It took me a bit to get into this book, but I’m glad I stuck it out!

Haze and Nathaniel are serial killers but are now parents to a young child and thus, they have to give up their bloodthirsty ways for the sake of their daughter. But…they miss it. They miss it bad.

We are given the POVs of both Haze and Nathaniel, more time with her than hum. Sometimes we go back to “then” so we can get a tad more understanding of their background. Haze grew up in foster care and Nathaniel grew up with crazy, controlling and narcissistic parents. Needless to say, these folks are messed up! But this works out for is in the book: they take the injustices they were served as children and enact their own form of vigilante justice.

A fun read that at times will make you want to throttle these two who just stopped communicating with each other. In the end though, I couldn’t help but root for them.

Thank you to Net Galley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading “A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage”. It was reminiscent of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”. I found it to be a fun and well-written story. From the moment I read the book description, I was immediately drawn in and eager to start. The chapters are short and snappy, which makes for good quick reading. I found the dual timeline and the storyline really gripping, I wanted to know what had happened because I was hooked by the prologue alone. The strength of the characters and the unexpected twists in the plot kept me engaged. I think the complexities of their personalities, and the mundane relationship drama that they deal with, are my favorite aspects of this novel. The twists and turns in the plot added excitement. I enjoyed that it was a dual POV story and getting both Haze and Fox’s perspectives really fleshed out the novel. Jenny was a great character who surprised me at every turn! While the ending may not have been entirely realistic, I found it to be a satisfying conclusion to the story. Overall, I would recommend this book to others looking for an entertaining read with well-developed characters and an engaging plot. Overall, I would highly recommend A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage to just about anyone. It’s a perfect mix of quirky humor, thrilling tension. This book has something for everyone. Thanks to Asia Mackay, Netgalley, Random House Publishing and Ballantine. I hope that this isn’t the last we see of Haze and Fox.

This was a fun and unique thriller. A mixtures of Mr. and Mrs. Smith with a dash of Dexter. A fun quick read but did drag in a few points.

This was a really enjoyable, short, and simple read! I adored how the plot, characters, and story vibe all came together to produce a lovely, seamless flow. I had a great time reading this. It was the ideal fusion of a thriller and a domestic tale. It is simultaneously heavy and light. Without a doubt, I'll be keeping an eye out for more books written by this author.

ARC Review ✨️

☆Hazel & Fox☆

Hazel and Fox are married. Now they might seem like the average married couple, but there's one problem. They're actually ex- serial killers. They loved what they did, but when Hazel became pregnant, they walked away from that life, or so they thought. Recently, Hazel has been itching to do that again, so she ends up un-aliving someone without her husband's knowledge. If that wasn't bad enough now, the police are at their door.

I absolutely loved the whole concept of this book. It's unlike any story I've ever read. It was super fast-paced and kept me intrigued the whole time. At some points, I felt like I couldn't flip the pages fast enough! This couple almost reminds me of the couple in Butcher and Blackbird, and I love that. This author is new to me, but she's going on my favorites list!

Tropes:
🖤Partners in crime
🖤Dark humor
🖤Past and present timelines
🖤Morally grey main characters

Thanks so much to the author, Netgalley, and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine/Bantam for the ARC!

A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage by Asia Mackay
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Its Mr. & Mrs. Smith meets domesticity. I absolutely loved this book. The banter and inner dialogue was so funny and original.

Haze and Fox are (happily) married with a 2 year old daughter, Bibi. Before meeting domestic bliss, they were serial killers ridding the world of bad men. Now, Haze is bored of being a housewife and Fox appears to be oblivious to her yearning for more (dead bodies) BUT they made a pact to stop their vigilante work once Haze became pregnant. She does everything in her power to keep this pact but when a man attacks her while on a run, she's left with no choice but to do what she does best, KILL.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random Housing - Ballantine | Bantam for the opportunity to read A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage by Asia Mackay in exchange for my honest review.

The premise of A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage promises a darkly humorous exploration of suburban life through the lens of ex-serial killers Hazel and Fox. While all the parts of a story I’d love are there, the execution fell short for me.

The characters, despite their intriguing premise, lacked depth and complexity. Hazel’s snark often came across as rude rather than witty, making it hard to be in her corner. Fox, meanwhile, felt underdeveloped, and their dynamic as a couple didn’t live up to its potential. The central theme—a marriage in crisis—should have been compelling, but the lack of meaningful communication between Hazel and Fox made their relationship feel more frustrating than engaging.

Another drawback was the pacing. The first half of the book dragged considerably, with little happening to drive the plot forward. While the story is about Hazel and Fox grappling with their "sobriety" from murder, I found myself begging for more action or intrigue to balance things out.

That said, the ending did offer some redemption. While it ties everything up almost too neatly, it was also the point where I finally felt a spark of interest in the characters and their journey. The last 15-20% of the book brought some much-needed tension and resolution, and I found myself genuinely curious about their fate.

While some readers might appreciate its tidy ending and obvious commentary on relationships, A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage wasn’t for me. It had all the right elements but couldn’t quite bring them together in a way that sucked me in.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the characters were interesting and believable and the pace was steady. I didn't find the plot boring or fast but also not at all slow and creeping. There was also a few good laughs and alot of eye raising.

0000 this oen was a total vibe. i loved our protags, i loved the fast paced opening, i loved the thrill ride that the entire book was. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

I was excited to receive an advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book through NetGalley. I was intrigued by several point plots – serial killers, married to each other, who give it up once they start a family. This one was a slow start for me, and I didn’t care much for the character of Hazel at first. However, the longer I read, the more I enjoyed the book. I get that this novel is describing a non-traditional marriage, but many times I wanted to just shake Fox and Hazel and tell them to talk to each other! I don’t know that this book would make my “top 10” list, but I enjoyed Asia Mackay’s writing style enough that I will check out her other books.

I received an ARC of A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage by Asia Mackay from NetGalley and Bantam Books, and it delivered a thrilling, darkly humorous exploration of relationships. Told from dual perspectives and timelines, the novel examines the challenges of marriage, the struggle to balance motherhood with identity, and the fallout of miscommunication—all set against the gripping backdrop of two “dormant” serial killers and a whole onslaught of misfortunes. It’s sharp, insightful, and utterly unique. Highly recommend!

My review will be posted on my bookstagram on pub day at @turmingpageswithkate - until then, happy reading!

I wanted to love this book - between the description & the cover, I really did want to love it. Unfortunately, I only just liked it. The characters were interesting in their own ways, although I feel like it would have been nice to have more from Fox’s POV than Haze’s & maybe also throw in a few chapters from Jenny’s POV. For me, the first half of the book seemed to drag a bit which made it difficult to keep going but once I got passed the halfway point it was a lot better. All in all, I would say the beginning was a solid 2.5 stars and the end was almost 4 stars, so overall I’m going with 3.

Thanks you NetGalley & Random House for providing me with an ARC for my honest opinion.

Great read that started off slow but when it picked it, it was a wild ride! Haze and Fox are a match made in heaven but questions is the thrill gone after love, marriage and a baby. I enjoyed both characters and the plot twists. I felt like the ending could've been shorter, but nevertheless, enjoyed how it ended.

If you're looking for a quick read, this is not it. This is a good read and is easy to follow! Great job, Asia!

A glance at Rowan and Sloane 5-10 years down the road! When all you want to do is rid the world of bad men but toddler playdates and coffee meetups with other suburban Moms are your life. This was a fun look into the mundane life of every married couple and how quickly you go from that fun loving whirlwind love to middle-aged married couple and parents that are too tired for bedroom activities that don't include sleeping. But this couple has some other favorite past times that would put their family at risk. Instead of relying on each other, when their past rears it's ugly head Haze and Fox start keeping secrets from each other in order to clean up their own messes. I really enjoy the taking care of bad men stories that seem to be popping up pretty regularly and this gives us a unique take on that with the element of a long-term relationship thrown in the mix. The first half of the book is mostly Haze and Fox internally reflecting the state of their relationship and how to get that spark back without resorting to past activities and keep their daughter safe while making friends and fitting in with the rest of the suburbanites. Most of the action takes place in the last 40-30% of the book. 4.5 stars rounded up.

Title: A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage
Author: Asia Mackay
Publisher: Bantam Books
Release Date: 14 January 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was such a great, quick, and easy read! I loved how the vibe of the story, the characters, and the plot all worked together to create a nice, smooth flow. It felt effortless to keep turning the pages, and I was hooked from the start.
There were definitely moments that had me super curious about where the story was headed. I kept coming up with theories about how it might end, and even though I was somewhat spot on (yay me! 😂), the actual ending still managed to surprise me in the best way. It was clever, unexpected, and tied everything together perfectly.
The characters were so well-written—they felt relatable, and their choices made sense within the story. The pacing was spot-on, too. It kept me engaged from start to finish without ever feeling rushed or dragged out.
Overall, this was such an enjoyable read! I’d absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for something fun, fast-paced, and full of surprises.

Thank you, @bantambooksuk @randomhouse @netgalley, for my digital galley in exchange for an honest review.

A funny and fast-paced domestic thriller giving vibes of Dexter, Butcher and Blackbird, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
Haze and Fox are serial killers now trying to manage their domestic life of marriage, parenting, and making mom-friends. The story is told in dual POV. It includes snippets in between chapters of texts, news articles, emails, and quotes from a fictional book on married life followed by Haze's personal take.
This was a really fun read for me. Haze's sarcasm towards domestic life was so relatable.
This book is released 1/14/2025.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. I have posted this review on my Goodreads and Storygraph accounts.

It took me a bit to get into this book, but I couldn't put it down once I did. Haze and Fox are likable characters, and you find yourself going back and forth rooting for them. The book also helps point out that the grass is not always greener on the other side. I wasn't sure what to expect based on the title, and it didn't disappoint.

I LOVED this book. It was the perfect blend of a domestic story and a thriller. Heavy and light at the same time. I will definitely be looking out for more novels by this author. Easy five stars!

I loved this! The ending totally took my by surprise. This book gave Mr & Mrs Smith/ Dexter vibes for me! I loved the quotes from a wife in between chapters. I wish there was more of a romance feel but the storyline was great, with great character development.

Haze and Fox are two vigilante serial killers- a married couple who target bad men for their marks. That is, until they become parents and Fox insists they give up their dark hobby out of safety for their daughter. But, how will their marriage survive them giving up the thing that brought them together in the first place?

I love the premise of this book - so fun, dark, bold and edgy. I found it extremely repetitive at some points - both Fox and Haze (the book has dial POV) drone on and on about how difficult it is to no longer be killers, how boring it is, how they’ve lost their spark, etc. etc. The characters also lack a lot of dimension- Haze is not very likable, her whole persona is too good for the suburban housewife mold and she’s snobbish and bitchy at times. Fox seems near perfect- he’ll do anything for Haze and yet he makes lots of stupid decisions in keeping secrets from her in an effort to “fix things”. But, this sort of character development is pretty typical of this genre and does serve to provide a few twists when it’s revealed what’s really going on.

The ending was overall satisfying even if unrealistic. There’s a satirical overtone to the prose that gives it a refreshing feel.

Overall, ok. Fun premise, execution slightly lacking.