This was the ultimate in villain/antihero stories! I loved Evie and Jae, they were brilliantly crafted and their story did them justice (get it? Haha!) I loved reading this book and all of the unexpected twists and turns. This book surprised me when many don’t. I loved every moment of it! Incredible first novel, can’t wait for more from this talented author!

*Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and to LibroFM for the gifted ALC*

Killer Potential is action-packed from the start. We literally stumble on dead bodies, a woman tied up in a closet, and are forced to flee the scene within the first 15 minutes of the audiobook. HOLY COW. I liked its take on the sensationalism of crime in America, with Evie quickly cast as a murderess a la Charles Manson. It's an interesting take on Bonnie and Clyde, if Bonnie were accused of serial murder and Clyde was their mute accomplice with a knack for hotwiring cars.

Things got a little weird about 3/4ths of the way through and it kinda lost me. But I can respect Hannah Deitch's choice in the plot and the ending. Can't wait to read more from her!

Was this unhinged? Yes. Did I still have a great time? Absolutely. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy!

The premise is up my alley when I need a pallette cleanser of all the sad, dystopian stuff I've been reading 🤣 I liked it! There's A LOT of disbelief suspending required here and while I wasn't always able to do that, I was curious where the story would go.

Evie is a 29 year old SAT tutor. She tutors rich people's kids in Los Angeles, one of them being Serena Victor. One Sunday, Evie arrives to her scheduled session with Serena to find Serena's parents brutally murdered...and a very skinny, bruised, tied up woman under the stairs. Evie helps this woman escape and they go on the run, evading the police who think they're murderers.

It's very 'Thelma & Louise' - and I love that movie. The two woman are now stuck together, forced to trust each other... but do they really get to know each other at all? What does adrenaline do to our bodies and mind? Is love really blind?

Anything I rate over a 3 I recommend. Again, suspend your disbelief going in and I think you'll have a good time.

This was a ride - and a well written one with a solid pace that only lagged in a few spots. Thanks to the publisher via Netgalley invite for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, book publishes March 18

I was lured here with the promise of morally gray sapphics burning it all down, and I was not disappointed. Evie is an almost perfect proxy for many of the people who will be drawn to this book - a middle class millennial whose potential elevated her to all sorts of positions, where she did everything "right", but fell right back down into the mediocrity muddle when the educational system ran out, leaving her scrambling for something to keep her propped up. What she finds is being an SAT tutor to wealthy families, which pays just enough, but brings her into constant contact with those who build a society that keeps everyone else out.

What I appreciated was that while she didn't actually murder the Victors, the narration and Evie herself never shy away from the fact that the line keeping her away from it is thin. A line that keeps getting thinner the more she and Jae are on the run, becoming more and more desperate to find a way to just <i>live</i>. Because while she is filled with rage, it's mostly at the system and is less personal, though as more of the system gets turned against her, she brings up the point, how long does it take, being labeled and believed something, to believe it of yourself? How much desperation and living on the fringes does it take to lose a sense of self built up over decades?

Jae embodies much more of this, having lived with that desperation for far longer, and as more and more of her story unfolds, it's less of a parallel and more of a converging route.

It's fascinating reading this during the time of Luigi - normally I feel like I wouldn't know a wanted murderer's face, even if it's on tons of news - and thinking of the parallels and how much of a difference knowing /why/ a crime is committed makes in terms of public opinion (there are people who think Evie and Jae were justified, but for most, public opinion is of a brutal, senseless murder out of jealousy) and whose killings make national news.

Here is my review of this book. So if you the blurb Evie is a SAT tutor who arrives at the home of Serena to tutor her only to find her parents are both dead. Before she even can react there is someone locked in a closet crying for help. Evie finds the young girl tied up in the closet. Then Serena shows up and a struggle happens and Evie thinks she might have killed her. Anyway she goes on the run with the girl that was tied up in the closest They evade the police for such a long time. I pretty much figured out who killed Serena’s parents. I liked the book but it was lengthy. I will reveal one thing. Serena landed up in a coma but finally woke up. I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review. It was a decent read but a little too long. All in all it was a fun book.

This was a great debut! I was hooked from the beginning and I found the premise to feel fresh. The characters were flawed and I found myself rooting for them - I wanted them to be found innocent and loved the entire ride to the last page.

Readers who enjoy fast-paced psychological thrillers will devour this book. Killer Potential is not only a deep exploration of the human psyche but also an insightful commentary on class disparity and societal expectations. Written with an impudent, cheeky tone, Hannah Deitch’s razor-sharp prose is both entertaining and thought-provoking.

Though Deitch’s narrative is an indulgent take on social class, society, and human behavior, its bold and brash script carries a psychological depth that is simply captivating. This story resonates with readers, illustrating how dreams and struggles sometimes intertwine to create devastating consequences. Creatively told through two narrators, the novel is nuanced, capturing both the resilience and fear inherent in a life on the run.

Killer Potential follows Evie Gordon, a bored and directionless SAT tutor with lofty aspirations. Evie’s journey begins with her inordinate belief in her own exceptionalism, a mindset long fueled by her academic success and overindulgent parents. Though she comes from working-class people, she was always lucky enough to have access to the best education possible. However, it didn’t guarantee fulfillment or success, revealing a stark and relevant reality: a prestigious education does not necessarily lead to a prosperous life. After graduating with multiple degrees, she finds herself buried in debt and struggling to make ends meet, so she turns to tutoring. Her predicament reflects the unsettling truth concerning higher education today, making her story relatable to anyone who has faced similar challenges.

The turning point in Evie’s life occurs when she stumbles upon a gruesome crime scene at an SAT tutee’s home. This shocking event propels her into a world of chaos and danger, transforming her from a mere observer into a fugitive. The sudden shift in her circumstances underscores life’s unpredictability; any leisurely existence she once enjoyed is instantly gone. Joined by a traumatized mystery woman she rescues from the horrifying scene, she takes to the streets and is thrust into a personal crisis like no other. She must use her wit and resourcefulness to safeguard this stranger and clear her name before she is wrongfully arrested. With a nationwide manhunt nipping at her heels, she slowly realizes her run from the law might involve more than fleeing and evading the police. It might be an exile from all that she loves and knows. Either way, it’s something that exposes her to things she never wanted or expected.

Deitch’s storytelling style is unique and original. Her intense and cutting scenes raise compelling questions about identity and perception. As Evie becomes the center of media attention, she grapples with her newfound notoriety. The press portrays her as a dangerous figure, drawing parallels to infamous criminals like Charles Manson. Deitch capitalizes on this, offering a sharp reflection of the way society often oversimplifies complex and incomplete stories. Evie becomes a bite-sized, digestible news reel, easily consumed on Instagram and Twitter, where podcasters and posters— depending on their agenda—either vilify or glorify her.

Final remarks…

Deitch’s page-turning debut Killer Potential captivates readers with its layered, highly involved plot. Evie’s journey from hopeful scholarship student and academic success to headline-making murder suspect is nothing short of gripping. The characters are developed with subtlety and clear intention, embodying both strength and vulnerability as they navigate fear and uncertainty. The compelling blend of grim sarcasm and fast-paced suspense makes this novel completely engrossing; it’s nonstop hairpin twists and turns all the way. The alliance between Evie and Jae is formed under the most unreal situation, driving them deeper into a tangled web of deceit that reveals nothing is as it seems. With each revelation, the stakes escalate, forcing Evie to summon her courage and accept her fate. This is not just a tale of suspense and suspicion; it is an exploration of truth and the lengths one will go to cover it up—and survive it.

Strengths…

Cleverly written
Suspenseful
Engaging narrative
Interesting characters
Fast-paced

Killer Potential didn’t do it for me. This book feels like it is supposed to move quickly, and it’s fast reading, but I felt like the plot was too slow. I was not hooked and, thus, not particularly interested in how things would unfold.

I did really like this quote:
“The rags-to-riches fantasy is so deeply engraved into the American consciousness that it’s cellular, the invisible strand in the helix of our DNA. A doe-eyed chimney sweep works hard and catches the eye of a Wall Street Prince Charming. Bootstrapping stories have kept capitalists’ dicks hard since the Gilded Age.“

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Evie Gordon, a scholarship student drowning in debt after graduating from an elite university, stumbles upon a murder at a wealthy family’s estate—and suddenly, she’s a fugitive. As she fights to clear her name and uncover the real killer, she teams up with a mysterious woman, forming an unexpected bond. Hunted by authorities and labeled a murderer by the media, Evie starts questioning everything society tells us about success and social mobility.

This book is a wild ride, blending dark humor with nonstop twists. The story follows two unlikely fugitives—an SAT tutor who walks in on a brutal crime scene and the bound woman she rescues. Both main characters are incredibly easy to root for, and the unexpected dynamic of a female perpetrator adds an extra layer of intrigue.

The suspense never lets up, especially with the road trip setting keeping things fast-paced. The writing is sharp, and the big reveal at the end is perfectly executed. If you love thrillers with humor and social commentary, this one’s a must-read!

A big thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Killer Potential is a fabulous book. There are not enough superlatives to describe this wild ride of two fugitives. And fugitives doesn’t begin to describe the relationship between Evie, literally an innocent bystander to horrific crimes, and Jae, the mastermind who Evie thinks she has rescued.

The language is vibrant, colorful, lyrical, and mesmerizing. The way the relationship between Evie and Jae develops, rises, falls, and ultimately ends (or does it) is equally mesmerizing. The denouement is remarkable. I could not put this book down.

I look forward to more by this writer. She is extremely talented.

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.

This book had a strong start. I liked the idea of Evie walking into a murder scene. Then it becomes a little drawn out and moves slower as the 2 are on the run. The book does pick up again but it takes until the very end. Overall just meh.

Wow, what a concept. An SAT tutor walking into the mansion of the family she works for to find them slaughtered. She goes on the run while trying to prove her innocence.

I loved everything about that concept but not totally sure about the execution. Evie makes one insane decision after another to the point it’s just flat out irritating. The twist barely made any sense.

I did have fun reading it though and it’s a great debut. Buckle up for a fun, ridiculous ride and suspend a lot of disbelief and you’ll enjoy yourself.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

Killer Potential by Hannah Deitch is a sharp, gripping thriller that blurs the line between ambition and obsession. With dark academia vibes, unexpected twists, and a chilling mystery, this one will keep you hooked until the very last page!

Brilliant!

What do you get when you cross a whip smart SAT tutor with with a seemingly mute chick tied up in a closet at a murder scene? The setting for a pretty great book...and it really was. Throw in criss-crossing the country, a sapphic love interest, and an homage to Thelma and Louise and KABOOM, five stars.

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy. It was truly a pleasure to read and review this book.

Killer Potential just really missed the mark for me, unfortunately. It was an interesting premise, but I just couldn’t get interested in the characters. I thought the addition of the second point of view felt odd, and there was a lot going on at the end of the book that seemed so unrealistic, veering on impossible. I just felt like it didn’t make sense. Not for me.

This book gave 100% Bonnie & Clyde energy and I loved it!! Such an interesting take on a who done it. I really loved the mind of the FMC and felt she was equal parts elitist/too smart for her own good and not a whole lot of streets smarts. I will say I didn't love the ending, it fell a little flat for me. I also felt that the love interest came out of left field, but once it got going I was more ok with it.

I feel like this book was made for me, I AM the target demographic. Sapphic, cat and mouse, twisty, fast-paced, fun to read, felt like I was watching a movie play out... it felt like such a fever dream. The writing was sharp and unique, and while it felt like it got a little repetitive toward the end, once the reveals started to unravel, I could not put this down.

If you are an avid thriller fan or are like me and will read anything that's both twisty and gay, add this one to your TBR or preorder it immediately.

this was a good book! I liked it and it kept me engaged from page 1. I think it was entertaining, it had some good plot twists, and other twists and turns. I did like the way it had some dark humor and funny moments

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!