A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage was a fun thriller that helped get me out of a reading slump. I enjoyed the thrilling story and it also provided a bit of an escape for me from reality. The story was quite unbelievable in many different aspects but the writing style worked to make it believable and keep you on your toes.

That was a fun ride! It gave Mr. & Mrs. Smith vibes. Two serial killers not knowing what to do with themselves after they get married and have a baby until the wife “accidentally” kills someone. I sometimes found myself laughing at their situation and thoughts. I’d recommend this book to others!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Fox and Hazel, who now parent a toddler, ooze suburban normalcy. But it's been a long while since they hung up their serial killer hats and the bloodlust is strong. This was a dark and kind of crazy read, but I definitely wanted to know how the twists in the story were going to turn out. And there were many. it was a fast paced, quick read.

This book i a lot of fun. It is weird and interesting. Now I was never a fan of Dexter, so I am likely not the right audience.

What a fun, unique read! The plot was different and interesting and the execution was well done. Skipping back and forth between the wife and husband was good to see insight into what they were thinking but did not ruin the ending. However, I didn’t find the characters lovable. I didn’t dislike them, but felt Haze was kind of a b****. But in the end, I was rooting for them.

I did think there was on inconsistency or plot hole, but overall was a fun read that didn’t drag on.

This was Dexter with a twist of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. It was all right.
Thanks to #netgalley and #bantam for this #arc of #aserialkillersguidetomarriage in exchange for an honest review.

I am officially obsessed with Asia Mackay, and I want to read everything she writes. A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage was so dang fun and it was like an episode of Dexter with a side of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. I loved the dark humor throughout and I would say this is a lighter thriller for those looking for some sort of palate cleanser after darker ones. I actually quite liked Hazel (Haze) and Fox, and Haze’s penchant for killing bad men made her very endearing for me. Her having found a man to do it with her?! Teamwork makes the dream work as they say. They are both so ready to blow it’s hilarious, and the not killing is getting Hazel really down. I wish they would have had more time in the story together though since the chemistry between the two was everything.

I also loved the audiobook so, so much and Georgia Tennant & Kyle Soller were excellent! They did such a great job voicing Haze and Fox, and I could listen to them forever. I don’t think I have heard either of them before and really hope to hear them again someday in another audiobook. A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage would be great as the start to a series and I can’t help but hope Mackay turns it into one. I need more of this couple and after what happens at the end, it seems like it would be the way to go. 👀 I also loved the past and present timelines and thought the combination of the two brought more depth to the story. Haze as a mom resonated with me and it was so awkward which would be exactly me. 🤣

Read this if you are looking for a lighthearted thriller, snarky humor, and vigilante justice!

Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

For readers who enjoyed 'My Sister Serial killer' and 'Nightbitch' and those who loved watching 'Dexter' this novel has twists that are sure to delight the reader's darker side.

Hazel & Fox share an unusual bond. They are both serial killers, but set that aside to have "normal" lives which include marriage & a child. Hazel beings to regret that decision and wants to go back to their old lives. She knows that is most likely not practical, but it doesn't lessen the desire. Fox, on the other hand is loving being a dad. Can they figure out the wants & needs of each other, or will this drive them apart?

Can a serial killer have a stable marriage? Can two? Can they have a stable marriage while being married to each other?

Haze and Fox met 13 years ago while committing a murder and have been together ever since. After years of "keeping the world safe", they now have a toddler and live in suburban London. The only rule they have is no more killing. Haze is an artist who finds inspiration from the kills she commits so has been unable to paint since they stopped killing. Fox is the eldest son of a rich American family who had been cleaning up after him since he was 19 until they forced him to leave the US because he was having too many "incidents". Both Haze and Fox only kill bad men and over the last 10 years have refined their work with detailed research and planning to keep from getting caught. Haze befriends another mom, Jenny, at a mom and toddler music class and quickly learns that keeping to their one rule maybe harder than she thought.

Mackay wrote the novel in a series of short chapters that bounce back and forth between Haze and Fox with some flashbacks so you can get their history which keeps it fast paced and gives you a look into both their lives. It is an interesting take on the crime genre with a few twists that work but are a little predicable. My biggest issue is that neither of these main characters is at all likable which does not help you care about them. You don't have to like the characters in the books you read but in this case they were both annoying enough that I really did not care if either of them survived their marriage. It was a decently written book and if you are interested in the premise give it a try, it was just not for me.

about two do-gooder serial killers who fall in love & find themselves trapped in the mundanity of suburbia only to sabotage their livelihood in the process of being “normal” this was fine. some major plot holes, but otherwise an easy, entertaining read.

I didn’t know what to expect going into this book, but this was a wildly enjoyable and entertaining read! Thank you Asia Mackay and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC of A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage.

Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for this advanced copy!

This book was fun and interesting! I didn't know what to make of it from the blurb and title, but I loved how this book focused less on the serial killing and gore of it all and more on how the couple used killing to come together and feed their need to make the world a better place. It was kinda twisted! But I liked it? There were definitely times where I didn't know where it was going and the ending twist was kinda great. I'd definitely read a second book with this couple. What happens next? I want to know!

I enjoyed this book about Hazel and Fox - and how their unconventional marriage is completely changed by a baby. The characters weren't always likeable, but the inner Haze's inner dialogue was pretty funny, and I liked Fox. I kind of wanted to shake them and say "just talk to each other" sometimes though!
The ending was really good - and something I didn't see coming. I'm hoping there will be more from this author.

3.5 stars probably. I liked the premise, and the story zipped along, despite being completely ludicrous. I didn't "buy" the rationale(s) offered for why these two people enjoy killing, but eh. A couple of quibbles with small details (but small details are so important in mysteries, aren't they?) - Haze is a dedicated feminist turned stay-at-home mum, but texts her husband to bring home a toilet plunger (and gloves) so he can unstop the downstairs toilet. I mean, c'mon - you're a wealthy stay at home mum - either call a damn plumber, or take your Range Rover out to get a plunger. She doesn't cook (feminism!) or do "housewifey" tasks. So she (again) leaves a note for hubs to change the batteries in the smoke alarm - and tells him she has some in her purse. Wot? Haze, with *batteries* in her purse? Not buying it, but it conveniently moves the plot along for Fox to look in her purse.

But. Quibbles. I still liked the book.

Sometimes marriage isn’t easy, but when it involves two serial killers it can be murder. Haze was an artist who was inspired by her rage against men that she felt deserved to die. Fox was from a wealthy family who was banished from America after his first victim. When they got together it was the perfect union. They traveled Europe, enjoying parties, mixing with high society and staying at the best hotels while Fox meticulously planned their murders. When Haze got pregnant, Fox demanded that the killings stop and they permanently settle down, after thirteen years of marriage Fox works an office job while Haze is home with their daughter Bibi. She is bored with their humdrum existence and can not find inspiration for her art. At a children’s music play group she befriends Jenny and her son Felix.. it is not until Haze kills a homeless man in the park one night that she discovers that Jenny is a police detective on leave. Jenny believes that there is a connection between this death and one’s committed across Europe. Haze has to find a way to distract her while also hiding the park murder from Fox.

Fox and Haze are both keeping secrets from each other and the resentment is growing. He is trying to make her happy but nothing seems to work. Haze is hiding her artwork from Fox, who will know that she has killed again if he sees it. When he arranges a weekend away to rekindle their marriage it leads to a confrontation that will also put Jenny’s life in danger. Together they come up with a unique solution to their problems and an ending that you will never see coming. If you enjoyed the movie Mr. And Mrs. Smith then you will love Fox and Haze. I could truly not put this book down until the last page was done. I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for providing this book.

Thank you NetGalley! What a great read. Loved this book and the different content it contained. The storyline was amazing. The book drew me in immediately

The title pretty much says it all. Similar to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Haze and Fox meet and fall in love over their shared passion for murdering bad men. But then they have a baby, and try to stop that line of work. Their parenting is hilarious, but the secrets they keep are destroying their marriage. More of the book is told from Haze's perspective, but some of it is Fox's, which is strange, because you don't find out until the end what he's been thinking. The story becomes amusing when Haze befriends a fellow mother who turns out to be keeping her own secrets.

Loved this was a fun read outside of my norm. Author did a great job and kept the story moving to keep you involved. It was so good.

A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage is a cleverly crafted thriller that's full of humor, making this an easy, and very satisfying read.

This is not a romcom thriller, but the way that it's written, it feels like it--the pieces of life after the happily ever after--with a murderous twist. I would recommend this book to everyone, but more specifically, it's for those who enjoy a dark romance, a humorous read, or a thriller. This book will make you laugh! If you're a parent, you will relate--majorly.

This book will be one of my top 2025 reads. Well done, Asia Mackay! I can't wait to see what you write next.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, for this advanced readers copy.