3.75 / 5 🌟

first, i just wanted to say thank you to bantam books and netgalley for this arc!! 🥰

what a fun take on a marriage of two people that have a deep dark desire that could land them in prison for life.

overall, i enjoyed this book! i think the plot for me lagged at times and that definitely affected my rating more than anything. another thing that i couldn’t get on with was the likability of both halves of this couple. there was a large percentage of the book where i didn’t like either partner!! however, i think the way everything spiraled out of control make this book a fun read because you didn’t know how it was going to end or if there was going to be a happily ever after. i enjoyed the author’s writing in this book, and i found the chapter lengths’ very digestible. i would recommend!

again, thank you to bantam books and netgalley for this arc!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

*3.5 stars ✨

A fun domestic thriller. Two people who meet, fall in love, & have a desire to kill people. A fine romance. However, they only kill men who deserve it. When domestic life threatens to overwhelm them, how will they get that spark back? The first half was just ok, but the second half I enjoyed a lot more. I became humorous and a little more fast paced. All in all, it was entertaining.

I loved how a majority of the story was going. Their relationship was complex and interesting from how they met to the Marraige and baby. I enjoyed mot of their showdown. The ending just did not work for me. It felt like they were trying to hard to have a happily ever after.

Thank you to Netgalley and Asia Mackay for the ARC of this book. Haze & Fox felt very Mr & Mrs Smith, they had a dark and deadly past that they hid in their "boring" suburban lifestyles whilst fitting in with their neighbours and the locals.

Dark humor at its best. Haz and Fox are the perfect, couple. Beautiful, talented, rich and blissfully in love. They share a passion for each other and their unusual pastime…they’re both serial killers. Not the random, sociopath who roams the world killing but principled killer who target bad men (typically rich, white, privileged men) who prey on women. The world is better off without them and Fox and Haz have a great time traveling through Europe accomplishing their kills. Life changes for them when Haz gets pregnant and they (mostly Fox) decide to have the baby. Bibi is the love of her parents lives but her arrival requires some drastic changes to their lifestyle…as it does for all new parents. In their case, it means giving up the “work”, moving out of London to the suburbs and commuting to work for Fox, going on baby play dates for Haz and hosting neighbors’ dinner parties for them both. What will this drastic change do to each of them and their marriage? Funny, oddly insightful and clever, this book is a joy.

A fun and funny thriller about a couple in mid life. I loved hearing both partners perspectives about how irritated and in love they were with each other, but struggled to get on the same page. This book gave me Killers of a Certain Age vibes but with middle age parents and more mystery. I can wait to check out Asia Mackay’s other books. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

A bit reminiscent of Netflix’s ‘You’, Mackay tries for a witty, modern take on marriage through the eyes of killers with a conscience, but falls short. I found the plot to be slow moving and the characters whiny, and in the end couldn’t care about their story or about finishing the book. I’m sorry, I really wanted to like this one!

*OUTLIER REVIEW*

The couple who slays together-stays together!
So, what happens when this couple can no longer share this passion?

Hazel and Fox used to kill bad men together (ala Dexter) . But when Hazel became pregnant, they agreed to give up their hobby for a respectable life in the Suburbs.

Hazel misses having an outlet to help her tame her RAGE, and eventually she cheats on Fox (as in kills behind his back!) bringing the police to their door. Now, she will have to find a way to protect those she loves.

The story unfolds from the POV’s of BOTH Hazel and Fox, in the BOTH the past and the present, with occasional magazine articles describing Hazel’s work as an artist, AND text messages sent to her late friend Matty’s cell phone, giving the execution a very choppy feel.

Sure-it’s a fun premise but it’s been done before (Samantha Downing’s “My Lovely Wife”) and I guess I could not help but compare the two.

And, have you ever noticed the overuse of kids in Foster care, growing up to do bad things in so many psychological thrillers? I know the foster system is far from perfect but it seems like a lot of characters share a very similar backstory and I guess I have grown weary of these too.

One POSITIVE is the “tongue in cheek” humor, and I admit that FIVE YEARS AGO-this very well may have scored higher for me. BUT, the ME today, didn’t find it very engaging-my taste seems to be changing.

So, take this review with a grain of 🧂 salt. If you are new to the genre, or only read it occasionally, and you enjoy dark humor-this will probably be a great book for you! There are plenty of 4 and 5 star reviews for it, and I encourage you to read those as well.

AVAILABLE January 14, 2025

Thank You to Bantam for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!

While this book was a bit darker than I expected, it fit well into the thriller aspect I was expecting. Based on the cover & title, I was expecting a more light, humor-based thriller, which this, overall, was not.

I liked the flashbacks to show us what Haze and Fox were like before & what shenanigans they were both up to before the Bebe, and honestly I was happy Hazel found herself again…by picking up her little habit of killing people. I enjoyed the twists that came with Jenny’s friendship and Fox’s family.

Asia Mackay's "A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage" is a wildly original and razor-sharp satirical thriller that will keep readers hooked from start to finish.

The story follows Hazel and Fox, an ordinary married couple living in London with their baby. However, they share a dark secret: they're both ex-serial killers. They've given up their murderous past for an enviable suburban lifestyle to which Fox has really taken a liking. Hazel, however, finds herself struggling to keep her killer instincts buried and ends up committing a murder behind Fox's back.

Mackay's pacing is impeccable, balancing moments of high tension with introspective scenes that delve into the characters' psyches. The characterization is spot-on, with Hazel and Fox emerging as complex, multi-dimensional characters. Their journey from their dark past to their attempts at normalcy is both humorous and emotionally resonant.

Overall, Mackay's sharp-witted and engaging prose, and relatably flawed characters, make "A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage" a fun and highly enjoyable read for fans of dark comedy and suburban thrillers alike.

💀 What happens when marriage meets murder? Asia Mackay's A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage is as darkly hilarious as it is utterly addictive. This is one for fans of sharp wit, breakneck pacing, and protagonists who are as deadly as they are intriguing.
🔥 Why I loved it:
🔪 Haze, the main character, is chef’s kiss perfection. She’s complex, layered, and completely unforgettable. You’ll root for her even when you probably shouldn’t (but hey, no judgment here).
📖 Short, snappy chapters keep the story moving at lightning speed—you won’t want to put this one down!
🤣 The irreverent tone is what really sets this book apart. Mackay somehow makes murder feel... fun? Trust me, it works.
📍 Think: a Tarantino movie meets rom-com with a splash of noir. It’s dark, it’s sharp, and it’s SO much fun.

If the title doesn't hook you, the irreverent tone definitely will. A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage is an unexpected delight—a dark, twisty, laugh-out-loud exploration of what happens when love, murder, and a hefty dose of dry humor collide. Asia Mackay's knack for blending the macabre with the mundane is a triumph, making this book a compulsively readable gem that pleasantly surprised me.

Let's start with Haze, our endlessly fascinating leading lady. Haze is everything I didn't know I needed in a protagonist: sharp, layered, and simmering with complexities that make her feel utterly real. She's a killer (literally), yet Mackay gives her this beautifully human core, tugging at my sympathies and making me feel empathetic even as I nervously chuckled at her ruthless efficiency. Following Haze's journey feels like peeling back layers of a particularly deadly onion. Every revelation about her character adds intrigue, keeping me hooked from page one.

Thanks to those short, snappy chapters, the pacing is as slick as a well-oiled knife. Each one feels like a punchy vignette, propelling you forward at breakneck speed while never skimping on the details that make the story so rich. I blinked and suddenly found myself fifty pages in, hungry for more. It's the kind of book that grabs you by the collar and doesn't let go, making it perfect for readers who thrive on thrillers with a touch of irreverence. The pacing will keep you exhilarated and hungry for more.

What truly elevates the story, though, is the tone. Mackay masterfully balances humor and grit, creating moments that are as laugh-out-loud funny as they are tense. It's a tricky line, but she nails it, making even the darkest scenes feel oddly entertaining. Imagine if a Tarantino film met a rom-com, with a splash of noir—and then sprinkle in Mackay's signature wit. That's the vibe here.

Whether you're a fan of antiheroes, dark humor, or fast-paced thrillers, A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage is an absolute must-read. It's sharp, it's smart, and it's just the right amount of wicked fun. Plus, Haze? She's a character you won't soon forget—and honestly, wouldn't dare to. 😉

Grab this one if you're in the mood for something bold and utterly original. You won't regret it.

For fans of butcher and Blackbird and Mr. And Mrs. Smith, this is the perfect book. Fast paced, adrenaline fueled twisty as all get out. Loved it so so much!

A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage - the story of how a power couple answers the age-old question: How can we be great parents and continue finding and killing bad men on vacation? It’s a bit Mr. And Mrs. Smith, a little dark with a pinch of humor. The first 30% is great. The middle 50% is a tiny slow. The last 20% makes the slow part worth it. The story is told in duel POV’s. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. Book available mid January 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me the eARC of this book. From the description I knew I was going to absolutely love this and I was right! I love the show Dexter and this book had so many of the same vibes. A couple who are serial killers of “bad” people. Carrying out their own justice so to speak. So what happens when Hazel becomes pregnant and they now have a family to consider? Fox and Hazel fight their itch to get back to their previous life. This book contains a whole bunch of hilarious chaos! I really enjoyed it and will be purchasing a physical copy! This book will be released on January 13th and I’m so ready for it!

A solid 3.5 out of 5 for me. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Any book under the thriller umbrella is going to be a bit out of my wheelhouse, but the idea of a thriller, rom sorta com about serial killers starting a family intrigued me.

The story is nicely fast paced and never left me bored though I wish the characters were a little more nuanced. Though I guess with them being serial killers, sociopathic characters with self destructive tendencies shouldn't be surprising. Haze is an understandably angry woman who wants to literally stick it to every man that has wronged her or another woman, and her husband, Fox, is the man who behind the scenes is pulling all the strings. The irony is a bit unsettling.

The ending came a bit out of left field but at the same time, it was nice to see the morally grey characters get a happy ending (though the fact they did so without actually bettering themselves was odd for me).

No regrets giving this book a try.

Haze and Fox are a married couple with an interesting hobby. They kill bad men for fun. They of course have rules, which is why they only kill men who deserve it: pedophiles, harassers, etc. However, when they become parents they decide to stop. They don’t realize how much they’ll miss it though, and the things they do to distract themselves start tearing them apart. Told from both of their points of view, but mostly Haze’s, readers get into the minds of serial killers. There are a lot of twists, but the book would have benefited from being a bit shorter. The chapters were short, but there were a lot of them, and not all were necessary to move the plot along. Ultimately, this was a fun read for mystery lovers.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A lighter story about serial killers. It reminded me of This Girl’s a Killer by Emma Wells. Some parts were a little far fetched but overall I enjoyed this book.

Hazel and Fox are individual serial killers. Always trying to kill bad men so they don't hurt anyone else. They meet and decide to team up and travel the world killing men. This is exciting for both of them. They get married and are enjoying life when Hazel becomes pregnant. How does parenthood fit in with killing. Can they have both?

This is a fast paced inventive thriller. Can two people change who they are for a child? What will this do to their sense of self? This shows how this change affects each of them. The unique premise of this book will have you hooked and turning pages to see what happens. If you are looking for something a little different this may be the book for you.

Thank you #NetGalley, #AsiaMackay, and #Bantam for a copy of this book.
#ASerialKillersGuidetoMarriage

Think Dexter meets Mr. And Mrs. Smith. I liked parts of it, but not others.

For example, I like morally grey characters and wish there were more that received a happy ending. (Honestly, what would the world be like if one of them actually accomplished their end game?) So, I was hoping for more cohesion between the married couple.

EXCEPT what we got was a woman with a sketchy past who doesn’t like being told what to do, being told what to do by her husband. And then the lack of communication between the two. I guess that’s why I can’t enjoy Hallmark movies because I would spill every secret/worry, like “here’s my issues. What you got?”

The ending did make me happy, but I also just have no desire for a sequel.

Overall, I rate this novel 3.5 out of 5 stars.