This was decent but nothing that blew me away. I guessed a lot of things early on but I will say I was pleasantly surprised at the ending. This is a good choice if you love murder mystery vibes!

Capri Sanzio has been interested in serial killers from a young age. Her grandfather, William ‘Overkill Bill’ Sanzio, was a convicted serial killer, one that she has always believed innocent. Her interests have led her to give serial killer tours in San Francisco. When a copycat killer surfaces, she is soon a suspect. As she digs in deeper, she not only finds new clues to the conviction of her grandfather, she also puts herself directly in the headlights of the copycat killer. A cleverly written story that is entertaining from start to finish. Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

this was okay. not as fun as I was expecting but sometimes it happens you think a book is going to be this and turns out it’s more of that

Don’t be fooled by the cutesy cover! This book has me in a chokehold until the end. It’s a well rounded murder mystery (multiple really) with some surprising depth to characters and interpersonal relationships. This keep me interested and thinking through the murders till the end and the ending was very satisfying.

This book was enjoyable -- I was immediately intrigued by the premise and setting. It had a slower middle third of the book, but the first and final act delivered! I still liked it and would recommend it for those who love cozy mysteries and murder mystery tropes.

What a great mystery! I loved the peek into San Francisco via the tour group company the main character runs. The story was twisty and I didn’t guess the ending - I love when that happens. The characters were easy to like and cheer for. I hope to read more from this author. Highly recommend!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the early copy to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Capri Sanzio's tours of San Francisco focus on murder sites. People are fascinated by true crime and she's the granddaughter of "Overkill Bill," which gives her a unique perspective on the whole thing and just a bit of notoriety. When two copycat murders strike far too close to home, she uses her training as a journalist in an attempt to discover what's actually happening and to investigate her long held belief that her grandfather is innocent. I really enjoyed this one. Snippets of Capri's tour scripts are included, which provide an intriguing glimpse into the city's history. The character's background as a journalist helps the whole investigation to feel plausible and I appreciated her sensitivity when dealing with true crime. I'd love to read more about Capri and her world.

"Intriguing premise, but the plot gets a bit messy.
This thriller has a unique hook: a tour guide specializing in serial killer locations in San Francisco. While the city's dark underbelly is well-described, the story itself feels a bit convoluted.
For fans of dark crime fiction."

This book was... fine. *The Serial Killer’s Guide to San Francisco* had an interesting premise, and I was intrigued by the mix of true crime vibes and fiction. The setting of San Francisco was definitely a standout—Chouinard did a great job painting the city as both beautiful and eerie, which fit the tone perfectly.

That said, the story didn’t fully grab me. Some parts felt a bit predictable, and the pacing was off in places, with a lot of buildup but not enough payoff. I wanted more tension and twists, especially given the title—it didn’t quite live up to the darker, thrilling vibe I expected.

It’s not a bad read, but it didn’t blow me away either. If you’re into books with a unique premise and a strong sense of place, it’s worth checking out, but it might not leave a lasting impression.

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco focuses on the main character Capri Sanzio. She runs a business giving serial killer tours throughout the area and is the granddaughter of a serial killer. However, Capri believes that her grandfather William "Overkill Bill" Sanzio (who died in prison) was an innocent man. When an Overkill Bill copycat murders two women, one of them being Capri's former mother-in-law Sylvia, Capri decides to investigate the original and new murders. This book follows Capri's investigation into Sylvia's shady business dealings, her connection to the other victim, and the murders that her grandfather allegedly committed.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I liked the main character. Capri was rational and didn't do anything too outlandish like many amateur detectives. She was interested in investigating the current murders because of the obvious implication that she or her daughter were involved. Even though Capri did some sleuthing of her own, she still kept the police in the loop and provided them with anything she found. This made it a bit more realistic than some other books. I also liked that this book explored the original murders that Capri's grandfather allegedly committed and wrapped up this storyline instead of dragging it into a sequel. There were a couple of places in the middle of the book that were slower, but overall it held my interest.

Thanks NetGalley for the free ARC! I thought the novel started off well, but then it lost the thrill for me. It turned into a cozy mystery rather psychological thriller, and that was a letdown for me. However, I just may not have been able to keep interest in a book about rich socialites but some might find it thrilling. I believe the writing was well done, but the story wasn’t for me.

THE SERIAL KILLER GUIDE TO SAN FRANCISCO is a great debut from Michelle Chouinard.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book moves quickly from the start and is a fun whodunnit novel. Something about amateur detectives is always fun. Although Capri’s investigation made me cringe at times and had tampering with evidence all over it, it was still a fun read. I couldn’t put it down.

Narrator, Stephanie Németh-Parker, was perfect for Capri and really brought her role to life. Fabulous on audiobook. Thanks @macmillan.audio for the chance to listen to this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I have never read anything by this author before, but I really enjoyed their writing! The pacing was good and the characters were well developed!

As a mystery lover, this book was unexpectedly delightful. I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. The main character, Capri, who is the granddaughter of serial killer William "Overkill Bill" Sanzio, is making a living by giving serial killer tours of the city. Then a copycat serial killer strikes and one of the victims is Capri's former mother-in-law, Sylvia. Can re-examining the case help catch the copycat killer?

I enjoyed this engaging and humorous murder mystery. It was a quick read and captivating.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was SUCH a fun read and I enjoyed this book so much! Our main characters is Capri, a woman whose grandfather was accused of being a serial killer and who currently takes people on tours of popular serial killer hotspots around San Francisco. Not only that, she somehow becomes a prime suspect in another murder that hits close to home as well. I thought this was an incredibly well done murder mystery. The chapters were short and to the point which kept me wanting to read. The character development was well done, and I loved the descriptions of San Francisco. I feel like I left the book with a greater appreciation of the area, even if it was in terms of famous serial killers. I loved how Capri was determined to figure out not only the murder, but also help try and exonerate her grandfather as well. I don't want to go into too much detail as I think it would be too much of a spoiler, but I loved how the author tied up both murders by the end and left completely satisfied. I could not put the book down because I wanted to get to the bottom of the mysteries. I highly recommend, and will definitely look this author up for more books in the future. 4.25/5 Stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

Capri Sanzio is the granddaughter of a famous serial killer. She grew up convinced of his innocence and fascinated by the stories behind the killings, so much so that she created a company that gives serial killer tours of San Francisco. She's doing okay and managing until her mother-in-law, Sylvia, informs her daughter that she will no longer be helping with tuition or anything else. The news comes on the heels of a recent copycat killing done in the same way as Capri's grandfather's, so Capri jumps into investigating the old case and the new murders in hopes of getting a book or podcast out of it that can help her daughter's money troubles. Except the second victim is none other than Sylvia and now both Capri and her daughter are prime suspects. Can Capri navigate the twisted lies and hidden truths of past and present to solve all the murders and keep her family safe?

On the surface, the plot is every amateur-detective-sticking-their-nose-in mystery you have ever read, but there's something about the writing that feels fresh even when you know where a lot of things are heading. I was also a little surprised at the outcome despite it being obvious in hindsight, so major points for that.

I didn't find Capri to be a particularly interesting character, yet the people she's surrounded by and the situations she finds herself in kept me turning pages and wanting more.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the twisty read!

I haven't read a cozy mystery I've enjoyed this much in a long time! I love the fact that the main character does tours of places where serial.killers lurked. The cast of characters were so funny. I whipped through this book! I truly hope there are more to come!

"The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco" falls solidly on the line of a cozy mystery, except set in the large city of San Francisco versus the normal small=town cozy setting. I actually really enjoy a good cozy mystery, but this one didn't quite work for me, I think because the interfering amateur female detective trope just doesn't work as well in that big city setting. I just couldn't get past how many times Capri would have been arrested throughout the course of this book. Instead, the detective shares police files and other information. I did like the insider type details about San Francisco and Capri's tours, but wonder if their inclusion interfered with the pacing of the book, which seemed off, especially at the end where the grandfather aspect of the plot gets resolved in about 10 pages. Not a bad book but not a great one, either, at least for me.

3 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and SMP for a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

I love a good mystery and the premise sounded so good and different but unfortunately I couldn`t get into it and ended up DNF`ing about 30% in. I couldn`t get into the story and it just wouldn`t hold my attention at all. I think I was expecting something a bit different from what was delivered.

Thank you to the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Unfortunately I was not able to get into this. I can't believe I'm saying it, but this was a little too lighthearted and all over the place for me. I would recommend this to those who mostly read cozy mysteries. Admittedly that is not my wheelhouse, however some do break through (sadly this wasn't one). If you are a fan of family drama and specifically if you are familiar with San Francisco, I would give this a try.