There has been a recent spate of books about a “righteous” serial killer who only kills “bad people” who arguably deserve it. This book unfortunately doesn’t measure up to the other entries in this category. Everyone except for the protagonist Cordelia was so flat and one-dimensional while Cordelia’s characterization was completely inconsistent. The dialogue and especially the text messages (with emojis!) sounded unnatural and were sometimes cringe-inducing.

There was also just way too much going on with all the side plots. Multiple story arcs felt like they were heading somewhere but then just… didn’t? For example, Cordelia begins sort of dating Christopher, a police officer, to make her best friend Diane happy and to get inside information on the police investigation into the string of disappearances (who are the “bad men” that Cordelia has killed). It quickly becomes clear that Christopher is really just a plot device with basically no personality and will disappear from the story when he no longer serves the story.

The much bigger side plot that really fizzled out was regarding Cordelia’s job as a pharmaceutical rep. Considering what has come to light regarding OxyContin and other prescription drugs, I was glad that the novel opens by tackling the issues with the pharmaceutical industry and with pharma rep tactics head-on. At the start of the novel, Cordelia learns that the sleep aid which has been her main account (and main source of income) is getting pulled from distribution due to the company covering up its lethal side effects. This is obviously bad not only because Cordelia is complicit in this scandal but also because her supply of sleep drugs (which she uses to knock out her victims) is being cut off. Unfortunately, instead of the main character having a crisis of conscience (because her main “hobby” is literally killing people who cross her strict moral code) or dealing with being a hypocrite, this side plot just turns into Cordelia trying to cover up her tracks with no real conclusion to the whole drug scandal.

In fact, I found the “character growth” that Cordelia and the narrative insist has occurred to be pretty underwhelming. The novel starts with Cordelia saying that she’s super organized, and punctual, plans for everything, and needs to be in control of the situation. Yet the reader never sees Cordelia exemplifying any of those traits. The very first scene is her frazzled because she’s late in delivering cupcakes to her goddaughter and her supposedly meticulously organized life only unravels from there. To put it simply, Cordelia is a hot mess in the middle of a meltdown for this entire book. Yet the “character development” is all about learning to let go of control and not being a perfectionist. Frankly, I’m unconvinced that she ever was *in* control in the first place.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book! It is about a female serial killer who starts to slip up a few times. In her attempt to cover up her crimes she is absolutely hilarious. Such a fantastic mix of humor! I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC of This Girl's a Killer!

Cordelia is a lot of things - a successful saleswoman, a loyal friend, a passionate godmother. She's also a killer (surprise! It's in the title). She draws the line at only killing "monsters" - men who prey on vulnerable people and children. She's methodical about this, precise in her plan and never deviating from it. Until she makes an impulsive kill that throws her whole life upside down.

If you don't take this book too seriously, you're going to have a lot of fun. It's not a cold, hard, serious thriller. It's campy and stupid, and nothing goes right but in the most ridiculous ways. There were times when I thought, huh, how can homegirl possibly pull herself out of this one? And then, sure enough, something else would happen.

My only critique might stem from the Gen Z in me, but the whole 'monster' and 'smoke' thing was exceptionally cringy. Girl, either he's good or he's bad. Kill him or don't. I understand that this is your code of ethics here but it started to annoy me, the panic of whether or not there was 'smoke' behind his eyes. The guy sucks. Murder him!

Anywho, I enjoyed myself because I chose to and I think other people should choose to too! Publishing in Sept :)

This book was a RIDE. Cordelia is the perfect MC - flawed, confident, and the epitome of morally grey at its absolute best. Reminiscent of Caroline Kepnes’s You, except Cordelia would be one move of Joe every step of the way. What is it about these serial killers that makes them so lovable? At least Cordelia’s well-intentioned, more or less.

I was hooked from the very beginning with the fast-paced plot and Cordelia’s affable inner monologue. And then when things began to fall apart, they fell apart spectacularly. I felt a bit like Emily Blunt’s character telling Anne Hathaway’s character “No chance!” in The Devil Wears Prada. I was so invested in Cordelia getting away with…well murder. I was surprised at how well everything wrapped up at the end.

If you’re looking for a fun, but slightly dark novel with a snarky MC, I highly recommend picking up This Girl’s a Killer! Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a super easy read to fall into, but fell flat for me. It was relatively fast paced, definitely stress inducing and was ✨extremely✨ reminiscent of Dexter (but with a female lead), which I enjoyed. Who doesn’t love a badass woman taking out horrible, disgusting men? However, it was pretty basic in terms of plot - predictable and a bit repetitive. One plot point in particular (that I was sure was going to be MAJOR) ended up being absolutely nothing which really grinds my gears. Like what was the point? All in all, not a bad book but definitely not a favorite for me.

[arc review]
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
This Girl’s A Killer releases September 10, 2024

Cordelia is a salesperson for a pharmaceutical company by day, and a serial killer by night.
When a drug gets pulled from the market and Cordelia’s best friend introduces her to her new boyfriend, things take a turn for the worse at lightning speed.

The element of found family drew me in, but the story went downhill so fast.

My main problem was with how inconsistent the characterizations were.
Cordelia has been known to be extremely meticulous and punctual, so it didn’t add up at all that she was suddenly so frazzled and missing so many key details within a 24 hour time frame (being followed, missing the hair appointment, forgetting about the handyman).
In addition to that, there was just too much going on, from the bracelet, to the neighbours dog, dating a cop, forged signatures, and so forth. It became too chaotic and distracted from the main character arc. Sometimes less is more.

All of the scenes with Simon felt very awkward and strained. There’s found family, and then there’s whatever this was. At times it felt like Cordelia wanted to be in a relationship with Diane based on how aggravated she was. Considering their history, their dynamic presents as something more complex than just looking out for your best friend.

From a writing standpoint, too many words were overly emphasized with italics and it became distracting.
I would have liked a bit more backstory/depth on Cordelia’s trauma and more clarity on how her relationship fizzled out with the cop so easily considering he was very persistent in the takeout scene. Was their first kiss that horrible?

If you haven't requested this book, put it on your TBR list, or pre-ordered it yet DO IT NOW! This book was such a fun refreshing read. I absolutely loved the characters of Cordelia and her goddaughter. I loved the humor and the sass these two brought to the story. The author does a great job of making the reader think "ok there's no way things can get any worse" and then something else happens to poor Cordelia. There's a reason this book is blowing up before it's released. I will definitely be recommending this book as much as I can and I will be getting the physical copy for my bookshelf once it's officially released. Thank you NetGalley and Poison Pen Press for allowing me to read this ARC.

I requested an ARC of This Girl's a Killer after reading the description of the book. I was intrigued by the dark humor/murder mystery premise of the novel. Overall, I was so impressed -- I loved the setting, loved the characters, and loved the plot. I truly could not put This Girl's a Killer down!

Cordelia Black is a Boss Babe. I love her. Cordelia is a pharmaceutical rep by day and serial killer by night and she does it with ease....usually. When her best friend's new man gives her the creeps she has no choice but to investigate further and find out if he will be her next target.

I loved Cordelia and felt like I actually was her friend. This book was fast paced and very entertaining!! Loved it

Rating: 4.5

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the advance reader's copy! I did enjoy this book and found it to be a thrilling page turner, however I can't give it more than three stars as there was something missing that made it memorable. I kept waiting for some big twist in Cordelia's backstory, her friendship with Diane, or that Simon was actually a good guy all along... but it felt like too much was revealed upfront. Is it horrid to say that I also just don't like the title? I'm sorry I'm sorry! I would certainly recommend this to anyone who loves a good popcorn thriller.

This book is probably a great read for the right audience but i couldnt get into the story. The MC was annoying and cocky. The plot sounds like a great story but it didnt hold my attention.

This story follows Cordelia Black and the people she loves, her best friend, Diane and her daughter, Sammy. They are her world. They love Cordelia too. The only thing is, Cordelia is a killer. Cordelia eliminates bad men. She feels she is ridding the world of the scum of the earth.

I’ll be honest here and admit this was pretty slow. Lots of the story played out as a drama. We get tons of conversation between the characters. I did not find this to be a thriller really. Which was unfortunate.

Cordelia focuses on Diane’s new love interest, Simon. She automatically picks up bad vibes. Is he next on her list?

I was really wanting more from this story. I wished it would have had more suspense in it. What I did like was that Cordelia would make paintings with her victim’s blood. That was pretty cool. The cover is pretty awesome too.

Overall the book just fell flat. I’d like to thank Poisened Pen Press, NetGalley and Emma C.Wells. All opinions are my own.
Release date September 10, 2024
3.5 ⭐️

I saw the premise of the book and went "Yep, that's for me".
The first 20% went by a bit slow for me, but once the plot really started and got intense, I couldn't stop reading.
And I liked it a lot. Especially the fact that the serial killer had so much love for her best friend and goddaughter and would do literally anything to keep them safe. I've read a few similar books and the pattern is that most of those characters don't have many close bonds, because it would be messy, dangerous, complicated for what they do, or they are not capable of connecting to other people.

But then I came to the end, and things felt a bit unfinished.
I would understand it, if it was book 1 of a series, but so far, it has not been indicated that another book is coming. As a standalone, it's a bit unfortunate that some storylines didn't go anywhere (like Christopher recognizing Cordelia in the hospital, and Diane obviously being still freaked out and uncomfortable with the situation at the end, which Cordelia doesn't seem to fully realize).

Wow! Killer debut! This gave me the Dexter vibes for sure, I loved that show and loved this book! Must read for any thriller fans. You are rooting for a serial killer, again much like I was in Dexter. This was a book I didn’t know I needed to read. Strong female lead, getting revenge and killing evil people. So kick ass.
Sure hope this is the start of a series.
Thank you NetGalley, author, poisoned pen press for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Cordelia takes on the ugly tasks so many of us wish someone would, and is deeply relatable in her unapologetic ambition, fierce protectiveness over those she loves, as well as her determination to stay in control no matter what. Tucked under the surface (much like Cordelia's own soft side) is a sparkling ride-or-die friendship story that brings heart to all the gore.

THIS GIRL'S A KILLER is a delightfully unapologetic good-for-her romp, and a cathartic read for anyone who’s DONE with the patriarchy. Emma C. Wells has channelled the female rage of the rising generation deliciously.

I hope we see more of Cordelia!

Cordelia Black is a pharmaceutical rep by day and a serial killer by night - with painting as a hobby. She only kills men who are monsters, and these monsters deserved it, of course…

She is careful and very methodical, but one night her plans go awry thanks to her sweet, best friend’s new boyfriend - a guy who really just rubs Cordelia the wrong way. But she can handle this mess - she worked hard to build this life she now has, she has her family to protect, and she’ll be damned if some dumb guy is going to ruin it all for her.

The premise was irresistible. By the time I received my ARC, I’d heard the hype. If you’re a fan of Dexter but with a female lead, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this. I had the best time and I flew through this book; I honestly could not put it down. It was the perfect mix of mystery and dark comedy, and I was rooting for Cordelia “Renee” Black from the get go.

Thank you very much to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

What an absolutely entertaining, glorious, murder-y read! This Girl’s A Killer is a feminist “Dexter”-like thrill ride that will have you rooting for the main character to literally get away with murder.

One of the things I really loved was that Cordelia was written so thoroughly. Turns out a woman can be a feminist, and care about her appearance, and like brunch, and sometimes get jealous, and have a rough upbringing, and have a career, and care about family, and sometimes be shallow, and respect peoples pronouns, and experience complex feelings, and sometimes be a control freak, and like name brand things, and be absolutely sick of the world telling her that somehow, because she is a woman, she was “asking for it”. Because, as it turns out, women are human and humans are complex. Who knew? Cordelia not being pigeon holed into just one stereotype was so fun, so refreshing, and made it so much easier to just go along on her wild ride with her. And this ride, it’s wild. Once you pick this book up, every time you put it down you will think about it until you pick it back up again.

Adding Emma C. Wells to my list of new favorite authors, because if this is her debut, I can’t WAIT to see what’s next.

Cordelia Black is the protagonist and narrator of the novel.

Cordelia's has a simple life including her job, her best friend Diane, and Diane's daughter, Sugar. Cordelia considers these two people are her family. Sugar, is her goddaughter.
Another thing Cordelia is devoted to in her life is "killing dangerous, bad men."

This Girl's a Killer reminded me of Dexter from its first chapters. However, I guess I don't generally read many novels written from the killer's perspective. I'm more used to getting to know a killer through the detectives' eyes. For this reason, the novel will be more satisfying to those who like to read the whole process from the killer's eyes.

Some scenes may be disturbing while reading. Because Cordelia also explains how she get rid of the men's body that she killed. If you don't generally enjoy reading or watching scenes of detailed physical harm, you may find it difficult to read at sometimes.

There are not many characters in the novel. Characters other than Cordelia are described as much as how Cordelia feels towards them. The main person the author wants to introduce to us is Cordelia. And her hatred towards men. Her hatred for bad men.

Chapters are short. There are quick-read chapters, short paragraphs and sentences. The novel progresses in a very "active" way. There is constant movement. Thoughts constantly move together with physical movement. It's easy to focus on the novel while reading. There were moments where I felt like someone who had trouble concentrating was explaining something quickly.

Thank you to #NetGalley, the author, and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC.

ig: karelervesayfalar

Cordelia Black is giving MAX "Pop, Six, Squish, Uh-uh, Cicero, Lipschitz" energy in Emma C. Wells' 'This Girl's a Killer' by eliminating monstrous men that liter Baton Rouge, LA. After her bestie Diane, introduces her to the new man in her life, Cordelia soon finds herself caught in a tangle that quickly upends her carefully curated life which sets in motion a series of events that makes Cordelia question everything she's held herself too.

With elements of Dexter on a feminist slant (I mean...perfect) this one was definitely a ride and not for the squeamish. Overall I enjoyed this book. I felt the characters were engaging and the prose kept me interested (read: stressed) throughout (even if certain parts did turn my stomach, iykyk).

The plot did feel a little predictable and I was able to sort of guess the turn it was taking as I read but it didn't completely take me out of it. And I could be wrong here but this definitely feels like Emma is setting us up for a potential series with Cordelia and the gang which I wouldn't be opposed to given the way this book ended.

While this wasn't at the top of my reads list i've already read this year, I do feel 'This Girl's a Killer' is a solid first novel and a solid 3 ⭐️!

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this ARC of This Girl's a Killer!