Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC!

If you want a twisted thriller with a fun edge, This Girl’s a Killer by Emma C. Wells delivers. Cordelia Black is a pharma rep by day and vigilante killer by night, targeting men she believes deserve it. Think a slightly lighter Dexter but with more humor and drama—especially since Cordelia fiercely loves her found family. Things get sticky when her best friend dates a shady guy who might expose her secret. Some parts drag a bit, and the flashbacks can be confusing, but overall, it’s an entertaining read. If you like morally gray characters with a dash of dark humor, you’ll zip through this one.

Wow! This was not what I expected and I loved every shocking second of it. While there were some lulls the overall story line and plot were on point. It left me wanting more.

4.5 rounded up. This was so good! I got a little torn away from the story with how conveniently some things happened but it wasn’t so bad to make me not like the book. I loved how Cordelia was the perfect image to get away with everything she did and the love between her and Sugar and Diane was super sweet. I wish we had some kind of explanation for the “smoke” that was referenced a lot.

This was a fun read! It’s about a serial killer who has a moral compass and only kills “monsters”. Suddenly, everything goes wrong when her job is at stake and her realizes her best friend is dating one of those monsters! This book was the perfect combination of keeping me guessing while also being sarcastic and making me laugh!

This book is action packed and fast paced. It’s hard to put down once you get into the story. Despite being a murderer, Cordelia a sympathetic character. Her past is well thought out by Wells, and it explains why Cordelia is the way that she is. Wells does a great job of getting the reader to root for Cordelia all throughout the book. The mystery element is well done. The twists and turns will keep you guessing. The themes in this book are good. However, Well’s is a little heavy handed with the message.

The majority of this book revolves around the relationship of Cordelia and Diana. At its core it’s a book about the power of female friendship. Cordelia and Diana have a strong friendship. In fact, Cordelia is the godmother of Diana’s daughter. The history between Diana and Cordelia is explained in the book. It could have been more fleshed out. The most heart wrenching conflict in the book is the growing distance between Diana and Cordelia. Had the relationship between them been more concrete and explained, it would have been easier to understand Cordelia’s motivations.

Overall, this is an enjoyable book to read. It’s easily finished in an afternoon. I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys mystery and thriller books. If you enjoyed Butcher and Blackbird, then you would likely enjoy this book. It does lack the element of romance, but there is a similar vibe to the storyline.

Cordelia Black is a likeable serial killer akin to Dexter Morgan; she's a hot mess but her life just keeps you on your toes. You want her to succeed, and you're anxious that she might not. I also just love a character who is willing to do anything for the people they love. The end was a bit predictable, and sometimes I felt like she should've been caught. And there was one small thing about her ability to choose which men to kill that made me roll my eyes a bit. Overall, it was unhinged and lowkey badass.

This Girl’s A Killer by Emma C. Wells is a darkly intriguing, edgy thriller that follows Cordelia Black, a seemingly ordinary woman by day, but a cold, calculated avenger by night. With a razor-sharp wit and a sense of moral justice, Cordelia targets men she deems “monsters,” eliminating them with precision. But when her carefully controlled world begins to unravel, she’s forced to confront the consequences of her actions. Wells masterfully blends humor with suspense, creating a compelling anti-heroine whose complex motivations keep readers hooked. This book is an engaging and thought-provoking dive into vengeance, morality, and self-destruction.

I believe in women’s rights, but more importantly I believe in women’s wrongs. Cordelia Black is both a role model and an inspiration, and the world would be a safer place if she was real.

Is murder the worst crime you can commit? Are there crimes where you think “I wish they were dead” after you learn about them? Do you believe in the death penalty? Depending on your answer to these questions, you might have the same beliefs as Cordelia Black, hand of justice. (Not murder, she doesn’t like to apply such a label to herself. After all, she’s only cleaning up the streets and making them safer, it’s not like she’s doing anything without a purpose!)

I was sucked into Cordelia’s world from the first hints that her outer appearance was more of a facade to a darker pastime. She’s detail-oriented, efficient, and on top of everything - or she was, until a new boyfriend comes into her best friend’s life. Simon. The worst guy you can think of to date a woman with a teen daughter. Flashy, charming, and kind on the surface - but with just something to make you raise your hackles whenever he’s around. Luckily for her chosen family, Cordelia is there to keep them safe.

I loved getting into Cordelia’s head, and found myself rooting for her during the entire novel. I wanted her to get away with it all, and was at the edge of my seat every time something happened that just hinted that she was about to lose it all. This book is filled with red herrings - both in events and characters - and until it’s resolved you’re never certain how it will shake out for Cordelia. Semi-dating a cop on the case of her own murders, a best friend with a shitty boyfriend that she’s trying to figure out how to dispose of, and the pharmaceutical drug she’s a spokeswoman for launching her into an investigation - there’s a lot that could cause her to trip up and make a mistake.

While I’ve never watched Dexter myself, I did find myself thinking that some scenes were similar in vibe - intensity and comedic relief - as Santa Clarita Diet.. No, there’s no cannibalism or a couple in this book, but some of the situations felt like they’d fit right on a television show. Answering the door to a cop while you desperately try to cover the blood spatter on yourself, refusing to let him in because there’s a dead body in your kitchen? Opening the freezer to jokingly talk to the head you keep in there until you can find a good location to dump it? Hysterical. This book was both intense and hilarious, and I think it’d make an excellent show or movie if it were expanded upon. I, myself, would love to watch Cordelia Black rid the world of evil men.

If you’re fans of stories centering around serial killers, bad men getting what’s coming to them, and female empowerment, then look no further than This Girl’s a Killer. Cordelia Black is here to keep the streets safe, if only she can stick to her meticulous and proven safeguards and avoid getting caught.

A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Poisoned Pen Press or providing this e-ARC.

This book was good! I liked it but didn’t love it. I definitely see potential in it and look forward to seeing what else the author does.

This was a crazy thrill ride from start to finish. If Dexter was a woman it would definitely be Cordelia Black. This female serial killer will have you cheering her on and laughing all at the same time. This thriller is addictive, suspenseful, and very entertaining. To say this thriller is intense is an understatement. This was fun, fast-paced, and empowering. Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for my copy.

I will start off with, this book is worth the read.

Now to get into it.

I had some highs and lows with this book. I would get very hooked and then it would kind of lose my interest but it did always pull me back in.

Also girllll you got away with it. Stop while you’re ahead - stressing me out!!

All and all it wasn’t a top 2024 read for me but it was still enjoyable! No regrets taking it all the way.

This Girl's a Killer is a fast-paced, darkly comedic thriller that follows a charismatic yet morally complex protagonist. The writing is sharp, and the story is filled with suspense and twists that keep me engaged. But in the second half, the plot kind of dragged.

This was a satisfying thrill ride! I enjoyed the writing and the story. Our bad girl for good is sharp and I would love to see what could happen next. The twists and turns were great. This book hits all the right notes from the beginning and I was rooting for this good bad girl!

I gasped! I yelled! I said "good for her!"

THIS GIRL'S A KILLER is about Cordelia, who takes out the trash in south Louisiana by killing the men who get away with everything. One day, her bff starts dating someone that Cordelia can't quite get a finger on.

Emma C. Well's writing is exceptional for a debut novel. She manages to capture a complete character that you will love despite her being someone who kills. Each character is well thought out, well rounded, and the reader really gets an insight into who each person is, their motivations, and how they would actually interact in this world.

This book is for those Dexter fans who love a serial killer with a conscious. It moves at a very fast pace, the writing was easy to read, and the book will leave you with lots of thoughts.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an advance reader copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

You can't help rooting for Cordelia Black in this book that is a combo of Dexter & every female protagonist you have ever rooted for! Even when her actions make you cringe.....you can't help but root for her not to become a victim of our own actions!


Description:

For readers of Finlay Donovan is Killing It and The Bandit Queens comes a bright and biting thriller following Cordelia Black, a best friend, a businesswoman, and, in her spare time, a killer of bad men.

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.

4.5⭐️ - I was thoroughly engrossed while reading this story and absolutely enjoyed the ride! The imagery was fantastic, and I look forward to checking out more from this author.

A sharp, thrilling dive into the mind of a vigilante with a flair for justice and a killer sense of style. Cordelia Black is equal parts terrifying and captivating—an antiheroine who unapologetically takes out the trash while maintaining a flawless image as a pharma rep by day.

The story is fast-paced and deliciously dark, with a razor-sharp wit that makes Cordelia's internal monologue as compelling as her late-night "karma" missions. The tension ramps up when her seemingly perfect system begins to unravel, especially as her best friend's new boyfriend becomes a potential threat to her carefully curated world.

Wells does a fantastic job of exploring moral gray areas, making you question whether to root for or fear Cordelia. Her chosen family adds depth and heart, grounding the story in relationships that feel real and raw.

If you’re into morally complex protagonists, dark humor, and suspense with a side of sass, this one’s a must-read. Cordelia Black is a character you won’t forget anytime soon.

I really enjoyed this book! I would recommend it to friends. A quick/fun read that had me rooting for the main character as a vigilante.

I was enjoying this book the first half but felt like the second half started to drag. Overall, I liked the book but felt like it could’ve been shorter.

Emma C. Wells' This Girl’s a Killer is a gripping and intense thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The main character Lucy is fierce and resourceful but finds herself caught in a dangerous web of deception. Wells skillfully crafts Lucy's character with layers of complexity, making her both relatable and intriguing as she navigates her journey. The book is fast-paced and filled with unexpected twists that keep the reader on the edge of their seat.
However, some might find certain plot developments a bit predictable, and the development of secondary characters could be more in-depth to add more dimension to the story. Despite these minor drawbacks, This Girl’s a Killer remains an entertaining read. Recommended for young adult libraries!