A truly dark and suspenseful read, with a unique concept. My heart was in my throat for Cyra throughout the entire book. She is determined to figure out who killed her beloved sister, Mira - but as she gets deeper and deeper into her undercover mission, infiltrating the serial killer support group, she can feel her real self fading further and further away. With a few shocking twists toward the end, this book is sure to entertain fans of thriller, mystery, suspense, and horror books. Don't miss it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy. Serial Killer Support Group follows Cyra as she navigating the loss of her younger sister, Mira. The police believe that Mira was murdered by a serial killer. Cyra decides to use information from her friend, to infiltrate a serial killer support group. She is determined to find the man who killed her sister and is willing to do anything to get revenge. Of course, it won’t be that simple. I’m torn about whether I liked this book or not. It was an interesting premise, but it was very predictable. I did like the insight into the different serial killers, but I was more interested in those than the main storyline. I didn’t really connect with Cyra. I also had a tough time differentiating the characters. Overall, it was an okay read.

Wʜᴀᴛ ᴀɴ ɪᴍᴘʀᴇssɪᴠᴇ ᴅᴇʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴠᴇʀʏ ғʀᴇsʜ ᴀɴᴅ ᴜɴɪϙᴜᴇ ᴘʟᴏᴛ. I ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ɪᴛ sᴏ ᴇɴᴛᴇʀᴛᴀɪɴɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ʜᴜᴍᴏʀ ᴀɴᴅ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ʙᴀʟᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴏғ sᴜsᴘᴇɴsᴇ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ.

Cᴀɴ ʏᴏᴜ ɪᴍᴀɢɪɴᴇ ᴀ ᴍᴇᴇᴛɪɴɢ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ғᴏʀ sᴇʀɪᴀʟ ᴋɪʟʟᴇʀs ᴛᴏ ᴅɪsᴄᴜss ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ɪssᴜᴇs!? Gʀᴏᴜᴘ ᴛʜᴇʀᴀᴘʏ?

“𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘴𝘺𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯"

Sᴀʀᴀᴛᴏɢᴀ's ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ ᴅᴇᴠᴇʟᴏᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ ɪs ᴏɴ ᴘᴀʀ ʀᴇsᴜʟᴛɪɴɢ ɪɴ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀᴀʙʟᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs.
I ᴇsᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟʟʏ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋsᴛᴏʀʏ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ғᴏʀ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɪʟʟᴇʀs, ᴀɴᴅ Cʏʀᴀ ᴡᴀs ʙᴀᴅᴀss ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ sʜᴀʀᴘ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀʟᴄᴜʟᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴍɪɴᴅsᴇᴛ. I ғᴇʟᴛ ғᴏʀ ʜᴇʀ ᴋɴᴏᴡɪɴɢ ʜᴏᴡ sʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴜsᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ.

Tʜɪs ᴡᴀs ᴀ ғᴜɴ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ sʜᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ ʙᴇ ᴛᴀᴋᴇɴ ᴛᴏᴏ sᴇʀɪᴏᴜsʟʏ. Eɴᴊᴏʏ ɪᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪᴛ ɪs. Fᴀsᴛ ᴘᴀᴄᴇᴅ, ғᴇᴍɪɴɪɴᴇ ʀᴀɢᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇᴠᴇɴɢᴇ.

Tʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ Cʀᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ Lᴀɴᴇ Bᴏᴏᴋs, Nᴇᴛɢᴀʟʟᴇʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ ғᴏʀ ᴍʏ ɢɪғᴛᴇᴅ ᴄᴏᴘʏ. Mʏ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ ᴡᴀs ᴠᴏʟᴜɴᴛᴀʀʏ.

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After Cyra's younger sister is murdered, she sets out to solve the case herself. Since the police suspect a serial killer, and she catches wind of a group for serial killers where the one she's looking for could be frequenting, she sets out to infiltrate the group and get her guy. Cyra is a really interesting character, who is definitely a bit of a sociopath. She has to fight to hold on to her humanity as she has to prove herself to the group so she can get close enough to solve her mystery. She was an oddly compelling character.
The premise of a group/network of serial killers is always pretty suspect to me, since it just logistically really doesn't seem like it would work or benefit anyone involved. That was the hardest part for me. It makes no sense. I liked Cyra, though.

Get lost in this impressive debut thriller that brings us a fresh & unique storyline that comes to an unsettling, surprising & satisfying conclusion. I found this novel to be a deliciously clever & entertaining read with memorable characters. I especially liked the chapters of the serial killer’s backstory which gave the story more depth.

Grab a copy when it releases on March 18th. You won’t be disappointed.

Looking forward to see what’s next by this author.

Favorite Lines:
“It’s a lonely existence. And even psychopaths want human interaction.”
“He was too attractive. Too confident. A shiny piece of fruit that was rotten inside.”

Thank you to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books & the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Suspend all reasonable beliefs and imagine a support group for serial killers. You know, a group where they can talk about their crimes....without worry that the police will bust in and arrest all of these troubled men.

Look, I can suspend reality in many ways, but this was....not it.

This was dumber than dumb. I kept hoping they would all kill each other.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

My thanks to Net Galley and Crooked House for allowing me this arc.

I'm a bit on the fence with this one. The title and premise sounded very promising and kind of fun. Cyra joins a serial killer support group to find out who killed her sister Mira. I liked how each member got their own chapter and back story , but it was a bit far fetched that a person would put themselves in that danger

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the e-ARC.

2.5 stars rounded up.

I really wanted to love this. When I read the premise, I was excited about this one, thinking it'd be a bit more focused on the serial killers. While each one did have their own chapter, the base of this book was a woman avenging her sister's murder by cosplaying a serial killer.

It felt a bit too corny if I'm being honest. Some of the dialogue and Cyra putting herself into the mind of a serial killer felt like something more out of a comedy than thriller.

I also expected a book with queer characters, by a queer author wouldn't utilize the same women vs. women trope as other thrillers. It left a bad taste in my mouth.

The concept here was pretty good, but the execution didn't work for me. Also, Cyra (sigh-ra) and Mira (meer-ah) were a choice and I kept reading it as Cyra (seer-ah) because of the similarity in names.

As a fan of thrillers and true crime, I was disappointed to find that this book about serial killers lacked thorough research.

The portrayal of the killers was unimpressive, and the use of anonymous names felt juvenile, I was constantly thinking of
Christmas (weird).

I considered abandoning the book halfway through, but my curiosity kept me skimming through to the end.

Does the main character successfully confront a group of seasoned serial killers, or does she fall victim to them? The outcome may be surprising.

This was a fun book! It was fast paced novel that I could not put down. Full of feminine rage and revenge.

Cyra’s sister was murder and now she is going undercover into a serial support group to find her killer.

I loved the main character in this book! She was so determined and witty through out the entire book. I loved the side characters especially the serial killers in the group.

Did I hope for a romance between two of them?? Maybe…. I think I’ve read too many dark romances.

The ending was not what I except but it was a perfect ending for Cyra.

Genre: Thriller
APK: Ebook
Pages: 320
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Series or Standalone: Stand-alone.


Thank you Crooked Lane Publishing for a free copy of The Serial Killer Support Group for a honest review.

Read with caution!

Saratoga Schaefer’s Serial Killer Support Group is a debut novel with a dark, unsettling and unsettling premise. I originally asked for this copy because of the cover thinking it would have a lot of humor in it. That did not occur! The story follows Sira, a woman consumed by the brutal murder of her sister. Desperate for answers, she constantly hounds the police, unwilling to let the case go cold. When a friend at the station hints at a possible serial killer operating within a so-called "support group," Sira embarks on a dangerous mission to infiltrate their ranks.

This is not a book for the faint of heart—it's gruesome, disturbing, and filled with shocking moments. Schaefer doesn't hold back on the blood and guts, making it an intense read for horror fans who appreciate the genre's darker elements. The structure, flipping between Sira’s perspective and the support group members, adds to the tension and keeps the reader engaged. The twist at the end was unexpected but a perfect way to end the story!

If there’s one downside, it’s that the book felt a bit too short. I would have loved more development around the characters to deepen the emotional impact of their stories. A decent debut novel and I look forward to reading more by this author!

Overall, Serial Killer Support Group is a twisted, gripping read that horror lovers will appreciate—just be sure to go in prepared for a brutal ride.

I had a lot of fun with this book. Cyra's evolution from 'sister of a murder victim' to 'human with a purpose' is entertaining, and as believable as it can be when the main character is infiltrating a serial killer support group. I loved that the chapters switched between the current story of the SKSG and the origin/important moments of the various killers. It's dark, creepy, and utterly entertaining. I hated all of the characters, but I get the feeling I'm supposed to. It's an enjoyable read that I would recommend if you're a fan of the genre.

I wanted to fall in love with this book. The plot was promising and right up my alley. I’m not saying it was bad but I just found it difficult to want to pick it up. Thanks for the chance to read it!

This book was a bit like the movie 'Vicious Fun" but without the unhinged humor. It starts tragic and with a leading lady looking for a revenge for the murder of her sister. (Meanwhile we go learning a few dark sides of our leading lady more the killer kind)
I like it but somehow I expected to fly through those pages and I didn't. It's short but it reads longer.

This queer, feminist, debut thriller was absolutely a fun and chilling read for me! The title is self-explanatory, but I will say, despite ‘cutesy’ serial killer fiction being very popular in the last few years, this book is the nitty gritty darker exploration of serial killer mindsets; so adjust your expectations!

Cyra’s sister is murdered, and when the cop’s stall on solving the murder, she decides to take matters into her own hands. With an insider tip, Cyra infiltrates a local secret support group of serial killers. Cloaked in secrecy and requiring ‘proof’ of her own work, Cyra embraces her own darkness in the name of love for her family.

The author does a great job with each serial killer’s unique backstory/first kill/trauma (explained in chapter breaks) with hair-raising detail. They also created palatable tension between Cyra and the members, while also leaning into the human side of these killers. Twists, turns, sharp wit, and a unique premise captivated my attention! I look forward to Schaefer’s next novel.

Cyra's little sister, the one she's been protecting all their lives, has been murdered. Cyra doesn't grieve like she's expected to - instead of crying, she locks away her feelings, and focuses on facts and solutions. How can she find the one who killed her sister? Well, by infiltrating a support group for serial killers, of course.

I'd say this was a good one-time read. Cyra was an interesting character, and there were some twists at the end that I definitely didn't expect. I also liked that her relationship with Mira wasn't perfect - in fact, the little sister is a bit exploitative. Still I felt like something was lacking to make me really invested. The male serial killers didn't have anything new to offer.

The plot of this was unique and intriguing. A support group for serial killers and highly unlikeable people at that. I can't say I was exactly rooting for anyone, but this was a story I couldn't look away from. While the writing was solid, I had to suspend disbelief throughout. Which, for me, at least was fine. It is a story, after all. I enjoyed this one for what it was, and anyone who is looking for a fun, campy, doesn't take itself too seriously read will, too. Three stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books, for this ARC.

This book was really very good! I loved the overall premise and plot of the book, but I feel that for all of the build up, the ending came together well, but very quickly.

I LOVED this book. Read this in about 6 hrs and couldn’t put it down !!!! This is a new author for me and will be a repeat author moving forward. I was never bored reading this . I felt it was also very easy to read

The title caught my attention immediately, and the synopsis only hooked it further. I managed to keep my expectations neutral so I wouldn't get disappointed, but I genuinely couldn't have predicted how addicting this book was.

The concept of the story was wild, but it delivered exactly what I needed it to. The suspense and tension kept me interested, and the dark wit had me entertained throughout.
All the characters were so well written that I found it hard to dislike characters that I definitely shouldn't be liking, which just got me even more sucked into the plot. The additions of backstory chapters to certain killers added understanding to the character beyond what you could see from the main characters POV, and it gave the story more layers.
I did occasionally feel like Cyra's reflections and flashbacks felt repetitive or drawn out, but aside from that I ate the book up and wished more more when I ran out of pages.

I don't think I've ever described a book as a light and dark, but if you want a light read with a dark plot then this is perfect.