3.5 Stars
Thank you to NetGalley for early access to this audiobook. I think over all Killer Potential is a pretty solid book, it felt like a good length, didn’t really drag on, and for the most part Evie is a character that I think most could find ways to relate to. I feel like if one stumbles upon a crime scene like this, and these events unfold, most would really consider running and hoping people discover their innocences. For this being Hannah Deitch’s first debut novel, I think she did a really good job, however I do have 2 notes. I saw on her author bio she is a former SAT tutor so I can understand writing what she knows and making Evie one, and it’s not a bad idea its why Evie was at the house that day. However, being an SAT tutor played a bigger role in the book then I think was needed and as it was brought up more and more I was just reminder of how Hannah had also been on herself. My other note is the end, I did actually really enjoy the last few pages a lot and I think it was a great way to but I do think that the last handful of chapters were rushed A LOT. If you think about it, 95ish % of the book takes place over a month long period and then the last bit feels so rushed and jumps around a lot. That being said, I did enjoy this book and it’s ending. I think Kristen Sieh did an amazing job as a narrator, something about her just felt so Evie to me and I think she was a perfect fit. I’m not sure why but Daru Oda didn’t feel like as clear of a choice to me, but from a technical standpoint she was also a great narrator.

I was constantly annoyed by the characters in this story. I found the first half redundant and I am disappointed by the 'twist'. The reflective parts of this story felt underdeveloped. Really wanted to like this more, but I do think the narrators did a fantastic job.

I listened to the audio version of this book, and the narration was really good. I really enjoyed reading this book. I thought the author did an excellent job with the story and characters. I will admit that I was hooked from the beginning, and I couldn't put it down. There was so much in this book from spice to humor, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I can't wait to read more from this author. I definitely recommend this book to other readers.

Thank you Net Galley, William Morrow, Harper Audio, and Hannah Deitch

Audio arc for review. Featuring complex relationships and even more complex characters, this novel broke my heart over and over up to the last sentence. It wasn’t what I was expecting in the best way.

Nominated for LibraryReads. Reviewed on GoodReads.

When a frustrated former-gifted-kid turned SAT tutor walks into a murder scene and flees with a woman she finds tied up at the scene, she finds herself not just a murder suspect, but also a Luigi Mangione figure on the front lines of an emerging class war. Smart and timely, with plenty to say about class and privilege, it's also a thriller that will keep readers guessing. Readers looking for a "Gone Girl" -level plot twist will not be disappointed.
Thank you to HarperAudio and NetGalley for digital review copy.

For most of this book, I thought I was following a modern literary iteration of Thelma & Louise (and I won't be the last to make that assumption), but things turned quickly toward the end and it veered off in another direction.

The two women aren't incredibly likable, but this was a well-written story with thoughtful observations and lovely language in parts where I had to stop and think, "oooh, that was good." The women are intelligent and clever, skilled in deception and well-educated, making for interesting inner dialogues but not the smartest decisions on the fly. It's a slow-burn pace, and there's a constant threat of them being caught, but because they're both multi-dimensional and unlikeable, that threat isn't particularly unwelcome, and you think they'll figure a way out no matter what. I found more sexual tension between the two than tension in the plot.

For a debut, this is pretty outstanding. The vivid imagery would transition well into a movie, and I kept imagining who I thought would play certain parts.

When a tutor ,who works to bring the test scores of the teenagers of wealthy parents high enough to get into prestigious universities, ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time, she ends up fleeing a massacre with a mute woman she rescues from captivity in the basement. Perfect for suspense readers who enjoy unlikable characters.