Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.
Well, this was interesting.
I’m going to start this off by saying that I try to be as honest as possible in my reviews.
I did not like this book. The writing was too modernised for me, the entire social media language and cringe vegan agenda the author had going on were really off putting.
I genuinely hated every single character in this book with the main character in the lead. But that later.
What genuinely made me hate the plot, the main character and the murders were the inconsistency and the lack of research.
As to the lack of research: Those murders were bad. Like, genuinely. Not in a ‘Oh, how horrible of her’ way, but rather in a ‘This is what a thirteen year old thinks a murder is like’ way.
The main character is narcissistic beyond words. She thinks herself better than her friends while she is exactly like them. Attention, we have a case of not-like-other-girls-syndrome. Especially since the love interest only likes her because she “isn’t like her shallow and dumb friends”. Kitty is irritating and fails to show any character growth. I couldn’t stand her.
Now onto why: The inconsistencies. She is a hypocrite and keeps on contradicting herself and her own opinions with her actions. She loves money, social media and expensive stuff- but oh how tiring Instagram is, and what is she supposed to do with all this unnecessary money, what a horrible life to be an influencer! So annoying! If her constant bitching was supposed to make her likeable, it truly did the opposite.
The people you surround yourself with reflect you. That’s a fact. Her vapid, superficial and idiotic friends are an exact reflection of Kitty’s personality.
Then of course, we are met with the worst case of unreliable narrators: the liar to the reader for tension. In this case, it was unnecessary and not the point of having an unreliable narrator.
The entire point of the book isn’t clear to me. What is the message? It seems as if every important thing is being ridiculed. The inclusion of people bashing Hen’s post for being like the BLM-movement? Was that really necessary?
Also, the end was a mess that made no sense. I actually got physically sick sometimes. Not because of the murders, but something about this book just ruined every day that I read. This is supposed to be funny and like American Psycho, and clever. It was neither.
What I can admit though is that the pacing of the plot was good enough to keep me reading. It had the right pacing for a mystery and while the stalker thing didn’t really make sense (why wasn’t he the first person she was going to murder?), it kept the tension even when it built off at times. The book does show with a slightly ironic undertone how women are treated and it did have aspects that make it hard to read because of how real and brutally true they are.
I was definitely let down by the synopsis and my expectations. It had all the right ingredients but was executed very shallowly. I expected something else but maybe I have to lower my standards for a mystery book next time, although it did feel more like a romance with mystery aspects because there was tons of smut and sex talk that I did not expect in a book like this.

A fun murderous romp on though London, with twists and turns. A great book to read on a cozy fall night!

This was a fun read to say the least! While I did have some issues with inconsistencies in Kitty’s character, I found her personality to be really fun to read, and the things she did throughout were just ridiculous- in a good way. Some of the ending seemed a little far-fetched for me, but overall an enjoyable read that was a fun way to spend a few days.

An addictive thriller that I couldn't put down! Definitely a must read!

This book reminds me of Dexter or killing Eve. The main character only kills the "bad guys". The abusers, rapists, men that don't take no for an answer. It definitely could trigger some people if they have lived any of the story lines.

The book was written well and the plot was very thought out. There were many twists that I didn't figure out and I normally can. I can't wait to see any other books from this author!

Deliciously Dark and Hilariously Twisted is a perfect description of this book. Kitty is a morally complex character, that I rooted for and was disgusted by in equal measure. She rides the line between loving best friend and homicidal maniac perfectly. Katy Brent wrote the narrative perfectly, so that her two personalities are woven together seamlessly. Once I started this I was hooked, it was insane and in parts extremely graphic but i loved it so much.
If you loved this and haven't read the sweet pea trilogy then please do because they are both perfect examples of Darkly humorous crime fiction.

If you love Sweet Pea, How to Kill Your Family or the TV show Dexter (but imagine a female protagonist) then this book is for you! A no holds barred female protagonist who takes revenge on very bad men.


SYNOPSIS:

"Meet Kitty Collins.
FRIEND. LOVER. KILLER.

Have you ever walked home at night, keys in hand, ready to throw a punch in self-defence? That’s how it all started. The killing spree, I mean.

I sort of tripped into this role… Literally. The first one was following me. That guy from the nightclub who wouldn’t leave me alone. I pushed him, he stumbled, and fell onto his own broken wine bottle. Oops. It was such a waste of a good house white.

But now I can’t seem to stop and nor do I want to… I’ve got a taste for revenge and quite frankly, I’m killing it."

WHAT I LOVED:

🔪 Kitty Collins the MC (main character) - an Instagram influencer and female Dexter who's ridding the world of evil men and makes you laugh at the same time. *I salute you!

🔪 The dark humour, the social commentary on misogyny, and the smart, over the top story telling.

🔪 The spotlight on "Instagrammer Influencer Life".

🔪 Kitty's circle of friends are hilarious as is Kitty's observations of life and societal norms of dating and socialising.

🔪 Fast-paced, addictive, entertaining read. I loved Kitty and would love to read more of her.

🔪 Katy Brent's writing is so much fun, entertaining, over the top (in a good way), but with poignancy and commentary on the world women live in and fear. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Requested this because of the title and the quirky-cute cover, but it turned out to be a big, old 'not for me'. I feel like I've read this book umpteen times (and seen the movie and read a dozen scripts about the same thing), and this newest version adds nothing new to the conversation. Also, the title is entirely misleading as there's absolutely no way the main character would've gotten away with the majority of these murders. She literally found them on Tinder or else was the last person seen with them. There's no 'how to' guide here, but rather a 'dumb luck'. The more I read, the less I liked Kitty and the less justified she seemed in her murders.

I'm leaving it with a three star review because the writing is decent and maybe it's just me who is stale on the subject.

I really enjoyed this book, but I did find some of it a bit much, especially all the gruesome details. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an advance copy.

This book just wasn’t for me. I felt like the pacing was a little too slow and I never found myself eager to pick the book back up. It wasn’t the writing that I didn’t care for but the development of the story.

Kitty Collins is a rich, pill popping, vodka drinking, famous Instagram influencer who also likes to kill men, bad men. If you are squeamish, this book is not for you as the disposal of all the bodies often involves meat grinders. At first I thought this would be like 'My sister the serial killer', which was well written and tongue in cheek. This was more of a fun, light read, that's pretty implausible.
First, that she could physically maneuver and kill all these very large men. Granted, she does drug them first. Second, that she would get away with it. And third that no one close to her would notice. But then someone does. That's when it starts getting interesting. Then she falls in love. Will this keep her from killing again, or will she still have the itch to rid society of all the pedofiles, rapists, and misogynists?
Kitty is a likeable character, well developed, and just has these urges. Unfortunately most of her friends are vapid, hangerons, It would be nice to see a few of them more well developed.
There is a pretty good twist at the end that surprised me, as I thought I'd figured out who the stalker was. And the ending leaves Kitty open for a sequel or a franchise of this character
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: california zinfandel

Kitty Collins, influencer, accidentally fell into the role of serial killer. It started out as self defense from a man that would not leave her alone and it just got progressively worse. The worse part, she enjoys the thrill and feeling of revenge. She can't stop.
How do I even start? This book was engaging and then some. I could not put it down. It was fast paced and easy to follow and before I knew it, Kitty fit the profile of a serial killer. And boy was she on a spree. It got gruesome real quick. The details were not it for me. I loved the execution though. It was just one event after another. This book really got me digging through my brain for all those Criminal Minds episode details. The plot twist really got me in the end, and they usually never do.

The one thing that I didn't like was that it definitely was all about Kitty. About her life and her problems. I get that she was the protagonist of the story, but then what was the point of introducing other conflicts ( I'm looking at you Greece) and ignoring them after a few pages. So many issues were just brushed over in this fast paced thriller.

There are loads of trigger warnings for this book but I definitely do recommend it to anyone that can read it.

Definitely an interesting read. Sometimes I was like "What am I reading?" and other times I thought to myself this author is genius. It made me feel all the emotions, sad at times, funny and clever, but with a twist of darkness. I enjoyed it and it's one of those book that will stay with me for awhile. I highly suggest everyone read this book, but of course I especially suggest all women read it!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of How to Kill Men and Get Away With It by Katy Brent.

WARNING: Light spoilers, and trigger warning: SA

Kitty is a famous influencer, lover of all animals, and a killer. After her first kill defending herself against a violent attack, she finds it satisfying to rid the earth of bad men who do bad things, namely assault women. But one day she takes it too far and ends up in hot water. Could her vigilantism be her utter downfall?

I'm SO morally toooooooorn. Here's the deal, I loved Dexter, but this isn't me having a problem with a female Dexter necessarily. My issue is that Dexter killed people who also killed people. Questionable as his methods and justifications were, the scales were balanced. And I have NO problem with men who hurt women receiving their due, including violence, but murder? As gruesome as the revenge scene was in Dragon Tattoo was, it was at least satisfying that the two terrible acts were a mirror of each other. I don't know, I imagine that this could be a great debate.

That said, I had a hard time not cringing throughout the whole story for this very reason. It made it really hard to enjoy the book, especially when she made mistakes! I can DEFINITELY see how it would be very cathartic for some people, and I would never question that, but it was difficult for me.

How to Kill Men and Get Away With It by Katy Brent.

Thank you to Netgalley, HarperCollins UK Audio and Katy Brent for an ARC in return for an honest review.

"Meet Kitty Collins. FRIEND. LOVER. KILLER".

There's a new serial killer on the block and she is fabulous. Kitty Collins is a social media influencer with a deadly hobby.

I adored this book - it is quirky, witty and unique. It makes you laugh out loud and cringe at the same time.
A dark comedy which is fabulously written. I can't wait to read more by Katy Brent.

"Before, she didn't know how much effort killing really took. How people struggled even when it was hopeless, how long it took to asphyxiate someone. How annoying blood stains are."

But Kitty Collins knows better now - she knows how to kill men and how to get away with it. On the surface, she's a successful influencer living in a trendy part of London with plenty of family wealth - but she loathes every single moment of it, just dying to find something to give meaning to her empty days.

The first kill was an accident. A drunken, violent man who didn't even treat her like a human. She didn't mean to kill him. But she is sick and tired of men, of the world they've created to hurt and kill women without being held accountable. Not the abusers, the rapists, not even the stalker commenting death threats on her photos. None of them face the consequences of their actions.

But they will now, she's going to make sure of it.

"Nothing happens and this is not a horror movie. It's worse."

This story exploded into gory gloriousness right from the first few pages - setting the an obsessive pace from the start and never letting go for a moment. There's a jarring contrast between the gentle, seemingly peaceful existence of Kitty and the explosive action and deep cuts before returning to a gentle, anxious calm that leaves you riddled with anxiety and waiting for the next bomb to drop.

On the surface, Kitty is the kind of person I'd never approach or befriend - but underneath she's a firestorm - fierce and furious about the utter absurdity of modern life, about abandonment and trauma, about the abuse of women and about our unobtainable pursuit of perfection. She's complex - confused and hypocritical but also aware of it. She's a vegan, who obtained wealth from a family slaughter business, a feminist who promotes diet drinks on Instagram, an influencer who can't stand social media.

Slowly, Kitty morphs into a fully realised person in front of our eyes -and although it's weird to say I could relate to a killer, I can't say it's not crossed by mind every time I've had to hold my keys between my fingers or order an angel shot.

The twists just kept coming and got darker and more terrifying each time - and every time Kitty upped her body count I got chills down my spine. The tension throughout was delicious - I was desperate to know more about this murderess, she was almost intoxicating as she kept us firmly between blurred lines - between revenge and retribution, between right and wrong, between hero and villain.

Full of bloody revenge, hilariously witty humour and very unexpected moments of clarity - Katy Brent KILLED IT.

If Rhiannon from CJ Skuse’s Sweetpea series had been born into the world of Made in Chelsea you’d have Kitty Collins instead. This book is all sorts of the delicious rich world, reality show drama, with an undercurrent of using your wealthy and privileged position to do a feminist thing and get rid of a few bad eggs making it hard to be a woman in today’s world. What follows is a story rich with character, amazing events and locations, a complex lead character, and a hidden villain.

I’m super behind on my Netgalley reviews so this one was lucky to get read on time because a few of us in a virtual book club were approved at the same time so we decided to do a buddy read. I ended up ahead of schedule because from the off this was fast-paced and engaging, and I really wanted to know more about Kitty’s motivations. As with every good thriller, all is not as it seems, Kitty’s motivations run a little deeper and to complicate things she also has a stalker who seems to know more than she’d like.

The whole buddy read group definitely felt this had Sweetpea vibes to it, and at the end the author did a shout-out to that and a few other books for paving the way for Kitty and her high-life serial killing. Love authors supporting each other and sharing the love. I definitely feel like we’re in a golden era of complex, female-led and written stories where we no longer have to be the meek damsels in distress showing we have agency to make change in the world… but maybe we’ll do it in a less stabby way in real life!

Verdict: Brilliant, fast-paced, fun, and gory read. Long live the era of female serial killer thrillers!

How to Kill Men and Get Away With It is a phenomenal thriller from start to finish. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out How to Kill Men and Get Away With It asap.

This book is hard to rate, because it is DARK and gore-filled. I really enjoyed the beginning and the overall story, however there were just some moments and scenes that were too intense for me. I would recommend this to people who like Alice Feeney and Gillian Flynn. Overall, good twists and turns, but beware of the disturbing content - very descriptive murder scenes.

Thank you to the author, HQ, and NetGalley for providing a copy to review!

Thank you for the preview of this book! This book was very inventive, and while it wasn’t my cup of tea, I applaud that it was one of a kind. How to Kill Men and Get Away With It is for the true crime enthusiast who isn’t shy from a little gore.

This book piqued my interest as it was touted as the female Dexter, featuring a young socialite/social media influencer who sticks it to the bad guys using Tinder as a hunting ground.

What I got however was similar to the 2020 film Promising Young Woman but a step way, way too far. Kitty's moral code was murky at best, and was neither Dexter like in its credo or feminist she-ro. Not only were Kitty and her friends vapid and entitled, the rationale behind who Kitty killed and why was seriously lacking for me. Sorry but ghosting a girl after a few dates is not deserving of death nor is asking a girl to 'give it up' in exchange for free drinks justification enough for murder.