‘After her sister is murdered, a woman infiltrates a support group for serial killers in this biting queer feminist debut thriller, perfect for fans of The Final Girl Support Group and My Sister, the Serial Killer.’

Serial Killer Support Group - such an alluring and unique concept. Problem for me was the lack of depth & development in the characters & something about the delivery left me wanting.

That said, I am always grateful for the opportunity. So big thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this arc in exchange for review!

Pub date: 3.18.2025.

This book is not a mind-bending, seat-gripping thriller. It IS a silly, goofy read. I thought it was good and fine, and I enjoyed my time reading it, but I don't think it's a story that will sit with me for a long time. I enjoyed the complicated relationships between all of the characters (or perhaps just that Cyra was a complicated person because, well, she was weird). I also enjoyed the different kinds of killers described in the support group - as a true crime junkie myself, it felt fairly representative of the common stereotypical serial killers.

Overall, I did not love this, but I did like it, and that's enough for me.

SPOILERS!!!!

This book had a very unique and interesting premise. In my opinion, in order to enjoy this book, you need to go into it expecting it to not make much sense if you think about it for more than a few seconds. Once you get over the initial disbelief in the concept of a serial killer support group that meets weekly in person, it gets good.

I liked the author’s description of the main characters emotions in the first quarter. It felt like a good depiction of numbness due to grief and loss. However I felt as though it was a huge jump to the actions she was taking. But, as the story went further on you began to realize that the grief only made the fmc’s numbness worse. She already had something dark inside her that she had acted upon on multiple occasions but the death of her sister gave her an excuse to spiral. The way we got to go along with her on this journey of becoming a serial killer was really interesting.

The ending was not at all what I expected. A good twist when it came to who killed her sister, but I found myself hung up on the whole Lamprey situation. I don’t find it believable that she managed to kill him when he came there fully prepared and she was caught off guard. With the way he was described through the entire book, I don’t find it believable that she out fought him. Other than that, I really enjoyed this book and flew through it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was kind of creepy. A little more scary than the usual thrillers I pick up but I enjoyed the twists added in. If you like true crime and psychological thrillers, this should be on your list!
When our main character's sister is killed, the cops don't have any leads, but she knows they aren't telling her everything. When a friend in the records room tells her there were signs her sister was killed by a serial killer, she can't believe it. When she finds out there might be an underground serial killer support group in the city, she vows to infiltrate them and find her sister's killer.
It gets creepy when we start learning more about each serial killer. This is a mystery but I would say it means horror/thriller. Maybe I'm a wimp? Lol.
Definitely a fun read that kept me wondering what was going to happen next.
Thanks to netgalley for an ARC to review.

Serial Killer Support Group follows Cyra, who recently lost her younger sister to a presumed serial killer, as she infiltrates a group of them in order to find her sister’s killer.

The premise is a little cheesy—however I really enjoyed the execution. It didn’t take itself so seriously, but wasn’t a complete joke either. I have a degree in forensic science with a heavy interest in psychology, and some of the content did feel a bit ‘Intro to Forensic Psychology’. It could just be how familiar I am with those topics making them seem tedious and surface level, though, and the book itself was very enjoyable anyway. I don’t read for realism, but when it’s my area of expertise I do find myself aghast sometimes.

I enjoyed the twists in this thriller more than I usually do, specifically towards the back half. At times it felt like it was leaning one way, but I’m glad it didn’t end up there. The Lamprey character is a big wildcard in that respect.

There are interspersed POV chapters from each of the killers in the support group, and I wasn’t quite sure how necessary they were. They’re shorter than the usual chapters, and entertaining enough that I don’t think they break the flow, but they read more as writing exercises than necessary information. They do build up to the epilogue though, and that made it worth it in my opinion.

I was very pleasantly surprised by Cyra’s character arc in this novel, especially where she ends the book compared to how she starts it. I wasn’t sure I’d like her as a narrator at first, but her internal struggles and later choices made me interested in where she’d end up.

Overall I enjoyed this one a lot! I liked the direction the plot went in and the characters felt like they fit the world nicely. I think this will appeal to thriller fans and anyone with a passing interest in psychology!

Rounding up from 3.5 stars for this one. Serial Killer Support Group was an action packed book, there was constantly something happening which kept my attention. It also made it pretty far fetched- but if you go into expecting that it is enjoyable. I enjoyed the twists! Thanks to Net Galley, the author, and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC.

The Serial Killer Support Group was just an ok read for me. I absolutely loved the premise, but it fell a bit flat for me in the execution. I also figure out the twist/killer very early on and that sort of detracted from my enjoyment of the book. That being said, if the author wrote another book, I would still read it.

I really would have liked to get more in the minds of the group members, I feel like they are introduced but we didn't really get to explore much into their killings etc. We had snips of their lives.

The main chatacter was annoying, and I felt like the story wasn't developed well enough to keep my attention. I struggled wanting to pick this up and read it.

Overall it was just not for me.

When I read the synopsis I said: I need to read this, for better or worse.

And the truth is that it turned out quite well. I mean... it was a super addictive read that at times I really wanted to miss work to be able to continue reading and at other times I wondered how certain things were happening...

Serial Killer Support Group presents us with the most imperfect characters of all I have read so far and one cannot empathize with any of them at all. And I think it's something the author was looking for, they are all gray or malevolent characters (even the most 'innocent' ones).

It was interesting about the Support Group for serial killers (although I was already able to read some of this thanks to Katzy) and how our protagonist manages to enter that dark world (although she was not very far away before).

Anyway, I think it was an interesting read... with some pretty crazy aspects but that also left me wanting more with each chapter I read.

Thank you Crooked Lane Books for the ARC I read on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4/5 stars. Schaefer does a great job of blending humor, suspense and grief in this gripping story. Normally, I’m not a fan of too many plot twists but they worked exceptionally well here to keep the reader on the edge of their seat. By the end, I was in full support of our protagonist’s rights AND wrongs. Really great to get a little bit of insight on the fellow members of the support group, even if I wish we had spent a bit more time expanding some of their connections to the main story. Overall, a great read for anyone interested in the true crime/suspense genre.

Serial Killer Support Group by Saratoga Schaefer is a darkly comedic exploration of trauma and survival. Schaefer cleverly mixes humor with chilling themes, creating a unique narrative that examines the lives of those affected by violent crime. The characters are well-drawn and relatable, making their struggles both poignant and entertaining. This book offers a fresh perspective on the true crime genre, blending absurdity with genuine insight. A compelling read for those who appreciate a mix of humor and horror!

This book is an absolute rollercoaster! After Cyra Griffin’s sister is murdered, she decides she’s not waiting around for the police to solve it. Instead, she takes matters into her own hands by infiltrating a support group for serial killers—yep, you read that right. It’s a bold, dangerous plan, but Cyra is all in, even if it means pretending to be a killer herself to get closer to the truth.

The story is dark and thrilling, with just the right amount of humor to keep things from getting too heavy. Cyra is a great main character—tough, smart, and not afraid to cross some serious lines to get the answers she needs. As she gets deeper into this creepy, messed-up world, you can really feel her struggle between wanting revenge and not losing herself in the process.

Fans of The Final Girl Support Group and My Sister, the Serial Killer are going to love this. The book mixes sharp, witty writing with a feminist edge, taking a hard look at society’s double standards while keeping you hooked on every twist and turn. It’s got some slower parts that drag a bit, but once it picks up, it’s a wild ride to the end.

Overall, this is a fresh, edgy debut that’s perfect for anyone who loves their thrillers dark, smart, and just a little bit wicked. Definitely worth a read!

*Thank you to NetGalley, Saratoga Schaefer, and Crooked Lane Books for providing the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for a review, but all thoughts are my own*

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

The premise of the book was quite interesting, especially as I never heard of a serial killer support group before in any other books. Since I only knew support groups for victims/survivors I thought that the title was quite funny.

But did the premise promise what it said?
Somewhat.

I did like the beginning and how it didn't take long at all to get rolling. As well, as the first plot twist was shocking. I did predict it, before it happened, but it was very smart done and I read lots of books with smart plot twists before, so it isn't hard for me to find them out. Nevertheless, this plot twist wasn't right in front of your eyes, which made it well-done. Cyra was an interesting character to get to know and her backstory as well. I was surprised when I got to know Mira more and seemed to dislike her even though I liked her at first. It changes a lot when a different person, with different perspective, tells the story.

Even though I liked the first plot twist, I disliked the second and in general felt like the ending was not good enough.
Except the protagonist, everyone else was flat. I surprisingly could distinguish their names, but they felt just like the others. Yes, we good backstory of them which was actually cool, as they had their own chapter for this, but they all were one-dimensional. What many don't get is that when you describe a character every time you meet them, like the first time you met them, they won't get any depth. The reader actually needs to get to know them, by seeing more of them and not just reading some backstory.
Lastly, the depiction of serial killers, but also sociopaths wasn't done correctly, at all. It depends on what kind of sociopath you have, but they can show emotions and borderline sociopaths have even outbursts. So when I saw once again the wrong myth in this book that sociopaths don't have emotions or don't have empathy (which both isn't true, they just lack empathy, but they can still feel it), I felt a bit betrayed. The book is supposed to be about serial killers, but no research was done for it. Every serial killer in this group seemed dangerous and they acted like a typical film serial killer, nothing special or in general different.

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Thank you Crooked Lane Books, for the advanced reader copy of Serial Killer Support Group by Saratoga Schaefer

Started the book: 17. October 2024
Finished the book: 17. October 2024
Wrote the review: 18. October 2024

Serial killer support group. Who would have thought it. Cyrus looking for the killer of her sister. This was an exciting book to read. The writer even had me really liking some of the characters. Many twists I didn’t see. If you are looking for a good thriller I definitely recommend this one.
Thank you Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

thank you to netgalley for providing me with an arc for this book!

after her sister's murder our main character infiltrates a serial killer support group to try and find out who killed her sister. if the premise sounds interesting, it's because it is, the rest of the book sadly wasn't.

i feel like this is yet again one of these books that toes the line between serious commentary and campyness and if it had leant further either way it would've been fine, but now it's just a weird mix that doesn't really work tone-wise.

every character besides the main character is very one-dimensional. we get brief flashbacks from each of the killer's in the support group, but we never really get to know them. i even had a hard time keeping them all apart in my head when reading this.

the absolute personality change the main character goes through every two seconds isn't really it either though. i really do wish getting out of a panic attack or anxiety was as easy as it's described in this book, would make my life a lot easier!

I really appreciated how the pronunciation of the main character’s name, Cyra, was seamlessly worked into the very beginning of Chapter 1. I had been pronouncing it wrong while reading, so that little detail was both helpful and fit perfectly into the introduction! The plot kicks off with Cyra’s sister being murdered, and from there, the FMC does the unthinkable—she joins a support group for serial killers. I found it fascinating to learn about the different killers and their crimes. This book definitely kept me on my toes, and I was constantly guessing what would happen next. While I enjoyed most of the story, I felt the ending was just okay—it could have been stronger.

Serial Killer Support Group" by Saratoga Schaefer is a darkly humorous and thought-provoking novel that flips the script on the typical thriller. Centered around a support group for serial killers.

Schaefer masterfully balances humor with serious themes, creating a narrative that's both engaging and unsettling. The protagonist, who initially feels out of her depth, undergoes significant character growth as she navigates the eccentric dynamics of the group. Her journey from vulnerability to empowerment is both relatable and inspiring.

The writing is sharp and witty, with memorable dialogue that adds depth to the characters. Schaefer's exploration of grief, survival, and the human condition is both poignant and refreshing. Overall, "Serial Killer Support Group" is a unique and entertaining read that challenges conventions while keeping readers on their toes. If you're looking for something different that combines darkness with emotional depth, this book is a must-read.

This was a fun ride. Suspend a bit of disbelief for this one but I enjoyed it and it kept me on the edge of my seat.

Crya’s sisters is murdered and the police suspect that it’s the work of a serial killer. She hears rumors of a serial killer support group, so Cyra decides to infiltrate the group to discover the truth about what happened to her sister. She discovers far more than she ever imagines. Will she survive the group?

This was fun and fast-paced. I thought Cyra’s character was interesting and quirky. I wish the chapters had been a bit shorter but all in all I enjoyed this and it had a nice little twist at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

I had a such a fantastic time reading this tale of vengeance, murder, and mayhem. I was all aboard the Cyra train. I was rooting for even when the ending shed new light on the characters past. That was probably my favorite part. Kudos to Saratoga Schaefer for writing one hell of story. Can't wait to read what she does next. Overwhlmingly enjoyed!

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

Started this book on a chilly fall day and it was exactly what I wanted. I loved this book. Thank you Netgalley.