KILLER POTENTIAL is a fantastic, fast-paced, twisty little debut novel by Hannah Deitch.

What I loved most about KILLER POTENTIAL was the world that Hannah created- the world of the elite, with wealth and luxury filling each corner of Evie's world. When that's blown apart by a murder, the story takes an unexpected turn that I couldn't read fast enough.

This book can be read fairly easily, which someone who loves true crime really loving each page of this book. However, for a book club, there's a lot to dive into, talking about classism, ableism, and so much more. It's really fantastic that this book can be read on so many levels.

This book is the answer to “what if someone who never grew out of thinking ‘I’m special, I was in the gifted and talented program in middle school!’ Becomes a fugitive. Honestly, I expected to like it more! Most of what I read is romance, and the “romance” between Jae and Evie is…. So dull.
I am also a true crime person, and the twist of “living in the walls” was excellent! I just found the fleeing to be repetitive.

2.5 stars

I have mixed thoughts about this book - some good some bad.

I’ll start with the good:

This was a **dark, fast-paced thriller with some complex female dynamics**. Could they have been a little more complex? Yes. But for the author’s debut novel, I’ll admit the themes and social commentary were there, they just weren’t explored in a way that gave this book the depth I would have liked. In particular, the relationship between the two main female characters seemed shallow - I could read about it, but I didn’t *feel* it, if that makes sense.

The s**ocial commentary** is obviously present, but like the I feel about the book’s exploration of female relationships, this also could have been given more depth. I felt a disconnect between the plot/pacing and the delivery of the underlying social critique regarding who is regarded as having “potential” and the more romantic notions were are sold about social mobility.

I definitely **didn’t guess the big twist**, which is something that surprised me - I usually see these things coming. But still, the twist didn’t hit me completely sideways. If anything, after the reveal, I felt more confused than anything. But suspension of disbelief won out in the end and I rolled with it.

And now for the bad:

Although it’s marketed as literary fiction in most places I’ve seen. It definitely **reads much more like a thriller**. If the author leaned more into the social commentary and female relationship, I think I could call it literary, but as it stands for me, its more like 90% thriller and 10% literary. So that was a bit disappointing.

But that generally my only disappointment with this book. I definitely recommend to those who love good thrillers, you'll be in for quite a ride. For me it was an enjoyable read, definitely a palate cleanser between heavier books.

Special thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advanced digital copy for review.

Loved the concept! SAT tutor accidentally becomes a serial killer (or so we think). It was funny, fast paced, and had a good twist. Reading as an ARC was difficult as some chapters were in another characters perspective and it took me a bit to pick up on that, but this may have changed in the final proof. Would make a great audiobook!

Killer Potential is darkly humorous and thrilling; such a fun read!

If you have read and appreciated books like the Finlay Donovan series or shows like Dexter, Breaking Bad, and Weeds, give this book a try.

Evie is working as an SAT tutor, a real icon of the millennial burnout post recession. When she shows up to her affluent and famous client’s house for her normal Sunday session, she gets way more than she bargained for. She quite literally stumbles into a murder scene and unintentionally sets herself up as the fall guy in epic wrong place, wrong time fashion. The story follows Evie as she tries to outrun the manhunt while adding to her body count along the way. Will she get caught? Will she be absolved for crimes she didn’t commit? Will she care?

I enjoyed this immensely. Though the plot twist was predictable for me, the characters had more depth to them than anticipated. The inner monologues/multi perspectives really worked well to keep the thrill of the chase alive while also providing us background and context into the characters’ lives. This is a fast paced and funny read that will take you on one of the most dysfunctional cross country trips of your life.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing me a copy to review, all opinions are my own. Killer Potential is out now!

"Killer Potential" by Hannah Deitch was a wild romp and cross-country chase of two young women accused of murder. The author does a good job of mixing suspense with the relatable narrator Evie. The book was a bit uneven but unexpected twists kept it interesting.

Killer Potential is such a smart, addictive debut. Hannah Deitch has a knack for sharp dialogue, layered characters, and just the right amount of dark humor to keep things fun without losing the tension. The pacing is tight, the twists land well, and the story kept me guessing in all the best ways.

What really stood out to me was how character-driven it was. It’s not just about the mystery (though that’s great), but also about ambition, identity, and the lines people are willing to cross. If you’re into thrillers with brains and bite, definitely give this one a read. I’ll be watching for whatever Deitch does next.

***I was given an eARC of this book but all thoughts are my own and based upon a pre-published version of this book.***

Killer Potential is an intriguing blend of suspense and dark humor, with a protagonist whose sharp wit makes the story engaging. The plotting is tight, and the pacing keeps you hooked, though some twists could be more surprising.

I struggled with this book at times because I found my mind drifting as I was reading. At times the book was very witty and made me laugh and other times I was just ready for it to be over. I’m going to give it three starts because it kept me interested enough to finish it. I would be open to reading more from this author.

I really did not like this book. It is trying to be very high brow, but there is no warning of this.

Thank you for the Arc of this book! I was hesitant before starting the book as its not my usual genre. The description of the book intrigued me, giving me high hopes for this debut. I liked Evie and the situation that she found herself in, but i want a big fan of the relationship and sex scenes. I felt that there was a shift from the crime/thrill aspect and it turned more into a romance book. I do think that the book was well written and the characters seemed real/relatable. In the end I liked the book but didn't love and have really thought about it since finishing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of Killer Potential! The story started out really strong — a compelling main character (though not very likeable) thrust into a shocking murder scene, choosing to go on the run with a mysterious and silent companion. I was really invested through the first half, anticipating the unfolding of the truth. Unfortunately, that anticipation devolved into boredom for the majority of the last half. While I appreciated the ending and some depth added to our mysterious companion, it ultimately didn’t hold my excitement or interest through to the end. That being said, I think Deitch has plenty of potential to craft a killer read.

If you’re a big fan of thrillers or love a good road trip story, this book may be for you. However, I unfortunately found this book slow to get into and didn’t make up for the twist, which I found fairly predictable. The concept itself was actually pretty interesting and had potential. I almost feel this might have been in the wrong format and could have been successful as a horror film if developed a little more.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow and Hannah Deitch for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Shout out to both William Morrow for publishing, and NetGalley for providing the ARC.

First I've got to say; that I wanted to love this book so badly - but what goes up must come down.
The opening hooked me - but I wasn't able to suspend disbelief long enough to really get into it.
The story was advertised as an intriguing, page-turning, high stakes crime-thriller but it was, unfortunately, not at all what was delivered. Instead the focus shifted onto the relationships of the characters entirely, and the "crime" aspect became a sub-plot.

This book could have been half as long - and would have been much better for it.

Not impressed. This one won't be memorable unfortunately. I don't like open ended endings and this one had just that. It was entertaining at times but there were things that felt yuck to me.

I wish I liked it more, it did have *potential* (pun intended) but I guessed the ending right away. I do read a lot of mysteries, so do with that what you will, but this book didn’t stand out to me

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This book had a lot of potential (lol no pun intended) and I really love the cover. However, it didn’t work for me.

It all felt way too unrealistic to me. The whole time i felt like rolling my eyes because it just didn’t sound right to me.

I hope others love this one but it wasn’t for me.

I really loved Hannah Deitch’s writing in her debut novel “Killer Potential.” I found her style to be really sharp and there were some great insights into what it truly means to be “without.”

Our main character Evie walks into a mansion for her weekly SAT tutoring gig to find the mother and father of her student murdered. She heard a woman calling for help and helps her escape after she’s discovered having been tied up and beaten.

This starts an international manhunt for them as they are assumed to be the killers while Evie maintains her innocence. I liked that the end of the book told stories from Jae’s point of view, the other woman on the run with Evie. I wish this dual POV would have been throughout the book. I’d like to have been “in on” the overall picture instead of fed at the end with Evie. I also found that there were a few too many side stories about Evie’s childhood and would have loved even more action in the plot. Overall I really enjoyed this book! Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this eARC!

This thriller was truly a wild ride! It is giving the vibes of Thelma and Louise, and follows two women on the run from the FBI. I lost count of the number of twists in this book, and I could never have guessed the biggest one! The subplot of romance in this was also crazy but somehow felt genuine at the same time! I really enjoyed this book, and would definitely recommend. These women were both so messed up, but so interesting to read about!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This was a twisty thriller that I totally went into blind... which I kinda am happy I did. It's told between dual prospectives.