felt drawn in right form the start. The idea of the serial killer tours, the grandfather being a famous serial killer and then the murder was all just super intruiging. I needed to know what happened. side note, I really enjoyed the epistolary aspect with different snippets about serial killers in San Fran and notorious spots around the area.
•
The characters are pretty straight forward. I liked the family drama aspect. I think that some of the drama was a bit drawn out - and that may be where the story lost a bit of steam, but overall, they were interesting, and they made the story. It's a pretty straight forward story, there are not too many crazy twists, and the big reveal isn't overly shocking but the ride you take to get to the end is worth it in my opinion.
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I listened to this one via audiobook. Stephanie Németh-Parker was a perfect narrator for this one. I felt like she was Capri and really brough her character to life for me. Highly recommend the audiobook.
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Overall, this was a fun read, i think cozy mystery fans will enjoy this one. A huge thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio and Michelle Chouinard for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 Stars
Capri became interested in true crime when she discovered her grandfather was convicted as a serial killer nicknamed: Overkill Bill. Her father has always refused to talk about it, and so Capri always did research under the radar. However, when a copycat emerges and Capri is implicated, she decides to investigate both cases, not only to clear her name and her daughter’s (also under suspicion), but also her grandfather’s.

I was a big fan of Capri, a hardworking single mother who turned her passion of true crime into a way to support her and her daughter, Morgan, now grown, by hosting tours that featured the history of crime and serial killers around San Francisco.

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco was superb! I was glued to the pages as Capri ferreted out clues and motivations both for the current murders and the past. I enjoyed her methodical approach to finding the killer and clearing her name. Capri ends up in danger by the end, and the mystery wraps up in a thrilling conclusion!

I also enjoyed the setting of San Francisco, mentions of film noir set in the city and some of its crime history! I hope we get more stories with Capri and Detective Pietro in the future! There are hints of a romance in the works and maybe they’ll work together solving crimes? *crosses fingers*

I alternately read an e-copy and listened to an audio version. I think you’d enjoy the story through either version. I’ve listened to and enjoyed Stephanie Németh-Parker’s narration in the past and her excellent performance enhanced my experience! I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed.

Thanks to Netgalley, Minotaur Books and MacMillan Audio (#MacAudio) for the ALC!

Capri runs a tour company in San Francisco, giving serial killer tours. It’s something she knows a lot about, as Capri’s own grandfather was the convicted serial killer, “Overkill Bill”. Capri has always felt he was innocent, but never fully looked into things. Now that a copycat murder has popped up, Capri makes the leap to investigate her grandfather and the “Overkill Bill” cases and write a book on her findings. Since her former mother-in-law has cut off her daughter’s college tuition payments, the timing seems right and Capri is hoping the cash from the book will help her daughter as well as exonerate her grandfather. But before Capri gets too far into her research, another copycat murder occurs - this time, even closer to home.

This was such a fun cozy mystery! I personally got a kick out of the whole “serial killer tours” thing and found myself rooting for Capri early on. I guess with her family background and what she did for a living, amateur sleuthing was an easy transition for her to make! I really wasn't sure what to think about her grandfather, but when she finally put all the pieces together my jaw dropped. Without giving anything away, there was also another twist I didn’t see coming that I thought was SO well done!

If you enjoy cozy whodunnit mysteries (similar to Finlay Donovan), you will enjoy this story! I am looking forward to what the author comes out with next :)

”A Serial Killer’s Guide to San Francisco” released September 24, 2024. This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was great! The storyline was interesting and I liked the author’s writing style. I would definitely read more by this author and highly recommend this one to other mystery lovers.

This is my first read by Michelle Chouinard and I was drawn in right from the beginning. The story/format felt new and fresh compared to many other novels in this genre. I really liked Capri's character and how she navigated her job (a serial killer tour guide), her complex personal life and her amateur sleuthing. I was able to preview the audiobook and I feel Stephanie Németh-Parker was very engaging and easy to listen to. I will definitely look for her as a narrator in the future.

Thank you Net Galley, Michelle Chouinard, Stephanie Németh-Parker and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to preview this engaging story. The opinions shared are my own.

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco is expected to be released on Sept. 24, 2024.