Totally give this a read if you're into a bit of a lighter crime fiction vibe. I absolutely loved the cast of characters and setting in this one.

This was a very original thriller. I loved the plot with the Pokémon Killer. It took me awhile to read it, bur it was funny and entertaining, along with being a good thriller. I recommend it.

KILLING ME is a fun, outlandish, and darkly humorous thriller. Gagnon creates a fabulously entertaining mystery with all the twists, turns, and nefarious serial killer moments any crime reader will love.

Between the murders, the cons, the characters, how all the pieces in the puzzle come together, and the setting of Vegas, this screams a crazy wild ride. Wait until you get to the wig shop scene. It is nuts, but also so perfect for this story. What I loved was that for every wacky element, there is something grounded to bring the reader back to reality. Even the characters are examples of this. They could have come across as caricatures, instead adding diversity, flavor, wit, and emotion.

KILLING ME is not your average serial killer thriller. It takes the serious nature of the situation and infuses it with lighter and, at times, comical moments. There is a quirkiness to the suspense that makes this book so enjoyable.

I personally cannot wait to see what Gagnon gives her readers next.

This one had me laughing out loud, so so so so good! I want to be friends with the MC. I recommend this read but you can’t borrow my copy haha. I’m keeping it on my shelves.

I loved this book so much! It's easily one of my favorite books of the year. Gagnon has a fun, fast-moving writing style that makes her characters feel unique and realistic. There were many twists and turns, and I was guessing as each new one presented. I can't wait to read more from this author and wish I could read this book again for the first time.

This book is a fun, fast-paced thriller that is surprisingly humorous all at the same time. I was drawn in immediately and was heavily invested in the story and ragtag team of characters to figure out how this ended.

This story wastes no time in getting into the action as our main character, Amber, is kidnapped by a serial killer – the notorious…wait for it…Pikachu Killer! If becoming the only one to escape the Pikachu Killer is not enough, however, Amber soon becomes the target of another serial killer in a sick game of cat and mouse.

The characters are well-done, multi-dimensional, and easy to root for even with their flaws. This book was smart and the psychological elements were woven in very well. The setting of Las Vegas was also a nice surprise since it doesn’t take place in the high end casino or hotel environment that one usually pictures when thinking of Vegas. Instead, there are grungy motels and our characters are riding around in beaten down clunker cars. If you are looking for a fresh take on the thriller genre that will keep you hooked, then this book is definitely worth picking up! Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in which I am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group/Putnam for the opportunity to read and review this book!!

Amber Jamison - street-smart, people-smart, college-educated, con-artist Amber Jamison - is about to be murdered by a serial killer. Until she's miraculously saved by a Ski-Masked stranger, who then just disappears. The fun doesn't end there. Someone with Amber's past naturally doesn't cozy up to the cops, so when they start sniffing around, she flees across the US to Las Vegas where she comes across yet another serial killer. This guy is different, though... he's much more prolific and has been killing as part of a sick game for years. Amber will have to team up (something she doesn't like doing... period) with people that she can trust (or maybe she can't?) to stop a serial killer with hundreds of confirmed kills. Viva Las Vegas.

THIS BOOK. WAS AWESOME. Gagnon somehow managed to make a book about a deadly psychopath serial killer hunting a con artist in Las Vegas hilarious and thoroughly enjoyable. Yes, you read that right.

Amber was an amazing MC. I loved the depth of her character and I loved her transformation as the book went on. I loved her relationships with the other MCs in the novel, especially Dot and Marcella. Her banter and narration were a hoot to read and Gagnon did an impeccable job creating a unique voice for her throughout the story. The supporting characters were also extremely loveable (see aforementioned Dot and Marcella). The main conflict in this story was fascinating (no spoilers, just read it) and the twistiness at the end ALMOST got me (ALMOST). This book is fantastic. Read it if you enjoy awesome narrators and voice in writing, serial killer podcasts, loveable characters, and twisty cat-and-mouse storylines.

Vegas baby! but not in the way you imagine. Michelle Gagnon did not sugarcoat stuff. She started with a bang where our MC was about to be chopped into blue pieces before mysterious headhunter saved her smurf-like body. that could be the end of the story in many books, but in this one it is just the beginning.

Amber was afraid. With her past and involvement of FBI in her case (no one should have known she was involved), she needed to move away from her newly settled life. She used her old tricks to find her way into new towns. Meanwhile she was getting messages from her serial killer slayer friend, who said she wouldn't want to be in touch. Later, she realized that her road to freedom would end in Vegas until further notice and new friends would join her crew to solve the biggest murder mystery of the US.

I love the slapping effect of this book. I loved how badass women rule the days and nights of Vegas and solve their own problems with network of smart people. This is a great story to shake things up a bit and make you flip those pages like there is no tomorrow.

As the story opens, Amber is bound and gagged in a basement trying to comprehend the startling realization that she is about to die at the hands of a serial killer. At the 11th hour, she is rescued by Grace, a petite powerhouse of a woman whose distain for Amber is evident in every interaction. Amber, though, has a history herself. She is the abandoned daughter of two grifters who grew up participating in their cons and survived for many years running them on her own until she decided to go straight. As Amber leaves town (2 months away from graduating college) out of fear of a second serial killer, she and Grace continue crossing paths until they are ultimately forced to collaborate to outwit the biggest serial killer of them all: Grace's twin brother.

I had a bit of difficulty getting into this book, but when it clicked, I stayed up well past my bedtime reading. Completely unique storyline - I would describe it as a seamier, Stephanie Plum'ish type of book if Stephanie came from a crap childhood instead of a supportive family. And was a lesbian. Also, even though it was all about serial killers and their depraved mines, this book was not gory or gross in its depictions of the murder scenes. I'm very interested in an Amber Jameson series! I'm hoping it happens.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Killing Me by Michelle Magnon.

Normally I really love a good cat and mouse thriller, but I had a hard time sinking into Killing Me. I may have made a mistake by reading it, because perhaps the narrator's voice was too flippant and carefree for the type of novel it was, but it was almost too playful? The tone that I got was "ugh, I've totally been abducted, lame, being murdered is so cliche." And this is why it's important to remember that reviews are subjective, because there's absolutely nothing wrong with taking that approach, it just wasn't my cup of tea and I really struggled to invest.

A funny and unexpectedly humorous book involving a girl escaping a serial killer! Never would’ve thought I could enjoy a book so much where these two subjects merge, but here it is. The characters are colorful and animated. Each full of their own personality. There’s a suspense throughout the book involving our protagonist and her secretive background and the constantly there question of who is the serial killer, why is she the target, and out of everyone she encounters on her journey who can she truly trust!

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. The female protagonist was funny, tough, and easy to like. The plot had all of the right twists and turns. If you like suspense and mystery with a little dark humor, this will be right up your alley!

You might believe that surviving the lair of a serial killer would be the weirdest thing to happen to a person, but for Amber, that is just the beginning. Now, caught in a game of cat and mouse, Amber is forced to put her life in the hands of someone she can't trust to stay alive.

Set in Vegas, Killing Me is a campy murder mystery brimming with loveable characters, dark comedy, compelling twists, seedy motels, sex workers, sapphic romance, and one girl's will to survive.

Despite an utterly ridiculous plot, Killing Me was a great read. The story kept me guessing the whole time. I trusted no one. The setting was perfect. The found family was incredible. The noir-obsessed hotel manager was fantastic. I need her in my life!

My main issue was the pacing. It was a bit uneven due to expositional flashbacks that I wish were handled differently. The flashbacks are the only thing stopping this from being a 5-star read.

If you like thrillers with a bit of dark comedy and great characters, I highly recommend this one. I also recommend reading the author's note at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and G.P. Putnam's Sons, for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free copy from NetGalley. The strangest set of circumstances and coincidences set up this mystery. A great summer read that's a little different from the rest and a good mystery as a result.

Date reflects review, no the date read.

Amber is kidnapped by the Pikachu serial killer and thinks she's about to become his latest victim. Then a woman in a ski mask suddenly shows up, saves her, then leaves. When Amber thinks the FBI has come calling to ask questions, she decides to flee to Vegas instead, rather than dredge up her con past. As Amber tries to come up with the money to get a new ID, she befriends the motel owner Dot and fellow resident Marcella, who become entangled in Amber's situation. Amber thought she had been texting her mysterious savior, but when Grace shows up to find her, she learns there's another serial killer on her trail. Now they are all involved trying to stay ahead of the killer. Overall, a fun read filled with dark humor and implausible situations. Readers who like quirky and questionable characters will like this one.

To me the book Killing Me was part Silence of the Lamb, part Janet Evanovich and part CSI Las Vegas. It was an enjoyable read with a lot of twists in the plot and satisfactory conclusion.

Amber James is about to become the next victim of the Pikachu serial killer when she is miraculously saved by a mysterious woman named Grace who then disappears without an explanation. Given her questionable past, Amber chooses to flee to Las Vegas rather than meeting with the FBI to answer a bunch of questions. Once in Las Vegas, she ends up staying in a sleazy motel and befriending the hotel owner and a sex worker. Unfortunately for her, she’s also gets caught up in a deadly game with another serial killer.

Well, this was definitely a fun ride! The characters were great as was the premise, and I loved the location, added snark and dark humor which is always a bonus in thrillers for me. Amber has street-smarts and common sense which ultimately makes her a very likable protagonist. If you are someone who requires plausibility, this might not be for you, but if you can go with the flow and just have fun with it, I think you will enjoy this one. I am definitely looking forward to more books from this author. 4 stars.

I admit I didn't that I would like this the story, however I was so wrong. It is one of the best dark comedy that I have read in a long time. It will hook you and you will laugh out loud. Amber the main character is the best that you can't help but cheer for her. It is a quick read with all these lovable characters. Sometimes when you are trying to find a serial killer you need a community, since the police are doing nothing.

Amber is about to be the latest victim of a serial killer, she is more angry at herself then afraid. But then things get weird, yes, the guy her took her is weird. But the weirdest part is she is saved by this mystery lady who then disappears. Who is this woman and why is she hunting serial killers? But it doesn't stop there oh no she is now caught up in a deadly game that has been going on for years.

To survive she most go back to her old self, that part of her she put behind her.

All I have to say without giving to much away, you have to read this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for a copy of this book for my honest review.

Probably one of my favorite books of 2023! It wasn’t what I expected at all but I absolutely loved it. The author does a great job of both connecting you with the characters as well as keeping you on the edge of your seat. There were a number of twists and turns that I never saw coming. And even the ones I did, the author took them in a direction much different than what I expected. This is definitely my favorite thriller of the year to date and likely to be in my top five books for the entire year as well.

I kept going back and forth on whether or not I liked this book. I got a hard copy from the library so I could read it again. My favorite part of Killing Me was the quirky side characters. I felt they had the most heart. Amber and Grace were not all that likable but Dot really made the story for me. This is about Amber who is taken by a serial killer. Grace rescues Amber and from here Amber decides to run away to Las Vegas. She meets a prostitute named Marcella and a motel owner named Dot. She doesn’t realize another killer has their sights on her… the premise is so good and this book could have been amazing. I found some flaws and wish the main character had some redeeming qualities in her personality but overall I did enjoy this book.