A fun and entertaining read!

Having already solved a murder, journalist Kelli has become a true crime addict; now, she discovers there's a murderer on the loose in her area, her excitement is off the scale! Then, she begins to wonder if the murderer could actually be ... well, herself! She certainly has the knowledge, but does she have the daring?

If you can't trust yourself, who can you trust? That thought sprung to mind on several occasions while I was reading this one. Well-plotted and cleverly written, it's a fun read and quite an achievement for a debut novel. Well worth reading as long as you don't take life too seriously. For me 4*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

If there’s one thing I adore, it’s a novel with an unreliable narrator—and this book absolutely delivered. From the very first page, I was hooked and had so much fun unraveling the twists and turns. It’s a relatively short read, perfect for finishing in just a couple of sittings, and even though I had a few key elements figured out by the halfway point, it kept me entertained from start to finish.

Even with an unlikable main character, this was a blast.

HTGAWM follows journalist and True Crime enthusiast Kelli, who’s riding the shaky wave of her 15 minutes of fame after cracking the infamous White Widow murders. But fame comes at a price—she burned bridges with her ex-journalist partner, keeps a weirdly toxic friendship with the actual White Widow killer, and has been mostly ousted from the industry. Determined to claw her way back into the spotlight, Kelli becomes laser-focused on unmasking the next serial killer—and lucky for her, one has just surfaced practically in her own backyard. But when danger starts hitting closer to home, the question becomes: how far is she willing to go for the scoop?

This isn’t the most groundbreaking or clever thriller in its genre, but it’s still an enjoyable ride. If you love a messy, unreliable narrator and a fast-paced plot with a touch of *Scooby-Doo* energy, this one’s worth checking out.

Thanks t Netgalley and Tam Barnett for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Very solid thriller that includes a lot of 'true crime' without the requirement for the reader to be heavily involved in that community.

The clearly unreliable narrator offers multiple layers to the story, both in terms of her memory lapses and her moral ambiguity. The pacing is solid and, while some of the twists are a little obvious, many of them are entirely left-field and keep the reader on their toes. The characters are all awful in their own way but not so insufferable that it detracts from the story itself.


This would probably rate closer to a four star normally but there is something about the book that keeps the leader hooked and left me unable to put it down. This solidifies it as worthy of a higher rating than many other titles in the genre.

one word: wow
okay, actually quite a few words...

kelli, the fmc, has a fascination in life of true crime and murder after catching a serial killer years back, so when a murder goes down in her own town, of course she is front and centre to get all the gossip and catch that killer. watching the plot unfold from kelli's point of view, as we meet other characters (potential suspects) starts like a classic whodunit, but this murder investigation starts hitting just too close to home and her world is turned upside down, in more ways than one.

i think i read the second half of this book in one sitting!! once we got down to the plot twists and the juicy details...i just couldn't stop!! and that is what i love in a good old murder mystery style book, and tam absolutely smashed this debut!!

a good thing about a murder mystery is the guessing as you're reading, of course i am never right, and so the curiosity gets me hooked for more.

THE ENDING!!!! are you joking me...im furious in the best way possible.

if you like a good, fast paced and exciting murder mystery, you need look no further than right here.

thank you to netgalley, boldwood books and of course tam barnett for my early copy!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book as once I started reading it I couldn’t put it down, I just had to find out who the murderer was. When I did it was definitely a surprise, but when I discovered more later on then I wasn’t.

I would highly recommend reading this book if you like a good mystery.

I would like to thank Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book early.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first 5🌟 read of 2025! Tam Barnett's debut novel is simply brilliant 👏 The title obviously was the reason why I picked this book, but as I read, I couldn’t stop thinking about how fitting the title might be—who’s getting away with murder, and how? That curiosity kept me hooked till the very end!
I really liked this book, the pacing is perfect, keeps you guessing till the very end. There aren't many reviews on Goodreads yet, but I hope more people read it once it’s out. It features an unreliable narrator and twists you won't see coming. Some might not love the ending, but for me, it was perfect. I love it when authors surprise me, especially when I think I've figured it all out.

This book got better and better and the ending was fab! As a true crime nerd, the references were awesome and really added to the story.

Loved the pacing, a really well written book!

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced e-copy in exchange for an honest review :)

Kelli Amari was famous once, she helped catch a serial killer 6 years ago. Now, Kelli is working on a book about that serial killer. She is obsessed with true crime and wouldn't you know it, a murder occurs in her area, followed by more. Is there a serial killer on the loose? Kelli wants to catch the person.

This is a fun, quick read. The plot unfolds from Kelli's point of view, but is she reliable? She takes a test to see if she is a psychopath and scores 23 out of 40, not a psychopath, but "show more psychopathic tendencies than 98% of the population." Could Kelli have committed the murders? As we meet the characters, neighbors, fellow towns people and friends, are we meeting suspects?

The book starts out a little slow, but when it picks up we are in for quite a ride. The author throws us a few red herrings as we get to the end. What an ending! (No spoilers)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Boldwood Books, for an ARC. The review is my own.

2⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advanced copy of How To Get Away With Murder.

Kelli has always had a fascination with serial killers and she actually helped find a serial killer. But ever since then she has been different and her fascination has turned into an obsession. Murders start happening near her home and she is concerned that the combination of pills she takes has made her lose time and commit murder. But she would remember right?

I really wanted to like this book but I could not get invested. I did not like any of the characters and none of them were reliable narrators. The plot just got more ridiculous as the book went on. I was not a fan.

Kelli Amari is a crime journalist riding high on uncovering The White Widower. Now Kelli is back down to earth and looking for her next big story, so when a murder happens pretty much on her doorstep, Kelli is on the case.

This is not just a straightforward whodunnit though. Kelli is right in the thick of the action, from threatening notes on her car to incriminating evidence in her glove box. But the investigation soon comes much closer to home, with some unexpected outcomes.

How to Get Away with Murder is a 'modern' crime thriller; in the vein of How to Kill Your Family and My Sister the Serial Killer.

Thank you Netgalley and Voldwood books for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

This book is about a journalist who figured out a serial killer's identity in the past and is now living through abother serial killer.

Writing is good, twists are good. Characters aren't relatable somewhat. But the book is a good one time read.

Kelli is a journalist who solved the white widow case, a serial killer who is now behind bars. Her obsession with true crime and serial killers soon sees her looking into a new murderer dubbed the nailer. As Kelli continues to investigate she wonders if her obsession with murder makes her a psychopath.

This sounded like a fun book and I liked the bright cover so I wanted to give it a read. It started strongly, talking about psychopaths and went straight into the action, so I thought I would be hooked. For some reason however, my attention started to wane after a few chapters and it became a bit choppy.

I liked the black humour running throughout the novel and the book didn’t shy away from exploring some dark topics. I didn’t fully connect to the main character, although I enjoyed her monologue. The ending disappointed me as I found it sudden and it fell a bit flat. Even though I had a few niggles this was still a good read and worth picking up for a quick, easy dark thriller, especially if you like true crime. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

This novel was definitely unusual for the fact that almost all the characters were unreliable and you were never sure who did what until the very end.

REVIEW

Things I loved about this one:

✅ funny, more lighthearted thriller 😂
✅ social commentary on the true crime obsession 🕵🏻‍♀️
✅ love to hate characters 🤨
✅ unreliable narrator
✅ twists until the very end 🌪️

This read is a lot of fun! It's a little bit of a more light-hearted (but still very thrilling) thriller, and I really enjoyed it. It's got humour, serial killers, toxic friendships and an unreliable narrator, what more could you want?

I didn't like Kelli, our main character, or many of the other characters tbh. They are all flawed and annoying in their own right but that was part of the fun.

I'd recommend this to anyone who wants a thriller that feels less intense and wants a short snappy read.

RATING

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was highly enjoyable!
Even though this was a shorter book at only 274 pages there was a lot of storyline in there.
The story follows journalist Kellie who rose to fame by actually catching a serial Killer 6 years earlier. With her career now dwindling she frantically works on her book about the serial Killer she helped catch who she has now come to befriend. Kellie harbours a deep, dark secret. She is obsessed with serial killers and often wonders could she murder someone? Then all of a sudden several murders occur right in her area and Kellie finds she's too closely involved in this case.
The book is clever enough to keep you guessing and on your toes throughout with just enough twists thrown in to keep the momentum. A fun and quirky read with a good atmospheric dose of eerieness. I did not know what to expect from this but I was pleasantly surprised. I would recommend this one!
Many thanks to Boldworld books for providing me with a copy for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Kelli and Rob both junior crime reporters obsessed with true crimes, help discover a psychopathic serial killer. Now when a body is found near her house, she has another chance to prove herself.
Crime and mystery lovers will enjoy this tale, it is well written, witty, fast-paced and funny dark comedy, I realized this is a debut author, I would like to read the next work.

First, I want to thank #NetGalley, #boldwoodbooks and #tambarnett for the opportunity to review this ARC #HowtoGetAwaywithMurder ) in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
This story follows crime journalist Kelli Amari who is a self proclaimed true crime enthusiast. However this is a borderline obsession that she appears to struggle with.
The prologue immediately started with Kelli doing a test
"Are you a clinical psychopath?". This part was brilliant for me because who hasn't sat and done numerous quizzes completely convinced that it is you. This felt very relatable and likened me to her character. Did this feeling continue the whole book? Not quite- she is a character that you as the reader don't necessarily like but you want to know what is going to happen with her so you continue her story.
I did not see all of the twists coming, I was surprised by who was actually guilty. However due to some of Kelli's actions I did predict some aspects because I feel there were a few suggestions leading up to some aspects in particular.
My favorite part of this book was the various references to serial killers and their crimes. The book was incredibly well researched and these little facts were worked so well into the book that it flowed and didn't slow the story but rather added to it.
Initially I did find the book a bit slow to start because I just wasn't completely sure about it. In the end I managed to read over 50% in one afternoon because I just could not stop reading!
This was definitely a 5
read for me that I thoroughly
enjoyed and would definitely read again and recommend to others!

How To Get Away With Murder by Tam Barnett, Kelly is a credited with solving the white widow murders a serial killer who she also named. Even after he’s been tried and convicted she is still visiting him and is the only person he’ll speak to about his crimes. There is someone however who holds a grudge over all of Kelly‘s success and that was her prior coworker Rob, who was investigating the white widow case with her. After her 15 minutes of success however her career has taken a downturn until recently when the white widow is now going to be a documentary on Netflix, and to add to that there’s new strange murders happening in the woods close to her home someone is using a nail gun to embed nails into the eyes and esophagus of the victims and Kelly seems hell-bent on breaking the case but so is Rob. Kelly only gets a leg up on the competition when she becomes part of the investigation when the killer starts leaving notes and other things outside of the home she shares with boyfriend Ben. Ever since Kelly’s dad went to jail for manslaughter she’s been obsessed with True Crime his incarceration and death soon after has caused her and her mom to have issues and to make matters worse she thinks her best friend Paula is being beaten by her boyfriend. So many things to worry about and when it’s all said and done those problems will look like recess at a preschool and the winner of the best reporter will definitely be determined. I found this book to be so good but couldn’t decide if I loved or hated her but either way she was definitely entertaining. I do want to say I was shocked when the first thing that was said after all of the violence and debauchery was an acknowledgment to Jesus Christ. I mean he is my Lord and Savior I just had to chuckle that that was the first person she acknowledged. I loved this book and anyone who loves a good mystery with a very original character as theMC you will definitely love this as much as I did or at least I hope you do. #NetGalley, #BoldwoodBooks, #HowToGetAwayWithMurder, #TamBarnett,

i am not used to reading books where you are meant to hate the main character, and that is why it took me a while to get into the book, but once i got used to the pacing and format of the book, i could not put it down!! it was so thrilling getting to go along a journalist investigating a murder case. i have to admit, there were so many twists towards the end that it made my head spin with how much was happening, and i almost wish the last chapter did not happen because i got attached to the main character and was rooting for her in the end! i genuinely enjoyed this book, and will be recommending it to my fellow true crime lovers!

This was good! I loved Ben, the softy boyfriend of our main character Kelli, he’s what really made me like the book. I will say, I knew who the killer was I thought it was predictable. I did NOT however see the last twist coming, that one got me.

The story follows the Kelli Amari, a journalist, who caught a killer and is trying to catch a new one. Luckily these new murders are happening quite literally in her back yard.