When Sally Killed Harry
by Lucy Roth
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Pub Date 27 Mar 2025 | Archive Date Not set
Avon Books UK | Avon
Description
THIS IS NOT A LOVE STORY. THIS IS A ROM COM GONE ROGUE.
Say hello to Sally.
I’ve woken up in the Big Apple with the world's worst hangover, an empty bank account, and the sinking feeling that my life just nosedived. Last night's escapade is a blur, but one thing is clear: I’ve been swindled and I’m not happy about it.
She’s the woman of your dreams…
The culprit? Harry – a total dreamboat and my worst nightmare. He’s got charm, secrets, and a smile that screams trouble. Little did I know, Harry's not just a pretty face – he's a liar, conman and he’s turned my life upside down.
…or is she your worst nightmare?
When I discover I’m not the only victim, I decide it’s only right I take my revenge. And with a group of wronged women behind me, murder isn’t on the agenda just yet because Harry’s in for a nightmare and I’m only just getting started…
A wicked, whip-smart revenge thriller, perfect for fans of Katy Brent, Bella Mackie and anyone who wants to take their revenge on The Tinder Swindler or Sweet Bobby.
Available Editions
EDITION | Ebook |
ISBN | 9780008740306 |
PRICE | £2.99 (GBP) |
PAGES | 384 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
This is a fun crime novel about revenge that has a serious underlying message about misogyny and violence against women.
Sally is a morally complex character with a difficult past. It seems natural and right that she ends up as an avenging hero when she's conned out of money by a new boyfriend who she's met on an app.
It's a light read but has thought provoking moments. I like this sub genre of vengeful women novels and this sits well in the field. I especially liked Sally's voice. Her snarkiness and sardonic nature was a joy to read. It was easy to root for her.
Sally is a complex character.
Along with a small group of women they aim to seek out the awful men in there live's.
Great storyline, a really good read.
The ending answer's a big question.
Hope there is a follow up.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for providing this book, with my honest review below.
When Harry met Sally is such a classic, but it was time for a twist with When Sally Killed Harry. Not at all reminiscent of that film (so it’s still safe if you’re a fan) this story dives into a woman who is out of revenge against a conman who slid into her dating app. What makes Sally’s revenge even better is that she’s not content to sit and take out her anger on Harry when she sees other woman being conned and treated badly, forming a vigilante support group to take justice into their own hands.
I need to disclaimer that Sally is disturbed pre dating Harry (literally) and so while this is a ‘you go girl’ feeling book it’s also not all fun and games as Sally is a complex character who has been hurt in the past and she’s incredibly morally grey, which may be to expected. Still, I had to support her as she helped bring other women out of their shell and empowered them. There were some opportunities to make the story smoother as there were times we jumped around in terms of supporting character’s personalities and development rather wildly to the point of disbelief, not to mention Sally’s own reckoning(s). But I did love the core story and Sally as a character was developed quite well.
As they say, don't get mad, get even - get revenge, and don't get caught. A quite different Harry and Sally, and no lunch at Katz's deli! Found family, found salvation, and found mission - plus a few surprises along the way. And yep, you will root for all of them.
Such a great and humorous mystery. The cover is cute and simple but also relates to the subject. The story is well written and isn't fluffy.
I wish I'd loved this as much as I thought I was going to when I read the blurb. In the end, things fell together rather conveniently, the way the women met and bonded for example and some of the revenge scenarios. I felt in the end it was a little trite and maybe convenient. There were some great moments too, it started off really well...
Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy. It is my pleasure to writ an honest review.
This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC.
Sally is from London but now resides in Manhattan. It is clear that she has run from something and that there is major trauma in her past. She lives with New Yorker Priya who is a psychotherapist, and works in a job she doesn't enjoy.
One day she gets drugged and conned out of her money by suave Harry, and her sense of revenge gets awakened. Interestingly, within what feels like minutes she has assembled a support group of half a dozen women who have been hurt by men - abusers, rapists, financial con artists, catfishers, thieves, the lot. They call their group " Some Women" and meet weekly in a church hall of all places to pool their resources. First they just want to get their money back or humiliate these men out of their jobs but it very soon tips into murder, with Sally being at the forefront of the action.
It is clear that Sally is deeply damaged. She talks of a psychiatric ward in her past and compensation money and once we learn what happened we can understand how she is behaving now. Of course, with that many bad men around, even less damaged women might be out for revenge, and so one abuser and rapist after the other finds their timely end, with the women dividing up the work and helping each other out, making sure that nothing connects them to their respective victims.
There remains a complicated relationship between Sally and Harry - after all he did to her, she still gravitates towards him. She attributes that to her childhood but I still found it strange. Things do go wrong, one man survives an attempt, Harry taunts Sally, and there is an interesting but logical twist about Priya's boyfriend Steve.
I have a penchant for revenge novels and female serial killers, and this one delivers in spades, even though they all get away with it a bit too easily and the story ends a bit too neatly. The revenge theme is strong but we don't really get more than a superficial sense of the other women. I'm questioning whether the first person narrative is the correct choice and whether we need a mystery around Sally's childhood trauma instead of just being told straightaway. It is also lacking any kind of humour. The story is however very entertaining and I read it in one sitting.
If you're in the mood for a rom-com that takes a sharp turn into revenge territory, When Sally Killed Harry by Lucy Roth is the perfect ride. This book flips the script on traditional romantic comedies and serves up a deliciously twisted tale of betrayal, revenge, and self-discovery.
Sally wakes up in New York City, nursing the worst hangover of her life, with a drained bank account and the crushing realization that she's been swindled by the charming, yet deceitful, Harry. This is no typical meet-cute gone wrong; Harry isn’t just a charming man—he’s a conman who has completely upended Sally’s life. And she’s not going to let it slide.
But this isn't a story about a heartbroken woman chasing after her wrongdoer. Instead, Sally channels her anger and disappointment into a mission of revenge. When she discovers that she’s not the only one Harry has swindled, she teams up with other women he's deceived, and together, they plot to turn Harry’s world upside down. And no, murder isn't on the agenda (yet)—but making his life a living nightmare is definitely on the cards.
Roth delivers a gripping, fast-paced narrative with equal parts humour and suspense. Sally is a wonderfully relatable protagonist, and her journey of self-empowerment is both funny and inspiring. The dynamic between Sally and the other women—each of them with their own reasons for seeking justice—adds an extra layer of depth to the plot. It’s not just about revenge; it's about reclaiming control and finding strength in unexpected alliances.
The twisty nature of the story keeps readers on their toes, and Roth’s clever writing ensures that the balance between humour and suspense is pitch-perfect. The dialogue is snappy, the characters are quirky and engaging, and the plot is far from predictable. The pacing is brisk, and the chapters fly by as the women set their plans into motion.
If you’re looking for a rom-com that’s anything but conventional When Sally Killed Harry will have you laughing, gasping, and rooting for Sally and her crew every step of the way. It’s a perfect pick for readers who love strong female leads, witty banter, and stories that break the mould.
Read more at The Secret Book Review.
This book is a rom-com gone bad. So much fun and I loved the characters and the story. Highly recommend!
Oh wow! I was a bit nervous reading this as the reviews from others weren't positive. But I loved this totally bonkers female revenge fantasy against all the men who traumatise us and get away with it.
Sally is a compelling anti-heroine who reminds me of Jason Dean (Christian Slater’s character) from Heathers. She’s unhinged (thanks to men who've traumatised her) and watching her unravel is part of the glee, as well as her strange crush on Harry. I loved the friendships formed amongst the women, all united by their experiences of male-perpetrated abuse, be it in the workplace or by their family or spouses. There's some surprise twists and turns with a perfect ending. I could easily see this as a short-run TV series. Pace-wise it was a bit slow to start after a strong prologue, but I appreciate it was needed to set up Sally's growing instability. I do wish we could stop legitimising Tik Tok censorship by using ‘unaliving’ instead of dead/kill/murder.
This was a darkly funny and unhinged wish fulfilment tale about women pushed to the edge to get justice in a patriachal society.
Thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
Rounding up to 4 from 3.5. When Sally Killed Harry had so much potential at so many times. I loved certain parts, but I felt like flow was off and the big scenes just weren’t as satisfying as I would have hoped. It felt like things just happened because it needed too for the story. And then towards the end I would get confused thinking I’d already heard this part, but only because things became similar. I wish we could have learned more about the characters too without the men involved. More specifically Marie. It did have its moments though and the premise was very fun! Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Avon Books UK for the ARC.
A bold and clever coming-of-rage story that gives a razor-sharp twist on the classic rom-com. This is a revenge thriller that packs a punch.
“There's being ghosted. Then there's being fucking poltergeisted.”
When Sally Killed Harry is a bold, unapologetic, and raw exploration of frustration, fury, and the simmering rage women feel when the world constantly asks them to tiptoe around their own pain.
Our main girl Sally is not here to make friends or to win anyone's approval. She’s angry, cynical, and actually, really unlikable. She’s also hilariously witty, sharp, and unfiltered. Sure, Sally might describe her own appearance in the most narcissistic way possible “brown shoulder-length hair cascading like silk, red lips stained perfectly, eyeliner sharp" but I actually have to appreciate the audacity.
Sally isn’t just killing Harry; she’s waging war on a system that has, for too long, glorified men’s actions and swept women's voices under the rug. The book might seem, at first glance, like an anti-man manifesto. A “feminist rage" novel you’re either all in for or completely against. But I think it’s more nuanced than that. It’s less about "man-hating" and more about exposing the cracks in a deeply flawed system. It’s the frustration of seeing too many horror stories in the news, too many friends whispering about their experiences, too many women standing alone in a world that keeps telling them to be quiet.
Now, let’s talk about the controversy. This is a book that tackles toxic masculinity head-on, not with kid gloves, but with a sledgehammer. It’s uncomfortable, and it’s meant to be. If you’re coming into this thinking it’s a breezy romance or a lighthearted "feminist" novel, you might be disappointed. But if you’re willing to take the plunge, you’ll find a gritty, dark, and totally necessary examination of the real-world struggles women face every day. This isn’t a book that wants to paint men as the enemy…rather, it’s a book that highlights the toxic systems that make too many men think they can get away with anything, and a call for women to finally stand up and say, “enough is enough.”
“Can a girl not have a violent fantasy without getting interrupted these days?"
Does it go too far? Maybe. But the fact that people are uncomfortable with it is exactly why it needs to be said. I’ve read reviews that critique this book for "bashing men" and actually I think they might be missing the point. When Sally Killed Harry isn’t about hating men; it’s about shining a light on the stories that have been swept under the rug for far too long. It's about amplifying the voices that have been silenced and empowering women to claim their space, their stories, and their anger.
“And you know what really makes me sick? Every nickname, every headline, every fucking three seasons worth of documentaries or dramas. Every fucking thing is all about them. Their actions. Like we're nobody in our own stories."
When Sally Killed Harry - the twist on a classic rom com just as the title suggests. Sally has her guard up while dating in NYC, where she recently moved to from her home in London.
When the man she starts dating, and who she gives a chance to, proves her right (never trust men). She forms an unlikely alliance that snowballs into an Oceans 8 style support group.
There is depth in every character in this book however the biggest annoyance for me, is Sally’s constant fixation on Harry. She is angry at men for so many reasons but there multiple times she fixates on her fantasies of him and I just thought this didn’t make sense with her character’s motivations.
Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for this ARC ✨
I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story was very sardonic and sharply written, blending the contemporary love and con narrative, I loved the main character, the support group, the engaging plot. My only gripe is the unrealistic ending, but it doesn't detract from the fact that this a fun, fast- paced read.