A Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco is a mystery about a local tour guide operator who finds herself caught up in two separate murder cases.

Before Capri Sanzio was born, her grandfather was convicted of a series of murders in San Francisco and nicknamed “Overkill Bill.” Now, nearly 60 years later, another murderer is copycatting those crimes, and one of the victims is Capri’s own wealthy socialite mother-in-law, Sylvia. Capri needs to get to the bottom of her grandfather’s case and find out how it’s connected to Sylvia before she and her daughter become suspects.

I enjoyed this murder mystery, especially its main character, the amateur detective Capri. It was refreshing to read about a forty-something divorced woman juggling a business and an adult daughter in college. The story includes a lot of details about San Francisco, which makes a great backdrop for the crimes, both old and new. You can really feel the author’s love for the city coming through on the page. I also liked the side characters, like her friends Ryan and Heather, and the handsome Homicide Inspector Dan Petito. I’m not sure I fully followed the financial aspect of the current crime, but it was still a solid mystery. I look forward to reading more by Michelle Chouinard and hope this becomes a series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, St. Martins Press and the author for this arc!

I had such a great time with this book … it’s a cozy whodunnit that is just as fun as its title!! And San Francisco is the perfect setting choice for a popcorn serial killer mystery … the vibes are spot on! So much history in this city by the bay and the author does a great job representing the sights!

All of the characters were well done and interesting, but I especially thought the FMC Capri was a hoot! She’s a bit quirky & snarky and her inner monologue made me laugh.

Overall, this is super entertaining with a solid plot and a few nice twists to keep ya guessing! I can totally see this morphing into a series ... fingers crossed!!

This was all over the place. And boring. The murder plot and the clearing her accused serial killer grandfather of prior crimes plot were too much in one book. The author should have chosen one or the other. Also I never got a sense for Capri and her “investigation skills” she just ran around accusing people all over the place.

Then when we get to some reveals we still had the grandfather plot to clean up. It just killed the momentum of the book.

Full Review:

"The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco" follows 49 year old divorced mom, Capricorn (Capri) Sanzio. Capri we quickly find out runs a tour that focuses on famous serial killers in San Francisco. We also find out that Capri is the granddaughter of a famous serial killer, William "Overkill Bill" Sanzio. When Capri's former mother-in-law, Sylvia, refuses to pay for her daughter's graduate school, Capri decides to start a podcast that will focus on who she believes is the real killer of the prostitutes' her grandfather was accused of murdering. However, things go awry when Sylvia is found murdered and the MO matches her grandfather's style of kill.

Look, Capri is just not that compelling to follow through what was a snooze of a book. She runs from scene to scene (overly describing things) and accusing people of all kinds of things. It was just aggravating after a while. Her best friend and business partner seems to think only Capri can solve who really murdered the women her grandfather was accused of, but honestly, I wondered where she even got that. Speaking of the business partner character, no character is well developed. The majority of this book is Capri figuring out what was going on with Sylvia and it was just so freaking boring I did not care. That was the major plot of the book. Rushing from accused rich person to rich person with the police constantly threatening arrest was not good. I don't even know if there was a way to fix this. The secondary plot with the grandfather was just terrible and made zero sense when things are revealed. But once again, it's great to hear about Capri's brother who never appears in this book outside of her referring to him here and there, and the ghostly shapes of her parents who once again we spend no time with. Maybe a slight fix could have been her doing the podcast in book #1 and a follow up could have been Sylvia. I don't know.

The flow was bad.

The setting of San Francisco was not utilized very well at all. I think another reviewer said it best, there's like three places that Capri keeps going and that's it. Also, the chapters are broken up about other serial killers in San Francisco and the short blurbs are kind of worthless in my opinion. Capri's whole thing is that victims should not be forgotten, but those blurbs didn't lay out victim's names.

The ending was just a mess. You only really meet I think 4 people who could have done it, so your odds of guessing who did it are pretty good.

This was such a fun and entertaining debut mystery from Michelle Chouinard. Capri was a great character - very real and relatable. It was a true mystery - I had no idea who had killed Katherine and Sylvia. And I liked the storyline about Capri's serial killer grandfather, Overkill Bill and her desire to clear his name. I definitely look forward to reading more from Michelle Chouinard in the future. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

I'm one of the people who selected this book based on the cover and I wanted it to have a little more creepy factor. If you like cozy mysteries, it will be perfect for you!

I liked the way the author shows the investigative process that Capri goes through to try to clear her grandfather's name, and the insight into bits of the "upper class" of San Francisco. There were some great twists, and an overall satisfying ending!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's press for an advance reader's copy.

Title: The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco
Author: Michelle Chouinard
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pub Date: September 24, 2024

Stars: 3
Review: The title alone grabbed my attention, and I was eager to dive into what I hoped would be a dark and thrilling ride through San Francisco’s sinister corners. While the premise was absolutely intriguing, and the mystery element was well-crafted, I found the build-up to the action a bit meandering at times. For readers who love unraveling a mystery at a slower pace and savor the clues, this could be a perfect fit. However, if you’re expecting a heart-pounding thriller, you might want to adjust your expectations. This was a solid and enjoyable read, but it didn’t quite deliver the thrills I anticipated. Instead, it’s more about the journey than the adrenaline rush.
Pros: Cozy Mystery. It's such a fun premise, and I loved the big reveal.
Cons: A bit slow at times.
Recommend (Yes/No/Maybe): Yes, If you love a fun mystery
Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for allowing me to review the title.


Goodreads- LiterallyLoriB review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6876927509

Thank you so much for the opportunity to be an ARC reader for this. Unfortunately, it just wasn't enough for me. I had so much trouble staying interested and it was pretty repetitive. Eh.

I don’t often read murder mysteries but I did really enjoy this one. I loved the setting and characters in this book. San Francisco is a very cool city and I appreciated the additions about the city/serial killer tours throughout the book. Capri was an interesting character and I loved how determined she was throughout the whole book. Overall a fun read once it picked up part way through the book.

The Serial Killer’s Guide to San Francisco, come on tell me you can see this title and not be at least a little bit interested seeing what this book is about. I know I couldn’t resist. Michelle Chouinard is a new author to me, but she definitely made a good first impression.

Capri makes her living as a tour guide in San Francisco. What makes her tours so interesting? What’s her hook? Death. More to the point, serial killers. She gives murder tours in San Fran, exploring victims/killers. And she has a unique take considering that is the granddaughter of Overkill Bill, one of San Fran’s most notorious serial killers, though Capri has always believed he was innocent and has often thought of doing a real investigation into the case, maybe even write a book about it. But now an Overkill Bill copycat killer has surfaced and suddenly Capri has another reason to look into the killings…because she and her daughter are being looked at as the potential killers!

I have to say I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect when I started this one. As I said at the start, the title is what really grabbed my attention. But getting my attention an holding it are too different things, thankfully the story delivers. I really liked Capri, and found the family dynamics quite interesting. Yes the being a daughter of a serial killer hook could just be viewed as a gimmick to some, but hey it work on me, lol. And while the actual mystery not have been earth shattering, I still found it quite entertaining and satisfying. I’d like to thank St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of The Serial Killer’s Guide to San Francisco.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-serial-killer-guide-to-san-francisco-michelle-chouinard/1145637048?ean=9781250909992&bvnotificationId=679183c3-7c42-11ef-9edc-0affc2fcd463&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/319930542

Thank you to NetGalley and St, Martin's Press for the Advanced Reader Copy, in exchange for my honest review.

I was intrigued by this book. I do enjoy a good true crime trope, and San Francisco is one of my favorite places, so it looked right up my alley.

The books centers around Capri, a divorced woman, living in San Francisco, running a business giving tours of true crime locations in the city. She also happens to be the granddaughter of a notorious (alleged) serial killer who is part of the fabric of the same city. When there is a murder of an up & coming new money socialite, in what appears to be a copycat killer of her grandfather. But then the next murder happens to be Capri's ex-Mother-in-law. Capri throws herself into the investigation. But what if you are also a suspect and only want to protect your family.

I enjoyed this book. I liked that the main character was relatable. And I enjoyed that there was another storyline of Capri's trying to clear her grandfather's name. As much as I liked this storyline, I felt that it got a little lost and wrapping this up felt a bit like an afterthought at the end of the book. It was a little predictable at times, but I am not mad at the story.

Writing was great. The storylines were good, but maybe too many to flow well.
That being said, I would definitely check out other books by this author,

I recommend this book and am excited to see further stories by Michelle Chouinard.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

4⭐️ “The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco” by Michelle Chouinard

As a big M.M. Chouinard/Michelle Chouinard fan I was so excited that through NetGalley I received the opportunity to read and review this book! I, of course, still ordered my physical copy though because I need to have my book trophy! 🏆📘

💭 My Book Blurb…

Capri Sanzio, the granddaughter of San Francisco serial killer Overkill Bill, finds herself in a killer situation…literally. As a woman who found a way to monetize her ancestry by running a San Fran tour guide service with a speciality in serial killers, Capri has embraced her background of murder ever since she was a kid and learned the truth.

Now her life is taking a new turn as an Overkill Bill copycat killer strikes San Fran, her ex-mother-in-law cuts of Capri’s daughter’s college funds pushing Capri to dig up the past, and it all comes a little too close to home as Capri’s ex-MIL becomes the next copycat victim.

But don’t worry, Capri doesn’t back down from a challenge. 🕵🏻‍♀️

⛔️ SPOILERS BELOW ⛔️

I loved the sleuthing that happened in this book. It was definitely different from Michelle’s previous books, but equally as gripping and twisty. I loved the juxtaposition that was created as Capri investigated the original and the copycat killings and unraveled the truth, past and present.

More out of greed than because I found the book lacking, but I would have loved more of Capri looking into the original cases on Overkill Bill. I loved the discovery and the way it was explained that ultimately, no matter the truth, there was always going to be lose, suffering and death but at the very least some degree of justice would be gained through truth.

I was absolutely shocked when the killer was revealed. I won’t say a name 🤐 but I was reading late at night and had to keep reading because no way was I going to bed without finishing it after that! And like any good mystery thriller, once I knew who it was it all made sense and the clues were there but it was so well done I’d missed it just like Capri!

Even if The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco didn't have a super cute cover and a catchy title, I would still love it. It's a fun, addictive page-turner with a unique premise. Capri's grandfather is the notorious Overkill Bill serial killer, but she has always doubted his guilt. It's, after the death of her former mother-in-law, when she combines her love of true crime and research, that the book gets gets really good, with an ending that I didn't see coming. This is one that I will be recommending to all my thriller-loving friends!

Overall an enjoyable murder mystery. I had access to an audiobook and ebook of this. The mystery is solid and overall engaging. I was definitely entertained from beginning to end. Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur books for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Serial Killers Guide to San Francisco
Author: Michelle Chouinard
Mystery

Thank you so much Netgalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC! This was a delight! Overall I really enjoyed it. Our FMC runs a serial killer tour business that was inspired by her grandfathers murders. Super fun concept and I loved it. When her mother in law turns up unalived right after another copycat murder takes place, she finds herself right in the center of the case. I am enjoying thrillers like this where they are a little more light than dark and messed up. The characters were all really fun, and it was fast paced and kept me enthralled the whole time. The only negative I have to say is that I was very underwhelmed by the ending and it was too predictable. Still a fun thriller read if you’re looking for one. Definitely check this out the concept sounds fun to you.

4.5 ⭐ Okay - I LOVED this! It gave major Good Girls Guide to Murder meets Finlay Donovan vibes. This is such a fun read that needs to be on the top of your TBR! Posted on GR & storygraph 9/26- adding to IG 9/27

loved the concept of this book! I’m in my thriller/serial killer/spooky era and this was a great read to read about murder but in a fun way? Am I allowed to say that? Definitely recommend if you’re looking for a lighter way to read a thriller!

2.75⭐️

Huge thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to be an arc reader on this story. All opinions are my own.

I was really looking forward to reading this one and it had a good start to it. For some reason it was just really tough for me to get through. I enjoyed the concepts and some of the ideas of the story but I think I just wasn’t a fan of some of the execution. There were some pretty big choices that the FMC made that kind of annoyed me. Plus it seemed like the police just weren’t involved at all except when the FMC would go to talk to them. Other than that it was tough to feel their presence.

Overall I was able to get through it and I liked finding out who was guilty but it was just tough to get through for me.

A fun introduction to a new series. Capri is a young woman who gives serial killer tours of San Francisco. This is more than a job for capri-she is the granddaughter of convicted serial killer “overkill bill” who terrorized the city decades ago. Capri has always suspected her grandfather was innocent, but when a copycat strikes, she finds she may need to delve deeper into her grandfathers past than she ever wanted. After the copycat claims a victim close to home, she finds herself at the heart of the investigation and in a race to discover the truth before she becomes the next victim.
Fun, twisty, and light read (as strange as that sounds to say about serial killers). Capri is an intriguing protagonist and I enjoyed the intercutting chapters about the different serial killers-.as if we are listening to capri give a tour.

Nothing new to the genre here-just a solid outing with a tried and true format.

Thanks to the publisher for providing the arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a unique perspective on a book title. Not gonna lie this was a pick because of the cover and I am glad I did. Wrapped this up going into spooky season and a more light hearted murder mystery was exactly what I needed

Well, that was fun!

I wonder why more books aren’t set in this location. New York gets all the glory, but my heart is firmly planted in San Franscisco.

I enjoyed the family drama of it all, particularly the history with OverKill Bill, and the tension between her and her father.

I loved that the MFC was middle aged, that she had a fully-fleshed out life, and I enjoyed being privvy to all the mildly neurotic ramblings of Capri’s brain.

Really, my only disappointment was that there wasn’t more about the true crime podcast.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for this clever ARC.