
Member Reviews

This was an interesting premise that I feel would appeal to many mystery/thriller/horror readers. The main character feels unlucky in love and has an interest in true crime - leading her to begin corresponding with a man accused of murdering several women. She becomes more and more fixated on the crimes and begins a relationship with this man, still unsure of his innocence - and attracted to the idea of his guilt.
None of the characters in this novel are likeable people, nor are they particularly deep - I didn't feel connected to any of them or root for any of them. What kept my interest was simply wanting to see how things would play out for the characters - kind of like watching an accident out of morbid curiousity. Still, for an avid horror reader like myself, this can be enough. Just like real life, not everyone can be the hero and not everyone should have a fairytale ending.
I would recommend this for fans of true crime and thrillers, it was an interesting and quick read.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy to read and review.

This book was a fun read. Definitely not like anything I’ve ever read before. It follows a woman named Hannah who is somewhat of a true crime junkie and is on a page decided to trying to solve the murders of woman who were all found in a ravine in Georgia. When a suspect is arrested she starts writing him letters in jail and much to her surprise he writes her back. After being fired from her job she goes to Georgia to be involved in the trial. She is torn between her developing feelings for him and wanting to prove that he is the person who committed these murders. I thought this was a unique read and I throughly enjoyed it.

wtf did I just read?? this book gets the award for most unhinged, horrible fmc ever. every time I thought this woman couldn't get crazier, she did. truly the most unserious plot but it was also so entertaining at the same time. this reminds me of the women who were obsessed with ted bundy. the plot twist at the end definitely had me like OH????

This one ended up not being for me. I thoroughly appreciate Berkeley providing an ARC via NetGalley and the premise sounded great. I just didn’t click with the Main Character, through no fault of the author and the premise sounded like a lot of fun. I’m sure lots of other folks with like it!

DNF at 20%.
This one just wasn’t for me. It could very possibly be right up your alley, but I couldn’t connect to the main character at all, and I didn’t vibe with the writing style.

I’m an outlier--most of the reviews I’ve read so far didn’t really like this book and were annoyed by the characters. I can’t help it, I love a messy MC with a true crime-related plot.
I’m fascinated by people who crush on murderers. I try to sympathize with them the same way I do with cult members. What headspace are they in that causes them to desire a sense of belonging and acceptance that the person/cult gives them so much so that they are able to ignore the glaring red flags?
Tasha Coryell takes this idea and channels it into Hannah, a young woman who becomes obsessed with a case and consequentially the accused murderer. I read this like a parody. It’s absurd but so engaging as she writes letters and falls into a void of obsession. But then the accused murderer is acquitted and released... did he kill those women and wrongly get released and if he didn’t do it, who did?
I see what many of the Goodreads reviews are saying-- Hannah is far from likable and she's self-destructive. She makes choices that seem unrealistic yet we know from accounts of people in the prison that people like her do exist. The other characters we encounter aren't much better. I also agree with reviews that said figuring out the mystery was easy, but I really didn't go into this as a mystery that needed to be solved and focused more on the development of the character. Spoiler: the character remains unlikeable and self-destructive. I bumped this up from a 4-star to a 5-star read because I couldn't put this book down. I finished it over two days but less than 24 hours.

I really enjoyed this one, despite predicting the twist from pretty early on. Not sure if this was intentional, but I view this story as a parody for how we tend to seek out destruction at times in our youth and as we come of age. While I never dated a serial killer (that I know of), I certainly knowingly dated some serious duds that dragged me down. While Hannah was quite frustrating, I kept this in mind and really enjoyed the story.
“As much as I want to deny it, there is a kind of pleasure that comes from being tied up with a knife against my throat.”
Love Letters to a Serial Killer comes out 6/25.

This one is a bit difficult to categorize and to evaluate. It's not particularly suspenseful (as thrillers go) but it was a decent ride. The main character is absolutely clueless and insufferable (but sort of self aware of both of these things?) which is what made her fun. The writing was good, especially in terms of humor and awareness of the kind of people (those obsessed with true crime) it was making fun of. We'll very likely stock this book, but I'll be careful about who to recommend it to, as I think it will appeal to a very specific taste.

What a debut! This is a fun thriller/contemporary fiction about Hannah, a lost 30-something woman who is disappointed with how her life and relationships (love, family, and friends) are turning out and becomes obsessed with 4 missing and murdered girls. This obsession leads to Hannah to beginning to write letters to the accused killer of the women, and ultimately becomes an obsession with him and if he’s really a murderer or not.
I liked this book a lot! Hannah was an interesting character because she did absolutely crazy things and made bonkers decisions, but based on how disappointed and sad she was about her life, you as the reader could somehow see or understand at least a little how she ended up in this situation. I always appreciate a writer who can make me root for a totally unlikeable or ridiculous character, and the author had me doing that for a few characters in this book. It was interesting to read about Hannah’s obsession and where it led her, and also how she was almost unwilling to give up the drama of being with a murderer as the story progressed. The interactions with the accused killer’s family were super interesting too.
I did predict the ending, or at least most of it, a bit over half way through, but it was still an enjoyable read! Hannah’s observations about dating and relationships especially were insightful and relatable, especially in this day and age. This was such a solid debut and I definitely recommend it to thriller and contemporary fictions lovers out there! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was a wild ride! Its not your normal thriller. I think this would be a best starter thriller especially if you are interested in a semi-psychological thriller.
I enjoyed when it would switch from the present timeline to the past and the twist at the end was fun. The pacing of the book at times seemed slightly off but I still enjoyed this book in the end.
Definitely a good debut novel! Excited to see what else this author releases in the forever.

Thank you to Tasha Coryell, Berkley, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This book definitely caught me off guard, but in a great kind of way. Drawn by its enticing cover, I opened the pages not sure what to anticipate. Even though she was sometimes difficult to relate to, the main character gave the plot more depth and improved the storytelling experience.
The book successfully handles the complexities of a small-town trial and its aftermath. It is part romance, part thriller. Even though I guessed the primary plot twist early on, I was still interested in the unexpected turns that came up. Still, I found the tale to be engaging and found it easy to turn the pages.
I appreciated how the book explored the complexities of trust and redemption, particularly in the context of a relationship with someone once accused of heinous crimes. The author adeptly weaved through the trial proceedings and their lingering effects, painting a vivid picture of the characters' journeys.

I have been thinking about why I actually liked this book, and it's hard to pinpoint. I would say this is a good fluff of book, ideal vacation read. Not really suspenseful, but it keeps you going. Yes, main character is pretty dumb, but she kind of knows it so somehow it works?

It’s hard to admit but Lover Letters to a Serial Killer is literally the most relatable fiction I have read this year. The main character strongly identifies with the drowning millennial in all of us. There were moments when I would stop reading and think, " OMG, that is so me." While I don’t think anyone would say they wish to go as far as falling in love with a serial killer, all Hannah really wants is individuality, purpose, connection, and love when beginning a penpal relationship with William Thompson, a convicted serial killer. I love the down to earth way this story is written and the comedy had me laughing out loud at times. The thriller element had me reading quickly as well. This was one of my favorites of 2024.

Wow what a ride!
This is definitely a very unique idea for a book, that’s for sure. The entire book is told from the POV of Hannah…a 30 year old white woman from Minneapolis. Hannah desperately wants a man to love her, to the point where she instantly attaches herself to any man who shows her attention. It’s clear from the beginning that Hannah might not have the soundest of minds, and it becomes even more evident when she develops an obsession with a string of murdered women in Atlanta…and obsessed with the accused serial killer.
Hannah begins writing to the accused killer, and it quickly takes over her life. When she loses her job she makes the decision to temporarily move to Atlanta for the trial and to “be in a relationship” with William, the accused killer. However, it quickly becomes apparent that Hannah isn’t so much attracted to William, but instead to the possibility that he could kill her.
It was fairly easy to figure out if William actually committed the murders or not, but whewwwwww the entire time I was reading this book I kept muttering “she needs therapy. Intensive, in patient therapy.” This was an easy, but engaging read, great for anyone interested in true crime and psychology!
Thank you, Net Galley and Berkley for giving me the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Every book is not for everyone. This book certainly is not for me. DNF at 27% because I find the FMC insufferable.
Thank you Berkley Romance for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Going deep inside the mind of Hannah was wild.
This story reminded me of the women who would/still write letters to Ted Bundy and other serial killers. It's such an interesting take on your normal thriller read. I enjoyed every moment of this book!

3.5 stars - Our main character Hannah's life is in shambles, and she finds herself lacking the desire and motivation to hop back onto the path everyone expects her to be on. It seems that no one lives up to her expectations, let alone herself, so when young women start being brutally murdered, she becomes enthralled with an online forum surrounding the murders and the eventual suspect William. Hannah becomes quite literally obsessed with William (think Joe from 'You') and decides it's a splendid idea to write him a letter while he's in jail awaiting trial. Nothing could possibly go wrong, could it? He's in jail and she's far away tucked safely in society. As they begin corresponding the letters move from curiosity to something far more.
While I enjoyed reading the book, I didn't find myself particularly liking any of the characters on their own, and honestly found Hannah to be quite annoying. She was starved for attention and continuously liked anyone who showed her the smallest amount of attention. That said, the storyline was interesting and compelling and the head shaking moments kept me engaged until the very end. Also, I have to say - while pretty simple in design this book cover is perfect and was what really caught my eye!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing for providing me with an advanced readers copy via NetGalley.

This was a very addicting read — as a psych major, I love reading/analyzing unstable/curious minded characters. Hannah is an interesting read because her love interest would be considered “taboo”.
Definitely not a MC that I felt connected to, but I was still very intrigued with her actions and mind.
A great fall read :)

This book was a real intriguing read! I recommend this book if you want to question your feelings about the inexplicable nature of feelings during heightened times.
Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for giving me the chance to read an advance copy!!

This is one of those books that I think would have been better if I read it audio form. This story is very unique but straight-up wild in some parts. Even though I did enjoy it, while reading, I noticed I would take a few days away from the book then remind myself I had to finish it. I am glad I finished because the end was bonkers! It was a solid read, but I wish I had tried a different format.