This book gave me married Butcher and Blackbird vibes - and I am here for it.
The moments of romance sprinkled in with serial killing, charm and fun banter between husband and wife meant that I flew through this book in a weekend. I wish there was more and that I could read it now!
Wonderfully written, Mackay is not an author I was aware of before this but will certainly look out for in the future - and this book will be added to my shelf as a trophy for future rereads

This book was a joy to read. I was really impressed with how Mackay managed to squeeze heartfelt moments of romance into what is seemingly a thriller. Having a couple that kill together was such an interesting premise and was super refreshing to bite my teeth into. I think it's really easy to make crime and thrillers feel one dimensional but there was so much to this book that it had me hooked the whole way through. It was riddled with dark humour and which was such a nice special touch. This book builds tension really well, so is the perfect read for a wide audience - themes such as friendship, grief, love, family, morality and identity are all covered and done justice.

From the jump, there was immediate action and suspense packed into each chapter and the pacing was excellent. I also really enjoyed the voicing of each Haze and Fox's POV. They felt distinct but equally chatty and like you were right next to them in every scene. Their dynamic felt really realistic and Mackay captured a middle class family so effortlessly. I loved that we had Haze's boldness and carelessness contrasted with Fox playing good cop and paying attention to the detail. Their relationship was really well written, we got such a detailed cross section of their marriage and I loved the gradual zoom in from what looks like a dream couple on the surface to a relationship with lots of secrets and deceit.

Haze had such a multilayered identity and was such a fully formed character. We got to see her wearing different hats as a mother, wife, woman and most importantly an ex-serial killer. It was really interesting to feel her identity slip away from her as the plot progressed and her internal struggle to try and become a person outside of being just a mum or wife.

Fox's character was also explored and developed wonderfully. I loved that he lived such an unconventional life within the constructs of being in a seemingly normal suburban middle class nuclear family, it was a really nice contrast. The deep dive into his backstory and how his privilege differed to Haze's was also really entertaining to read.

I thought some of the plot devices were really quirky and a great method of pushing the plot whilst maintaining a dual POV. Notably, Haze's texts to Matty was an ingenious way of understanding Haze's feelings outside of the classic POV. I also really enjoyed the descriptions of Haze's paintings, but I think illustrations or a key of her paintings in the index would've been a nice touch.

Some plot points felt a little unrealistic. Fox kept a spreadsheet of his kills which just seems like an evidence nightmare. Surely he would've not kept incriminating evidence on a spreadsheet? I feel like keeping a notebook or some record that felt less bait would've made this feel more realistic. Also in the scene where Haze goes out to 'get tampons' and returns empty handed, this felt a little unrealistic. Wouldn't Fox have noticed that she lied and be suspicious? Similarly, when Haze puts the CDs in her fitted dress this felt unrealistic - surely someone would've been able to see them? I also found the timeline slightly confusing. The 'then' flashbacks varied a lot, some were much more recent than others and there was no time stamps so the 'then' period felt fuzzy at times. Especially as I was sometimes confused when past events where happening in relation to Matty's death.

Also some of the writing did feel a little clunky, which occasionally broke the flow of the story ( 'each had a glass of red wine in hand', 'I know, I know, cry for me' ). Saying that there were some bits of writing that were worded in such a creative way ('time to bite the bullet. Chew on it a little. And spit it out.')

Overall, an excellent read with so many delicious twists and turns - perfect for any thriller fan.

The tone of voice carried the novel - I thought it was quite witty and funny, and the wife character worked well. Overall, I thought it was a little bit thin, although I can see it be being popular with crime readers, particularly women!

I REALLY enjoyed this book - I thought it was so different from the usual. Motherhood and murder such a fantastic contrast. What I especially liked was the character Haze - she was done so well and the author made me really root for her even though she was a killer :) There were a couple of times in the book where I was thinking "just talk to each other!" between Haze and Fox but I suppose it wouldn't be as exciting. Wasn't sure about the ending - there was one unfinished bit for me where Haze has an unsettling feeling in the last page in Vienna when she's about to go in for the kill - I thought that was going to lead to another twist but it didn't and I was left wondering if Fox and the Detective were going to set her up - perhaps an idea for a sequel :)

Definitely reminiscent of Mr and Mrs Smith- if they had turned suburban. Funny in many places and with a wry take on the characters interactions with people outside their marriage and their kill zone with major judgement fails and lots of regrettable decisions!
The descriptions of the tedium of doing the rounds of baby groups trying to find like minded individuals was very real- and it must be even harder when your interest is more stab-by then most new mums!

***advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
An interesting premise - something along the lines of Mr & Mrs Smith if they tried to go cold turkey - that doesn’t, for me at least, hit the right beats.
All the component parts are present, and everything ties up with a bow at the end - perhaps a little *too* neatly, in my opinion - but the characters feel flat and not rounded enough to be real or compelling. They don’t need to be relatable as such (they are, after all, serial killers), but the core of this book is a marriage that’s falling apart and a severe lack of communication between partners - something most of us can probably find something in common with. I didn’t find much particularly interesting or compelling about the characters, nor did I care overly for their marriage. Yes they are very much in the “problem” phase but it was hard to see how they might have related to each other well at any point.

3.5 ⭐️An enjoyable and funny read. The concept was good and the two main characters easy to imagine-definitely Brad and Angelina in my mind I enjoyed the beginning, the middle section was a bit slow and but the ending compensated for this and wrapped the story up nicely.

Two serial killers face the biggest threat to their marriage: themselves. A black comedy thriller on the surface, it's also a deep dive into marriage, identity and motherhood. A bit slow at times but overall a strong commercial offering from Asia Mackay.

A different take on what makes a marriage work. Coming to terms with the end of a killing spree for both husband and wife when the wife becomes pregnant, can the marriage survive?

A funny but sad view a lot of women face when their identity is compromised by giving birth.

Is there going to be another book in the series?

This book was as addictive to me as killing is to Fox and Haze. Comedic and cleverly written, it’s bound to be a hit for 2025!

This wasn't my kind of book so not sure why I chose it. However I really enjoyed it
Bit sure what genre it was, although I felt it more 'chick lit', however with the crime element it was an enjoyable easy read.
The ending was what I expected of this kind of book but in a way I was glad!

This was a super fun read about two serial killers trying to suppress their urges and live a white picket fence lifestyle. I honestly couldn’t stop reading, the writing was great, as was the story itself. I really enjoyed the characters and was a little sad when it ended!

I wanted to read this book because it was described as ‘the hottest thriller of 2025’. It was nothing like I had expected (I wanted to sink my teeth into a really tense thriller), but I enjoyed it a lot. It was dark and comical and I loved all the characters. Haze was my favourite, and I laughed out loud at some of her witty comments. The pacing was great and I loved the short chapters. A brilliant entertaining read, and I’m hoping there will be a sequel. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the early copy.

3.5 ⭐

In this book we follow Haze and Fox who have given up their life of jet setting, partying and killing bad men when they have a
daughter in an attempt to keep her safe/stop her becoming like them. However they are both are secretly unhappy with aspects
of their new lives, they miss the thrill of dealing with the bad guys, but neither wants to disappoint the other by admitting this.
Kind of a funny take on people dealing with adhering to the perceived societal pressure to get married, have kids etc. and loosing your identity when you become a parent.
I liked trying to guess what was going to happen - would they end up on the run. restarting the 'business' or maybe even end up one of them killing the other due to pent up boredom.
This is a missed communication story which kind of annoy me sometimes as if they had just talked to each other none of this would of happened – but obviously this aspect is needed for there to be a story. I found this to be an alright quick read with a little bit of tension, but I think I prefer my thrillers to have a little more tension/pace/things going on. Perhaps people with children might find this book more amusing.
A slight twist at the end, which is probably a little predictable, but potentially leaves the story open to a sequel.

I really loved this book. It was completely silly but entertaining none the less and is at the end of the day a warning not to keep secrets from your other half! Do so at your peril.

I didn’t know what the expect from this book but I have to say I loved it and raced to get to the end to see what happened. I didn’t see the twist with Haze, Fox and Jenny but I liked how this played out and that it finished in exactly the right place.

Haze & Fox have given up their glamorous serial killer lives; from travelling the world & killing bad men they move to the suburbs trying to make friends at mother & daughter playgroup . Fox misses his self appointed role of defending women, but knows this is the right decision to protect their daughter Bibi. Haze understands his reasoning, but disagrees and is very unhappy with her new life despite adoring Bibi.

When Haze tries to fit into their new life, will their lives adjust to the new norm, or will they end up killing each other?

This book is so funny, the problems the couple face aren’t ones most people do, but the feelings of losing yourself in parenthood and how your relationship has to adjust long term are relatable and delivered with wit. This is a brilliant debut, I highly recommend you read it while I patiently await the authors next book.

This book sounded so promising, but I was quite disappointed. The main characters were quite unlikable at times. The story didn't flow, it was quite farfetched at times and I often felt frustrated with the story and the characters. I persevered but had to force myself to finish.

A serial killer's guide to marriage tackles the complexities and drama of adapting to parenthood after marriage. The book is a dual POV featuring the husband Fox and the wife Haze. Prior to children, they lived a very adventerous life - travelling, expensive meals, parties, yachts - which understandbly changed once they settled into parenthood. The fun twist, and that other parents (I hope!) don't experience giving up once having children - is that they were serial killers.

They are not portrayed as psychopaths that kill for fun - more like viligantes that take "removing" bad people from society unto their own hands, so this book is not a dark read. (Although, both characters are complex and do have dark aspects to their personalities that make them enjoy the experience, so to speak).

I think the complexties of their personalities, and the mundane relationship drama that they deal with, is my favourite aspect of this novel. I just found it amusing, as a parent myself, to see a lot of the challenges of parenthood reflected in the character's story. The serial killer aspect, was a nice added bonus on top.

The chapters are short and snappy, which makes for good quick reading. I did find it slowed at one point, but if you keep going until Haze's drama (not explaining for spoiler sake), then it snowballs until the end thereafter.

Thank you headline publishers and Asia Mackay for allowing me to read this arc.

This book hooked me from the first page. It's like a thrilling spy thriller meets domestic drama. I was constantly on edge, never knowing what would happen next. The characters are complex and relatable, especially Hazel, who is witty and honest. The book's structure is unique and clever, exploring the highs and lows of marriage. Highly recommend! ⭐⭐⭐⭐