ARC Review!
Thank you to NetGalley!!

This was such a fun read, the way it starts off is actually a little closer to the ending and then it takes you to where it all began and how exactly the characters got there! I love when shows/books/movies start that way. Has more of an appeal to me personally because such a rocky start makes me want to know where it went wrong. The book follows Hazel and Fox as they have settled into domestic life with a child in the suburbs. After having such an adventurous life as serial killers to now setting down and feeling bored. The concept of the book is amazing! I love how the characters are portrayed and both are obviously having a hard time with the transition but it's so obvious to Hazel and Fox acts as if he's dealing with it when in reality he's not.
Let me preface this by saying I haven't been married but am in a long time relationship since teen years and I have feared the way we grow in our relationship and possibly apart. The way that it's shown in this book is so good! Hazel and Fox start keeping secrets from each other and you can see where they start to pull apart.
This book had a little bit of everything! It was so good, such a fun read!
4 Stars!!!

A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage follows Haze and Fox on their journey as a married couple and as former serial killers. Haze and Fox after having their daughter Bibi, decide to give up their knives and try to become a regular couple, however things are hard specially for Haze who feels like she needs to kill bad men as it is her calling.

Let me start by saying I hate miscommunication tropes and Haze and Fox had a lot of miscommunication but I think in this book it worked, it truly helped move the story along and show the reader Haze and Fox's true personalities. I loved the friendship between Haze and Jenny, they were so different and similar at the same time and I liked watching their friendship grow.

I really liked the ending, the twist was very well incorporated, everything was tied in a nice bow but I would not be opposed to a sequel.

Giving this book 4.5 stars, I rounded up as this site does not have half stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange an honest review.

This is my first book by Asia Mackay and I was not disappointed. This was going to be a 5 star read until Fox was acting like he wasn’t out here doing the same thing as haze. I loved the ending although it was predictable. But this was a good time.!


Thank you netgalley for my ebook arc

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Go read this book!
Who would have thought two serial killers would find each other, fall in love and get married. But that Fic and Hazel. You’ll quickly love Haze, Fox and Bibi. Jenny is not as likable until the end. She was not one of my favorite characters until the end.

Hazel and Fox are former serial killers attempting to adjust to life in suburbia with a new baby. Having a more difficult time with the transition, Hazel takes out a bad guy and draws police attention to them. This was a fun book. Hazel has a very fun and sarcastic wit. While part of this is very unbelievable the issues couples go through when having children was extremely relatable. This was my first Asia Mackay book and I really enjoyed it. It feels like this could be a series so I will be keeping an eye out for any sequels.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First I will say thank you NetGalley and Bantom books for this ARC I am honored for the opportunity to read before the January 14th publication date.

Sadly this book fell so flat for me. It is told in the POVs of “reformed” serial killer husband and wife Fox and Haze(l). I found myself bored going back and fourth between the two of them during “then” and “now”. I definitely skimmed through some of this book just to get it over with. I would say the first little bit was good and I have high hopes but then by the time I got to part 2 I was checked out. Haze and Fox were both annoying characters and I found them incredibly unlikable. I really hoped for so much more out of this book.

Hazel and Fox are former serial killers, now settled in London with a baby. Hazel finds this life boring and feels the itch to murder again. Fox is a planner, understands her urges, and likes to keep on top of things. When Hazel kills someone without telling him, she realizes how much she values her family, and that she will do whatever it takes to keep them.

We get both Hazel's and Fox's POV. He's from a rich and privileged background, and Hazel was in foster care. Both hold incredible rage toward rich men who take advantage of others and had taken it upon themselves to kill the ones who otherwise wouldn't even get prosecuted. Hazel's lost as a new mother, and Fox has tried to be the husband he thinks he should be. Over time, both keep secrets from each other. For Hazel, it's the man she killed when he wanted to attack her. Trying to cover it up leads to all kinds of mishaps, further lies, and potential estrangement. Fox has his own lies, and concerns about finances and his parents still trying to pull his strings.

As much as Hazel takes out her frustrations in killing and art, which isn't like the average suburban housewife, I understood her. It's hard to give up what you knew to have a child and raise her on your own. There was no support for Hazel or Fox, but Hazel was expected to give up more to be a traditional housewife. Fox was expected to work and bring home money to keep up their prior extravagant lifestyle. Both of them didn't know how to deal with the changes in their life but didn't communicate well. This worsened as the novel progressed until it all fell apart at the very end. It's an interesting premise and ending, and I actually liked the glimpse we get of the future. This was a fun book that kept me continually reading until I got to the end.

This book was a very pleasant surprise! It started off slow but I was hooked into the storyline. Two serial killers fall in love and get married while ridding the world of terrible men…what’s not to love?!

Give this a read if you love….
- Dual POVs with flashbacks
- Bad ass FMC with no filter
- Robin Hood type serial killers
- Murder with a dash of romance

This was a blast to read. I would absolutely read a sequel with these characters.

I really liked this book. What a unique concept! And the characters were so fresh. With a twisty plot and not altogether likable characters, the book is a great domestic suspense read.

For readers who:
- like contemporary crime + lifestyle novels
- like their characters a little deranged
- like when the line between good/villian is a little blurred

This book was an interesting read for me. The premise was great, and the characters were good. I just had a really hard time getting in their heads and being on board with their justification for murdering. That's a me thing, so if this book is your style, you'll probably really enjoy it.

I also thought the ending was a little rushed/unbelievable.

· Name of the publication/blog/outlet where your review will be published/posted: Goodreads
· Run date for when the review will be posted/published: January 12th, 2025
· A link to your review, if available, so the publisher can share your review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6954339353

3 out of 5 Stars!

Hazel and Fox may look like ordinary suburban parents, but they have a history like no others. They are serial killers. Well, they were serial killers until Hazel got pregnant, which forced them into retirement. Once they had the baby, they vowed to stop killing. Fox seems to have no issues with this, being a father comes easy to him. But Hazel is feeling defeated and depressed, her life seems so boring now compared to what it used to be. Hazel is dying to kill again, which ends up happening. Except this time, without Fox being next to her and keeping it a secret. Will Hazel keep it together? Or will their family fall apart?

“A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage” by Asia Mackay really caught my eye when scrolling on Goodreads! The title, cover, and synopsis are all excellently done. This book looked really bold, refreshing, and intriguing. At first, I was really drawn in and hooked. I was learning about their past and where they are now. But throughout the book, my interest started to decrease. The actual conflict in the book, Hazel's killing, doesn’t happen until about 1/3rd of the book. In my opinion, the conflict didn’t feel as crazy as the synopsis made it out to be. The conflict was more about Hazel and Fox’s relationship.

Throughout the book, there were 2 perspectives. It bounces between Hazel and Fox. I really liked how Mackay did this, as it keeps the book moving forward. I was not a huge fan of Hazel, even though she has her reasons for being depressed, I just thought her character was overall very dull. I get you want to keep killing, but there isn’t anything positive you can talk about? Fox, on the other hand, was very intriguing to read about. He had a very mysterious past and secrets he was trying to cover up. I thought he was really intriguing, and I wish more of the story covered his perspective.

Overall, if the storyline appeals to you, I would recommend this “A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage” by Asia Mackay. I think it is hard for a mystery and thriller plotline to feel refreshing, so I applaud Mackay for picking something new! Pick up your copy on January 14th, 2025!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Asia Mackay, and Netgalley for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc. I enjoyed it, it was a quick and funny read. I would rate this a 3.5 stars. I would recommend it.

Described as “Two former serial killers trying to keep their past buried realize that old habits die hard in this “wildly original, razor-sharp thriller””.
While I agree I’ve never read anything like this before, I did not find it razor-sharp or thrilling. I found Haze and Fox to be whiny liars. Each complaining about the other, their vastly different childhoods, and waiting for the other to tell the truth.

A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage- think Mr. and Mrs. Smith as parents of a baby living in the London suburbs. Hazel Matthews, an artist, and, Nathaniel Foxton "Fox" Cabot, rich and working in finance, had been happily ridding the world of "bad men" who preyed on women. They were known as the "Backpacking Butcher" by Interpol. Hazel becomes pregnant and the couple decide to be better for the sake of their child, It is hard for Hazel to give up the killing so she does what she shouldn't-she kills a man without Fox.

This is a dark comedy told from the POVs of Hazel and Fox. We learn that Hazel had a hard childhood, a friend from art school committed suicide. Killing is a release for her pent up anger and frustration, after all how many mommy and me groups can you attend? She meets Jenny, a young mom with an ex- partner who is not a good person, so Hazel "helps". There is another mom in the group who happens to be a police officer and has been on the trail of the Backpacking Butcher. Fox is dealing a little better with suburban living, going to AA meetings, thinking his addiction to killing is like an addiction to alcohol. He also has a strange past regarding his family. What is up with the people he meets? Who are the two women? Secrets are everywhere and the police are at their door. What are they going to do?

I loved this book! It kept me turning the pages. The characters are well developed, I couldn't help rooting for them. I hope someone makes a film or mini series, so much dark humor!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, for an ARC. The review is my own.

Fox and Haze are serial killers. Then Hazel gets pregnant and everything changes. Can they maintain a kill free life to protect their daughter?

This book was wild in a good way. Whether it’s Fox’s awful family, Hazel and her attempts at normalcy and being a mom, or their navigating life as a family with the twists and turns throughout.. it just made this book fun & enjoyable!

Definitely a book I’d recommend as a fun read & something to change up your normal reading habits whether it’s thriller, suspense, etc.

Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest review!

I needed time to think about this book before writing my review. This book is a curious mix of a horror novel and family fiction. I was going to DNF this book, but curiosity, more than anything, had me reading until the end.

Fox and Haze seem to be the perfect couple, and they are as long as they are killing evil men. Once they had their child, life changed. No more killing, and from there, life goes totally downhill for them. Also, note that Fox is ultra-rich with what appears to be a good job. Haze is a famous artist renowned for her mixed-media canvases. You can imagine what she mixed into her paintings! They had met in Paris when Haze was caught by Fox taking care of business - shall we say.

The whole plot is a bit unbelievable, but that is fiction, right? Well, the ending is even more unbelievable but somewhat clever.

What I did have were significant issues with the whining and moaning from Haze -and she whined and moaned about everything. We get that she had a bad childhood. For goodness sake, you can't pick up a book today where someone isn't blaming everything in their lives about their childhoods. Fox wasn't much better, and all this inner dialoguing eventually got on my nerves to the point that I just didn't care what happened to them.

Fantasy fairy tale ending *sigh*, what are you going to do?

*ARC was supplied by the publisher Bantam/Random House, the author, and NetGalley.

This was phenomenal and such a ride. The pacing, the characters, the humor, and the chemistry between Hazel and Fox were absolutely intoxicating. I read this in one sitting, easily!

Meet Hazel and Fox, they are the perfect couple, they kill bad guys for fun! Then they move to suburbia when Hazel gets pregnant. They decide they need to stop their killing ways and become "normal" for their baby Bibi. Both of them struggle with this decision in different ways.

The book moves between Hazel and Fox's different POV's AND between past and present. There are even text messages between Hazel and her best friend from college who committed suicide, thrown in. This was confusing to me at first until I got used to the format.

I felt the first third of the book moved slowly. It did pick up toward the middle. The ending was fast paced. I also enjoyed the quick wit and humor rom Hazel that was sprinkled throughout the book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I gave it 4 stars. I do think it could have been a little shorter. less of Hazel and Fox's secrets.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing group for the ARC of this book.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group | Ballantine, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

The main characters in this book, Fox and Haze, meet under odd circumstances and find they both serials killers with all the best intentions. They fall deep in love, and have a baby named Bibi. Now they struggle giving up the old life, or has it been given up?

This book has interesting twist and turns, coupled with related real world experiences. The one I find most relatable is Haze’s experience with mom life and feeling mom guilt. The story really dives into what it feels like to become a parent, and lose the loss of autonomy you might of once felt. Also, how hard it can be to find a friend as adult. All of this while the Fox and Haze struggle with their need to fill the blood lust they had that fueled the chemistry in their marriage. I couldn’t predict the end, but it was well written and enjoyable. This was a wonderful read, and I would recommend this book to others.

A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage was a fun and hilarious dual POV thriller to read! Haze and Fox are used to traveling the world eliminating the bad men, but after having their daughter Bibi, they have put themselves into retirement and are trying to be a normal family. While it seems that Fox has adjusted to his role of being the perfect father/husband, Haze is having a difficult time giving up her old life.

This book was quite the wild ride and I didn't expect or see any of the twists it took coming. It was constantly on my mind as I was reading it and I didn't want to put it down. The character development and surprises throughout the story kept you engaged and wanting more the entire book. This is the first book I read from the author Asia Mackay and I will definitely be reading more from her in the future. I could totally see there being a sequel in the future with where the book left off.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for my ARC of this excellent novel!