This was a fantastic story! It manages to convey the feeling of motherhood in an original, funny way.
I desperately wanted a happy ending for the main characters, but I really couldn’t see how it was possible.
I don’t want to give anything away, but please do give A Serial Killers Guide To Marriage a read, you won’t regret it.

Thank you to Net Galley and the author for the e-arc.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, finding it to be a fun and well-written story. From the moment I read the book description, I was immediately drawn in and eager to start.

While there were some parts of the book that I found unnecessary and could have been omitted to improve the overall flow, it deter me from finishing the book. The strength of the characters and the unexpected twists in the plot kept me engaged.

I loved the characters in the story. The twists and turns in the plot added excitement. And while the ending may not have been entirely realistic, I found it to be a satisfying conclusion to the story.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to others looking for an entertaining read with well-developed characters and an engaging plot. It may have had its flaws, but the positives far outweighed any negatives for me. A truly enjoyable read from start to finish.

I really looked forward to reading this, something a bit different and a thriller with a difference. I found in some places it was a little slower, but generally enjoyed the storyline and meeting the new....characters, especially the one who changes the direction of the story. I enjoyed reading the backstory of both the characters too. Sadly I didn't love it, but that's not to say others won't - we can't love every book. Generally though, good solid, unique book so thank you for letting me read.

I was truly gripped by this story. I loved how romance and love had been found in the unlikeliest of scenarios and actually encapsulates it. The twists at the end of the story just brings it together nicely.

I found this book so easy to get into and didn't want to put it down.
The concept is unique, mixing marriage drama with a serial killer twist that works suprisinly well. The plot kept me guessing right to the end, one area that frustrates me in book is miscommunicaton tropes - which this book uses a lot - however it didn't ruin it for me.
I wont hesitate to pick up another of MacKay's book, I love her writing style and subtle use of humour.
Thanks for this ARC, I highly recommend it.

I have read this ARC with a view to providing a review
All opinions and thoughts are my own

I'd read a bit about this and was thrilled to be able to read it
Loved it
Couldn't put it down

Seriously fabulous !

I throughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. As someone who reads a lot of thriller stories they can start to get a bit ‘samey’ after a while but this is a refreshing take on a thriller novel which delves into both murder and marriage!

I enjoyed the multimedia aspects of texts, reviews and excepts from the marriage guides as this added to the story and gave it more depth.

An astounding read and definitely one to add to your TBR list immediately!

A quirky, modern thriller about Fox, Hazel and their unique take on marital harmony. A baby has meant their previous lifestyle has had to change and they have had to settle down and give up their unusual way of making the world a better place. Both deal with this in very different ways. Throw in a very wealthy set of parents on one side, an artistic career to maintain and a friendship choice that causes all sorts of upset on the other and chaos ensues. Will they be able to pull together to bring their relationship back on track and what happens to those who get in the way? Dark humour, twisty plotting, a refreshing read.

This book gave me married Butcher and Blackbird vibes - and I am here for it.
The moments of romance sprinkled in with serial killing, charm and fun banter between husband and wife meant that I flew through this book in a weekend. I wish there was more and that I could read it now!
Wonderfully written, Mackay is not an author I was aware of before this but will certainly look out for in the future - and this book will be added to my shelf as a trophy for future rereads

This book was a joy to read. I was really impressed with how Mackay managed to squeeze heartfelt moments of romance into what is seemingly a thriller. Having a couple that kill together was such an interesting premise and was super refreshing to bite my teeth into. I think it's really easy to make crime and thrillers feel one dimensional but there was so much to this book that it had me hooked the whole way through. It was riddled with dark humour and which was such a nice special touch. This book builds tension really well, so is the perfect read for a wide audience - themes such as friendship, grief, love, family, morality and identity are all covered and done justice.

From the jump, there was immediate action and suspense packed into each chapter and the pacing was excellent. I also really enjoyed the voicing of each Haze and Fox's POV. They felt distinct but equally chatty and like you were right next to them in every scene. Their dynamic felt really realistic and Mackay captured a middle class family so effortlessly. I loved that we had Haze's boldness and carelessness contrasted with Fox playing good cop and paying attention to the detail. Their relationship was really well written, we got such a detailed cross section of their marriage and I loved the gradual zoom in from what looks like a dream couple on the surface to a relationship with lots of secrets and deceit.

Haze had such a multilayered identity and was such a fully formed character. We got to see her wearing different hats as a mother, wife, woman and most importantly an ex-serial killer. It was really interesting to feel her identity slip away from her as the plot progressed and her internal struggle to try and become a person outside of being just a mum or wife.

Fox's character was also explored and developed wonderfully. I loved that he lived such an unconventional life within the constructs of being in a seemingly normal suburban middle class nuclear family, it was a really nice contrast. The deep dive into his backstory and how his privilege differed to Haze's was also really entertaining to read.

I thought some of the plot devices were really quirky and a great method of pushing the plot whilst maintaining a dual POV. Notably, Haze's texts to Matty was an ingenious way of understanding Haze's feelings outside of the classic POV. I also really enjoyed the descriptions of Haze's paintings, but I think illustrations or a key of her paintings in the index would've been a nice touch.

Some plot points felt a little unrealistic. Fox kept a spreadsheet of his kills which just seems like an evidence nightmare. Surely he would've not kept incriminating evidence on a spreadsheet? I feel like keeping a notebook or some record that felt less bait would've made this feel more realistic. Also in the scene where Haze goes out to 'get tampons' and returns empty handed, this felt a little unrealistic. Wouldn't Fox have noticed that she lied and be suspicious? Similarly, when Haze puts the CDs in her fitted dress this felt unrealistic - surely someone would've been able to see them? I also found the timeline slightly confusing. The 'then' flashbacks varied a lot, some were much more recent than others and there was no time stamps so the 'then' period felt fuzzy at times. Especially as I was sometimes confused when past events where happening in relation to Matty's death.

Also some of the writing did feel a little clunky, which occasionally broke the flow of the story ( 'each had a glass of red wine in hand', 'I know, I know, cry for me' ). Saying that there were some bits of writing that were worded in such a creative way ('time to bite the bullet. Chew on it a little. And spit it out.')

Overall, an excellent read with so many delicious twists and turns - perfect for any thriller fan.

The tone of voice carried the novel - I thought it was quite witty and funny, and the wife character worked well. Overall, I thought it was a little bit thin, although I can see it be being popular with crime readers, particularly women!

I REALLY enjoyed this book - I thought it was so different from the usual. Motherhood and murder such a fantastic contrast. What I especially liked was the character Haze - she was done so well and the author made me really root for her even though she was a killer :) There were a couple of times in the book where I was thinking "just talk to each other!" between Haze and Fox but I suppose it wouldn't be as exciting. Wasn't sure about the ending - there was one unfinished bit for me where Haze has an unsettling feeling in the last page in Vienna when she's about to go in for the kill - I thought that was going to lead to another twist but it didn't and I was left wondering if Fox and the Detective were going to set her up - perhaps an idea for a sequel :)

Definitely reminiscent of Mr and Mrs Smith- if they had turned suburban. Funny in many places and with a wry take on the characters interactions with people outside their marriage and their kill zone with major judgement fails and lots of regrettable decisions!
The descriptions of the tedium of doing the rounds of baby groups trying to find like minded individuals was very real- and it must be even harder when your interest is more stab-by then most new mums!

***advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
An interesting premise - something along the lines of Mr & Mrs Smith if they tried to go cold turkey - that doesn’t, for me at least, hit the right beats.
All the component parts are present, and everything ties up with a bow at the end - perhaps a little *too* neatly, in my opinion - but the characters feel flat and not rounded enough to be real or compelling. They don’t need to be relatable as such (they are, after all, serial killers), but the core of this book is a marriage that’s falling apart and a severe lack of communication between partners - something most of us can probably find something in common with. I didn’t find much particularly interesting or compelling about the characters, nor did I care overly for their marriage. Yes they are very much in the “problem” phase but it was hard to see how they might have related to each other well at any point.

3.5 ⭐️An enjoyable and funny read. The concept was good and the two main characters easy to imagine-definitely Brad and Angelina in my mind I enjoyed the beginning, the middle section was a bit slow and but the ending compensated for this and wrapped the story up nicely.

Two serial killers face the biggest threat to their marriage: themselves. A black comedy thriller on the surface, it's also a deep dive into marriage, identity and motherhood. A bit slow at times but overall a strong commercial offering from Asia Mackay.

A different take on what makes a marriage work. Coming to terms with the end of a killing spree for both husband and wife when the wife becomes pregnant, can the marriage survive?

A funny but sad view a lot of women face when their identity is compromised by giving birth.

Is there going to be another book in the series?

This book was as addictive to me as killing is to Fox and Haze. Comedic and cleverly written, it’s bound to be a hit for 2025!

This wasn't my kind of book so not sure why I chose it. However I really enjoyed it
Bit sure what genre it was, although I felt it more 'chick lit', however with the crime element it was an enjoyable easy read.
The ending was what I expected of this kind of book but in a way I was glad!

This was a super fun read about two serial killers trying to suppress their urges and live a white picket fence lifestyle. I honestly couldn’t stop reading, the writing was great, as was the story itself. I really enjoyed the characters and was a little sad when it ended!