*some spoilers contained within*
Rounding up from 1.5 stars

Listen, I am predisposed to root for a woman taking revenge on bad men. I wanted this to feel like either/both *They Never Learn* by Layne Fargo and the Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano. Unfortunately it felt like neither. (In fact, I was so surprised to see Layne Fargo blurb this…yeesh.) It did leave me absolutely infuriated like I did after watching *Promising Young Woman* so I guess kudos for that? Instead of what I was hoping for, it felt like the girlbossification of revenge killing. Like *Dexter* (because she’s got a code) meets *Psych*’s Gus (because she’s a pharmaceutical rep) but make it girl power.

Cordelia, the main character, is meant to be 33 years old, but reads as SO juvenile to me. This whole book really read more to me as YA because of the essence of the MC. She annoyed THE SHIT out of me, I found her insufferable, self-aggrandizing, and sloppy.

But that would be surmountable, if it weren’t for how insulting I found the writing. It was so repetitive that I started searching for certain words in my kindle: bestie/best friend 50 times, referring to her best friend and her BF’s daughter as her family 41 times, smoke (appears in the eyes of “monsters as an indicator she’s good to kill them) 42 times, plan 98 times, McSmiley (how she references the cop she starts dating to get info) 62 times, monster 119 times. And I’m generally the kind of reader who would rather see “said” five million times than synonyms that are not fitting used in its place, but this repetition is not that. LOTS of telling rather than showing, like if you keep telling me that she’s meticulous maybe I’ll just believe you, even though the actual beats of the story negate that. If it had been done more artfully I might believe that Cordelia keeps repeating it because she’s convinced herself that she’s got things well in hand, but it wasn’t. If I had to hear one more time about how she had a code so she couldn’t kill her best friend’s boyfriend, I was going to scream.

Then there were story beats that drove me up a wall.

- She’s so meticulous, but she makes paintings with the exsanguinated blood of her victims and then DISPLAYS IT IN HER HOME?! Girl, you work in the medical field, you know that’s a disaster waiting to happen. Hubris!
- She buys KITTY LITTER INSTEAD OF ICE to preserve the dead body of one of her victims. And then is shocked when the odor of rotting flesh is not appropriately curbed. What is wrong with you?!
- The first person she ever accidentally killed was for her friend, the last person she killed was for her friend, she’s gone through all of these motions to keep her friend and her friend’s kid safe, and then when her friend finds the decapitated head in her crisper drawer, she suddenly lets her friend participate in disposing of the body. You did all of this to protect her but now you are going to let her get involved? What happens to your goddaughter when you and her mom both go to jail?! Especially when the reason why she wants to help you is because you LIED ABOUT THE IMPETUS FOR KILLING HIM and then retconned it because you happened to find incriminating evidence on his phone.

Some of these beats absolutely could’ve been camp and I would’ve enjoyed them more. But they didn’t hit the right tone for that to be the case, unfortch.

There were some other smaller things that rankled but felt inconsequential compared to the rest. For example, there is an attempt to build backstory for Cordelia—not in a way that was believable or compelling for me personally—and she constantly refers to her “junkie” mom and it felt like such a lame caricature of a person, not to mention that I don’t love non-addicts using terms like junkie. There’s also a moment where Cordelia goes to try to bribe the staff at a clinic and describes the staff in incredibly derogatory ways that are completely unnecessary and felt very mean girl.

I’m not one to see all best friendships as indicative of a deeper non-platonic affection because I actually think platonic love is one of the most beautiful and underrated things, but there could have been some very interesting exploration here of Cordelia’s feelings for her friend and the inclination to kill anyone who gets close to her. But nope, that didn’t happen! No self-awareness or examination of motives.

Anyway, I took several weeks away after finishing this and read more than a dozen books in between, and I ended up being more angry while reviewing my notes than I was the first time so it’s really going to be a nah from me.

Seems like a combo of America Psycho, Death Wish, and Dexter.

There was a lot of repetitive narration from the main character, Cordelia Black. I think another read through by an editor is needed. Cordelia seems like a character that is trying to come across as quirky, but I just felt that she fell flat. None of the characters had dimensions and that really didn't help me engage with this book.

I also felt that the description of this book could have been more clear that torture would be involved. If that had been expressed I most likely wouldn't have asked for a copy of this book.

Overall I thought the premises was there but the characters weren't well rounded and the main character's enjoyment of being a serial killer was very off putting. Feminine rage just for the sake of feminine rage just wasn't enough to win me over with this novel.

My unrestrained thoughts: If I have to describe this book in one word, that’s gotta be lukewarm. Nope, not gonna explain it further.
Now, onto a little sophisticated review – it may contain tiny spoilers!

Emma C Wells’ This Girl is a Killer is about a woman named Cordelia Black, a skilled pharma sales rep working for a popular pharma company. But she is not an ordinary woman – why? Because the title is not misleading – she really is a killer. While we love our anti-hero(ines), she is not a mindless serial killer. She meticulously combs through the male population, finds the ones who are monsters under their nice-guy personas, and takes her time to make them disappear off the face of this earth.
Pretty cool, right? It is… until the medicine that she’s been selling is pulled off the market because of some issues. It shouldn’t have been a problem… but it’s the medicine she uses to make her victims unconscious and bring them back to her ‘workshop’. As if that’s not enough, her best friend, Diane (the only person she’ll trust herself with but doesn’t know about her nightly excursions) is dating a guy that sets off Cordelia’s alarm bells even when he seems really normal.
Cordelia’s life starts to fall apart like pieces of dominoes until it ends up with her stabbing the knife inside Simon’s heart!
Accompanying Cordelia and Diane in this bizarre tale is her goddaughter, the only sane person in the story, in my opinion; a suspiciously cute cop-slash-her ‘Fumble’ date; a cuddly dog that breaks into her house for cheese; her neighbor who ventures on her property to take the dog back; and a real creepy man who helps her in getting rid of the bodies she accumulates.
Despite the setup, the mystery fell a little flat on me. I mean, I was expecting something really badass action. But what I got was Cordelia moping and crying about how everything was falling apart while narrowly escaping the blunders she had created all by herself.
The ending was a little anticlimactic for all the things the story built up for. No sane person would accept their friend murdering someone and then letting them get away with it by helping them get rid of the body… it’s simply not believable.
There were also a few loose ends to tie, which was done rather unconvincingly. Am I supposed to believe that Cordelia was able to pin the blame on literally everyone else except her? That she closed the McSmiley chapter without any protests? That the manager in the doctor’s office wouldn’t retaliate once she finds out about the forged signature? That Cordelia is already planning on murdering someone else? Loose ends so loose they don’t seem they can be tied at all…

What I liked:
o Cordelia’s ‘hobby’: No matter what I think about this book, I’ll never shut up about the fact that she turns the monsters into artwork. Mixing the blood of the people you killed in your paintings and then hanging those all over the house – that’s some next-level genius. Does that make her slightly psychopathic weird? Yes, obviously. Does this mean I disapprove? Heck, no! I love it, Cordelia, do it again. If you think about it, she can sell those and make a living out of it.
o Diane and Sugar Bug: Out of all these characters, even Cordelia (especially her), I think Samantha and Diane were the only sane people. Cordelia is really annoying. Simon is dead – no RIP for him – while Christopher has practically no part in the story. Funnily enough, the ones all this craziness was going on for, are living in their little bubble of obliviousness. They had relatable problems and relatable reactions – even though I don’t believe accepting your murderer’s friend is realistic…
o Mango: I certainly wasn’t expecting a four-pawed furry little creature to be a part of this thriller book – and I’m not complaining. Mango provided a nice sub-plot for the story while simultaneously showing Cordelia still had her human side intact. And when I found out exactly why Mango came running into her house, all I wanted was to hurt the stupid neighbor the exact same way he abused her. Thank god, Cordelia agreed with me on that front and gave a happy ending to the poor doggo.

What I wasn’t impressed with:
The premise of the book is really good. It’s unique and fresh, and it provides a solution to the problem seen in reality a lot these days. I definitely found it awesome to see a woman taking it upon herself to get rid of monsters in this world. But there are so many loose ends
One of the things I absolutely hated was how many times Cordelia assured the readers about Diane and Sugar being her family. Saying it twice is bad enough, but sprinkling this apparent fact in every section the author can think of; it actually annoyed me enough that I ignored reading for a long time.
Another thing is her self-confidence. Don’t get me wrong, self-confidence is necessary and it’s good that she had that, but hers was the pompous kind. Just like Diane-Sugar-family situation, her telling us she always has a plan and she is so meticulous and smart became old real fast. It also didn’t help when everything crumbled for her in just one night. A camera, Simon following her, unplanned kill, Christopher visiting her on the same night… as if this is a sign of a planner and meticulous killer. She spent half her book bragging about how she is perfect, but her actions spoke otherwise. Girlie…
The end also didn’t give me that cathartic feeling I was hoping for. Everything never works out so well – there’s always something that gets fucked up beyond repair. But in Cordelia’s case, she escapes everything within inches of her life and that was mildly annoying.

My Final Thoughts?
It’s not like I hated This Girl is a Killer, but it’s also not like I loved it completely. Unfortunately, it’s just a one-time read for me. But I can see the appeal this book has, so please, pick it up to see how this girl is actually a killer!

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
#netgalley #arcreview

This book might be about a killer but it was more than just a standard thriller. More than anything it was about loyalty and formed family and the lengths one woman will go to protect that in what she thinks is the right way. The narrative voice was really strong — from page one who Cordelia is and what she believes was apparent.

Rounded up from 2.5 stars.

My biggest problems with this book could likely be fixed with another pass by an editor; if even half of the repetitiveness was cut out, there'd be plenty of room to fill in some of the plot holes. But it was a fun enough story, with plenty of humor and sass. I definitely agree with the comparison to the Finlay Donovan series, bot comparing to Bandit Queens is more of a stretch for me.

This Girl's a Killer is a POV from a female serial killer who murders predatory men. She is sassy, and strong but what she really is is a survivor. I also like books about female serial killers but I like that Cordelia had an extreme loyalty to the people that she has in her life. She might be a killer but she's relatable. LOL.

If you are worried about the book being too gruesome for your taste, don't be. There isn't really any gory details of the murders and is actually pretty tame. I think this would be perfect for anyone who is looking for a fast paste tamer thriller.

This book was a laugh out loud ride about a girl who murders people but is not a serial killer if you ask her. I really enjoyed this good and thought it was a a great debut, can't wait to see what else this author will have inside for us

Feel the feminine rage. An antihero, a female serial killer, a vigilante (not sure of the specific designation) is a fun character, and this one has some fun, sass and our FMC has some interesting artistic talents. She is devoted to her girlfriends and protecting those who need it. When a girlfriend gets a new man…well, he gives our FMC the ick and she decides to do something about it, as she has done for others in the past.

I guess the author was going for character development or ‘humanisation’ in this book, but I’m not totally sure it was pulled off. We are told she’s controlled, a planner, someone with foresight of how things need to be done, but then somewhere along the line she stops being this and there are scenes where things go wrong, or she made decisions which were, in my opinion, bizarre and the introduction of a ‘relationship’ was something I didn’t think was necessary.

While I read this one I thought it was okay, but later I thought about things that I don’t think were resolved wholly, or at all, and I’m left wondering if there is going to be a series. I think it was okay, but I wasn’t the biggest lover of the ‘silliness’ factor for this character.

Thank you for the ARC. I mostly liked this book. It was a fast read. However, I felt the last chapter about Brett Turner was not necessary. It just seemed out of place.

As a fan of serial killer & badass fmc who do us such great service of erasing bad men, I gotta say that this one doesn’t disappoint me!

Meet Cordelia Black, the girl with childhood trauma, growing up broken but managed to find the strength and held up herself and her life to such a badass grown woman that she is now - successful, wealthy and girl boss, aside from her extra activities of making bad men gone. I love how the author includes all the gory details, aside from casual yet humorous writing for the characters and most scenes. The plot growth also executed neatly and enjoyable indeed, I love how the story is not only about murder, but also includes friendship, relationship, family issues, career, and a little bit of how to get away with murder vibes haha. The story becomes more intense and interesting as the journey of Cordelia hating & having bad gut feeling regarding her best friend’s new boyfriend shifted to more and more things that made me gasp entertainingly and get me hooked till the end.

The only thing that I wish the author should add more is regarding McSmiley and Cordelia at the end, like for me it feels like I’ve been hopeful for the two of them to be together, hence it’ll be great if I can know for sure what finally happened to them at the end, since what she gave is too loose ends despite understandable regarding Cordelia’s stance when it comes to love & relationship, haha. They both are kinda cute together for real haha.

Overall, this is such an enjoyable read! Thank you for the arc! 👍🏻❤️

This book is sooooooooo good and the cover was fantasic.

I think many women would relate to this in some way and feel seen and understood. Cordelias character highlights the monsters so many of us see or experience in the world and exageratingly deals with them. I found myself relating to her in so many ways and feeling validation and gratification in her ugliest moments and her most vunrable. I think she is a force to be recon with. I think where she is strong and indipendance and firece she is also sensitive and hurt and nervous. She exhibits so many emotions during this book and fights for the ones she loves.

I really enjoyed this book! There are few books with female characters like this that are likable and relatable dispite the circumstances they’re in or situations they face.

We need more female driven thrillers and horror novels! LOVEEEDDDDD ITTTTTTT!!!!

What! is a great story about revenge and looking good doing it. Thank you for my copy of "This Girl a Killer." I enjoy this killer story

A Female Serial With A Code

3.65 stars

A female serial killer's hackles are raised when she sets her sights on her best friend’s new boyfriend. However, an impulsive mistake puts her at risk, endangering those she loves the most.

MC Cordelia is a badass, confident, snarky bitch. She is also a serial killer who hunts men who have hurt women and children. Her joy in life comes from her best friend, Diane, and her daughter, Samantha. Cordelia has worked hard to keep her secret hobby from her best friend, but when she makes the wrong move, her relationships are tested as her secrets threaten to come to light.

This is a fun but flawed read. The plot borrows heavily from Dexter (I was annoyed by a few moments that mirrored his killing room and process), and the beginning is choppy (no pun intended) and a bit confusing. Also, the MC makes some stupid mistakes--one wonders how she got away with killing for so long. However, once I settled in, this turned into a fun read.

This is not about the action and the killing but more about Cordelia’s inner demons and her fear of being found out for who she really is. Details of her past are slowly sprinkled in. Sparse details are shared of her victims' crimes (this I appreciated), and the author shares her reasons why she didn't include details out of her concern for triggers, which I appreciated.

Overall, this is an entertaining read that is more of a character study than a thriller. However, there are thriller moments, and the tone turns dark, suspenseful, and tense. There is also a lot of dark humor and a cute dog named Mango. There could have been more character development, but I hope the author isn’t done with Cordelia, and we meet her again to learn more about her past and the repercussions of her last kill.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for an honest review

I absolutely TORE through this "Feminist Dexter" - as I have dubbed it - vigilante tale. Cordelia starts off in total control, once her plans become unraveled, the scramble to cover her tracks begins. Poisoned Pen Press is ROCKING the thriller genre lately!

3.5 stars for this debut author. Themes of loyalty, friendship, and resilience keep the plot moving. This book is definitely not boring! Love the female Robin Hood aspect. With obvious nods to Dexter (the TV show), the originality was lacking at times. Would definitely recommend to lovers of redemption, righting wrongs, and twisty stories.

This book was an engaging read that skillfully blended dark themes with light-hearted moments. The intriguing storyline of a pharmacy rep turned vigilante by night had me hooked. The main character's strong sense of justice and complex emotions added depth to the plot. The dynamic between the FMC, her best friend, and their romantic interests provided a good balance of drama and humor. Despite some confusion with the backstory and pacing issues, overall, it was an interesting thriller that kept me entertained.

I have to say the first half of this was a two star book. I did not like the tone and near constant internal monologuing. The first half was so much talking and not enough doing. O yes Cordelia is such a bad ass who wears designer items and is a cool aunt, with a disturbing past and even more troubling side hustle. I guess we just had to take her word for it. The smoke in the eyes thing...too much, too heavily utilized. I was struggling.

But at EXACTLY 48% I was hooked. I liked the panicked, desperate, completely out of control side of this much better, but it also did not become a consistent story either. I was entertained. But I also didn't love enduring the first half of this book to get there.

I received this e-arc from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This Girl’s a Killer, was a bit different than what I’m used to reading. The main character definitely reminded me of a female version of “Dexter”. It got a little gory at times and then funny at other times. Overall it was a good book! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC!

Cordelia "Not Renee" Black is a successful woman with a great career, a ride or die best friend, and an incredible goddaughter. Oh yeah, and she's also a serial killer who gets rid of bad men. Cordelia is able to balance these different parts of her life so well because she always has a plan, and as long as she follows her plan then everything is fine. However, with things at work starting to crumble, her best friend introducing a new boyfriend that raises concern, and her neighbor's dog Mango always being a nuisance, things start to unravel and Cordelia finds herself in a big mess.

What a ride! This debut thriller by Emma C. Wells had me in a chokehold. Do I find myself rooting for serial killers in life? No, of course not. Did I find myself rooting for Cordelia Black? Absolutely! She was giving me Dexter vibes. She was giving me Joe Goldberg from You vibes. She was giving me all of these but as a badass woman. She is a character who truly cherishes her relationships and would do anything for her chosen family in order to keep them safe. When things were looking bad and seemed to be getting worse, it was so entertaining and exciting to see how things would turn out. There were times I truly didn't know how Cordelia would dig herself out from the mess she found herself in. For me, things were tied up in a nice bow and left me wanting some answers, but at the end of the day, I had an absolute blast reading this one! For a debut, I'm super excited to see what Emma C. Wells has in store for us in the future! A sequel to this would be pretty amazing! 4.5 rounded up to 5.

Thank you @poisonedpenpress and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Cordelia, a successful pharma rep, dressed to the nines, loves two people in the world, her college pal, Diane, and Diane's tween daughter Samantha. Cordelia's hobby of killing sexual predators and getting away with it exhibits her precise planning and execution skills but things begin to unravel when Diane starts dating someone Cordelia suspects is bad. Crazy things like a body in the bathtub, a lost friendship bracelet, a kidnapped dog, and a smiling cop combine to add humor and make this a thoroughly enjoyable read.