Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

3.5

Overall, this book was good time! I rolled my eyes a bit at the beginning as it felt like a wild level of suspension of disbelief was required just to set up the plot. However, Cyra was a chilling, fascinating anti-hero and I felt delightfully squirmy as the book progressed.

I really loved the concept of this book. I have read multiple thrillers but the idea of a serial killer support group grabbed my attention instantly. I received an ARC from NetGalley & Crooked Lane Books. I felt like the book felt flat and didn’t really keep my attention the way I expected. It was very different but I was surprised by the killer. I thought I knew who it was but I was wrong !

I would read more from this author.

Serial Killer Support Group had a really fun premise. I wasn't sure about the story for the first few chapters, as I couldn't see where it was going, but by the mid-way point I was caught up in the action. I especially enjoyed Cyra's relationship with Lamprey and I thought their scenes together were some of the most compelling in the latter part of the story. There was a bit of a twist at the end which helped to wind things up nicely, and overall the book was well paced and entertaining reading. It's witty, dark and I could see it working well as a Netflix series. I am giving it four stars. It does have a bit of a slow start, but if you stick with it, the second half of the book gives you your reward.

In Serial Killer Support Group, Saratoga Schaefer brings an unsettling yet unique twist to the revenge narrative through the lens of Cyra Griffin, a protagonist whose intense grief and anger propel her into a world of serial killers. After the murder of her sister, Mira, Cyra’s desperation pushes her to infiltrate a secret support group for serial killers, hoping to find Mira’s murderer hiding among them.

The book explores Cyra’s journey from victim to avenger, with plenty of tension, psychological complexity, and moments of moral ambiguity. What initially captivated me was the novel’s premise: a revenge plot that intertwines with Cyra’s slow descent into darkness. Cyra, while difficult to like, is a fascinating character, and her cold, calculating nature keeps you intrigued as she navigates a dangerous game with the killers in the group. Schaefer does a great job of building suspense, making you question how far Cyra is willing to go in her pursuit of justice.

One of the highlights is how Schaefer dives into the backstories of the killers in the group, giving them depth and avoiding the usual trope of one-dimensional villains. Cyra’s interactions with them—especially a particular killer who forms an alliance with her—are tense, uncomfortable, and compelling, adding layers to the story. The constant push and pull between Cyra’s revenge mission and her growing involvement in the killers’ twisted world makes for a thrilling read.

While the mystery at the heart of the book isn’t hard to figure out, the psychological unraveling of Cyra and the exploration of her darker side elevate the story. The ending is particularly satisfying, with a twist that adds new dimensions to Cyra’s journey, and suggests that she may have been more broken from the start than we realized. Despite some moments that require suspension of disbelief—like how easily Cyra infiltrates the group—the book’s originality and intense atmosphere make it worth the ride.

If you enjoy dark, psychological thrillers with morally grey characters and aren’t afraid to suspend disbelief, Serial Killer Support Group will keep you hooked.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for this book in exchange for my honest review. Unfortunately, this book was not what I thought it would be: it was not entertaining for me at all. While the premise was really appealing, I struggled a lot with the author’s ability to develop character’s fully. There was a lot of unnecessary information in-between the main plot of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing this book, with my honest review below.

The Serial Killer Support Group had such an interesting premise I was curious about whether it would be a great addition to the serial killer fiction kick I’ve found myself on (don’t judge) or one of the more forgettable additions. Lucky for me I enjoyed it and found it unique and engrossing, so (less lucky for me) I find myself eager to get even more into this quirky category of books.

We are introduced to the group through Cyra, whose sister Mira was murdered by what the cops suspect is a serial killer - though they don’t seem to be making much progress in finding the killer. Cyra is introduced to the idea of the group through Mira’s best friend Izzy’s boyfriend, and manages to make her way in. As she tries to suss out who in the group is Mira’s killer, we get introductions to the rest of the group which act as breaks in the story to Cyra and Mira. This is good because Cyra isn’t necessarily a likeable main character, but she is the right guide for this type of story.

What ultimately emerges is a study of a MC who may not have understood her own dark side, and a twist that isn’t super shocking but is very entertaining. If you have an interest in darker fiction, I’d recommend you give this a whirl - just be ready to suspend disbelief given the title and premise.

Serial Killer Support Group by Saratoga Schaefer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Your sister is murdered and the police have no leads so what else can you do but infiltrate a serial killer support group and hope to find the killer among all the killers.

The title alone dragged me in. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. There were lots of twist and turns. I wasn’t completely shocked by who the killer was but nevertheless I enjoyed reading this booo so much. Cyra was bad ass and willing to go very far to uncover her sisters murder. The ending though, was shocking.

LOVE LOVE LOVE.

If you are a “that wouldn’t happen in real life” reader, hopefully you read the title and politely set the book back down. This one isn’t for you.

EVERYONE ELSE - THIS BOOK IS GOLD.

The concept of this book is what originally caught my attention. A girl finds herself in a Serial Killer Support Group, trying to find her sister’s murderer. The character’s dialogue kept me chuckling, while simultaneously appreciating the characters ongoing development.

The only criticism I have is that the “Mistletoe” crimes at the end would have been more effective if they were woven into the story.

I would read an entire book about Lamprey

*3.5 stars*

Cyra’s sister, Mira, is killed by a serial killer. But it seems that the police don’t have any idea who it was. After Cyra gets insider info of a serial killer support group and decides to infiltrate it to hopefully find her sister’s killer and seek revenge.

The premise of this book was so interesting and unique. And while I enjoyed that I thought it would be a little deeper than it was, including the characters. I didn’t enjoy the main character at all or her evolution and that made it hard to root for her. Her description of her relationship with her sister made it hard to believe she would go such great lengths to avenge her death. I really liked the chapters that showed a glimpse into the serial killers in the group.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the advanced copy of this book.

Disturbing and flawed. I couldn't put this one down, even though we're asked to accept some pretty darn unbelievable premises right of the get-go. Rolling-my-eyes level flaws. But this isn't your average thriller. Our lead Cyra is on a quest to discover who murdered her beloved sister. This leads her into a rather unsettling "support" group. Every few chapters we get the backstory on a member. Cyra is convinced that one of them is her target. Things don't turn out as expected, to put it mildly. I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next. The sociopathy and fear at the heart of the narrative was riveting. I had no idea how our lead was going to maintain control of the situation at any point. On that front, most of the narrative felt genuine. If you can suspend disbelief about the rest, you're in for a wild ride.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copies of this book. It was a different type of thriller than I am used to. It was unique, dark, and very interesting.
The book centers on Cyra, who infiltrates a support group for serial killers, in hopes of finding her sister's murderer and avenging her death.
The book primarily centers on Cyra, but a few times throughout the book, there is a chapter from one of the killers' perspectives. This was a creative way to show different mindsets.
The book was probably a little too gruesome for my taste. It was extremely dark and graphic with violence.
Cyra is a complex character. She is a shell of a person after the loss of her sister and is only fuled with revenge. She isn't necessarily likable, but you are compelled by the mystery of who killed her sister.
I would recommend this book if you enjoy dark thrillers. It was intriguing and something different to read. The author did a good job of getting into the scary minds of the killers, but the book was hard to read because of its brutality for myself personally.

This was an entertaining read- and all opinions are of my own. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

i really did enjoy reading this book. it felt like i was in one of criminal minds' episode!!

A really fascinating premise that sent goosebumps up my spine with the knowledge that these people really live among us! I felt her love for her sister and that made the idea more believable as I'm sure most of us can relate to. Taking matters into her own hands she takes a huge risk but in doing so we get to see how serial killers tick. Frightening in parts, but undeniably fast paced and tense.

I really loved this. When I saw the plot, I knew I had to give this one a go. As far as the plot I loved this. The narration is great. Cyra is a great character (unreliable? Anti-hero?) whatever she is. I definitely didn’t see some of the twists coming. And as I’ve said before, I’m a sucker for a good debut.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane for the ARC of this book. This will be out in March of 2025!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC

What a ride! A fun and engaging thriller with twists all over. I found the concept really cool and well executed. If you're looking for a thrilling and fast paced novel with a badass main character, I highly recommend.

I was so intrigued by the title and concept of the book. I enjoyed the story overall, but where it felt short for me was the many descriptive moments that I felt were unnecessary. That said, I liked reading about the different serial killer types and our main character's psyche. I loved the twists at the end, even though I guessed one of them. Overall, good story idea, execution could have been better.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

In “Serial Killer Support Group,” Saratoga Schaefer delivers a thrilling and refreshingly unique take on the revenge trope, centering on Cyra Griffin, a character who is as compelling as she is unhinged. After the murder of her sister, Mira, Cyra's life spirals into a blend of grief and anger, driving her to take matters into her own hands. Fueled by her frustration with the slow-moving police investigation, Cyra infiltrates a secret support group for serial killers, aiming to find her sister’s murderer from within. As expected with a book about serial killers, be aware of content warnings like violence and gore, though there actually isn’t too much in this book.

The plot hinges on Cyra’s descent into the underworld of killers—a world where the lines between justice and darkness blur. Her emotional detachment and single-minded obsession with avenging her sister make her a difficult but fascinating character. I found it a struggle to connect with her, but her coldness feels intentional and adds depth to her arc, especially with the ending of the book. Cyra’s lack of emotion, even when she recognizes it in herself, contributes to the slow unraveling of her psyche throughout the novel. Her interactions with the killers, particularly one who offers to help her find Mira’s killer in exchange for assistance with his next crime, heighten the tension and create a twisted “friendship” dynamic that keeps you hooked. I really enjoyed seeing Cyra adopting her own serial killer persona throughout the book; Cyra’s character as well as the serial killers were the most interesting parts of the book for me.

While the central mystery is predictable in places, the journey to the resolution is thrilling. The group of killers is well-developed, with Schaefer giving us glimpses into their lives, adding dimension to characters who could have easily been one-note villains. The way Cyra is slowly drawn into this world, teetering on the edge of becoming one of them, is a fascinating psychological exploration. It adds layers to the "cat-and-mouse" game between her and the other killers, making her increasingly hard to classify as hero or anti-hero.

The book's ending is satisfying and leaves room for potential sequels, especially with the reveal that some things Cyra—and we as readers—believed all along were not what they seemed. The final twist not only shocks but also ties up the threads of Cyra’s personal transformation, making it clear she was broken long before her sister’s murder, adding a deeper emotional resonance to her journey.

Despite a few suspension-of-disbelief moments—like how easily Cyra infiltrates the group—the book's originality and Cyra’s intense internal struggle make “Serial Killer Support Group” an engrossing read. Schaefer’s execution of the revenge plot, paired with a fresh premise of a support group for killers rather than victims, will have you clamoring for more of Cyra’s dangerously chaotic world.

Thanks NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely loved this book! Even when I thought I had it figured out, there were twists right to the very end. It is definitely disturbing at times, but also really interesting, with characters that you kind of love to hate. I would highly recommend checking out this book when it hits shelves in March. I couldn’t put it down.

I found the plot and idea for this book very creative and interesting. We have an impostor story here! Or something along the lines of "one of us is lying" , I really enjoyed this concept with the setting in this story though I will not discuss it here as it would spoil a few things.
Our protagonist encounters a tragedy and tries to find justice herself, so the book picks up and I think it was executed amazingly.
The pacing does not drag on and I did not find parts where I was skimming over the text.

Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this story as an ARC

Main Takeaways:
- 3rd Person
- Murder
- Justice
- Impostor
- Mystery

Remmended? HELL YES

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

I honestly had no idea where this book was going to go in the beginning. I loved how Cyra’s character changed throughout the book and the brief “alliances” she had. I do wish there was more story with the support group, but overall a good read!!