Jess is quite literally living a nightmare. After a particularly rough night, she ends up in the hospital. It’s obvious where her injuries came from and Jess finally feels strong enough to come forward. When she learns that the law isn’t as much on her side as she had hoped, she turns to a domestic violence support group. Suddenly, the men of some of the women in this group are being threatened and exposed.

I really enjoyed this book and I liked the different perspectives. The short chapters kept the timeline moving while keeping the story fast paced and interesting. I was not expecting the twist. I’m interested that this is part of a series and we will continue to see Jess and Sophie.

Women protecting women was the theme throughout this book. I loved the characters in the book & the way they evolved, I loved the storyline, plenty of twists & turns to keep me guessing. I flew through this book as I couldn't wait to find out what happens. A five star entry ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Me the entire time: “yesssss good for them!!!!”

While this may be morally ambiguous, it wasn’t for me. Women protecting other women will always be something I stand for and this was so well done in its nuances. Excellent work within this novel

A group of women come together to seek justice from their abusers in a book that challenges you to grapple with tough ethical questions about what justice really means.

I really loved the premise of this book, however the story felt quite repetitive, with each 'case' similar in dynamic to the last. The way the book captures the struggles and beauty of Mums raising kids with autism was really well done. Like other readers, I would have loved to see more of the dynamic between Sophie and Jess and how their relationship affected ethical decision making.

Not a 'page turner' for me, but gave me a lot to think about!

Thank You @Netgalley and @HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for allowing me to review this ARC!

TW: domestic violence, violence. Keep in mind that there are scenes envolving violence that are very descriptive.

I was actually pleasantly surprised with this one. I thought I had it all figured out but it turns out support groups can be for more than just overcoming trauma. This is my first read by Darren O'Sullivan and I can't really complain. You meet characters learning to live again and figure out who they are and who they can be despite everything they had to go through. How finding people who understand you can give you the extra push you need.

I feel like the second half of the book didn't quite match the beginning of the story, but it kept me hooked to find out how it would end.

This was a really good book. It dealt with the subject of spousal abuse and the system that doesn’t make it easy for the victim. Although I felt the book was some what predictable, I enjoyed this quick read.

This is a definitely a new and fresh plot! (I get tired of the same old, worn out plots sometimes). I didn’t know what to expect going into this book but I definitely enjoyed it!! I think I read this in 1 sitting! So good

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I DNF’d at 20%. The writing was good, but I didn’t quite like the writing style for this book. I will not leave any reviews or say that I DNF on social media.

Fast-paced, entertaining and slightly twisted, The Serial Killer Support Group is a great read. A fast-paced story with relatable characters makes this a real page-turner but there are deeper messages here too and questions raised about the morality of punishing those who deserve it most. Recommended.

This book is a solid 4 stars for me. I had to put it down and go to bed because it was so captivating.

It’s dark and twisted, but I enjoyed that aspect. It’s an eye for an eye, and there weren’t any major twists, which was fine by me. I did enjoy the one they did have. You really get behind the woman who joins the domestic violence support group. You feel for each of them. It’s not often you root for serial killers, but in this book, you definitely do!

The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is that the ending was just so abrupt. But I can’t wait for the sequel.

If you’re looking for an easy read that will keep your attention, this is definitely a book you want to read. Especially if you want strong female characters who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty!

The Serial Killer Support Group is a popcorn thriller in the best way possible. It was exactly the light hearted thriller that I needed to read!

One New Years Eve night, Jess’s boyfriend hit her across the face. As they are waiting in the emergency room and he’s coaching her what to say, she realizes this is the last time she will have a man touch her and she needs out. But when she tells the police and her ex still keeps showing up, she needs support in other ways.

She turns to a domestic abuse support group where other women have been in a similar situation. She realizes she looks forward to the group and it helps her in more ways than one.

Right from the begging I was captivated. I was invested in the domestic abuse and kept wanting to follow Jess story. Although there were no real shocking turns and it was predictable, I still enjoyed reading it. I think most people will like it and it sends a message so 5✨

What a ride. Definitely an intriguing read that had me turning the pages, but there was something… off? about it? I believe it was the pacing of the book, but then it felt almost incomplete by the end. There are some loose ends I definitely think should have been addressed, and I expected there to be a couple more chapters at least. However, it’s still a good read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me early access to this book in exchange for an honest opinion!

ARC review
Publication date 8 May 2025
“Serial Killer Support Group” by D.B. Stephens is a mystery thriller. Thank you HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the advance reader digital copy of the book. Opinions from this review are completely my own.

The synopsis of the book made me interested in the story.
This is told through multiple perspectives.
Jess is a victim of domestic abuse that finds a support group after she goes to the police and leaves her boyfriend. Her story is told in 1st person present and it feels like we are in her “shoes” and we get the information that she has.
Other chapters are from “The Caretaker”’s perspective, written in third person present, so we “see” from the outside what is happening and have no personal information about the character. I liked the mystery from these chapters. Finally, we also have Sophie’s perspective. She is a detective and the mother of a daughter with autism. Her chapters are also in third person. The fact that we get information about her personal life and not just about the cases she is investigating make her more relatable.

I liked a lot the first part of the story, the mystery surrounding “The Caretaker” and the group of women from the support group. But I think that the revelation about the identity of “The Caretaker” was done a bit too early and I lost a bit of interest in the story after. Still, the twist was clever and I did not expect it.

The ending was a hit rushed. But it seems this will be a series so I look forward to the next book.

This book kept me on my feet- I want a second! It left off with an amazing cliff hanger! I love that this story is a thriller but also show the power of friendship, addresses children with autism, and domestic violence! I enjoyed that the book was told in multiple perspectives and how the perspectives sway your thoughts! Nothing like I thought and I’m happy that it wasn’t

This book took some twists within the writing with a trigger warning about DV. I can see where the author was coming from and it really helped give this subject a voice which was brilliant.
The characters within the book and their POV stood out and the character of the caretaker brilliantly put it had a feel of an 80’s character.
It has a sense of dark humour and bits of Gore very good book though at times a hard read as it was so honest.

This was a very enjoyable book. I really liked the characters and how they developed through the book. I thought the story line was original and kept me interested.

What I loved about this book was it got to the story from the first page, and it kept that momentum the entire time. The author tackled tough subjects so well and really made you think. As a thriller fan how can you not love the title? This was my first book by this author but it won’t be my last.

This was not what I was expecting but OH MY! I loved it, I laughed, I was mad, then happy and I needed to keep reading. This book had me hooked! Well Done D B Stephens… I loved the fact it was a twisty, dark read that didn’t follow convention and went against the norm of psychological thrillers.

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬
The support group was intended to provide an opportunity for women with similar experiences to connect and receive therapy after the horrific crimes they endured. However, with the departure of their therapist, will they discover new ways to uplift one another?

𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
I have to admit, I wasn't aware that this book was the first in a series when I requested it from NetGalley, but I’m so glad I did. What a fantastic way to kick off a series!
At first glance, the book seems like a straightforward psychological thriller, with the identity of the killer made pretty clear early on. However, as the story unfolds, it quickly evolves into something much more layered and intricate, keeping me hooked until the very last page. The plot deepens in unexpected ways, making it far more impressive than I initially anticipated.
The characters are one of the book's strongest points. They’re well-developed and multi-dimensional, and I found myself genuinely invested in their lives. As the story progressed, I couldn’t help but care about what happened to them, and that emotional connection made the experience all the more powerful.
The title itself intrigued me, and I was easily pulled in by the premise. However, I would advise future readers to check the trigger warnings before diving in, as the book deals with themes of domestic violence and other sensitive topics that could be triggering for some.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a psychological thriller with well-rounded characters and a plot that keeps you on your toes. I can't wait for the second book to come out.

Thank You @Netgalley and @HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for allowing me to review this ARC.

This was an interesting take on being a serial killer, it makes you question if there's ever a 'deserved' murder. I found it quite uncomfortable to read, not just the gruesome descriptions of the murders, but just how OK everyone seemed to be about the murders. It wasn't very believable either, like surely these women would know there was a flaw in their plans and how on earth they managed to do what they did without anyone seeing... I also think there would be tension within the group with some not wanting to continue with it or feeling too bad etc. I found it predictable and then the ending... well it was totally unfinished, as though the author ran out of time or words and just decided to wrap it up. There were many aspects not followed up on - is this likely to be part of a series? It reads like it but it also reads like a book with an ending which isn't satisfactory at all.