Killer Potential is a sapphic Thelma and Louise, a fugitive journey across America, and back to the Canadian border with two women wanted for murder, trying to put as much space between them and the police, even as the space between them grows smaller.

It's hard to say who has more influence over the other. Is it Evie, the failed scholarship student, so bright but unable to get a job beyond SAT tutoring the rich kids of wealthy LA parents? Or Jae, a victim of the Victors, who Evie found tied up under the staircase after discovering the bodies in the backyard? Would any two people thrust together in such circumstances form a bond, or does the hopelessness drive a wedge between them?

I was so invested in this book, that when the ending came I just had to sit with it for awhile.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this very different and thought-provoking debut novel.

A fun fugitive thriller which smuggles in some trenchant class commentary about social mobility and the failed promise of the gifted kid. The main character Evie is squandering her promise working as an SAT tutor to wealthy families, until she is accused of massacring a family she worked for. She finds herself on the run with a mysterious women who might be a victim or the perpetrator, or both. Kind of bouillabaisse made up of Thelma and Louise and Parasite , this is the best kind of debut novel, where it feels like the author had a lifetime of things they wanted to say, and are getting them all on the page.

Evie Gordon was a scholarship kid at an elite university and had big plans. But instead, she finds herself unanchored and working as an SAT tutor for LA's wealthiest families. When she arrives for her tutoring session in Beverly Hills, she finds the parents murdered and the daughter nowhere to be found. When she hears a woman crying for help in the closet, she unties her and the two try and flee. After an unfortunate altercation, they are suspects and wanted for murder.

The two are at the center of a nationwide manhunt and they must find the real killer to prove themselves innocent.

I loved the premise of the story and the first 60% of the book. However, the story took a strange turn and seemed to become more of a story about Stockholm syndrome or something like it. By the time I got to the end of the book, I felt like it was a different story than the one I started.

I’ll be honest, when I first started this book, I wasn’t really feeling it. I’m not sure if it was the writing or what, but it just wasn’t grabbing me. Luckily, that didn’t last too long. It became an addicting read that I enjoyed. This book has action, drama and even romance. I love the depth of the two main characters and couldn’t wait to see what they would do next. I also loved the mentions of North Carolina since that’s where I’m from. I thought the pacing was great and really enjoyed the suspense. I definitely skimmed ahead a few times to find things out lol. This is an awesome debut and I recommend checking it out.

True crime (well, fiction, but in that style) from the inside—a story of a double murder, from the point of view of the accused! Definitely not my usual fare, but a gripping and surprisingly enjoyable read. The protagonist is relatable the whole way through, even as the things she does become more and more outrageous. The shifts in perspective worked really well, too.
Great book.
I received a free advance e-copy from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Evie always thought she’d be someone, but a serial killer wasn’t at the top of her list. Evie is a Sat tutor and when she arrives at her Sunday gig, she finds the parents dead and a woman tied up in the closet. Defending herself, she’s sure she’s killed someone as she tries to run. Taking the broken, dirty woman with her, they are now on the lam, running for their very lives. The woman is uncommunicative and Evie desperately wants to know her story. A story that could end up saving them. The further they run, the more things unravel. Is there a chance they can come out of this unscathed? The whole country is looking for them. Evie’s only hope is to find the real killer, but is it already too late for that? Thank you to Hachette UK and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

“I was once a famous murderess.”
Here are reasons to read the Thriller book:

Tutor - When Evie arrived for a tutoring session
Deaths - she finds the parents of her tutee dead
Run - And after finding someone tied up in a closet, the 2 of them are on the run to escape the blame

This book intrigued me because it was kind of described like Thelma and Louise. The thing about this book was that there was a lot of exposition of the main character which made the story feel kind of slow. And the twist of what actually occurred was not as surprising as I wanted to be. However, I did listen to this book in one day so it did at least keep my attention. Definitely a book if you want a road trip read for the summer.

So so so many bad decisions! Evie, who has never lived up to her potential, stumbles upon the bodies of the Victors, parents of Serena, the teen she tutors and then as she's trying to get out of the house finds a woman who is locked in a closet. Oh and then Serena turns up and there's a fight, a lamp, and is Serena dead? Evie and the mute woman from the closet flee and thus we're on a Thelma and Louise sort of thing. They make their way around the US, stealing cars and food even as the search for them amps up. And they make more bad decisions. When Jae finally speaks, she tells a story to explain why she was there and as she talks, Evie falls for her. This is a sleigh ride that will have you shaking your head and turning the pages. And there's a big twist. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. No spoilers from me but know that this did surprise me.

Highly educated, unemployed Evie Gordon is working as an SAT tutor. When she arrives at the house of her latest student, she discovers that the parents have both been murdered. Not only that, there is a woman tied up in a room under the stairs. At the same time, her student, Selena, walks down the stairs and thinks the two of them are trying to burglarize the house and swings a lamp at Evie. In self defense Evie throws a vase at Selena, knocking her out, or maybe killing her. Thus begins Evie and Jae's journey around the country trying to outrun the law. They not only must be resourceful but deal with feelings that they may be developing for each other.

I love that this book puts you immediately into the action, and keeps strong momentum throughout. Very addictive pace, but it takes a while for you to get more information about why this is all happening in the first place. Despite the ambiguity, there's enough to enjoy about the journey along the way; and it has a handful of lyrical spins of prose that lend the story an existential and meditative depth beyond your typical mystery page-turner.

Evie walks into Victors’ home for an SAT tutoring session to find the family murdered. Then she finds a woman tied up in the closet. The two women escape and Evie and the other woman are now the focus of a nationwide manhunt.
Overall, this was a good book. I found the plot to be unique compared to other books I’ve read. I enjoyed the writing and first person narrative. I found myself rooting for Evie, hoping for a positive outcome as she tried to evade the authorities. However, I found the middle of the book to be a bit slow, but it picked back up at the end. Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for this arc!

An unhinged, twisting and turning psychological thriller. IF you're a fan of Gillian McAllister or Gillian Flynn this will be right up your alley.

My actual rating is a 3.5!

What to Expect:
⭐ VERY Thelma + Louise
⭐ Tutor turned murder suspect
⭐ Twisty/turning plot line
⭐ Cat + Mouse game of being on the run

My Thoughts:
Okay I almost gave up on this. I REALLY struggled with the storyline at the beginning. It didn't feel believable and was very predictable. There were just decisions I didn't think an almost 30 year old would make or consider especially when she comes across the scene at the house. The biggest pet peeve for me was the VERY delayed swapping of POV. A story told with dual POVs should happen right out the gate. Instead the long drawn out we got here. Especially with how willing Evie is to have a girl she doesn't know hop in the car, give the keys too and trust her within minutes of meeting.

I actually found some of the voice for Evie and her counterpart in the mess (Jae) a bit annoying. The not speaking for several chapters just irked me. Listening at times to Evies monologue seemed almost immature for someone who is a full blown adult.

All that to say, as a debut novel it was still a thorough plot, with proper action sequences and filling of gaps. It just truly wasn't for me. The bond that happens between Evie and Jae is beautiful of itself and hang in for the big twist at the end.

The Synopsis:
A scholarship kid with straight As and big dreams, Evie Gordon always thought she was special, that she’d be someone. But after graduating from an elite university, she finds herself drowning in debt and working as an SAT tutor for the super-rich of Los Angeles.

Everything changes one Sunday, when she arrives for her weekly lesson at the Victors’ Beverly Hills estate and, in lieu of a bored teenager, finds the bloody remains of the parents strewn through their beautiful back garden, and a woman crying for help within a closet. As Evie works to free her, the two are spotted—and within moments, they go from bystanders to suspects to fugitives.

Suddenly at the heart of a manhunt and accompanied by a mysterious woman who refuses to speak, Evie knows the only way to clear her name is to find the real killer. But first she’ll have to break down the barriers of her companion, who is quickly becoming the most important person in Evie’s upside-down life. Their breathless spree takes them across the U.S. as developments in the case shock the nation and the press runs wild with Evie’s a gifted kid turned killer. She's now on the cover of every magazine and newspaper—anointed the new Charles Manson, a bloodthirsty ninety-nine percenter looking to start a class war. Evie is finally someone.

By turns cuttingly hilarious and deeply insightful, Killer Potential is a strikingly original debut. A literary novel with the page-turning intensity of a thriller that asks timely questions about our belief in the romance of social mobility, and how the stories we’re sold about our potential can shape the course of our lives.

This book was a great time. The voice was witty and sharp which matched perfectly with the fast-paced, twisty story. I was hooked from the first page. Deitch did a good job of keeping pace and balancing the themes. There was humor, horror, mystery, and spice. The characters felt raw in the best way. I really enjoyed it!

Thanks for the opportunity to review this title!

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5 stars)
**Intriguing but Inconsistent**

*Killer Potential* by Hanna Deitch is a suspenseful read with a strong premise and plenty of psychological tension. The exploration of morality and what drives someone to the edge is fascinating, and Deitch does a great job building suspense. However, the pacing can be uneven, and some character decisions feel a bit forced. While the twists are engaging, a few are predictable, making the story slightly less impactful. That said, it’s an enjoyable read for fans of psychological thrillers who don’t mind a few rough edges along the way.

Killer Potential
by Hannah Deitch
Pub Date: Mar 18 2025

"Killer Potential" starts out with a murder, Evie a SAT tutor stumbles upon accidentally, and fears she'll be charged for. As she moves to flee the scene, she discovers another tragedy-a woman in a dark room, kept prisoner. The two flee together, and the novel turns into a roadtrip across the country, both desperate to evade the police until the real killer is discovered. If you were a fan of Thelma and Louise you will love this book!

An unusual story with lots of action scenes, surprises and ending I did not see coming. A funny Thelma and Louise love story!

Many thanks to #KillerPotential #NetGalley and #WilliamMorrow for providing me with an E-ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the way the author used two unreliable narratives to tell the story. The beginning had me thinking she was a serial killer just like the American public in the book. The snap judgements from quick news and press. The journey both characters take is crazy filled with lots of self discovery while trying to remain hidden. Hannah Deitch does a great job with descriptions and the characters thought processes. I really enjoyed this quick and enthralling read. Thanks to netgalley for the arc.

I loved this book! As a lover of true crime, I was hooked and wanted it to end to have all the loose ends tied up while simultaneously wanting it to slow down so I could savor the read. I didn't see the ending coming and pulled for Evie every step of the way. The character development, the storyline and the chase left me wanting more. Highly recommend and look forward to future books from this author!

Thank you to #NetGalley #WilliamMorrow and #HannahDeitch for an ARC!
Follow me @bookish_80881 on Bookstagram

A lesbian Thelma and Louise story. SAT tutor Evie Gordon goes on the run after finding the bodies of her employers strewn across their immaculate yard. In self-defense, she throws a lamp at her student, thinking she's killed her. She escapes with a woman she found bound under a hidden closet under the stairs of the house. The woman won't speak to Evie so it's up to her to find the real culprit and clear her name.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Willam Morrow for this digital e-arc.*

This was such a fun thriller! I'm sure avid readers of thrillers won't be surprised by the twist but since I'm newer to the genre I enjoyed it. I was at the edge of my seat waiting to figure out what would happen next. I really enjoyed the conversations about how society responds to women who commit crimes. I was also interested in the way narratives are created for us and affect how we are viewed regardless of how accurate they are. I will say this book felt like it bit off more than it could chew with the philosophical elements. I enjoyed the thought experiments but I wanted some conclusion about the questions that kept getting brought up but we never really got that. Overall the story was a bit unresolved for me. The characters are very morally gray which I loved. We didn't get a lot of closure in the ending though. The story ends in an open way and I wanted more of a definitive resolution. The plot still kept me engaged and I really enjoyed the twists and turns the story took. If you love stories about characters on the run trying to clear their name then this is a great thriller for you.

Hannah Deitch's "Killer Potential" is an electrifying novel that deftly combines suspense, dark humor, and sharp social commentary.

The protagonist, Evie Gordon, is a scholarship student with immense promise, who ventures into morally ambiguous territory. The plot is gripping from the start, with each chapter drawing readers deeper into Evie's high-stakes journey—a journey that explores ambition, identity, and the unseen costs of societal pressure. Deitch keeps the intrigue alive with a seamless interplay between crime elements and biting satire, creating a narrative that is as thought-provoking as it is entertaining.

One of the novel's strongest features is its exceptional characterization. Evie emerges as a richly layered protagonist, grappling with choices that are as complex as they are compelling. Her internal struggles are vividly portrayed, making her both relatable and deeply engaging. The supporting cast further enriches the story, each character contributing to its multifaceted exploration of morality and ambition. These relationships provide additional depth, creating a dynamic interplay that mirrors the broader societal issues the novel examines.

The pacing is masterful, maintaining a brisk yet deliberate rhythm that keeps readers hooked without sacrificing depth or nuance. Deitch’s writing shines with sharp wit and evocative detail, blending moments of dark humor with incisive commentary on the structures that shape modern life. "Killer Potential" is an exhilarating read and a profound reflection on the complexities of human ambition. Deitch’s original and compelling storytelling mark this novel as a standout in contemporary fiction.