This might be one of the most unique and refreshing debuts I’ve read in a while! The first 50% of the book follows Dolores and Jake as they strike up an office ‘stalker-ish’ cat and mouse flirtation including pranks, one-liners, and some serious tension in corporate cubicle land. They each have their own dark humor, and throw more taunts than swoony compliments, making me LOL. Posey does a great job of using satire and cloaked meanings to hide both Jake and Dodi’s true character until later in the book growing suspense. There is a great level or ‘will they or won’t they’ in addition to ‘are they really serial killers?!’ A wonky work trip to Vegas allows these two a more deeper connection, and as they unravel one another’s insecurities and vulnerabilities, the book changes direction and tone. The back half includes a surprising amount of found family, holiday joy (maybe the green and red cover was a hint?), and a fun conclusion to this unique and dark rom-com.

Thank you to Berkley publishing for my ARC in exchange for my thoughts. I can’t wait to see what Posey writes next, as her irreverent characters and humor connected perfectly to my tastes!

'He's an agent of chaos. An opportunist and a manipulator of Machiavellian proportions. A magician who pulls coins from my ears and rabbits from hats, makes my problems vanish behind a false wall, cuts me in half and puts me back together again.'

It's not often that a book surprises me THIS MUCH, but here we are. I went into this one mostly blind without any expectations, and let me tell you I was hooked, and then spun around as the wild twists went one way and then another.

Jake Ripper is a mysterious temp worker, methodical in his ways, quietly gathering information about his coworkers and adding some of their names to a list. When gorgeous new coworker Delores de la Cruz appears, her dark humor and combative comebacks intrigue him, and they begin playing a flirtatious game of cat and mouse, trying to discover each other's secrets while remaining aloof. They each seem a little too interested in a possible local serial killer, and it becomes a basis of alternatively hinting that one or the other might be guilty.

I spent the first part of this book thinking I knew where it was going, and no...no I did not. Yes, this is a dark and twisted rom com but it goes in directions that are utterly surprising. I loved the wicked banter woven into darker themes of dealing with illness and death, the acceptance and embrace of eccentricity, the found family. This is one I'll be recommending to everyone!

Thank you so much to Berkley and Netgalley for Serial Killer Games by Kate Posey!

This just wasn't for me. More a collection of tropes and a dark romance masquerading as a rom-com. The first part seems alright, but then it just goes off the railes (Las Vegas) and stays off the rails. There were so many sudden reveals (expected and otherwise) that it just came across as a mess. The marketing plays it as more of a light romp, but there are some serious issues explored and a real darkness behind some of it. I think some people who are into this sort of dark romance will enjoy it, but as someone who prefers lighter stories...it just wasn't for me. 3 stars (for the writing - which really is good).

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an advance copy of this in exchange for a fair review. All opinions are my own and are uncompensated. Serial Killer Games is out April 29th and you can preorder it now.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for my free copy of this book.

Dolores dela Cruz knows that the new temp Jake Ripper is a serial killer. His strangler gloves, good looks, and charm make him the perfect one. Jake Ripper is happy to have a distraction with this new woman. She is combative, fun, and can follow his flirting. He wonders if he has found his perfect match. Until one day she asks him to dispose of a body.

This book had such great potential. I loved the premise so much, but it honestly didn’t live up to it. The description is deceptive and didn’t lead to where I thought, but not in a fun twisty way. It was kind of like oh ok. Not much really happens in the book. If you want details DM me and I can spoil it for you. The flirting was fun and different. Overall it was ok but don’t go into it thinking you are getting like a cute version of a darker book.

4.25 stars - I've thought about this book so much since finishing it. Based on the initial description I had a vague idea of what I was getting into, but it ended up being delightfully different than I expected. While I was a bit confused at first, I loved the way the book was written, the distinct voices between the two main characters, the mystery, the banter and dark humor. This felt so different than any other book I've recently read and it was like a breath of fresh air. Overall, I really enjoyed this and would absolutely recommend it to anyone else.

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for the eARC - all opinions are my own!

Oh, my. The deeper I got into this story the more bonkers it became. Wackadoodle crazy! I loved it. That's all I'm going to say.

Dolores de la Cruz has a lower-mid-level job in an office. Jake Ripper is the new office temp. Dolores has a hobby of looking for serial killers 'in the wild.' Jake, with his smooth good looks, sense of danger, and 'serial killer gloves' might just be Dolores' find.

The pair begin some intense cat-and-mouse flirting and things begin to get more and more serious. Until one of them asks the other for help disposing of a body. Like an iceberg, what a person hides about themselves might be much more interesting than what we see.

As someone who loves to read and who enjoys listening to a few true crime podcasts, I was really excited to read this first book by new author Kate Posey.

I really got into this book early on. The unreliable narrator, the back-and-forth actions of both Dolores and Jake, and the anticipation of where this will all lead - really builds a tense excitement. But for me, this tension and excitement drops quickly. I can almost pinpoint the moment that the book changes and becomes far less interesting. Las Vegas.

Early on we get that strong sense that there's probably going to be some romance here. Dolores and Jake act like middle-schoolers at times - remember the idea that if a boy was pulling on a girl's pigtails it probably meant he liked her? That's often the feeling here. But for the most part, it's the weird almost-romance that is most enjoyable.

But once things get more serious (or do they?) the romance is no longer interesting and the whole serial killer aspect gets muddled.

Looking for a good book? Serial Killer Games by Kate Posey has a great concept, an exciting set-up, but neither the romance nor the thrill is sustained through to the end.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

I honestly thought this book was going to take me a completely different route than it did, but I wasn't too upset about where we ended up. Dolores and Jake make a cute couple and I enjoyed their dark sense of humor. I enjoyed the twists and turns of the secrets these two have and slowly open themselves up to each other. I also love that in the background there IS in fact a serial killer that could literally be anyone. I would recommend it for that aspect alone!

unique well written humorous love hate affair between two coworkers who could both be serial killers or are they, there was a surprising depth to the story as well as the chemistry came across better than many others of this type I enjoyed it and would recommend if you would like a different take on will they or won't they

Murder, Romance, and Office Politics: A Deliciously Dark Debut

Kate Posey's Serial Killer Games is the office romance we never knew we needed – where the meet-cute involves pepper spray and the water cooler chat centers on unsolved murders.

Our heroine, Dolores de la Cruz, spends her days binging true-crime podcasts and side-eyeing her new coworker, Jake Ripper (yes, really). She's convinced he might be the Paper Pusher – a local killer with a thing for tossing victims off downtown rooftops. The problem? Jake's also annoyingly charming, and their shared obsession with true crime keeps pulling them together.

Posey nails the sweet spot between dark comedy and genuine suspense. She turns mundane office life into a playground of paranoia, where every coffee break could be a clue and every team-building exercise feels like a twisted game of cat and mouse. The chemistry between Dolores and Jake crackles with tension – both the "Is he going to kill me?" and "Why is he so hot?" varieties.

The story occasionally meanders through office drama, but even these detours serve a purpose, building tension for a finale that manages to surprise even the most genre-savvy readers. Posey plays with our expectations like a cat with a mouse, using our own assumptions to lead us down false trails.

This is a story about finding connections in the weirdest places – even if that place happens to be mutual suspicion and shared theories about rooftop murders. It's fresh, funny, and just disturbing enough to keep you guessing.

3.5/5 stars. Recommended for anyone who's ever wondered if their cute coworker might be hiding bodies in the supply closet. Maybe save this one until after you've settled into your new job.

Every time I thought I had this book figured out, I was wrong. And I loved it.

Kate Posey keeps the reader in the dark about just exactly who and what our main characters are through the whole book, slowly revealing the details as Dolores and Jake learn them about each other. It's surprisingly emotional and soft at times only to catch me off guard with its irreverence at others. Overall, this book was not what I was expecting at all, but in a way that I really loved.

Don't go into it expecting Butcher and Blackbird, but do give it a try if you like character-driven stories with some found family, healing of generational trauma, and dark humor.

Such a hilarious , dark, twisted novel. I loved this one from start to finish.. this wouldn't be a book I would normally have read, but received it in exchange for a review from bookbrowse and I am so glad I did! I hope to see more from this author in the future!

The book has a very slow pace which after a while gets a little difficult to keep reading, but the story itself is very good. There are lots of twists and turns - some I guessed, some I didn't. I had specific people I thought of for the characters which helped me play the whole thing out in my head.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Great debut!
Serial Killer Games quickly grabbed me and it didn’t let go. This book wasn’t at all what I expected it to be but I think that’s what made me like it all the more. It had the chemistry and banter you expect in a romcom but it was more about the darker thriller side to the story. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more books by Kate Posey.

3.5 stars.

This is one of the oddest books I’ve read in a while, but that’s okay because overall, it works.

When I started this book, I kept expecting certain events to take place and the author kept throwing twists in. About a third of the way through, I started to figure out and anticipate the twists, which actually made the reading experience really fun.

This book was not at all what I expected it to be. I didn’t enjoy the sort of weird insta-love between Dodi and Jake, but I ended up really loving their found family. I also really liked the Paper Pusher storyline.

If you’re looking for a unique love story, probably unlike anything you’ve read before, full of dark humor, this is the book for you! It releases on 29 April 2025.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley for a free eARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars
I was expecting a light hearted rom-com and I got this emotional funny story that I loved. It was so good, please pick this one up when it comes out!

Kate Posey’s debut novel had me hooked from the start and desperate to know what would happen next; subsequently I read the entire book in less than 24 hours.

Jake Ripper (yes, that is his name) is a new temp employee at Dolores de la Cruz’s job and from their very first encounter they are both fascinated with and wary of each other. They try to resist, but soon begin a tantalizing game of cat and mouse full of ridiculous misunderstandings (which were for once not frustrating), inappropriate pranks, and flirtatious banter.

Serial Killer Games is a dark romance, but it’s also a book about grief, yearning for human connections, and love. It made me laugh out loud and tear up. It was macabre at times yet heartwarming. It was unlike anything I’ve read before and I loved it.

"The entire premise of dating as a straight woman is being alone with men who are potential murderers." "That's very insulting. Potential?"

This was not what I thought it would be, but I'm not upset about it! I think the only reason this isn't rated higher from me is truly a me problem, because I went in thinking it would give Buther & Blackbird vibes, and that was the wrong way to go. It's the perfect mix of fluffy and dark rom-com. I was literally laughing out loud so many times. The shower scene was perfection. IYKYK.

"What do you think of my tattoos?" "You're going to make a very gaudy lampshade."

Dolores and Jack are a pair made in f*cked up heaven. Their dark and morbid senses of humor and ways of communicating with each other was so fun to read. Definitely a nice change of pace from most romance tropes out there. Give me more couples talking casually about murder with each other, please. And cinnamon roll domesticated men who give a girl a haunted Barbie dream house and leave Christmas wrapped Ken doll parts hidden in plain sight as a "gift."

"A true serial killer has the good manners to keep it personal. A good firm stranglehold and then eye contact till the end." "Don't threaten me with a good time."

I will say, I feel like the story kind of lost me halfway through when things were being revealed, and it seemed like the story really took a 180. I absolutely adored the ending, though. Cat and Laura are so cute I could picture them in my head so clearly. Honestly, this book would make a great movie. True 'cult classic' potential. This being a debut novel is so promising, and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more from this author in the future!

Just finished *Serial Killer Games* by Kate Posey, and WOW – what a ride! 😱 If you loved the Butcher and Blackbird series, this one is definitely for you. I dove into this one without any expectations, and it did not disappoint. I read it in one sitting because I *had* to know what happened next. The twists and turns kept me on edge, and I was constantly questioning who was “good” and who was “evil.” The serial killer angle was intense, but it had me hooked the entire time.

The book felt like two stories in one: one part was the budding, teased at romance between Dodi and Jake, with a slow-burn “will they or won’t they?” vibe. The second part dives into themes of found family, grief, and- of course- murder.

That being said, the pace did feel a bit slower at times, and there were moments where I wasn’t sure what the plot was building toward. It almost felt like I was watching the characters just live their lives, without a clear direction toward a big moment. While everything definitely comes together by the end, this isn’t a heavy, emotional read—it’s more of a steady journey with a solid payoff.

There were a few side characters who didn’t quite fit into the main story, and I kept wondering why they were included. But honestly, it didn’t take away from the overall plot, just left me a little confused at times.

Definitely check the trigger warnings before diving in, and if you're not a fan of dark humor, this might not be the one for you.

Oh, and did I mention Kate Posey is Canadian? 🇨🇦 Love supporting homegrown talent!

Not quite sure how I feel about this one...
Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Posey, and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Plot:
Dolores and Jake both work in the same office. Dolores has a sneaking suspicion that Jake is actually a serial killer. Meanwhile, Jake thinks Dolores is the most interesting "vampire" he's ever met.

My Thoughts:
I kept the plot so short because it was difficult for me to summarize what is happening in this book. I think the actual summary is a bit misleading. I thought this book would be more of a comedy between two killers like the popular Butcher and Blackbird series, but this was not even close. Was it a romance? Maybe? Was it a comedy? Kind of. Was it a book about serial killers at all? Barely.

The writing in the book was great. The author creates great tone and immersion and I did read through this book pretty quick even though I had no idea what was going on most of the time. She gave just enough information to keep me reading to see what was going to happen next.

I found the FMC to be unlikable as the story progressed and I leaned more toward the FMC, but I still couldn't get a read on either of them until the last five chapters.

I think this author would do great with a thriller or mystery. I didn't see any of the twists or turns coming, but I am so glad they did. The last five chapters of this book are what brought in those last few puzzle pieces.

Overall, great writing, great potential. It just took too long for me to understand what this book was actually trying to be.