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The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco #1
The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco
9 hours, 51 minutes
In Michelle Chouinard’s clever mystery The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco, the granddaughter of a serial killer shows readers another side of the beloved city.
Welcome to San Francisco, a city with killer charm.
The chill of a San Francisco summer can be deadly. No one knows this better than Capri Sanzio, who makes her living giving serial killer tours of the city. Capri has been interested in the topic since she was a kid, when she discovered she’s the granddaughter of serial killer William ‘Overkill Bill’ Sanzio. She’s always believed in his innocence, though she's never taken the leap to fully dive into the case.
But now an Overkill Bill copycat has struck in San Francisco. And Capri’s former mother-in-law, Sylvia, just cut off Capri’s daughter’s tuition payments. Needing cash, Capri wonders if this is the time to exonerate her grandfather. The case is back in the news and the police will be looking to understand the past to catch a present-day killer. Capri could finally uncover the truth about Overkill Bill—documenting the process with a podcast and a book—and hopefully earn some money.
Before Capri can get very far, the cops discover the copycat’s latest victim: Sylvia. Capri soon finds herself at the heart of the police’s investigation for an entirely different reason. She and her daughter are prime suspects.
In Michelle Chouinard’s clever mystery The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco, the granddaughter of a serial killer shows readers another side of the beloved city.
Welcome to San Francisco, a city with killer charm.
The chill of a San Francisco summer can be deadly. No one knows this better than Capri Sanzio, who makes her living giving serial killer tours of the city. Capri has been interested in the topic since she was a kid, when she discovered she’s the granddaughter of serial killer William ‘Overkill Bill’ Sanzio. She’s always believed in his innocence, though she's never taken the leap to fully dive into the case.
But now an Overkill Bill copycat has struck in San Francisco. And Capri’s former mother-in-law, Sylvia, just cut off Capri’s daughter’s tuition payments. Needing cash, Capri wonders if this is the time to exonerate her grandfather. The case is back in the news and the police will be looking to understand the past to catch a present-day killer. Capri could finally uncover the truth about Overkill Bill—documenting the process with a podcast and a book—and hopefully earn some money.
Before Capri can get very far, the cops discover the copycat’s latest victim: Sylvia. Capri soon finds herself at the heart of the police’s investigation for an entirely different reason. She and her daughter are prime suspects.
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First published September 24, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,417 reviews
August 10, 2025
Author Michelle Chouinard
Narrated wonderfully by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker
9 hours, 51 minutes at 1x
5 hours 47 minutes at 1.7x
Is there room for another amateur detective and the hot homocide detective she meets when she is being investigated by him as a suspect? (Ala Stephanie Plum or Finlay Donovan?)
YES. Yes, there is!
Capri Sanzio, makes her living giving “serial killer tours” of the gorgeous, foggy city of San Francisco-a topic she has been interested in since she was a kid who discovered she’s the granddaughter of serial killer William ‘Overkill Bill’ Sanzio. She’s always believed in his innocence, though she's never had the time to fully investigate the case.
UNTIL NOW
An “Overkill Bill copycat” has struck in San Francisco and Capri’s former mother-in-law, Sylvia, was one of the Victims.
Capri and her daughter, Morgan have somehow become the Prime Suspects, so there is no better time to look into her grandfather’s case, which is back in the news. The police will be looking to the PAST to understand the PRESENT DAY killer.
If she can finally uncover the truth about her grandfather, by documenting the case with a podcast and a book—she might earn the money she needs for her daughter’s school tuition, and also clear his name in the process.
When I was offered a review copy of the second book in the series, “A Tour To Die For” publishing 23 September 2025, I had to backtrack and read this one, so I could decide whether or not to read it.
Capri is smart and witty, and I enjoyed her investigation into both cases, so I will read book two-but I am hoping the AUDIBLE will be available in time to make it an immersive read, as I really enjoyed this as an audiobook. 🤞🏻
If you are interested in this series, you can read this one now!
Narrated wonderfully by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker
9 hours, 51 minutes at 1x
5 hours 47 minutes at 1.7x
Is there room for another amateur detective and the hot homocide detective she meets when she is being investigated by him as a suspect? (Ala Stephanie Plum or Finlay Donovan?)
YES. Yes, there is!
Capri Sanzio, makes her living giving “serial killer tours” of the gorgeous, foggy city of San Francisco-a topic she has been interested in since she was a kid who discovered she’s the granddaughter of serial killer William ‘Overkill Bill’ Sanzio. She’s always believed in his innocence, though she's never had the time to fully investigate the case.
UNTIL NOW
An “Overkill Bill copycat” has struck in San Francisco and Capri’s former mother-in-law, Sylvia, was one of the Victims.
Capri and her daughter, Morgan have somehow become the Prime Suspects, so there is no better time to look into her grandfather’s case, which is back in the news. The police will be looking to the PAST to understand the PRESENT DAY killer.
If she can finally uncover the truth about her grandfather, by documenting the case with a podcast and a book—she might earn the money she needs for her daughter’s school tuition, and also clear his name in the process.
When I was offered a review copy of the second book in the series, “A Tour To Die For” publishing 23 September 2025, I had to backtrack and read this one, so I could decide whether or not to read it.
Capri is smart and witty, and I enjoyed her investigation into both cases, so I will read book two-but I am hoping the AUDIBLE will be available in time to make it an immersive read, as I really enjoyed this as an audiobook. 🤞🏻
If you are interested in this series, you can read this one now!
August 6, 2024
An enjoyable and suspenseful murder mystery. The main character, Capri, makes a living giving serial killer tours of San Francisco … and just happens to be the granddaughter of a convicted serial killer herself. When her ex-mother-in-law is killed by a copycat killer using her grandfather's methods, she must rush to find the culprit in order to protect herself and her family.
Capri is a perfectly fine main character, but the real MVP in this novel is the city of San Francisco itself. I enjoyed learning about the darker side of the city's history, and the author does a great job describing the scenery and making you feel as if you're there with Capri as she travels to its famous landmarks – Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Fort Point all make an appearance, among others. There's also mention of San Francisco's various neighborhoods, and its infamous fog plays a part in the story as well. If you're a fan of San Francisco, this book is probably worth reading for that reason alone.
*breaks into song* “When the lights go down in the city, and the sun shines on the baaaay, oooh, I wanna be there in my city, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh ...”
Ahem.
The mystery itself is solid but nothing particularly novel – it's your fairly run-of-the-mill “amateur sleuth/suspect investigating a murder and irritating the police” setup. Capri's relationship to the notorious Overkill Bill is a nice touch, however, and makes this murder mystery stand out a bit from the others. I did like that Capri is attempting to solve two mysteries at the same time, one from many years in the past. Will she posthumously exonerate her grandfather while investigating the present day murders? Or will she confirm his guilt?
I have to say, though, that I'm not sure why Ryan is wasting his time working for a tour operator, because with his mad “hacking” skills he should be on the CIA's payroll. It's obvious that he's mostly a plot device used to explain away any technical roadblocks to Capri's investigation, but it made me literally LOL in certain parts.
Still, this is a fun mystery that managed to keep me entertained from beginning to end. It's probably not going to win any awards for originality, but there are certainly worse ways to spend a few hours.
My overall rating: 3.75 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
Capri is a perfectly fine main character, but the real MVP in this novel is the city of San Francisco itself. I enjoyed learning about the darker side of the city's history, and the author does a great job describing the scenery and making you feel as if you're there with Capri as she travels to its famous landmarks – Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Fort Point all make an appearance, among others. There's also mention of San Francisco's various neighborhoods, and its infamous fog plays a part in the story as well. If you're a fan of San Francisco, this book is probably worth reading for that reason alone.
*breaks into song* “When the lights go down in the city, and the sun shines on the baaaay, oooh, I wanna be there in my city, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh ...”
Ahem.
The mystery itself is solid but nothing particularly novel – it's your fairly run-of-the-mill “amateur sleuth/suspect investigating a murder and irritating the police” setup. Capri's relationship to the notorious Overkill Bill is a nice touch, however, and makes this murder mystery stand out a bit from the others. I did like that Capri is attempting to solve two mysteries at the same time, one from many years in the past. Will she posthumously exonerate her grandfather while investigating the present day murders? Or will she confirm his guilt?
I have to say, though, that I'm not sure why Ryan is wasting his time working for a tour operator, because with his mad “hacking” skills he should be on the CIA's payroll. It's obvious that he's mostly a plot device used to explain away any technical roadblocks to Capri's investigation, but it made me literally LOL in certain parts.
Still, this is a fun mystery that managed to keep me entertained from beginning to end. It's probably not going to win any awards for originality, but there are certainly worse ways to spend a few hours.
My overall rating: 3.75 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
September 21, 2025
What would you do if at the age of 8-years-old, one of your so-called friends told you that your grandfather was a serial killer? Would you be traumatized by such news, and then go home to your parents to find out the truth? Well, in the case of Capri Sanzio, she took it one step further as an adult. She built a business around her grandfather. The SF Killer Crime Tours. Where she gives tours about all the serial killers that have come through San Francisco, CA. The place she lives.
Clearly, Capri Sanzio was not traumatized by the news of her grandfather. In fact, she sees this an opportunity to tell her grandfather’s side of it – even if he is now dead. Okay, so maybe she would like to believe in his innocence, even if his alibi didn’t hold up in court.
So, now what? As a 49-year-old tour guide, where is life taking Capri?
And, what happens when suddenly someone is killed in the same exact way as how her grandfather supposedly killed his victims? Does that make this killer a copycat or the original killer and her grandfather innocent? Clearly, Capri is very interested in proving her grandfather is not the person people believed him to be. But will anybody listen?
Are readers up for a tour of San Francisco? Obviously, I love my state of California. And, there is something to say about the beautiful city of San Francisco. Especially when readers can take a great tour of the haunting visual places where serial killers once left their victims, right? And, why not with the ever-present dynamic, tour guide, Capri? Sometimes authors know how to create characters you want to just care about. And, Capri is that kind of character to root for in every way.
Still, Capri doesn’t have it easy here. And, no matter what she does, she always seems to run into complications. Especially when it comes to family. Families are rather complicated, right? And, then there is that tricky thing called, murder.
But readers, please stick around because you will want to be there for it all. And, even if what Capri discovers, doesn’t please everyone, there is something about the many discoveries along the way that speaks to the integrity of the person that is Capri. And, that is another reason to like and appreciate her character. And, how this story unfolds.
The biggest question being…
Will Capri meet her greatest challenge of all – will she be able to get her grandfather exonerated? (No spoilers from me.)
This was a thrilling, quick, easy-to-read, page-turning, character-driven story that should please most mystery lovers.
I want to thank Goodreads friend, Jayme for turning me on to this author. Jayme’s review of this book is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... The author’s latest book, “A Tour to Die For,” will be released on September 23, 2025, (which I am hopeful my local library will stock). Jayme’s review of the author’s upcoming book is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Again, I recommend you read both of Jayme’s reviews, because it looks like we can definitely be looking forward to the next book in this series, too!
Clearly, Capri Sanzio was not traumatized by the news of her grandfather. In fact, she sees this an opportunity to tell her grandfather’s side of it – even if he is now dead. Okay, so maybe she would like to believe in his innocence, even if his alibi didn’t hold up in court.
So, now what? As a 49-year-old tour guide, where is life taking Capri?
And, what happens when suddenly someone is killed in the same exact way as how her grandfather supposedly killed his victims? Does that make this killer a copycat or the original killer and her grandfather innocent? Clearly, Capri is very interested in proving her grandfather is not the person people believed him to be. But will anybody listen?
Are readers up for a tour of San Francisco? Obviously, I love my state of California. And, there is something to say about the beautiful city of San Francisco. Especially when readers can take a great tour of the haunting visual places where serial killers once left their victims, right? And, why not with the ever-present dynamic, tour guide, Capri? Sometimes authors know how to create characters you want to just care about. And, Capri is that kind of character to root for in every way.
Still, Capri doesn’t have it easy here. And, no matter what she does, she always seems to run into complications. Especially when it comes to family. Families are rather complicated, right? And, then there is that tricky thing called, murder.
But readers, please stick around because you will want to be there for it all. And, even if what Capri discovers, doesn’t please everyone, there is something about the many discoveries along the way that speaks to the integrity of the person that is Capri. And, that is another reason to like and appreciate her character. And, how this story unfolds.
The biggest question being…
Will Capri meet her greatest challenge of all – will she be able to get her grandfather exonerated? (No spoilers from me.)
This was a thrilling, quick, easy-to-read, page-turning, character-driven story that should please most mystery lovers.
I want to thank Goodreads friend, Jayme for turning me on to this author. Jayme’s review of this book is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... The author’s latest book, “A Tour to Die For,” will be released on September 23, 2025, (which I am hopeful my local library will stock). Jayme’s review of the author’s upcoming book is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Again, I recommend you read both of Jayme’s reviews, because it looks like we can definitely be looking forward to the next book in this series, too!
October 20, 2025
Capri Sanzio owns and operates a tour company in her native San Francisco. These aren't your normal run-of-the-mill tourist tours, however. Capri's tours are focused on the serial killers of their great city.
San Francisco is rich in history, and unsurprisingly, like many big cities, some of it has been violent and bloody.
Capri has been interested in serial killers since she was a child and discovered that her own Grandfather, William Sanzio, was the convicted serial killer known as Overkill Bill.
Even though she was naturally curious about her Grandfather, her Dad refused to talk about him or his alleged crimes, so she grew up riddled with questions and those never really went away. As an adult, she transformed that unusual interest into a profitable business.
Although she's always believed her Grandfather was innocent, Capri never dedicated any time into really researching his case.
When she suddenly needs additional money to help pay for her daughter's grad school program though, and a copycat killer has reopened interest in Overkill Bill, Capri figures now may be the time. She could write a book, chronicling the research process via podcast, thus making cash and exonerating her Grandfather at the same time.
Before she even has the chance to get her plan off the ground though, the police discover the copycat's latest victim, Sylvia, Capri's mother-in-law, and the reason why Capri suddenly needed money for her daughter's schooling.
Sylvia had been paying, but recently announced she was cutting them off. Jarringly, Capri finds herself as the main suspect. Now it's not just about clearing her Grandfather's name, it's about clearing herself.
I had a blast reading The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco. I seriously need to reevaluate some of my life choices.
Why the heck did I wait so long to pick this up?
This was so cute. I loved the audiobook narration, which perfectly matched Capri's personality. I'm stoked this is the start of a series. It's certainly one I plan to continue with. I'm definitely down for solving more cases with Capri.
This has such a great setting and overriding premise. I would strongly recommend it for fans of the Finlay Donovan series, as it has a similar tone. It's Cozy and modern, with great humor and a lovable cast of characters.
While this mystery hit close to home for Capri, the possibilities are endless for the other cases she could solve. I'm hoping that this will be one of those long-running Cozy series, where I just become more and more attached to the characters as we go along.
The synopsis for the 2nd-book, A Tour to Die For, has already been released and it sounds quite Rear Window. Say less, am I right? I'm so ready!!
Thank you to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I'm happy to be on board with another great Mystery series!
San Francisco is rich in history, and unsurprisingly, like many big cities, some of it has been violent and bloody.
Capri has been interested in serial killers since she was a child and discovered that her own Grandfather, William Sanzio, was the convicted serial killer known as Overkill Bill.
Even though she was naturally curious about her Grandfather, her Dad refused to talk about him or his alleged crimes, so she grew up riddled with questions and those never really went away. As an adult, she transformed that unusual interest into a profitable business.
Although she's always believed her Grandfather was innocent, Capri never dedicated any time into really researching his case.
When she suddenly needs additional money to help pay for her daughter's grad school program though, and a copycat killer has reopened interest in Overkill Bill, Capri figures now may be the time. She could write a book, chronicling the research process via podcast, thus making cash and exonerating her Grandfather at the same time.
Before she even has the chance to get her plan off the ground though, the police discover the copycat's latest victim, Sylvia, Capri's mother-in-law, and the reason why Capri suddenly needed money for her daughter's schooling.
Sylvia had been paying, but recently announced she was cutting them off. Jarringly, Capri finds herself as the main suspect. Now it's not just about clearing her Grandfather's name, it's about clearing herself.
I had a blast reading The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco. I seriously need to reevaluate some of my life choices.
Why the heck did I wait so long to pick this up?
This was so cute. I loved the audiobook narration, which perfectly matched Capri's personality. I'm stoked this is the start of a series. It's certainly one I plan to continue with. I'm definitely down for solving more cases with Capri.
This has such a great setting and overriding premise. I would strongly recommend it for fans of the Finlay Donovan series, as it has a similar tone. It's Cozy and modern, with great humor and a lovable cast of characters.
While this mystery hit close to home for Capri, the possibilities are endless for the other cases she could solve. I'm hoping that this will be one of those long-running Cozy series, where I just become more and more attached to the characters as we go along.
The synopsis for the 2nd-book, A Tour to Die For, has already been released and it sounds quite Rear Window. Say less, am I right? I'm so ready!!
Thank you to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I'm happy to be on board with another great Mystery series!
September 24, 2025
4.5 Stars
Capri became interested in true crime when she discovered her grandfather was convicted as a serial killer nicknamed: Overkill Bill. Her father has always refused to talk about it, and so Capri always did research under the radar. However, when a copycat emerges and Capri is implicated, she decides to investigate both cases, not only to clear her name and her daughter’s (also under suspicion), but also her grandfather’s.
I was a big fan of Capri, a hardworking single mother who turned her passion of true crime into a way to support her and her daughter, Morgan, now grown, by hosting tours that featured the history of crime and serial killers around San Francisco.
The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco was superb! I was glued to the pages as Capri ferreted out clues and motivations both for the current murders and the past. I enjoyed her methodical approach to finding the killer and clearing her name. Capri ends up in danger by the end, and the mystery wraps up in a thrilling conclusion!
I also enjoyed the setting of San Francisco, mentions of film noir set in the city and some of its crime history! I hope we get more stories with Capri and Detective Petito in the future! There are hints of a romance in the works and maybe they’ll work together solving crimes? *crosses fingers*
I alternately read an e-copy and listened to an audio version. I think you’d enjoy the story through either version. I’ve listened to and enjoyed Stephanie Németh-Parker’s narration in the past and her excellent performance enhanced my experience! I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed.
An e-copy and audio version were kindly provided by the publishers. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
Capri became interested in true crime when she discovered her grandfather was convicted as a serial killer nicknamed: Overkill Bill. Her father has always refused to talk about it, and so Capri always did research under the radar. However, when a copycat emerges and Capri is implicated, she decides to investigate both cases, not only to clear her name and her daughter’s (also under suspicion), but also her grandfather’s.
I was a big fan of Capri, a hardworking single mother who turned her passion of true crime into a way to support her and her daughter, Morgan, now grown, by hosting tours that featured the history of crime and serial killers around San Francisco.
The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco was superb! I was glued to the pages as Capri ferreted out clues and motivations both for the current murders and the past. I enjoyed her methodical approach to finding the killer and clearing her name. Capri ends up in danger by the end, and the mystery wraps up in a thrilling conclusion!
I also enjoyed the setting of San Francisco, mentions of film noir set in the city and some of its crime history! I hope we get more stories with Capri and Detective Petito in the future! There are hints of a romance in the works and maybe they’ll work together solving crimes? *crosses fingers*
I alternately read an e-copy and listened to an audio version. I think you’d enjoy the story through either version. I’ve listened to and enjoyed Stephanie Németh-Parker’s narration in the past and her excellent performance enhanced my experience! I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed.
An e-copy and audio version were kindly provided by the publishers. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
September 28, 2024
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
This was all over the place. And boring. The murder plot and the clearing her accused serial killer grandfather of prior crimes plot were too much in one book. The author should have chosen one or the other. Also I never got a sense for Capri and her “investigation skills” she just ran around accusing people all over the place.
Then when we get to some reveals we still had the grandfather plot to clean up. It just killed the momentum of the book.
Full Review:
"The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco" follows 49 year old divorced mom, Capricorn (Capri) Sanzio. Capri we quickly find out runs a tour that focuses on famous serial killers in San Francisco. We also find out that Capri is the granddaughter of a famous serial killer, William "Overkill Bill" Sanzio. When Capri's former mother-in-law, Sylvia, refuses to pay for her daughter's graduate school, Capri decides to start a podcast that will focus on who she believes is the real killer of the prostitutes' her grandfather was accused of murdering. However, things go awry when Sylvia is found murdered and the MO matches her grandfather's style of kill.
Look, Capri is just not that compelling to follow through what was a snooze of a book. She runs from scene to scene (overly describing things) and accusing people of all kinds of things. It was just aggravating after a while. Her best friend and business partner seems to think only Capri can solve who really murdered the women her grandfather was accused of, but honestly, I wondered where she even got that. Speaking of the business partner character, no character is well developed. The majority of this book is Capri figuring out what was going on with Sylvia and it was just so freaking boring I did not care. That was the major plot of the book. Rushing from accused rich person to rich person with the police constantly threatening arrest was not good. I don't even know if there was a way to fix this. The secondary plot with the grandfather was just terrible and made zero sense when things are revealed. But once again, it's great to hear about Capri's brother who never appears in this book outside of her referring to him here and there, and the ghostly shapes of her parents who once again we spend no time with. Maybe a slight fix could have been her doing the podcast in book #1 and a follow up could have been Sylvia. I don't know.
The flow was bad.
The setting of San Francisco was not utilized very well at all. I think another reviewer said it best, there's like three places that Capri keeps going and that's it. Also, the chapters are broken up about other serial killers in San Francisco and the short blurbs are kind of worthless in my opinion. Capri's whole thing is that victims should not be forgotten, but those blurbs didn't lay out victim's names.
The ending was just a mess. You only really meet I think 4 people who could have done it, so your odds of guessing who did it are pretty good.
This was all over the place. And boring. The murder plot and the clearing her accused serial killer grandfather of prior crimes plot were too much in one book. The author should have chosen one or the other. Also I never got a sense for Capri and her “investigation skills” she just ran around accusing people all over the place.
Then when we get to some reveals we still had the grandfather plot to clean up. It just killed the momentum of the book.
Full Review:
"The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco" follows 49 year old divorced mom, Capricorn (Capri) Sanzio. Capri we quickly find out runs a tour that focuses on famous serial killers in San Francisco. We also find out that Capri is the granddaughter of a famous serial killer, William "Overkill Bill" Sanzio. When Capri's former mother-in-law, Sylvia, refuses to pay for her daughter's graduate school, Capri decides to start a podcast that will focus on who she believes is the real killer of the prostitutes' her grandfather was accused of murdering. However, things go awry when Sylvia is found murdered and the MO matches her grandfather's style of kill.
Look, Capri is just not that compelling to follow through what was a snooze of a book. She runs from scene to scene (overly describing things) and accusing people of all kinds of things. It was just aggravating after a while. Her best friend and business partner seems to think only Capri can solve who really murdered the women her grandfather was accused of, but honestly, I wondered where she even got that. Speaking of the business partner character, no character is well developed. The majority of this book is Capri figuring out what was going on with Sylvia and it was just so freaking boring I did not care. That was the major plot of the book. Rushing from accused rich person to rich person with the police constantly threatening arrest was not good. I don't even know if there was a way to fix this. The secondary plot with the grandfather was just terrible and made zero sense when things are revealed. But once again, it's great to hear about Capri's brother who never appears in this book outside of her referring to him here and there, and the ghostly shapes of her parents who once again we spend no time with. Maybe a slight fix could have been her doing the podcast in book #1 and a follow up could have been Sylvia. I don't know.
The flow was bad.
The setting of San Francisco was not utilized very well at all. I think another reviewer said it best, there's like three places that Capri keeps going and that's it. Also, the chapters are broken up about other serial killers in San Francisco and the short blurbs are kind of worthless in my opinion. Capri's whole thing is that victims should not be forgotten, but those blurbs didn't lay out victim's names.
The ending was just a mess. You only really meet I think 4 people who could have done it, so your odds of guessing who did it are pretty good.
May 17, 2024
this book started so strong and I was getting ready to message all my mystery/thriller homies to immediately add it to their TBRs. Buuuuut it really lost steam as it went along, in my opinion. I initially liked how the 1st person POV showed every single thought Capri had while trying to figure out the puzzle pieces, but I eventually got so tired of being in her brain and just wanted it to be over with. I think part of that was how heavily it dove into Sylvia’s business world, which I know is important, but felt like a little too much time was spent on it. I think some of that time could’ve been poured more into showing the police doing any work (I swear this book made it so Capri did everything for them) or perhaps given more time to the relationships.
It was still a fun read and managed to switch up the plot from all the other mystery/thrillers I’ve read, but was just hoping it’d be a little stronger
It was still a fun read and managed to switch up the plot from all the other mystery/thrillers I’ve read, but was just hoping it’d be a little stronger
June 3, 2024
1 Star
Capri is the granddaughter of one of San Francisco’s most violent serial killers: Overkill Bill. While this has created some awkward moments in her life, it’s also what inspired her passion for true crime and her business giving serial killer tours in the city she loves. Still, Capri is convinced her grandpa isn't the killer everyone thinks he is. When a copycat killer comes up, it gives Capri the perfect opportunity to re-examine her grandfather’s case. That is until her mother-in-law is the next victim. Now, police are looking at Capri and her family as persons of interest. Capri is determined to figure out who the new Overkill Bill is before she’s prosecuted, and along the way figure out who the original Overkill Bill really was.
My main reason for giving this 1 Star is because it’s boring. All Capri does is drive around a lot and read files. We visited the same three locations a million times and it was starting to make me feel crazy. I was glad to have some reprieves when Capri would go scout new tour stop locations, but even then all she was thinking about was this murder. And the murder was not all that interesting. The recent victims were old rich ladies who hosted luncheons. And maybe it’s because I’m only 25 and not rich, but I didn’t understand half the things that Capri unveiled about her mother-in-law.
The murder mystery was mundane and I was desperate for a “b” plot to help break up the monotony. I guess technically there’s the “b” plot of unearthing the original Overkill Bill and then a little romance thrown in, too, but both of these were put on the back burner the entire novel. Then, during the last 20-ish pages once the “a” plot was wrapped up we see these other loose ends get dealt with too. The side characters didn’t even add anything outside the “a” plot, since they seemed to only exist to serve Capri. Her daughter and ex-husband were practically non-existent the entire time, and the co-workers/friends are overly eager to solve any problem Capri faces almost instantly.
The writing style also veered on the side of ridiculous, and not in a charming or campy way. Anytime a simile was used it was the most outlandish thing imaginable. Instead of something simple like, “The scents of basil, garlic, and oregano swirled around us,” the author takes it an unnecessary step further by adding, “like a heavenly olfactory hot tub.” WTf is an olfactory hot tub? Another example, instead of saying, “The circulatory of the logic has alway itched at me,” we add an unnecessary simile, “like a neverending case of poison oak.” As if the reader needs a mental image to being itchy. Last example, even though I could go on forever, it’s not just, “Thoughts whizzed and buzzed around my head,” we have the simile, “like a cloud of meth-infested bees.” The bees alone aren’t good enough, they need to be high on meth?! This book is in severe need of an editor to cut most, if not all, of these out.
I have so many other gripes, like Capri still being confused about the killer even after the person straight up says it and overused diet jokes that teeter on offensive, but I’ll leave it at that. Given this amazing title and intriguing premise, I was severely let down.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Capri is the granddaughter of one of San Francisco’s most violent serial killers: Overkill Bill. While this has created some awkward moments in her life, it’s also what inspired her passion for true crime and her business giving serial killer tours in the city she loves. Still, Capri is convinced her grandpa isn't the killer everyone thinks he is. When a copycat killer comes up, it gives Capri the perfect opportunity to re-examine her grandfather’s case. That is until her mother-in-law is the next victim. Now, police are looking at Capri and her family as persons of interest. Capri is determined to figure out who the new Overkill Bill is before she’s prosecuted, and along the way figure out who the original Overkill Bill really was.
My main reason for giving this 1 Star is because it’s boring. All Capri does is drive around a lot and read files. We visited the same three locations a million times and it was starting to make me feel crazy. I was glad to have some reprieves when Capri would go scout new tour stop locations, but even then all she was thinking about was this murder. And the murder was not all that interesting. The recent victims were old rich ladies who hosted luncheons. And maybe it’s because I’m only 25 and not rich, but I didn’t understand half the things that Capri unveiled about her mother-in-law.
The murder mystery was mundane and I was desperate for a “b” plot to help break up the monotony. I guess technically there’s the “b” plot of unearthing the original Overkill Bill and then a little romance thrown in, too, but both of these were put on the back burner the entire novel. Then, during the last 20-ish pages once the “a” plot was wrapped up we see these other loose ends get dealt with too. The side characters didn’t even add anything outside the “a” plot, since they seemed to only exist to serve Capri. Her daughter and ex-husband were practically non-existent the entire time, and the co-workers/friends are overly eager to solve any problem Capri faces almost instantly.
The writing style also veered on the side of ridiculous, and not in a charming or campy way. Anytime a simile was used it was the most outlandish thing imaginable. Instead of something simple like, “The scents of basil, garlic, and oregano swirled around us,” the author takes it an unnecessary step further by adding, “like a heavenly olfactory hot tub.” WTf is an olfactory hot tub? Another example, instead of saying, “The circulatory of the logic has alway itched at me,” we add an unnecessary simile, “like a neverending case of poison oak.” As if the reader needs a mental image to being itchy. Last example, even though I could go on forever, it’s not just, “Thoughts whizzed and buzzed around my head,” we have the simile, “like a cloud of meth-infested bees.” The bees alone aren’t good enough, they need to be high on meth?! This book is in severe need of an editor to cut most, if not all, of these out.
I have so many other gripes, like Capri still being confused about the killer even after the person straight up says it and overused diet jokes that teeter on offensive, but I’ll leave it at that. Given this amazing title and intriguing premise, I was severely let down.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 20, 2024
Yay! A chance to try a new author. The title and the cover both caught my eye on this interesting book. The title really intrigued me.
Description:
Welcome to San Francisco, a city with killer charm.
The chill of a San Francisco summer can be deadly. No one knows this better than Capri Sanzio, who makes her living giving serial killer tours of the city. Capri has been interested in the topic since she was a kid, when she discovered she’s the granddaughter of serial killer William ‘Overkill Bill’ Sanzio. She’s always believed in his innocence, though she's never taken the leap to fully dive into the case.
But now an Overkill Bill copycat has struck in San Francisco. And Capri’s former mother-in-law, Sylvia, just cut off Capri’s daughter’s tuition payments. Needing cash, Capri wonders if this is the time to exonerate her grandfather. The case is back in the news and the police will be looking to understand the past to catch a present-day killer. Capri could finally uncover the truth about Overkill Bill—documenting the process with a podcast and a book—and hopefully earn some money.
Before Capri can get very far, the cops discover the copycat’s latest Sylvia. Capri soon finds herself at the heart of the police’s investigation for an entirely different reason. She and her daughter are prime suspects.
My Thoughts:
I can't understand why anyone would want a tour of where serial killers attacked their victims, kept their victims, etc. Sound pretty creepy to me, but I would bet there is a market for something like this. I felt really bad for Capri growing up with the fact that her father was sentenced to life as a serial killer when she has thought all along that he was innocent. When the Overkill Bill copycat murders start, Capri sees her chance to maybe find evidence that could prove her father's innocence. Then her ex mother-in-law is killed and Capri and her daughter may be at the center of the police investigation. What is going on? I recommend this to anyone interested in serial killer fiction.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press - Minotaur Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.
Description:
Welcome to San Francisco, a city with killer charm.
The chill of a San Francisco summer can be deadly. No one knows this better than Capri Sanzio, who makes her living giving serial killer tours of the city. Capri has been interested in the topic since she was a kid, when she discovered she’s the granddaughter of serial killer William ‘Overkill Bill’ Sanzio. She’s always believed in his innocence, though she's never taken the leap to fully dive into the case.
But now an Overkill Bill copycat has struck in San Francisco. And Capri’s former mother-in-law, Sylvia, just cut off Capri’s daughter’s tuition payments. Needing cash, Capri wonders if this is the time to exonerate her grandfather. The case is back in the news and the police will be looking to understand the past to catch a present-day killer. Capri could finally uncover the truth about Overkill Bill—documenting the process with a podcast and a book—and hopefully earn some money.
Before Capri can get very far, the cops discover the copycat’s latest Sylvia. Capri soon finds herself at the heart of the police’s investigation for an entirely different reason. She and her daughter are prime suspects.
My Thoughts:
I can't understand why anyone would want a tour of where serial killers attacked their victims, kept their victims, etc. Sound pretty creepy to me, but I would bet there is a market for something like this. I felt really bad for Capri growing up with the fact that her father was sentenced to life as a serial killer when she has thought all along that he was innocent. When the Overkill Bill copycat murders start, Capri sees her chance to maybe find evidence that could prove her father's innocence. Then her ex mother-in-law is killed and Capri and her daughter may be at the center of the police investigation. What is going on? I recommend this to anyone interested in serial killer fiction.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press - Minotaur Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.
July 17, 2024
This was such a fresh read for me! I liked the cast of characters. I liked the plot and the investigation into an old murder case. Then there was the added mystery of the new murders and who killed them. I liked the added information on all things San Francisco and thought it was cool that the FMC ran a guided tour company that focused on crimes. I would be down to that tour of a city!
Capri has always been convinced that her grandfather was not the killer that he was convicted to be. He is known as Overkill Bill and was charged and convicted of murdering 3 women back in the day. Her mom won't talk about it. Her dad won't talk about it. But Capri has always had this scarlett letter if you will of being related to him. She has been a savvy businesswoman and made crime part of her career. Her and her BF run a guided tour company in San Francisco that focuses on old crimes and where they took place. Things pivot a little for Capri when her daughter finds out that she is being cut off by her wealthy grandmother. Capri realizes she needs to take the leap and work on a podcast for her grandfather. As she is gathering her notes together things start to jump out that don't make sense. And now two women have been murdered, one of them being her ex-mother in law. The women were killed in the same fashion as Overkill Bill. Is this a copycat? Or is the killer back? Capri decides to do her own investigation to finally be able to learn the truth of her past as well as being able to contribute to what is happening current day. They have to be tied together but not the way that Capri thinks.
This was a pretty quick read for me. I was engaged and found myself really wanting to know how the old killer was tied to the new one. I also liked the flirty dynamic between Capri and the head detective. That had me hopeful for them! I would definitely recommend this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Capri has always been convinced that her grandfather was not the killer that he was convicted to be. He is known as Overkill Bill and was charged and convicted of murdering 3 women back in the day. Her mom won't talk about it. Her dad won't talk about it. But Capri has always had this scarlett letter if you will of being related to him. She has been a savvy businesswoman and made crime part of her career. Her and her BF run a guided tour company in San Francisco that focuses on old crimes and where they took place. Things pivot a little for Capri when her daughter finds out that she is being cut off by her wealthy grandmother. Capri realizes she needs to take the leap and work on a podcast for her grandfather. As she is gathering her notes together things start to jump out that don't make sense. And now two women have been murdered, one of them being her ex-mother in law. The women were killed in the same fashion as Overkill Bill. Is this a copycat? Or is the killer back? Capri decides to do her own investigation to finally be able to learn the truth of her past as well as being able to contribute to what is happening current day. They have to be tied together but not the way that Capri thinks.
This was a pretty quick read for me. I was engaged and found myself really wanting to know how the old killer was tied to the new one. I also liked the flirty dynamic between Capri and the head detective. That had me hopeful for them! I would definitely recommend this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 24, 2024
This is a great little murder mystery book with family drama and a cold case to boot. I liked the main character, Capri and think she is a smart, strong, determined character and dives in head first to make sure she isn't held responsible for a murder she didn't commit. I will say I was surprised about who the killer ended up being and I didn't see it coming. I liked the descriptions of San Francisco and Alcatraz and having visited SF several years back it brought back memories.
I think this book will appeal to many readers who are looking for an engaging, thought filled murder mystery.
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and Michelle Chouinard for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 9/24/24
I think this book will appeal to many readers who are looking for an engaging, thought filled murder mystery.
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and Michelle Chouinard for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 9/24/24
September 3, 2024
Review coming soon.
January 15, 2025
This was a fast paced, complicated mystery. Capri Sanzio runs a tour company specializing in the killers of San Francisco. Perhaps a natural employment, as her grandfather died in jail following the deaths of several prostitutes. He claimed to be innocent, but nevertheless became known as Overkill Bill. Capri would like to know more, but her father is immovable on the subject—he will not discuss it under any circumstances. Overkill Bill is long dead, so it is a shock to Capri when two more women, one of whom is her ex-mother-in-law, are found dead, killed in Bill's signature way.
Capri may not have loved her MIL, but no one deserves to be brutally murdered. If Capri knows how to do anything, it's research, so she begins to dig. She has a daughter to protect and a police inspector to convince that neither she nor her girl are murderers, even if they are descended from one. There's a lot to do, as she must continue to run her tour business, provide emotional support to her father-in-law and ex-husband, and care for her daughter, in addition to investigating her grandfather's crimes and the current ones.
I enjoyed the book, although it does suffer from a usual cozy mystery trope: the main character not trusting the police to do their jobs. One of my least favourite plot devices. Despite this, I liked Capri and her daughter Morgan. I thought the basis of her company was funny and if it existed, I would go on a tour. The murderer was not who I expected but the other aspects of the book wrapped up in the ways that I predicted. That didn't detract from the fun of the journey so I will be on the lookout for the next novel in this series.
Capri may not have loved her MIL, but no one deserves to be brutally murdered. If Capri knows how to do anything, it's research, so she begins to dig. She has a daughter to protect and a police inspector to convince that neither she nor her girl are murderers, even if they are descended from one. There's a lot to do, as she must continue to run her tour business, provide emotional support to her father-in-law and ex-husband, and care for her daughter, in addition to investigating her grandfather's crimes and the current ones.
I enjoyed the book, although it does suffer from a usual cozy mystery trope: the main character not trusting the police to do their jobs. One of my least favourite plot devices. Despite this, I liked Capri and her daughter Morgan. I thought the basis of her company was funny and if it existed, I would go on a tour. The murderer was not who I expected but the other aspects of the book wrapped up in the ways that I predicted. That didn't detract from the fun of the journey so I will be on the lookout for the next novel in this series.
December 15, 2024
Capri Sanrio has always had an interest in serial killers. After all, her grandfather was the famous accused serial killer “Overkill Bill”. So now she runs a small tour company in San Francisco that visits sites of famous murders & events. She’s shocked to discover a copycat murder has just occurred.
At the same time, her ex mother-in-law Sylvia calls Capri’s daughter to tell her she’s cutting her off and no longer paying her tuition. Daughter Morgan and Capri both have harsh phone conversations with her. Then there is another copycat murder, and it’s Sylvia! Now Capri and Morgan are both considered people of interest.
Capri realizes she needs to figure out the real connection between the previous and new murders, and how they are connected to her and her family. These are all interesting characters, and it’s fun to explore San Francisco through the book. I’m happy to see this is the 1st in a series and look forward to more!
At the same time, her ex mother-in-law Sylvia calls Capri’s daughter to tell her she’s cutting her off and no longer paying her tuition. Daughter Morgan and Capri both have harsh phone conversations with her. Then there is another copycat murder, and it’s Sylvia! Now Capri and Morgan are both considered people of interest.
Capri realizes she needs to figure out the real connection between the previous and new murders, and how they are connected to her and her family. These are all interesting characters, and it’s fun to explore San Francisco through the book. I’m happy to see this is the 1st in a series and look forward to more!
September 24, 2024
I had such a blast with this book! The blend of mystery and San Francisco’s eerie charm created an incredibly engaging read! Capri Sanzio is a fantastic protagonist—imagine running serial killer tours in a city as steeped in dark history as San Francisco, all while trying to clear your infamous grandfather's name! Her backstory as the granddaughter of the notorious William 'Overkill Bill' Sanzio adds a fresh twist to the mystery genre that I found absolutely fascinating.
The setting was spot-on and added so much to the experience. I loved how the book dives into San Francisco’s darker past, with intriguing details about landmarks like Alcatraz. Capri’s tours, which blend history with the macabre, sounded like something I’d love to go on! It was great to see how the author incorporated these elements into the plot, making the city itself almost like a character in the story.
Capri herself is such a compelling character. I felt like I was right there with her, unraveling clues and navigating personal drama. Her determination to clear her grandfather’s name, while dealing with the fallout from her former mother-in-law’s actions and the new murders, was both gripping and relatable. She’s smart, funny, and easy to root for.
That said, there were times when the story felt a bit cluttered with side characters who didn’t always get enough development. A few potential suspects popped up but then disappeared without much follow-up, which left me a bit confused.
Stephanie Németh-Parker’s narration really brought the book to life. Her distinct voices for each character and the way she handled the different tones of the story made listening to the audiobook a real treat.
If you enjoy a good mystery with a touch of humor and a unique setting, I highly recommend it. I’m definitely curious to see if there’s more to come in this series or from this author.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
The setting was spot-on and added so much to the experience. I loved how the book dives into San Francisco’s darker past, with intriguing details about landmarks like Alcatraz. Capri’s tours, which blend history with the macabre, sounded like something I’d love to go on! It was great to see how the author incorporated these elements into the plot, making the city itself almost like a character in the story.
Capri herself is such a compelling character. I felt like I was right there with her, unraveling clues and navigating personal drama. Her determination to clear her grandfather’s name, while dealing with the fallout from her former mother-in-law’s actions and the new murders, was both gripping and relatable. She’s smart, funny, and easy to root for.
That said, there were times when the story felt a bit cluttered with side characters who didn’t always get enough development. A few potential suspects popped up but then disappeared without much follow-up, which left me a bit confused.
Stephanie Németh-Parker’s narration really brought the book to life. Her distinct voices for each character and the way she handled the different tones of the story made listening to the audiobook a real treat.
If you enjoy a good mystery with a touch of humor and a unique setting, I highly recommend it. I’m definitely curious to see if there’s more to come in this series or from this author.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
May 27, 2025
San Francisco has had its' share of bad press lately, but despite its' problems, it is still one of the most beautiful cities in California. I loved this insider look at some of its' sights and the cozy mystery was just a great read. The cast of characters were interesting. Capri (the heroine) had great instincts and was not about to give up when her daughter is threatened. Loved the ending and I loved not knowing who the baddie was until the end. Great plotting and hidden motive.
When dead women start popping up and the MO resembles the work of Capri Sanzio's dead serial killer grandfather, Capri is drawn into the case and not just to add background on the original murderer. William 'Overkill Bill' Sanzio, so named for the gruesome nature of his murders. Capri always believed he didn't commit the murders, but now a copycat has appeared, and the police are looking hard at her or her daughter.
One of the victims is her former mother-in-law and she and her daughter has motive for the murder. Grammy Dearest has cut off the money and since she needs to help her daughter pay for grad school, Capri has decided to dig deep into the original 'Overkill Bill' cases and make a podcast and a book out of finding who really did the deeds. In the meantime, she needs to clear herself and her daughter in the current murders with the help of a very sexy cop, of course.
When dead women start popping up and the MO resembles the work of Capri Sanzio's dead serial killer grandfather, Capri is drawn into the case and not just to add background on the original murderer. William 'Overkill Bill' Sanzio, so named for the gruesome nature of his murders. Capri always believed he didn't commit the murders, but now a copycat has appeared, and the police are looking hard at her or her daughter.
One of the victims is her former mother-in-law and she and her daughter has motive for the murder. Grammy Dearest has cut off the money and since she needs to help her daughter pay for grad school, Capri has decided to dig deep into the original 'Overkill Bill' cases and make a podcast and a book out of finding who really did the deeds. In the meantime, she needs to clear herself and her daughter in the current murders with the help of a very sexy cop, of course.
August 18, 2024
This was such a fun who-done-it mystery that I found myself completely immersed in!
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?
I was all in from the very beginning of this multiple mystery story as I tried to sort through the clues and red herrings. The interplay between the characters, clues, drama and past mysteries kept the story moving and highly engaging. Oh, and of course, having a possible copycat serial killer kept me on my toes.
I also loved how I got to tour San Francisco and learn some of the fun history and serial killers of the past.
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
Mysteries
San Francisco
Family Drama
Amateur Sleuthing
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?
The audio was fantastic and it made my road trip fly by! I absolutely love listening to mysteries and thrillers because it heightens the emotions and suspense so much more and this story was no different. The characters came to life even more, and I also feel like it makes the story go so much faster.
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?
I cruised quickly through this one as the pace was rapid and everything unfolded in an exciting way.
𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?
I was completely entertained from start to finish!
Thank you Minotaur Books for this gift to copy and exchange for my honest opinions
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?
I was all in from the very beginning of this multiple mystery story as I tried to sort through the clues and red herrings. The interplay between the characters, clues, drama and past mysteries kept the story moving and highly engaging. Oh, and of course, having a possible copycat serial killer kept me on my toes.
I also loved how I got to tour San Francisco and learn some of the fun history and serial killers of the past.
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
Mysteries
San Francisco
Family Drama
Amateur Sleuthing
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?
The audio was fantastic and it made my road trip fly by! I absolutely love listening to mysteries and thrillers because it heightens the emotions and suspense so much more and this story was no different. The characters came to life even more, and I also feel like it makes the story go so much faster.
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?
I cruised quickly through this one as the pace was rapid and everything unfolded in an exciting way.
𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?
I was completely entertained from start to finish!
Thank you Minotaur Books for this gift to copy and exchange for my honest opinions
August 21, 2025
In A Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco, you follow the fmc, Capri, who is the granddaughter to a convicted serial killer. But decades later, there are murder victims with the exact same signature that Capri’s grandfather, Overkill Bill, was known for. Capri decides to go down the rabbit hole to find out if her grandfather really was the killer back then, as well as find out who the killer is now.
❀ﾟ.･｡ﾟ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ﾟ｡･.ﾟ❀
✦･ﾟ: * My Thoughts * :･ﾟ✦
˗ˏˋ ★★★.5☆ ˎˊ˗
What an absolute delight to read. This was a very non serious but still pretty engaging and fun book. At times, I felt like there were a few lulls but would soon pick back up. I love how the past and present come together as well. The reason I picked this up is because I know the area pretty well and was so excited to know exactly where the events were taking place, if you’ve been to San Francisco or live there, I definitely recommend for you to pick it up asap because that element for me added more excitement in a way haha. Overall an enjoyable read for anyone!
❀ﾟ.･｡ﾟ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ﾟ｡･.ﾟ❀
✦･ﾟ: * Vibes * :･ﾟ✦
Genre: 𝑀𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑦
Tropes: 𝑤𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑦, 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑒, 𝑎𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑢𝑟 𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑢𝑡ℎ, 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑝𝑦𝑐𝑎𝑡
Spice: 0/5
Song: 𝄞 𝐿𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠 — 𝐽𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑦 (I couldn’t resist)
❀ﾟ.･｡ﾟ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ﾟ｡･.ﾟ❀
✦･ﾟ: * Favorite Quotes * :･ﾟ✦
╰┈➤ 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗’𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚎, 𝙸 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚕𝚎𝚜.
❀ﾟ.･｡ﾟ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ﾟ｡･.ﾟ❀
✦･ﾟ: * My Thoughts * :･ﾟ✦
˗ˏˋ ★★★.5☆ ˎˊ˗
What an absolute delight to read. This was a very non serious but still pretty engaging and fun book. At times, I felt like there were a few lulls but would soon pick back up. I love how the past and present come together as well. The reason I picked this up is because I know the area pretty well and was so excited to know exactly where the events were taking place, if you’ve been to San Francisco or live there, I definitely recommend for you to pick it up asap because that element for me added more excitement in a way haha. Overall an enjoyable read for anyone!
❀ﾟ.･｡ﾟ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ﾟ｡･.ﾟ❀
✦･ﾟ: * Vibes * :･ﾟ✦
Genre: 𝑀𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑦
Tropes: 𝑤𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑦, 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑒, 𝑎𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑢𝑟 𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑢𝑡ℎ, 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑝𝑦𝑐𝑎𝑡
Spice: 0/5
Song: 𝄞 𝐿𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠 — 𝐽𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑦 (I couldn’t resist)
❀ﾟ.･｡ﾟ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ﾟ｡･.ﾟ❀
✦･ﾟ: * Favorite Quotes * :･ﾟ✦
╰┈➤ 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗’𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚎, 𝙸 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚕𝚎𝚜.
July 25, 2025
This was so good.
A modern mystery intertwined into an old case was the basis for this story.
Add in some emotional connections and fun little trips and you have a winner.
I really enjoyed how this unfolded and highly recommend you enjoy it too!
A modern mystery intertwined into an old case was the basis for this story.
Add in some emotional connections and fun little trips and you have a winner.
I really enjoyed how this unfolded and highly recommend you enjoy it too!
August 29, 2025
✦⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆✦
✧｡･ﾟﾟ･☾ Review ☾･ﾟﾟ･｡✧
3.5 stars!!
TLDR: It was a solid cozy read that’s perfect for a weekend.
I’m glad this was a quick easy read because I had no motivation to pick up a book this week. I didn’t realize how much went on/happened until the end. The dynamic was so interesting and crazy. Capri bugged me plus she has a stupid name so two strikes already haha. The book would’ve been A LOT shorter if Capri let the cops do their job instead of thinking she can solve it first. She thought she was so clever learning to pick the lock on the desk and go through all the documents…it was cringe. There were a lot of eye rolling moments but it was good overall. I was pretty surprised at the end.
✦⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆✦
✧｡･ﾟﾟ･☾ Quotes ☾･ﾟﾟ･｡✧
“ɴᴀɴᴄʏ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏʀᴛ ᴏꜰ ‘ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ’ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴏᴏɴʟɪɢʜᴛᴇᴅ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ʀᴀɢɪɴɢ ʙɪᴛᴄʜ.”
✧｡･ﾟﾟ･☾ Review ☾･ﾟﾟ･｡✧
3.5 stars!!
TLDR: It was a solid cozy read that’s perfect for a weekend.
I’m glad this was a quick easy read because I had no motivation to pick up a book this week. I didn’t realize how much went on/happened until the end. The dynamic was so interesting and crazy. Capri bugged me plus she has a stupid name so two strikes already haha. The book would’ve been A LOT shorter if Capri let the cops do their job instead of thinking she can solve it first. She thought she was so clever learning to pick the lock on the desk and go through all the documents…it was cringe. There were a lot of eye rolling moments but it was good overall. I was pretty surprised at the end.
✦⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆✦
✧｡･ﾟﾟ･☾ Quotes ☾･ﾟﾟ･｡✧
“ɴᴀɴᴄʏ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏʀᴛ ᴏꜰ ‘ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ’ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴏᴏɴʟɪɢʜᴛᴇᴅ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ʀᴀɢɪɴɢ ʙɪᴛᴄʜ.”
September 2, 2024
This was so interesting!l and clever. More of a mystery than a thriller maybe. Or maybe both, I’m not sure.
Anyway, Capri is the granddaughter of a serial killer so needless to say her family is a little messed up. As an adult she somehow ends up marrying into a wealthy family. After she and her husband divorce she is still connected to her ex’s family.
But when women start being murdered the same way her accused grandfather killed his victims she has an opportunity to not only find the killer but clear her grandfather’s name.
Anyway, Capri is the granddaughter of a serial killer so needless to say her family is a little messed up. As an adult she somehow ends up marrying into a wealthy family. After she and her husband divorce she is still connected to her ex’s family.
But when women start being murdered the same way her accused grandfather killed his victims she has an opportunity to not only find the killer but clear her grandfather’s name.
June 15, 2024
I don’t think I understand the purpose of a cozy mystery.
April 2, 2025
Little slow for me. And overall plot was pretty predictable.
September 27, 2024
I really liked this book. Capri is the granddaughter of a famous unaliver and after copy cat killings start popping up her and her daughter become suspects. Capri starts hunting for the real killer because she's always believed her grandfather was innocent. This story was such a fun listen. There were nice little twists throughout I really thought I knew who did it but was nicely suprised by the end. Also, I really liked the narration too! Her voice was really soothing. If you like mysteries give this one a shot!
Thank you @macmillan.audio for the gifted audiobook.
Thank you @macmillan.audio for the gifted audiobook.
September 12, 2024
3.5/5
This was a really fun and entertaining mystery with a likable main character and a great setting. It’s always fun to feel like you’re solving a case alongside an amateur sleuth and that’s exactly what happened here. The narrator was engaging and charming and while this wasn’t groundbreaking it sure was a fun way to spend a few hours.
This was a really fun and entertaining mystery with a likable main character and a great setting. It’s always fun to feel like you’re solving a case alongside an amateur sleuth and that’s exactly what happened here. The narrator was engaging and charming and while this wasn’t groundbreaking it sure was a fun way to spend a few hours.
September 17, 2024
What a fun read! I loved the mystery and the ending wrapped up nicely. The narrator did a fantastic job with all the characters. It was a little too “cutesy” in parts the author choosing not to use any cuss words is fine but the replacements were a little goofy. Thanks to NetGalley for a chance to review!
September 6, 2024
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Sept. 24, 2024
Capri Sanzio is a tour guide in San Francisco, providing guided tours of all things “serial killer”. An added bonus, Capri is the granddaughter of William Sanzio, a.k.a. “Overkill Bill”, one of the most infamous serial killers in San Franciso history. For many years following the death of her grandfather, Capri believed he was innocent, held in jail on charges that should’ve been placed on someone else although she’s never been able to prove it, mostly because her father has expressly forbidden her to pursue it farther. It isn’t until Capri’s ex-mother-in-law is murdered, and the similarities to Overkill Bill start piling up, that Capri’s hopes of clearing her grandfather’s name may actually come to be.
“The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco” is a debut novel by author Michelle Chouinard. Creative, spunky and full of killer fun, “Guide” is the perfect fiction novel for true-crime fans! Chouinard, raised in San Francisco, definitely shows her love for the city. Many chapters are prefaced by a location in San Francisco with ties to a serial killer or another grisly crime, written as a newspaper article or other official channel of media coverage. So, in between the pages of a fictional crime novel, I got to read about real-life locations that were connected with serial killers? I mean, what more could a girl want?
The story veers off on several paths as Capri investigates her ex-mother-in-law, Sylvia’s, death. As a wealthy socialite, Sylvia has a lot of connections to many corrupt businessmen and has made some pretty shady business and investment deals. So don’t expect this story to be easy to predict- there are many ways this story could end and full attention is needed to keep up with the quick pacing. The final ending reveal came out of nowhere, also, and I was not prepared for the unexpected twist it delivered!
“Guide” is definitely unlike any novel I’ve read before, in either the fiction or the true crime genre (and that’s saying something, as I’ve read quite a bit of both!) and I think it is this level of unique creativity that will bring Chouinard’s debut into the spotlight where it belongs.
Expected publication date: Sept. 24, 2024
Capri Sanzio is a tour guide in San Francisco, providing guided tours of all things “serial killer”. An added bonus, Capri is the granddaughter of William Sanzio, a.k.a. “Overkill Bill”, one of the most infamous serial killers in San Franciso history. For many years following the death of her grandfather, Capri believed he was innocent, held in jail on charges that should’ve been placed on someone else although she’s never been able to prove it, mostly because her father has expressly forbidden her to pursue it farther. It isn’t until Capri’s ex-mother-in-law is murdered, and the similarities to Overkill Bill start piling up, that Capri’s hopes of clearing her grandfather’s name may actually come to be.
“The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco” is a debut novel by author Michelle Chouinard. Creative, spunky and full of killer fun, “Guide” is the perfect fiction novel for true-crime fans! Chouinard, raised in San Francisco, definitely shows her love for the city. Many chapters are prefaced by a location in San Francisco with ties to a serial killer or another grisly crime, written as a newspaper article or other official channel of media coverage. So, in between the pages of a fictional crime novel, I got to read about real-life locations that were connected with serial killers? I mean, what more could a girl want?
The story veers off on several paths as Capri investigates her ex-mother-in-law, Sylvia’s, death. As a wealthy socialite, Sylvia has a lot of connections to many corrupt businessmen and has made some pretty shady business and investment deals. So don’t expect this story to be easy to predict- there are many ways this story could end and full attention is needed to keep up with the quick pacing. The final ending reveal came out of nowhere, also, and I was not prepared for the unexpected twist it delivered!
“Guide” is definitely unlike any novel I’ve read before, in either the fiction or the true crime genre (and that’s saying something, as I’ve read quite a bit of both!) and I think it is this level of unique creativity that will bring Chouinard’s debut into the spotlight where it belongs.
April 9, 2024
The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco is a great little mystery full of family drama. This book sucked me in from the beginning & kept me hooked until the end. Ironically, its a funny murder mystery- very unique story. I definitely recommend this book!!
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, & Minotaur Books for the ARC copy of this book.
September 2, 2024
A fun cozy mystery set in LA that follows the granddaughter of a famous serial killer who does serial killer tours in San Francisco. She is set to figure out if her grandfather was innocent because other murders with the same MO are happening while he’s locked up and it’s either the original, or a copycat, and some of the murders could be pinned on her.
I think you’d enjoy it if you like the Finlay Donovan series. The main character had a funny inner monologue and the story kept my attention the entire time.
Narrated by Stephanie Németh-Parker who did great!
Thanks so much to MacMillan Audio, Minotaur Books & NetGalley for my ALC/ARC.
#MacAudio2024
I think you’d enjoy it if you like the Finlay Donovan series. The main character had a funny inner monologue and the story kept my attention the entire time.
Narrated by Stephanie Németh-Parker who did great!
Thanks so much to MacMillan Audio, Minotaur Books & NetGalley for my ALC/ARC.
#MacAudio2024
May 20, 2024
Capri does serial killer tours of San Francisco. The business supports her and her daughter, so it’s worth fielding a few questions about her grandfather, nicknamed Overkill Bill, to the tourists. However, when a copycat killer emerges, Capri realizes she’ll be a suspect, so she vows to do everything she can to solve the murders. With a premise like this, what mystery reader wouldn’t jump right in? Well, the plot is excellent, the execution is not. This story both has too much and too little going on at the same time. For example, there is over explaining of technology: cloud services, memory cards, AI, algorithms, and there’s a ton of detail when Capri does laundry or drives her car. The actual plot points are delivered with little detail. Good mystery novels allow readers to figure things out as they’re shown carefully crafted scenes. This book though just tells the reader everything. A complicated ending scene was even followed up with only a few short sentences that spell out that actually everything is okay, the bad guy was caught and all of the other bad is good now. It was infuriating. Unfortunately, this is just not worth the long time it takes to read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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