Serial Killer Support Group: A Thrilling Debut
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Saratoga Schaefer’s debut novel is a dark thriller with heavy focus on revenge and turning the tables once in a while. When Cyra’s sister is killed, she joins a support group for serial killers to seek justice and revenge.
The concept is actually interesting and a little original and Schaefer does a good job of ratcheting up the tension. I like the character representation and the characters are complex and interesting and the thing which adds the deep interest is that the twist is unpredictable, as far as I saw it.
Of course, the book has its fair share of the gloomy moments; however, it is an excellent analysis of people’s souls. While the book was a little dark and disturbing at some points, I can pay a special attention to the dynamics of Cyra’s transformation into the collector of serial murders.

Please read the Trigger and Content Warnings before reading this book!
Overall, Serial Killer Support Group is a fairly sound entry that should please devotees of post-modern horror and suspense thrillers, releasing on 18th March 2025.

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving the opportunity to read and review this book!

This book was a quick easy read. I enjoyed the premise, something new and refreshing. However, I could not stand Cyra, the main character. 4 stars because for those that like books similar to Frieda McFaddens I think they’d enjoy this one as well.

So this book was a unique one with a serial killer support group and Cyra's character was by far my favorite. However, the book lacked the suspense and was entirely too predictable. It's a shame as there was so much promise here!

thanks to netgalley & crooked lane books for the free earc in exchange for a fair and honest review!

this book has a really unique premise, and i think it delivered.
the characterization was really good considering the somewhat limited length of the book in relation to the depth of the plot. i was impressed by how much was packed into the book, and it really kept my attention for the full length of the book.
i found most of the plot twists to be very predictable (whipworm having been pea crab's killer was very obvious given the photo thing being whipworm's mo, and honestly i thought the real killer was eli or izzie from the beginning) but i was so genuinely entertained by the development of cyra's character that it didn't really bother me.
this is a really solid book with a unique plot. read this if you enjoy: serial killers, psychopaths, and really cool character development.

Cyra's sister has been murdered and now she is going to infiltrate a group of “anonymous serial killers” to try to uncover the culprit.
The book's approach is a bit unusual with a group of killers getting together to discuss their little stories and share tips to improve their efficiency.
Cyra is not a usual character either, she has always felt different and meeting with these killers will reveal some sides of herself that she didn't know about.
Although it does not go too deep in some aspects, the plot is interesting, with chapters that tell a little of each of the serial killers, however you can get to imagine who the culprit is without too much effort.
Recommended for those looking for a light and entertaining thriller.

I received this book as an ARC from Crooked Lane books and NetGalley. Cyra Griffin lived in New York City with her sister, Mira, until Mira was murdered. Cyra believes her sister was murdered by a serial killer. She sets out to infiltrate a serial killer support group to avenge her sister’s death. I enjoyed the action-packed story, which really kept me guessing. I will read more by this author.

unfortunately i found this one extremely hard to get into and enjoy overall. i was extremely intrigued by the premise of this book but felt like Cyra and honestly most of the characters in this fell very flat and one dimensional. quick read but just not a very fun one

Absolutely LOVED this book. Cyra was complex, funny and so damn courageous. I thought this was a fantastic plot and the freaking mystery to me, was not predictable. I was shook!

This was a really fun read- and all opinions are of my own. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

Cyras sister Mira was killed, presumably by a serial killer based on some insider info at the police station. Cyra is outraged and devastated and ready to avenge her sisters murder, but the police are taking forrreevvverrr- so she takes matters into her own hands. She hears whispers of a serial killer support group happening and she digs in on the dark web, and finds that it DOES exist. She does some questionable things and is approved by the group to join the support group.. where she befriends one member of the group in particular, who promises to help her find her sisters killer in return for her help on his next kill.

It’s a really fun mystery with a good game of cat and mouse woven in. And I love how it was a serial killer support group versus a victims group or final girls group. This plotline was refreshing! I was totally into seeing how her ….relationship?… would progress as a friend of a serial killer, and also with herself. She was really struggling with finding out she is in the wake of her sister’s death- so much of her identity was tied in caretaking for her younger sister from a young age.

4.5 stars overall, and will totally recommend my thriller friends dig into this gem.

I loved Serial Killer Support Group, but I'm not sure how to review it without spoiling it as it's so different to what's out there.

Cyra joins a serial killer suppoer group (yes, really) after her sister Mira is murdered. She believes by joining the group, she'll get closure and possibly solve her sister's murder.

The twist at the end was shocking!! I had to read it twice, and then, of course, the penny dropped! How could I not see it?

I'd recommend this book to anyone who's after a different type of whodunit...!! 10/10

When Cyra's sister is murdered by a serial killer, she decides to undertake her own investigation. She joins a support group for serial killers by pretending to be one herself in the hopes of finding the person who ended her sister’s life.

I found the idea of a serial killer support group intriguing, however the story felt flat and lacked suspense. The characters were one dimensional and I felt as detached from Cyra as she was from everyone else.

more of a 3.5 star overall, but i really enjoyed this one!

we follow Cyra who’s sister is murdered and Cyra is told by investigators that they think her sister was murdered by a serial killer that they have yet to catch so Cyra goes under cover in a serial killer support group to try and catch her sisters killer.

while this is dark and intense at times it was a pretty fun book. very different to anything i’ve read in awhile and i appreciated that. i enjoyed the little snippets we get of some of the serial killers backstory’s - i found that super intriguing!

there were a few things i wish were more fleshed out, like Mira (cyras sister) and Cyra’s relationship. i wish we got more of their relationship/bond because i didn’t really buy it or Cyra wanting to go to such great lengths for her. i also wasn’t a huge fan of one of the “twist” reveals and what follows (have to be vague because spoilers).

overall, a super solid debut and ill be looking forward to more by this author.

Cyra's sister, Mira (no, their names don't rhyme and yes, this was VERY hard for my brain to grasp) is killed and Cyra gets a tip that it was at the hands of a serial killer. Naturally, she has to get revenge and does this by infiltrating a support group for serial killers. As one does.

The whole 'getting revenge for a murder by also trying to murder' thing has gotten pretty popular lately; an idea that I love, but the execution is rarely there for me. Saratoga Schaefer, where you been all my life, BECAUSE YOU DID IT.

Cyra is a badass. I think a lot of people are going to have a hard time liking her, but I absolutely loved her. She lacks some emotion, which is something she even gets mad at herself for. This may seem unrealistic to some, but I found it super real and relatable. I liked reading about her throughout, but those last few chapters? I really hope this is being setup for a series because I would read about her forever.

The mystery was a little bit predictable, but that's all I'm going to say on that so I don't spoil anything. I don't care that I figured it out, I still loved every moment of it.

Honestly, the only part of this book I didn't like was Mira. She seemed like an absolutely dreadful person and I don't think her death was worth surrounding yourself with serial killers. Maybe that makes me the dreadful person.

Hmm. I don’t know where to start. Did I like it? A bit, perhaps.

The premise was unique in some ways. I’ve read books about survivors and final girls—you know, those types of books.

But I’ve never heard of a serial killer support group. The idea was kind of wild, and a huge part of me really wanted to like it. That might have been possible if the characters weren’t so one-dimensional. Even the serial killers weren’t that interesting or scary; I just felt disconnected from them. And Cyra? I hated her from the first few pages. Nope, I didn’t feel anything for her.

One thing I did like, though, was the revelation of who really killed Cyra’s sister. I knew I shouldn’t focus on one culprit, and I was right—the twist was surprising enough.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC!

I can imagine people enjoying this book. If you liked the TV-series Dexter, you might be into this book.

It is just that I am not convinced by Cyra as a character. Her detachment, how she is off when it comes to emotions or being around friends... it is hard to get a grip on her relationship with her sister Mira who was a bit obnoxious, mostly thinking about herself, at least that is the way it looked to me. Cyra's story was perhaps meant to be dark, but it wasn't that outspoken. She left me confused.
And then all those dysfunctional families, as if there was never a proper parent around in all the different points of view.

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.

Overview: After her sister is murdered by a serial killer, Cyra takes it upon herself to solve her sister's murder by joining an in-person serial killer support group to find her sister's killer.

I really enjoyed reading this book - the plot was very unique and had some twists and turns. I definitely could not guess the ending. Cyra is strong, unwavering, determined, easy to root for, but also had her complexities as well. She was kind of like an onion - layers of her personality kept being revealed and we don't really get to see her full character until the very end. Her protectiveness over her sibling was relatable - she was motivated by the death of her sister and the love she had for her.
I also really liked reading about each serial killer and their unique profiles. Some moments between them during the sessions were humorous and almost normal, as if it was a regular AA meeting instead of a meeting of psychopaths and creeps. It was cool to see how Cyra handled herself in front of that group and the dynamics between each killer. I also liked the parasitic nicknames - very fitting.

I would recommend this book if you like true crime and you're looking for something a little different than other mystery/thrillers. This one will keep you guessing to the very end.

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

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

This was a miss for me! Tonally it felt off, and it needed more buildup to the actual club. The tension wasn't built enough to justify the payoff.

This was definitely unique I really enjoyed it I actually thought I knew the killer but I was a tad wrong!
It was interesting and different I couldn’t put it down!
Fast paced thriller with interesting characters and a plot I really enjoyed
I really liked the idea of a serial killer support groups
It’s so bizarre
I actually hated Mira though
I loved how cold mistletoe was she was by far by favourite

In order to track down her sisters killer, Cyra pretends to be a serial killer, so she can join a serial killer support group. A group consists largely of men, very dangerous men, and Cyra ends up, putting her own life on the line. A dark and disturbing look at the dangers and horrors awaiting women in the 21st century.