Asia Mackay’s "A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage" is a brilliantly crafted blend of dark humour, romance, and suspense that offers a fresh take on the complexities of love and commitment. The novel follows the life of the protagonist, a hitwoman who navigates the challenges of marriage while balancing her deadly profession. This unique premise sets the stage for a captivating exploration of relationships, identity, and the lengths one will go to for love.

Mackay’s writing is sharp and witty, filled with clever observations that resonate with anyone who has ever grappled with the ups and downs of marriage. The protagonist’s voice is both relatable and engaging, allowing readers to connect with her struggles as she juggles her dual life. The humour is dark yet delightful, providing a perfect counterbalance to the more serious themes of the story.

The character development in "A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage" is particularly noteworthy. The protagonist is well-rounded and complex, showcasing a blend of vulnerability and strength that makes her journey compelling. The supporting characters, including her husband and colleagues, are equally well-developed, adding depth to the narrative and highlighting the intricacies of relationships in both personal and professional spheres.

Mackay expertly weaves tension and suspense throughout the story, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as the protagonist navigates various challenges. The pacing is generally well-balanced, though there are moments where the plot could benefit from a tighter focus. Some subplots feel slightly underdeveloped, leaving readers wanting more resolution in certain areas.

One of the standout aspects of the novel is its exploration of the themes of loyalty, trust, and the moral dilemmas that arise in both marriage and a life of crime. Mackay raises thought-provoking questions about the nature of love and the sacrifices we make for those we care about, all while maintaining a lighthearted tone that makes the story enjoyable.

In conclusion, "A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage" is a clever and entertaining read that combines humour, romance, and suspense in a unique package. Asia Mackay has crafted a story that is both engaging and thought-provoking, making it a standout in the genre. With its memorable characters and sharp writing, this book earns a solid four-star rating and is sure to resonate with readers looking for a fresh and unconventional take on love and marriage.

Very similar vibes to movies you may have seen about ex spies who settled down and had a family. Very much Mr and Mrs Smith vibes but instead of spies they were both serial killers of bad men. So same but different as this adds in the element of blood lust I suppose.

Loved the different viewpoints of Haze and Fox and from different time points to give us a depth to both their characters and how each is coping or not coping with their ‘new normal’

It was a really fun read, fast paced and easy to get into, tried together with f*ck the patriarchy that appeals to many- all while never being too dark

Two former serial killers trying to hide their past, Hazel and Fox are new parents to daughter Bibi, living in suburbia and trying to adapt to life without their murderous games.

Very much Mr and Mrs Smith vibes in this book but done excellently. I loved the storyline and the alternate viewpoints from Haze and Fox. I liked the twists and turns and the history of their relationship. It was a really fun read, fast paced and easy to get into.

This was equal parts fun and serious- within the punchy storyline is a necessary and current criticism of the patriarchy that appeals to many- all while never becoming too serious or dark. This captured the craze if funny, entertaining and witty characters succumbing to the darker side. This could be read as both a palate-cleansing thriller or a punchy and wild ride, the bingeability is high and is a real page turner.. An enjoyable twist on the serial killer thriller!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

ARC Review

This was very different to my normal style of read, but I really enjoyed it.

There is fantastic tension building with some great surprises in the plot. Fox & Haze’s characters are also well developed and I absolutely loved BiBi and the humour she brought to the story.

Themes/Tropes:
Thriller / Romance?, Good vs Evil, Dark Secret, Emotional Scars, Billionaire, Morally Grey, Kidnapping, Mental Health Rep & Multi POV.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

1/5 🌶

Dark humour, serial killers, serial killer's wedding. I had a lot of fun and liked the solid plot and the storytleling
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Hazel and Fox are a happily married couple with a beautiful daughter. But all is not as it seems, Hazel and Fox are ex serial killers.

They were perfect together, and committed the perfect murders together, but they gave it all up for their family.
But Hazel begins to feel that itch to kill again.

Funny, mysterious, my kind of crime book, I couldn’t put this down.

A very funny interesting read I devoured.

Great characters & very well written with such a unique entertaining storyline, I mean even serial killers suffer the typical marriage blues,

I loved the premise—what are the odds of two serial killers meeting, falling for each other, and deciding to settle down once a baby enters their lives you can see that there would be one that would struggle more

The story started off a bit slow, but you could sense the shift in dynamic between Haze and Fox as things progressed. Watching Haze slowly unravel was fascinating—it felt inevitable that everything would eventually spiral, and it definitely did.

The twist was not entirely unforeseeable, but still satisfying enough to keep me hooked.
Left wide open for book two, and honestly, there’s real potential for this series to get even darker

The premise of this book seemed good, however despite reading half of the book I just could not finish it.

I just found this a bit dull, which given the synopsis I was surprised about! The main problem is the whole plot was based on miscommunication/lack of communication, which is a trope I really dislike for the most part. I also don't understand the point of having chapters from the husband's points of view, where he is all mysterious and hiding what he's doing from the reader. The ending was also very unbelievable, sadly a miss for me.

A couple that kills together, stays together, but what happens when they have to stop? A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage follows married couple and ‘retired’ serial killers Hazel and Fox as they try to live a normal life for the sake of their newborn daughter, Bibi. However, after years of hunting down and slaughtering the ‘bad men’ of Europe, the sleepy streets and quiet life of their leafy suburbia just doesn’t seem to cut it and quite quickly their world begins to implode.

ASKGTM is a fast paced and gripping story which will definitely keep you turning the pages and there are plenty of twists along the way to leave your jaw hanging for a moment or two. Told from multiple POV’s (including text messages) it really does keep you on your toes throughout.

I loved the premise of this one, the concept of serial killers stopping when a big life event happens has always intrigued me but I felt ASKGTM just didn’t do the storyline justice. While I did enjoy the book, I was left wanting more and I would have loved a little bit more back story and depth.

I switched between the audiobook and kindle and found that the narrators, Georgia Tennant and Kyle Soller did a fantastic job at bringing the story to life. Narrators often make or break a book and I have been known to DNF a book because of this but these two were the absolute perfect match and they really portrayed the sarcasm and humour which was laced throughout the book.

Perfect for those who are looking for a fun little popcorn thriller that will keep you engaged until the very end!

3.5/5 ⭐

Thanks so much to Headline Books for my #GIFTED copy in exchange for an honest review.

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This book reminded me of another book very similar about a couple who are serial killers, because of this I felt it was samey and quite repetitive

Took 40% for anything remotely interesting to happen, then fell off a little again. The final 25% was interesting, but the ending felt convenient and a little too open. Not something I'd read again or recommend, I don't think.

A thoroughly engaging book about a couple of ex serial killers who’ve decided to go straight for the sake of their young child. But have they? Fox and Hazel are both hiding secrets from each other. An interesting look at modern marriage and how we sublimate our hopes and desires for suburban parenthood. Highly recommended

Set in the UK he narrative follow a couple in their "retirement" from global serial killing. Now new parents they are trying to normalise their lives with varying degrees of success.
There are really only 2 or 3main characters, Fox aka Nathaniel, Hazel and Jenny.
I wasn't really drawn in by the writing style, there was a plethora of events then and now and increasing levels of implausibility in the narrative line

I can't say i wanted to give up on the book but I did find it incredulous and I am not sure that I would read more by the same author

It took me a while to finish this book. I enjoyed it in the end, but it became a little repetitive for me in the middle and i got bored. I think it was just too dragged out and the ending chapters with Jenny were a little stupid, reminded me a lot actually of Killing Eve where Eve essentially enabled Villanelle to keep killing.

The premise was interesting and i have not read anything really like it, most certainly a unique story and i think my issue is that i just didnt like either Fox or Haze at all, they werent "nice" enough to sympathise with i guess.

3/5 from me, sorry.

Sadly this was one of the few books I have been selected to read on NetGalley that I did not finish.

I loved the premise of the novel, but the characters were just not as engaging as I had hoped.

Really funny and good satire type of lit fic novel. The characters really intrigued me. I enjoyed it!

I was a little disappointed with this book. The premise was so good, bur poorly delivered. I kept waiting for the moment where it would get better, but it never did.