This book was so fun to read, it’s giving Mr & Mrs Smith x Desperate Housewives and the bad guys are misogynistic men.

It’s sarcastic, funny and so wrong but so right 🤭

We follow ex-cereal killas who are trying to live normal (rich) suburbia life after the birth of their daughter. Hazel is reluctantly going to mothers groups, does not want to make new friends and itching to chase that high while Fox uses various addiction help groups to cope with the change.

I loved the ending!

Asia Mackay’s A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage has a fascinating premise, blending dark humor with suspense. The idea of exploring a marriage filled with secrets and crime is unique and intriguing.

While the book has some clever moments and sharp humor, the story feels uneven. The pacing slows at times, and the twists don’t always pack the punch they should. The characters could also have been more deeply explored to make the story more engaging.

Overall, it’s an entertaining read for fans of dark humour and thrillers, but it doesn’t quite deliver the depth it promises.

This book is addictive, I was hooked from the first page! It reminds me of a mix of Dexter and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. I enjoyed the dual POV, the fast pacing and dark humor. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers

Mix Mr & Mrs Smith & Desperate Housewives and this wonderful story is born.

Fox and Hazel are not your ordinary married couple, from having different upbringings to being something different to the rest of the other couples in the world, I'm not sure if you want to be like them or feel sorry for them.

They were serial killers with a meaning to stop bad guys but when hazel got pregnant, Fox thinks it's time to hang up the tools and be the normal loving family living in a suburban area but hazel doesn't want that.

With hazel stuck thinking about the past and fox thinking about the future what could happen to them and will they be the same loving married couple before having a kid.

I absolutely loved reading this thriller, romance. From the miscommunication, to hazel finding a friend through mums group. I felt like a lot of emotions was put into it and a few sentences stood out to me as i felt like those were happening to me in past relationships.

Thank you Hachette Australia and Netgalley for letting me read this arc for an honest review

I love a good serial killer book but I’ve been having a bad run with them lately. This book does the same thing Butcher & Blackbird did, making sure we knew that these serial killers are the ~good~ kind, who only kill bad people. Their killings are a net positive for society at large…

Please. That’s not how this works. I mean, they might tell themselves that’s what they’re doing but it being objectively true…? Not likely.

Having said that, the writing was compelling. It made me feel things. For a significant portion of the novel, the things in question were rage and a desire to take these characters by the shoulders and scream “TALK TO EACH OTHER!” The entire plot is predicated on miscommunication and it drove me nuts. I get that part of the point of the story is how much having a child can lead to losing one’s sense of self, and what this loss can lead to in your relationship, but for characters who were supposedly soulmates, they weren’t very good at being open with one another.

The last 10-15% was entertaining enough to bump my rating up to 3 stars when I initially had thought that it would be lower. While I’d been a bit annoyed about unreliable narrator aspects, seeing how things came together was quite satisfying. The last section, kind of an epilogue, felt a bit cheesy but on reflection it worked for this story.

With thanks to Hachette Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I had a great time reading this book. It has just the right amount of intrigue, tension and surprise.

Haze and Fox had the perfect marriage - parties, glamour, love and just a little bit of killing on the side. But when Haze falls pregnant, things change. No more high-flying, no more dark alleys. Her life is now play-dates and nursery drop off and, gasp, the suburbs.

But things are not always what they seem. What is Fox hiding and why is it so hard for Haze to turn her back on the past? Surely there must be another way to get the old rush back?

Mr & Mrs Smith meets YOU (Netflix) vibes

Thank you Hachette AUNZ and NetGalley for the eARC of this book.

I wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I picked up this book but after the first few chapters I was invested and almost finished it all in one day.

Hazel & Fox are two serial killers (who only kill the bad guys) who happened to fall in love, get married and have a kid, all to realise that they have become the versions of themselves they never wanted to be.

Haze - thrown into the life of being a mum, not having time for herself and despite loving her child, has been forced to give up the one thing that made her feel most alive.

Fox - seemingly ready for this next chapter and to slow down, in turn loses the woman he fell in love with as she begins to withdraw further and further.

I found Haze’s reflections on life, love and marriage to be endearing and pretty spot on in some cases, the couple’s issues are super relatable to a lot of people who have been together/ married for some time.

Having the POVs of both characters broke the story up nicely and surprisingly, although trying to guess constantly; I did not see the events unfolding in the way that they ended up happening.

It kept me on my toes constantly and was a light-hearted murder mystery with an added layer of relationship issues that could be solved if both Haze and Fox communicated better.

Overall I really enjoyed this one, thank you again for the opportunity to read it early!

I really enjoyed this fun and fast paced thriller. Kept me entertained the whole way through.
I will be definitely checking out other books from this author!

I enjoyed the concept. The writing style is slick and sharp, and will be accessible for all readers. There's a sense of understanding the perfect pace for a story like this, and for knowing just how much clever humour to weave into the narrative. It's quite well written and catchy.

However, if you're not a fan of the miscommunication trope, then this book may be an issue for you. The entire premise is based on this trope. I'll accept almost any trope or cliche, especially if handled well in a book. I'm okay with how it's used in this book, but not over the moon about it, considering so much effort is placed on explaining how perfect the protagonists are for each other. Basing the entire book on miscommunication can be an issue because how often can it be used before it becomes too much? I think this book toes that line a little and maybe steps over the line here or there.

Still, this is an interesting way to explore the idea of what people sometimes give up when they are in a serious relationship or get married. Compromise can sometimes be one-sided, and both characters feel the burden in this book. I've not seen that idea explored in this way before. I appreciate the unique take, which was also written in way that made it feel fresh.

Fun read, despite the subject. Entertaining. Unique. Glad I read this.

Haze and Fox have everything.
The yuppie suburban life of a stay at home artist/mum and a financier ex-pat dad. They project having it all, a daughter they love, stability and a vapidness in their relationship that is mismatched the early, heady days as jet-setting (serial un-aliving) socialites. Yet, there is tension and unhappiness in the marriage. There is a deal done and a deal broken. A secret past and present that could pull their carefully constructed world asunder.

In ten words or less, this has strong Mr and Mrs Smith gone straight vibes.

We were enmeshed in a study of how life and relationships can suffer when established roles change over time. Haze and Fox find themselves living parallel to each other with the only common ground their daughter. I found Haze’s recurring internal monologues around how boring motherhood is and the emptiness of the day to day to grate. The character desperately seeks the high of a ‘stalk and dispatch’ to put a spark in her life, which was pretty ‘woe is me’. *sigh* We all get our buzz in different ways I guess.

Neither Fox nor Haze really sparked for me. The nanny, Helga, now she could have been fantastic. The vigilante “bad man” disposal angle was an interesting and underutilised plot point. We were told it happened, we were given an example or two. This was not particularly dark, graphic or violent. It's a dark comedy if you squint. There were some dull points where we just needed a bit more action (60% and 80%) because there were some really smart schemes and twists going on off page. The conclusion was very tidy. A bit too slick maybe? I love the cover art and A Serial Killers Guide to Marriage was entertaining enough to keep me to the end.

With thanks to Hachette Australia New Zealand for the eARC of A Serial Killers Guide to Marriage by Asia Mackay to read ahead of publication. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

🚨💍 Dark, Twisty, and Addictive! 💔🔪

If you’re into thrillers that make you laugh, gasp, and question your definition of “couple goals,” A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage by Asia Mackay needs to be on your radar.

If I can hook you on a quote that starts the book it’s this
‘Do you even still love me?’
‘How can you ask me that? Of course I do. I would’ve killed you in your sleep months ago if I didn’t.’

This razor-sharp tale of love, parenthood, and murder follows Hazel and Fox—retired serial killers turned suburban parents—trying to keep their bloody past buried. Spoiler: it doesn’t go as planned.

Perfect for fans of Mr. & Mrs. Smith and dark domestic thrillers, this is one book you won’t be able to put down.

The premise of this book was interesting, what would life be like when you and your partner give up killing to raise a family? Unfortunately the answer was a lot of humdrum day to day parenting, which was not that engaging and took up a lot of the early stages of the book. The flashbacks showed what their past had been like, but although they were killed "bad" men it felt a bit like that was the secondary storyline, the main being Hazel and Fox and how lavish their lifestyle together was and how much in love they were. There is some romance, some crime, some thrills, I couldn't really say it was one genre.

In the present day Haze kills someone without Fox and then hides it from him. Fox is dealing with his own issues of family threats and business deals. Cue a lot of miscommunication and resentment between Hazel and Fox. At the same time Hazel is befriending Jenny who it turns out is a police officer who may be on the trail of the "serial killer" responsible for Hazel and Fox's kills and puts them at risk.

Unfortunately I didn't really feel any sort of connection to the characters, I didn't really find them likeable. The pacing in the first half was a bit slow for my liking and some of the plot points were just too convenient and easily accepted. I would recommend this to readers who are interested in a more slow paced story with a few twists along the way.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand for the advance review copy.

Sadly, this one wasn't for me. The premise is intriguing - what happens when two serial killers marry each other, and have to hang up their weapons to play house in the suburbs? Hazel is struggling not only with curbing her killer instinct, but also with the monotony and loss of self since becoming a mother - this makes for some refreshingly candid thoughts on the downside of parenthood. Ultimately I didn't connect with either of our main characters and wasn't invested in their struggles. Fans of 'Dexter' may appreciate that both Hazel and Fox are only selecting 'bad' people when they get the urge to clean house - however I found this a bit heavy handed & would have liked both Haze & Fox to be a bit more self-aware.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand for the early reader copy. Review to be posted to FishbirdCentral.com closer to publication date in January 2025.

With a title like that, how could I say no!
And from the first page I was hooked, mostly by Hazel and her dry, sarcastic sense of humour.

Asia Mackay, perfectly captures what it's like to be in a long term relationship, when the honeymoon period is long over and life starts to feel monotonous. I think a lot of female readers are going to resonate with Hazel in that regard.

Once Fox's chapters start, we start to see more depth to our characters, build some understanding of their development. But it also adds to the psychological thriller element because it becomes evident that our narrator's aren't entirely truthful.

It does take 100 pages for this book to truly take off, the first 100 pages are slow, world building and I was almost put off, but as we learn more about the characters, this book is un-put-downable. We see our protagonists lives beginning to unravel and the lengths they will go to, to maintain the air of normalcy.

The only fault I have with this book, is that towards the middle to end, it becomes incredibly repetitive, going over the same narrative in different ways. It's a little grating and takes focus away from what is happening within the story itself.

That being said, this book was unique, it gave us glimpses of what happens when extraordinary people are pigeon holed into the mundane (poetic licence here). The ending felt very neat and tidy, no loose ends or plot holes, which we love. Easy to read, engaging and a different take on "Mr and Mrs Smith". Publishing 14th of January 2025, definitely worth exploring!

Thankyou to Hachette and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy of this title. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 stars*
This was a nice and quick easy read. Definitely gave me Dexter x Mr and Mrs Smith vibes.

The plot was interesting, and easy to read and follow, the character development was good, and I especially loved the 'past' chapters - getting to know the characters just that little bit more.

Reading the synopsis I expected this book to be heavily 'thriller' focused, but it wasn't surprisingly. It had mentions of grief, acceptance and also making new friends etc - not something you see in your typical thriller.

Overall a good read, something different.

Picture this: you are serial unaliver...only of people who deserve it, and then you meet your perfect match - someone else who is a serial unaliver. Your meet-cute isn't sweet, but it is hot and the two of you embark on fun sojourns of pretending to be 'someone' and doing things to bad people which the vast majority of the population wouldn't think were socially acceptable. But then, one you is pregnant and you both make the decision to assimilate into a life in the 'burbs. At first, things are okay, and eventually you ordinary life is just ordinary. This is how Hazel reflects on her life. Her husband, Fox, is more relaxed in their new life.

Fox encourages Hazel to find a new friend and adjust to life as a stay-at-home mum. Hazel makes a friend alright, one who will have a huge impact on her life. Hazel thinks its a good idea to let out a little bit of pressure so she doesn't explode, but perhaps she's out of practice and Fox was always the better planner, because maybe things haven't gone as well as she thought they should have, but she still won't expose him to her worries. Fox has family who suck and unfortunately there is an increase pressure on him, which he doesn't want Hazel to worry about.

This pair are in need of some serious therapy sessions: communication is key, people. Lucky for us though their lack of communication results in a dark comedy of a book which I found hard to put down.

I really enjoyed the way the author crafted Hazel's and Fox's personalities and their reaction to the suburban life. Even without their serial extra-curricular activities, the adjustment to the life they once led would have a huge impact on someone. The author did this in a way that often had me laughing out loud (Hazel's assessment of people) and groaning with a slight edge of 'I don't know if this is a good plan' (Fox's outward appearance of calm, but his indulgence in risky behaviour was more than plausible and at times worrisome).

I also thought the development of the plot up to the third act crisis was believable because eventually with all the forces and the people involved, something would eventually have to give and I think it was tied together in a plausible way.

If you like books that are a little bit dark, includes comedy and snark, has actual character development over the book, includes twists and entertaining outcomes, then I don't think you will find this book lacking.

3? 3.5?!

Firstly, the entire premise of this is hilariously amazing. My recommendation is to go into this book not expecting a huge romance storyline. But a complex (unrealistic) story of acceptance, how to work through trauma, self-discovery, how to navigate friendships (again, unrealistically in this context), and the struggles of becoming a mum when it wasn't expected.

I did enjoy it, but I did feel like it dragged at some points and that nothing was happening. Not because of what was happening in the book because I love that these two unassuming people were out there killing shitty men. But because I just found Fox sooooo boring. Even when he was sneaking around doing what the plot twist at the end explained I still was like 'oh ok'. I think more flashback chapters would have broken this up a bit. BUT in hindsight, while this is titled as a 'guide to marriage', my biggest take away of this was how Haze navigated her life. Her friendship with Matty and then Jenny, and her own version of healing from her childhood. While there was 'romance' mostly in the flashbacks, it is not a romance book to me.

Also, as a new first time mum, there were some wildly relatable statements from Haze. The conflict of losing yourself but doing ANYTHING humanly possible for your child, and seeing that in words was wild and maybe that's why I also struggled through this book.

It is worth noting that while reading other reviews, some people really enjoyed Fox's chapters and not Haze's so this is really up to the reader and how they interpret this text!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hacehette ANZ for this earc!! I really appreciate it

DNF at 15% I really did not like the prose of writing but mostly I found the main character to be insufferable I just could not get into this book.

Overall I enjoyed the book & especially the plot. I just wasn't a big fan of the writing style. It was mostly the characters monologue on what was going on with very few interactions between all the characters

Hazel and Fox are an ex-serial killer, married couple. After Hazel falls pregnant, they agree that they need to stop the killings. However, Hazel is unable to give up her former life and ends up killing a man behind Fox's back. Now, she must do anything and everything to cover up what she did to save her marriage and protect her family. But what secrets of his own are Fox keeping?

I expected this book to be more serial-killing focused and less about relationships. Even though it was very heavy on marriage, parenthood and friendships, I still enjoyed it. The dual points-of-view of Hazel and Fox were effective in providing an insight into what they thought of each other. The secrets they kept from each other added suspense to the story. I enjoyed the quirkiness of the couple and their dry humour.