Miss Murder

by Zia Rayyan

I can't see pictures in my mind. I've never been able to.

So when mysterious manuscripts started arriving at my door—perfectly crafted thrillers that turned me into the bestselling "Miss Murder"—I didn't question the gift. I just published them and watched the money roll in. Money I desperately needed to keep my dying mother alive.

But when a grieving woman pounds on my door, screaming that my latest book matches her son's murder down to the smallest detail, my perfect lie begins to unravel.

Because the manuscripts aren't fiction.
They're confessions.
And my ghostwriter—my killer—has been watching me all along.

Miss Murder is a psychological thriller packed full of twists about the price of dreams built on blood, perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, Kiersten Modglin, and Daniel Hurst.

Genres: Thriller, Psychological Thriller

276 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 10, 2025

Reviews

[Amy K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh

This just wasn't one of my favorites. Tension builds, but the peak was rather flat, and then the storyline just seemed to zigzag elsewhere.

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this! Perfectly paced. Twists you don’t see coming. A cracker of an ending.
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this, along with the follow up - Mrs Murder - & I whizzed through them. They are easy to read without being simple. This is Freida McFadden elevated. Better, more relatable & likeable characters who have a complexity to them that just makes you want to get to know them more & more. It’s dark enough for any psych thriller lover to love it, enough of everything without it being too much.
There’s no excessive bad language, no smut & it’s just pretty much written perfectly, not too wordy but with all the information needed to stay invested.

[Erin Hagood · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got so tired of reading “Range Rover” and “aphantasia” lol

[Myla Karee · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's difficult to write thriller reviews without giving away the plot. Who even knows what a spoiler is?

Miss Murder, falls more into the suspense category than thriller. A mid-slow pace, but I couldn't put it down and now I'm behind on responsibilities.

The story of an author composing books not of her own writing spirals several times into different mini-mysteries. What we worry about in the opening isn't what we'll be pondering or trying to unravel further along in the book.

The characters are well-drawn, not macguffin-style created only to advance the plot, emotionally richer than most suspense/thrillers. Still, even with a human emotional landscape the ending was completely insane.

I did audibly gasp which isn't something I usually do while reading. The author really "went for it", and I look forward to reading the upcoming sequel.

There's a little bonus story at the end if you follow her link, fun but very short.

I discovered this book on an FB thriller group and gave it a chance because I thought the story was a debut book and I like to give new authors a chance. The same thing happened with another recent book I loved, Love, Mom.

I'm curious why the writers don't share their original author names. In the scheme of life, it doesn't matter at all but still, I'm curious.

[anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Lacey Beard · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED her writing style! i loved the ending, only thing i didn't like was how many times it mentioned she drove a Range Rover, if it was a shots game I'd be drunk😂
but bug fan of this book, I'll recommend it.
no spice.

[Maggie Davey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I simply did not like this book. The plot was good in theory, but just terrible execution. I had high hopes from the summary and reviews, but unfortunately they did not pan out. The twist ending was creative and unexpected, but the writing lacked depth and connection. It was repetitive, formulaic and void of emotion. I skimmed the last 60 or so pages as i was so tired of reading the same thoughts and phrases over and over. Zero suspense, zero build up, Zero fun

[Arielle Akin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Called it in chapter six. Definitely a quick and fun read.

[Heather Damico · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meeehhhh .. I don’t know I think it was kinda silly. Pretty predictable. A large chunk of the book was just of her inner turmoil over the situation. I am a bit curious about the sequel, maybe it gets better.

[Femke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, so the end was sick and twisted🥲

[Elle Marah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good 3.2 honestly

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ It was okay nothing earth shattering.

[Aneta · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 🔪

A chilling, twist-packed debut!

Miss Murder by Zia Rayyan is a truly amazing and twisty page-turner that had me hooked from the very first chapter. Rayyan does a fantastic job of creating a chilling, suspenseful atmosphere while keeping the story grounded and real.

The fast-paced plot, packed with jaw-dropping twists, kept me guessing all the way through. It reminded me stylistically of Freida McFadden’s thrillers (with that same addictive pacing and sharp edge) but with a fresh, original storyline that shines a spotlight on a thriller writer herself.

This debut is nail-biting, cleverly layered, and downright hard to put down. I can’t wait to see what more Miss Murder (or should I say Mrs. Murder?) has in store. Zia Rayyan is definitely an author I’ll be keeping an eye on! (and you should too)

[Stefano Pellegrino · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you think this is a story about justice, think again. Miss Murder completely hooked me — I devoured it chapter after chapter, eager to see how far it would dare to go. And when I finally found out, I was genuinely stunned. The revelation, while not particularly mysterious and somewhat predictable after a certain point, still managed to keep my interest — even if the justifications felt a bit simplistic. It’s deeply disturbing and utterly unhinged, yet one of those rare, brilliant twists you don’t come across often. Darkly satisfying, it left me both shaken and impressed. It made me wonder: how far would an author go to write a bestselling masterpiece, battling their own aphantasia — and their love — in the process?

I can’t wait to read the sequel — and make sure you stay until the very end, because Zia Rayyan has a surprise waiting for you.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I stumbled across this book in a Facebook group (psych thriller readers) when Zia posted a description of this book as if it was happening to her! As an author! I immediately downloaded this book. It was extremely hard to put down (we're replacing floors & I HAD to help 😉). I thought I had figured it out, but not completely. I was gripping my kindle to the very end. I cannot wait to continue with this series. It's fast paced & perfectly twisty! If you're a fan of Freida McFadden, pick up one of Zia's books. You won't be disappointed!! & Vincent's POV added bonus at the end was perfect!

[Erin Norton · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️ out of 5 ⭐️
0🌶️ out of 5 🌶️

This book was a random pick up for me as I saw it on Kindle Unlimited and decided, why not? Well, I am glad I did!

The concept of an author having someone type the stories of real crimes in order for her to profit off of them is truly a fanatic concept (in the book not in real life!).

The twist at the end?!

I was CLUTCHING my phone so hard!

If you want a quick read, I highly recommend this book!

Brava!

TW: Death, murder

[Lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
My first book from this author. The way she promoted it in the Psychological Thriller readers group made me buy both on the spot. Keep it up!
Uncommon for me, I've figured out the killer very early in the book, so that made me pay attention to certain details more than I've normally would have. It was suspenseful and a very easily flowing read for my vacation and the twist at the end was my kind of disturbing ending. Can't wait to read the next one!

[Alejandra Hinojosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss Murder, wow. My first read from this author and I am not disappointed. It did start a little slow for me but it started hooking me as I kept reading. Through the middle of the book I had already figured it out with clues but even though on top of that there was still a twist. AND DON’T GET ME STARTED ON THAT ENDING!!! I was shocked!!! Good book, starting the next one.

[Courtney Kirchner · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first ~60% I just wanted to yell at Luna “GET A FREAKING LAWYER” but obviously, there would’ve been no story then lol. I devoured the last 40% in one sitting. I was truly shocked by the ending! I guessed the killer, but not what came next. The whole ‘aphantasia’ thing bothered me a bit but not enough to take away from the story for me. Can’t wait to read Mrs. Murder!

[Ashley Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! I finished it in less then 24 hours and thats probably because I couldnt put this down! The suspense was suspensing and the thrill was thrilling. I cannot wait to read more by this author!

[Jasmine Simmons Gobert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! I had been in a reading slump for a bit but this book snatched me right out of it in the very first chapter! Well written, great twists, overall great story line. Will be reading Mrs. Murder!

[Jordan White · Rating 5 out of 5]

An ending I definitely did not see coming! Loves the quick pace of this book and plenty of twists along the way just when you think you’ve figured it out. Can’t wait to read Mrs. Murder now!

[Janae’ Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good! I thought I had it figured out, but the ending really took me by surprise. It was very twisted, but in an amazing way. Definitely worth the read.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book read from this author. I loved it. Definitely a page turner & unique in what the story is about. Brilliant.

[Jami Catalano · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in 2 days! It had me hooked from the beginning and the ending was a huge twist I didn’t see coming. Can’t wait to read the sequel!

[Louise Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

I just stayed up late to finish Miss murder and I loved it! Was so different to anything I've read. Can't wait for book number 2.

[Gina Maggard · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book

This book had me on the edge.
I read it in less than 3 hours.

Can't wait to read the next one.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Girl, let’s have drinks. I saw this going in so many directions but you took the juiciest. Can’t wait to read more!!!

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book! The ending left me speechless. Will absolutely be reading the next!

[Danielle Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wooo loved it ❤️!!

This was a great ride and I can't wait to jump into book 2 of the series. That twist was pure art that I didn't see coming