Storyline: 4 stars
Narrator: 2 stars

Story: A game of cat and mouse with serial killers. London is hit with a range of copy-cat murders of the most famous serial killers. Is it one person doing this or many copying each one? 4 stars that would have kept my attention better if I was reading it.

Narrator: Super monotone with little to no emotion in his reading. Made it difficult to want to continue listening, but pushed through to find out the ending.

This one was hard for me because of the narrator. I don't think he was a good fit for this unfortunately. I felt like I had to ramp up the speed to get through it. His accent was a little thick for me and I was disappointed in the lack of tone change for each POV. Aside from that, The story itself was great. Dark, disturbing, and brutal! It started off kind of slow but this definitely gave off criminal minds vibes and I was here for it. I enjoyed the dynamic of Ethen and Abbey. I do wish I had read this physical copy of this vs the audiobook because I think I would’ve enjoyed it more.

3.75 stars! Copy, Kill, Repeat offers a chilling and clever premise that pulls you in from the start. The idea of a manipulative puppet master orchestrating real-life recreations of historic murders through vulnerable online recruits is both original and unsettling. Steve Cornwell does a great job building tension, and the dynamic between paramedic-turned-killer Tom Freedman and criminologist Ethan Marshall adds depth to the psychological game at play.

That said, the pacing didn’t fully hold my attention throughout. While the concept and characters were strong, there were moments where the plot felt stretched or slightly repetitive. Still, the taunting messages, the emotional toll on Ethan, and the race against time kept me invested enough to want to see how it all ended.

Overall, it's a solid psychological thriller with dark, creative twists and disturbing realism. It just didn’t completely hook me the whole way through—but fans of gritty crime thrillers will likely enjoy the ride.

I'm trying to listen to at least one audiobook each month this year, and I was immediately intrigued by Copy, Kill, Repeat. Then again, I always have a weak spot for a serial killer thriller, and the premise of this book sounded absolutely fascinating with the recreation of the world's most gruesome murders and a hunt for a literal copycat serial killer. I have to say that I kind of regret the decision to experience this story as an audiobook, because I don't think this was the best format for this book. More about the why below.

First I have to repeat that the premise of Copy, Kill, Repeat itself is absolutely brilliant and the story had SO much potential. If you like darker and fast-paced serial killer thrillers, this book will without a doubt fit the bill... I especially loved the references to some of the more notorious serial killers out there, although it is not necessary to have previous knowledge of their crimes to be able to understand what is going on in this book. The fact that we are dealing with a literal copycat killer here gives the story such an unique angle though.

I think one of the main issues I had was with the audiobook and narrator. I don't think that Copy, Kill, Repeat translated well to audio, or at least I don't think the narrator was a good fit. Although I don't think anyone could have made those forum chat transcripts work naturally... That said, unfortunately I somehow clashed with the narrator's voice and tone, and his pace was considerably slow as well. To make things worse, it was really hard to keep the multiple POVs apart as there was hardly any change in his voice... Having at least two narrators would probably have worked better, or at least someone with a wider range of voice. Sure, I did fly through the audio in an afternoon while cleaning, but that was mostly because I had to rack up the speed to 1.5x (which is something I've never done before).

As for the story itself: like I said, Copy, Kill, Repeat uses a multiple POV structure to give us all sides of the investigation and the crimes. The story started a bit slow as there were a lot of characters to keep apart and the narrator only made this harder to do, but once you get a proper idea of what is going on the pace does speed up. I'm suspecting that I would have enjoyed this book considerably better in a different format, and this goes especially for the killer's POV and the chat transcripts. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you busy along the way, and the fact that you know the identity of the killer early on doesn't hinder the reading experience.

In short, while I can't exactly recommend the audiobook, I do think the story itself is more than solid and I would probably have rated it at least an extra star if I had read it in a different format. Copy, Kill, Repeat is dark, gritty and suspenseful once the ball starts rolling... A serial killer thriller with an unique twist.

Copy, Kill, Repeat hooks you fast with its dark premise, copycat murders based on real historical crimes and a twisted villain pulling the strings from the shadows. Ethan, a haunted criminologist, makes a compelling lead, and the tension builds with every chapter.

Some side characters could’ve used more depth, but the plot is tight, the pacing sharp, and the ending leaves you wanting more. A solid start to a promising thriller series.

Audiobook Review: Copy, Kill, Repeat by Steve Cornwell
Narrated by Gareth Richards

I received this audiobook from NetGalley and truly appreciate the opportunity to learn about new authors and leave reviews.

Unfortunately, I had a hard time getting into Copy, Kill, Repeat. The premise gave off strong Criminal Minds vibes—which I normally love—and the story itself had potential with its dark, psychological thriller angle centered around a copycat killer. However, I found myself struggling to stay engaged throughout the audiobook.

I believe part of the disconnect for me came from the narration. While Gareth Richards clearly has a strong voice and did well with the pacing and tone, his accent was a bit thick for my ear, and I had trouble fully processing what was being said at times. As an American listener, this made it harder for me to immerse myself in the story. I typically listen at 1.5x speed, but even when I slowed it down to try and follow more closely, I still found myself missing things.

That said, this may just be a personal preference, and others who are more used to or comfortable with different accents might not have the same experience. The narration quality was still professional, and I appreciate the work that went into both the writing and performance.

Overall, while this book wasn’t quite for me, I’m still glad I had the opportunity to give it a try and expand my audiobook library. I’d be open to reading more from Steve Cornwell in the future—perhaps in print format instead.

I really wanted to like this. The narration really threw me off.It made it hard to follow along. I couldnt tell who was who and what scene were which. Maybe if I had the physical book I would have been able to understand more.

✨Audiobook Review✨
📖 Copy, Kill, Repeat
✍️ Steve Cornwell
📅 Publication: July 8, 2025
🎤 Gareth Richards

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬
London is paralyzed by fear as a brilliant manipulator orchestrates a string of brutal murders, each one a chilling echo of history’s darkest crimes. Paramedic Tom Freedman stays behind the scenes, using the anonymity of the internet to recruit society’s most vulnerable and desperate, turning them into his unsuspecting weapons.
Criminologist Ethan Marshall, still haunted by his past, is pulled into the case to stop a killer who thrives on chaos and control. As the investigation unfolds, the game becomes deeply personal. Ethan finds himself the target of Tom’s twisted taunts, with each move drawing him deeper into the killer’s web.
Now, it’s more than a search for justice; it’s a race against time. To stop Tom, Ethan must confront a mind fueled by cruelty and outsmart a predator who always seems one step ahead. The stakes are no longer just professional; they’re deadly personal

𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
I see a lot of potential in this story, and I plan to give it another try in print once it’s released. For me, the audiobook didn’t quite work. Unfortunately, the narration didn’t work for the tone or style of this story. At times, it was hard to tell which character was speaking because the voices weren’t distinct enough.
The prologue also left me a little confused; it seemed to start with a text conversation, but that didn’t translate as clearly in audio as it might have on the page. That said, I’m still intrigued by the story and look forward to experiencing it in a different format where I think it will shine.
Thank You @Netgalley and @ Dreamscape Media for allowing me to review this ALC.

A serial killer enlists disenfranchised young men via the internet to do some of his dirty work, making it difficult for the detective to get a read on him. She is assisted by a professor of psychology, a profiler, brought reluctantly back into police work. They have some chemistry and this is just the start of what promises to be a good series. The audiobook narration is very good and the complex story kept me listening compulsively.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @DreamscapeMedia, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook for review purposes. Publication date: 8 July 2025.

🎧ALC review🎧

You give me a book with a serial unaliver, and I’m going to eat it up. Then add in copycat cases of famous crime scenes, and you have my undivided attention. This book delivers all of that and more. If you like Criminal Minds, then you will LOVE this book! I did feel like the ending was super rushed. It just seemed like the big event happened, was lightly brushed over, and then bam, book over.

I loved the narration. It is a single narration, but it had me captivated. My only complaint is every chapter was a different pov, but that wasn’t stated before the chapter started. This led to me being confused a few times, and having to really focus until they mentioned who the chapter was about. It flipped between the killer and the investigators quite often, so it would get tricky to follow along. Other than that, I loved everything else about the audiobook. It sucked me in. Once I started it, I couldn’t stop listening.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the alc for my review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5 – 3.75 stars)
This thriller has a fantastic premise: a killer orchestrating murders inspired by real-life cases (like Bundy), recruiting desperate people online to carry out his twisted plans. The mix of criminal history and digital manipulation felt realistic and unsettling.

The pacing started a little slow but quickly picked up. The audiobook runs about 7 hours, but it felt much shorter. I enjoyed the dynamic between Ethan and Abbey, it brought a touch of realism to the otherwise dark tone.

That said, I hoped for more intensity. The emotional stakes and tension never fully built to where I wanted them. Gareth Richards delivers a clean, steady performance, but I think this story would have benefitted from either dual narration or a more expressive vocal range to amplify the danger and urgency.

Still, it’s a fast-moving thriller with a creative hook and solid psychological depth. Recommended for fans of dark crime fiction with a modern twist.

🎧 ALC REVIEW 🎧

Pub Date July 8th

As a true crime fan, I really enjoyed this! The references to infamous serial killers and the copycat/puppetmaster aspect was intriguing. The narrator did a wonderful job as well! Recommend for my thriller girlies🔪

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you @netgalley @dreamscape_media

#netgalley #copykillrepeat #audiobookstagram #thrillerbooksaddict #thrillerreads #thrillerbooks

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an ALC of this book.

Unfortunately I was a bit disappointed in the narrator as he did not differentiate between the voices so it was hard to figure out who was speaking when. I think the story could have been great had I read the physical book.

The story follows along Ethan annd Abby, two detectives who anre trying to figure out who a serial killer is that copies other serial killers like Bundy and Manson. I love a good serial killer book and the scenes were described great. Had the narrator done a better job I probably would have given it a better rating.

Copy Kill Repeat gave off serious bingeable thriller energy—with a premise that hooks you fast and characters you actually want to follow for more than one book (please let this be a series 🙏). It’s twisty, a little wild, and has that dark, slightly unhinged vibe that totally works if you’re into morally gray characters and psychological chaos. The audiobook was solid, but I wanted a bit more distinction between voices—it got a little blurry at times. Still, I was locked in and fully along for the ride.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
Rated R for language, violence, and dark psychological themes.

This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it.
It took me a little bit to connect with the characters and storyline, but once I had, I was on the edge of my seat and couldn’t stop listening. The manipulation, the mind games, and the murders? I needed answers, and the author had my head spinning. He most definitely had me second-guessing everything I thought I had figured out with his pot twists. I love a good psychological thriller, and this one was such a page-turner for sure!

I’m looking forward to exploring the author's backlist. If his other books are anything like this one, I know I’ll enjoy them!

4 STARS!
✰✰✰✰

Incredibly dry and boring narration. The book itself is decent for a debut but I think it’s very much overwritten. You know who the killer is right off the bat and really nothing shocking or crazy happened to make this a wow. I’m sure the bad reviews are being deleted because this only has 3 reviews under 4 stars and this is not a 5 star book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. This is narrated by Gareth Richards and while I had a hard time initially following the story, I stuck with the audio and got hooked. I will say that there should have been more variation in the voices as it was often hard to distinguish which character was speaking. However, this should be a must read as its very entertaining and I found myself pulled into the story.

Serial killers, murder, psychologist and detectives! All of the boxes are ticked with this one!!!

This is a well written story that follows a serial killer that mimics the past kills of infamous serial killers such as Bundy, Manson and BTK. He also enlists the help of "pupils" to do some of the kills as well. There are a couple of twists thrown in that make the story have more depth and interest for the reader. All in all, this one is a killer 5 star story that should not be missed!!!

When I start a new audiobook there are times where I question if the narrator is a good fit for the book. Often, even if I don’t love the narrator, I can continue with the story and I get used to the voice as the book goes along. I hate to say it but at 30% I can’t listen to this one anymore. Having a good narrator really makes or breaks an audiobook and this one was a miss for me. It’s not to say the narrator is bad, but it’s definitely a bad fit for this book. I’m DNF’ing but may try the print version of this book instead because the story is intriguing.

Some books are not meant to be audiobooks, and I think this is one of them. I didn’t love the narrator of this book. There wasn’t enough differentiation in the voice when different characters are talking. I think the prologue started with a text conversation and I don’t think it was interpreted well. I got a little lost with what each person was saying, and I would have rather gotten to see it to make sense of it. I think this book has a lot of potential, but I will have to give it another chance when it comes out, because I couldn’t listen to this narrator for that long.