Hannah Deitch blends literary crime with an unusual variation on a lesbian love story. Evie Gordon’s drowning in student debt, scraping a living by tutoring wealthy teens. Then she discovers a client’s parents slaughtered in their grounds of their opulent, art-filled mansion. There too she encounters Jae Park, and together they go on the run. As Evie and Jae become fodder for frenzied news reports, Deitch’s story details their struggle to escape capture in a breathless flight across America, a near-existential journey that brings them closer than Evie ever imagined.

Deitch’s narrative sometimes dips and flags but for the most part it’s fast-paced and gripping. Like Gone Girl it’s laced with disorientating twists and turns. Evie’s commentary can be bleakly witty particularly when she’s critiquing social and economic inequality in contemporary America: the crimes that capture the public’s attention, the corporate crimes that go largely unpunished. Deitch has a decent track record as an editor and journalist which explains her fluid prose but this is her debut novel and there are moments when that shows, particularly in the concluding sections. Still there was a lot I really liked about this. But I have lingering doubts about a few of Deitch’s creative decisions, especially the crafting of Jae’s character and connections being made between poverty and criminality which skated perilously close to cliché.

Rating: 3/3.5

‘Killer Potential’ by Hannah Deitch starts with an incredibly punchy and shocking premise… SAT tutor Evie Gordon arrives at the gorgeous home of one of her wealthy students to find a scene of bloody devastation and an unknown woman desperately in need of help. Soon, the pair are on the run, drowning in notoriety. From an action-packed beginning blossoms a simmering character study lamenting inequality, wasted potential and media frenzies.

I found the book intriguing and deeply descriptive, and appreciated how Evie’s past was slowly revealed throughout the chapters, as she also learned more about her mysterious companion. There were a few red herrings and unexpected plot developments which kept me reading, but I’m honestly not sure that the novel delivered everything promised in the addictive blurb.

This gets 3.5 stars from me - I really expected to love it, but it was good without fully living up to its killer potential…

I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Orion Publishing Group via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This didn’t work for me on a number of points but mainly because I simple coukdnt get a sense of who Evieand Jai were. Evie had a backstory that was all over the place and none of it jelled with how her parents were described.
The twist I did not see coming but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to make me feel good about the book.

I’ve read very few books where the who/how/why of a crime isn’t the focal story line but the two main characters here were far more interesting that any crime that may or may not have happened. I’m not going to pretend I understood why Evie made some of the decisions she did, especially at the very start, but it quickly became evident I didn’t care and I would have her back no matter what, no questions asked.

The relationship and dynamic between the two female main characters is very complex and each of them have an abundance of layers that slowly get peeled back, and I’m sure some that are never fully exposed, as the story continues. It almost becomes a love story filled with passion and needing, which was probably just intensified due to their situation.

I can safely say that I became immediately engrossed in this twisty, addictive Thelma and Louise type story.

Ooh – I really enjoyed this one!! It twists and turns at such a speed – and you’re not sure what’s going to happen next.

I liked Evie, and could see the situation she was in, trying to pay off student debt by being a SAT tutor. She’s a similar age to my eldest daughter – but I didn’t feel like an old fogey reading the book – it kept me totally engrossed and desperate to read the next chapter – which is always the sign of a good book!

Having made the decision to flee the crime scene that she’s stumbled upon, with a random person who had been tied up in the walls of the LA mansion she was tutoring at, everything snowballs from there. The young women need to keep on the run and not be found – and they set off on a road trip.

The book is split into three distinct sections – but I don’t want to describe why or how – as you need to ‘live’ the book. Whilst I did sometimes questions Evie’s decision making – it was also easy to see how she could get swept up in everything and for her story to take the route it did. Overall an excellent debut book.

Killer Potential is out this Thursday, 20th March 2025, so not long to wait! A big thank you to the publishers and Net Galley for my advance review copy.

This was such a compelling read overall, it was a dark read with twists that kept me hooked all the way through,

This is such an interesting mix of genres!

I was hooked from the intro and I actually wish we’d had a bit of more Evie’s backstory before. The book hits you pretty early on with the murders and becomes a proper Thelma and Louise.

I struggled with the middle parts of the book. I didn’t find Jae very interesting and there was a romantic sub plot which came out of nobody I didn’t really enjoy.

I liked the twist and didn’t see it coming but felt it lost steam towards the end.

I’m interested to see what this author does next!

im not sure about this book. and i cant quite pinpoint why. maybe not all books are fitting all people. cool. because for me it didnt bite. i can very much be on baord with out there thinking and writing. trust me im a cynic and i can still put aside all that to get lost in the land of book and the authors often vivid minds.
but there felt no sense to the occurance in this book apart from to simply have them included. the event kept almost tick boxing without joining the plot in between.
it could be me, i could be having a weird week. and so i hate, hate, hate feeling like im coming down on a book. i cant imagine seeing a review like that as an author. but i did finish it, understood it. but didnt quite get it.

I’m not sure what to make of this book- it was gripping up to a point and I certainly wanted to finish it but the ending and certain parts of the plot were difficult to comprehend. I really was not sure of the motivation behind the main characters and neither of them turned out to be particularly likeable.
Evie Gordon is a tutor to teenagers and one day turns up at student, Sabrina’s home only to find her parents murdered. When she also finds a young woman hidden nearby , matters start to spiral out of control and she ends up fleeing the scene and becoming the main suspect in the killings.
There then follows a Thelma and Louise style chase across several states as Evie and her companion try to evade law enforcement whilst Evie tries to elicit who Jae really is. Both are hoping the real killer will be revealed soon.
I couldn’t warm to Evie- why does she react in such a strange way to things that happen to her and how does Jae manage to get her on board with acting in such a messed up way? There was a strange dynamic.
As the pair leave a trail of mayhem across the country the reader has to ask how it is all going to end and who is really guilty of the murders.
This was an unusual read and the characters rather unpleasant but it still managed to hold my attention. The end was particularly strange.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.

So so so many bad decisions! Evie, who has never lived up to her potential, stumbles upon the bodies of the Victors, parents of Serena, the teen she tutors and then as she's trying to get out of the house finds a woman who is locked in a closet. Oh and then Serena turns up and there's a fight, a lamp, and is Serena dead? Evie and the mute woman from the closet flee and thus we're on a Thelma and Louise sort of thing. They make their way around the US, stealing cars and food even as the search for them amps up. And they make more bad decisions. When Jae finally speaks, she tells a story to explain why she was there and as she talks, Evie falls for her. This is a sleigh ride that will have you shaking your head and turning the pages. And there's a big twist. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. No spoilers from me but know that this did surprise me.

Killer Potential by Hannah Deitch is a thrilling and thought-provoking debut that combines sharp wit with suspense. The story follows Evie Gordon, a scholarship student with big dreams, who, after graduating from an elite university, finds herself stuck in a dead-end job tutoring the wealthy elite of Los Angeles. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she stumbles upon the brutal murder of the Victors, a wealthy couple, during one of her lessons. In an instant, Evie becomes a fugitive on the run, accused of their murder, alongside a mysterious woman who refuses to speak.

As the story unfolds, Evie embarks on a cross-country journey to clear her name, navigating a whirlwind of press, public opinion, and an increasingly complex relationship with her enigmatic companion. Their adventure not only keeps the reader on the edge of their seat but also raises important questions about privilege, societal expectations, and the consequences of the stories we tell ourselves about success and potential.

The book is both darkly humorous and deeply insightful, offering sharp commentary on class, education, and trust. Deitch skillfully weaves in themes of privilege and the pressure of academic success, making the story more than just a mystery—it’s a character study of Evie as she grapples with the harsh realities of the world she thought she understood.

While the ending may polarize readers, it is undeniably original and unexpected, taking the story in a direction that most thrillers would shy away from. Killer Potential is an intriguing, fast-paced debut that blends suspense with insightful social commentary, making it a memorable and engaging read for fans of literary thrillers.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

From the description I was very much engaged but I found this book to just keep one upping its self and eventually the story was unrecognizable from where it started.

If you are a fan of suspending disbelief and truly breakneck pace this might be one for you.

Thank you, Orion, for a copy of Killer Potential.
I was really looking forward to this due to reading the Blurb. I am not one to give up on a book in the first quarter. But this book just doesn’t do it for me. The authors style of writing is just not for me. It’s like someone speaking about 100 miles an hour on a talk show. Just not my type of book personally. 2 stars from me.

"I did things. Decisions were made: I made them. Violence was done: I did it. Crime scenes were fled: I fled them. People were hurt: I hurt them. Someone was loved: I loved them. Not everything I did was bad. Just most of it."

Strap in and pack some snacks - we’re going on an adventure. A murder, a manhunt, sapphic love, an indictment on modern media and mob mentality, commentary on modern capitalist society and consumption all with a darkly funny run from the law. Too much? Definitely not. Think Thelma & Louise on coke and you’ve got something close.

Evie was a delight — starting off in a den of disgustingly extravagant opulence and privilege and opening up to show that she is just a mess inside, an imposter amongst the elite. A jaded, cynical and imperfect narrator who leads the story with slightly haphazard ways, filling us in on backstory, sharing a thought here and there, trying to make sense of the situation as it unfolds. For me, this stream of consciousness style felt a little too chaotic at times and it took me quite a while to get really into the book as we listened to several anecdotes breaking up the scene being set and then towards the end turned into a very “this happens-that happens” and the amazing energy of the middle 80% just didn’t make it there for me. That being said, most of the book is an exciting, comfortable frenzy, a fast paced, dynamic blur of interstates, motel rooms and stolen cars and two women running.

And what exactly unfolds is a tale of chance, circumstance and coincidence - making a striking note about how the things we experience, the people we meet, the forks in the road all shape and change who we are as people. Think wrong place, wrong time, bad decisions, bad people and just a little bit of murder.

A twisty on the run tale full of blood and betrayal with deeply complicated characters and sharp, clever writing.

Killer potential comes out on the 18th March, I was given the opportunity to read this prior to release. Having just finished this I am a bit shell shocked from this story!

This is a cat and mouse, murder mystery, thriller with a sapphic yearning romance. It’s Thelma and Louise without the dramatic cliff dive open ending. I will be honest at the start I generally did want to give up on this it felt dull with slow pacing and really I was more confused as to the MC had just not called the police as she was innocent.

We follow Evie, an intelligent SAT tutor (well not that intelligent with her later decision making) ends up on the run after her students family is Hollywood style murdered. She saves a hidden in the walls woman names Jae who is seemly muted and they escape together through an American manhunt.

Honestly the twists and turns of this kept me coming back and reading as much as I could. The beginning does not do this book justice, dear reader do keep reading like I did! The book is in three parts and it unfolds into many ‘what the actual F**k’ moments. The storytelling is so good, you can feel the tension, fear, anger and relief all at once, set in America you feel the chase and every decision they make to get to freedom and honestly I ended up rooting for them!

Highly recommend, Thelma and Louise vibes does not do this credit but if you have the chance give this a read it will not disappoint! Thank you to NetGalley / publisher / author for giving me an opportunity to read this.

Killer Potential by Hannah Deitch
🌟🌟🌟🌙 3.5 / 5

If you like Thelma and Louise type story, then this is a good start.

"The thing about potential is that it's purely speculative"

Although it's quite dramatic in the first few chapters, it then seemed to take awhile to really get going. Lots of info about Evie's history which whilst it helps with character building it did sometimes lead me to skim read sections in order to get back to the present situation.

The twist didn’t shock me, I didn’t guess it but it also didn’t come as a surprise. I think the book was less focused on being a thriller and more an exploration of psychology and what people do it certain situations.

Dark, twisted and sapphic, this book was an intriguing read. What seem's to be a story of an upper class family being massacred is not what is seems at face value.

Our main character is an STA tutor who stumbles across the crime scene when coming for a session. With compromised timing it ends up looking like she's the culprit - and her and what she believes was a captive of the family make a run for it.

Day to day life may never be the same again, on the run across country our duo faces challenges. all the while they are trying to break down each others barriers to understand each other and what truly occurred.

Twisted and dark, a sapphic romance occurs alongside this and was completely unexpected. This romance definitely begins to lead the narrative but how it influenced the ending was something I was genuinely shocked by. Although not neccessarily closure, the ending was interesting and unique - something the reader needs to experience themselves as its indescribable.

I have to admit, I had a rocky start to Killer Potential. The first pages had me wondering if I would even like it, so that it managed to be a 3-star read in the end is a good sign. This is a fast-moving read, one that, once I’d got into it, had me hooked.

The story opens with our main character, Evie, arriving at the home of her tutee to discover that the tutee’s parents have been murdered. As she’s about to leave to call the police, she hears someone calling for help, and discovers a disheveled woman tied up in a dark room, seemingly a victim of the family. When her student arrives back home and starts screaming murder, Evie ends up going on the run with this mysterious stranger.

It was a slow start to this one — there is quite a bit of exposition and backstory before we get to the interesting part, even while we’re in the interesting part, if I’m honest. It’s only once that’s all out of the way that the plot truly starts to kick into gear. Evie and the woman initially aim just to evade the police, before realising their best bet is to flee into Canada. And, oh yeah, along the way Evie kind of falls in love (which is a bit wild when you consider she ends up knowing this woman for only a week, but I guess shared experiences and all…).

The plot is honestly the best part of this one. It’s what kept me reading so that, in the end, I finished this one in about two sittings (but only because I started it while at work). The desire to find out what actually happened to the family compels you to keep reading and, okay yes, the reveal at the end was kind of obvious in a it-can-really-only-be-this way; but despite that, it had no real impact on my enjoyment of the progression of the plot.

The reasons I rated it 3 stars only, then, were twofold. Firstly, once the reveal comes, there’s still about 50 pages to go, and it becomes a lot more exposition-filled again. We get a detailed play-by-play of what happens to Evie afterwards which, in all honesty, was boring. A lot of that felt like it could have been slimmed down or even cut out, to get to the more impactful ending. My second issue was with how bland the characters felt. It’s not even that they didn’t feel fleshed out, but that they felt like blank spaces where characters should be. They were, despite everything, wholly unmemorable. Perhaps this was because of the first person POV — it was hard to get a sense of Evie’s character in particular — but, as I said earlier, it was the plot that compelled me to continue reading this one. If the plot hadn’t been so strong, this could easily have been 2 stars. I didn’t care all that much about either character or their relationship so the moments that should have been emotionally impactful weren’t.

That being said, if you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller that’ll hook you from early on, then this fits the bill. While I had some issues, I still enjoyed the experience of reading it.

A good fun time to be hand with this. It's Bonnie and Clyde but with two Bonnies instead.Also a bit
Thelma and Louise. A popcorn easy read with a bit of a twist too which I enjoyed. The roadtrip aspect was a lot of fun!

I didn't enjoy this one as much as I thought I would have, but it was still good and kept me hooked until so far from the end. I felt it started to be a bit too back and forth of the story and ended up confusing me just slightly. The twist, however, never occurred to me as something that could have happened, and I loved it. I would definitely read more from Deitch in the future!

3.5