I liked it but didn’t love it. An easy to follow page turner that will keep you guessing. I found the serial killers really interesting, but there also wasn’t enough on them. I do really like that the chapters were short and it was also really interesting the chapters in the others POV.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley.

Serial killers in group therapy? Dark humor? A murder mystery? Serial Killer Support Group has all the ingredients for a killer read - and it mostly delivers. The concept is not exactly genius but it's like nothing I've ever read.
Cyra, our main character, felt frustratingly real. Her sharp wit kept things lively, but watching her get used and manipulated by half the people in her life left me more sad for her than anything. And while the humor and suspense balanced perfectly throughout, the ending fell just shy of the big payoff I was hoping for.
Still, Schaefer's blend of satire, sharp commentary, and unexpected heart makes this a memorable debut.

Serial Killer Support Group
Wow!! How far would you go to revenge the murder of your younger sister? Cyra Griffin chose to join a support group for serial killers by pretending to be one herself. But will that need for vengeance come at a cost?
This dark thriller emphasizes women’s wrongs and makes you wonder just how many evil monsters are among us.

This unique thriller completely caught me off guard in the best way. While the beginning was a bit slow, once the plot picked up, I was hooked—and the rest of the book absolutely flew by!

One of the standout elements for me was the use of multiple POVs. It added layers to the mystery, keeping me constantly guessing about motives and outcomes. The story is packed with twists and turns, and just when you think you’ve figured something out, it pulls the rug out from under you.

The main character was fascinatingly unlikeable—her questionable decisions and shaky morals made her feel unpredictable and real. Despite her flaws, I still found myself rooting for her, which is a testament to how well she was written. It’s not often you find a character who’s both compelling and morally ambiguous, and this book nailed that balance.

This book will keep you on your toes from start to finish, delivering a thrilling mystery that’s as dark and twisted as it is engaging!

The title of this book absolutely grabbed me from the start but honestly it wasn’t what I was hoping for. The whole plot of the book was new and exciting, something I’ve seen before and I was ready for a change. Sadly I was disappointed with the one dimensional characters in the support group. The amount of times we just would get generic reasons of the killers or no character development and just the cliche of a “typical” serial killer was bland and kinda boring over time. The twists were kinda predictable and the ending was too cheesy in my opinion but it was still an all together good read just not what I was expecting with the synopsis.

After Cyra’s sister is murdered by a serial killer she seeks justice by infiltrating a local support group for serial killers. She has to act and think just like them in order to prove herself and gain access to information about which one of them might have murdered her sister. As she delves deeper into the minds of serial killers it begins to be harder and harder to hold onto her own humanity.

This book was wonderfully done and hit all the right serial killers vibes for my taste. Cyra’s decent into darkness as she also tries to solve her sister’s murder makes for a great main character who is unreliable and interesting. Although, I did see that ending coming the build up to it and the journey to get there was fun!

Although I liked the premise and the title of the book, I found myself not very engaged with the story. I thought the plot was too unbelievable, and I didn’t really connect with any of the characters. While we did have some backstory on them, it still felt like we didn’t truly get to know them. Additionally, the pace of the story didn’t pick up until nearly the end of the novel. Yeah.. this wasn’t for me.

Cyra was a very intriguing character, and her motive as well as her trauma set up a brilliant direction for the story.

I loved the idea of there being a support group for serial killers. It sounds surreal, but it's such an interesting concept that even the bad guys need a place to access support. The reasons behind this were talked about several times.

The serial killer asides, gave a small outlook into their minds, and were fascinating.

One of the themes explored in the book was female exploitation, gaslighting, and the dangers to women in society, namely from men. Cyra's need to protect her sister from such occurrences in her life was the setup for this brilliant novel and led her to wanting to exact revenge and her sisters killer.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was new, exciting, and unexpected. It explored the murder mystery and thriller genre incorporating female empowerment.

I always enjoy thrillers that have anti-hero or unreliable narrator leading the story. It doubles the suspense and adds a really special element to the book because it engages the readers in an additional way. Having Crya as the narrator trying to solve her sister’s murder while emotionally struggling with her identity and descent into darkness is a brilliant tool that elevates this novel so much. We see her struggle with emotions, empathy, and remorse from chapter one until the very end, when her new identity is cemented. I personally thoroughly enjoyed tracking her internal shift as the book went on. The author also integrates chapters from the perspective of every serial killer Cyra meets in their support group. It’s dark and messy and sometimes really disgusting to see their perspectives, but it’s also an exercise in really incredible writing. Everything, all the murders and the sick serial killer characters, feel real and multi-dimensional. I found myself intrigued by Cyra’s interactions with them and wanting to find those classifications and divisions she was separating them into. Her relationship with them that grows side by side with her own loss of morality is especially powerful. My favorite aspect of the novel wasn’t even the exciting plot or setting, but the way we saw Cyra lose herself (or so we thought) and her fears and challenges into becoming the very people she was infiltrating with her secret identity. The last chapter was something that cemented this shift, and while I personally would have preferred the ambiguity as to whether Cyra became a killer because of this journey or was always ready to be one, I think that either way this novel is a wonderful exploration of character development and evolution, it’s a study in morality and what lengths a person driven by grief will go to. A deeply complex thriller that has very special meaning in every sentence and chapter.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!


(Review published 1/4/25 on Goodreads)

Serial Killer Support Group: A Twisted Tale of Revenge

Saratoga Schaefer's debut thriller has a premise that'll make you squirm: a woman infiltrates a support group for serial killers to avenge her sister's murder. It sounds like the setup for a bad joke, but Schaefer turns it into something darkly brilliant.

The story follows Cyra Griffin, who's done waiting for the police to catch her sister's killer. Her solution? Join a support group full of murderers. As you might guess, things get messy fast. The line between revenge and obsession starts to blur, and Cyra finds herself playing a dangerous game where one wrong move could make her the next victim.

What makes this book work isn't just its wild premise – it's how Schaefer handles the characters. These killers aren't just cartoon villains twirling their mustaches. They're complex, sometimes even likable (which makes them even creepier). The author weaves in dark humour and social commentary without getting preachy, and the queer representation feels natural rather than tacked on.

Sure, you'll need to suspend some disbelief. But if you can get past the unlikely setup, you're in for a tense, twisted ride that'll keep you up way too late. Think "Dexter" meets "Fight Club," but with a feminist edge.

Coming March 18, 2025, from Crooked Lane Books. Just don't blame me if you get paranoid at your next group therapy session.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Serial Killer Support Group.

With a title like this, I had to request this book!

When Cyra's younger sister is murdered, she takes matters into her own hands and insinuates herself into a support group for serial killers.

As she spends time with these dangerous men, Cyra will eventually discover some things about herself she's been denying...and will have to come face to face with her own inner demons.

I really, really wanted to love this, or even like this, but it was hard, and it took me a few days to pinpoint why.

First, I didn't like Cyra; I didn't dislike her but I didn't care about her. She's a female Dexter, but the big difference is I liked Dexter. A lot.

Cyra, not at all.

It might be the writing style or the tone but Cyra's character and monologuing just rubbed me the wrong way.

Second, her 'friends' are one dimensional, Eli is a wimp and Izzie isn't really Cyra's friend. But maybe that's the point.

They aren't her friends, they're Mira's friends because Cyra doesn't have any.

Third, I'm not a fan of coincidence and chance meetings; Eli works at the police department and Cyra works at a nursing home where deaths are a common occurrence.

Cyra didn't have to work hard to obtain information to the support group or gain inclusion and the whole thing felt too easy and hard to believe.

Fourth, Cyra gaining inclusion into the group was too speedy for me. It lacked suspense and tension.

Fifth, there was absolutely no guarantee the killer was part of the support group so Cyra gaining admission on it based on that faulty assumption was weak, at best.

I wasn't surprised by the ending; all the red flags were there that Cyra isn't like everyone else and I don't mean she's on the spectrum or neurodivergent.

I don't think the brief chapters from each killer to explain their origins was necessary because what was the point?

To explain/excuse their behavior because of their terrible childhood and/or family history?

The writing was okay, but the narrative required a high suspension of disbelief which I found hard to maintain as I kept reading.

It didn't help that Cyra was a lackluster and uninteresting anti-hero.

grieving, grief, twisted, mental-health-issues, depression, panic-attacks, PTSD, sisters, murders, disguises, serial-killer, obsession, abandoned, abandonment-issues, LGBTQIA, debut-novel, thriller, abuse, triggers, dark-humor, revenge, NYC****

Cyra isn't buying what the police are selling about the murder of her only sibling/relative. The police believe it was the work of a serial killer, so Cyra does whatever it takes to enter into a social group for serial killers. Say what? I really had to suspend disbelief before I could get into this strange story, but it was worth it.
I requested and received a temporary review copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thanks
Avail Mar 18, 2025

**Book Review: *Serial Killer Support Group***

*Serial Killer Support Group* is a razor-sharp, gripping thriller that fearlessly plunges readers into the shadowy depths of vengeance, grief, and morality. With its biting wit and unflinching exploration of human darkness, this queer feminist debut establishes itself as a standout in the crowded thriller genre. Fans of *The Final Girl Support Group* and *My Sister, the Serial Killer* will find plenty to savor here, but this novel stands firmly on its own as a daring and inventive take on the trope of vengeance-driven heroines.

Cyra Griffin is an unforgettable protagonist—brash, determined, and deeply flawed. Her journey begins with a singular mission: to avenge her younger sister’s brutal murder. But as Cyra infiltrates a support group for serial killers, pretending to be one of them, her quest for justice becomes a labyrinthine descent into moral ambiguity. The novel skillfully blurs the line between hunter and hunted, forcing readers to grapple with Cyra’s choices and the emotional toll of her obsession.

The support group itself is a chillingly compelling concept. Each member is a unique and horrifying character study, their dynamics laced with tension, paranoia, and dark humor. Watching Cyra navigate this volatile circle while concealing her true intentions is both nerve-wracking and fascinating. The psychological stakes are as high as the physical ones, and the novel doesn’t shy away from exploring the toll of living a double life amid monsters.

What sets *Serial Killer Support Group* apart is its feminist edge and sharp social commentary. It’s a story about revenge, yes, but also about the systems that fail women and the lengths some will go to when denied justice. The novel doesn’t offer easy answers; instead, it leans into the complexities of rage, grief, and what it means to reclaim power in a world that seeks to strip it away.

The prose is as dark and cutting as the subject matter, with moments of bleak humor that provide a sharp counterbalance to the tension. The pacing is relentless, driving readers forward as the mystery unfolds and Cyra’s world unravels. The twists are as satisfying as they are shocking, building to a conclusion that lingers long after the final page.

*Serial Killer Support Group* is not just a thriller—it’s a bold, unflinching exploration of vengeance, justice, and the monsters we all carry within us. This debut is a must-read for anyone who enjoys dark, thought-provoking fiction that doesn’t pull its punches.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read Serial Killer Support Group. This darkly humorous and surprisingly thought-provoking novel takes an unconventional premise and turns it into a story that’s equal parts chilling and clever. Following a group of individuals with a shared—and sinister—past, the book dives into questions of morality, redemption, and the human condition, all wrapped in a fast-paced and entertaining narrative.

The characters are uniquely flawed yet fascinating, and their dynamic keeps the story engaging. The blend of dark humor and suspense is skillfully balanced, making it both unsettling and oddly relatable at times. The plot twists are unexpected and keep you guessing, while the sharp dialogue and unique premise make the book hard to put down.

While the tone might not work for everyone—particularly those who prefer their thrillers less irreverent—the book’s originality is undeniable. Serial Killer Support Group is a quirky, gripping read that’s perfect for fans of dark humor and unconventional storytelling. If you’re up for something a little offbeat and entirely compelling, this one’s worth checking out.

Honestly I wasn’t sure what to expect but this book was it. I feel like I was captivated by this story from the very beginning and couldn’t put it down. I’m sad I waited so long to read this book, but I’m so happy I finally did!

This book was good in theory but the execution at times was poor. Each of the characters were so terrible it made it hard to love this book. It also was not a fast read as I kept getting bored and putting it down. I am appreciative of the arc tho

Really interesting premise a bit far fetched but still… I couldn’t put it down. It’s one of those books where all the characters are un-relatable but I enjoyed the twisted point of views. Keen to hear other people’s reviews!

The title is appropriate for the novel- it’s a Serial Killer Support Group. Cyra’s younger sister is murdered and to find the killer, she decides to pretend to be a killer and join a support group for serial killers hoping to find out just who killed her sister. I was hoping for more of a connection to the characters, but it didn’t happen for me. It wasn’t a bad novel, but didn’t live up to my expectations. 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC!

These people are really stupid.

By this, I mean all of them. Our MC. Her dead sister. Her friends. The serial killers (who all would be picked up so fast their heads would spin). All of them.

The support group concept is never, ever explained in a way that makes any logical sense. And why on earth would she assume that her sister’s killer would even be among this group? I mean, I got the little clue she was given, but still. Made no sense.

The *who* of everything was not a surprise. I just sighed a little and muttered, “of course” and then moved on.

I will say that this is an entertaining beach read, but you really, really need to turn off any bit of logic and intellect and just go along for the ride.

• ARC via Publisher

This book has everything going for it. The cover is simple, but eye catching. Booktok will go wild for it. The title will entice any fan of serial killer lore.

I really enjoyed reading the book. I found myself engrossed in Cyra's life after her sister's murder. She does some crazy things to find out who killed her sister. I think the idea of the book is very unique and I think it all panned out nicely.

I would definitely read more in the future by the author. They are doing something different and I'm here for it!

Thank you to NetGalley, Saratoga Schaefer, and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read Serial Killer Support Group. I have written this review voluntarily and honestly!