So I forgot I had the ARC and just bought this book again.
The story unfolds from the POV’s of BOTH Hazel and Fox, in the BOTH the past and the present, Haze, a passionate artist with a troubled childhood, is impulsive, sexy, and in her mid-thirties. Recently a new mom, she struggles with suburban life and keeping her promise to her husband not to kill anymore. Her unfulfilled bloodthirst leaves her feeling dull and questioning her life choices.

Her husband, Fox, is in his early forties, working in finance, trying to be a good father, and a bit controlling. He comes from a wealthy but sociopathic family that knows about his desire to kill but covered it up in exchange for sending him to Europe and banning him from returning to the U.S. However, it was during his time in Paris that he met Haze—his perfect match—while she was killing a dangerous man.

Their whirlwind romance led to marriage within six months, but their dreamy, dark, and steamy European vacation came to a halt when Haze discovered she was pregnant. Now, Haze feels trapped in the suburbs, struggling to paint, and forced to socialize with other moms. She eventually befriends Jenny, who initially seems needy and eager to please, but there’s more to her than meets the eye, particularly when it comes to her abusive ex, which intrigues Haze, making her think she could be Jenny’s savior.

Meanwhile, Fox is also struggling with secrets, keeping two women in his life hidden from his wife. Why do his parents want him back in the States so badly? What leverage do they have over him? Is he having an affair? And what’s really going on behind those closed doors with the eccentric strangers he meets?

Haze, on the other hand, hasn’t kept her promise—there’s already blood on her hands. But it was self-defense, right? She doesn’t realize that breaking her promise just once could unravel everything, setting her carefully planned life on fire! And she may have chosen the worst possible person to befriend.

I had so much fun. I absolutely loved it! I do prefer my thrillers on the darker side but every once in a while I need something mild as a palate cleanser. This fit the bill.

🔪 Dual Pov
🔪Dark Humor
🔪 Serial Killer Partner's in Crime
🔪 London Setting


The couple that slays together stays together. At least, that's what Hazel and Fox had in mind. Together, they kill "bad men." When Hazel finds out that she's pregnant, they realize that this lifestyle is dangerous for their new family. They put down roots and portray the picturesque lifestyle with their daughter Bibi. After the years, the monotony of the day to day life with the little one starts to weigh on Hazel. One day, after accidentally ending up killing a man, Hazel must clean up the mess she made while keeping it from Fox. Little does she know Fox is keeping secrets, too.

This was a fun read. It gave me Finlay Donovan vibes but with a domestic thriller vibe. The fast-paced chapters kept my attention. The characters were interesting and had depth. I loved how we see these flawed characters and get insight into authentic struggles that readers can relate to, like a toxic family or struggles with motherhood.

This book just dropped on January 14. Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Four and a half stars rounded up to five. Fox and Haze are your typical couple, with one difference. They are serial killers. They only kill bad men, but when Haze fell pregnant, they hung up their knives. That was three years ago, and Haze is over the suburban lifestyle. She misses the excitement and satisfaction of killing. How long will she be able to keep her urges at bay?
I loved this book. I read it in basically one sitting. I've read books about serial killers before, but this work felt fresh and original. I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. Highly, highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

3.5 stars rounded up!

Thanks NetGalley and Bantam for the ARC!

I overall liked this book. Haze and Fox are THAT couple- they have it all. Nice house, cute kid... a nice life. But they're serial killers, who've stopped killing to protect their daughter. And they are resenting each other for it, especially because they only kill bad guys. I loved the way they struggled through new parenthood like "normal" people (sort of lol). What knocked points off was their lack of talking to each other which would have solved half their problems- you guys trust each other enough to commit murders together but you can't have a conversation? (I also hate the miscommunication trope so I am biased here). I loved that they became a little trio with Jenny at the end and got rid of her shitty ex. This was a fun read for sure.

The idea of our main characters being former serial killers who ended up married caught my attention right away. I can't imagine stopping cold turkey like they do when their daughter arrives. Then again, I can't imagine every doing what they did, haha. A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage is told through dual POV and we get the past and present.

I have to say while I did enjoy this book, it took quite a while for me to be pulled in. The beginning was very slow and felt a bit repetitive to me when we were in the present reading from Hazel's POV. They're both trying to find a new routine after giving up a big part of their lives. This leads to frustration and a lot of miscommunication. In all honesty, I think this story would've been a lot more fun if the characters were just open about how they were feeling.

Around the halfway mark things started to get really interesting and it kept me hooked. The twists along the way were clever and the ending of the story was an interesting and surprising way to wrap the story up. You do have to stretch reality a bit to enjoy the ending of this one, but in the end I did have a good time.

Fox and Hazel (Haze) had a wonderful life doing what they loved: Killing bad men. (Haze has 18 kills under her belt.) They were the perfect couple glamming around Europe and killing as they went along. But, when Haze found she was pregnant, Fox put a screeching halt to this life. Hr wanted the best things for their child. Now, they live in a nice home, are friendly with neighbors and adore their baby girl, Bibi, 29 months. As a good mother does, Haze takes Bibi to music sessions and makes nice with the other mothers. One needy woman, Jenny, latches onto her and Haze ends up saying more things than she should. Turns out this poor woman’s baby’s father borrowed money from her and when he found she was pregnant, he dumped her.

Haze misses her life when she and Fox were killing men. It was exciting and fulfilling for her. She knows that Fox is right in that they must stop this and concentrate on raising their daughter. But a misstep along the way has her keeping a big secret from Fox. Will she be able to pull this off without being found out?

This book, is definitely different from any I’ve ever read before. Of course I’m familiar with Dexter and enjoyed a lot of those shows. I can honestly say that I did not like Haze - not for her killing ways - but for the fact that she acted like a spoiled, entitled wife. Yes, they have money but she just wasn’t wife material. The ending has some humor and I enjoyed how that wrapped up the story. Do read this one because I think there will be lots of comments on this book for sure. I’m curious to see what readers have to say.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Haze and Fox are an ordinary married couple with a doting daughter, Bibi. Except they’re not all that ordinary because they used to be serial killers. Haze and Fox find each other one night after both going for the same kill and instantly fall in love. They spend years in a Dexter-esque phase of love and killing, as they only go after the “bad guys” who deserve to be killed. Once Haze finds she is pregnant with Bibi, they reach an agreement to stop their life’s work to ensure the safety of their family.

Haze doesn’t quite adjust to the suburban housewife life like it seems that Fox has; absolutely miserable at neighborhood outings and get togethers. She longs to keep killing. When a murder happens in their neighborhood and they could possible be linked to not only that kill, but various others across Europe from their past, Haze begins to spiral while Fox seems he is up to no good behind her back.

This book starts out very fast paced, but I found it to get pretty slow after the first few chapters. It has varying viewpoints from Haze and Fox, both present and past, which does add some mystery after each chapter. While I don’t think there’s much filler, the middle of this book didn’t keep me as interested as I’d like. It wraps up very quickly in the last 15% of the book, but overall a great ending that finishes the story well.

These people are bananas! This was a quick and fun read! This was my 1st book by Asia Mackay but will not be my last.

#ASerialKillersGuidetoMarriage
#NetGalley

The Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage” is a wild ride from start to finish! The unique plot had me hooked the entire time, blending dark humor and unexpected twists. The ending took me by surprise in the best way possible, and I genuinely had fun reading every page. A thrilling, unconventional read that kept me guessing!

I loved the Mr and Mrs. Smith vibes I got from this book. Overall I loved the concept of this book but it did drag quite a bit in the middle section. The last 20% was fantastic though and I flew through it and couldn't stop reading it. I really enjoyed the characters but I would have liked a little bit more backstory on Fox and Haze. Their childhoods' were kind of just glossed over.

One of my biggest pet peeves in a book is when the main conflict between a couple could just be resolved by talking to each other. While this book did have plenty of this it didn't bother me as much as it typically would. I liked that the book was about serial killers but it didn't go into graphic detail about the actual killings. Asia Mackay was able to write a fun book about serial killers and typical issues a couple in a long- term relationship go through.

3.75 rounded up. I LOVE the aspect of two serial killers falling in love! An ultimatum of a dry (killing) spell for their daughter, who will break their agreement first? Learning about how twisted each of these characters is was a TRIP! They are two TWISTED killers and I just adore them. I can totally relate to the hardships of getting married, adding children to the mix, and trying to figure out how the "old you" fits with this "new you." Add marital struggles to a dry (killing) spell and you've got one poisonous mixture....

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam for the ARC of this book in exchange of my honest review.

Haze and Fox are the perfect couple. They have the nice home, an adorable daughter and plenty of money. What they also have is a giant secret- they are serial killers. Despite their love of bloodshed they still of their morales and only kill bad men who deserve to die. After 13 years together their marriage is starting to lose its passion.. and trust. When Fox and Haze start keeping secrets from each other their perfect life begins to unravel and the consequences are deadly.

Thank you Random House-Ballentine for this digital ARC. If you enjoyed the movie Mr. & Mrs Smith then do not sleep on this one. This book is a dual perspective story full of secrets, lies and unpredictable twists. Despite their love fact that Fox and Haze are cold blooded killers, you can’t help but root for their marriage to survive. I do think the two perspectives were a little unbalanced leaning more toward Haze but it ultimately was necessary to make the story work. I always enjoy books with a kick ass FMC and this one delivers. A fun read for people who loved the Finlay Donovan series, Killers of a Certain Age, and Butcher & Blackbird (minus the Smut).

This book captivated me from the very first chapter. The couple who slays together, stays together. This book answers what would happen if Mr. and Mrs. Smith had a child, and instead of spies were a serial killer pair. Much like Butcher & Blackbird these serial killers only kill bad people. This premise is intriguing enough but it also delves into the aspect of marriage/parenthood that a lot of people experience but isn't discussed...loss of self identity. Fox and Hazel explore this and suburbia with quick wit and humor. I am excited for what [author:Asia Mackay|17951937] writes next.


Thank You to NetGalley for the ARC. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks so much for the opportunity to read this ARC! Although I found the concept and storyline of the book enjoyable, it didn't quite meet my expectations. At times, it felt a bit drawn out and tedious. I wasn't particularly fond of the characters, as I found them somewhat irritating. However, I did appreciate how the story concluded!

Thank you, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam and NetGalley, for the eARC of A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

3.5-3.75
I enjoyed this fast-paced story where we follow Fox and Haze, two serial killers who are married to each other, as they navigate their marriage which has become complicated since they retired from their killing days after they had their child. While Fox seems to embrace this new chapter in their life, Haze is restless and trying to get back to the "good ol' days."

This was told in dual POVs. I enjoyed the mystery element of this story. While parts of the story felt a bit slow and/or tedious, I had fun following along with Haze as she made a mistake and then had to work overtime to fix it.

There were some twists that I didn't see coming, and some that I did, but I would recommend this book as it's a quick read and I didn't want to put it down.

I quite enjoyed this book! It was very well written, and the characters were so endearing that you couldn't help but sympathize with the murderers. It was a nice snowy day read because the plot was engrossing and it was easy to be hooked on the characters. It got a bit confusing at the end with all of the names mentioned, but that's just a personal thing for me. The end was also super unexpected, which I enjoyed because I love a good plot twist. Overall, such a good book to read while you're cozy in bed.

I guess that rainbows will light up the sky, fluffy bunnies will leap with joy, and a writer will ecstatically cry how it was all worth it, because that’s what author Asia Mackay says happens every time you rate a book five stars on any public forum. Well, Mackay deserves rainbows, fluffy bunnies and to be ecstatic because A Serial Killers Guide to Marriage certainly rates five stars. It’s an intriguing book, full of twists and turns and surprises and just the right amount of irony and humor. And the author’s afterword is just as entertaining as the story!

At the beginning of the book Hazel and Fox are just your usual suburban couple, nice house, comfortable living, hubby trots off to work each day, loving mummy but bored wife stays home with perfect little toddler daughter Bibi. Days and nights are filled with playdates, yoga classes, dinner with the neighbors. Sounds idyllic, until Hazel and Fox start to tell you how they really feel – and why.

See, they used to be serial killers. Very successful serial killers. And of course good serial killers, only killing men who treated women poorly, who deserved to die. Fox and Hazel were living the good life: rich, beautiful, socializing with the high rollers. Madly in love, the murders excited and thrilled them; they thrived on the danger. Fox’s meticulous planning allowed them to avoid capture. Life was perfect. And then they had a baby.

Their daughter is perfect, but that’s all that’s perfect about their life together anymore. Fox insisted – and Hazel agreed – that they must stop the killing because what would happen to little Bibi if they were caught? So Fox goes to “regular” work and Hazel stays home. And is boring and missing the thrill of the kill. Their perfect relationship is starting to fray, especially when Fox becomes secretive and Hazel “has” to kill someone without telling him. And then tries to cover it up – but remember, she’s not the planner.

A Serial Killers Guide to Marriage seems like a kind of day-to-day recounting of their life and how it’s starting to fall apart for the first few chapters, but don’t be fooled; this book is so much more than that. Hazel and Fox have radically different but equally horrendous childhoods and parents. Their security is starting to fall apart but Fox keeps it to himself. Hazel doesn’t fit in with the women who lunch but tries to keep up appearances. Throw in unexpected visits and threats from family, another mom who seems clueless but dangerously for Fox and Hazel maybe is more than she seems and some unexpected plot twists and you have a delightful story about two people who are probably not like you or me but who are fascinating and (mostly) likeable all the same. It’s a very enjoyable read and I recommend it without hesitation. Great writing, great wordplay and lots of suspense once the action gets going. Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of A Serial Killers Guide to Marriage. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy of A SERIAL KILLER’S GUIDE TO MURDER.

This book defied all expectations I had! The voice was immediately engaging, and I connected to Haze even in the prologue. Witty banter, great characterization, and such a unique concept, this novel is a wild ride from page one.
Meet Haze and Fox, serial killers, or, excuse me, former serial killers, are now living the life of every average married couple with an infant. Except, it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be for Haze. She misses the thrill of her old life even while living for anything that makes her baby girl happy. Can she convince her husband they really can have it all, blood and daycare?
This dual-timeline story will make you laugh out loud, roll your eyes with Haze, and despair for all the heartache she’s gone through. I cannot recommend this novel enough! If you’re looking for something fresh and new, you’ve found it.

★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S A SERIAL KILLER'S GUIDE TO MARRIAGE ABOUT?
I had a long and drawn-out version of this planned, but I scrapped it when I realized it would be longer than everything else in the post—and you'd be in better hands if you read Mackay's version.

So I'm going to try to be brief.

Every parent knows that having a child changes your life. There are two distinct phases—pre-child and post-child. If you're in a marriage/long-term relationship, that changes, too. Significantly. Generally, it's worth it—but we all know the "remember when we did X when we wanted to?" feeling. We all have to find new ways to relate to our partners, ways to keep things exciting.

But what if that X was killing people? People who abused women, in particular. What if the thing that brought them together, their joint purpose was this particular vigilantism—along with the travel necessary? What would they do after they had to put it aside for the safety and well-being of a daughter?

What would that do to their relationship? What would it do to them as individuals? What kinds of strain would be caused?

These, and many other questions, are answered in A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage

HAZEL
You are going to almost instantly appreciate Hazel's voice and perspective (assuming you can put up with the whole serial killing thing. But if you can't, you're probably not reading a book with this title)—part of that is because we start with her POV, partially because she's a great character that anyone wants to identify with and empathize with.

She wants the best for her daughter and her husband. She's a devoted mother and dotes on the girl. But she misses who she was. She misses who she and Fox were. She feels shackled by his decision to hang up their knives and live a "straight" life while raising their daughter (children?). She mostly agrees with the choice, but it chafes.

Hazel has never been good at making friends, but she's trying to fit into her new, suburban life—going to mommy and baby groups, trying to forge relationships. And she is beginning to forge a friendship with a fellow mother when she discovers she's made a bad choice. This new friend is a police officer.

Whoops.

GRIPE #1: FOX'S PERSPECTIVE
Fox does not make a good first impression—or at least Hazel doesn't leave us with a good first impression. Thankfully, it didn't take too long to see something from his perspective and it became possible to empathize with him some. In fact, once we get to see his self-deprecating wit, it's hard for a reader not to like the guy a little—and to realize that Hazel was being (understandably) uncharitable.

It's a thing that happens in marriage from time to time—especially the kind that could probably use a guide to marriage.

Fox is incredibly careful and thoughtful (about their criminal activities, anyway, not so much about his wife's feelings). He does do much for Hazel—for their family's sake—that he doesn't tell her about, or explain fully.

There were two angles to things with Fox's perspective that I think hurt the book as a whole while being things that Mackay clearly intended and I probably just don't appreciate enough. The first is that we don't know everything he's up to and/or knows—this is done so we can learn about it at the same time as Hazel, which works for dramatic effect. But it feels like Mackay is cheating a little bit to get us there.

The other part comes as a result of Fox's place in the novel—as a character, he's second banana to Hazel. What she's doing and thinking is far more important (and I get that), but in addition to having a lot hidden from us, parts of his story are rushed. There's...a situation back in the States with his family's company. We get a glimpse or two at it, and then it's largely resolved—off-screen. It felt like a missed opportunity.

GRIPE #2: COMMUNICATION
One decent conversation with the person each thinks of as a soulmate. One decent conversation between people we see do so much for each other. One decent conversation between people who would die—or kill—for the other.

That's all it'd take to make this a short story instead of a novel.

Or better yet, put them on a better footing so they could do other things together.

Yes, this is what happens between marriages all the time. Even ones where neither is a criminal of any kind. So it makes sense for Mackay to show this. But it could've been resolved quicker so we could see them as a couple (more or less on the same page, but not at loggerheads) when dealing with Fox's family, Haze's complicated taste in friends, parenting, etc., etc.

Sure, that's not the story Mackay wanted to write—so I really shouldn't gripe about it. But watching how she did everything else (very well, I want to stress), I'd have enjoyed seeing this version more.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT A SERIAL KILLER'S GUIDE TO MARRIAGE?
I really enjoyed it. I wanted more from it though, as my second gripe (which looks worse on the page than it is in my mind) indicates—I think Mackay could easily have brought us something better. More like the Mr. and Mrs. Smith TV show than the movie (not that this is a great comparison in several ways, but it captures the gist).

So I'm going to move on from it there.

This is really aspirational in so many ways—their lifestyle? (obviously minus the murdering bits) Either in the carefree pre-parenthood days, or even the suburban version—is something that few of us will see. The travel, the house, the standard of living—it's fun to imagine yourself there.

And honestly, we all sort of like the idea of being a lone vigilante (or a pair), doing the things the authorities don't or can't. Fox sees the comparison to a comic book figure—and embraces it with a grin. Readers will do the same.

At the end of the day, this is silly, trashy, fun—and I mean that as a compliment. I'm pretty sure that's what Mackay was going for, and she achieved it. (if that wasn't her aim, she still hit the mark). I think most readers are going to like it more than I did—I have a short list of people I'm gifting it to, and I am confident they will. Anyone who finds the pitch appealing is going to have fun with this Dexter-ish* comedy, and I recommend it to you.

* Heavy on the "ish."

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Random House Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.

What a misleading title — cute, lighthearted. The book is not. It’s bloody and depressing — bloody depressing? — and the characters could hardly be less sympathetic. Haz, an artist, can’t work unless she murders first, and her husband and partner in crime insists they stop now that they have a child. Haz is bored in mommy-land Boo-hoo. I can’t imagine the solution will leave many readers satisfied. Reviewed in print and online in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Jan.12