3.5⭐️ I was thrilled to get approved for both the eARC and the ALC for this titles as I heard such great things about the first book in this interconnected standalone series.
This allows me to ascertain which format I prefer recommend but in this case, it’s a toss up, with a caveat…

I consumed this at 3x speed because it was recorded incredibly slow plus I need it to be more in line with my eyeball speed. I usually never can listen at that speed as it is way too fast typically. However, since the performance was like slogging through molasses it was needed and it was quite clear and understandable.

It was narrated by Stephanie Németh-Parker, I think. Why do I say I think? Well the NetGalley listing on both the website and on the app do not include a narrators name, more does this Goodreads listing. But I found it on the Audible listing and it is who narrated the first book in this series. So I hope it is just an oversight and not AI.

Back to Ms Németh-Parker and her performance. At the 3x speed, it was fine. It didn’t add nor detract from the physical book. However, at revalue speed? I wouldn’t have been able to listen. It was so over acted that it completely took me out of the story and didn’t allow the reader to form a picture in their head of what was unfolding. She crossed that line into being overly dramatic and dare I say, annoying. But thankfully jacking up the speed made that disappear. 1.5x speed is sufficient to make it sound typical and not over done.

As far as the prose itself… I was excited to dive in as I heard so many good things about book 1. I have not read book 1 but they are interconnected standalone stories so it wasn’t necessary. This one was a decent low stakes mystery but it was a bit disjointed at times. It had too much to keep track of for the laidback romcom nature of the story. Also, admittedly the references to the pandemic throughout the book set me on edge. They weren’t necessary at all and just interrupted the flow.

Lastly, the FMC was hard to like. She comes off like a whiny brat. Here you have all these people in her life that worry for her and she not only dismisses their valid concerns but responds like a child. One thing that I loved going in was that this is a mature FMC who has lived life, raised a child but still has a lot of life to live. However, she acts like an impulsive 22 year old who brain has finished growing.

But in the end it was an entertaining read. It comes out September 23, 2025 so for folks like low stakes mystery’s it can be perfect for fall reading.

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary audio ALC from MacMillan Audio and the eARC from St Martins Press through NetGalley to read which gave the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My general rating system is below. Since I primarily read ARC books I rate according to how I think like minded readers will receive the book. I will round up or down depending on many factors and try not to let my personal wants affect a books ratings.

⭐️ Hated It but pushed through as I don’t DNF ARCs I have received.
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, content issues, poorly edited.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but it had something that stopped me from rounding up. Usually the book may have much more potential than what was given. I recommend it but with reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I Really enjoyed it or think others will. These are solid reads that I definitely would recommend for a variety of reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! These are books that remain rent free in my head for well after unfinished the book. It can be for a variety of reasons from being very well written or just the vibes that captured my mind. These books are also ones I would probably read again.

I absolutely loved A Serial Killers Guide to San Francisco last year still believe it is highly underrated. That being said I was so excited to hear a sequel was coming. Unfortunately my expectations were not met.

Capri Sanzio knows that when you give serial killer walking tours for a living, unexpected situations are more common than San Francisco's famous fog. So, when one of her guests claims to see a woman being attacked during a tour, Capri remains unphased. The police search the apartment in question and find no evidence of anything amiss, so they chalk it up to a false report from a true crime fanatic looking to be a part of a case. And Capri thinks they might be right, since lately her tours have been attracting even more obsessives than usual--as it turns out, finding the actual serial killer who committed the "Overkill Bill" murders didn't stop the constant questions about her grandfather's supposed crimes, it only intensified them.
But Capri would never forgive herself if someone is in trouble and she walks away. Plus, something about the whole situation has every one of Capri's investigative journalist instincts going haywire--why would someone lie about seeing an attack? So Capri starts to dig, and when her questions lead to a body, she finds herself at the center of another murder investigation.

This one starts right where the we left off in book one, so no I wouldn’t say this is a standalone.
I think my main problem is that the mystery itself was just really boring compared to the first one. Right from the beginning I wasn’t very invested. I also felt like there was more of the tour portion involved this time around. What I mean by that is there were facts and stories about other crimes that I didn’t really feel were necessary or tied in very well to the story.

That being said, it was an easy read and I am happy I read it, just not one I’ll remember for long.