Couples who kill together stay together! Good book with plot twists throughout. Definitely worth a read if you enjoy this genre.

Haze and Fox, a prolific serial killer duo, have given up their life of crime to settle down and raise a family. While Fox seems to have adapted well, Haze is struggling to come to terms with being a stay-at-home mother.

I love a quirky title and A Serial Killer's Guide To Marriage is certainly quirky. Author Asia Mackay has managed to strike the perfect tone in this satirical take on suburban life.

The vast majority of the story is told from the point of view of Hazel "Haze" Matthews, wife of Nathaniel "Fox" Cobb. The pair see themselves as "good" serial killers because they only murder men who have committed crimes against women, a drastic solution to some of the #MeToo accusations.

If you take away the serial killer element this is really a story about a marriage that's in a rut. While the husband goes out to work daily, the wife is left at home and resentment festers. The precious together time after a child has been put to bed is filled with mundane chatter. We see how having a child changes your whole perspective on life, but it's not always enough to hold a marriage together.

When the storyline switches to Fox we see someone who is handling the radical change in lifestyle far better. Just getting out of the house is a release, however, Fox has other ways of venting his pent-up feelings.

The marriage begins to crumble when Haze accidentally kills a man while out jogging. As she tries to cover up her crime and hide it from her husband along the way, we see frustration and mistrust begin to grow between the pair.

There are a number of sub-plots that really add spice to the story, particularly when Haze unexpectedly makes a female friend at a playgroup. The book opens with a face-off between the pair, so you know where the conclusion is heading. The author manages to keep the reader in suspense, adding a few glorious twists into the mix along the way.

Not for me. I thought it would be bit in the end just a rehash of other stories. Some nice characterisation and some funny scenes but over all I’ve been here before

It’s very much giving ‘You’ with Joe & Love when they have their little one and move to the suburbs. 30 something couple who have a killing habit move to yoga obsessed, gluten, nut, sugar, fun free suburbia and vow to leave the murder life behind now they have a baby. Lo and behold it doesn’t quite go to plan. Enjoyable but definitely overly familiar for me personally. Glad I read it but wouldn’t rush back.

Haze and Fox are married with a little girl Bibi. They’re living in suburbia with yoga mums, posh parties and toddler play dates. Proffering an image of middle class domesticity, it couldn’t be further from the truth. Fox and Haze met in Paris just as she was about to kill a man in a dark alley. Two serial killers met their matching each other and spent years travelling over Europe hunting men who “deserved” to die and meting their own form of justice. When Haze unexpectedly became pregnant they form a pact not to abstain from killing to protect their daughter. Abstinence is proving harder than each of them ever imagined. As they struggle to contain their kill instinct, secrets abound and Haze and Fox question whether their marriage can survive!


I loved this book. It’s funny, quirky and a real page turner.I liked the fact it’s told from the void points of both the main characters. I did wonder how the story could end. I have deducted half a point as I feel the ending was a little far fetched and didn’t gel with the rest of the book. Still overall one of my favourites of the year. 4.5 from me. Thanks Netgalley for the Arc.

The book introduces two main characters Hazel and Fox.

Hazel, in her mid thirties has recently become a mum and is struggling with the suburban life. She feels unfulfilled in her new role, missing her true passions of art and murder.

Fox, in his early forties works in finance and is trying to be the best dad he can be, whilst also denying his passion for murder.

They made a pact when their daughter was born to stop killing to prevent jeopardising their family's safety. Two serial killers trying to live a quiet, suburban life. What could possibly go wrong?

I really enjoyed this book, it's my first by Asia Mackay and I can't wait to read more. It was thrilling, twisty, funny and incredibly hard to put down.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book sounded so good and i really wanted to love it. I did love the characters but they story felt like it dragged too much for me. I am glad i stuck it out to the end because the ending was great.

A readable but not memorable novel about two serial killers who marry and vow not to kill again when they have a child, but find it difficult to achieve. They live in relative luxury due to husbands American families riches and to all intent and purposes live the normal suburban life of a well todo upwardly mobile young family. Unknown to her husband the wife kills again and things start to spiral out of control.
I found the plot to be entertaining but as a crime novel, if that that is what it is meant to be, then it is less impressive.

This was so close to being a DNF. I wasn't feeling it. I couldn't relate to Hazel, and I didn't particularly like her. Then somewhere around 20-25% I became intrigued.

Hazel and Fox are serial killers. They've used Fox's trust fund to travel around Europe, killing 'bad men'. But since having their daughter, they've retired and are living a quiet, suburban life. Except that Hazel is miserable and wants to get back to the killing...

It felt like the book took a while to get going, and it dragged quite a bit. I'm just not interested in the rich suburban mummy life… Going to the park, suspecting your husband of cheating, etc. (even if the rich suburban mummy in question is a serial killer).
The ending took off like a rocket, though, tying up loose ends quickly and with quite a lot of exposition on Fox's part. It might have been nice to see some of that, rather than be told about it after the fact, and would’ve added another layer to the story.

If this was a movie it would be a 90-minute popcorn flick. Far-fetched and great for light entertainment, and I'm sure plenty of people will enjoy it, but perhaps I wasn't the right audience.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Having just read this excellent story I will quickly ask my kindle to go and visit her previous novels because this murder and fun mystery was an easy and enjoyable read, despite the subject. They used to be serial killers until they decided to settle down as a family and agreed a pact to stop murdering individuals that deserve to die. In the meanwhile, they are both appear to have itchy feet and the return to murder is inevitable. What isn't expected is the lead female character, Haze, making her first best friend in her life, apart from her husband Fox, and finding out she's a police detective and has spent time looking into the same serial killers murders in the past. The inevitable downsides follow and although murder is often the topic in the past (as shown by each character) and in the future, it's dealt with carefully and with consideration because each murder is only carried out on an individual who is no longer welcome in society. They work best together and when they are carrying out their activities by themselves, they make mistakes and this could lead to their downfall. This is an excellent read and you can't help but enjoy the murders and the mystery because of the way they are presented.

Hazel and Fox are an ordinary married couple with a baby. Except for one small thing: they're ex-serial killers.

They had it all. An enviable London lifestyle, five-star travels, and plenty of bad men to kill. Not many power couples know how to get away with murder.

Then Hazel fell pregnant and they gave it all up for life in the suburbs; dinner parties instead of body disposal.

But recently Hazel has started to feel that itch again. When she kills someone behind Fox's back and brings the police to their door, she must do anything she can to protect her family.

Thank you NetGalley!

Great book and well written, just not for me

Loved the concept of this, it kinda gave me Butcher and Blackbird vibes of it they lived in the suburbs and has to stop killing minus the spice, as this was spice free. But filled with banter and mishaps. Plus some twists I wasn’t expecting. Really funny and entertaining. Any black comedy serial killer fans, this one’s for you.

I was really excited to read this novel as the concept seemed quite fun and seemed to mirror a lot of aspects of Mr and Mrs Smith (movie and series).

However I felt the pacing was unbelievably slow and it was only about 70% through the book where things really picked up when I had been expecting a lot more action throughout.

I enjoyed the story but felt that the pacing and the fact it wrapped up a little too perfectly at the end really let things down for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

I was disappointed in this book. I had heard it was wickedly funny, especially in Haze's lack of self awareness but apart from a scattering of times, I found it all a bit flat The setting of the scene is slow paced and lasts for almost half of the book. It picks up a bit after that but generally it was not a book that I felt compelled to eagerly read, keen to know what happens.

I was not keen on the ending and I did not understand the money issues Fox has near the end - what about his arrangement with Julian? I also thought there would be more to Helga.

The book is left open at the very end for Further Adventures but as far as I am concerned, they have delighted me long enough.

This was such a funny book. Is being a serial killer something of a career / hobby ? that you can give up ? Is settling down with a baby something that you can do after a life killing bad people ? Are the school gate Moms more scary than bad people ? Read it and weep (tears of laughter).

I really enjoyed this story. A very humourous take on marriage and how lies can be the undoing of a relationship with a fantastic twist at the end. Loved it and would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a lighthearted crime read.

This was a fairly easy read - I like the trope of women who kill bad men so a couple that kill bad men was always going to be up my street. It did begin to drag a bit around 60% in but the ending was fun and quite fast paced. A fun read. Thanks for the ARC.

When you meet the one, who understands you, gets you and you kill together. Only those who deserve it though.
Then you get pregnant and life changes. A new life in the suburbs, doting mother and yummy mummy life. What's not to like? Except your bored. How do you find the spark again?
Both facing different challenges to fit in. Can your marriage survive? Challenges you don't expect even befriending a police officer on maternity leave.
Enjoy I did

A good solid read with some comedic elements and dark themes. Haze and Fox are married serial killers. Their targets are "bad men" sex traffickers, paedophiles and rapists. Together they have travelled throughout Europe killing their subjects. All this comes to an end when they marry and have baby Bibi. Fox wants to protect his family and settle into nice suburban Berkshire. Encouraged by her husband to make friends Haze is forced to attend mother and toddler music sessions. It is here she meets the needy Jenny whose son Felix gets on with Bibi. Things take a turn when Haze finds out that her new best friend's job could put her family into jeopardy. In her quest to solve her problems she creates more. Meanwhile Fox is behind her cleaning up her mess.
The plot shifts between the couple and we are given an insight into Hazel's childhood of abusive foster homes, until she manages to get to Art college, here she excels and makes a friend albeit a depressive one called Matty. Fox on the other hand comes from a privileged background in America. HIs early taste for murder is covered up by his family's wealth, but when he makes no show of stopping they send him to Europe.
There are several subplots involving Fox’s parents and brother who is attempting to takeover the family pharmaceutical business. His parents set spies on him to ensure he votes for them. There is also Bill, Jenny’s abusive ex-partner who hates women and refuses to pay for his child.
MacKay is a strong writer, who manages to create atmosphere and tension as well as pace. I read this in two sittings. As it progresses we are firmly on the side of Fox and Haze. Some people deserve to be punished. For me it reminded me of Mr and Mrs Smith; It would make an excellent screen play. I really enjoyed this.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication.

A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage by Asia Mackay is an intriguing amalgamation of dark humor, suspense, and an exploration of marital dynamics that offers a refreshing take on the thriller genre. The story follows the life of a protagonist juggling the dual roles of a loving spouse and a cunning serial killer, providing readers with an intense yet witty narrative. Mackay crafts her characters with depth and complexity, making the morally ambiguous lead both believable and compelling. With sharp writing and a clever plot, this novel keeps readers on edge with its unpredictable twists while humorously underscoring the intricacies of married life. This book is a must-read for those who enjoy psychological thrillers with a dash of satirical humor.