This book unfortunately didn't do it for me. I hated every character. It's such a good premise, but the follow-through is lacking.

This book is one of the most unique stories I’ve ever read, which was super refreshing.
There were some parts of this book that I adored, and other elements that seemed to be lacking for my personal enjoyment. However it’s always refreshing to find a unique story like this one.
This is fast paced which I really enjoyed but I found myself asking questions that were never really answered.
But overall this was a nice quick read and it was unlike anything I’ve read recently, I love the concept and the plot twists.
As far as a debut novel goes this was well executed and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

More reviews and posts will be posted on Instagram and Goodreads , thank you for the opportunity to read this arc. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future!

Serial Killer Support Group is a different sort of mystery/thriller. I read a fair amount in the genre, and I have to give credit where credit is due: this book brings something unique.

The basic premise is thus: our protagonist, Cyra (pronounced Sigh-ra), frustrated with a lack of progress on the part of the police into her sister’s murder, takes matters into her own hands. As one does (to be clear, yes, I absolutely would).

Now, in Cyra’s case that requires infiltrating a clandestine support group for serial killers. And if you find yourself puzzled by this, having read enough to understand that serial killers tend to be of a solitary bent, well, author Saratoga Schaefer has an answer for that. These particular serial killers yearn for the company and understanding of their own kind, or at least that is the explanation offered in the book. I had a difficult time finding it believable, for a couple of reasons – aside from the obvious one that most serial killers do tend to be solitary creatures. First, at least one of the members of the support group barely speaks. Second, the remaining members are openly hostile with one another. The whole thing gives off the vibes you’d expect to find from a mandated support group in a juvenile detention facility, rather than a group formed for genuine support and fellowship as this one supposedly is.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Frankly, the thread that leads Cyra to believe her sister was murdered by one of these men is the thinnest of the thin. To her credit, her devotion to her sister is boundless. And borders on obsessive, honestly, as you will find if you read this book. They have a very odd relationship, and neither sister is particularly admirable. But Mira, Cyra’s sister, was narcissistic, manipulative, and exploitative. And it very much raises the question of why Cyra is so devoted, though it’s entirely possible that she latched on simply because she was so marginalized and neglected that even a facsimile of attachment was enough. Cyra herself is clearly a bit off plumb, as the reader finds out as they go along.

And if all of the above gives you the impression that I didn’t like the book, nothing could be further from the truth. The story is certainly flawed. But it’s also original and unusual, and Cyra is such a train wreck that in spite of the fact that she’s not at all likable you kind of root for her anyway.

There are some things about this book that are not at all surprising. The twist isn’t all that twisty, for example. I don’t want to put any spoilers in here so I don’t want to get too specific, but several other scenes you will see coming a mile away. But for all that, it’s actually a really fun read, if a bit bloody, and in the end when Cyra sets off with a new mission, you really can’t help but laugh.

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am leaving a voluntary review.

3.5 stars - I love a book about female killers full of rage, so I had high hopes for this one. Cyra joins a serial killer support group looking to find out who murdered her sister. This book was so unique and I loved that there was a chapter dedicated to each killer in the group.

The book felt long at times and you definitely have to suspend belief while reading. I recommend checking trigger warnings. This was a quick read and I would read this author again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I had a hard time getting into this book. It might be the mood I am currently experiencing. As I have written with other reviews, I am a major mood reader.. I may give this book another shot when I am in the mood for a good thriller.

This book might be my favorite read of 2025 and it is only January. The premise is so unique and interesting. I never wanted this book to end. I would fully read a sequel. The author does a fantastic job of delving into the lives of these serial killers and making the reader want to know as much as they can. There is no way I could have predicted the ending. Obsessed is an understatement. Every thriller lover needs to read this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

Mood: Dark, intense, mysterious
Pace: Fast-paced
Characterization: Morally grey, intriguing
Content Warnings: Graphic violence, gore, discussions of murder

What if you had to infiltrate a serial killer support group to find your sister’s murderer? That’s exactly what Cyra does in Serial Killer Support Group, a thriller that blends psychological tension with dark humor and unexpected twists.

🔪 What I Loved:
✔️ A unique & gripping premise—serial killers in group therapy? Wild.
✔️ Cyra’s character arc is fascinating and morally complex.
✔️ The ending—WOW. Twisted and satisfying.

⚠️ What Could Be Better:

Too many plotlines competing for attention.

Some characters needed more depth.


📢 Final Thoughts:
This book is dark, disturbing, and impossible to put down. If you enjoy thrillers like Dexter or My Sister, the Serial Killer, you’ll love this one.


#SerialKillerSupportGroup #StoryGraphReviews #DarkThrillers #MurderMystery

This felt like it needed a much stronger editorial hand. While the central conceit, a support group for serial killers being infiltrated by a young woman looking for her sister's killer, is a very cool idea on the surface that's where it stays, the surface. There are simply too many balls in the air here and I became totally exhausted. Which of the serial killers is secretly a mole? Which one killed Cyra's sister? Is Cyra turning into a serial killer? What are all their backstory's? Any ONE of these would have made an excellent book but ALL of them simply becomes too cumbersome. Schaefer's writing is solid but none of the characters or storylines ever get enough "screen time" to be fully developed. The ending lacks teeth and feels too predictable.

What a fun read, just enough twists and turns to keep me on my toes, great characters and development through out. You don't often find a main character like this without hating them. Would.make a good streaming show!

WOW!!! I could not put this book down!! Cyra was a great character amongst several other interesting characters. What a unique and invigorating storyline. Great writing makes this a must read. And that ending! Amazing!!!!!!

First I would like to thank Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC of this novel.

This book was from a new to me author but I really enjoyed the book.

I was such an interesting premise and instead of focusing on the crimes of the serial killers it focused on the people behind them.

I like that everyone character wasn’t necessarily likeable but it did keep me engaged and wanting to learn more.

3.75/5 stars rounded up to 4 for this review.

This was a unique and interesting plot that kept me engaged throughout the book. I will be excited to read more from this author.

I would highly recommend this four-star read. This book was a fun time. The premise of this book was unique. Usually, the support groups are about final girls or survivors and so this kind of turns those premises around to the serial killers. Was this my favorite book? No, but it was pretty good for what it was.

I didn’t love this one. Finished it, but it wasn’t my jam.
The idea is very unique so rounded up to 3⭐️

I had the opportunity to read "The Serial Killer Support Group" by Saratoga Schaefer, thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books. This book was incredibly engaging, and I found myself completely absorbed by its unique premise. The idea might seem outlandish at first—a support group for serial killers—but it was executed in such a way that continually drew me back in.

I particularly appreciated how the author provided detailed backgrounds of the serial killers, which were cleverly sprinkled throughout the narrative. This approach added depth and intrigue, making the story not just about the crimes, but also about the characters behind them. The book was a fantastic read, and I am eager to see what Saratoga Schaefer writes next, as this feels like just the beginning of an exciting body of work.

Serial Killer Support Group by Saratoga Schaefer

I still remember when I requested this book on @netgalley and what remember the most was the potencial I felt when I read the title.

That red cover, those particular weapons. I was hooked and I had no way to read the book as it was pending approval.

And I got that email, I had it in my shelf. It was all there for me waiting to be read. Dissected. Tested to the core.

I do not want to brag about my sixth sense for this one but I simply knew it would be far more than I expected. And it was. She delivered. It was her debut novel and she delivered.

Saratoga Schaefer created a safe space for serial killers, a place where they could express what they needed, what they wanted. She created a support group where those heinous crimes were out, exposed, in the open; just like the bodies they left behind.

This novel deals mainly with human nature and with all the darkness we allow ourselves to feel, to embarace and to share with the world. It is a tribute to the deeper parts of our souls, those that we keep hidden, buried in the back of our minds.

Every single name, every profile was carefully built to make us feel what the main character embraced. It is a novel written not to be devoured but to be enjoyed, to be savored as those man savored the hunt and the killing.

It may have been the story of a sister seeking justice, of loss and grief. But I want to think of it as a story of self discovery, as a journey to the deepest and darkest parts of who we truly are and how we choose to deal with them.

Thank you Mistletoe, I’m with you all the way.

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. Our main character Cyra has a sister Mira who is murdered by a serial killer, As such, she joins this support group of......serial killers. We learn of their back stories, what made them begin killing. This book is high stakes and it doesn't take long to get the ball rolling which is what I enjoyed about it. Will Cyra find out who murdered her sister? Let's find out.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Rating is more like 3.5 stars! This book feels challenging to give a number rating to, honestly. I would not say I enjoyed this book and yet found myself really intrigued to get to the end.

Not a single likeable character in this book but that doesn't usually stop me from enjoying and loving characters. In this case, my dislike was less about how likeable the MC was and more so how disappointing the tired tropes she was given. I read a few reviews saying that this book turned tropes on their head and I just don’t agree. The tropes were there and perhaps made fun of a bit and then nothing done with it!! Maybe I’m missing something but this book did not read subversive to me on the topic of violence or violent character tropes.

I wanted to love this book and I wanted to have fun with this book but it fell kinda flat for me. There were definitely parts I was interested in and felt like it could be scratching the surface to something but ….ugh I don’t know.

I would still read more from this author in the future and really wished I had loved this book!

⭐ 3.75

How far would you go to avenge the death of a loved one? Would you consider putting your life in danger and inserting yourself into a serial killer support group?

That's exactly what Cyra sets out to do in the hopes of solving the murder of her sister.

But soon enough Cyra will learn that you are the company you keep.

It's a really compelling read. You find yourself weirdly captivated by the thought process of the main character and the serial killers she surrounds herself with. And if you enjoy mysteries, you'll also have fun trying to figure out who the killer is.

Be warned that if you are not into descriptions of blood and gore, and getting into the mind of people who kill for basically the heck of it and enjoy the pain and suffering of others, please stay away from this book.


Thank you Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

- review will be posted on Instagram on February 4th.

I thought this book was excellent. The writing was good, the plot was intriguing and engaging, and the characters were all unique and different. I was shocked at the end that Cyra was already a serial killer and that’s why she was able to slip into Mistletoe’s identity so easily. Great read and I would definitely read more from the author.