This book started super fast. Evie Gordon, the main character was pretty intense. There was action from the very beginning, including some absolutely graphic images of the murder scene. It really does start out quite frenetically, and I'm rooting for her because yeah, she didn't kill anyone. But even with the fast paced scenes, I found the interactions between the character a little contrived and wooden. I wish I could say I liked it but I was not too keen on the storyline and the world building.

Hannah Deitch’s “Killed Potential” has exactly that, but it’s squandered by odd pacing, incorrect marketing, and a one-note story.

The book follows Evie Gordon, an SAT tutor who stumbles upon the brutal murder of her wealthy employers at their Beverly Hills estate. Alongside the bound woman she frees from a closet, Evie quickly goes from bystander to fugitive. As the pair become the targets of a nationwide manhunt, Evie realizes that to clear her name, she must find the real killer. Throughout their journey across the U.S., Evie forms a deep bond with her mysterious companion, who refuses to speak but holds secrets of her own.

"Killer Potential" ultimately takes an interesting story of mistaken identity and makes it boring and one note. The main crux and foundation of "Killer Potential" is killer. I thought our main character, despite some irrational decisions, was an interesting lead. But she's unchanged from page one to its last, seemingly not learning anything. Without going into spoilers, our co-lead is fairly similar until act three, where the story shifts but at a point where it felt too little too late. 

I've read dozens of thrillers - some with a comedy spin - but "Killer Potential" is most definitely one of the more boring ones that lacks thrill and humor. I'm actually unsure why the author even included the comedy element so heavily in the book's marketing. It is not. Another issue lies with the fact that we only ever follow these two characters. It would have been great to have some parallel storyline of detectives on the case to mix it up. Again, there's a moment near the end where we have a POV change but at that point, it doesn't help the reader who may already be checked out. 

It's a shame because not only is the foundation good, the author has something interesting to say about the "American dream" and the 1% here but it doesn't help that both are in an underwhelming and boring novel. Thanks for the ARC NetGalley and William Morrow.

A fast-paced, thought-provoking thriller that puts a dark twist on the classic “women on the run” narrative. Think Thelma & Louise, but make it queer - with an edge of surrealism that blurs the line between self-discovery and self-destruction. As Evie and her unlikely companion navigate a world quick to judge and misrepresent, the story explores the slippery slope between innocence and darkness. How does someone go from an unfortunate accident to entertaining the idea of something far more sinister? Deitch doesn’t just ask the question - she dares you to sit with the discomfort of it. Engaging, intense, and laced with tension, Killer Potential is worth the read.

3.25/5 ⭐️s

Evie Gordon is former Gifted and Talented child, left with few employment options after completing college, and finds herself as a SAT tutor to the children of the wealthy in the Los Angeles area. Her regular Sunday appointment is with Serena Victor, but when she arrives one Sunday, instead of finding Serena waiting for her, she finds the corpses of Serena's murdered parents and mysterious woman bound in a closet. Together, this woman and Evie flee the scene after being discovered by Serena and her boyfriend Lukas, and they find themselves on the run from law enforcement on a cross-country trek. Over the course of several weeks, Evie and her mystery woman evade capture and develop a relationship.
This is a solid debut for me, and it was both well written and easy to read, and overall, it was compulsively readable. The pacing and character development as the book went on was enjoyable as well. I really don't feel that I can say all too much without potentially spoiling the plot, but for me this was a solid 4-star rating. I do think the ending was somewhat implausible and although the book itself was quite short, the last 20ish percent of the book kind of dragged and felt repetitive.
Thank you to William Morrow for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.

what the!!???!? I really enjoyed this one. I felt that the book was well written and fast-paced. It was hard for me to put this one down.

I was unable to finish this book and thus will not be posting a full review. I found the writing trite and the story not well thought out. Thank you for your consideration and the opportunity.

This was a great read; fast-paced, clever, suspenseful and sexy. Loved the layers to the characters and the twists near the end. Highly recommended. 3-stars because I found the spicy scenes and a bit gratuitous. Highly recommended if you like sassy writing and sharp adventure stories. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Pub Date: March 18, 2025

#KillerPotential

Easiest five stars I've given in a hot minute. This one was SO fun. The cross-country escapades, the romance between two ridiculous individuals, the former gifted kid vibes of wanting to be known? Loved it. Devoured it. It was fast-paced, which was just what I needed. Sorry to all the people out there who didn't like this and didn't find an emotionally stunted 30 year old to be realistic, because I had a great time.

It's a little bit Thelma and Louise, a little bit Parasite, a little bit Promising Young Woman, and a whole lot of fun. Excited to see what comes next from this debut author!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was beautiful in a way I didn’t expect. The writing is sharp and reflective, and the two main characters are heartbreaking. It gabe me Thelma and Louise vibes.

Thank you so much to the publishers for this copy.

I really am on the fence about this one, rating it between a 2.5/3 star. on one hand, the story ended up getting better and easier to follow through with; on the other hand, I thought parts of the story - mostly the sex scenes - were just very random and out of storyline. I did end up finishing it in a few days & didn’t hate it all together.

This amazing debut novel has it all--lesbians, crime sprees, blood, car chases, and a deeply relatable look into the psychological effects of gifted child syndrome.

I devoured this book in a single day. I could not put it down! From the moment Evie Gordon stumbles upon a gruesome crime scene and ends up on the run with a mysterious woman, I was hooked. Dietch's writing is so smart and quick-witted, with a surprising amount of emotional depth packed into her words. I was deeply invested in Evie's story. She is such a compelling character—smart, driven, and yet totally stuck in the limbo of unfulfilled potential (unfortunately relatable). Her journey from being a bright, hardworking scholarship student to a fugitive running across the country is captivating. I loved the way the novel explores her inner turmoil and disillusionment with the American Dream, while also pushing her into a world of danger and intrigue that she’s completely unprepared for.

And then there’s her companion—the woman she frees from the mansion—whose silence adds an air of mystery and tension. I never quite got into her head, but despite that, Dietch made me care about her deeply. The dynamic between the two main characters is fascinating.

What sets Killer Potential apart is its perfect balance of intensity and biting social critique. The way it skewers the myths of upward mobility, success, and class warfare is brilliant. It’s thought-provoking without being preachy, and it's wrapped in a rollercoaster of twists and turns that I never saw coming. I could not have predicted a single plot point, and that's truly remarkable for someone who reads so much and studies fiction writing.

If you’re a fan of books that combine sharp wit, deep character exploration, and a pulse-pounding plot, Killer Potential is a must. Highly recommend!

It has been a long time since I read a book like nothing I've ever experienced before — but hot dang, Killer Potential is a brand new thing! I'm frankly shocked this book got published. Shocked and thrilled. Fantastic. Brilliant. Compelling. Sexy. Queer. Hilarious. Infuriating. Absolutely biting social commentary in the best possible way. I was hooked from the first page and wasn't let down by even a single chapter. I'm going to push this book onto everyone I know for the rest of the year!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read this book and provide an honest review.

Thank you to @libro and @harper audio for my audio copy. I so wanted to give this one a 5, I was so close, but the ending just kind of fizzled for me. I adored this book on audio, I been struggling some with audiobooks lately and enjoying them, but this one was just perfect. I loved the 2 narrators, they brought so much life and emotion to the story. This is one of those stores that translates so well to audio. You feel like the narrator is just sharing her story with you, so good. The audio version definitely enhanced my overall opinion of this book.

The story was great too. Modern day Thelma and Louise. Super impressed that this was a debut, I will absolutely jump at the chance to read this authors next book, and hope another one will be on the way quickly!

What an interesting look at a piece of life that we’re all enthralled and terrified of: making one bad decision that then takes our lives in a completely different direction. It showcased how having that one moment can change your viewpoint too.

One thing that was really cool was how this book was invariably completed before Luigi Mangione made the news, yet it talked about having a Robin Hood killer. Very timely subject matter!

I appreciated the growing relationship between the two MCs. It felt complex and real, and was full of false starts. I also appreciated all the moral ambiguities.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

I found this book to be an enjoyable read with good character development and enough suspense to keep the reader interested. This is a book which I would recommend to all who enjoy a good mystery.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I thought the author did an excellent job with the story and characters. I will admit that I was hooked from the beginning, and I couldn't put it down. There was so much in this book from spice to humor, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I can't wait to read more from this author. I definitely recommend this book to other readers.

Thank you Net Galley, William Morrow, and Hannah Deitch

This is a wild ride and a strong debut!

Evie Gordon arrives at the Victors wealthy estate where she tutors their son. But instead of facing a reluctant teen, she finds both parents murdered in their backyard. As she is fleeing the scene, she discovers a woman tied up and trapped in the house. Evie frees the woman and they escape together. They instantly become fugitives and America’s Most Wanted in this murder investigation. What follows is a cat and mouse chase across the country as these women avoid the law.

This was a fast paced thriller with strong ‘Thelma and Louise’ vibes. It was a lot of fun to read if you can suspend disbelief and just enjoy the adventure!

Thank you Netgalley, William Morrow, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on March 18, 2025

This. Is. So. Good.
I zoomed through this book, licking up every delicious morsel! Evie and Jae are both deeply unreliable narrators which makes it all so much more fun. This was sexy and funny and such a good thrill ride! I certainly recommend and can’t wait to read more by this author.

This book was one wild ride.
While I really enjoyed some parts, I didn’t love others.
Evie is just a tutor trying to make it in the world.
When she comes to the home of her student, and finds her student’s parents brutally murdered, she runs. But not before making some big mistakes. On her way out the door she hears someone call for help, and discovers a woman tied up in a closet. The two embark on a journey as wrongly accused, wanted women. It’s insane and crazy and really good. Loved most of it.
Thank you netgalley for this arc and libro.fm for this listen!

"Killer Potential" is a fast-paced adventure that I found to resonate with fans of Emma Cline's "The Girls" and the film "Thelma and Louise." I also believe that readers who enjoyed Maggie Thrash's "Rainbow Black" would appreciate this suspenseful, Be Gay, Do Crimes-themed novel.

The story follows Evie, a 29-year-old former "gifted" child who struggles to live up to her potential. To make ends meet, she ends up tutoring the privileged children of the wealthy elite on the SAT. Her life takes a sudden turn when she stumbles upon a crime scene. In a twist of fate, she rescues a mysterious woman, but they must flee to avoid being suspected by the police. What follows is a chaotic journey filled with friendship and adventure.

I read this book in one sitting. It was filled with anticipation, and I didn’t feel that it glamorized violence. Instead, it illustrates how quickly situations can spiral out of control and how easy it is to rush to judgments, particularly in an era dominated by a 24-hour news cycle and the desire for viral moments. A big thank-you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing this witty, gripping read.