The story follows Haze and Fox, a wealthy married couple adjusting to life with their first child. Sounds pretty normal, right? The twist is that they’re former serial killers attempting to turn over a new leaf. Think 𝘔𝘳 & 𝘔𝘳𝘴 𝘚𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘩 meets 𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴.

What the blurb doesn’t reveal is that their past targets were exclusively bad men. In fact, throughout the book, examples of genuinely good men are scarce – limited to Matty, Haze’s late best friend, and Fox, who’s flawed himself. So if you enjoy dark comedy like this and 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘛𝘰 𝘒𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘔𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘎𝘦𝘵 𝘈𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘐𝘵 or 𝘚𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘱𝘦𝘢, this could be right up your street.

The book leans heavily on the dynamics between Haze and Fox, particularly their miscommunications and Haze’s reflections on their relationship. There’s also a strong emphasis on designer fashion, which again adds to the glamorous 𝘔𝘳 & 𝘔𝘳𝘴 𝘚𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘩 vibe. There are three pivotal moments of growth for Haze throughout the story which I thought were great. And yes – more Sausage, please!

Thank you to Headline for the NetGalley and physical copies of this one.

"'Do you even still love me?'

'How can you ask me that? Of course I do. I would've killed you in your sleep months ago if I didn't'"

If you’ve been tearing through everything by Katy Brent and Bella Mackey, meet Asia Mackay and this stylish, sassy and superbly written story about marriage and murder.

Take Mr & Mrs Smith, amp up the drama, add a dash of morally confusing main characters and you’ve got a Serial Killers Guide to Marriage. Full of dark humour, wit and absolutely immaculate vibes the whole way through, this story offers a romance with one hell of a twist, a fierce feminist streak and a darkly enjoyable dose of violence in the form of a retribution fantasy we’ve all played secretly in our heads but is here in black and white on paper. And somehow amongst all this, there were so many feelings and deeply touching emotional moments that had me clutching onto the pages and tearing up.

Jumping between scenes of almost sleep-inducing mundanity, the trials of everyday life as a modern woman as Haze tries to settle into her new life and count the days since her and Fox retired from murder. She was a beautiful narrator - a crass, honest, real storyteller with a fabulous voice. Asia effortlessly wove the modern day with stories from the past from Fox’s luxuriously privileged but cold upbringing to Haze’s history of neglect and heartbreak, never stopping the calm but pacey flow from moving forwards. As we switch between Haze and Fox, we’re left to wonder who is really telling us the whole truth or if they’re both just giving us their sides.

A morbidly funny, high stakes thriller with a darkly delightful edge — balancing a relatable story about losing yourself with getting away with murder.

Hazel and Fox's love bloomed through their shared interest: killing bad men. But now, years into their marriage, and with a young daughter to cherish, things are getting stale. Hazel chafes against Fox's insistence that they put down their knives. So when she gives in to temptation, and the police come knocking, it will either save their marriage or destroy it.

The comic tone of this book is superb, and I really enjoyed Mackay's writing style. Had I read this a few years ago, it would have been a standout favourite. But I think I'm growing fatigued of 'funny serial killer' books and this didn't stand out for me. I don't feel that it reinvented the genre and it just wasn't as compelling as I'd hoped. That's only my opinion, and I'm sure many other readers will love this.

What a cracking take on the serial revenge killing genre! A husband and wife combo. Can a marriage really take the pressure of such an occupation? And what about the occupational hazards!?!! I whizzed through this read and totally loved this author's book. I hope there is a part two to this as it certainly could lead to one. I loved the toxic and dark twists and turns, and always love a story involving bad people getting what they deserve! Totally recommend if this is your thing!

Enjoyable, witty, tongue in cheek read about a serial killer couple whose lives change when they start a family. Lacked something in the middle of the book for me but overall I did like the black comedy of it.

A good read which, although it was about two serial killers (they were bad guys so it was ok) it was really about how a marriage changed once a baby came along. Although it is a thriller it’s not too scary (perfect for me!) and it keeps you interested until the end.

Three and a half really.

I enjoyed the book. It was easy reading.

The characters were exceedingly likeable or slimebag grots as they were written to be; although I couldn't get a handle on Helga the nanny.

My problem, even though I know it is a novel and authors can make them what they want, is that I couldn't find anything in it that made me think there may be a sliver of truth in it.

I LOVED this!! Totally loved the characters, the way it was written, how communication is key in a marriage, AND serial killing.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn't get enough of it.

Thank you so much to the author, publisher and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Haze and Fox are serial killers but they only kill bad guys. Haze’s kills are chaotic, Fox is methodical and carefully executed, together they make the perfect team. However, they decided to retire when Haze becomes pregnant. She loves Bibi, and loves being a Mum, but loses the sense of self that lots of mother’s can identify with – without the murdering bit.
The story opens on Haze and Fox’s marriage seemingly irretrievable breaking down, they are in the woods, in a storm trying to kill each other. The narrative flits between the past and present to reveal to the reader how they got from being the perfect team, to trying to kill each other.
The story is told through the two point of views of the main characters, but while you see everything that Haze is doing, you don't get the full story on Fox. About two thirds of the way through Fox’s movements and motivations aren’t addressed to keep the mystery of how they come to be trying to kill each other in the opening scene.
There was some dark humour I enjoyed. The end felt a bit rushed, and incredibly far-fetched, but we’re not reading books like this for the realism, are we?!

Hilarious take on how a marriage can go stale without both parties being stimulated by their own interests; in this case being serial killers. I have loved the previous books by this writer about juggling a family and being an assassin and this is a different take on it. Really enjoyed the sly references to life in the suburbs. Some good surprises in the plot near the end of the book. More please.

Sadly I wasn’t able to finish this as the copy I had been given had words missing and also letters from words so it was difficult to read.

I really like the idea behind this book and will no doubt buy it when it is released

Meet Fox and Haze, once they were a super cool couple jet setting around the world to all the best parties, occasionally killing bad guys along the way. Since the arrival of their baby they are stuck in suburbia with nothing more than baby groups to keep Haze entertained. Fox has put a ban on killing and it’s doing nothing for their marriage.
This is a fun book, starts very well, sags in the middle a bit but, as the twist is revealed, romps to the end. A really good thriller, I’ll look forward to Asia Mackay’s next book.

I really enjoyed this book, I wasn't quite sure at first but I got into it and wanted to keep reading.
It's a totally different concept, which really worked!!
I liked the story of the killings but also the regular family problems and of course Hazes friend Jenny!
The characters were all good, I think I would have liked to know more about Jenny's ex but it wasn't lacking.
It made me laugh out loud of times. Definitely worth a read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Would recommend.
Settling down, marriage and a child mean no more killing. What happens if you can't stick to the no more murders part of your marriage?
Entertaining premise for this novel.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC in return for my honest review

I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher, in return for an honest review. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.

Overall rating : 3*
Writing skill : 3*
Plot: 3*
Pace: 3*
Characters: 4*
Twist: 4*

The female serial killer trope has been done a lot over the last few years, but a serial killer couple a bit less. This gave me mr & mrs smith vibes, but with a bit less action and some more mundane day to day trivial activities.
The characters were great, I really liked fox and Jenny, they were complex and unpredictable. Haze was a bit more plain Jane.
If you haven’t read lots of the female serial killer books then you may get on with this a bit better than I did, I just found it’s been done better previously.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did, and although I was invested in what happened, I didn’t really gel with the characters. I found myself not all that interested in them, which surprised me. They had distinctive voices, but just not ones I *had* to hear… That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book, but I didn't find myself desperate to return to its pages.

Haze and Fox had the ideal marriage, they were both able to indulge their urges to rid the world of bad people, That is until Haze fell pregnant with Bibi. Now they live in suburbia and it's mind numbingly dull.
Haze feels the magic has gone, they don't communicate any more.
Fox feels like he is doing everything he can to keep them safe. Threats from his family aren't helping and Haze appears to have made a friend who is actually a detective.
Will they get the magic back? Read it and find out.
An entertaining read.

A Serial Killer’s Guide to Murder is definitely “different”. But then I knew that it was going to be when I read the blurb..

A book about two Serial Killers married to each other is never going to be a conventional read.

Hazel (Haze) and Fox seem like an ordinary married couple. Nice house, good neighbours, beautiful child. But their lives are not like others. The pair were drawn together by dark pasts. Both of them killing bad men for

They both know how to get away with murder.

Literally.

When they first met, their relationship was idyllic, both of them excited by the kill. As soon as they found out they were expecting Haze detected an immediate change in Fox. He wants them to stop their killing and become “normal” parents to their daughter.

When Haze meets Jenny at a mother and baby club she is bonded to this stranger in a way that she never has been before. She’s never been one for close female friendships, but the truth is she needs Jenny’s friendship in a way that she never even realised.

She needs a distraction. Because she and Fox made a pact, which lately she has been itching to break. She knows if she kills again it will break her marriage and she doesn’t want to do that.

And then Jenny drops a bombshell which makes Haze question everything she thought she knew about her friend, her own relationship with her husband and where she should go from that moment on….

If all you need to solve a marriage is a dead bad man, I think a lot of marriages would be solved quicker (joke)

Haze and Fox are probably the most normal married couple out there when you think about it. They’ve got a child, secrets and many many skeletons in their closet. I do love that they want to be better for Bibi and don’t want to kill anyone anymore, but habits are definitely hard to break. Them trying to live a normal life and do normal things, make friendships is actually one of the funniest and realistic things I’ve read (without all the killing obviously).

I didn’t know what to expect, but loved it nonetheless.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange of an honest review

A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage by Asia Mackay is a daft, silly and extremely entertaining story of a husband and wife team, who are serial killers. When they have a daughter, they decide that they should stop killing in case, they are found out, and there is no one left to take care of their daughter, if they are found responsible for the killings they have carried out.
However, Hazel misses the adrenaline rush that she got from killing bad men, who deserved to die. Fox also finds he misses the rush that killing gave him. He has tried going to AA meetings and even playing high stakes poker but he is also missing the preparations, involved in the killings.
They manage to resolve their difficulties and become part of an even better partnership.
Highly recommended