A quirky and interesting premise, Haze and Fox fell in love and married while operating as serial killers. Taking a break when they have a child, their marriage begins to strain and they start keeping secrets from each other. It’s quite outlandish but is neatly tied up in the end.

It gives off Mr and Mrs Smith vibes, but not quite. It’s full of biting sarcasm that makes for a fun read but something was missing for me, hence the 3 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

This was another one where a comparison that I read somewhere captured my attention enough for me to want to read it. For the record, this really isn’t all that similar to Mr & Mrs Smith (that infamous Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie movie). If anything, it would be more like a Mr & Mrs Smith sequel or better yet, Mr & Mrs Dexter. Fox and Haze are straight up sociopaths, who like Dexter, have a code to only kill bad people. So, if you’re not a fan of the stories/movie/tv show, then you probably wouldn’t enjoy this story. JMHO However, I was a fan of the movie/show/books, at least enough to want to read this story.

Anyway, the book summary lays out the whole primary storyline of how Fox and Haze agree to giving up killing (after a decade long killing spree), so they can be there for their daughter, Bibi. However, Haze, basically falls off the wagon by killing someone, who was indeed a bad guy, so there’s that. Haze, who was bored out of her mind with domesticity, began to resent Fox for not being there for her while she struggled to maintain their new life, so, she takes things into own hands (without Fox). There is also kind of a secondary storyline about Haze’s friend, Jenny, who is having problems with her abusive ex/baby daddy, who refuses to help support their baby.

The story flips back and forth between Fox and Haze, as well as back and forth between present day and pre-marriage and Bibi. The reader gets a pretty clear and full picture of who Fox and Haze are, as well as how and why they started killing. Mackay also reveals how Fox and Haze have always gotten away with it by following a very specific set of rules, every time. This latest kill by Haze pretty much broke all rules and is basically seen by Fox, and even Haze, as a violation of their marriage vows, the same that infidelity would be seen.

The character development of Fox and Haze was well done, and the reader gets a really clear picture of who they were before Bibi and who they are now and how this incident affected them and their marriage. The problem for me was that Fox and Haze aren’t likeable people, at all, and neither are any of the other characters. Like so many domestic dramas, the only characters I cared about were the kids Bibi and Felix, who I felt sorry for because they got stuck with such crappy parents. From the get-go, I was thinking Fox and Haze would remind me of Dexter, but they don’t. As a character driven reader, unlikeable MC’s are, more times than not, a dealbreaker for me. The pacing of the first part of the story was really slow and I struggled getting through it. The pace picks up after the murder by Haze. The storyline was ok, but I’m kind of at a loss as to what to say about the writing. I’m not a writer and the only thing I know about writing is what I like and don’t like. I’m just going to leave it at that.

I’m looking at an overall rating of 3.5 that I’m not feeling compelled to round up. I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Ballantine for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #RandomHousePublishingBallantine #ASerialKillersGuidetoMarriage

Clever and witty, had me either smiling or laughing out loud throughout the story. Whoever thought you would want a serial killer as a best friend? I loved the rollercoaster storyline plot, entertaining from the first page. I look forward to reading more book from Asia MacKay! Thank you Penguin Random House for providing me this book for review consideration via NetGallery. All opinions re my own.

Two serial killers (Hazel & Fox) who were individually targeting terrible men accidentally meet, fall in love, jet around Europe killing a bunch of creeps together, get married, have a baby, move to the suburbs, and then everything falls apart.

I loved the premise (one of my faves — I can never pass up some sweet, sweet vigilante justice and adding in some hints of romcom - the dream!), but the plot was 99% based on miscommunication, which is pretty much my least favorite thing ever. All of the back and forth of keeping secrets and rather ineptly sneaking around got very tedious and made the middle third or so of the book drag. If you two dummies are so madly in love…. Just. Have. A. Conversation. Blargh.

There were some very funny lines and a healthy dose of snark throughout, and I thought the ending was great, but it overall didn’t quite live up to what I was hoping for.

(2.5 rounded up)

4.5 ⭐️ A Serial Killers Guide to Marriage was such a fun and witty, yet ironically dark read. Hazel and Fox were so beautifully written. The miscommunication KILLED me, but at the same time it was so entertaining watching everything play out, the plot twists were so funny. Although, it did seem to be a bit repetitive, but the extremely short chapters made up for it, and made it an easy read.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for providing me with an ARC!!

I devoured this book! It absolutely grabbed me from the first page and I loved every thing about it! Please tell me there will be another one!

So the serial killer element of this book is obviously a very dark one, but otherwise this was quite entertaining. Totally relatable dynamics with parenting, friendship, and marriage. Thanks to netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5

Moments of this were really fun and other times it felt a bit repetitive. At its core it’s about marriage and how parenthood changes a couple, which I liked and related to a lot. With a dash of Dexter thrown in which made it a good time. Fun couple of twists too. It’s not reinventing the wheel, you may have read something similar before, but it was a fast and engaging read. I liked the character of Haze and her development, but I do wish the book didn’t rely on miscommunication as much as it did.

Thank you net galley and the author for letting me read this ARC. . I really enjoyed the writing style and the character of Haze. She isn't likable but you still root for her.

.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

Great premise, and I admit the cover is what made me want to read this. Unfortunately, the story never pulled me in - I was quite bored right from the beginning and that never got better. I really didn't care about any of the characters. I kept putting this down and going back to it, which is never a good sign for me. DNF.

A Ѕerιal ĸιller'ѕ gυιde тo мυrder
вy Aѕιa Мacĸay
releaѕe daтe 01/14/2025


Hazel and Fox were badass serial killers who turned their lives around when Hazel became unexpectedly pregnant with their daughter, Bibi.
Now they’re a boring couple, not killing people (to be fair, they only killed bad guys ), and both of them are itching for their old lives.
I loved two things about this book: #1—the female character is smart and clever and is wildly independent and dependent on herself.
(Damsel in Distress books are an absolute DNF for me)
This portrayal emphasizes her intelligence, charm, and the psychological complexity that drives her actions, creating a compelling and unsettling character. I loved her.
#2 The alternating pov and the storyline being told from past and present made this book super enjoyable. I hope there are plans for a prequel or sequel for these characters.
5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟S̤̈T̤̈Ä̤R̤̈S̤̈


#ASerialKillersGuidetoMarriage #netgalley #asiamackay #randomhouse #ballantine #thrillmemore
#serialkillerbooks #horrorbooks #bookreview #bookrecs #bookstagram #whatiread #booksirecommend #thrillerbookstagram #thrillerbooksaddict
#bookstagrammer

A Serial Killers Guide to Marriage

This grabbed me from the very first paragraph.

A few incidents lead toward all out marital breakdown, but this is about more than marriage. It also addresses parenting, controlling parents, and vigilante do-gooders who are conscientious killers. Sounds morbid? It’s not.

This is probably the most unusual dysfunctional marriage and most unusual relationship in a fiction book. How can a marriage survive when both spouse are denied their dark hobby?

The unpredictable plot made it difficult to put down. The ending is delightfully surprising.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Some of it was a little far fetched but I loved the little plot twists toward the end. There were so many moments that had me laughing out loud. It was a really fun read overall!

3.5 Stars rounded up

Creative ending that I wasn't necessarily predicting, however I do feel that the story was repetitive at times and could have been shorter. Took me about 35% to get into the story and want to read more. Interesting and unique plot, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if it was a bit more fast paced. I overall enjoyed this read & I appreciate the gifted ARC.

I liked the premise of this book but found it very slow moving and the ending just didn’t make sense to me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group -Ballantine/Bantam for the eArc in exchange for an honest review!

I’ve rarely been as hooked by a prologue as I was with this book, like if that’s what’s about to happen I cannot wait for the rest!

Fox and Haze seem completely different from each other, like they shouldn’t work and the journey? Is crazy!

There is so much that happens, and the secrets they keep from each other too finding just what they know, and then that ending?! I love it!

This was such a fun read! While I loved trying to uncover the clues on what was happening with Fox and Haze it really was just so much fun!

I'm a big fan of tongue-in-cheek thrillers that subvert tropes, so I was eager to read this title. And while the underlying plot could be fun and funny, instead I found the story to be slow and a bit depressing. A rich married couple who kills bad guys together but has gotten into a no-more-killing slump after having a child is what plays out for about 80% of the book, with all the ho-hum day-to-day that entails: one person thinks the other is cheating or lying, while the other thinks the first is doing this or that. Throw in some extra characters who threaten their identities, mostly with long-play subplots without much bite, and this is a lukewarm tale of two serial killers taking a break that only picks up slightly near the end.

The cover of this book led me to think that the story would be light and whimsical. But I found that the husband and wife, Fox and Haze, were actually serial killers, and had an incredible need to kill bad people. Married and with a baby girl, they had to control their killer instincts. But I could not relate to them at all. The F word fills their thoughts a lot. And though some found this story humorous, I found it "off putting". I only got through the first 20%, and I had to stop. I gave it 3 stars because it is well written, from the POV of both Fox and Haze, which allows readers to see into the minds of both.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage.

A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage can be added to your feminine rage TBR if you’re into stories about women who enact revenge on men who do bad things. Haze is a serial killer who believes she is doing the world a service by ridding society of vile men who abuse women. She finds her perfect match in Fox, who also has a taste for killing wrongful people. They travel throughout Europe, living luxuriously and leaving a trail of the bodies of men who they feel deserved it. Then they marry, they have a baby, and they swear off killing to protect their family’s future. This book chronicles the downward spiral of their marriage post-baby and how resentment builds between the couple. Haze wants to go back to their pre-baby habits and satisfy her penchant for murder while Fox wants a normal life for their family. In an attempt to be normal, Haze befriends Jenny who turns out to be a criminal detective on maternity leave. Their friendship blossoms, but so does Jenny’s theory about a local serial killer after a body turns up in their neighborhood…In a marriage full of secrets and lies, Fox and Haze have to figure out how to manage their bloodlust while doing what is right for their child without getting caught.

I liked the premise of this story and found the first and last quarter of the book really intriguing. However, much of the middle felt slow and sometimes boring. It didn’t feel like a page-turner until the last ~20% of the book. The climax fell a little short for me, as I was interested in a more shocking twist. Much of the conflict between the married couple could have just been resolved with communication. I gave it ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage by Asia Mackay releases on January 13, 2025!

A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage was a surprising delight. I wasn't sure what to expect, but actually liking, and sometimes agreeing with, the main character wasn't it. I never thought I'd be able to relate to a faux serial killer, but Asia Mackay's writing not only made her relatable, but likeable. You find yourself rooting for the main female character throughout the book, even as she finds herself fighting the urge to kill or not kill. I also enjoyed the insights into marriage itself and how easily trust can break down. As someone who will be getting married next year, it was a reminder of how important it is to communicate and be honest with your partner. Not only can almost married couples learn this lesson, it can be a reminder to already married couples. I'd absolutely recommend this book to my fellow readers, as it can easily be enjoyed by a wide audience.

I liked the concept of this, but it was just so slow at the beginning and the twist and ending just didn't line up for me. I wish the drama started earlier I think it would have left more room to create a better twist.