As a reader, and author, who isn’t much of a people person, who has a pet sausage, and whose life would be much happier lift within the confines of my house, I don’t think I’ve resonated to a book as much as I have with this one.

I’m not a regular thriller person, so there’s a lot in thrillers that surprise me, I’m not great with the twists and spend so much time overthinking to the point I plant myself on the wrong track every single time, but sometimes the thrill of the book is in the possibility that these scenarios could be real.

From a reader perspective - loved it! I think it was well written, the narration was absolutely amazing and bought so much soul to this book, and what an absolute ride for this poor author who just wants to release her books into the world and be spiteful about love in peace. This was very unique to everything I’ve read before, and so very relatable!

From an author perspective - new fear unlocked, in all honesty 🤣

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author and Bolinda audio for the opportunity to read/listen to this book early.

Hazel is successfull romance author. She has a huge fan base, her books are bestsellers - she is living the dream.
The only issue is that Hazel hates it all. Hates her fans, hates the genre, hates pretty much everything.
Her agent - whom she's not overly fond of, either - tells her she has to try something new because her last sale didn't exactly pitch as well as everyone thought it would. His solution? True Crime.
Hazel hates that even more than writing romance.
But as it turns out life does write the best stories all by itself because her driver, Ayo (basically the only human being Hazel at least tolerates) hands her all the fanmail Hazel has refused over the years - including one letter from her biggest fan, Margo.
All nice and well, right? No.
Margo is obsessed with Hazel. So, being forced to write True Crime, Hazel becomes obsessed with Margo, who, as it turns out, is starting to take her obsession into Hazel's semi-perfect real life bubble.

This was nice. I liked Hazel from the start and I am really eager to read more from the author in the future, because this thriller had me laughing and gasping for breath at the same time, something that's a really difficult thing for a book.

One of my favourite listens of the year. You’ll want this on your 2026 reading list for sure.

Wholly original, refreshingly relevant and genuinely laugh out loud hilarious prepare to be completely absorbed in the story. The writing is fabulous the characterisation is second to none and the narration is superb!!

All the stars ✨
#Jorecommends

Huge thanks to Bolinda Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧

Hilarious! Both Hazel Witt and Helen Blair belong in my tribe! There are so many cheeky conversations, snarky asides, catty comments and unhinged rants I've had with bookish people in here I'm surprised I'd not heard of this book already. Needless to say, I will tell everyone I know all about it.

It's funny, clever and twisted, and the narrator did a fantastic job at bringing even more life to already brilliant characters. Can't wait for more.

I recently finished “How to Kill Your Biggest Fan” by Helen Blair, narrated by Susie Riddell, and I have to say, it’s been one of my absolute favourite listens of the year. From the very first chapter, I was hooked—blown away by how fresh, clever, and utterly addictive this psychological thriller is.
Hazel Witt, the bestselling romance author, is such a fascinating character. She’s been in the game for 20 years, with a loyal following and sell-out events, but she honestly hates everything about the industry and her fans. I loved how Blair painted her as disillusioned and snarky, constantly pushing back against the hype while secretly craving something more meaningful—or maybe just wishing she could disappear entirely. The dynamic between Hazel, her terrifying agent Derek, and her tired assistant Ayo added a layer of dark humour and tension I couldn’t get enough of.
The plot takes a sharp turn when Ayo finds a creepy, obsessive letter from Hazel’s biggest fan, Margo Martin. The way Blair explores Margo’s obsession—using Hazel’s books as literal bibles, mistaking fiction for reality—was chilling yet darkly hilarious. The cat-and-mouse game that ensues had me on the edge of my seat, with Margo always seeming to be one step ahead. It’s a twisted game of obsession and desperation, and I loved how unpredictable it was.
Susie Riddell’s narration truly brought the characters to life. Her voice work added so much humour and depth, making even the unhinged rants and snarky asides feel incredibly real and relatable. The humour in this story really hit home for me—I found myself laughing out loud at the cheeky conversations and snarky comments, even amidst the tension.

Overall, this book is a perfect blend of funny, clever, and dark. Blair’s writing is sharp, and her characterisations are second to none. It’s an unputdownable story that kept me guessing until the very end. I can’t wait to see what Helen Blair writes next, and I’ll definitely be recommending this to everyone I know. If you love stories that are both hilarious and terrifying, this one’s a must-listen.

Thank you Bolinda Audio and NetGalley for this ALC, coming January 1st.

This story grabbed me from page one. The pacing is sharp, the manipulation and mind games are addictive, and the dynamic between the characters is a delicious blend of tension, humour, and “oh no they didn’t.” I was fully entertained start to finish. Loved Hazel, the introvert writer who is detached almost from all the people. Margot got my interest and her story is heartbreaking yet she is multilayered character.

There were a couple of moments that pulled me out — especially one department-store scene with body commentary that felt unnecessary and didn’t add anything meaningful to the story. And at first, the ending had me blinking into the distance, wondering why we took that turn.

…But then I listened to an interview with the author and learned this is book one of a trilogy. Suddenly those choices make a lot more sense — you can feel the groundwork being laid for the chaos to come.

How to Kill Your Biggest Fan by Helen Blair was a really good listen. I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook, especially the narration, which kept me engaged from start to finish. The writing style paired perfectly with the audio format, making it easy to stay immersed in the story.

I loved the plot- honestly, everything about this book worked for me. The title alone was a big, fat yes, and the dark humor and slightly unserious tone of the story made it even more enjoyable. The characters were interesting and memorable, but there was something about Margot in particular that really drew me in and kept me invested throughout.

A highly entertaining and beautifully narrated audiobook which tells the story of Hazel Witt, a best selling romance author and her obsessive stalker fan, Margo Martin. In addition to Hazel and Margo, there are some wonderful characters in this book; Derek, the pushy agent who wants Hazel to find a different genre; Ayo, Hazel’s efficient and long suffering PA; her teenage niece Tess and many more and Susie Riddell did a great job giving them all a distinctive voice in the story. The balance between the comedy and some of the really dark aspects of the story was also really well thought through. The story ends with ample scope for a sequel or even a mini series.

Thanks to NetGalley, Bolinda audio and the author for the opportunity to listen and review this audiobook.

<b><i>I am a huge fan of this "FAN" book. </i></b>

<b><i>WHY?</i></b>

☑️ I adore unhinged, deeply flawed, plus-sized female protagonists.

✅ The author's nonstop snarky wit was unsurpassed.

☑️ The book was compelling, pacy, and refreshingly different.

✅ This darkly funny, pulse-pounding tale of obsession, stalking, and suspense was brilliant.

<b><i>A very, very impressive debut by author Helen Blair.</i></b>

I listened to the audiobook, expertly narrated by Susie Riddell.

Susie Riddell perfectly embodied the protagonist’s traits and quirks, capturing her personality and voice spot-on.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

<b><i>All the stars!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
One of my besties of 2025!

A sharp, funny, and surprisingly thoughtful listen. Hazel, a middle aged romance novelist, is jaded with her readers and the publishing world, and her inner monologue is dry, bitchy, and often laugh out loud funny. Through her thoughts, she captures all those uncharitable reactions many people have but never voice, making her very much a likeable jerk.

When one of her most obsessive fans, Margo, goes missing, Hazel is reluctantly pulled into the investigation, digging through years of fan letters she never bothered to read. The shifting timelines work especially well, particularly when we hear from a younger Margo. The nostalgia really landed for me, with references to Tammy Girl, the Backstreet Boys, and the emotional intensity of growing up in that era.

Tongue in cheek, self aware, and entertaining throughout. I was torn at the end, but thoroughly enjoyed the whole book.

The humour of Sweet Pea and the dive into the publishing world books such as Yellowface gave us, I could not stop listening to this book and I cannot recommend it enough. How to Kill your Biggest Fan follows bestselling romance author Hazel Witt who has been writing for over 20 years and in doing so has generated an army of loyal fans, however, Hazel herself hates romance, hates her readers and doesn't have many positive things to say about the publishing industry. When Hazels agent tells her that she needs to write something different and her assistant finds a disturbing and obsessive letter from one of her biggest fans, Margo Martin, Hazel find herself down a rabbit hole investigating Margo's past and as things progress Hazel begins to wonder if she can escape the woman who has turned out to be a deranged stalker.

I was obsessed with this book and utterly hooked. Hazel is not your predicable likeable FMC. She's moody, snappy, harsh, not very kind, sarcastic and a little complicated but the more I read this book the more I took to her and the more she began to feel like a normal, imperfect woman I couldn't get enough of. At times I wanted to shake her and loosen her up, tell her it was okay to take a step back and let people in but I also totally understood her and why she was the way she was, accepting Hazel for being Hazel. This a FMC perfect for those who loved Rhiannon in the Sweetpea books for I found they were very similar; both fairly unlikeable and actually rather funny. The humour in this book was way more present than I was expecting after reading the synopsis, I found myself loving the dull, dark and very British humour that lasted throughout this book making Hazel even more relatable and at times even a little likeable. As for Margot, this was a character I found myself totally invested in. Her letters to Hazel felt as though they were coming from a real teenage girl with her problems, thoughts and feelings all coming across so real and relatable. She was a character so perfectly written and with those letters feeling so personal it was easy to see the natural progression of her character and why things went the way they did and the decisions she made. Her utterly unhinged behaviour shocked me, appalled me and had me so entertained! You gotta love a far from perfect female character. This was a woman who started out as a girl who needed someone to talk to, needed to escape and also needed someone to blame and found all of that in Hazel and while she lost herself and became so deeply unlikeable you still emphasised with her and wanted her to find peace.

This was a clever, entertaining and well written book and it must be said that the narration was perfect. The narration for this book was truly incredible, Susie Riddell did a fantastic job at bringing these characters to life and making Hazel feel like a real person. I felt as though I was truly in the minds of these characters thanks to the emotion Susie was able to showcase without over doing anything. She made it easy to listen to even at a 3x speed and with no over exaggeration I was able to still feel the emotion and the natural pacing of the book.

I loved how How to Kill Your Biggest Fan showed us a side to not just the publishing world but the life of an author and how complicated, personal and obsessive it can be. Seeing Hazel get lost in this dive into Margot, the impact of her books on her fans and the darker side to the industry left me hooked and I would recommend this to anyone who loves a book with a few twists, an imperfect FMC and true British humour.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for the ALC.

Plot 4.5/5
Characters 4.5/5
Ending 4.25/5
Interest 5/5

Overall 4.5/5

-I don’t often read these types of books, but I like to indulge in them from time to time. And this time, it was amazing. The fact that it was an audiobook as well really made me feel like I was part of the conversations and process of everything that happened in this book. The plot line was so intriguing and I could stop listening.

-The characters were so interesting, I liked how none of them were the conventional characters were see in every single book nowadays, especially all of the books I’ve been reading. Hazel had a lot of bagage which was so interesting to see throughout the book and some things being reflected to Margo. Margo was so interesting, we don’t actually see her until quite late in the book but she from the start she truly was intriguing.

-The ending shows how nothing can be perfect and nothing can be tied neatly with a pretty bow. There is still so much intrigue at the end of this book and there is still so much to tell but I am very glad with how the book ended so mysteriously.

ALC REVIEW

"After all, you can't kill someone who is already dead... Can you?"

Thankyou Netgalley for this opportunity!

I didn't know what to expect jumping into this audiobook I applied for the ALC on Netgalley on a whim as the title caught my eye and I was so glad i did.

What a freaking fun ride! It had on the edge of your mystery, it made me laugh out loud on nearly every page and revolved around 2 women with main character energy we love! LOVE Margo and Hazel.

I had the BEST time listening! The narrator absolutely nailed this one.

Keeping this review short and sweet because you absolutely have to experience it all for yourself! I recommend going in absolutely blind like I did, it made it so much better!

🎧Audio Book Review🎧

How To Kill Your Biggest Fan
Helen Blair

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

As a reader (and lover) of many different genres - when I'm asked what my favourite book is, it's a really tough one to think about and answer, without going on forever and listing many books!
But, every so often, a book comes along that contains so many of the different tropes I love, that I just have the best time - and this new release (and debut) is one of those books!

Lots of the these elements, I actually cannot talk about here because there would definitely be some spoilers!
But this book had me on edge, creeped out, cringing and laughing from start to finish and I loved every second.

Our main characters are certainly a pair who I felt that I shouldn't in fact like - both with fatal flaws - but I just couldn't get enough of them.
I loved the sarcasm, the disregard for social boundaries and that strength to take what life has thrown at you and to turn it round and just not give a f*** anymore!

I loved the way that the thriller storyline happening in real life, becomes the next big story for Hazel and the fact that this then becomes a story in a story in a story - making it hard to really work out what to believe.
What is real, perceived or imagined and just how reliable is our narrator?

There was so much going on from start to finish and I literally couldn't put this down - I even enjoyed the extra housework that allowed me to keep in listening to the end!

I cannot believe that this is a debut novel and I can't wait to read more from this new author.
In fact, I'm overjoyed to hear that there might even be a sequel coming soon - I cannot wait to be back with Hazel and Margo as they're certainly some of my favourite characters to spend time with.

This book is going up there with a few of my favourite other reads and I'll liken this to Death Of A Bookseller for amazing characterisation and Misery for content that had me gripped from the start.
Throw in a little shrinking of Sweetpea and Thelma and Louise and you've got a winner.

I absolutely loved this book so much - I might even go back in for a re-read to end the year on a high!



💕Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my ARC copy - this is my honest review 💕

Excellent!!!
I loved this audiobook right from the start.

The sarcasm and dry wit is just great.

The main character is fabulous and so likeable and relatable. I laughed out loud loads and loved how the story unfolded. It was an intriguing story right from the off and with each development the plot thickened and the character gained more depth and dimensions.

It’s such a unique story with lots of humour, great characters and the narration was perfect!!

I think this will be a huge success and look forward to reading more by this author.

Loved it

Thanks to NetGalley and Bolinda audible for this alc

This was an unconventional mystery book I have read. It's different from the cookie-cutter thrillers I have read, where the readers are on a quest to find the killer. This is more like a wild goose chase, where an abrupt fan letter from Margo to Hazel starts the mysterious chase. Hazel, the MFC, is the author who is famously known for writing romance bestsellers, but hates romance in general.

I was hooked on this one from the first chapter. I love Hazel's hilarious internal monologue. Margo seems a bit dense to me, as I felt she was cadging men to have a better life, which is ridiculous 😳. I mean, yeah, a responsible man is a good one to be with, but to see affluent men as a medium to lead a comfortable life is something very shallow of a thought to me. Again,she has her reasons (read the book)

The letters Margo wrote to Hazel were like a series of a teenage life to adult life she's sharing with her unknown BFF/confidant, whose books are like a life guide for her, and yeah, why not, she's Hazel's biggest fan eventually.

Now comes the detour, where Margo is in London chasing Hazel, only to threaten and kill her. I felt this part of the book was a bit obscure. The book also highlights the dark side of the escort business. This book gave me a Katy Brent's book vibe.

Hazel, undoubtedly, is my favourite character in this book, because managing a psycho stalker, a disgruntled employee, a niece, and a bunch of snotty publishing professionals is truly the freshest of hells. (This is a line from the book. Surely this book improved my listening skills, beautifully narrated by Susie Riddell

I didn't anticipate the ending to end up a cliffhanger. Why 😭?Margo surprised me in ways I can't fathom 😮. Not giving out much but you will be left bedazzled. All in all this is one of the most immersive audiobooks I have listened to.

Mystery fans with a love of the quirky will find much to enjoy here.

My favourite quotes 😍
🧡Truth is always stranger than fiction.
❤️A woman's favourite flower is privileged information
🩷It's best to be on your own. People are such dreadful liabilities.
💛A wedding ring is not a magic wand, it won't protect you from infidelity, illness, debt, hormones, addiction or tragedy in the years that follow. There's no escaping it.
💙Life is just as hard, whether you're single, engaged, married, divorced or whether you have kids or choose to be child-free. Every choice has a consequence. Things will happen that are outside of your control, the best you can do is ride the storm and look after yourself.