Bridging the gap between literary and genre fiction is a delicate act. Inevitably, you draw in two different kinds of reader and neither leaves fully satisfied. Readers of thrillers and mysteries will call the story "slow" or brag they saw the twist coming, as if that were the point. Readers of literary and general fiction will be unimpressed with the gimmicky nature of the plot. While not quite achieving the impossible, <i>Killer Potential</i> gives it a good college try (get it? because of the SAT?).

The story begins with Evie, an in-home SAT tutor, who discovers her employers brutally murdered inside their home. She starts to flee the scene, but before she goes, she hears a woman calling for help in the basement. She frees her but must now flee as a fugitive when the two are discovered by the daughter of her employers who believes they were involved in the murder—perhaps an unrealistic leap to an exaggerated set of choices, but now the scene is set. Evie and the mystery woman are now on the lamb hoping to avoid law enforcement with their faces plastered on every TV screen in the nation.

I was pleasantly delighted by the additional depth of the story beyond your typical cat-and-mouse car chase. Unexpectedly, the book explored interesting themes like class inequities, the mirage of class mobility, homelessness, and racism. However, it never really settled on any of them long enough to share a novel perspective. Even more unexpectedly, a romance between Evie and Jae blossoms—sweet, but ill-fated. I enjoyed the story, but wish we either got more exploration of the deeper themes or at least resolution to the novel's open-ended questions: What did Peter do that made his death so unregretted? And, what ever happened to Jae?

<i>Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

I was absolutely SUCKED right into this!! what an amazing story with a wild twist at the end, i cannot recommend this book enough

This was a short, easy, entertaining read. It wasn’t the most complex, and the characters didn’t feel fully developed, but it was still well done

I would like to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins for giving me the opportunity to receive an ARC copy.

This was fast-paced and well written! Incredible debut that I'd HIGHLY recommend!

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so much fun. It keeps your full attention on this wild ride while these two women are on the run. I had to force myself to put it down at times. I completely guessed who the killer was so the twist wasn't a total shock to me.

My only real complaint was the ending it just felt kind of meh to me. Once it hits a point at around maybe 90% it starts ending and it just felt like it was ending with a whimper for me. Not really sure how else to word it. The rest of the book was total non-stop action and then that you got around there and it was like someone hit the breaks.

4.5 stars rounded up

Killer Potential is a darkly clever, high-concept debut that starts with a bang—literally—and rarely lets up. Evie Gordon, a bright scholarship student turned disillusioned tutor, becomes the accidental face of a media frenzy after stumbling onto a brutal crime scene, setting off a whirlwind cross-country chase with a mute and mysterious companion.

The novel offers a sharp critique of social mobility and media spectacle, and its satirical bite adds flair to what might otherwise be a familiar fugitive thriller. But while the premise is gripping and the voice distinct, the plot occasionally strains believability, and the emotional stakes don’t always land. It’s a smart, provocative ride—just not as fully realized or resonant as it could have been.

2 ⭐️

Immediately had a hard time with this because Evie -- after completely innocently stumbling upon a crime scene -- convinces herself the police are going to think she's guilty (for no reason whatsoever) and is then subsequently "on the run" for the entire book, committing actual crimes while doing so, and making herself look guilty when there was no reason to originally think she was.

This book was also unexpectedly spicy at a few points, which just totally through me off because I headed into it thinking it was a thriller. And for a thriller, it was not that thrilling. Quite disappointing :/

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a DRC in exchange for my honest review!

I was so excited for this one. At first, I was invested in the story. What an opening. But as it continued to go on, I struggled to stay invested because of how the character interactions seemed so one sided. I lost interest and have decided to move on.

This book was fine but nothing ground-breaking. I enjoyed it well enough, but I probably won’t go out of my way to recommend it.

A fast paced read as Eve and Jae take off across the country as fugitives. The writing was tight and descriptive. Something was always happening, as these two women came to rely on each other. Interesting, twisty towards the end. A really good debut novel. Thank you NetGalley for providing the ARC.

This book is okay. The characters make so many choices that absolutely do not make sense, which could be fun if the book was a little bit more self aware, but I was able to finish the book without getting too bored.

“Killer Potential” by Hannah Deitch is a sharp, fast-paced debut that brilliantly blends literary depth with thriller suspense. Evie Gordon is a compelling protagonist—smart, driven, and achingly relatable—as she’s thrust into a nightmarish whirlwind of murder, media frenzy, and mistaken identity. With biting commentary on privilege, ambition, and the illusion of social mobility, Deitch delivers a thought-provoking narrative that’s as gripping as it is timely. Equal parts heart-racing and heartbreaking, this is a standout novel that lingers long after the final page.

Thank you Hannah Deitch, William Morrow, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

This was such an incredible book. The cover really intrigued me.. I love a strong female, main character energy. This was part contemporary part coming of age and part thriller, all wrapped into one. I seriously binged it in less than 24 hours which says a lot because I don’t really read a lot of books in one setting. I have never read any books by this author previous to reading this, but I can tell she has a lot of potential.!

I really enjoyed this! I feel like I would have liked to see a little more mystery with who other potential suspects would have been and Evie's journey to exonerate herself, but otherwise this was great!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC in exchange for a honest review. My first Deitch novel and I enjoyed myself!

Thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy! This started off slow and was a bit hard to get into for me, I found the plot to be predictable. It was very hard for me to engage and connect with the main character. I felt that the pacing did not lend itself to the best reading experience even on audio. This just didn’t do it for me. I am an avid thriller reader, but I think this one was just not my cup of tea. Other readers may love this it just wasn’t to my taste.

4 stars rounded up!! This was a great thriller - I did not see the twist coming and even though I didn’t love the ending it was a fun read. Great book for book club!!

I knew that girl was going to be the end of Evie! I knew that her not talking was not some trauma response but something more sinister. Evie got herself in big trouble by trying to be a good person and help out a victim, when she should have turned around the leave that damn house where she was tutoring

After Evie and mute girl ran away from the house of murders, they started a Bonnie and Clyde like fugitive life. They tried to find a spot they wouldn’t be named. During this long journey, Evie managed to open up the mute girl. They started to share their stories and share more than car seats, but was it all there was when it came to this girl? Was Evie walking into a trap?

I couldn’t like either of the characters in this story. I think there were so many things that needed to be clarified before story progressed, but I couldn’t find answers. I was happy to find at least one twist, but I knew it was coming as well

This book was such a fun read!

Oh my goodness… I could not put it down. It was a roller coaster ride that’s for sure. Getting caught up in a murder that you have no part of, seems insane and then to immediately go on the run was next level.

I found myself rooting for Evie and hoping she would escape detection all the way through.

I did think it was interesting to have that close-proximity romance included too. It felt like it enhanced the story for me as there’s been so many stories that romanticize life of the run with a partner.

Thank you to William Morrow for selecting me for this ARC. I’m looking forward to more by Hannah Dietch someday.

"Killer Potential" was published on March 18, 2025. A big thank you to the publisher and author for providing an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley.

2.5 stars.

I was drawn to this book because I typically enjoy a good “whodunit” type of read, but overall, this one fell a bit flat for me. The story follows the main character, Evie, an SAT tutor for wealthy families. After arriving for one of her shifts, she discovers that the parents she works for have been murdered. In a panic, Evie tries to leave but hears the voice of a woman, whom she finds tied up. While attempting to free the mystery woman, the family’s daughter returns home and in a fight is badly injured. Evie decides to flee with the woman, and the story follows their attempted escape.

I felt that the plot twist was somewhat predictable; however, there were still a few surprises I didn’t see coming.

Overall, the story was a bit boring for me, and much of it felt unbelievable. Evie made decisions that no real person would make. This novel just wasn’t my favorite.