I found this an enjoyable, and often rather humourous read.
I would say it's more of a funny/relationship book with a bit of murder thrown in rather than an actual thriller.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc ebook.

What a great read!
Fox & Haze are bonded by their love of killing. They have been travelling around Europe, murdering bad men (only bad men, never the good ones).
However, when their first child is born, Fox decides that they should stop, for the sake of their daughter.
This causes resentment, and their marriage is not as good as it once was.
I won't gice away the plot so that others can enjoy it, but let's just say that things escalate, and each half of the couple find themselves distrusting the other.
This was a real fun read, and is just up my street.

My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, sadly this book was not for me.
I'm afraid the title and cover design were the best things about A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage. Otherwise, the plot was mostly an utterly banal description of a couple with a new baby trying to come to terms with the way this arrival has changed their carefree single lives. Ok, so they are (good - allegedly) serial killers for a hobby, but apart from that, so humdrum.
This lack might have been saved by good writing, but I was disappointed here too. The prose was lacking in the tiniest smidgen of style or flair, as flat and characterless as an instruction manual. As a result, the characters were flat and interchangeable, and completely lacking in veracity. And the end was both terribly predictable, and terribly bland.
This would probably make a good film, where the action and pretty actors cover a lot plot holes, but a book like this needs some vestige of wit, or a decent turn of phrase,
Normally I hate to give such a bad review, but this was such a torture to read that I wouldn't like anone else to waste either their time or their money on it.

This one was a whole lotta fun! Highly recommended for fans of Bella Mackie and anyone who likes their crime with a slice of humour, a unique voice and a strong sense of tone. The cover is also one of my favourites this year, so well done to the designer.

Serial Killers Guide To Marriage - Asia Mackay
⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I had found my Mr Right to help me take out all those Mr Wrongs.”

A Serial Killers Guide To Marriage follows married couple and new parents Hazel and Fox. They’re an ordinary family, except they used to be serial killers. When Hazel feels the urge to kill again and the police get involved, she has to go to extreme lengths to protect her family. This could save their marriage - unless it kills them first.

A Serial Killers Guide To Marriage is told from both Hazel and Fox’s point of view over a dual timeline, across 5 different parts. First of all I want to say how much I love the lime green cover - this immediately attracted my attention and was a fun graphic to match the title. This book was full of dark humour, vigilante-style killings and a strong female main character full of feminine rage and power.

If I am completely honest, it took me a while to get into the book, to the point where I didn’t care much for the recurrent musings about the state of Hazel and Fox’s marriage. However this did pick up towards the ending when their old habits come back into play, and the twist at the ending both shocked and thrilled me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Asia Mackay and Headline for sending this advanced copy of A Serial Killers Guide To Marriage in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book is brilliant. I loved it from beginning to end and every sentence in between. Honestly, it is clever, witty and well…brilliant. I hope there is a book two whether it is this series or not I will be reading it.

"Till death us do part."

Fox and Haze a married couple with a baby and ex-serial killers. They had it all lavish holidays five-star restaurants unlimited funds an enviable London lifestyle. When Hazel became pregnant they gave up their side job of ridding the world of bad men making a promise to each other that they wouldn't kill again for the sake of their daughter.

But that itch to kill just never goes away and Hazel finds herself breaking the pact she made to her husband her Fox.

Bring on our new power couple Fox and Haze our newest serial killers in the world of fun thrillers. It did dip in parts but it quickly picked back up with lots of twists and humour a proper page-turner.

It touches on the trials and tribulations of motherhood and I could see myself in Hazel. It's a hard slog and sometimes you lose things like your sense of self, and friends then things you used to do are put on hold for your children.

With vibes of Love and Joe and Mr and Mrs Smith, I'd recommend this to anyone who loves a good twisty fun thriller.

DNF at 35%

I tried to enjoy this, but I just wasn't reaching for her as it was too slow..some people are going to love this book, it just wasn't for me.

This is the story of Fox and Haze (Hazel) a serial killer pair who only stopped killing when they had a child. Unfortunately Haze is getting itchy to kill again, the bloodlust is high. I found the book was a complete mishmash, part thriller and part comedy. The killing part was often gruesome although seemingly justified but the whole book was peppered with humour and even some laugh out loud moments.

We follow both Fox and Haze through their day to day lives and bringing up their baby Bibi. The story is told generally one chapter each for Fox and Haze and we get to see their day to day lives of retired serial killers.

Although it got a little far fetched for me towards the end, it really was a good and amusing read

By the end of this book I was left wanting more.
It had been a slow start, and took me a while to get hooked by the characters. But once I was hooked, I was hooked.
In a way, that was the charm of this book. Understated, considering the theme. It came alive as I read, and the storyline became richer, more in depth, and totally riveting.
I wasn’t expecting the ending at all, but I loved it none-the-less. Genius! Like nothing I’ve ever read before. Highly recommended and I look forward to reading more by this author.

Well that was a fun read!

Think Mrs & Mrs Smith, as serial killers. They have travelled all over killing bad men until they start a family. Now they must behave for the sake of their daughter. But do they?

This starts with a bang, dips slightly in the middle, then picks back up. I was surprised how it managed to wrap up at the end. Great book.

Well, that was a blast! Slick, stylish, sardonic and shockingly funny – with so many life truths. Asia Mackay delivers a stunning read: misdirection, homily, spoofs on art descriptions, high society, nursery school and what her heroine, Haze, had to surrender on becoming a mother. How I empathised with her! Fox, her husband, soul mate, partner in crime, ever-thoughtful husband misses their previous life too …
How can they restore the pzazz to their marriage?
Page 45 has the perfect summation of what women expect from men. It is sublime and laugh-aloud hilarious. It’s a p[ity the book won’t be published until 14th January ’25 – it would be the perfect Christmas gift for so many of my friends. Don’t miss it.

This book is an easy read. I was engaged lightly to the end, without having to focus too much on the story. Perfect for a tired mind, holiday read or long commute. Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy.

Rating: 4.3/5

I loved Asia Mackay's first two books, "Killing It" and "The Nursery", but it has been about five years since her last publication and I was beginning to wonder whether her writing days were behind her. Thankfully, that has proven not to be the case and "A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage" is every bit as entertaining to read as her previous two offerings.

Those first two novels featured Lex Tyler, the mother of a young daughter who juggles her work as a secret agent for Platform Eight with the daily trials and tribulations of being a wife and mother. Although "A Serial Killer's Guide" follows a different track, there are still some areas of crossover. Hazel and Fox are a young couple with an affluent lifestyle, thanks to Fox's wealthy family background, but their relationship is anything but conventional, because they met and developed their bond through a shared love of killing bad men! However, now, some years later, they have a young daughter and they are desperately trying to curb their natural instincts and live the life that the world at large would expect them to lead.

The story is told alternately from the perspectives of Hazel and Fox. We gain insights into the their shared passions, but also the distinct differences in their personas, which are admirably portrayed by the author. Many of the challenges and daily stresses that the couple face will be familiar to the audience - though without the history of bloodlust and the difficulties in trying to wean themselves off their previous murderous addiction.

The narrative is pacy, gripping and overflowing with wonderfully dark humour, but against that there are also moments of unconventional poignancy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am so glad that Asia Mackay has put pen to paper again. I just hope that it isn't too long until she does so again.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

Great premise but found that the Sluggish pace, characters that I didn't engage with and repetition of their whining for the first 25% was frankly off-putting. Not for me.

I was so excited about this one it sounded so intriguing, I was expecting so much more but it ended up being very slow and not much happening until after the half way mark. The ending definitely made up for the first half of the book but unfortunately not enough for me to give it more than 3 stars.

Hazel & Fox were so cool, an absolute power couple. I loved how (pre baby) they were living the high life and indestructible. It was definitely too good to be true but the lavish life they were living gave them that sense of security and they were untouchable.

I liked the reasonings behind their murders and I also loved how it tied in with how they met each other and formed their relationship.

Once the baby came into the mix though, you could feel their facade slipping away and I think Asia really captured how much having a child changes you, through her writing.

Hazels friendship with Jenny was brilliant. I love how she was so closed off to start with but as their friendship grew, they both evolved. The little plot twist regarding Jenny was a great addition.

I really liked the narrative of this book, the story linked together well and although some parts felt a little repetitive, there was always something going on. The ending was 🤩.

Brilliant, brilliant, BRILLIANT! I absolutely loved this great read!

Haze and Fox are serial killers, which sounds dodgy, but they only kill bad men, so apparently it's ok!! They live a glamorous (and murderous) lifestyle, bankrolled by Fox's trust fund and Haze's art, but when Haze falls pregnant, Fox decides that they need to stop killing, in order to make sure their child has the best upbringing possible, with both parents present.

The struggles that they both go through were sad, but also, completely hilarious! There is a need from both of them to protect the other and neither of them realise that the other has either totally sussed what they are up to, or has completely misinterpreted it and are very upset. I can't say too much more without venturing into spoiler territory, so you'll have to read it for yourself!

Brilliant writing, fabulous characters and a killer plot!

⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Asia Mackay and Headline for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Fox and Haze were the socialite couple who married, moved out to the suburbs and raised their toddler, Bibi. As a stay at home mum Haze has it all except the misses her past, when her and Fox were a serial killing duo. Domestic bliss isn’t sating her any longer and Fox seems to be hiding more and more from her. Can they save their marriage?
I loved Asia’s first two books and enjoy her dark humour and this was the same. I was very excited when this arc was sent my way and I enjoyed it. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Release Date: 14th January 2025

What a great premise for a book, a couple who are bonded together by their love of murder and how they navigate a life together with a baby and the loss of their passion.

Haze and Fox are not your average couple, travelling the world killing 'bad' men, living the life of luxury until Haze gets pregnant. Fox then decides it's too risky to carry on and they must stop their killing ways and start living a normal suburban life, so they can be there for their daughter, Bibi.

Hazel struggles with this and how flat and boring her life and marriage are becoming, off out for a run one evening she kills alone and tries to hide this from Fox, whilst also befriending a detective on maternity leave, can she keep her secret from them both and get away with murder?

It soon transpires that Fox has his own secrets and ways of coping with the loss of the high of a kill in his life, with the added pressures of his controlling family back in America, interfering and threatening him.

This is a great story with a great premise, about marriage, the lies people can keep to try to protect those they love and the challenges of having to change your life when you have a child, obviously not all marriages contain illegal activity, but for Haze and Fox they think they're so unique and no one else understands them, but in reality a lot of their fears and issues are very common.

I liked the use of the exerts about how to have a good marriage and the switching between Fox and Haze's narration. The quick wit and sharpness of Haze was brilliant and added a lightness and some humour to the book, as she tries to navigate making mum friends.

Overall a good well paced book, but did slow down in the middle.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

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