Thank you, NetGalley. This was a 4-star read, though. It's a sequel; the second in a series I wasn't aware of, and I haven't read the first one yet. Saffy is a serial killer who only kills bad men, and no one around her knows. She's very close with her sister Susie and her new boyfriend Johnathan. They connect through events from the first book. I found this amusing, and even though I haven't read the first book, I was still able to follow and understand the plot. Saffy is funny, and feminism celebrates her. I would say that aside from the ending, which I didn't like, I do hope the author writes more.

Saffy is a young, rich, beautiful, highly intelligent, charismatic, witty, murderous, psychopath, whose mission is to kill Bad Men: Rapists, Paedos, Abusers, she’s not fussy. She’s now living platonically in London with her ‘boyfriend’, Jon, a True Crime journalist who is trying to quit that career because it seems to keep getting him entangled with real murders. In truth, however, this is not a job related coincidence, more a Saffy effect of which he is totally ignorant, seeing only the first six of the above adjectives, possibly because he is blinded by love unrequited. Saffy is keen to requite him, but is taking it slowly, while planning how she will kill Sir Thomas West, aging star of a highly popular in its time children’s TV show, and prolific paedophile (echoes of Sir Jame Saville). Although this is the continuity factor, there are plenty of other candidates out there so she is not stuck for choice.
This is the sequel to “Bad Men” which I reviewed when it came out two years ago, so I had a look back at what I’d said then and discovered that my opinion on that is my opinion on this so I quote: ‘This is a hard book to define, basically a murder mystery but with a psychological streak in the form of Saffy . . . The writing is very entertaining, clever use of language, lots of gentle humour. The plot is well constructed, but not too difficult to solve. But the main joy is the character of Saffy, a brilliant creation . . . I’m sure there are lots more opportunities for these characters’. And I hope to read the next one, preferably without having to wait a whole two years.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

This is the second instalment in the delightfully dark series featuring the wealthy and dazzling Saffy-Huntley-Oliver, this book manages to blend wicked wit and a serial killer protagonist you can’t help but root for.

Told entirely from Saffy’s singular point of view, Body Count plunges readers into the mind of a woman who is equal parts charming socialite and cunning predator. Saffy has a very specific taste in her crimes—her victims are always men who, to put it mildly, deserve what’s coming to them.

Watching Saffy juggle romance, high society obligations, and her nocturnal activities produces a steady stream of laugh-out-loud moments. Readers will find themselves chuckling at Saffy’s internal monologue and the absurd situations she navigates with style.

The plot moves along with plenty of twists and turns, making it nearly impossible to predict where Saffy’s story will go next. Just as you think you have the narrative figured out, Cohen throws in another surprise, culminating in an ending that is both shocking and oddly satisfying.

I cannot wait for the next in the series.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.

I enjoyed Bad Men from Julie Mae Cohen. Body Count is the follow-on thriller but interspersed was Eat Slay Love which was a standalone and with completely different characters but a similar theme: killing bad men.
Body Count sees Saffy Huntley-Oliver trying to get closer to her new boyfriend Jonathan and takes a little therapy to see why she finds intimacy so hard to achieve. However, she still draws comfort from the occasional murder or two.
It's a dark comedy thriller with some rather witty lines, I didn't think the body count got high enough and she went a bit off-piste strangling a bodyguard whith his own hair (apparently he had quite a mullet) someone who she had no real beef with.
The ending indicates another book in the pipeline, I hope Julie Mae ups the pace a bit.

Body Count by Julie Mae Cohen

This was a highly anticipated sequel for me, as I adored the first book 'Bad Men' when I read it back in 2023, and it did not disappoint.

I didn't think it was possible, but Cohen has managed to make me love Saffy even more in this second episode of her life as a serial killer. This book made me seriously doubt my own morals, as I couldn't help but agree with Saffy's perspective at multiple points, which just speaks to how great the author's writing is. Saffy is highly intelligent, witty, resourceful and charming to the point that you almost can forgive her for her psychotic traits. However, in this book there was a lot of character development compared to the last one; we see Saffy start to explore her own emotions and start to try and deal with the trauma from her childhood. Her relationship with Jon grows, and so does her doubts about her ability to be emotionless which leads to an internal conflict which was interesting to read. Seeing her doubt herself was a new development from the last book and a very curious aspect of her that we got to explore. Although she kills people (a LOT of people), I couldn't help but empathise with her and I started to actually agree with her motives, which had me in my own personal dilemma. Saffy isn't the only brilliant character in this book; Jon again was a great perspective to read from, and I enjoyed learning more about his personality throughout. The conversations between Jon and Cyril were a great addition and were well done. Susie is also a good character, and I appreciated that even the background characters like those at the gala had their own individual personalities.

I really enjoy Cohen's writing style, with the humour helping take away from the brutality of Saffy's actions. As with 'Bad Men', the plot was intense and gripping, with many turns along the way. Around halfway through the book I did begin to hypothesise on who the mystery Pot Noodle person was, and I ended up being right, yet this didn't take away from the enjoyment of watching Saffy unravel the mystery. The ending was fast-paced and felt like a great peak to all the suspense that had been building throughout. I'm also glad that the book ended on a cliff-hanger, which I usually hate, but only because it means I get to read more of Saffy in the near future! I cannot wait to see what happens with Jon, and whether Saffy is able to heal from her trauma and, if she does, what that means for her murderous hobby. I will be anxiously waiting for the next installment.

I rated this book 5 stars. I will always highly recommend these books to anyone. Although it is very closely related to 'Sweetpea' by Skuse, Cohen's writing style and the way she makes you fall in love with the deeply flawed characters is what makes these books so enjoyable. Thank you to Netgalley and Julie Mae Cohen for the ARC.

A thrilling sequel to Bad Men.

Saffy is back! The socialite and serial killer leads us once again on her murderous dance through the world while trying to build a relationship with Jonathan her new roommate & true crime writer, looking out for her innocent sister Susie & attempting to not kill Susie’s annoying boyfriend Finlay.

I can’t wait for the next book, please don’t keep us waiting too long for more of Saffy’s brand of vengeance & sass.

Treble heiress and serial killer Saffy is back. But this time with live in boyfriend.

I love how Cohen writes from Saffy’s outfits to the true statistics of VAWG in the pages, and while I’m completely against murder in the none literary sense, you cannot help thanking Saffy for protecting women and girls.

I found Jon to be a largely uninteresting character but this was no problem as Saffy can entertain all day.

The book deals with incredibly sensitive issues, at no point are they played for drama or fun and the real world statistics show you how well the author writes. I felt comfortable with the issues raised and in many other books, as a survivor I have been appalled at the use of CSA for drama. At no time did it feel exploitative. I appreciate the authors hard work in dealing with this so delicately.

I really look forward to going back to the first book and reading them both together soon.

Please let there be more!

Absolutely loved this book. The sense of humour that is threaded through every page.
Not many books make you root for the serial killer and wish that you were friends but this one did.
This is the second book I have read about Saffy and it was just as good as the first, really hoping for at least a 3rd if not more.
New love, new kills and a dog. Enjoy I did

A fabulous sequel to Bad Men with Saffy doing what she does best - killing!

Still filled with humour but this sequel had much more depth and let us understand her character on a deeper level.

I even loved Finn!

A brilliant, laugh out loud serial killer, romcom and I can't wait to read what happens next.

"I do not chase after men, unless I am planning to slit their throats."
Saffy is back! And she's bringing more bad men getting what they deserve, more drama and more love! I'll be on the edge of my seat until the next book in the series arrives, that cliffhanger! 🤯

Three cheers for the return to the world of Saffy! My favourite serial killer has returned - with style.
A few years ago, I read "Bad Men" and I was a little unsure, because while there was a global explosion of interest in the area of revenge killing/female serial killers in crime fiction. And despite trying numerous novels, I struggled to find one that I enjoyed - and believe me, it's rare that I DNF a book. But then, I came across "Bad Med" by Julie Mae Cohen and suddenly, I could understand the phenomenon. Here was an intelligent, funny, sarcastic (uber-stylish) and romantic heroine. And one who was on a serious mission.
And so, you can imagine my excitement at the news of a sequel, "Body Count".
Now, it's not necessary to have read "Bad Men" in order to enjoy "Body Count", as the author provides a good background, but I would recommend doing so as it will help the reader to understand Saffy and Jonathan's relationship, plus the events of the previous novel that continue to have repercussions.
So what is happening in "Body Count", well, Saffy (or Seraphine Huntley-Oliver) is our main protoganist and she talks directly to the reader, bringing a refreshingly honest dialogue to the storyline as she outlines her reasons and actions. She is also down-right funny on occasion when explaining her reasons for removing blood from fabric. And dealing with the dog that dislikes her - the cute creature was previously used by Saffy to engineer a 'cute-meet' with Jonathan. Now, Jonathan plays a greater role in this novel as he is receiving messages about a serial killer. Saffy. And as he starts to investigate, Saffy's secret life is beginning to unravel. This is not helped by the insufferable and hilarious Finlay, who is dating her sister.
All in all, Body Count is a laugh out loud, serial killing rom-com. I loved it!
And I can't wait for the next adventure for Saffy and co.

Oh I loooooooooove Julie's books.

This is a sequel to Bad Men, and whilst I loved that book, I admit I can't quite remember all the goings-on and so I was concerned I wouldn't keep up with this. But, whilst there are little nods to the previous book, I think you can read this completely on its own and you wouldn't be missing out.

I don't know whether I'd describe it as morbidly sexy or sexily morbid - but the point still stands.

I think novels about women killing despicable men needs its own genre. Because I feel I can't put it in the 'thriller' category as I feel something different when I read them. They're thrilling yes, but there's almost a feel of cosy crime about them (bear with me), and a contemporary love story that just so happens to have murder in it. And I love it for wat it is.

Whilst I couldn't remember everything that happened in Bad Men, I do remember that I loved it, and if this was anywhere near as good then I would be in for a treat and it was. She's made Saffy so human - not that she wasn't in the first book but it almost felt like that was about her murders and this one is more about her as a character who just so happens to be a murderer. She's so well rounded and steals every single scene she's in.

This one is less violent than the first one. There's a lot less killing but it still manages to be just as absorbing and addictive as the first one.

This had me so hooked, it's so good Such depth with everything. There's old characters and some new, but all fabulous. It's not an easy book to read at times, there's some difficult topics, and there are some horrific people, but it is just such a good read.

Whilst I didn't think book one necessarily needed a sequel, this definitely does and I NEED it!

Thoroughly enjoyed the next book in this series! Saffy is such a fun character to follow even when she is doing bad stuff, and this had some great twists to it!

I love Saffy. I probably shouldn't, you know, what with all the killing, but I do. She's only going after the bad guys after all and when you think how badly the justice system lets down victims you can believe in the need for a Saffy.

The kills (and reveals) got steadily more outlandish and reckless but I was still surprised by the ending. I'm hoping that there is at least one more book to go as we definitely need resolution.

I devoured this book in two sittings and stayed up way too late both nights. It’s deliciously dark and everything I've come to expect and appreciate from Julie Mae Cohen!

My favourite serial killer from last year Saffy is back, and as the title may imply, her body count is definitely on the rise.

This is a wonderfully twisty story, where we get to know more about what makes Saffy really tick, her fledgling relationship with Jonathan, and I am absolutely loving hearing and discovering just how she seems to be multiple steps ahead of everyone. I also enjoyed getting to know Susie better.

If you were to judge her by appearances you would never believe what was is actually capable of, which is probably her secret weapon.

I was totally hooked on this book, from first page to last, I couldn't get enough of it. I think Julie Mae Cohen is really getting into her stride with these really dark but humorous stories, and I'm totally there for it.

Especially as Saffy is so good at highlighting all the ways that men can suck, and she only really kills the ones that totally deserve it. Always good to see a killer with a conscious, and she also has some great self awareness about what she does.

Just another totally brilliant book, and I really hope this isn't the last we have seen of these characters, given how it ended!

Thank you to Zaffre and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

2.5 stars

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Bonnier Books UK and author Julia Mae Cohen for providing me with the eARC of “Body Count”, in exchange for my honest review.
Publication date: August 14th, 2025

Sequel to Bad Men, which I read in June 2024 and gave 4 stars.

Body Count picks up where Bad Men left off, with Jon and ‘ugly dog’ Girl now living with Saffy and trying to navigate life post abduction.

Both Saffy and Jon have their own separate storylines, with the main one being about their relationship. The relationship between the two of them never felt right, but with the number of secrets these two keep from each other it is no surprise. Can a serial killer and a true crime podcaster with a sense of justice really be the perfect match? In my opinion, it didn’t quite work.

Saffy is an incredible character, and the way her mind works and how she justifies what she does is something that sits with me even after finishing the book. You also see a more human side to her in this book, which I like. She is the reason to keep reading.

Jon, I felt, was a very bland character, his relationship with Cyril being the most interesting thing about it.

Cyril is one of the best characters in this book. The way he just does not seem to care about his past murders just illustrates the psychopath that he is. He is also hilarious which makes him stand out as a character.

The third act of the book felt very rushed and almost seemed to come out of left wing. Unfortunately, not my favourite of the female serial killer sub-genre.

Julie Mae Cohen did not disappoint with this sequel! It was a real page turner for me with added humour. It was nice to get to know the protagonist more as she unravelled more about her background. I loved every page and can’t wait for the next book (there’s another, right?).

For some unknown reason I haven't read Bad Men and didn't realise this fabulous early edition from Netgalley was a sequel. However there is plenty of backstory to get the jist of what happened in the previous book.

Saffy is mega rich, smart, beautiful and likes to kill bad men. Rapists, child molesters, human traffickers, she will hunt them down and chop them up. She has just started a new relationship with Jonathan who was a crime writer/podcaster who investigated crimes with no idea what his new girlfriend does in the shadows.

Saffy has her eyes set on Sir Thomas West, an ageing, beloved celebrity who may or may not put you in mind of a certain tracksuit wearing, cigar smoking personality. She wants him dead, but so does someone else...

If you're a fan of Sweetpea, How to Kill Your Family, How to Slay etc etc etc (there's so many of these now and I live them) then you will enjoy Body Count. I'm off to catch up on the first installment.

Thanks NetGalley

Well she got away with the Murders and she has a boyfriend now, the sequal we have all been waiting for. It was well worth the wait.

Saffy as before is her usual sarcastic and seriously bad ass self but in this book we see a more vunerable side to her as she gets the feels for her boyfriend and as she navigates the relationship with her sister.

I love how mysterious and twisty this book was, it definitely had me guessing throughout.

So looking forward to the next book. Wasn't that a cliffhanger!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC.

I loved 'Bad Men', and now Saffy is back, and so is Jonathan, and the dog (who is slowly chewing up Saffy's very expensive shoe collection...), Saffy's sister, and a whole bunch of dead bad men!
This time around I feel like we see a bit of a softer side to Saffy. She's still hard as nails, but we also get to see her taking care of her sister, and going for therapy. We learn more about Jonathan too, and see him in the aftermath of his near death experience last time, navigating what happens to his career now and if he really wants to continue his investigations into murderers. Can Saffy maintain any semblance of a normal relationship at the same time as continuing her vigilante exploits? Well, no spoilers from me, you'll have to read it yourself, but I flew through the last half of the book wanting to find out what would happen.
I enjoyed all the different little side characters, my favourite being Jon's imprisoned serial killer friend. But there are lots of laughs through the whole book, and some satisfyingly grotesque endings for some truly horrible characters.
Looking forward to the next one already!