The premise for this was great - a group of serial killer meet to discuss their “craft” and a woman infiltrates the group in the hopes of finding who killed her sister. The pacing was strong and I wanted to know if Cyra would get answers but you will really have to suspend your disbelief for this to work. I think if it went darker it would have really worked but Schaefer didn’t fully commit enough for me.

The audiobook stopped working about 60% of the way through - not sure if this was a Netgalley glitch or not.

Serial Killer Support Group is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. A group of serial killers meets to talk about their feelings—about being serial killers. They have snacks, they sip coffee, and they clearly don’t like or trust each other. The characters are all pretty flat, and there’s little to distinguish one killer from another. It feels as though every serial killer in the group is essentially the same.

Then there’s Cyra. She’s burdened with guilt over her sister’s murder, and when the police suggest it might be the work of a serial killer, she decides they’re not doing enough. So, she takes matters into her own hands. Cyra’s sister’s friends somehow know about the support group, and despite the police and FBI being unable to find any proof it exists, let alone infiltrate it, Cyra gets in with ease. She just hops onto the dark web, chats with the gatekeeper, and gets herself an assignment to prove her worth. It’s all just a little too easy. How is it that the FBI is struggling to find this group, but Cyra has no issues? That’s never really explained.

There are flashbacks detailing the origins of the group—criminals who decided this would be a good idea. But honestly, I had to suspend all logic to get through this mess. It’s a nonsensical ride that didn’t really offer much of a payoff.

This was a pretty entertaining thriller. I had a harder time getting time getting into this one on audio though. I did think that the story itself was rather original even though some aspects seemed a little unbelievable. Overall this one was pretty good.

"Serial Killer Support Group" is an insane story.
Not only does it have such an interesting insight into the characters thoughts and therefore the reasonings behind their terrible actions, but you also have the aspect of Cyra looking at those actions from an outsider perspective (or is she?).

This book is also equipped with some really good plot twists but also topics that can be really hard to stomach, so definitely check out the trigger warnings beforehand if, aside from the murder, of course, things like transphobia, stalking, or panic disorders are an issue for you.

Since I received the audiobook version, I can't let the work of the voice actors go uncredited. Abby Craden did an incredible job at voicing the surprisingly wide range of characters while still managing to make them sound different and recognizable. I was literally so immersed, I jumped out of my skin the first time the voice actors switched.

So for anyone who has some time to kill, is interested in an immersive story (especially in audio), and can stomach some pretty hard topics, this is 100% worth checking out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for providing me with this ARC in return for an honest review.

Cyra is on the hunt for her sister's killer. So what better thing than to join a group of serial killers chatting about their murders? As she ingratiates herself into this group, she finds herself making a tenuous deal with one, struggling to find more details, and dealing with the fact she kind of likes the feeling this group is giving her.

This book was pretty entertaining, and a very quick read. I enjoyed Cyra as a character, though I found some decisions...questionable, but I suppose that is the point. I could have done without the POVs of the various killers in her group, but I guess it gave us more information on those characters. The twists kept me interested and engaged, and caught me pretty off guard towards the end. I also appreciate that Cyra was smart enough to keep herself safe, though there were some foolish moments.

I was so excited to read this book because getting into a serial killers mind is so interesting. Although I did not think this was the type of book to see how they think and act. The characters were way to messy to be actual serial killers. Although I did enjoy the story line and it kept me on my toes!

*Unbiased review given based on an advanced reader audiobook*

An interesting premise with mediocre execution (pun intended).

Cyra Griffin is largely emotionally detached from the world, except for her younger sister Mira. Cyra was the typical older sister – maternal, bossy, protective. After a serial killer took Mira’s life, Cyra sharpens those sisterly instincts into something darker. Something vengeful. She’ll follow Mira’s killer all the way to the depraved, twisted Serial Killer Support Group. Cyra ingratiates herself into the group as alter ego Mockingbird, playing into their expectations while gathering intel. And then someone starts picking off the support group members… one by one…
The premise is fascinating, but the details fall flat.
First, as with most amateur detectives, Cyra arrogantly assumes that the police are doing nothing and that she will have better luck finding her sister’s killer. Unlike most amateur detective stories, after an expository interaction with police, Cyra is able to completely avoid law enforcement in the course of her personal investigation. Mira was high profile enough that she would have received far more media and police attention than she did, and Cyra’s arrogance in her ability to out-detective the police is laughable. Cyra exists in a bubble untouched by the realities of an actual investigation or media attention.
Second, the ‘affair’ was so hackneyed that I rolled my eyes. Hard. Psychological thrillers lean too hard on the plot twist of ‘nice guy is either a secret d-bag or secret killer [or both]’. What started as a trope of the genre has been overused to the point of a full-blown cliché.
Third, Cyra’s psychology and inside life was very poorly built. She describes alexithymia in the wake of her sister’s murder – alright, not entirely atypical of grief. But then we learn that she’s been fairly detached and even emotionless for most of her life, since her mother left them, except where Mira is concerned. This inconsistency makes it hard to view Cyra either as the loving big sister or as the callous psychopath. She just… doesn’t make any sense. And that makes her unrelatable. She doesn’t have the appeal of a Dexter-type ‘killer of serial killers’, nor are we rooting for her as the vengeful older sister. There’s very little to sympathize the reader to Cyra.
Overall, the plot was fast-moving and it was a page-turning read. The action scenes are well enough described to place the reader in the moment, making it at times a real thriller. If you’re looking for a punchy quick read with an interesting premise, this is a great choice. But the psychological aspects fall short, and the bar for suspension of disbelief is often too high.

I really enjoyed the concept of this book, a girl infiltrating a support group for serial killers in hopes to find the person who murdered her sister. It was fast paced and kept me intrigued. I didn't love the ending murders, but the final twist was good and made me question everything.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Okay. I see on Goodreads that this book got a lot of less than stellar reviews. But I had fun with it!!!

It's definitely far-fetched in places and unrealistic, especially in the way that Cyra finds out about the serial killer support group... Also, the characters were a bit flat and one-dimensional.

But I didn't even care. It was a fun book!

Maybe it's because I always enjoyed the Sandman plot line of the serial/cereal convention, so that primed me to not find this too ridiculous.

Whatever the reason, I enjoyed it!

And the big reveal actually caught me by surprise. How can I say this without giving anything away?????

......

Hmmmm.... I knew part of the big twist early on.... very early on! But I was surprised that who I thought the killer would be was wrong. And again, I did figure out the real killer before it was revealed, but not too far in advance at all.

And I love, love, love the final Mistletoe chapter. It didn't shock me, but I was pleasantly surprised.

I'm not even going to lie. This book may be unbelievably unrealistic, but I would totally read another one by this author.

It was a very entertaining several hours.

As for the audio aspects, no complaints. It was well-narrated. And for those reviews talking about the sisters having rhyming names that were spelled stupidly, they don't actually rhyme!

Cyra (sci-ruh) and Mira (meer-a). Just a little tidbit from listening on audio. :-)

It's an overall good and entertaining thriller. The premise is fairly original, and I liked the execution.
I had to consciously suspend my disbelief to get in the story, but once I did, it was quite enjoyable.
There is a lot of angst and guilt but I found the characters well constructed and their dynamics interesting.
The story has plenty of suspense and twists and turns, and it's a short read, so worth the time if you are into the genre.
I listened to the audiobook version and the narrators were really good.
To me it's a 3,5 overall.

When Cyra's sister is murdered by a serial killer, she accesses the dark web to infiltrate a serial killer support group to get vengeance for her sister. The narrator did a great job with this. I read the first half and listed to the second. This was suspenseful, dark, and a moments had me holding me breath. I like that these types of suspense/thrillers are being written from the female gaze. Cyra is a force to be reckoned with, and I loved every twist!

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

Synopsis
When Cyra Griffin’s little sister is killed by a serial killer, she quickly realizes that the police won’t bring her the justice she craves. With the investigation stalling, Cyra decides to follow the clues herself. Armed with some insider knowledge, she infiltrates a support group for serial killers, posing as one of them to track down her sister’s killer. The price of gaining their trust is steep, but Cyra is all in for revenge. Yet, as she gets deeper into this dark underworld, she struggles to maintain her sense of self amidst the chaos.

My Thoughts
This story is pretty well-crafted, with a mix of dark humor that hits just right. It’s got some unexpected twists and definitely makes you think, plus there’s a touch of campiness to it. If you can let go of reality for a bit and just go with the flow, you might find it enjoyable. I thought the serial killers were fascinating, but I wish there was more depth to their characters. A smoother flow in the narrative would have really helped. All in all, I didn’t absolutely love it, but I did find it enjoyable. As for the narrators, I enjoyed the way their voices brought the characters to life.

Thank You @Netgalley and Spotify Audiobooks for allowing me to review this books.

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.