You’ve done a bad thing. She has you in her sights. Now you’re going to pay.
Meet Camilla Black: an affluent, respected, influential fashion magazine editor, who lives it up in her beautiful Mayfair apartment. But Camilla’s glamorous life is a lie. Behind her poised exterior beats the cold dark heart of a vigilante killer, a murderer hell-bent on wreaking vengeance upon bad men.
Camilla expects to get away with murder. She’s careful. And anyway, it’s worth the risk. She’s making the world a better place with each predator she kills. But when one of her victims’ bodies is unexpectedly found, his gruesome death is splashed all over the papers.
To make matters worse, she’s now being pursued by Detective Wheelan, a new addition to the Met with laser-sharp focus and a worrying habit of solving impossible crimes…
She knows she should stop, but she can’t. Some men just deserve to die. Will Camilla’s insatiable appetite for justice be her downfall, or can she outsmart the police?

This is a thrilling read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

Camilla is editor of a successful fashion magazine, wears designer clothes, lives in a fantastic home - & also stalks & kills predators. Yes, Camilla is the female version of Dexter, killing only those whom she determines richly deserve it. But when the body of her latest victim is found within days of the murder, Camilla is worried that she has been uncharacteristically careless. Her anxiety heightens when she realises that the detective on the case is one that has she run into before. Camilla knows she has to be extra careful, but there are just so many bad people out there!

First of all the good points: there's plenty of dark humour as the main character narrates you through her life & her victims' untimely deaths. Camilla is oddly likeable, even though she keeps the reader at arms length - you're never quite sure if she is telling you everything. I also think the cover is eye-catching as it was that which first drew my interest in reading the book.

My issues with this are similar to other books in the same vein, a lot of it is built on fortuitous circumstances, i.e. her husband just happened to be a multimillionaire unbeknownst to Camilla allowing her to live a fabulous lifestyle after his death, & she doesn't leave any forensic trace even at her first two murders. Nitpicking aside, it was a read that kept me glued to the pages to find out if Camilla would get away with it or if her killings would finally catch up with her. It's fairly fast-paced throughout, in fact the ending seemed rushed through compared to the rest of the book, but overall it's a gripping read. 3.5 stars (rounded up).

Please note the following TWs, & proceed with caution: graphic violent death scenes, paedophilia, descriptions of photographs depicting sexual assaults, & graphic sexual scenes.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Amazon Publishing UK / Thomas & Mercer, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

I really, really enjoyed this book! I found it dark and disturbing, yes, but also well written and suspenseful, with an ending that was extremely satisfying. And Camilla Black was a strong, but completely relatable heroine. I couldn't put it down!!!

I've read a number of reviews that compare this book to the TV show Dexter, some even going so far as to say it's a knockoff of the show. I couldn't disagree more strongly. The character Dexter was a born psychopath with his urges to kill already baked in. His adoptive father, who was a cop, recognized those urges, understood that Dexter was going to kill anyway and directed them toward individuals that were bad people who "deserved to die."

On the other hand, Camilla Black was horrifically abused by her father, in addition to being traumatized by various other twisted men she came in contact with during the time before she became Camilla Black, and her urges to kill pedophiles, abusers and rapists are in response to the abuse she suffered at the hands of those men. She is full of a white-hot burning rage that's become an obsession, which has driven her to become a highly respected, successful and wealthy woman . . . The epitome of beauty, good taste and upper-class aloofness. What a wonderful disguise for a vengeful vigilante - No one would suspect a woman with Camilla's delicate refinement of being involved in murder . . . She might break a nail!

Pretty Evil is an extraordinarily entertaining book, but it's also a book full of pain and redemption and, of course, revenge. I can honestly say that this is one hell of a story, and I'm giving Pretty Evil an enthusiastic 5+ TBR Star Review!

[NOTE: I received this book as an ARC from Xpresso Book Tours.]

A modern day female Dexter. Ridding the world of monsters. Having an itch to scratch that they can't get rid of. The only problem Camilla has, is not getting caught.

I loved the story and the implication that not everyone is as they seem. Even Camilla!

Some of the dialogue was maybe a bit too long but it didn't take anything away from the enjoyment of the book. It was good and twisty and tense.

Well worth a read!

Not my favorite book. I didn’t like all the characters and the talk about clothes was a bit much. Too much discussion about what a person was wearing and it’s designer was too much for me. It ended up causing me to skip parts of the book while reading it. The story concept was good though and intriguing to read. The end was a bit rushed and predictable could’ve been written better.

Pretty Evil' is the character-driven story of Camilla Black, a highly successful and glamorous fashion editor who has vowed to seek revenge on men who have been violent towards women and children. It is a graphic brutal story, but one that ultimately led me to have sympathy for Camilla and her actions.

The book opens with the set-up for a dramatic roof top murder; Camilla has picked the victim Julian, because she knows he has been violent to women in the past and has not changed his ways. During the date, Camilla senses that he is going to spike her drink, and she does the same to him, leaving him practically unconscious so she can seek her revenge. It is soon apparent that this isn't the first time Camilla has acted in this way, and through the book we learn more about why she's been driven to act like this, with her mission to rid the world of at least some violent men. The violence is fairly graphic and detailed, as are the sections about Camilla's love life, so its not a book for everyone by any means. There are a number of trigger warnings, not least the non-consensual sex detailed in the book, as well as the violence against women.

There was a lot of detailed description of Camilla's wardrobe and living space; there was information about what item was made by which designer, and worn with what other outfit. I know that this was meant to show Camilla's financial success and status, but for me personally, there was a little too much detail around this. Notwithstanding this, the book was overall a compelling and quick read with some interesting angles and plot twists. Female revenge is a story that should be told more, and it was well written here.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read it

OMG.

I don’t even know WHERE to begin. This book was everything I ever want in a book.

🌶️Smut
🔪 Murders
👿 Revenge
❤️‍🔥 FM and FF

Camilla, what a character. She is what I call a ‘sexy, snobby murderer’ and I stand by that. She loved her designer brands, definitely not your average psychopath.

I loved Camilla, she was sassy, sexy and on the hunt for revenge to anyone she could get her hands on… and she gets away with it!! How!? Your guess is as good as mine, read the book to find out.

We saw a few characters who Camilla was close to, I’d even go as far as ‘used’ mainly for sex but it became apparent that she wanted more from one of them (no spoilers).

Justifying her murders, I got where she was coming from, doesn’t make it right but I understood why she did what she did to her victims.

And the ending… 🤯 I didn’t see that coming, it was brilliant! So clever, so sneaky and twisty. I adored it. The last half of the book kept me on the edge of my seat and I found myself wanting more, even at the end!

Will there be more of Camilla?

Thank you @instabooktours for having me on tour and to @amazonpublishing and @zoerosiauthor for allowing me a copy of the book and on tour.

Pretty Evil is a revenge thriller by Zoe Rosi. Due out 17th Jan 2023 from Amazon UK on their Thomas & Mercer imprint, it's 248 pages and will be available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. 

I've seen this touted as The Devil Wears Prada meets Dexter, and honestly, that's a pretty apt description. It's well written and the scenes are clearly (and explicitly) described and often unflinching. Content warnings include body horror, explicit non-consensual sexual assault, murder (obviously), predatory and explicit sex, etc. It is well written and the author has a good grasp of the craft of writing with regard to plotting, tension arc, characterisation, and the nuts-and-bolts of narrative. 

I enjoyed the high fashion descriptions of luxury brands and life in the fashion world more than main character Camilla's night-time predatory vigilante exploits. For readers who enjoy graphic anti-hero revenge vigilante thrillers, this will fill the bill. For readers who are sensitive to blood, gore, and violence, this will almost certainly be too much. Spelling and vernacular are British English, but probably won't pose problems in context for readers from the USA.

Four stars. As an aside, the book came out of trauma in the author's own past and might well be triggering and upsetting to readers who have experienced similar trauma or might be a therapeutic read, but something of which to be aware.The violence starts from page one. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Fast paced and gripping read. Takes you right into the mind of a calculated killer. This book would be great for fans of Dexter.

★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)

Trigger warning: rape, child abuse, paedophilia, grooming and violence against women. Also lots of foul language and graphic sex scenes.

By day, Camilla Black is a glamorous fashion editor for a high-end fashion magazine but by night, she is someone else entirely. She is a predator who preys on other predators, seeking them out, flushing them out and righting the wrongs of the justice system in the form of an avenging angel. But can she continue to get away with it?

PRETTY EVIL is not your average psychological thriller. It's no popcorn thriller either. It's very character driven in the form of Camilla who is very complex that not even the reader can make her out. You can understand her motives but there is something far deeper lurking beneath the surface that we don't really get to see...only glimpses of. She is completely narcissistic and thinks herself far cleverer than the police or anyone else who have no idea who she really is. She outlines all the ways she has outsmarted the police and yet still they cannot catch her. But is time running out for this vigilante avenging angel?

The opening scenes thrust the reader straight into the action. Camilla is on a Tinder date with one Julian Taylor. She knows what he is. She's heard the rumours. She's googled him and done her research. What predator doesn't research her prey? Those who think they are too good to be caught. Like Julian. She sees him slip a roofie into her wine and instead the tables are turned and he (the predator) becomes the prey. But has she become too clever for her own good?

Despite her dark nature, the reader finds themselves rooting for Camilla even though we know what she is doing is completely wrong. I think the first person narrative lends something like a little sympathy for her, particularly as her past and the events that turned her into a narcissistic psychopath are gradually revealed. Personally, Camilla is not someone I would warm to in real life. She is aloof, arrogant, vain, narcissistic, snobbish, single-minded and unsympathetic. Cold, even. She drops designer names like I eat chocolate (I'd only heard of Alexander McQueen from another thriller I had only just read). She is confident and likes the power her position gives her and loves the sound of her Jimmy Choos click-clacking on the marble floor of her office building. Yes, she is so cold at times she is glacial. And yet, still I found myself cheering her on.

Throughout the story, told in Camilla's first person narrative, we learn a lot about her so there is no real mystery. There are several flashbacks, a lot of analysing over her targets and how to best bring them down. From the start we know exactly what she is doing. The only mystery is how it will all end. Will Camilla continue in her quest to rid London of the sexually depraved or will she be unmasked? Or will she kiss goodbye to her darker side and settle down with the one thing she craves - love?

Love...is that what she's looking for when she calls up one of her "lovers" to release some of her built-up sexual tension? And she's not overly picky either. She has three she regularly calls on. Mr USA who is currently in Hollywood so is out of the picture. Abay, a gorgeous Nigerian so ripped she demands dominance from him and welcomes it. And then there is Vanessa. She's a student with the best set of breasts Camilla has ever seen. And let me tell you, the sex scenes (of which there are two - one with Abay and one with Vanessa) ARE graphic. But these can easily be skimmed over if you prefer.

Now it has to be said, PRETTY EVIL has overtones of everyone's favourite serial killer Dexter and if you like "Dexter" then chances are you will enjoy this little book of evil as well. Even the setting of the scene for one of her targets bears such a striking resemblance to Dexter's MO - photos, plastic sheeting, rubbish bags, power saw... But Camilla is colder than Dexter. Both are calculating but I found Dexter charming and funny...Camilla, not so much. I found her to be a bit of a bitch, actually. I didn't particularly like her despite rooting for her throughout.

PRETTY EVIL was a great read and very different in concept and context. In fact, the opening scenes are a retelling of based on the author's own experience...but with an obvious difference. This book was her way of processing what she had been through.

You can read the article recently published in relation to Zoe's experience and PRETTY EVIL here https://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/23244427.novelist-raped-woolwich-tinder-date-writes-serial-killer-book/

Overall though, PRETTY EVIL is pretty graphic. In tone, in violence and in sex. It is gritty, dark and twisted. It is not a book for everyone. There is a lot - and I do mean A LOT - of foul language. And I'm not just talking the f-bomb. Words I don't even like to utter myself and they make me cringe when I see them in a book.

Truthfully, this is a hard book to rate. I didn't NOT like it but I didn't love it either. But the ending I felt was a little rushed and while I felt a little high five, I would have liked a little more to have gone into the playing out - both at the warehouse and in the last chapter. But overall, it was still a great read, albeit a hard one to rate. So I think 3.5 stars rounded up because it was really good in concept but losing a little in the rushed ending.

PRETTY EVIL was previously published as "Predator" which I personally feel is a better fit for this book than the new title.

I would like to thank #ZoeRosi, #Netgalley, #AmazonPublishing and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #PrettyEvil in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

The old adage: ”don’t judge a book by its cover” certainly applies here………the book or in this case, its editor.
   Camilla is a walking talking fashion plate that turns heads, runs a successful company and sets a high bar. But that raised bar not only applies to her daytime job: her nighttime one is much more interesting and just as productive as her magazine.        
   Her other career is to rid the world of men who prey on women and children and she does a very thorough job of it and she is very good at it. The author convinced the reader to want to be a part of her team, no matter how gruesome the situation.
   Camilla was our hero……….a fast read, totally mesmerizing and so many secrets to uncover. PERFECT!

Absolutely loved this!!!
A fast paced thriller revolving around a female serial killer who murders evil men!
I wasn't sure when I read the blurb if I would enjoy the fashion house part of the story, not something that interests me, neednt have worried, this was one of the best thrillers I have read for a good while!
Finished in one day I was glued!!!
Thank you to the author and publisher for an advance copy for an honest review

I really enjoyed Pretty Evil it’s definitely a dark read in parts. I didnt expect the twists in this book.
I’m looking forward to reading more from the author in the future.

‘The date rape drug he’d intended to give me has knocked him out so hard he’s barely even flinched, despite being dragged to the top of a twelve-storey building, stripped naked and bound to a post.’

And that, friends, is how this book begins. WHAT A RIDE.

I demolished this book in one sitting - I could not put it down. Camilla is a fashion magazine editor by day and vigilante serial killer by night. She goes after the men who slip through the net of justice - rapists who have gone free, child molesters who were released early for ‘good behaviour’.

Camilla’s character is dark and complex, with an in-depth back story as to why she is how she is. This book also has one of the most interesting first lines that
I’ve come across lately (see above).

I did see part of the twist at the end coming (I had my suspicions!) but I really enjoyed how it came about, as while I’d figured a few things out I hadn’t ‘solved’ everything. I really enjoyed the ending, which also made me wonder if there will be a sequel at some point…

The sex steams included in the book were seriously steamy, which was a pleasant change from the brutal murder-y parts of the story. Variation is the spice of life, or something along those lines.

I don’t often give five stars but this was a truly unique novel. Not for the faint hearted!

Woah! What a protagonist!! The psychotic saviour of women’s rights 😂

I really enjoyed this book, fantastic characters and situations, Even tho you know that Camilla’s actions are so wrong, you can understand why.

This is a dark and detailed read (I personally preferred the murders to the the steamy parts) but I also loved Camilla’s inner monologue, cracked me up.

A must for thriller fans

Thanks Amazon Publishing UK, Zoe Rosi and NetGalley for the issue.

When I read the synopsis of the book I was instantly interested and when I read it I'm not going to say I was "disappointed" but I think I was looking for another protagonist, another way of developing things, another type of analysis or psychology I don't know.

Our protagonist, Camilla, is a psychopath I would say, although the term is not well defined in my head (it is something that I would be very interested in studying and reading), who murders those men who attack women and abuse them. them.

By telling them that, they realize that there are going to be quite strong, harsh and sometimes very cruel situations when it comes to being denounced. But the author goes without holding back.

I don't know exactly what I expected, but that's not what I found. The way the book ends, the ending, seemed too fast to me, as I felt there were dots that weren't connected, that maybe it was going to be a book with a few more pages.

Trigger Warning: description of rp,

Zoe Rosi crafts an intriguing story of a femme fatale who uses her wits to bring justice to evil men.
This femme fatale, Camilla Black, is a famous fashion magazine editor by day. Certainly, the last person anyone would suspect of being a vigilante killer. But, one day, one of her kills is discovered, and the renown Detective Wheelan is brought in to solve his murder. Camilla must try to outsmart the detective and still maintain her mission of making the world safe from the predators she kills.

Some may criticize Camilla for taking the law into her own hands. But, rarely do the kind of men she punishes receive punishment nor do their victims receive justice. In the first chapter we are introduced to her latest mark, a serial rapist and woman beater named Julian. Camilla does not just immediately assume he is evil. It is after she sees him lace her drink with a date rape drug during their first date, that she makes him her next mark. Ultimately, she finds the proof she needs in his phone of several women he has raped and abused. Knowing that he was recently arrested for assault and released, she knew those women in his phone and those who would cross his path in the future would likely not receive justice.

I usually shy away from novels involving portrayals or descriptions of rape but in a way, Rosi's heroine Camilla allows women to envision taking their power back. If you want a strong, unconventional female heroine, then this book may help quench your thirst.

*I received this e-book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I did enjoy the book as a whole, and was a rather quick read. I think that the female serial killer story is fascinating, and dives into her background leading up to why she does what she does. I absolutely love how the main character was confident in her sexuality. However I think that the main character goes into rants and made parts of chapters rather boring. I wasn't so much expecting the ending which was a nice twist. I would love to have less rants and more of a developed ending. I want to know what happened to her ex lover. I want to know if her current lover suspects anything. I feel that this book could have a sequel after the abrupt ending of this book.
I do recommend this to anyone who enjoys serial killer vibes, or secret lives.

Whether you came away liking this novel or not, Pretty Evil is a wild ride. Camilla is a serial killer who targets only bad people who have done horrible, horrible things. Sound familiar?? As a huge fan of the television series Dexter, it was difficult not finding myself comparing Camilla to Dexter. Of course, the obvious difference is that Camilla only targets evil men who have a history of abusing women. And by targeting I mean killing.

I found it a bit difficult to get through the first half of the book, not really finding myself invested in the story or Camilla as an anti-hero. However, once I learned more of her backstory and her own abuse, I began to warm up to her. It was more than simple bloodlust (at least a little more) — it was her way of standing up for those women who were unable to fight back against their own abusers. Nearer the end, I found myself rooting for Camilla!

I must admit that the incessant designer label mentions and brand-name dropping grew tiresome while reading, but I learned to overlook it. And the book is also not for the faint of heart, so be forewarned. But I think fans of Dexter might want to give the book a try!

I want to extend a huge thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for an ARC of this book! I appreciate your trusting me with an honest review!!

I do love a good female psychopath on the warpath against the vilest of male predators. Camilla Black is a fashion editor by day, donning impressive designer clothing but by night she hunts sexual predators. This book is cleverly written and well thought out and highly entertaining. If you loved Jane Doe by Victoria Helen Stone or the Mindf*ck series then you will love this! Do be aware that there are a few super steamy scenes in this story, we thriller readers don’t usually expect that, but you can choose to skip right over those without missing a beat. Thank you Netgalley, Amazon Publishing UK, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book is available for purchase on January 17, 2023