3.5 stars. Although this seemed to start out slow for me and took me a bit to get into it, it was definitely an enjoyable read. Amber Jamison is kidnapped by a serial killer and then rescued by a mysterious woman — who then keeps popping up into Amber’s life and eventually becomes a main part of the storyline. True to its description, this novel deals with a horrible serial killer but contains huge doses of humor. And, although the reader will most likely will have to suspend his/her disbelief quite a few times along the way, the storyline will keep you flipping pages.

Killing Me, killed it! The story, which is fast paced and funny is about a serial killer and the two women who admirably dislike one another trying to solve the mystery as to who the murderer could be since no one at the FBI seems to be able. Both women have different types of seedy pasts and both women are certainly type A personalities. What could go wrong?

College student Amber Jamison wakes up and discovers she is the next victim of a serial killer who has been killing girls in the area. How could she have been so stupid as to get herself into a mess like this? But just as he goes to end her life, a mysterious woman swoops in, kills the killer and tells Amber to forget she ever saw her and leaves. Just leaves.

But a visit from an FBI agent about the serial killer and her fingerprints being at the scene, something mystery girl was supposed to have taken care of (thanks!) leads Amber to have to flee. You see Amber’s past is not very legal so to say. So, she decides she can’t stick around and goes on the run.

She ends up in Las Vegas at a “motel” where she encounters a kind-hearted manager and a beautiful call girl. With no money she tries to survive under the radar, which goes out the window when someone leaves a mysterious envelope for her (under her given name) and it is filled with pictures of murdered women from Las Vegas motels. She has no idea why she would get this other than perhaps her ex-mysterious friend thinks she would be good at solving murders…not!

But then she gets a shocking visit from her nemesis and finds out she has been tracking her because she knows Amber is the next victim of the serial killer. Now the gruesome twosome must attempt to work together before he kills Amber or someone else. It seems her now partner has been playing cat and mouse with the killer for years. And with good reason.

Now, they have to somehow agree to a plan, make sure no one is injured, find him and kill him. Easy!

Kill Me was an absolutely enjoyable read which I did not want to end. The story was suspenseful, there were lovable characters, hilarious dialogue and great twists! I did read to the last sentence in the Acknowledgement and let me just say…I cannot wait!

Thank you #NetGalley #G.P.Putnam’sSons #KillingMe #MichelleGagnon for the advanced copy.

From the moment we meet Amber, right after she's been kidnapped by a serial killer, I was hooked. I loved Amber and the way she thinks and the way she talks to herself. I wasn't expecting to have this much fun or laugh this much while reading a book about chasing down a serial killer. (different from the one we meet at the beginning of the book)

After some quality time with her abductor, Amber is rescued by a mysterious woman and to say she has a few questions would be an understatement, but our mystery woman isn't keen to reveal all her secrets. Amber decides after all this she needs to start over and head to Vegas. Although if she had any luck at all she definitely used the last of it up to get rescued, because she finds herself again in the path of a killer.

This had the perfect amount of tension and suspense. It had me laughing out loud, and sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see what was going to happen next. I loved the secondary characters, and I was rooting for them all to survive the coming confrontation with the killer. I thoroughly enjoyed this, and will definitely be reading more by this author.

4.5 stars

Killing Me by Michelle Gagnon reads like a darker Finlay Donovan and I am HERE FOR IT!

I've been in somewhat of a reading slump lately and this black comedy spin on the thriller genre went a long way in bringing me out of it. This book really has everything: a look into the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas, con artists, vigilantes, twisted backstories, and true crime enthusiasts helping to take down a serial killer. Gagnon approaches this story with a dry wit and plenty of banter while still managing to include commentary on the ethics of policing and how murder victims in marginalized communities are often swept under the rug. I do think this could have been fleshed out even more along with our main character's trauma after surviving a serial killer, but there is still tons to enjoy about this fast-paced, funny novel. I really hope that we get to see more of these characters in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Killing Me was so unique and fun! You wouldn’t think a book about hunting a serial killer to be funny, but it was! I loved Amber, the main character. She was hilarious and smart but also had a lot of growth during the story. This book had a great balance of humor, tense moments, and a surprising amount of heart!

This book hooked me from the first line and didn’t let go! It opens with Amber being abducted by a serial killer and her internal monologue had me laughing out loud. She is rescued by a mysterious woman who appears to be a serial killer hunter. Amber has to abandon the life that she’s built for herself after a bad past is threatened to be exposed so she runs away and heads across the country. She ends up in Las Vegas, but because her luck seems to be terrible, she ends up in the sights of another serial killer. Together with an odd group of friends, she’s determined to stop him.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC for an honest review

My thanks to NetGalley and Putnam Books for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I can think of several people who would have such a great time reading Killing Me. I look forward to being able to offer those recommendations in a couple of weeks. I do think this title would get picked up a lot off the shelves and would likely have excruciating long hold times because of how many people will be queued to read this.

Great addition to the library!

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest review. As a true crime lover, I knew this one would be a super fun and interesting read. I absolutely loved it. It had twists and turns and every weird thing I loved about true crime, while still having great character development and plot points. This was the first book I've read by Michelle Gagnon, but based on this, I'll be looking for others! If you're a true crime lover looking for a fun piece of fiction, this book is for you.

What a fun read! I really enjoyed this one! It had the right dose of humor and true crime to make it something really unique. The writing style made it a breeze to read.

Amber Jamison finds herself in the unfortunate situation of almost becoming the sixth victim of a serial killer. When she is saved by a mysterious woman the adventure really begins. Amber has a past that she is trying to outrun which sets her on a road trip across the country to get away from the FBI who is trying to track her down.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC!

Amber is street smart. That’s why she’s shocked when she ends up in the back of a serial killer’s van. When a woman frees her and then mysteriously disappears, Ambers life starts to get even odder.

There’s nothing to life the mood like a good, dark comedy. I loved the humor in this one. You don’t often get humor in a serial killer book, but this one is full of it. You will get a taste for it immediately. It starts with a bang and doesn’t let go until the end.

“Johnson City, Tennessee, wasn’t the kind of place where anything of significance ever happened and then - whammo! It was the hunting groups for a serial killer.”

Killing Me comes out 5/16.

Killing Me by Michelle Gagnon #twentysixthbookof2023 #arc

CW: serial killers, torture, kidnapping, death, murder, sex work, gaslighting

This is the story of Amber, who escapes a serial killer with the help of a mysterious stranger, but her troubles only get worse from there. Trying to outrun her past, she ends up in Vegas where she makes unlikely friends and plots to outwit, believe it or not, a second serial killer. What terrible luck!

Sounds dark, and it is, but it’s also fast paced and funny, and sort of light despite the subject matter. It felt like a romp to me. It was very plot driven, which I prefer to a lot of introspection. Very action packed and propulsive. This was right in my wheelhouse. I would gladly read more by this author.

Thank you to @netgalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons @penguinrandomhouse for the advance copy. (Pub date 5/16/23)

This book is WILD and I mean that in a good way! I literally felt like I went on a wild chase by the time I finished this book.

Amber survives a serial killer (barely) just to be in the crosshairs of another! If that doesn’t draw you in, I don’t know what will. I was hooked from the beginning! This is a fast-paced thriller that just keeps you turning those pages.

This book was so full of twists and turns, it had me second guessing everything I thought was right! I never thought I would say a book about serial killers was fun but this one was unpredictable. It had you laughing one minute and then pulling at your heartstrings a few pages later.

I loved all the characters, they were quirky, sassy, and didn’t take crap from anyone. They were all very unique and they all carried their own flaws.

I honestly don’t think I’ve ever read a book like this before. I just need everyone to go pre-order it and read it once it’s out! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam books for this digital ARC, in exchange for a honest review.

This was a first read for me by Michelle Gagnon. I was really impressed with her writing . Killing Me is perfect for when you need a big dose of quirky humor along with your thriller. This is great entertainment. No, it’s not at all believable. And the pacing is a tad uneven. But it’s still well thought out. I would definitely recommend this book.



Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons for allowing me to read this ARC in advance for my honest opinion.

I received this ARC from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review. What a great book! I found it entertaining, humorous, action-packed, with plenty of twists to keep you reading. We meet Amber as a serial killer pushes her into a white van. She then wakes up in a room shackled down, naked, and painted blue. She knows that she is about to die when a masked stranger, the serial killer, releases Amber. Amber calls 911 anonymously, returns to her apartment, and continues on with her life. But that isn’t easy, especially when an FBI agent arrives at her apartment. Amber decides to pack up everything and leave because she has been in trouble before with the authorities. Amber lands in Las Vegas and books into a room, and then tries to start her life over again. Well, she finds out that another serial killer is after her, and then is when her life becomes weird. You will need to pick up a copy of Killing Me to find out what happens to Amber, and to the great friends that she meets, and how her life is changed because of it.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Penguin Group-Putnam Publishers and Michelle Gagnon for the opportunity to read an advance copy of KILLING ME, to be published 16 May 2023.

KILLING ME by Michelle Gagnon was a fabulously intense read with not one, but a couple of serial killers.
You are grabbed in the opening paragraph and the book won't let go until the final page!
Fast-paced with great writing, it's easy to get lost in the story and lose track of time. It's definitely not a traditional serial killer book though.
This story was unique, witty, and laugh out loud funny at moments. Strong characters. Amber and vigilante, Grace, drive a distinctive and quirky plot. The chemistry slowly builds between these two women, making the book even better. But my favorite character by far was hotel owner, Dot!

Great read overall highly recommend it!!!

What an unusual story. It pulled me in and didn't let go. I finished it quickly, All the characters Amber meets and the emotion behind them were heart-touching. Each character had a sad back story and a sweetness of their character. The main character Amber has a history of her own, one she wanted to forget. When Amber is kidnapped by a serial killer she needs to call on that past to survive. Jane is a self-driven hunter of serial killers, is a loner and is dedicated to her search. The dynamic between them is strange and fun.
I enjoyed the crazy tangle of this story and there was just enough humor to keep you from being scared or freaked out. I do recommend this book by Michelle Gagnon. Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Group Putman for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read Killing Me by Michelle Gagnon in exchange for my honest review.

Killing Me is the story of Amber Jamison who escapes a serial killer only to get caught up with an even worse one.

Very intriguing premise if you ask me. Amber Jamison may not be who we think she is and she may be hiding some serious secrets about her past but does she deserve to be kidnapped and almost killed by a serial killer?

The story really begins when Amber escapes becoming the sixth victim of the Pikachu killer. Is it fate stepping in or just her lucky day? It would be interesting to ask Amber herself because shortly after narrowly escaping death she finds herself being followed across the country by a suspicious person who’s playing games with her. Her goal is to get as far away from the media and police talking about the serial killer so California is the obvious choice.

Amber was a tough character to care about at the beginning of the story, but I couldn’t pinpoint why. I saw some people mentioned a lot of comedy at the beginning which goes away as you get into the book. I didn’t find a lot of comedy overall, although there are comedic moments. It took me a while to really get into this story.

On the road to California, Amber stops in Vegas where she puts some old habits and skills to use, to earn cash. Along the way, Amber meets and makes friends with a variety of characters that, in my opinion, really brought the story to life. Amber, Marcella, and Dot make a great trio and then you have the addition of Grace, is she a friend or an enemy?

I found the story overall a bit predictable, but it does have a few twists and turns that suck you back in. It could be interesting to see if Gagnon could grow these characters into a series now that I know more about Amber, I’m interested in learning more.

Something to note for anyone looking for an LGBTQ character, Amber grew on me and I think could be a favorite for others. Overall I enjoyed the adventure and the chance to follow Amber through the rollercoaster.

Wow. This book is just wow. It starts off with a bang and completely lures you into the story. I was very invested in Amber’s story and what was happening. What I enjoyed the most about this book is that there were a lot of strong female characters. They are strong, smart, funny, and caring (shh, don’t tell them). Gagnon does a great job of keeping moments in the book lighthearted with the characters having a good sense of humor. This made the book fresh – like something that I had never read before. A little bit towards the middle it starts to drag, but towards the end it really picked up. There were a few twists throughout that really got me! And I was definitely fooled toward the end!! I know the author mentioned that this may be turned into a series. I would definitely read a follow up book to this one!

Funny, sarcastic and smart, Amber is not your typical serial killer victim. When she’s saved by a mysterious woman she’s not content to let things end, but goes in search of the killer. Helped by some unlikely, shall I say ‘interesting’ characters, this book was a fun spin on serial killer books. I hope there’s a sequel in the works!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy, I was happy to recommend it to my fellow mystery lovers at book club.

She gets kidnapped by a serial killer and has the best humor about it.

She ends up going on the lam after she escapes from a serial killer.

This book has major Thelma and Louise vibes.

There’s so many twists and turns it’ll leave you gasping!

I really enjoyed this book and had to rate it 5 stars! :)

Can you say that a book with a serial killer could be fun? If so, this would be the book. Our protagonist is unique, funny and smart and trying to hide a sordid past from the cops which isn't easy when you are the target of a serial killer - or two. The darkly comedic book is filled with twists and turns and you will be rooting for our MC while laughing at her antics. I really enjoyed this surprising thriller and will look for more books by this author. Thanks to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.