Hmmm, this one is interesting. It’s marketed as YA but I wanna say it reads more towards 13-16. Except for some graphic and sexual points, the FMC reads like a 14 yo… I can’t imagine a 16/17 yo not knowing her dad runs a mafia but then lays out every reason why she should’ve known. You think every crazy rich person learns combat training… wtf do you mean. Plus hers and leo’s relationship would have been cuter if they weren’t acting like middle schoolers.They want to be adults so bad but never act like it…

ITCOK is a unique take on the general premise of characters in young adult novels being thrown into a new world and learning to navigate said world.

The pacing and writing was good, and from the 60% onward mark it was go, go, go. I didn’t find the plot twists revealed past the midpoint to be predictable, which is good, especially the reveal at the end. I was expecting a completely different person to be revealed as a true villain!

I liked the banter and dynamics between all the characters, but I do wish we explored a bit more of the why behind some of the character relationships. I do liked that the two main characters owned up to their mistakes and put on their big boy pants and hashed out the issues instead of letting miscommunication keep destroying them.

I will say though that I was a bit disappointed by the ending. I want to keep this review spoiler free, but I was hoping that Elora would explore more about the issue of sexism towards women in a male dominated profession. However, the ending is left open, so we might see more of an exploration towards this in a potential sequel.

Overall, it was a fun read with great pacing and dynamics and a unique premise. I hope there’s a sequel to explore the futures of our main characters!

A tremendous debut filled with glitz, glamour, and intrigue! Elora Cook had me hooked from the very first page. The pacing is fantastic, and I couldn't get enough of the richly drawn, complicated characters. Twisty and tense, I can't wait to see what this talented author does next. Bravo!

"In the Company of Killers" is a wild ride that I flew through in only a few days. I couldn't get enough of Tasha and Leo's dynamic with each other and the situation they faced together and individually. AND THAT ENDING!!! Totally obsessed with this one and can't wait to see where the author takes their story from here!

In the Company of Killers Review:

First of all I’d like to thank Elora Cook and Little Brown Book Group for giving me the opportunity to be part of the Killer squad, and to have the honour of reading In the Company of Killers that has occupied my mind and soul.

ITCOK is a YA mafia based book where Gossip Girl meets The Sopranos, and I couldn’t have asked for a better combo than this. When I tell you that this book is not to be taken light heartedly; but that Elora Cook will have you running to her dm’s and having you begging for answers! This book had me go through multiple rollercoasters of emotions that I can’t comprehend and put into words. From the plot to the characters that I am deeply invested in, this book has officially been tattooed into my heart and bares a special place at the top of my favourite books of 2024. First of all, the first few chapters are complete chaos, I swear I blinked, and everything happened all at once. The pacing of this book was incredibly done. It was tense throughout, and I loved that the author didn’t rush quickly with relationships. There was a priority set in place. From the get-go, we are thrown into the riches and glam, and brawl of madness that is ITCOK.

Our main stars of the show Tasha and Leo would be the black cat and the golden retriever combo, however, I wouldn’t take the golden retriever Leo so lightly, if the black cat gets hurt, the golden retriever will kill! The characters are flawed in their own way, and they honestly feel so real. There's so much tension between our two main characters that will have you ripping your hair out of your scalp. You would just want to shove both of them in a room until they sort their problems out. I love how both Tasha and Leo perceive the mafia world, especially our Tasha, who is newly forced into the world.

Now don’t even get me started on those last few pages because that was FOUL! I swear I suffered from whiplash on the train and stared dramatically out the window of my train wondering “Why do I do this to myself? Why do I trust authors with my heart so easily?”. I later went home after work and proceeded to scream at my wall and punch my pillow and initiated my plan to be insufferable and pester Elora Cook until she gave me answers.

All in all, this book was absolutely incredible and needs to be read by all! If you love tension filled books with a splash of riches and high risks, then this book was curated for you. This gem will be released on 18th & 20th March 2025. Add this masterpiece onto your tbr list and pre-order now.

Did I like this book? No…I loved this book!
Did this book cause me insufferable pain and agony by the end? Yes, yes, it did!
Would I recommend this book so that you can suffer with me? Ofcourse!
Will I continue to pester Elora Cook and the publishers in 2025? Hell, yes!
Should you pre-order this book? * Hold reader at gunpoint* Do it! Now!

This book was so good! It had so many plot twists that kept me on my toes the whole time. And the romance was so good! I could not put this book down.

... ... ... I will need at least five business days to recover from this.

This was unbelievably and wildly good. It is an emotional rollercoaster of insane twists, clever machinations, nail-biting action, and grade-A teenage angst. I made a mistake reading this a year out from publication because I desperately need the sequel and have no idea how I will wait two years for it. Thank you to the author for letting me read this but please don't forget me once you do finish that sequel. I am in pain.

Thanks to the author and Netgalley for the eARC!

I’ll start with the good. This book had a unique premise that you don’t normally see in YA. It’s the kind of book I gravitate towards: an original idea! We also had some really good writing - I think Cook’s writing itself is very impressive for a debut author.

The beginning of this book was also excellent! I loved that it dove right into the action and gave us two very powerful scenes right off the bat.

And please, if you liked this book, stop here. 🙏 I’m going to mention minor spoilers below.

Then… it lost me a bit… from maybe 25ish? To 50%… I was a tiny bit bored. It was a lot of exposition and talking and honestly I felt like things were reiterated multiple times. I kept being like “I know this already. Why are we saying it again?”

There is a section from maybe 50-70% where it picked up again. We got to see more development and plot movement.

Then the ending sequences and twists started happening. And I’m sorry… but I predicted EVERYTHING. From the first mini twist to the big reveal to the epilogue. It was SO predictable - I can point to plot moments where it felt like the author handed me her entire plot summary with one or two lines. I get this is YA but teens aren’t dumb…. Come on.

Okay…. Actually? Tasha is dumb. I’m sorry…. She didn’t make any smart choices and the fact that everything surprised her just made me roll my eyes. No inklings?? There was a time when the MMC specifically tells her XX was at a scene and she just went “nahhhh impossible” - with no suspicion at all. Yet when she is told something about the MMC that is OBVIOUSLY not true, she’s like “omg how dare you.” 😶🙄

Leo? Ugh. 😑 He’s just… nothing? I hated that he didn’t feel real to me. One time, he’s flirting and getting with this other girl and next minute, he’s in love with the FMC? These two had such non-chemistry. Because what this book does is rely on their PAST relationship to make them perfect for one another, a past we never get to see. Their present interactions are barely tolerable? I’m so confused why I need to root for them?

Oh wait, it’s because Ravi is just a simp with no actual personality outside of loving Tasha. Ugh. 😑 So we can’t like him. The author gives us no choice to even possibly like him because he’s just a wealthy man with an attachment to her and a need to protect her. That’s it. That’s his personality.

I think that’s where this novel fell short for me: obvious foreshadowing and poor characterization. Tasha should have been a character I LOVED. I love bitchy protagonists - they’re my fav. But Tasha was not that? The beginning, yes. But throughout the book, we only had very small moments of her being like that while the rest of the time, she just didn’t use her brain.

And the ending…. Was the worst of it. No. Just NO. (Major spoiler below!) This is what moved me from 3 to 2 stars.)

After spouting that she didn’t want to be under her sister, she let herself get tied to a MAN in order to keep what? A mafia that doesn’t matter at all because everyone she loved in it is either DEAD or against her?????? What even is the POINT anymore????????? If she had gone with her sister, who btw was actually trying to make something but got twisted along the way - she could have convinced her sister to keep Leo alive and they could have potentially been a POWERHOUSE of female superiority. But instead she lets Ravj give her a ring??? Promises to marry him?? Again, so she can protect a mafia she doesn’t even KNOW???? Her dad is dead, Victor is dead. All she has is Matteo and tbh, just bring him to the dark side too? Hahaha. 😂 I just can’t believe that I trust HER SISTER more because she actually had a plan and a reason and SUPPORT. She was a female in power! With NO man above her. Tasha has nothing but a man giving her power. 🤷‍♀️

I do know this has a sequel but I can’t deal with this anymore. I’m super disappointed. 😢

This was such a fun quick read and I mean that truly in the best possible way. It was just what I needed. Also I somehow missed in the summary the two major deaths that it alluded to because I was rightly shocked. But my own stupidity aside I had such a good time with this book. I had a bit of a mafia podcast obsession last year so being able to read a story along those lines was such a treat.
And can I just say this is finally actually a slow burn and I appreciated that so much.
If you're looking for a fast paced book with plenty of twists and family dynamic this is the book for you. Elora Cook did such an amazing job.
Want to thank Netgalley and Little Brown Books for allowing me to read this eArc!

**Book Review: *In the Company of Killers***
***ARC provided by NetGalley and Little, Brown Books***

Natasha had it all—beauty, popularity, and a perfect life as the queen bee of her high school. Nobody dared cross her. But in a single night, her world collapses when her sister and father are gunned down in their own home. In the aftermath, Natasha inherits a deadly secret: her family was at the helm of a powerful mafia empire, and now it's hers to lead.

Thrown into a dangerous underworld she never knew existed, Natasha sets her sights on revenge. But as she works to uncover the truth, she realizes the web of lies surrounding her family runs far deeper than she ever imagined. What really happened that night? And will she be ready to face it?

*In the Company of Killers* is a wild ride from start to finish. The twists and turns kept me glued to the pages, and I devoured it in just one day. The author masterfully blends high-stakes drama, unexpected betrayals, and jaw-dropping plot twists that left me reeling.

If you love dark thrillers with strong, complex characters and a story that constantly keeps you guessing, this is a must-read.

Unfortunately, I didn't love this as much as I thought I would. I expected a lot considering it was pitched as Gossip Girl meets The Sopranos. And I don't know about you but I really love the cover.

I enjoyed the last half of the book more than the first. Probably because the first half was mostly about Tasha finding her footing on this "new life" she was suddenly thrust into. I didn't find Tasha particularly unlikable. But ngl, I didn't immediately like her either.

The last few chapters had some big reveals (although a bit predictable). But it definitely made me excited for book two!

The premise and the cover truly caught my eye. I was so intrigued by this one and where the story would go. It was not a bad book per se but for me it just wont be memorable. I still enjoyed it and had a fun time reading it. I think the characters were fun and the writing was very vivid so the scenes easily imaginable. Intrigued to see what comes next!

As a YA novel, I thought this would be a story focused on school drama but boy was I wrong when Natasha loses her sister and father one night in a shooting.

Discovering she was a Mafia heiress and having to fight for her position lead her on a mission to discover the killer of her family.

Her childhood friend turn enemy turned partner with same common goal was interesting but the relationship was very surface level.

The plot twist was very predictable.

I honestly thought this was an episodical storyline with how it ended but looks like there is more!

If mystery and mafia is your thing then check the out!

Writing structure was not all that unique but it was solid. The only reason why I say it feels episodic is because I honestly don’t see much character growth. They ended up where they started if not in roles they didn’t want to be in because of life.

This was a fantastic debut!!

I haven't read mafia romance probably since Midnight Poppy Land lol and ITCOK definitely delivered.

This was promoted as Gossip Girl meets The Sopranos and I can confirm it will give you vibes for both—it's the best of both worlds.
Tasha gave me Blair Waldorf vibes, if Blair was a Mafia princess with an aggressive (if not a little violent) streak and I absolutely adored her. All that rage, all that determination, all that vulnerability—she was a beautifully layered character I loved to explore.
Leo was every bit as layered as Tasha. He gave me Nathaniel Archibald x Chuck Bass vibes, if they were a Mafia prince who knew how to hide behind the mask of the arrogant rich boy and pretend he hasn't been obsessed with one girl for years. His chapters were some of my fav, I fell hard for him 😩🤌🏻

I loved so many things about this - from the MCs and their messy relationships to the glamorous vibes and violent scenes. The tension between Tasha and Leo was delicious from the beginning. There were some scenes between them in the first half of the book where you could feel the aggression simmering beneath the surface.


I spooked at Leo's sudden appearance pressed close to me. Instinctively, my hand flew to his throat. He held completely still as my acrylic nails dug into his tender skin, staring at me with heavy-lidded eyes while my chest rose and fell.
Our gazes seared into each other. His hot, mint-touched breaths mixed with mine and tickled my chin, my lips, my cheek. Black pooled wide and large over Leo's irises. I watched it up close, mesmerized, until he spoke.
"Not good with surprises, are you?" Leo asked his voice low and thick.
I flicked the briefest look down to his slightly parted lips and back up.
"Not when they come from you," I replied.


Nails-to-throat is a trope I need more of in my life, my gods 🥵
Leo kept saying throughout the book that he doesn't want the Mafia life but I think he likes the danger, he's literally attracted to the most dangerous girl.
I don't know Leo, sounds like you were made for this 😏

There's one character in particular that pissed me the f*ck off almost from the beginning. How I wish he'd shut up and go away, Jesus, he was more annoying than Topper from Outer Banks. Every time Ravi opened his mouth and something dumber came out I was this 🤏🏻 close to punching him myself. Seriously, I hope something bad happens to him in the second book cause I cannot deal with him 😒

Once the events started unfolding, the second part of the book was super gripping and suspenseful, filled with twists, keeping me both captivated and on edge the entire time. At one point I was suspicious of everyone and everything, unsure who Tasha can trust and my girl went through so much 😭
There's big twist towards the end that had me screaming and speaking of screaming — that ENDING!! IM SO MAD!! SO MAD!! I knew where things were going but it was so painful to read 😭😭😭 and NOW we gotta wait for the sequel!! Elora, why do you hate us 😭😭😭 💔💔
Send all the wine and emotional support you can, I have no idea how to survive until book 2 is out

Eternal gratitude to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC
All quotes are from an advance copy and may differ in the final publication

this book drew me in from the get go. when i first saw elora promoting it on her page, it immediately reminded me of one of my all-time favorite fanfics (if you know which one it is, i will love you forever) and i knew that i had to read it. it taking place in new york city was the sweetest cherry on top.

this story was everything i wanted and more. tasha nicastro and leo danesi used to be best friends. now they’re rivals in their families’ respective mafia organizations, something tasha just learned about after the tragic murders of her father and older sister. despite their differences and disdain for one another, tasha and leo team up to determine who is behind her family’s murders, all while tasha tries to figure out what it means to inherit the family business. with twists and turns (and glitz and glam), “in the company of killers” was a thrill-seeking page turner and one that had me screaming at the end. i am DYING for the sequel.

“in the company of killers” releases march 18th, 2025. if you’re looking for a young adult book with a friends-to-rivals-to-lovers mafia romance full of mystery and family drama, then this is the one for you!

In the Company of Killers has an intriguing premise, and the plot is fast-paced with a lot of moving parts, which I really enjoyed when reading. The story was really entertaining!
I admired Tasha's love for her family and determination in seeking justice for herself and her loved ones - her vulnerability made her appear more realistic. Leo's character had a little more depth than Tasha's, but I wish we had seen more of him struggling with his desires and his morals, instead of his romantic problems with Scarlett and Tasha.
The scheming wasn't very complex, and the plot twists were relatively predictable. The ending did leave me wanting more, though. The action and general premise were interesting and unique, and the writing did a great job transporting the reader to a world of wealth and luxury. I think readers will really love this Mafia murder mystery and I look forward to reading what Elora Cook writes next!
Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Books for the eARC!

Book:
IN THE COMPANY OF KILLERS by Elora Cook
Thank you Netgalley and Little Brown Books for the Earc (Mar 18)

Review:
4⭐
I want to start by saying that I'm going to need a part two to clear up that ending because I can't believe Tasha and [REDACTED] went through all that just for that ending.
IN THE COMPANY OF KILLERS follows Tasha, who is reeling from the deaths of her father and sister. When she learns it was a hit, and she is destined to inherit the Nicastro Mafia, she is baffled but ready. She vows to find the person responsible, even though that means teaming up with her enemy.
I was a little overwhelmed by this book at first, after seeing how long it was---mainly because I find books that aren't fantasy get a tad boring and dragged out at such a length. HOWEVER, once I started this, I knew I was in for a ride. And a roller coaster ride it was. IN THE COMPANY OF KILLERS was a gripping novel, and before I knew it I had read almost half...then the rest. Though it took me a couple of days to read this, I felt like I couldn't properly rest without figuring out who was responsible for what was happening. Throughout the book, as the secrets unwound themselves, there was never really an a-ha moment. Until the last few chapters. I found myself thinking could it be? And that wouldn't leave me mind until [REDACTED] was revealed. I didn't see that coming until BOOM it was there.
IN THE COMPANY OF KILLERS packed punches throughout this action-packed read. There were plot twist and revelations that were shocking and left me suspicious of others---those suspicions were never put to rest. There had to be others working with [REDACTED] because how do you become so powerful like that?

The first 20 pages of of this book didn't hook me. It made me feel like I was reading a gossip girl wannabe, The snotty comments, the descriptions of teens (who we largely don't see again) even the private school all just felt like something I'd read before. But once I got to the meat of the story, it hooked me. I'm a huge fan of a mystery (and what's more mysterious than solving a couple of murders). The story did a great job of conveying the purpose of the story which was revealing a secret world hidden under our protagonists glittering vapid universe–with killers hiding in the places she least expected. (Although, I admittedly figured it out halfway through). Overall it was a fun story, and def worth the read.

This was such a great story and enjoyed the drama and mafia element to this story. The characters had that feel that I wanted and enjoyed the concept of this. Elora Cook has a strong writing style and had that suspenseful atmosphere that I was looking for. It was a unique take on a mean girl in high school and I enjoyed getting to read this.

In the Company of Killers is a really need concept, but unfortunately lacked execution. I wanted to like it much more than I did.

What I liked:
-Gossip Girl x The Sopranos plot
-Vivid writing - I could easily envision the scenes in my head
-Betrayal theme

What was lacking:
-Leo was much more fleshed out as a character than Tasha
-There are many side characters who play big roles in the story, especially at the end, but they did not get enough on page time for any of their motivations to land or even make sense
-The ending was extremely rushed and not at all satisfying

What I would have liked:
-Clearer idea if this was a standalone or the start to a series
-More interactions between Tasha and the Mafia side of her business
-Mafia family tree
-Multi-POV with perspectives from Amelia, Val, Ravi, Scarlett, and Carter

I’m usually always on board with reading over watching movies and shows, but I think this entire story would have translated much better on screen. Thank you to NetGalley, and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.