Reviews - A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage

889 reviews for:

A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage

Asia Mackay

3.65 AVERAGE

maliha_reads's review against another edition

3.5

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book is Mr. and Mrs. Smith meets Desperate Housewives with knives.

A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage is a wickedly clever mashup of suburban malaise and vigilante justice, with just enough bite to keep you turning the pages but not quite enough polish to make it unforgettable.

Hazel and Fox, once globe-trotting serial killers with a taste for poetic justice, now find themselves buried in diapers, playdates, and the slow death of domestic routine. Mackay’s premise is deliciously absurd: what happens when two reformed murderers try to play house in the London suburbs? The answer is equal parts hilarious and unsettling.

✨ What works:
- Hazel’s inner monologue is razor-sharp, dripping with sardonic wit and feminist rage.
- The dynamic between Hazel and Fox is surprisingly tender, layered with shared secrets and simmering tension.
- Mackay’s writing style is punchy and propulsive, with alternating perspectives that build suspense and emotional depth.

😬 What doesn’t quite land:
- The pacing occasionally stumbles, especially in the middle where domestic scenes drag and the plot loses momentum.
- Some of the ethical gray areas—like murder as metaphor are brushed aside a little too breezily, leaving the satire feeling uneven.
- Jenny’s subplot, while intriguing, feels underdeveloped compared to Hazel’s arc.

📚 Final verdict:
If you’re into genre-bending thrillers with a feminist twist and a dash of dark humor, this one’s worth the ride. It’s not flawless, but it’s bold, bizarre, and brimming with chaotic energy.