3.5⭐️

This was a fun like two for one mystery!! I enjoyed the San Francisco setting & that it was a new case as well as one that was supposedly closed. Everything came together very nicely & what can I say, I’m a sucker for a lil love story.

Michelle Chouinard delivers a gripping and darkly clever mystery with The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco. The book expertly blends suspense, humor, and a richly atmospheric San Francisco setting, making the city feel like its own character in the story. Chouinard’s writing is sharp, witty, and unflinching, keeping readers on edge while also providing moments of levity.

The mystery itself is brilliantly plotted, full of twists and red herrings that keep you guessing until the very end. The characters are complex, flawed, and deeply compelling, making their choices and motivations feel authentic and high-stakes. Beyond the suspense, there’s a strong thread of insight into human nature, crime, and morality that elevates the story above a typical thriller.

Overall, The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco is a masterfully crafted, page-turning mystery that balances tension, character depth, and dark humor perfectly. A must-read for fans of crime fiction and anyone looking for a smart, twisty, and thoroughly engaging thriller.

The book blends local color and found-family dynamics with a layered murder plot. The San Francisco setting really shines — neighborhoods, vibes, and class tensions all playing a role. That class angle added something grounded and local-feeling, setting it apart from other SF cozies like Vera Wong, which centers more on the immigrant experience. I loved the emotional depth of the family story too.

If I had one quibble, it’s that the tour-guide framing sometimes distracted from the main narrative. Still, I’m curious to see how the next book (coming in September!) builds on the strongest elements — the SF-ness, the blend of real and chosen family — and whether the small business storyline gets more tightly woven into the mystery.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this eARC. All opinions are my own.

This was an enjoyable reading experience.

I picked up The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco expecting a clever mystery—and ended up completely hooked by its dark humor, sharp writing, and twisty, satisfying plot. Michelle Chouinard has a real talent for blending suspense with wit, and the result is a murder mystery that’s as entertaining as it is chilling.

The setting is vividly atmospheric—San Francisco practically becomes a character of its own—and the protagonist is someone I instantly connected with: smart, flawed, and relentlessly curious. I loved how the story kept me guessing without ever losing its sense of fun.

It’s the kind of book you breeze through in a couple of sittings, totally absorbed and eager to see how it all ends. If you like your mysteries fast-paced, a little edgy, and full of personality, this one’s a gem.

A wickedly fun ride—I already can’t wait for Chouinard’s next!

This book was honestly very different than I was expecting. I think I was expecting it to be a little more suspenseful, but this really read like a cozy mystery with a family drama element.

The plot was decent and kept me invested. The pacing could have been a little better, as there were times where it felt slow. While the plot was pretty predictable, it was an enjoyable read.

If you're looking for a funny, cozy mystery then this is a good choice.

Rating: 3.5

Capri runs serial killer tours in San Francisco which is fitting as she is the granddaughter of a serial killer. Capri has always wanted to speak to her grandfather about the killings he committed and get the details. But her father wouldnt allow and then it was too late. Suddently Capri gets a call that her ex husbands mother is not helping her with her daughters tution and things quickly escalate. After finding her mother in law was murdered Capri and. her daughter are accused of her murder. While searching for the truth about her. murder she is also searching for the truth about her grandfather. But she soon discovers way more and isnt sure investigating was a good idea.

This was a pretty quick read and a really good book. I liked the intertwining stories and how it was all connected in the end. The ending did make me sad because it was unexpected. The things the main characters had to go through was quick but also contributed to the story so you could keep up easily. I liked it and would recommend.

The main character of this novel, Capri, is the granddaughter of notorious San Francisco murderer Overkill Bill, though she has always had doubts about his guilt, and now runs murder-themed tours in San Francisco to support herself. When a copycat killer strikes, and Capri's ex-mother in law is one of the victims, with suspicion falling on Capri and her young adult daughter, she starts investigating herself - both Overkill Bill's murders from decades ago and the current murders.

Both mysteries in this one were good, and despite the topic it's a relatively light mystery - not as light as say Finlay Donovan but not too heavy either. And the audiobook narrated by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker was very good, keeping me listening enough that I went through it in less than a week which is pretty fast for me. I'll definitely read the sequel.

3.75 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed the concept of this book. It revolves around two mysteries, one set in the past and the other in the present. Capri, the granddaughter of a notorious serial killer, believes he has always been innocent and is determined to uncover the truth behind the murders. Tragically, Capri’s ex-mother-in-law and one of her acquaintances are murdered, and it appears that a copycat killer is imitating Capri’s grandfather. As suspicion mounts against Capri and her daughter, Capri takes matters into her own hands.

I found this book to be a quick and easy read, although it does require suspending reality, as is common in cozy mysteries. Overall, it was entertaining and enjoyable to read.

I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book.

3.75/5 Stars

Capri Sanzio owns a tour guide company in San Francisco, focusing on the serial killers in the area. She has been interested in serial killers since she was a child, when she discovered her grandfather, William Sanzio was a convicted serial killed named Overkill Bill. She has always believed he was innocent. When a copycat killer emerges, and she suddenly needs money to pay for her daughter's grad school, she decides to start investigating the case to make a little money and prove his innocence at the same time. When her mother-in-law Sylvia is announced as the latest victim, Capri finds herself as the number one suspect.

This was a quick and easy read, with a great cast of characters. I liked Capri as a main character, and thought she was both clever and witty. I listened to this on audiobook, and had a lot of fun with it. I was invested in finding out who was behind the original killings AND the new copycat ones as well. It started off pretty strong, but it did become repetitive after awhile, hence the not 4-star rating, but it was still enjoyable.

I'm definitely intrigued to pick up the second book in the series!

I really enjoyed this book. It had cozy feels without being too cozy, if that makes sense. Definitely not a thriller, just a very enjoyable mystery. I liked Capri as a character and am excited for the next book in the series.

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard is a fun and quirky novel. I loved the main character and her interesting background. The podcast and the setting in San Francisco were two of my favorite parts of this novel. I cannot wait for more books in this series. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

This was such a fun, fast-paced mystery with a unique twist! I loved the San Francisco setting and the true crime podcast angle, it made the story feel fresh and current. The characters were likable and the plot kept me guessing. A few moments stretched believability, but overall it was super entertaining and hard to put down!

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco flow Capri, a middle aged mom who runs a tour company around serial killers in San Francisco. Capri is in the unique place to run these tours because she is the granddaughter of a San Francisco serial killer. One night a murder takes place that seems to be a copy cat of her grandfather. This triggers a plan write a book and make a podcast about her grandfather's murders and explore if he was innocent or not. In an unexpected twist, the copy cat hit close to home and Capri becomes more directly involved in the current investigation.

This was an interesting take on this style of novel and I really liked the weaving in of really killers and the locations in San Francisco. If you are into this type of novel give this one a try. It was a good paced, solid mystery, thriller that is the good setup for what will be an on going series focused around Capri.

A sharp, engaging mystery set against the eerie backdrop of San Francisco’s true crime lore. The story follows Capri Sanzio, owner of a serial killer tour company, whose grandfather—an alleged killer—may have been wrongly convicted. When new murders copy his infamous style, Capri dives into the case to clear his name. The novel blends dark humor, family secrets, and a dash of historical intrigue with fast pacing and strong character work. It’s a smart, twisty read for fans of quirky crime fiction.

This one was so fun and quick! It read really well and was a perfect mystery without leading into the thriller genre. I can’t wait to read the next in this series.

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco was an okay read for me. It was entertaining, but I just really couldn't get into it as much as I wanted to. Honestly, and I don't say this often, I think I would have enjoyed this book more had I listened to it instead of reading it on my Kindle.

I did like the true crime aspect, and ownership that Capri took regarding the things her grandfather was convicted of doing. There were definitely some entertaining parts, but the pacing really killed it (haha) for me. The beginning was good but then it just started dragging.

By all accounts, this should have been a great read. I loved the inclusion of San Francisco history and some serial killer facts, but overall, this didn't work for me on a lot of different levels. It felt like a slog to get through (even though it wasn't very long), and the tone just felt off in a lot of places. I think the writer was going for cozy mystery, but the nature of the deaths and some of the themes felt really heavy to me. This led me to feel like I shouldn't laugh at the humorous parts, which ended up making the entire book feel odd. I also kind of hated the ending. I don't want to give any spoilers, but the pay-off just didn't feel earned when I got to the conclusion. Maybe these types of books just aren't for me, but I don't feel the need to keep going with this series.

Thank you, Netgalley, the author, St. Martin's Press for the gifted e-book! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

I really enjoyed this. It was fun and suspenseful. The character development was great. I recommend it!

I loved this! This was such a fun read and I think if I listened to the audiobook version, it would be much better. The cover is what initially caught my eye but the synopsis sealed the deal. A tour that covers the city’s notorious serial killers? Sign me up. I loved following Capri’s POV and unraveling her family history while also trying to prove herself innocent after her mother-in-law turns up dead!
I’d be lying if I said it didn’t drag for me at times but it would quickly pick back up once I got more into it.
It was giving me Finlay Donovan vibes which I enjoy as I can see this being a fun series and the mysteries that Capri could solve could be endless.