this was a quick read with similar vibes as the tv show ‘dexter’. this is not a bad thing. it did lead to the predictability of the plot, but it also allows the reader to settle into the characterisation of cyra. i felt like i was along for the ride and could focus more of the scenery.

having pov chapters from the serial killers was an interesting touch and helped break up the fast pace of the novel. i liked how these chapters didn’t linger on their crimes or showcase gratuitous violence, and made sure to position them as unsympathetic. this was helped by the narrator of those chapters.

i liked the characterisation of cyra: she’s flawed and often unsympathetic (all the characters are, really) yet compelling, and you know where she’ll end up but you want to know how she gets there. there’s layers and depth to each character (even the serial killers) and it was enjoyable to slowly peal those layers back bit by bit to reveal more information. overall, a good read.

I was excited to read this book. I was hoping for a Dexter Morgan meets Joe Goldberg scenario. Characters with complex motivations and interesting backgrounds that made them who they are.
The main protagonist Cyra was just not a likable or relatable character for me. I understood her motives and wanted to support her, but I didn't see much difference between her and the other characters. This story fell flat for me.
Cyra's sister is killed by what the police lead her to believe is a serial killer. She wants justice so she infiltrates a Serial Killer support group. While the concept was sound, the execution lacked credibility. If infiltrating the group were so easy, I would think that law enforcement would have been a step ahead of her. Which leads to the next plot twist, there is a cop in the group and another member asks Cyra to help flush him out. Turns out he is a rogue cop and Cyra is able to outsmart him. The book just felt a little campy to me with characters that were not believable or complex.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A quick enjoyable read. A tale of the length a woman will go to to protect her younger sister.

I would have liked more information on the MFC backstory in the ending felt rushed and improbable.

Thank you netgallery for the audio ARC!

Unfortunately I had to DNF this book. Not because of the content but because the audiobook simply refused to play. From what I was able to listen to though I highly enjoyed and I made it over half the book. Sad to say I couldn’t finish so I can’t give a more comprehensive review, but I will be looking out for the finished product in order to give it a full listen!

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but I really enjoyed it. I had to start the book twice, it seemed, at first, as if a good number of characters were being introduced at one time. (For me, it's harder to track characters when I'm listening to a book.) But once I got into the book, I was invested. Cyra is brave and bold in her quest to find her sister's killer, but she's also somewhat impulsive, and that can result in consequences she doesn't think of. I don't want to give any spoilers here, so just know that the writing is solid, the various points of view lend a depth to the book, and the story keeps you guessing. I also enjoyed the narrators.

Audio Narration 2⭐️

This was really hard to get through and maybe it is a me problem. The narrator was so monotonous with only slight inflections in her voice throughout the entire book. Her changes between characters was so subtle that if you sniffed you would miss who was talking.

The narration completely cast a shadow on my enjoyment of the prose. It didn’t hook me. So I’ll refrain from commenting on it until I read the finished copy.

I am thankful to have gotten the audio ALC for free from Spotify Audio through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

What a premise! It went into this fairly blindly, assuming it would be similar to The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix. Exact opposite, turns out! Cyra is on the hunt for the serial killer who recently murdered her younger sister. The problem - she doesn’t know anything about the suspect(s). To get into the mind of a serial killer and narrow down potential suspects, Cyra joins a weekly support group in a church basement, filled with men who are all serial killers. What could go wrong?
This was a great balance of suspense and drama, mixed with the right dose of dark humor. The narration perfectly captured each character’s personality, from interacting with each other to the descent into madness for some.
Thank you to Spotify Audiobooks for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

3.75 stars

Readers who can suspend disbelief will have a lot of fun with Cyra and the, uh, evolution she experiences throughout this intriguing novel.

When Cyra's sister is murdered by a serial killer, her life - for obvious reasons - can never be the same. It's especially frustrating for Cyra that so little progress is being made in solving this case. What's a woman to do but find a serial killer support group, pose as one of them, and let all chaos break lose immediately?

The fact that there is an online space for this kind of thing, let alone one a novice can easily crack, and then that there are in-person meetups is about as believeable as the rest of this plot, but none of this detracts from how interesting Cyra's character is. I also really enjoyed the final outcomes.

Even for its genre, there's some pretty hard to believe content, but again, it's still a fun read. I recommend the audio version when and where accessible for some added enjoyment with solid narration.

Overall the idea of the book is something that really intrigued me I thought it was an interesting idea. And while it did have a good storyline it just fell flat for me. I felt the characters were a little dry and nothing there to really root for and not a big payoff for the ending of the book. It wasn't a bad breed but it's not necessarily something I would ever recommend.

This was a fun, quick read/listen. Definitely a different take on the serial killer genre. Like so many nowadays, we do have some minor discussions about the fact that society focuses more on the serial killers and not their victims (although that is exactly what this story does - we really only hear about 2 victims and have entire chapters about the serial killers and their backstories). I didn't feel like it was heavy-handed though - more of an acknowledgment.

The main character is a bit unlikable in the sense that she, too, is a bit off-kilter, like the men in the support group. But I didn't mind. I would expect someone joining a serial killer support group to avenge her sister's murder to be a bit unlikable or at least morally gray. I almost wish she would have been even more so. She does have a lot of moments of seeming regret and abhorrence for what these men do, but it wasn't overly consistent.
I was able to guess the "twist" at the end fairly early on, but based on other reviews, I think I'm in the minority there, so don't let that dissuade you. The plot felt a little redundant/repetitive at times (we get it - you miss your sister and want to avenge her), but it was already a fairly short book, so it didn't bother me too much.

I thought the extra reveal at the end was a bit unnecessary. Maybe making it a bit vague would have been better instead of spelling it out for the reader.

The narrators were good. I didn't love the voice the author chose for Izzy. There were some minor sound level issues with the male narrator that hopefully they can work out before release (or it could have been my device). I was able to listen to this in one long ride (I listen at 1.5 speed), which was also nice.

I enjoyed the audio of this book. The narration and narrators were great. I liked how there were short clips of the male serial killers interspersed throughout the book and some info and back story on them. While none of this story would happen in real life this is why we read books to escape into a fantasy world. I liked the twists in this book and that I went on the ride with Cyra to find her sister's killer and it was a quite a ride.

I actually loved this book. Is it super deep? No. Which I assume is why there are so many low reviews? To each their own.

I received an audio copy of this book to review. I loved the female narrator. Her voice sounds very mature and she played the part of a gal that's dead inside very well.

I liked the little cut scenes to the back stories of the guys in the support group. I did find a couple of elements to be predictable, but I've also read like 200 thrillers in the past year.

I'd categorize this as a quick 'potato chip' thriller. Like a Frieda McFadden or Riley Sager style book.

When Cyra Griffin’s sister is murdered, she knows the police won’t deliver justice—so she takes matters into her own hands. Using insider information, she infiltrates a support group for serial killers, pretending to be one of them in hopes of finding her sister’s murderer. But proving herself to these dangerous individuals isn’t easy, and the deeper she gets, the harder it becomes to hold on to her own humanity. As she edges closer to the truth, she risks becoming the very thing she set out to destroy.

A sister willing to do anything for revenge—even joining a serial killer support group—makes for such a fun and different thriller! I really enjoyed this debut novel, especially the unique perspective that includes both Cyra and the killers themselves. The dual narrators in the audiobook added to the experience, and I loved the representation of different characters. There are plenty of twists, turns, and deception along the way, keeping me hooked until the very end. It’s dark, intense, and so well done, making for a gripping read that stands out in the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Crooked Lane books for a copy of this!

This didn't work for me. While I really enjoyed the narrations because the narrators did a good job distinguishing their voices between the characters it was a little easier to remember who was who. Some of this just felt a little silly which I think a book about a serial killer support group would be a little silly. The reader really has to suspend their disbelief for this one. I was also a little annoyed with the main character in this book. Something about her annoyed me. I think if this would have been a little differently, I would have enjoyed this a little more. This is a debut, so I would still give this author another shot and try one of their other books!