This was a fun mystery, in as much as one can be when someone's grandmother dies, serial killers are the family legacy, and the family is going broke. I liked Capri's employees/friends, they were a hoot, and couldn't help but champion Capri in her battle against her father to investigate their family history and his father, a convicted serial killer who always claimed to be innocent. A lot is going on, but it still maintains a bit of levity through the dark subjects and unusual situations.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun little murder mystery with some family drama to go with it. I liked that there were the 2 mysteries to solve, and I feel like they concluded both really well.

Thank you SMP and MacMillan audio for the review copies! I enjoyed a lot of aspects of Michelle Chouinard's writing and storytelling: she offers a strong entry into the growing blend of true crime/internet sleuth/cold case genre with a character uniquely connected to serial killer lore and explores a range of complex family relationships and dynamics within the bigger mystery. I was a big fan of Capri, an interesting and vibrant character making the most, in a healthy and not exploitative way, of her childhood and her knowledge about serial killers; I liked that she was independent and smart.
What missed the mark for me though in both the book and the audiobook was an overall lack of suspense, I was never drawn into a feeling of tension with the writing, more feeling like I was walking through steps of a procedural and check marks on plot development, and never getting into a pace that really made me not want to stop reading. Some of this might be due to the general focus on a mystery that got a bit bogged down with writing that was fine but at times felt overly detailed as well as a plot filled with a range of different roles for Capri (mom, working a somewhat atypical job, dealing with being a murder suspect, handling her family and grief and strained dynamics... how many hours in the day was she on the go???).

An entertaining mystery about a divorced woman in her 40s who runs a business giving tours of San Francisco based on where serial killers did their dirty work. The twist: she is the granddaughter of "Overkill Bill," a convicted serial killer some 20+ years ago who professed his innocence up until his death. But now a murder has occurred in the style of "Overkill Bill," making her and her daughter potential suspects. Much of the story is about her upbringing, her divorce, her headstrong daughter, and how poorly her former mother-in-law treats her, most recently cutting off paying for her daughter's graduate school. That, plus the high cost of living in San Francisco. While this isn't a romance, there's a handsome cop working on the murder case while she works on trying to clear her name...and her grandfather's.
The characters are pretty ordinary but the writing is fine and the story moves along fairly well. I enjoyed the tidbits about San Francisco history. Overall a 3.5 rounded up.
My thanks to the author, publisher, producer, and #NetGalley for providing access to the audiobook for review purposes. The book and audiobook will be available to rent or buy on Sept. 24, 2024.

Capri has an interesting job giving serial killer tours in San Francisco. She’s an expert since her own grandfather is a convicted serial killer, known as Overkill Bill. She never really believed he was guilty and decides to look into the case more when a copycat emerges. Then her own ex mother-in-law becomes one of the copycats and Capri and her daughter become suspects.

This was a fun mystery that took me no time to get through. It was tame and would be a great mystery for people who want to get into the genre. I read a ton in the genre and also really enjoyed it.

The pacing was perfect and the book unfolded nicely. I really liked how there were 2 mysteries, past and present, that were being explored. And if they have any link to each other. The POV is from the main character, Capri. She is a great MC and you are rooting for her the whole time.

I really loved the additions of the dark San Francisco history. I listened to the audio and it was done well and the narrator was great!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy of the audiobook!

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco (audio) 3.5⭐️

Tour guide turned amateur detective Capri, is diving into a past serial killer while a new copy cat killer shows up decades later. But Capri isn’t just a true crime junkie, she is the granddaughter of the original Overkill Bill who was convicted for the murders. Now one of the present day murder victims is her ex-mother-in-law. Capri’s life is surrounded by serial killer energy.

I liked the audio version of this book. I would have probably been more bored by the slow paced cozy murder mystery if I was reading it. The narrator was great, although I wasn’t a super fan of the male voices. The acting was fabulous. The whole story is told through Capri’s POV. It’s not a thriller, but it does a great job depicting Capri’s thoughts and feelings throughout.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio ARC. This review will be shared on NetGalley, Goodreads, and Amazon.

Pub Date Sep 24 2024

Diving into The Serial Killer's Guide to San Francisco was an exciting departure from my usual reads, as I don't typically gravitate toward mystery novels. Michelle Chouinard's storytelling kept me hooked with its thrilling twists and turns, making the mystery of "whodunit" a delightful puzzle to piece together.

One of the highlights for me was the humor interwoven throughout the narrative. It struck the perfect balance, adding a layer of entertainment as the protagonist, who just so happens to be the granddaughter of a serial killer, gives tours of famous San Francisco crime scenes. This unique setup added an extra layer of intrigue to the story. But overall I found myself really enjoying the mystery and was drawn into the story, thinking about it all day and trying to form my own theories.

Overall, The Serial Killer's Guide to San Francisco was a delightful and entertaining read that I thoroughly enjoyed. If you're looking for a fresh take on a mystery with a dash of humor, this book is definitely worth picking up.

You know when a mystery fully wraps up all the loose ends? *chef's kiss*

This was a fun book - I liked the dual mystery to be solved and the characters were all interesting and a joy to follow around. The idea of a cold case serial killer, a copy cat killer, and the OG serial killer's granddaughter investigating was so inherently readable! I had to know how all the threads lined up.

A well crafted mystery with a super satisfying ending and a rich, tangled family history.

Loved the idea and the concept behind this story and the setting. Thought it was done well liked the characters in the book for the most part and enjoyed talking about the different areas of San Francisco. Narration was done well and was a quick book to get through, would recommend. I want to thank Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book had a fun mystery to solve with interesting characters. The narrator had a nice calming voice and I was able to get through it quickly.

Serial killers, super smart amateur sleuths, AND SF?! 'Sign me up for all books set in this universe': a thought I had very early on.

The narrator was great. The characters were intriguing/ridiculous/enjoyable. The pacing kept me interested and unable to put it down. I stayed up much too late listening to this story. It's definitely a story that kept me guessing but also one that I didn't want to end.

Thank you Net Galley and Minotaur Books for the audiobook ARC!

A fast paced who did it story. I liked the past and present part of this story. Very entertaining read. The narrator was pleasant to listen to.

Thank you NetGalley for the early audiobook copy to review!

The book had a catchy beginning and I loved reading in Capri’s POV. About midway through I felt like the story was dragging and there were a lot of business components being brought up that didn’t hold my attention (sorry I’m not business savvy I suppose). Could’ve been shortened a little and paced differently to keep my attention more. 3/5

Of course, the first thing that caught my attention about this book was the title. It grabbed me and I'm glad I requested an ARC of the audiobook.

The story is about a woman named Capri who runs themed tours of San Francisco. Mostly about serial killers. In fact, she herself is the granddaughter of one of the Bay Area's most notorious serial killers, Overkill Bill. In the back of her mind, she has always believed that her grandfather was innocent. She wants to prove this, but hasn't really had the means or full motivation to do so. When a tech mogul's wife and her ex-mother-in-law are murdered in the same style of the Overkill Bill murders, she is drawn into the police investigation since it seems to involve her grandfather.

I really liked the characters in this book. They were relatable and well-developed. I also think the pacing of the story was good. It never got too boring or skipped details to make the story move along.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

A murder mystery set in San Francisco that falls on the "cozy" side of things - there's no thriller tension until the very end, and for the most part, the approach to the writing and the case is more light than dark, and the mystery itself, while definitely layered, ends up much less on the tense side of things. For the most part, it's a snappy, quick mystery, moving through leads and reveals in a way that keeps your attention and keeps you guessing, but never quite reaches "tense".

I enjoyed having a protagonist later in her life and having built up her life out of her passions and interests, but the rest of the characters felt a little one-note and flat. I was also hoping for a little more of a reason for the setup and the introduction of a copycat killer than what we got. It made the killer feel like they turned from opportunistic to suddenly far more cunning than they were presented as.

I enjoyed how much of San Francisco got woven into the story, even if a lot of it did feel a little off - there's a lot of focus on the tension between old and new money and the newcomers to society, but the way it's presented and introduced feels unbalanced and particular to a specific enclave of that society, which is the French families, which while present, are definitely a niche.

I also wish we got more of a wrap-up on Capri's grandfather's case - it's a clean explanation, but almost a little too clean and neat for how long and how affected everyone was by it.

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco 
Michelle Chouinard 
9/24/24

4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thanks to Netgalley and MacMillan audio for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. 

This was such a funny little mystery that kept me giggling and guessing and just feeling overall content. (I guess that's why the term "cozy mystery" is so fitting ... )

I guessed how things were going to turn out at the end, right around the 25% mark - but that didn't alter my enjoyment of the rest of the book whatsoever. And I always figure out the end of novels early ... probably a really of reading so many thrillers, horror and mystery novels.

(And I didn't have ALL the pieces exactly in place, so there were still a few surprises.)

I really cared about the characters, and enjoyed following them on their sleuthing journey. 

A truly fun novel that I'll be HIGHLY recommending. 

(My mom and her B&N bookclub are going to LOVE this one. 

If you like a good mystery with fully developed characters, thrilling elements, realistic dialogue, and humor, chances are you'll dig this book. 

(Will post full review on date of publication)

This is a cozy mystery about Capri, the granddaughter of a serial killer. As a copycat killer appears in San Fran in present day, Capri and her daughter come prime suspects for the newest victim and they must beat the clock to prove their innocence. I found this a funny and light hearted mystery book on audiobook.

Thank you Macmillan audio and netgalley for the ALC.

A fun and clever story for fans of murder mysteries! Capri makes her living giving serial killer tours in San Francisco (think Alcatraz, etc). It’s a topic she’s been fascinated about since she was a kid, after learning she was the granddaughter of famed serial killer Overkill Bill…someone she believed to be innocent. Years later, a copycat killer is on the loose and the latest victim is close to home. Now involved in a police investigation, Capri is dedicated to solving who is responsible for these copycat deaths…but also who may have framed her grandfather decades before.
This was a fun murder mystery and while I guessed one of the culprits early on…there were still some big surprises along the way! The narrator also did a great job at bringing this story to life with humor and suspense.
Thank you to Minotaur Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan audio for this advanced audiobook. This was fun cozy mystery about a granddaughter of a serial killer who leads killer tours in San Francisco when she gets caught up in a murder mystery of her own and ends up finding whether her grandfather really was the killer he was made out to be. This book was fun and spoke of different parts of San Fransisco. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I listened to this one in one day! What a fun book. Some suspense and mystery with a bit of humor thrown in as well.
Great mystery and also very creative. I enjoyed the characters and the narration was great.
I definitely want to listen to or read more by this author.