A light yet very informative murder mystery with interesting serial killer facts hidden inside. When the first interview happens after the murder I thought for sure I was going to end up disliking this book. I have a major pet peeve of MC's who make asinine decisions, but she actually handled things extremely well and with logic. The narrator had a great pace and helped the book to be an easy listen while helping you to get absorbed into the story and the mystery of who dun it. Plus its a 2 for 1, not only do you get to figure out who committed the copy cat murder you also get to solve the case of the original murder. Capri has been known her whole life as the granddaughter of a serial killer, overkill bill. She has embraced it and now does guided tours around San Francisco showing tourists other famous murder sites. When a copy cat murder occurs though, not only does it resemble her grandfathers case but it is also happening to people close to her. Immediately all she can think about is how she is suspect number 1 and what she needs to do to fix that. Luckily she knows these cases better than anyone and she is determined to find the truth not only to this case but also who was really guilty for the murders her grandfather was accused of.

The novel follows Capri Sanzio as she delves into her grandfather's past, questioning whether he was wrongfully convicted, while simultaneously dealing with a series of copycat killings that affect her family.

From the start, this book captured my attention with its engaging and well-crafted narrative. I was particularly impressed by the depth of thought the author put into developing Capri as the main character. Her journey through the plot was compelling and added significant depth to the story. By the conclusion, I appreciated that there were no loose ends; the story felt thoroughly resolved. Overall, Capri's character and the dynamics within the plot made this a truly enjoyable and complete listening experience.

The Serial Killef Guide to San Francisco is a fun light murder mystery, that’s actually two mysteries in one (past and present, with a quirky and determined female protagonist in Capri, who wastes no time getting to the bottom of things, even as she deals with family dramas along the way.

I enjoyed this story, though it did start to lag a bit in the middle- not for too terribly long, thankfully, moving to a decently satisfying conclusion. A nice beach read with a light dose of suspense and a side of humor.

Stephanie Németh-Parker did an excellent job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Michelle Chouinard, Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

Cute mystery about murderers. Which is weird to say. Capri is a likeable character with a steady head on her shoulders. She pretty much did all the work for police. Her "love" interest, if you can call him that, has zero chemistry. I do wish there was a bit of spice, just a little. A flutter or something. Other than that, I enjoyed the old money versus the new money background.

Thank you Netgalley and MacMillan audio for the free ALC. My opinions are being left voluntarily. This was a wild ride. I loved the podcast my family member is a serial killer and how it was solved. Many twists you could see coming, some were timed a tad too late. It felt it should have been a bit shorter.

3.5/5☆

3.5 stars

This cozy-ish mystery has a fantastic setting and setup, and while the execution fizzles a bit, there's enough intrigue to make this worth the read.

The m.c. is named Capri, and her ex-husband was born into San Francisco society. His mother - Capri's former mother-in-law - is at the heart of an investigation that also centers both Capri and her daughter, Morgan. Now, having had some odd but very much interior connections to SF society for a number of years, I can say that it's a nuanced little culture, and while there are elements of that coming through here (including a strange, frequent referencing of deb life), this background makes for an absolutely bizarre oversight in this novel. If these folks are so dialed into SF and, specifically, to SF society, why does the protagonist, whom readers are supposed to find more relatable because she married into this world instead of being born into it, insist on constantly using outdated terminology for sex workers? One can play a drinking game and find themselves quite addled based on the frequent appearance of the wrong word (and another option that may be even worse once or twice). This may seem like a small detail, but for a writer who's going to acknowledge the vegan and gluten free meal options likely to be found at some of these events, it's an important one. This choice - especially the repetition of it - made me question whether the writer has any knowledge of this particular enclave as well and completely distracted me every time it appeared. Again, I suspect most readers won't be as aware or put off by this, but I could not stand it.

Readers should come to this because they are interested in a relatively light and uncomplicated cozy that ties up loose ends a bit cleanly. If they are looking for relatable characters or other elements of authenticity, this may not be the best option.

Capri Sanzio, a San Francisco tour guide specializes in serial killers. She is the granddaughter of infamous convict 'Overkill Bill' Sanzio. Always believing in his innocence, she’s never fully investigated the case. When a copycat killer surfaces, Capri sees an opportunity to clear her grandfather’s name, and potentially earning money through a podcast and book. Capri and her daughter find themselves in need of money, because her ex mother in law decides to cut off tuition payments..
Capri finds herself entangled in an unexpected case, where her daughter and her are suspects!

I really enjoyed the audio version. Special thanks to NetGalley and Mamillan Audio!

Expected publication is September 24, 2024

As a fan of true crime and lover of serial killer documentaries and podcasts, this book really seemed like something right up my alley.

I really liked the audiobook, it kept me entertained.

In this book we follow Capri, who is the granddaughter of overkill Bill, a famous serial killer from San Francisco. She as a true crime junky believes he is innocent.

When her mother in law who she’s never had a good relationship with goes missing and subsequently found dead in the same manner overkill bill victims were killed, Capri is one of the most obvious suspects, along with her daughter who was just recently cutoff by her grandmother. So Capri uses her skills to solve this murder while trying to prove her grandfathers innocence.

I loved that it was easy to follow Capris investigation. I liked that she wasn’t making mistakes left and right like we see in books similar to this.
I don’t know if I’m dumb but I truly didn’t think it would end like it did, my suspect was way off lol

This is a great mystery, not overly complicated or silly. Just the right amount of serial killer facts.

Thank you NetGalley for this Arc!

I listened to The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco. This was definitely a different side of the city!!

I thought this was such an enjoyable little cozy mystery. I really loved the main character, Capri. She was such a fun character.
The plot loved quickly, so I was fully engaged throughout the book. I loved that there were a few different mysteries to solve, and they all tied together nicely at the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy to read and review!

Capri has decided to capitalize on her history, her grandfather is a convicted serial killer, so she does a walking tour about serial killers. Deep down, she never believed her grandfather was guilty, and now with someone skulking through San Francisco, recreating her grandfather’s crimes, she decides to uncover the truth. Even though it might cost her her life

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard a clever mystery set in San Francisco. Capri is the granddaughter of Overkill Bill, a notorious serial killer who maintained his innocence until his death. Capri finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation when a "copycat" kills a local socialite in the same manner as Overkill Bill.

This was a fun read. I found the story to be interesting, with the plot unfolding in a satisfying way. The characters were interesting and I thought the plot was unique. I'm not sure if there will be more books in this series but I would definitely read them or read other books by this author.

I also liked the narrator. She skillfully portrayed the characters and displayed a wide range of emotions congruent to the plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an audio copy to listen to in exchange for an honest review.

This book was SO FUN! It really does make you think about what happens to the family of a serial killer. How do they live with the trauma and notoriety of having a family member who has committed these atrocious crimes? In this story Capri is the granddaughter of a convicted serial killer. She doesn't believe that he committed the crimes but her father has never let her speak about the murders or her grandfather. When a copy cat murder occurs decades after the original crimes and after many of the key players (detectives, witnesses, grandfather) have passed. Capri knows there is a connection to the original murders. As the granddaughter of the original murderer she is considered a suspect. Setting out to find out the truth about the past murders and the current one, Capri is racing against the clock. Its a fun read that will consume your entire day (and you won't regret it).

The narration was excellent - clear, well paced, and easy to follow the format of the book.

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard
Narrated by Stephanie Németh-Parker

While this story mentions serial killing in the title, has serial killers in the book, and has a main character running a business giving online and in person serial killer tours through San Francisco, it really is a cozy mystery. Capri Sanzio is the granddaughter of serial killer William ‘Overkill Bill’ Sanzio. Her dad will never discuss his late murderous father with her but she probably knows as much as anyone about her grandfather and his crimes. Afterall, serial killing is her business.

When a woman is killed in what looks like an Overkill Bill copy cat manner, Capri and her family are open to unwanted attention. Then, when someone close to Capri is killed in the same manner, all the sudden Capri and her college age daughter are considered suspects. Never mind they actually do look a bit suspicious, Capri is going to insert herself into the case because who better to prove her innocence then Capri. And she hopes her daughter isn't a killer, of course she's not a killer, but why is she acting suspicious? Actually, a lot of people could have a motive for the second killing. Let's just bend a few laws then, that's better than being wrongly accused for something she didn't do. Not only that, Capri doesn't think her grandfather did all those murders decades ago. So many mysteries, so many ways for Capri to dig a deeper hole for herself.

IF Capri can figure all of this out, a podcast and book would go a long way to helping to pay for the rest of her daughter's graduate degree. The story really is cozy, Capri is very sensible, well organized, and has great friends to help her hack, I mean crack, stuff and encourage her. And the detective on the case, the one who thinks Capri is a murderer, is nice looking, very polite and interesting. I alternated between reading the ebook and listening to the audiobook, a great choice when in waiting rooms (ebook) and on the treadmill (audiobook). The narrator did a fantastic job on all the voices, everyone had a distinct sound and all the men actually sounded like men. I'll be sure to listen to her narrations again.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for this ARC.

A fine and entertaining read that I would recommend to someone just wanting chill vibes or is trying to get out of a reading rut. Fun main character, and each supporting character was well-written and kept me engaged! Love some family drama and a "you've got the wrong guy" trope. High society drama, loved it.

The cover is 5 stars for me as well as the setting.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.