I really wanted to love this book - it started out with such a bang and drew the reader in right away, but the story lost me a bit in the middle. It was hard for me to suspend disbelief for some of the things that happened and parts of the book started to feel a bit rambling and like the story line got lost. The ending was really strong but the in between definitely dropped this a star for me.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

I somehow didn’t realize this had a sapphic romance in it, but it was a very pleasant surprise. Fast paced, very engaging, and surprisingly introspective, my one kind of complaint is that most of the narrative ends up being more oriented around survival than like a murder mystery thriller, and the ending is not the most satisfying? If it had been, that would have bumped this up to 5 stars.

Also, I don’t know when Hannah Deitch wrote this, but I’m assuming it was well before Luigi Mangione shot Brian Thompson, and that kind of tickles me because some of the media aspects of this book read as though they were inspired by that. Art imitating life, I guess!

Two women meet at a crime scene and are on the run. They are suspected of murder, and are trying to hide until the police find the killer.

While the story line was good, I found myself wanting to DNF this book. It started slow and dragged for me. It seemed repetitive and I got bored, but I did finish it.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book, which releases March 18, 2025.

I requested an advanced reading copy of Killer Potential based on the main character being someone who is not living up to her intellectual potential.

The book is well written, and you can tell that the author herself is very intelligent. While I enjoyed it, I also felt that not much happens outside of the synopsis of the book. Perhaps I am just not smart enough myself to understand what the author was going for here.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hannah Deitch for approving my ARC request.

Killer Potential by Hannah Deitch is a gripping thriller that follows two unlikely fugitives: an SAT tutor who discovers her wealthy employers brutally murdered, and the bound woman she rescues from their mansion. With razor-sharp writing, a frenzied pace, and unexpected twists and turns, this novel is sure to leave readers on the edge of their seats. Deitch's deliciously cunning characters and intense storytelling will have you turning pages faster than ever before. Get ready for impact!

3.5. Brimming with vivid descriptions and an almost stream-of-conscious narrative, it's almost difficult to believe that this is a debut because of how competently it's written. There's a "Thelma and Louise" energy to the story that's enhanced by its modern dressings; Evie is an engaging main character, the driving force of the story, veering nearly towards "unlikable" but in a way that's undeniably compelling, from her intellectual snobbery (that she's acutely aware of; I really enjoy the way she talks about being a "gifted kid", because it could've easily been grating, but the cynicism and acknowledgement about how it didn't actually prepare her any better for the world is a very interesting commentary) to her "mean girl" adjacent demeanor. I feel like she's the type of character a lot of people think they're writing these days, only to fail miserably at; someone who isn't nice, but isn't entirely cruel, either. It's a difficult balance to find, without feeling like you're downplaying a character's actions or not fully committing to their more terrible nature, but it's a balance that Deitch manages to achieve. It never really feels like either Evie nor Jae delve into "therapyspeak" to explain away their personalities, which is probably the most refreshing aspect of the book.

I do wish Jae received the same depth, though. She isn't entirely neglected in the story; even when she's mute, there is a lot of good development for her (and that was really exciting for me; mute characters are such a hit-and-mess, typically little more than a cardboard stereotype), but even as the story unfolds more and she becomes more realized, you just don't really get a lot of emotion from her. My biggest issue with the story really is the twist; it was a little obvious that that was how things were going to go (I was wavering between "Jae is the culprit" and "Dinah faked her death and killed her husband" as the conclusion to the plot), but it's just a little disappointing regardless. I'm not a huge fan of "woman fakes being kidnapped/abused and is actually revealed as some master manipulator"; I enjoyed "Gone Girl" well enough but I think it's a topic that needs to really be handled with care, especially with the increasing real life violence against women, and how often women who come forward about abuse are immediately discredited and labelled as "liars" and "manipulators". It's just a little more weird in this book since Jae is a woman of color and women of color are more often labelled as 'violent' just for the sole fact of existing, so the fact that the resolution of the plot is essentially Jae taking the fall for the white woman main character for everything that happened, even the things that they did together, is a little frustrating.

But that big issue aside, there IS a lot I liked about this book. The writing was so good. Some parts feel a little pretentious, but it works, because of who Evie is. I love when the book switches in part iii between Evie and Jae; I wish we had gotten more of that, though I understand why we didn't. I really liked the casual wlw representation, especially Evie's bisexuality. I think the way Deitch handled the road aspects of the novel were really good. You bounce around a lot but the book manages to keep itself straight in regards to locations; I really liked the way Evie adjusts to life on the run, how she and Jae find their rhythm for committing crimes.

Like I said, this is a fantastic debut. Deitch definitely has a good career ahead of her, and apparently this was already picked up for a series adaptation?? I think it'll work well on the big screen. And I'm really interested in whatever Deitch writes next.

This book just missed the mark for me. I was able to guess what was going to happen pretty quickly and honesty I just lost interest after that. The cover is what drew me in to this book but I was just expecting more

ARC REVIEW

SYNOPSIS: Evie is an SAT prep tutor in LA who has big dreams for herself. When she shows up to an appointment and no one answers the door she stumbles upon a nightmare. The parents of her charge have been murdered and a woman is tied up under their stairs. When the daughter walks in on Evie and the gaunt woman, who won't say a word, they are immediately thought to be suspects and end up on the run.

This book was so fast paced and easy to get into that I thought I was on the "road trip" with Evie and her companion. They become a duo of outlaws, stealing cars, robbing purses and doing whatever it takes to survive. I was completely blindsided by the twist that almost made me drop my Kindle! The book was also funny, sharp and overall very entertaining.

This is an excellent debut novel by Hannah Deitch's and I will be looking out for what is to come from her.

Publication Date: March 18, 2025

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Killer Potential by Hannah Deitch is a fast-paced and engaging debut novel that makes for a good palette cleanser. I was immediately drawn into the story, the plot had me very intrigued. The premise is fun, and the writing is pretty solid! However, as the book progressed, my interest started to wane. The middle felt a bit slow and lacked the excitement I was hoping for, which made it harder for me to stay fully invested.
The relationship between Jae and Evie also didn't resonate with me. I didn't connect with their dynamic, and Evie's constant bad decisions made her a frustrating character to follow. At times, I found myself wanting her to make a different choice, but she just kept digging herself deeper. I also felt the twist at the end was fairly obvious but still a decent ending! Overall, not a bad debut for Hannah and I would be interested to read more of her future work!
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!!

DNF @ 20%, this sadly didn't work for me. I could tell you the ending twist at the beginning and it was almost too unrealistic!

This is a very unusual story. I almost put it down after the first chapter. (But keep going, it gets better)
This author has a very different way of writing. Lots and lots of "thoughts" from the main characters. It put me off at first and then I settled into it and thought "let's see where this takes me".
And it takes you into a wild ride of murder, running and hiding, Many exciting action scenes.
Many surprises. A romance sort of...more like an alliance and blending of souls. I had no idea how it would end.
I must admit I skimmed alot. Much of the "thoughts" involved past history of the 2 main characters lives. Some of it interesting but most did not move the story along.
If I hadn't skimmed I would have given it a 5 star rating.
It really is unusual.

Killer Potential was a tough start for me, but I'm glad I kept with it. It turns into a hilarious story of an unliekly duo of fugitives trying to clear their names.

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: March 18, 2025

This sapphic thriller was a good commentary on wealth and socioeconomic mobility, but otherwise irritating. Our MC Evie is 29 years old and talks obsessively about how smart she is, which made it very difficult for me to believe any of her actions throughout. I thought the twist was going to be that she was just nuts and Jae was all in her head. That being said, the twist did surprise me. The romance in this gave the ultimate ick. There was no build up or chemistry, and it felt a bit predatory coming out of nowhere.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time reading this. It was good, but I was so stressed out for a lot of the book. I liked that it is a different premise and plot to most mysteries/thrillers I read.

This book wasn't my favorite. I think my biggest problem was by the time I got through with the full page paragraphs I had lost interest. I guessed the plot immediately and nothing really stood out.

I hated Evie. I found her childish and just plain conceited. I finished it hoping I was going to get more but, I left disappointed.

A twist I didn’t see coming! This one took me a little bit to get into but once you get about half way through, it’s one you can’t put down.

Let me first say, I read this book in one day. Something about the style in writing and suspense just kept me hooked until I finished the book! This book does a great job keeping you guessing about the "whodunit", while also carrying along an entire storyline about the main character. I kept thinking, NO DON'T DO THAT, that's a terrible idea! So, definitely a few of those unrealistic actions that we see in horror movies, but I still didn't guess the ending!

I usually go in blind to most books, and I would recommend you do the same for this one!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own

I selected this book based on the cover and synopsis. Unfortunately the first several chapters did not captivate me and were odd once the initial murder happened. I was not invested in the characters and the progression and the plot was strange. I did not finish the book after chapter 5.

Killer Potential by Hannah Deitch is a thriller featuring Evie Gordon, a flailing multi-degree college graduate. Evie works as an SAT tutor for the wealthy of LA. The novel begins with her being spotted at her clients immediately after their grisly murders. She and the young woman she finds bound at the mansion quickly go from bystanders to fugitives, and go on the run. I became immediately engrossed in the chase and found the novel to be compulsively readable. I could not put it down! It’s a sharp, occasionally funny Thelma and Louise love story. An overall fast paced psychological thriller. A very strong debut novel. 4/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own. 3/18/25

Debut mystery thriller that had me cheering for both suspects until the true killer was revealed. Evie found herself in a “wrong place at the wrong time” type of situation on her normally scheduled day to tutor the Victor’s daughter. Upon entering the quiet house she soon finds Mr & Mrs Victor dead so she attempts to flee but not before stumbling across what she thinks to be a kept prisoner. Mishaps occur and various other crimes can’t be avoided in their attempts to remain free until they solve the murder of the Victors. The writer kept me riveted and pensive in comparing true life to some of the narratives. I am looking forward to reading more from this author. I received an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.