Part of the latest post-Killing Eve literary trend, This Girl's a Killer is a smart take on the 'killer but for a good reason' protagonist of recent years. While it's certainly not the most original, This Girl's a Killer is laced with a dark streak of humour and razor sharp kills, perfect for anyone looking for their next serial killer fic fix.

Cordelia Black is a pharma rep and amazing godmother and BFF by day, stalker and vigilante killer by night. Cordelia is cool, calm, calculated.

Cordelia does not like her BFF Diane's new boyfriend Simon. He gives off a bad vibe she can't put her finger on. And now (thanks for Diane insisting she go on blind dates) Cordelia is set up with a cop, Christopher aka "McSmiley".

But things start to fall apart as Simon shows up to her house unexpectedly, her body-disposal system is gone, there's a class action lawsuit looming over her pharma career, and a salon mishap has her long blonde hair a bobbed brown.

I really enjoyed this debut. It had dark humor, suspense, dead bad guys, and found family. The humor was reminiscent of Santa Clarita Diet or Finlay Donovan and I LOLd a few times.

I received an advanced review e-copy from PoisonPenPress via Netgalley. I'm leaving an honest review voluntarily.

This book gives 'Dexter' but female. I loved this. I was hooked by the synopsis and was enraptured by the story until the very end. 4 stars.

I enjoyed this! As soon as I read the synopsis, I knew that I would love it and I was right - thanks me! This felt like the vigilante version of criminal minds, where the hero is actually the killer serving justice. The one thing I wished this book would've done was give the reader a little more backstory on Cordelia. It was there, but I wanted more, personally. For example, Tim. He's mentioned leaving Cordelia's mom because of her addiction, but what happened? Also, I felt like it took me way too long to realize that Joanie and Cordelia were the same person. I moved on from the mentions of her past asking, "Wait, what happened with Joanie?", "Why the name change?", "What happened to her mom?", etc.

Regardless though, I loved everything else. Cordelia Black was sophisticated and also a mess. It was wild to see her unravel because we find her so put together at the beginning of the book and little by little, every single thing starts going wrong and falling apart. HOWEVER, she does not falter. Cordelia Black remains strong and figures it out and I loved that. Women can surely do anything and everything ;) There is a lot that happens in this book, so props to the author for writing it all so well. I was never lost or confused on the plot, it all flowed smoothly and was easy to keep up with. There were quite a few moments I actually LOL'd, which is always nice with a heavy, bit gruesome and disturbing read like this. I highly suggest looking up the content warnings on Emma's website because there are some things that can be tough for some readers to handle, but if you can withstand it, I think this is a really fun and dark read to add to your collection!

The theme song to this book truly is "Cell Block Tango" from Chicago the Musical.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read an advance copy for a honest review.

Ok. Right out of the gate Emma C. Wells, I hope you are ready for a huge amount of buzz because I truly think that this is going to be one of the top reads of 2024. This is one hell of a debut.

This brilliant, twisted, dark humored, well written thriller had me by the throat and I finished it in one sitting. I tried putting it down but gave in every single time because I absolutely had to know what Mrs. Cordelia Black was up to next. I loved her.

I found the character development to me amazing as well as all the attention to small details. I could also easily see this being adapted to a movie.

Completely and utterly fantastic!

Are you ready to dive into the world of Cordelia Black, a woman who’s as fierce as she is mysterious? Emma C. Wells’ “This Girl’s a Killer” is a gripping thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.Cordelia Black is not your typical protagonist. By day, she’s a successful pharma rep, but by night, she takes matters into her own hands, eliminating the bad men who roam South Louisiana. With a meticulous plan and unwavering determination, Cordelia sees herself not as a killer, but as karma personified. And she’s not afraid to get her hands dirty to deliver justice.

Wells crafts a complex and compelling character in Cordelia. Despite her morally ambiguous actions, you can’t help but root for her as she navigates the murky waters of vigilante justice. The tension mounts as Cordelia’s carefully constructed world begins to unravel, forcing her to confront the consequences of her actions.

One of the highlights of “This Girl’s a Killer” is Wells’ skillful blend of suspense and dark humor. Cordelia’s dry wit and razor-sharp observations add depth to the narrative, keeping readers hooked until the very end. And just when you think you have it all figured out, Wells throws in a twist that will leave you gasping for breath.But beyond the thrills and chills, “This Girl’s a Killer” also explores themes of morality, justice, and the lengths we’ll go to protect the ones we love. It’s a thought-provoking read that will linger in your mind long after you’ve turned the final page.

In conclusion, “This Girl’s a Killer” is a must-read for fans of dark and twisty thrillers. With its compelling protagonist, gripping plot, and thought-provoking themes, Emma C. Wells’ latest novel is sure to leave a lasting impression. So grab a copy, buckle up, and prepare for a wild ride through the mind of Cordelia Black. You won’t be disappointed.

this was so good. i really enjoyed it and could not put it down at all. i was interested the entire time to see where it was going to go! if you love thrillers, i highly recommend this one when it comes out! definitely an author i can see myself reading more of!

“This girls a killer” was SUCH A FANTASTIC read!! 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ all around absolutely loved it! An absolute must read…

The plot follows the life of Cordelia (or many lives), by day she is an entrepreneur, business woman in the pharmaceutical industry as well as her strong connection with her best friend and god daughter. On the side she likes to dabble in her own kind of fun foreplay - desposing of evil bad men.

This book is giving butcher and blackbird vibes, minus the butcher. We don’t need a lovey romance here; we have all the feel goods between her and her bestie/mini bestie. Although at one point I did suspect a certain LI connection between her bestie and McSmiley, perhaps a book 2?

I love her god daughter, she is hilarious and sassy and definitely takes too much after her godmother. I also love the best friend dynamic which shows women that friendships can be enough to fulfil and sustain you without the qualms of messy romantic entanglements.

Everything is going swimmingly for Cordelia, she has her lifestyle organized to the last second and the system works well for her. That is until a wrench is thrown in the mix and things start going from bad to worse. On top of that her bestie seems to be dating a questionably slimy man who may cause even more trouble for her.

I loved the humour, the drama, the action. I can always get behind a serial killer with a big heart and good intentions. This book gave me so much anxiety!! 🤣🤣 To say when things start to go bad, everything that can possibly go wrong.. goes wrong!!! Between all the chaos, drama, running around and endless lines of people turning up to her home at the LEAST convenient of times, my frail heart could barely handle the tension 🤣🤣🤣

This book was fast paced, highly entertaining and had all the feel good 5⭐️ vibes you could ask for.

This is my first book by the author and I can’t wait to read more.

Thank you to Emma C Wells, Poisened Pen Press and NetGalley for the EARC.

Publish date, September 10th

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Cordelia Black is basically a serial killer of bad men. She follows them and pounces with her plan. She then leaves the body for Clarence, who sells body parts for science. However, something goes wrong when her best friend, Diane, starts dating a man named Simon who gives Cordelia the creeps. Something is off about Simon, but Cordelia doesn’t see the smoke in his eyes. She knows something is there but can’t figure out what. Will she kill him too?

Ok on to spoilers.

I’m so glad she was able to get rid of Simon and pin everything on him. He was a gross man for sure and even worked with kids. Yuck. The anxiety Cordelia felt after killing him and trying to get rid of the body along with the Bosephan fiasco and taking care of Mango, her neighbor’s dog, made me anxious as well. I could sense her worries. Luckily, it seemed to work out well.

Also I liked how the author touched upon the real case of Brock Turner at the end. His sentence was a joke and unfortunately, seems he is living his life. It isn’t fair. The book touches on how the victims of the men Cordelia killed were only able to come forward once they knew 100% that their abuser was dead. There should be better justice. I don’t feel bad for what Cordelia did to those men. It was vigilante justice for sure.

I enjoyed this book.

This is an absolute masterpiece. I loved every second of this book. Booktok will blow this up and I really believe it will be one of the top books of the year. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

For a debut thriller this is very good.

Meet Cordelia Black, if she cares about you, she will have your back but if she feels you have committed wrong doings you had better look out. By day, she is a woman working in the pharmaceutical industry, strong, independent, and good at what she does. By night, Cordelia has other callings, and these activities will completely take you in while also entertaining you.

The main person in her life is her best friend Diane, their friendship goes back years and Cordelia will anything to make sure Diane is safe and happy in life. For all her faults and misconceptions, I have to say I really liked Cordelia. The author has built a strong character that even though she blurs the lines of what is right and wrong, she is a fascinating human being that I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know.

I highly recommend this book, it is intense, suspenseful, and contains a fair bit of humor. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

God I love best girl friends stories. Add in some revenge murder, and we have good fun on our hands. Just when I thought Cordelia was done having the universe throw twists at her, here comes another one. Emma Wells is twisted, but in the most fun way possible.

Fun, entertaining, and well-written, this was a quick read for me. The twists in this book aren’t exactly unpredictable, but that doesn’t really detract from the story. A healthy dose of suspension of disbelief is required for this book, but if you’re a fan of the show Dexter, or are in the mood for a slightly tamer and more closed-door version of the Mindf*ck series by S.T. Abby, you’ll probably enjoy it.

Cordelia Black is a killer, literally. She uses her beauty, style, and high maintenance image to rid the world of the monsters among us. Through the use of dating apps, she identifies men who hurt women and children and gives them the justice their victims deserve. After each murder, she uses their blood to create art, a way for her to complete her ritual. Things get complicated when she discovers her best friend is dating a man she believes is not who he pretends to be. I think Cordelia Black is a great, morally-grey character that we find ourselves rooting for, just like Dexter did in the tv show. To the reader, while murder is wrong, it removes our sympathy when we know it is someone who probably deserves it. I adored her relationship with Diane and Samantha; it gave her depth to see that she tries to make the world better for the two people she loves most of all. I was disappointed with how it ended though. It felt like it ended too soon and not enough felt wrapped up, which left me wanting more but not in a good way. I'm curious if this will continue as a series as I can see Cordelia continuing her mission elsewhere and learning more about her past.

Can we nominate this to become a movie? Because holy shit was that fantastic!!
Prada-Louboutin-wearing Saleswoman by day and vigilante justice doer by night, Cordelia Black is a tough, gritty, feminine, sophisticated, hard outside gooey warm inside, girl who doesn't mind getting her hands dirty to protect those she loves.
Is Cordelia Black a good person? No.
Are the men she murders good people? Hell no.
Do I support vigilante justice? No.
Was this book satisfying to read? Yes.

Reading about Cordelia exacting revenge against men who prey on the weak, against men who hurt innocent children, rape helpless women and abuse their wives and kids, was incredibly satisfying.

Her relationship was Diane and Sugar is the epitome of love. I love that this book didn't focus much on romance and how Chris was more of an afterthought rather than following the stereotype of "girl finds boy-falls in love-becomes feminine sunshine." Cordelia is badass and her own mental journey and hardships are depicted very well.

The cover is great and something that would love amazing on a bookshelf. I would also love it if the cover had a similar black background but with neon pink and neon orange yarn bracelets interlocked. Just an idea from a enthusiastic reader.

That being said, a few things I felt could've made this story more amazing than it already is:

1. Closure with Chris. We never know what happens to their relationship and while that has its own charm and mystery it still leaves you feeling bittersweet.

2. This might be a very small thing. But it annoyed me a bit. When Cordelia stalks the pedophile guy to the park and playground, i found the scene to be a bit irritiating. The aspect of any man sitting in a park alone or near kids making him a creep is a stereotype that affects many people these days. And we see on social media how a lot of men say they avoid going to places where there are kids or don't want to interact with them for fear of being called pedophiles. Many dads are reluctant to take their kids to parks or playgrounds because of this. And that's quite sad. I think this book also aids in reinforcing that negative belief. In this book, Cordelia's suspicions were absolutely true and the guy got what he deserved. I just wish it was depicted in a different way that didn't propagate that belief. It might seem a bad hill to die on but I'm just putting it out there.

3. The way that Cordelia disposes of the bodies seems a bit unlikely. Because being in the healthcare field, Im pretty sure it's not that easy to get bodies. There's a lot of rules and regulations and guidelines that govern body donation and I doubt the guy could've passed it off so easily. But again this technical issue is so small it doesn't even make much of a difference.

Overall it's a great novel and I'd easily recommend it to anyone looking for a fun read. It was a slow start but quickly picks up pace and you'll be in for a wild ride.

I really really really really need a sequel. Cordelia in the Everglades is something I'd gobble up. Please write more!!

"The Girl's a Killer" is a gripping tale of justice and camaraderie. Wells expertly crafts a narrative filled with strong female characters, intricate relationships, and a relentless pursuit of revenge. While some minor flaws exist, the book's brisk pacing and engaging writing style make it a must-read for fans of empowered protagonists and thrilling narratives. Highly recommended for those seeking an impactful and entertaining story.

I scrolled through some of the enthusiastic reviews in order to check out what‘s wrong with me - guess I‘m in the minority here.
It‘s a bit of a psycho thriller, and our lead, Cordelia, goes around like Robin Hood. Revenge is her mission, and no matter what she does: I can‘t really connect with her. The writing isn‘t bad but obvious I didn‘t have the adapter needed to go through this story with Cordelia. I‘ll be honest that after a while it became a telling gone a bit long and boring, even though the idea of the story is a good one. I leave this comment by saying: this was not my book.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy!

If you think evil men should get what they've got coming, then This Girl's a Killer is the perfect book for that. Cordelia Black kills predators and abusers who prey on women, and it's a ~400-page romp through female relationships and seeking revenge. Wells has an easy-to-read writing style that makes for an enjoyable afternoon read.

My major issue with this book, however, is that it feels as if Cordelia has some insane plot armour. Despite (spoiler!) killing her best friend's sick and twisted boyfriend, Cordelia never really suffers for her actions or comes under any threat that could contribute to the stakes. Any threats to her that do happen are resolved relatively quickly without any deeper consideration of how they could impact her. Cordelia never really lost anything, and the underlying narrative arc of her medical fraud was unresolved. Hell, she even runs into the cop she's seeing in disguise while disposing of body parts and nothing comes of it.

While this makes for a less satisfying narrative arc, I still appreciated Wells's dedication to making Cordelia the epitome of an anti-hero, even towards the end of the book. This Girl's a Killer is ultimately a book that leaves you feeling vindicated, starring a character with an unshakeable character code. All-in-all, I gave it a nice even 3 stars.

But I did also had one minor issue with this book! In the early chapters, Cordelia visits her friend, Diane, at her house and Cordelia mentions that her preteen goddaughter is playing Zelda... on the Xbox? I'm not sure why I've been so hung up on that, but I feel like I need to publicly voice that Zelda is a Nintendo exclusive. It has never been available on Xbox? I kid you not, it's been keeping me up at night thinking about that scene.

It was dark, but good! Dexter-vibes for this book about Cordelia who kills male predators. But suddenly one comes close to home and put everything in jeopardy!

I received an early copy through Netgalley, but all opinions are my own.

First thoughts about this book is that the premise is very similar to the Mindf*ck series by S.T. Abby. They are both about a woman getting revenge for childhood trauma by killing dangerous men. However, this is kind of where the similarities end. The Mindf*ck series is much more focused on the romance between the serial killer and the FBI agent, and the people she kills were all involved in the trauma she endured when she was younger. In This Girl's a Killer it is much more focused on the platonic/familial relationships and love instead of romantic. We get this great little found family between Cordelia, Diane, and Sugar that has a lot of heart and informs almost all of Cordelia's actions throughout the book. At this point, she has pretty much come to terms with what happened with her as a child, and is now just killing all these men to help protect the ones she loves.
However I did think it was kind of weird to add in the whole Christopher (the cop Cordelia has a short fling with) storyline just for it not to pan out or develop into anything more. When he's first introduced I really thought we were going the Mindf*ck route, but they never really develop into anything. Cordelia uses him for information a few times but it's not much. Also, the way Cordelia was talking about Diane throughout the whole book, I really thought she was in love with her and just hadn't realized it. While I do love stories about wholesome female friendships, I think I honestly would have liked it more if Cordelia had confessed her love to Diane at the end. This could've made a lot of sense because Cordelia doesn't let anyone close to her except Diane and Diane has been desperately searching for love her whole life, so it would have been sweet for her to realize that it was actually right in front of her the whole time. Keeping the relationship platonic definitely works, but it could've added so much more emotion to the story if they confessed their love for each other by the end.
And honestly, I think that's the biggest flaw about this book. The premise is great and the writing is really good, but there's just a lack of emotion throughout the whole story. I never really cared too much about the characters and what they were going through because I never really was given an opportunity to connect with them. We're told multiple times that Cordelia had a really rough childhood and went through some horrible things, but we're not really told what happened. It's kind of alluded to, and I don't think it would have necessarily been a good idea to go into the gory details, but I think we needed to see more to really care about her as a person. Of course the men she kills did horrible things, and they deserved their fates, but we spend so little time actually talking about these men that it's not as satisfying when she eventually kills them as it could be. Overall, it was a very entertaining read but I think there was just something missing that made me really love this book.