4.5 stars rounded down to 4 !

Cordelia Black !! Best character of 2024 award goes to you my girl ! 🏆🥇

Absolutely fun read about serial killer Cordelia Black who kills awful men for justice! Cordelia is hilarious , savage , and she serves and protects those she loves by doing anything it takes. Her relationship with Diane and Sugar , her best friend and god daughter, was so fun and witty and just had me smiling throughout all their interactions.

This book definitely gave me Finlay Donovan vibes, but way better and darker!

Although a little repetitive at times, this book caused me so much anxiety ! It was like a train wreck that just kept going and going . The ending was perfect though and so satisfying.

I can’t wait for more Cordelia Black !!

💋Book Review💋
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Summary- Ask Cordelia Black why she did it. The answer will always be: He had it coming.
Cordelia Black loves exactly three things: Her chosen family, her hairdresser (worth every penny plus tip), and killing bad men.
By day she's an ambitious pharma rep with a flawless reputation and designer wardrobe. By night, she culls South Louisiana of unscrupulous men―monsters who think they've evaded justice, until they meet her. Sure, the evening news may have started throwing around phrases like "serial killer," but Cordelia knows that's absurd. She's not a killer, she is simply karma. And being karma requires complete and utter control.
But when Cordelia discovers a flaw in her perfectly designed system for eliminating monsters, pressure heightens. And it only intensifies when her best friend starts dating a man Cordelia isn't sure is a good person. Someone who might just unravel everything she has worked for.
Soon enough Cordelia has to come face to face with the choices she's made. The good, the bad, and the murderous. Both her family, and her freedom, depend on it.
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Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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My thoughts- thank you @poisonedpenpress for the advanced audio arc I loved this one so much !! Cordelia was just the most lovable, hot mess, psychopathic main character and I am here for it. 😍 this one reminded me of early Finlay Donovan meets like promising young woman. So much fun, all for vigilante justice over shitty men. This beauty comes out 10/29 grab it where books are sold today 🥰
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QOTD- what was the best part of your weekend ?! Mine was spending Sunday with my whole family, my heart is just so happy ❤️.
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If you’re looking for a fun thriller with Dexter vibes and a touch of Blackbird’s energy, you’ll love The Girl’s a Killer. The story features a female bisexual serial killer with an irresistible personality, making you root for the “bad girl” every step of the way.

This might be the most fun stabby book I’ve ever read. Cordelia is offing men. But only those who deserve it. I found her real and likeable. And the love she had for her found family was unmatched.

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an eArc.

My thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press/Sourcebooks for the ARC of "The Girl's a Killer" in exchange for an honest review.
Bravo to this darkly amusing romp of a thriller. It belongs to that peculiar sub-genre whose lead character leads an active life as a serial killer-avenger who wreaks overdue Karma and gruesome carnage upon really bad guys. To borrow a line I heard in a movie, Cordelia Black, a gorgeous Pharma sales rep, enthusiastically functions as the 11th Commandment - Thou Shalt Not Get Away With It.
Cordelia, her identity and persona reinvented after surviving her own horrific childhood, now delivers unmerciful torture and death to monstrous rapist-killers of women and girls. They may have escaped the law, but there's no escaping Cordelia once they catch her attention. In what you might call her "normal" life, she's staunchly devoted and protective of the two people she considers her own little family - her best friend since college Diane and Diane's 12 year old daughter (and Cordelia's beloved goddaughter) Samantha.
The fun here comes from author Emma C. Wells throwing a non-stop blizzard of troubles in Cordelia's path, most of which will expose her bloody pastime and land her in prison. At work, her job and reputation fall into jeopardy in the aftermath of a defective drug she represented. And her personal life turns upside down and backwards when Diane falls head over heels for a fake 'nice guy' who sets off Cordelia's sixth sense for smelling a rat.
I wouldn't dream of spoiling anybody's fun describing the sometimes, grisly, sometimes witty parade of catastrophes that befall Cordelia as she desperately dodges in and around every new tribulation thrown at her. And since this is all from her point of view, you find yourself somehow rooting for her every step of the way.
Not only does this book take a reader along for a hairpin-turn ride, when it's over, you just find yourself craving a sequel. How about it, Ms. Wells?

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Ask Cordelia Black why she did it. The answer will always be: He had it coming.

Cordelia Black loves exactly three things: Her chosen family, her hairdresser (worth every penny plus tip), and killing bad men.

By day she's an ambitious pharma rep with a flawless reputation and designer wardrobe. By night, she culls South Louisiana of unscrupulous men—monsters who think they've evaded justice, until they meet her. Sure, the evening news may have started throwing around phrases like "serial killer," but Cordelia knows that's absurd. She's not a killer, she is simply karma. And being karma requires complete and utter control.

But when Cordelia discovers a flaw in her perfectly designed system for eliminating monsters, pressure heightens. And it only intensifies when her best friend starts dating a man Cordelia isn't sure is a good person. Someone who might just unravel everything she has worked for.

Overall, this was honestly fantastic! I love books with a Serial Killer as a protagonist. Cordelia is a woman who like control in her life and has a very specific system in place to keep all the balls in the air. The only people she loves is her best friend and her god daughter that she will do absolutely anything for. So when the best friend starts dating a new suitor (after already establishing she's not the best when it comes to judgement. I mean her best friend is a killer and she has no idea) Cordelia is a bit concerned and definitely keeping a good eye on this guy. Unfortunately this happens at the same time that the other two things she loves start falling apart. So, of course, she's doing what she can to get everything back in order. I loved that we got a glimpse of Cordelia's back story on why the things she loves most are so important to her. I'm hoping there will be a sequel because I would love to the story progress after the dust settles.

If you are a fan of Dexter and girl power than this is the read for you!

I really enjoyed the story of a business woman by day and serial killer vigilante by night. Literal roles reversed Dexter and I’m here for it. I don’t have much to say because the pretty much sums it up hah. The pacing was great, I read through this one super fast, it could have been one sitting if work didn’t get in the way lol.
I enjoyed our main character Cordelia and I’d actually like more of her origin story. I’m hoping there’s a second book or a prequel. I liked that she overcame her shitty upbringing and because a girl boss and didn’t take shit from men. She stood up for herself and always looked out for her best friend. And I mean I know we all joke about having a friend there if you ever murderer someone and they most certainly did.
Was it the most original story no, but was it entertaining yes! I would recommend this to fans of serial killers like Dexter.

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the copy to read and review.

4 ⭐ 0 🌶️ 5 🎧

I really loved this, it was so much morbid fun. It didn't have as much suspense or as many twists as I was expecting, but I was captivated from beginning to end.

I adored Cordelia; she was so funny and such a baddie. I thought the way she overcame her abuse was really interesting and the Joanie twist had me shooketh.

The audio was great. I love Stephanie Kay and thought she did a fantastic job with this story. And I am really excited to read more from Emma.

This book started off really slowwww and by slow I mean like I read two other books while reading the first half of this book slow. Like I kept coming to Goodreads to read the 5 star reviews to figure out what I was missing slow. There was also a lot (and I mean A LOT) of brand name dropping and over-explaining, which I do not like. I feel like it ruins the story (if you’re into that then this is the book for you!).
Since I have this motto of finishing what I started I decided to push through and I’m glad that I did. After 50% this book did a 180. I felt like I read two different books with how different the last half was. After the 50% mark it actually got really good. I couldn’t put it down. Some parts were still annoying and I still didn’t think the MC and her best friend were likable but it did hook me. The book doesn’t really give a satisfying ending but it seems the author did that to set it up for a sequel (which I will definitely read just because I already read this one)

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The description of the novel really intrigued me, but I’m afraid I did not enjoy the writing style and struggled to stay focussed on the plot. Cordelia was just too focussed on her friend, which I found creepy and I’m afraid the humour and dialogue just failed for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me access to an early copy of this book.

Cordelia is too obsessed with her best friend and so unlikable that I didn’t care how the book ended, but just wanted it to end. Although it picked up about halfway through, I can’t say I enjoyed the neat ending. When reading the synopsis I thought I would get a fresh spin on this femme fetale serial killer but it’s stale and overdone. Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review. Coincidentally, the first ARC I ever received was a book of the same premise called How to Kill Men and Get Away With It. Also three stars. My advice is skip this one and read You Shouldn’t Have Come Here by Jeneva Rose instead.

I have rounded up from 3.5 to a four as I can’t give half a star in good reads and this book wasn’t a 3 and not a 4 either.

This is a lighthearted take on a serial killer with good intentions. Yes you read that right. Lighthearted take on a serial killer.

The protagonist is a femme fatale in the literal sense. She kills bad men while thinking about her manicure and Lois Vuittons .

She gets into a series of completely ridiculous scenarios where it constantly seems like she will get caught and it is honestly fun watching her scramble to hold on to the life that she has built.

The reason why I couldn’t fall in love with it was simply because the characters are all really just skin deep. The back story of the protagonist is touched upon briefly but never truly gives us any reason to root for her. All the other characters also have very one dimensional personalities.

That is not to say that this isn’t a fun book. I enjoyed it but I didn’t love it is all I’m saying.

Thankyou NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the free ARC book in exchange for my honest opinion.

DNF at 26%. The protagonist is not as funny or charming as I expected she would be, especially in comparison to the characters in the named comp titles. I like the idea, but it just didn’t work for me.

The concept of the story made me think of a female Dexter, and I was excited to find out where the story would go. I found Cordelia interesting in the beginning but quickly became extremely annoyed with her. The beginning of the book goes into great detail about how she has specific steps in covering her crimes, but the rest of the book shows her making mistake after mistake, noticeably unraveling, and no one noticing how unhinged she is acting.

The story became too farfetched for me to enjoy. Based on other reviews, there are quite a few people who loved it, unfortunately, I was not one of them.

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Emma C. Wells for the eARC.

I will be adding a copy of this book to my shelf! Lady serial killer, say less, I am on board. The humor definitely gives it that Dexter vibe and I am a sloot for badass morally grey anti-heroines.

Overall, great writing—some plot points for me felt a tad “convenient” but not enough to distract me.

Call it God. The Universe. And eye for and eye. Karma. I was twenty-two before I understood I was put here to do more than bear witness to the evil of monsters, and twenty-three before I’d intentionally heeded the call. Cordelia has worked hard to overcome a traumatic childhood and make herself into the person she always admired. She’s been pretty successful at it. She has a longtime friendship with Diane, her bestie, and Diane’s daughter, Sugar. While friendship is at the core of the story. this is really a story of ultimate retribution.

I was not a fan of the book. It strained credulity and some of the storyline bordered on ridiculous. Attempts at humor fell flat for me. It was not a story that’s in my wheelhouse and it took a lot to finish it. . I do thank NetGalley for the opportunity to give it a read.

I love when I can get completely lost in a book. Especially when that lost involved loving and rooting for a morally grey character. Cordelia Black was that character, I love her and her story and could not finish fast enough to find out how this was going to end. Absolute 5 stars and I’ll be telling all of book friends to read it!

I loved reading this story from Cordelia Black's POV. She's messed up and dark but also loving and loyal. She's one of the most intriguing characters I've encountered in a while. The plot was also smart and entertaining, although there were times when I wanted to scream at Cordelia to do things differently. The secondary characters also played an interesting role, especially Diane and her daughter Samantha who Cordelia loves and would do anything for. I highly recommend this book for fans of slightly dark and gruesome thrillers and villain POVS.

3.5 stars - think female version of Dexter - a killer with a code, personable and hiding in plain sight. Cordelia meticulously researches bad men and only kills the "monsters", following a stringent blueprint for how not to get caught. She is very good at what she does, until she isn't, and her world rapidly falls apart. There was a lot I liked here - the story is fast paced, the main character is engaging and funny. She has a strong female friendship, a ride or die, that I envy. I was disappointed in the many unfinished plot threads. Also not wild with how Cordelia started the story as a very smart, sharp character, and then became sloppy and almost stupid. Some redemption at the end, although I'm not sure I like the final outcomes.

ARC received from Poison Pen Press via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Thank you poisoned press!

I really like This Girls a Killer, especially for a debut. The story has a strong premise with a dark, female-led revenge plot, and Cordelia’s character is both compelling and terrifying. The anxiety and tension were palpable, keeping me glued to the pages, even though some parts felt disjointed, with her meticulous nature clashing with a series of mistakes.

While the concept of a "female Dexter" was thrilling, some plot holes made the resolution feel a bit rushed. That said, the writing shows promise, and I look forward to seeing how the author develops in future books. It’s a strong debut that fans of dark thrillers will likely enjoy, despite a few flaws.