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IKK Crime Series #2

We Kill Killers

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Leah and Agent Richter find themselves in a heart-stopping face-off with an old foe. As the boundaries of trust begin to blur, a new FBI Agent arrives, asking incisive questions that rattle the nerves. Whose side is she on? That remains the chilling enigma in a deadly game that's far from over.

This is the second book. I Kill Killers is the first book in the series.

300 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 7, 2024

2142 people are currently reading
3396 people want to read

About the author

S.T. Ashman

7 books603 followers
S. T. Ashman is a German-American writer born and raised in Germany, now calling the beautiful U.S. Seacoast home. She once delved into the criminal justice system as a psychotherapist, a role that gifted her with a unique insight into the human psyche—both the beautiful and the deeply shadowed. In another life, she’d be a trench coat-wearing, mystery-solving female Columbo. Her mother’s lineage traces back thousands of years to the Frisians, a fierce Germanic tribe from the north. A history lover to the core, she explores not only her own ancestry but also Indigenous cultures around the world. She weaves history and cultural awareness into action-packed fiction that keeps readers turning pages late into the night.

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 324 reviews
Profile Image for Pisces51.
769 reviews53 followers
July 18, 2024
We Kill Killers (Dark Thriller Chronicles Book 2) By S.T. Ashman
My Review 5.0 Stars

First, let me say that Ashman’s debut novel “I Kill Killers” (2023) was my favorite read last year. Her second novel, a continuation of the storyline, was released early this month. It is presently bookended by the premier novel from last year and the final installment (“The Final Kill”) which is destined for release in February 2025. I am not sure that the original intent of the author was a trilogy dubbed “Dark Thriller Chronicles”) but in any case, I am anxious to read the conclusion of this addictive storyline.

I loved “We Kill Killers” but I was naturally perturbed by the cliffhanger ending. I am not able to be too critical since this is now a trilogy and the character arcs are still undergoing development. This novel and the “Dark Thriller Chronicles” of which it is a part are best positioned under the black umbrella of the genre “Vigilante Justice Thrillers”. Ashton’s expertise extends to an artful delivery of dark thrillers, and additionally her books are so well researched that the forensics and FBI Procedural components are fascinating if not riveting. The trilogy has also been classified as “Serial Killer Thriller” but that tag is askew. Although the novels are rife with men who are driven to carry out multiple murders, it is not their exploits that “star” in the book, but rather the violent justice that is meted out to each one of them by a principled and dedicated “vigilante” who dispatches them outside the law.

This is not a standalone book, so please do not do yourself an injustice by reading it in a vacuum. Please read the first novel before diving into this one. We finally are rewarded by seeing the formation of an uneasy alliance between Leah and Richter. Their new and fragile partnership is threatened by the arrival of a new FBI Agent in their Boston field office. This becomes a quandary when the new partners take down a mass murderer. The ramifications of this unforeseen complication never stop giving and like a terrified Cobra makes a potentially lethal strike with deadly venom that infects both Leah and Richter. The climax of the novel is phenomenal, a real heartstopper. And a cliffhanger, which again I cannot rant about because this is literally the middle portion of the trilogy.

The author demonstrates her masterful ability to write beautiful prose and capture our imaginations all over again in this second installment. Ashton pulled me in with a sure grip on my attention and never lessened the intensity and thrill of the narrative until I reached the conclusion of this part two of the “Dark Thriller Chronicles”. The pacing is perfect and the plot line divinely and craftily complex. The character enrichment of Richter is remarkably well done and his character arc is still in flux. I was a little despondent that the character of Leah was rendered as steel-plated on the outside with her lethality intact, but was fleshed out with some characteristics that I found troubling. This may have been done to help devise the stop-your-heart finale before the curtain goes down and we must wait for the final chapter. There was comparatively more character development in this second book while also letting up on the gas pedal for scenes of violent torture and steamy sex. “We Kill Killers” was written as a highly readable segment of the whole, and did not suffer from the singular strategic scenes that were more prominent in Book 1. I am deliberately being cryptic here but those who read “I Kill Killers” know the extent of Leah’s range on the atrocity scale and also the author’s ability to write effective erotic scenes for our beautiful vigilante Leah.

I do not typically read Customer Reviews, but from a limited number of ratings on Amazon 75% of readers allotted the novel 4-5 Stars. Goodreads is sporting a modest number of reviews as well with a rating of 4.28 overall so far. In my opinion the novel is superbly written, has a complex yet rewarding plot which the author is prone to throw in twists the reader does not see coming, and the pace is pitch perfect. I am awarding a well-deserved 5 Stars. I could have read the novel in one sitting if I had been given the time. The character of the beautiful Leah is out of this world in every way. She is the world’s most accomplished and most revered pianist, possesses money to burn but is generous when it counts, and was born with both an eidetic memory and genius IQ. The author softens Leah’s edges in this second outing (not necessary for me), and I can see an enormous payload at the end of the day. I would highly recommend this author, and both her debut novel and this sophomore outing “We Kill Killers”.

TERRIFIC VIGILANTE THRILLER AND PART TWO OF THE AUTHOR’S DARK THRILLER CHRONICLES
Profile Image for Merry.
886 reviews288 followers
December 31, 2025
The second in the series has kept the tension up and I am enjoying it as much as the first. I rate it 4.25* The twists and turns continue to surprise me and keep me invested in the main characters. I would recommend reading this series in order as you will lose out on an important part of the history of the characters. If you enjoyed Dexter this series could be for you. I would also go with a heavy dose of belief in government conspiracies and on the other hand some suspension of disbelief. My thought on the ending "Three can keep a secret, if two of them are dead." I am off to read the next (and currently final) book.

Profile Image for Danielle-Gemma&#x1f49c;.
454 reviews26 followers
July 21, 2024
I really enjoyed the second book in this series and I don’t want to have to wait until next year to read the third one 😩
Profile Image for John (LHBC).
278 reviews166 followers
December 22, 2024
We Kill Killers by S.T. Ashman is a fantastic sequel that takes everything I loved about I Kill Killers and dials it up another notch. It’s not a standalone—so if you haven’t read the first book, start there (run, don't walk)—but trust me, it’s worth diving into the series. This second installment leans more into police procedural territory while still delivering the twisty, high-stakes intensity that made the first book unforgettable.

Leah and Agent Richter find themselves locked in a deadly chess match with an old enemy, and just when you think you’ve got a handle on things, Ashman throws in a new FBI agent whose motives are as murky as they are unsettling. Is she an ally or adversary? That enigma adds another layer of tension to an already gripping story.

One of the most fascinating aspects of this series is how Ashman makes you root for a serial killer. The ethical gymnastics involved in following Leah’s journey are equally thrilling and disconcerting. As a beta reader for this book, I was impressed by how effortlessly Ashman pulls readers into Leah’s world, where vengeance and justice bleed into each other, leaving you questioning where the line should be drawn.

The prose is sharp, even beautiful at times, and the pacing is excellent. Every chapter left me eager for the next, with enough twists to keep me guessing right to the end. While the violence might be a bit much for some, it serves to underline just how high the stakes are and how monstrous the killers Leah and Richter are up against can be.

We Kill Killers is a thriller and a thought experiment on morality wrapped in an unrelenting plot. If you’re ready for a story that’s as thought-provoking as it is heart-pounding, this is it.
Profile Image for I’m a book mom.
93 reviews12 followers
September 7, 2025
Welp, we got ourselves a cliff hanger, a “to be continued,” which is not my favorite thing, but I guess I need to get the final book now. I’ve been enjoying this series. The first book was awesome and this one, though a bit slower with less excitement and less action, I still wanted to see how things would play out. We still got our cat & mouse vibes with FMC, Leah, tracking down serial killers and murdering them, but we also got side treks like a season of Criminal Minds would have. For example, a main throughline that carried on from the first book all through this one and then additional one-off moments of action and resolve solely for supporting character development. I’m still giving this book 4 stars, but I would say I liked it slightly less than the first book that I also gave 4 stars. Either way, start this series, it’s fast-paced and attention-holding.
Profile Image for ReneeReads.
1,461 reviews123 followers
July 24, 2024
Not as good as the first but definitely still a good read!
Profile Image for K.
329 reviews7 followers
June 30, 2024
I Kill Killers was one of my favorite books of 2023. I seriously have not been able to stop thinking about it and have been looking forward to the release of the 2nd book in the series since the moment I finished. The epilogue of book 1 left me staring at the wall and wondering why the author would crush me like that for the longest time. But I loved it! 😂 On a happy note, there’s an explanation early on in book 2 that brought me some relief! That’s about the best thing I have to say about this one.

Sadly, We Kill Killers did not live up to my expectations. I loved the first book because of Leah and her vigilante justice side gig but this book had almost none of that and felt like more of a police procedural than anything else. Leah felt like an afterthought instead of the main character. There was just way too much going on but not enough at the same time. Leah’s agreement with Luca came out of nowhere and still doesn’t make sense to me. Maybe I got bored and tuned out the explanation but I wasn’t about to go back and research it. Big yawn! The drama with Agent Rose and McCourt seemed like unnecessary filler and took up way too much time in the book. Actually, most of the FBI stuff and Richter’s personal life felt like like unnecessary filler. And that was the majority of the story so you can see where the problem lies.

Another reviewer said it felt like nothing really happened in this whole book and I have to say I agree with that assessment. The majority of the book was really slow but things did pick up in the last 20% or so. Unfortunately, the burst of energy at the end wasn’t nearly enough to turn the book around for me. I’m bummed because this series had so much potential. I’m undecided about whether or not I will read the final book when it is released. I’m giving this 2.5 stars rounded up but mostly because I’m still in love with the first book and can’t let go of that feeling. 😭
Profile Image for Kate.
279 reviews23 followers
December 19, 2024
I read the first book last year and been a fan of Leah ever since ! She continues in this sequel and we get to follow even more action ! I'm so impatient to read even more of Leah and Liam !!

There are such twists and turns in this book, I didn't have time to get bored. I absolutely love this book.
Profile Image for Kim’s Kindle Reads..
268 reviews13 followers
November 23, 2024
Definitely starting book III immediately. I’m not waiting months in between like I did before. It took me too long to remember wtf was going on (I read book I in January 😩) I still don’t know how I feel about Rose and I can’t wait to see McCourt’s fate 😬
Profile Image for David.
71 reviews2 followers
November 26, 2025
This series is insanely good, so excited to see how the 3rd book unfolds
Profile Image for Teresa Brock.
840 reviews68 followers
June 14, 2024
We Kill Killers is Book 2 from ST Ashman and is available now on KU. Let me just tell you that her first book I Kill Killers was my favorite debut novel of 2023. And if you love a femme fatal who just so happens to be a serial killer and a famous pianist then you need to read this now.

This is not a standalone. You need to read Book 1 I Kill Killers first

Liam Richter and Leah are still trying get to the Train Track Killer. You should expect the unexpected and watch the characters grow as this series progresses. The twists come at you so fast just go ahead and reserve time to yourself to read this. Pay attention - little tidbits are dropped along the way. ST Ashman is more than talented and as bad as I hate to say it - I am cheering on a serial killer. ‘This woman. This dark angel. A genius. A monster.’

I cannot wait for Book 3. ‘The real fight (has) finally begun’. ‘….a fight of life and death.’
Profile Image for Nicole Hancock.
699 reviews
June 15, 2024
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, so was looking forward to this sequel. Sadly this book felt like it had even less of our bad-guy-killer Leah than the first book and way more police investigation. Still a compelling read and I will be reading the third in the series when it comes out.

*Available on Kindle Unlimited
Profile Image for Tara Leigh.
138 reviews31 followers
February 17, 2025
A Brilliant Addition To The Series

Please forgive this short review, I can't wait to get straight to the next book! What an absolutely fantastic read!
Profile Image for Charlotte Roberts.
329 reviews2 followers
January 4, 2025
2.5 ⭐️

So this is the 2nd book in the series and picks up near enough straight after the ending of the 1st book. Now I read the first book in 2023 and basically remembered nothing other than the fact Leah killed serial killers, so I was quite confused at the start. Thankfully I had the 1st book on my kindle and so could search it anytime I was confused. I’d recommend the books be read quite close together or at least remind yourself of the plot of the 1st before starting this one.

I found the book quite hard to get into (and not just because of me not remembering anything). The plot felt slow to start and the timings were all over the place. At times I wasn’t sure if a chapter was picking up straight after or even weeks after the last.

This was okay but if I’m being honest I probably won’t bother with the last book in the series. I don’t feel the need to know what happens in the last book and am quite happy to just pretend this book is the ending.
Profile Image for ☆maia☆.
288 reviews
November 3, 2024
gahhhhh this is annoying like WHY HAVE WE NOT FOUND CAUGHT AND ARRESTED THE TRAIN TRACK KILLER YET WHY DO I HAVE TO READ ANOTHER BOOK TO FIND OUT (curiosity might just kill maia)
Profile Image for Antoinette Lori.
127 reviews15 followers
January 12, 2025
Did not disappoint

I loved We Kill Killers! Ashton delivers a masterful dark thriller, blending gripping FBI procedural details with heart-pounding action. While serial killers abound, the true stars are the principled vigilantes who bring them to justice. The tension between Leah and Richter crackles as their uneasy partnership faces a new FBI agent and a mass murderer's takedown. Twists strike like a venomous cobra, keeping the stakes high until the phenomenal, heart-stopping climax. The pacing is flawless, the plot intricately layered, and Richter’s character development is exceptional. Though Leah’s steel exterior reveals some troubling traits, the novel’s balance of depth and action is top-notch. A thrilling, unmissable read!

Profile Image for Brittany Collins.
53 reviews1 follower
March 12, 2025
4⭐️

With Agent Richter left with a choice at the end of the book to turn a blind eye to Leah’s actions or to turn her in and not have her help. He makes his choice and throughout the book we get to see rhem chase down yet another murderer, it’s not a simple thing to do, lots of action and lots of crazy events!

The writing is good. Plot is entertaining and keeps you invested. The development of the characters is still there even through this second book. Highly recommend!
Profile Image for fatima.
25 reviews
April 19, 2025
literally skipped the entire book after reading the first 10 chapters, it was so boring and literally nothing was happening
i only read the last 5 chapters and it was the perfect decision bc the main plot happened there thank god
i hope the third book is better and that i don’t have to skip it at all 🥲
Profile Image for Allison.
349 reviews
July 27, 2024
2.5* I was super disappointed. I absolutely loved the first book & gave it 5 stars. The first problem here is that this is apparently a trilogy, which I just found out after finishing this, and the books aren’t released at the same time. She wrote this book as if they were. I’ve read literally a hundred books between the first one & this one, so I don’t remember all the characters & their backstory. She brings up multiple characters, who aren’t in this book, and gives us no clue as to why. I’m like yeah I guess Emmanuel and Larsen and Luka and … sound familiar but she doesn’t help us out at all. It’s like the author thought we just finished the first book & now 10 months after its release we will remember it. So I was largely confused many times & wracking my brain about many characters. It was super frustrating. It also means you can’t read this book as a stand-alone because you will also be wondering why the author keeps mentioning random peoples names with no backstory as to why they’re mentioning them & their importance. There’s also a couple scenes in the beginning that I have no idea as to why they’re in this book.

Next issue is that this took a departure from the fun dark serial killer who kills serial killers and was basically an episode of the show FBI. So it kind of just became like a police procedural & I’m like why do I care about allll these other cases you keep bringing up. Other parts felt like they were taken directly from the Ben Affleck movie The Accountant, so not very original.

The story clearly isn’t done. So not sure if I want to read the final one & this one properly annoyed me due to the authors writing & lack of editing. Which reminds me, she mentions that the Oklahoma City bombing had 167 victims and I said no that’s not right. I don’t know how I could remember this fact, but I know it is 168 so I looked it up on multiple sources and it is unequivocally 168 everywhere.
Profile Image for Brittney.
613 reviews3 followers
August 23, 2024
Very unique premise and Leah in particular is beautifully written. This is one of the best crime/dark thriller series I’ve ever read.
Profile Image for Fatima Rezigui.
382 reviews4 followers
December 21, 2024
Oh boy! The killers are disturbingly brilliant!!! I enjoyed this book but not like the first one, that one was amazing! Part of me was expecting some romance to develop between Leah and Liam, but we still have one more book to go!

We have a new important character, Rose! I fed who follows the rules and yet could bend them when necessary! I like her devotion to her people and the way she became with the team!

Leah is still the most brilliant thing ever! Super smart and yet she kind of started to became human and that is thanks to Liam and his humanity!

Oh Liam, his happiness and his scenes with his daughter are my favourite thing ever!

The crimes and criminals in these books are something else!
Profile Image for Dawn Laurine.
79 reviews38 followers
July 24, 2025
4.5 stars! This was such a great sequel! It was great seeing Leah and Liam working as a team and coming together, realizing they need one another. The story and suspense kept me on the edge of my seat. Cannot wait to dive into the finale!
Profile Image for Nichole.
196 reviews
September 28, 2024
Can I please have some more sir???
I inhaled this series and I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE NEXT!
1 review
December 23, 2025
And the wild ride continues

Once again, S.T. has destroyed my sleep as I had to finish this book! Filled with twists and turns and evil unexpected plot twists, this author has an imagination to die for. But, wait! Is it REALLY fiction or do these situations and people like this actually exist???
Profile Image for NomadicReader.
323 reviews27 followers
September 17, 2025
I enjoyed the first novel in this series, and the second one did not disappoint. It is packed with tension, suspense, and thrilling twists. I like the characters in Ashman's novels, as well as their growing/changing relationship. I am looking forward to reading the third book soon!
Profile Image for ⊹ ࣪ ˖ sky ᯓ★.
71 reviews4 followers
March 30, 2025
i definitely enjoyed reading this more than the first one. i didn’t feel myself getting slightly annoyed at what some of them said like the first one did.

each page, each chapter, i couldn’t wait to continue reading and find out what happens next. the last few chapters really pulled it together for me as well, i loved it

i just hope liam doesn’t screw it up and annoy me like logan did in the mindf*ck series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Margarita Gacía.
304 reviews3 followers
July 9, 2025
Sencillo y muy entretenido, una asesina que mata a otros asesinos, y el agente del FBI que la ayuda.

La segunda parte de I Kill Killers se me ha pasado en un suspiro, tensión máxima y ganas de llegar al apoteósico final, con la tercera parte ya en mi lista de lecturas.

Profile Image for Laken Berry.
392 reviews5 followers
September 18, 2025
I think I’m landing on 4.5 on this one?? This was slower than book 1 for sure, but I feel like it’s just building up for a crazy book 3, which I’m hoping is the case! I feel like we got some answers to questions I had in book 1, but now I have more questions 😆. Excited to see how it all plays out and comes together in the last book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 324 reviews

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