How to Kill Men and Get Away With It Review!!

Okay this book title alone made me HAVE to read this book. Thank you Netgalley, Hq Digital, and Katy Brent, for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review! How to Kill Men and Get Away With It comes out October 12, 2022!!

What do you get when you mix a female Dexter and Cassie from A Promising Young Woman?? Kitty Collins, that’s who. I literally couldn’t put this book down, I was just so engrossed in Kitty and what the heck she was going to do next!! This book was cheesy and hilarious and yes, very unrealistic, but I loved it!! How to Kill Men and Get Away With It was 5/5 ⭐️ for me!! Brent is definitely going to be on my radar for future books!

In the description of this book it says: 'a deliciously dark, hilariously twisted story'.
Is that what you get? Well, kind of.
First off, I was immediately drawn to this book because of the title and the synopsis sounded right up my alley. Anything that is a bit different, with a dark morbid sense of humour I'm interested in. But this didn't quite hit the target for me.
I was really wanting to feel the 'good for her' vibes and to be giggling away at the dark humour. However I didn't feel either of those things. I just didn't find this funny.
I wasn't expecting this to be so light hearted and chick lit.
That's not to say it was all bad. I did enjoy parts of it and it is definitely an easy read you can fly though (as I did in two sittings) but when I had finished it, I felt disappointed. I felt like this could have been a lot better.
Also the main character being an influencer and into fashion really didn't hold any appeal to me. I don't care what designer made her sofa.
Overall this was OK but I was never wowed.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!

I randomly saw this book on NetGalley, and thought the cover was cute and the name of the book was funny! I expected a light hearted/funny book of some little girl turned vigilante. While I’m totally here for female Dexter, I didn’t expect female Dexter going into this book (again, expected it to be light hearted).

I want to start by saying the prologue does NOT fit the theme of the first quarter of the book. I was very thrown off when reading it! From the very beginning, I hated the main character, Kitty Collins. She’s a distasteful, lying, self-obsessed influencer. She literally introduces her friends by their follower count on Instagram. 👀 also, I know this is an arc, but some of the grammar issues were hard to look over.

There were parts that were pretty gory (again, female Dexter), so prepare yourself for that. I did love how the ending came full circle (yes, you get an explanation for the prologue), and it did indeed throw me for a loop! 🤯 Its no surprise that by chapter two, Kitty has a stalker. I had my guesses on who I thought it would be, but I was extremely far off. The author did really well with that mystery!

Overall, I give this book a 3.5 stars. I probably would have enjoyed it more had Kitty been a decent human / not such an awful character, AND if I had been prepared for the gore. I think for those people reading it after seeing this review, you’ll probably enjoy it a little more than me since you have this disclaimer! 😘

I was drawn to this book by the cover and the title. I simply adored the writing which is deliciously dark and wickedly clever.

Kitty, our MC, is the female equivalent of Dexter. After accidentally killing a guy who wouldn't take no for an answer, she creates her own set of rules for her kills and sets out to rid the world of sexual predators. However Kitty isn't as organised as Dexter and her kills not as meticulously thought out. This often leads to hilarious consequences, like discovering the pages from Vogue magazine aren't as absorbant as she thought.

This book isn't for the faint hearted. It deals with rape, sexual abuse and violence. It is darkly humourous with some cracking one liners. But the author pulls no punches so it's also graphic, gruesome and the language is often spicy!

The pace is fast and fierce and does not let up for a minute. There are twists I didn't see which you'd expect from a thriller. So I would certainly recommend for anyone looking for something a little different and are fans of Dexter and You.

**CONTAINS SPOILERS**
I received an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.

I'm going to try and keep this review shirt as possible.

Likes.:
1. The motive behind becoming a man killer is a wet dream because, men.
2. Kitty and her friends.
3. No excessive raunchy sex.
4. That she got away with it.

Dislikes:
1. The execution of the kills. Some of them makes me wonder if London doesn't have CCTV anywhere because how??
2. Kitty and her friends. It almost started to feel very Gossip Girl.
3. The randomness of the plot. There's a stalker but not really then there's a stalker again.
4. Tor - that's a horrible nickname lmao. What happens to her seems like it was just thrown in there. That entire scene was just disjointed. The girls Tor meet, what happened to them? Does the dock not have CCTV as well? She thanks Kitty at the end but then believes the story she gives about the dress?
5. Adam and Reuben. Kitty needs to learn to so recon and not just kill men. He didn't know which remote to use, that alone tells you he didn't live there. Also, his brother is popular how does she not know he has a younger brother? Did the police not question the Extras thoroughly?
6. The ending. Not only did it seem rushed, but there are so many holes with the stalker reveal that I almost stopped reading.

All in all, it's definitely a quick read with some laughs and little sexy time that isn't over done and unnecessarily explicit (loved that by the way) and even a little fashion. It's light and fun. If you're not looking for a die hard 'she kills men and thwarts the police to cover her tracks fantastically and literally gets away with murder' then this is book for you.

I generally enjoyed this. Although perhaps enjoyed isn't quite the right term.

It's engaging and I think many women will be able to relate to why the main character feels the urge to do what she does even though they won't do it.

Some of the writing is uneven and this can be jarring at times, The subject content gets darker just past the halfway mark and some people who have experienced sexual assault may find it a difficult read.

I'm still thinking about it and that is usually a sign of a good book.

The opening paragraph hooked me immediately; however, the more I read, the more unpolished the writing felt. It was a lot of telling, especially of things that didn’t feel necessary, and not enough showing. For example, “I check the time on my phone and see that it’s 2.40am so I head to the bar area and pour myself a massive shot of vodka” is just a really unnecessarily wordy sentence. I prefer more succinct writing.

Writing aside, I loved the premise! Rich, beautiful influencer is a secret serial killer with her own code of ethics to follow. AND our main character is delightfully morally grey. What’s not to like?

It definitely got twistier after the 60% mark. It also got a lot darker. Trigger warning for rape, sexual abuse, miscarriage, lots of violence.

Thank you to NetGalley, HQ, and the author for the opportunity to read and review How to Kill Men and Get Away with It. It gets a 3.5/5 from me. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Being a man I really shouldn't like this book. Well I didn't like it. I loved it! Kitty Collins is an 'influencer' with millions of followers and seemingly living the high life. There is just one flaw in her personality. She is a serial killer!! Oh I just couldn't stop reading this. A great story and narrative with some laugh out loud very dark humour along the way. She even throws a love story into the mix. Her murders are always very 'Dexter' style, going for the baddie, until, one night, things go disastrously wrong. I don't want to give anything away. Just read this and enjoy the ride!!!!!! Well done Katy Brent. A brilliant read!

When I saw the title and cover of the book I requested it right away, was super happy to be approved for the ARC in exchange for fair and honest review. Thank Netgalley and HQ publishing. I was hoping this would be a mix of My Sister The Serial Killer and How To Kill Your Family…. Spoiler it was neither and fell short of being even close.

From The Cover📖

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.



Review- ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is a bit bonkers, it is a good read if you put all sense of reality aside. For that reason I wouldn’t class it as a crime thriller, a chick lit or even modern fiction. It is more like satire, a story that without doubt draws out relevant, topical and important issues in modern day society( toxic masculinity, social media)really showing all faults of them, but the important messages are lost in the satire as parts are just not very good and there is a few mixed messages and confusion. There is interesting premise throughout the book it just doesn’t seem to really take it to the point it’s needed.

The book is totally fantastical put aside any knowledge of police investigations as there is none here, you could forgive this if it wasn’t for the fact everything seems disjointed and confused. Is it a novel? Is it satire? Who knows!!!! The writing isn’t strong enough for it to be both that’s for sure

For me the book started off well but lost focus, plot and pace fairly early on. While there is some amusing dark humour, some cracking one liners and brilliant sarcasm there isn’t enough to make up for the fact the book doesn’t really know what it wants to be. There are bones of some brilliant sub plots but they are never fully explored. I also had a problem with the pacing of the story. Each chapter break has a different setting at the beginning but there is no time frames. It just feels like we're going at match speed throughout the story while at the same time it almost drags on. Some of the scenes just felt unnecessarily too long and it felt like nothing was happening for a while, plot-wise. The stalker plot line in the beginning is pointless it’s only towards the end it is mentioned and has relevances to the story it comes from nowhere in terms of story line but in part is quite obvious.

The characters are all pretty one dimensional lazy stereotypes, there is the music mogul creep, the scatty posh girl, the city boys and the almost perfect white savour boyfriend… all far too black and white to make an impact in the story. The main character of Kitty is the worse she is almost like two different characters on the one hand she is this fighter of justice for all but on the other is over a privileged snotty snob who is judgemental beyond belief ,selfish and a pain all round. The way she describes women is totally at odds of what is meant to be her characters story ark, she comes across like a sexist man at times. Kitty for me is very unlikable, she is no hero I wanted her to get caught in the end. In fact her getting caught would have made a better ending and I think could have been a way to really hammer the important issues raised in the book home.

The author clearly is a vegan as her preachy and overbearing focus on it is plain to see. I found this amusing as she takes a very clear stand on this drawing the importance she feels this has but treats issues like eating disorders, miscarriage and rape with all the importance of a damp cloth…kinda looses the whole point she is making with the book somewhat. Though even know I feel she is trying to make a point about mass produced meat products I do like the meat factory in terms of how Kitty uses it, that I found fairy funny.

I found the way miscarriages were dismissed as a little problem and something one can use to advantage as utterly awful and unforgivable.

Moreover the way the eating disorders are described and portrayed as a normal way to control ones weight not only is awful but really harmful, there in fact times it’s glamourised .

The point the author makes about the violence against women in the world is so valid and relevant however the way she portrays the aftermath of a gang date rape completely undermines all of it, this with the lies Hen later tells sends the complete opposite message I think she was trying to make. Maybe this isn’t for strong women to read and identify with but in fact satire for the ever growing Incel movement. As the men hating agenda is almost comical in how it’s presented as it’s so stereotypical only a woman hating man could dream it up.

Putting all the negatives from above this is not a bad novel there bare bones are there, it just doesn’t get fully dressed for me.

I give it three stars mainly for the idea of the book, the few comical moments and the points is does mange to make successfully.

Warning this book might at first glance seen a dark comic capper but it is fact graphic in places, grim, issues are poorly handled and there is a lot potential triggers. If you can ignore all that and just go with the flow, candyfloss brain, it’s a quick read that will if even anything pass an afternoon with a chuckle at times.

It could have been a great, prize winning piece of woman’s prose but it is way off that mark.

I don't really know how to describe this book. Part thriller, with a bit of a romance and a lot of humour, it is a bit like reality tv: impossible to take your eyes off. Absolutely loved it! Totally macabre and a little bit gory, you need to suspend some disbelief ... but its very worth it.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Famous influencer Kitty Collins is so tired of toxic men and the culture that lets them thrive. She decides to make the world a better place by ridding of them.

I love dark humor and satire books, especially when they are contemporary like this one. A lot of it was based on social media and influencer life which I find interesting. It was gory at times but I mean, look at the title, what do you expect! I was also laugh out loud and make you feel for the main character.. a murderer! If you’re looking for a dark but humorous read for Halloween, this is is.

“Anyway, in a sort of Dexter-Esque way I’ve decided that there are people who really deserve to die. And those who don’t.”

How to Kill Men and Get Away with It comes out 10/12.

How to Kill Men and Get Away with It is as darkly funny as a vegan serial killer. It read like a female Dexter meets Gossip Girl set in London - and it was fantastic. Kitty is a character to obsess over. Her journey made for a fun read where you find yourself rooting for a trendy insta-famous murderess and I devoured the pages to see what she’d do next. The book was peppered with funny one-liners and a full cast of side characters with their own wants, desires - and dark secrets. Although I guessed some of the twists, I didn’t catch all of them and it didn’t hamper my thorough enjoyment of the story one bit. The ending delivered too, which isn’t always the case with thriller reads. I’d wholeheartedly recommend it to any crime fans, Killing Eve lovers and - to be honest - anyone looking for a true page turner featuring a strong female lead. I can’t wait to dissect Kitty’s grey moral compass with my book clubs and see what the author comes up with next. Huge thanks to the author, Katy Brent, and publisher, HQ Digital, for this advance review copy. Views my own. 5*

Oh Kitty you are SUCH a darling! How to Kill Men was an absolute treat to read, sending out American Psycho and Promising Young Women vibes (both of which are faves of mine), Kitty narrates her 'Made in Chelsea' lifestyle with aplomb. Katy has managed to make this a light(ish) read even though it tackles abuse, violence and sexual assault, she does this by infusing humour into the situations and providing us with well developed characters, that even with their extensive privilege you root for.

I particularly liked the references to the nuances between the privileged - i.e. Kitty didn't like that her money didn't come from something more sexy than the meat industry - why not fashion or music?! Showing us that even in the uber rich world you still compare yourselves to others, money doesn't always make you happy.

I had pretty high expectations for this book, and I have to say it sort of fell a little flat for me. But I’d still recommend.

The premise of this book is really interesting and timely in a #metoo world. When unfortunately the bar for seeing any sort of repercussions for male intimidation or violence is incredibly high, the idea of vigilante justice can have its appeal. Kitty is a complex character whose past is sometimes explicitly stated and other times alluded to. This helps build a picture of why she does what she does.

Most of the other characters seem underdeveloped. The book has a twist which seems to come from nowhere and feels like an afterthought. At times there was also a drift into absurdity without something to ground it and make it feel like something that could actually happen. An ok read for me.

Found this quite amusing in parts and I did want to keep reading to find out who the stalker was and if the killer got their comeuppance. I generally read crime novels from the police viewpoint, so this did make a refreshing change to see it from the killer’s perspective. I found it to be an easy writing style.

You know a book is well written when you don't like the main character but you still really enjoy the novel. Kitty has it all, influencer, loaded and loved by everybody. But Kitty also has a dark secret, she's a serial killer who has a stalker.
Highly recommend for anybody who loves a bit of women empowerment gore and fun

One word !!! AMAZING !!! Where has Kitty been all my life ❤️❤️❤️ Love the whole premise a female Dexter set in Chelsea !!! Haha great characters gruesome murder of men !!! Proper Sweet pea vibes !!! Absolutely loved every minute !!! There better be a second one as I need more kitty in my life !

This gave me major Dexter and Ratched vibes!

Kitty, a social media influencer and murderer. Although, the men (some may say) deserve what they got and she seems to have good justification for each one. However, there is a stalker who is lurking in the shadows sending Kitty disturbing, revealing messages… they are aware of her every move.

It was very gruesome at some points, particularly when Kitty was killing her next victim, it was graphic.

Kitty is a very twisted yet intriguing woman who knows what she wants and will go to great lengths to get it. She has many personality traits and I was here for it - she was very curious.

It was a quick and light read (despite the topic) it was written in quite a humorous tone which was great, a different vibes to most books of the topic.

There was a great mix of humour - more the sadistic kind - and quite disturbing yet it all worked.

Thanks to @netgalley for allowing me this ARC and to HQ and Katy Brent for allowing me a copy of your book in exchange for an open and honest review.

What a fun book to kick off the Halloween season with! The writing was good, and the characters weren't one dimensional which is great. I laughed so much, I really enjoyed it!