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A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage #2
Self-Help for Serial Killers
In this rollicking sequel to A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage, two (mostly) reformed serial killers discover something more deadly than living in suburbia.
This couple’s midlife crisis is murder . . . literally.
Hazel and Fox have it two children, a beautiful home, and a late-night habit of eliminating people who deserve it. Yet work-life balance is hard when you want to kill bad men but raise good kids.
With a school mum tyrant on Haze's case, and Fox struggling with performance anxiety after a botched kill, things are spiraling. Therapy isn't helping, and bullet journaling has taken on a whole new meaning. . . .
But when they accidentally draw a dangerous group to their doorstep, the couple must pull it together—and fast. Because surviving in suburbia is no longer just a challenge. Now it's a real fight for their family's lives.
And it turns out, self-help starts with staying alive.
This couple’s midlife crisis is murder . . . literally.
Hazel and Fox have it two children, a beautiful home, and a late-night habit of eliminating people who deserve it. Yet work-life balance is hard when you want to kill bad men but raise good kids.
With a school mum tyrant on Haze's case, and Fox struggling with performance anxiety after a botched kill, things are spiraling. Therapy isn't helping, and bullet journaling has taken on a whole new meaning. . . .
But when they accidentally draw a dangerous group to their doorstep, the couple must pull it together—and fast. Because surviving in suburbia is no longer just a challenge. Now it's a real fight for their family's lives.
And it turns out, self-help starts with staying alive.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 16, 2026
About the author
Asia Mackay
6 books298 followersAsia studied Anthropology at Durham University, after which she started a career in television. She presented and produced lifestyle programmes in Shanghai before moving back to London, where she worked for Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman as Project Manager on their round the world motorbike documentaries.
She started writing Killing It on maternity leave and undertook a Faber Academy course to help her finish it. Asia lives in London with her husband, four young children and two dogs. Killing It is her first novel and was the Runner Up in Richard and Judy's Search for a Bestseller competition 2017.
She started writing Killing It on maternity leave and undertook a Faber Academy course to help her finish it. Asia lives in London with her husband, four young children and two dogs. Killing It is her first novel and was the Runner Up in Richard and Judy's Search for a Bestseller competition 2017.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 299 reviews
August 1, 2026
Murder is easy. Parenting is hard.
I absolutely loved Asia Mackay's A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage - which you should absolutely read before picking up this sequel-, so it's safe to say I had high hopes for Self-Help for Serial Killers.
One of the things I loved most about the first novel was how gleefully it juxtaposed suburban domesticity with vigilante serial killing. While that delicious contrast is still here, the realities of raising young children take center stage, and for Fox and Hazel, parenthood has inevitably taken some of the edge off their delightfully murderous sparkle. Tantrums, sleep deprivation, impossible school parents... honestly, the murders almost start to feel like the relaxing part of their week.
As someone who has only recently escaped the baby and toddler years myself, I couldn't help sympathizing with Hazel and Fox. Mackay captures the relentless exhaustion of early parenthood remarkably well, and there's a lot of humor to be found in watching two highly competent killers become utterly defeated by ordinary family life. In many ways, the series is actually at its funniest when the murders take a back seat to the mundane frustrations of everyday family life. It's when the plot widens beyond suburbia that it starts to lose a little of its unique charm.
I did miss some of the spark that made the first book so irresistible. Fox, in particular, spends much of the novel struggling with PTSD, self-doubt, and the fallout from previous events. While those emotional consequences make perfect sense, they also slow the pace considerably and become somewhat repetitive over time. I found myself longing for more of the sharp, dry banter that defined the earlier novel.
My biggest reservation, however, was the increasingly international scope of the plot. Part of the charm of this series lies in its wonderfully ridiculous central premise: two serial killers trying to blend into suburban family life while secretly eliminating terrible people. It never really needed an elaborate international manhunt or ever-escalating stakes. If anything, those larger plot developments occasionally distracted from what the series does best.
Even so, Self-Help for Serial Killers remains a very entertaining read. Mackay's dry wit is still very much intact, the characters are still a joy to spend time with, and there's something delightfully absurd about watching school runs, marriage, therapy, and murder coexist in the same novel.
It may not quite recapture the magic of its predecessor, but I still had an enormously good time joining Hazel and Fox for another adventure. Here's hoping this isn't the last we've seen of them - and that next time, they rediscover a little of the murderous chemistry that made me fall in love with them in the first place.
Many thanks to Ballantine | Bantam for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
"Self-Help for Serial Killers" was published on June 16, 2026, and is available now.
I absolutely loved Asia Mackay's A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage - which you should absolutely read before picking up this sequel-, so it's safe to say I had high hopes for Self-Help for Serial Killers.
One of the things I loved most about the first novel was how gleefully it juxtaposed suburban domesticity with vigilante serial killing. While that delicious contrast is still here, the realities of raising young children take center stage, and for Fox and Hazel, parenthood has inevitably taken some of the edge off their delightfully murderous sparkle. Tantrums, sleep deprivation, impossible school parents... honestly, the murders almost start to feel like the relaxing part of their week.
As someone who has only recently escaped the baby and toddler years myself, I couldn't help sympathizing with Hazel and Fox. Mackay captures the relentless exhaustion of early parenthood remarkably well, and there's a lot of humor to be found in watching two highly competent killers become utterly defeated by ordinary family life. In many ways, the series is actually at its funniest when the murders take a back seat to the mundane frustrations of everyday family life. It's when the plot widens beyond suburbia that it starts to lose a little of its unique charm.
I did miss some of the spark that made the first book so irresistible. Fox, in particular, spends much of the novel struggling with PTSD, self-doubt, and the fallout from previous events. While those emotional consequences make perfect sense, they also slow the pace considerably and become somewhat repetitive over time. I found myself longing for more of the sharp, dry banter that defined the earlier novel.
My biggest reservation, however, was the increasingly international scope of the plot. Part of the charm of this series lies in its wonderfully ridiculous central premise: two serial killers trying to blend into suburban family life while secretly eliminating terrible people. It never really needed an elaborate international manhunt or ever-escalating stakes. If anything, those larger plot developments occasionally distracted from what the series does best.
Even so, Self-Help for Serial Killers remains a very entertaining read. Mackay's dry wit is still very much intact, the characters are still a joy to spend time with, and there's something delightfully absurd about watching school runs, marriage, therapy, and murder coexist in the same novel.
It may not quite recapture the magic of its predecessor, but I still had an enormously good time joining Hazel and Fox for another adventure. Here's hoping this isn't the last we've seen of them - and that next time, they rediscover a little of the murderous chemistry that made me fall in love with them in the first place.
Many thanks to Ballantine | Bantam for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
"Self-Help for Serial Killers" was published on June 16, 2026, and is available now.
August 11, 2026
I love Haze and Fox as a team. I really enjoyed the first book. I enjoyed this one just as much. Are the serial killers? Vigilantes? Superheros? Professional assassins? All of the above! And their commitment to trying to be "normal people" is adorable.
June 15, 2026
A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage was one of my favorite books last year so I was really excited to be with Fox and Hazel again! Just as morally questionable as the first book, but with more at stake, I really enjoyed seeing them navigating parenthood with two littles now, mean girl politics with other school moms and of course, ridding the world of bad men. I loved that Fox really struggled with “performance anxiety” and feeling like he wasn’t enough for Hazel while she was the more secure one in their relationship. That was an interesting twist and fun dynamic. The plot was definitely more over the top than in book one, but mixed with the suburban chaos, I thought it was such a fun ride. I’m REALLY hoping for more books in the series, especially because I think there’s more to Jenny than meets the eye and I’m so darn intrigued by her! If you loved the dynamic between Joe Goldberg and Love Quinn, but wished they’d been endgame, this series is for you!
Thank you to Bantam Books for the digital reader’s copy!
June 20, 2026
Haze and Fox are back in this sequel to A Serial Killer’s Guide To Marriage. The chaos of balancing providing a normal upbringing for their children while continuing their serial killer side hustle continues. Things become even more complicated when Fox is having a crisis of confidence and Haze is getting texts from an assassin calling himself The Chameleon. When you begin to feel like you can’t trust your partner to have your back, how can you trust anyone else in your life? This isn’t your typical thriller. It’s very character driven with dark humor and over the top situations to keep things interesting. An entertaining read!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Full Book Review: The One About Parenting with a Body Count: Not Like the Other Parents by Asia Mackay │ Book Review
"He took out the bins; I cleaned. He cooked; I washed up. He did playground; I did homework.
We were a couple that shared everything.
From home, to kids, to work-- we were a team.
We did bath time together.
And we killed together."
Not Like the Other Parents follows married couple Fox and Hazel would live like any other couple. One runs an investment business and the other is an artist, they do the dishes and the school runs. They also kill bad men on the side.
This book was a roller coaster. From the very first chapter, we are dropped right in the middle of the crime and essentially bear witness to this couple's attempts at getting rid of a fresh body from their last kill. From the very first chapter I was hooked. There's a bit of humour sprinkled throughout, which is a nice breather from all the tension as answers start unravelling. On one hand I appreciated the wit and will admit that I did let out a chuckle or two. However, I would've liked a little more focus on the suspense.
Don't go into this book expecting a couple of gory, blood-hungry assassins. Once again the main bad guy is called "The Chameleon". Outside of their killing side quests, Fox and Hazel are quite mundane. They are both flawed, indecisive, and that's what makes them innately human and good characters. Despite their own personal struggles, it still made me root for them to make it in the end. In fact, the "serial killer couple" thing was almost a backdrop or subplot. Even whilst they were committing these killings, there is a focus on the psychological and moral complexity, and not simply the thrill of the act of the killing. In its heart, the main story is about two people trying to find their way back to each other.
The only reason why this book is not a 5 star read is that I expected it to be a little more gory, more bloody towards the end. The way the mystery concluded was a little disappointing, just because I was expecting a bit more. While everything does wrap up nicely, and in theory should make sense, I still had a few questions of my own. I guess these questions will have to be answered by my own imagination.
Not Like the Other Parents is such a clever take on the serial couple trope. It would be a great sequel to the film 'Mr and Mrs Smith'. It's clever and fun with a slightly darker twist to your typical suburbia couple. This book is proof that your hobbies don't have to end once you have children.
4 stars.
Novelstorian (Blog) ✨ Instagram ✨ Twitter ✨
My Star Ratings:
★★★★★: Unhinged levels of love. Life-changing. Perfectly devastating. I will be recommending this until someone physically takes it out of my hands.
★★★★: Great pacing, great characters, emotional damage in all the right ways. Might not be perfect, but I had a genuinely good time reading it
★★★: Enjoyable enough to finish but not something I’d scream about. I liked it, but it didn’t leave a mark. A solid, middle-of-the-road read.
★★: The cons outweigh the pros, unfortunately. There might be some things that were lacking in some areas— writing, characterisation, plot etc, but there may have been a few moments that I liked.
★: I finished it out of pure spite or misplaced hope.
"He took out the bins; I cleaned. He cooked; I washed up. He did playground; I did homework.
We were a couple that shared everything.
From home, to kids, to work-- we were a team.
We did bath time together.
And we killed together."
Not Like the Other Parents follows married couple Fox and Hazel would live like any other couple. One runs an investment business and the other is an artist, they do the dishes and the school runs. They also kill bad men on the side.
This book was a roller coaster. From the very first chapter, we are dropped right in the middle of the crime and essentially bear witness to this couple's attempts at getting rid of a fresh body from their last kill. From the very first chapter I was hooked. There's a bit of humour sprinkled throughout, which is a nice breather from all the tension as answers start unravelling. On one hand I appreciated the wit and will admit that I did let out a chuckle or two. However, I would've liked a little more focus on the suspense.
Don't go into this book expecting a couple of gory, blood-hungry assassins. Once again the main bad guy is called "The Chameleon". Outside of their killing side quests, Fox and Hazel are quite mundane. They are both flawed, indecisive, and that's what makes them innately human and good characters. Despite their own personal struggles, it still made me root for them to make it in the end. In fact, the "serial killer couple" thing was almost a backdrop or subplot. Even whilst they were committing these killings, there is a focus on the psychological and moral complexity, and not simply the thrill of the act of the killing. In its heart, the main story is about two people trying to find their way back to each other.
The only reason why this book is not a 5 star read is that I expected it to be a little more gory, more bloody towards the end. The way the mystery concluded was a little disappointing, just because I was expecting a bit more. While everything does wrap up nicely, and in theory should make sense, I still had a few questions of my own. I guess these questions will have to be answered by my own imagination.
Not Like the Other Parents is such a clever take on the serial couple trope. It would be a great sequel to the film 'Mr and Mrs Smith'. It's clever and fun with a slightly darker twist to your typical suburbia couple. This book is proof that your hobbies don't have to end once you have children.
4 stars.
Novelstorian (Blog) ✨ Instagram ✨ Twitter ✨
My Star Ratings:
★★★★★: Unhinged levels of love. Life-changing. Perfectly devastating. I will be recommending this until someone physically takes it out of my hands.
★★★★: Great pacing, great characters, emotional damage in all the right ways. Might not be perfect, but I had a genuinely good time reading it
★★★: Enjoyable enough to finish but not something I’d scream about. I liked it, but it didn’t leave a mark. A solid, middle-of-the-road read.
★★: The cons outweigh the pros, unfortunately. There might be some things that were lacking in some areas— writing, characterisation, plot etc, but there may have been a few moments that I liked.
★: I finished it out of pure spite or misplaced hope.
May 23, 2026
Self Help for Serial Killers was just as quirky, chaotic, and darkly funny as the first book, which is exactly what I was hoping for. A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage set the bar pretty high for me, and while I still really enjoyed this sequel, I didn’t love it *quite* as much.
Hazel and Fox are still wildly entertaining as suburban parents trying to balance raising children with, you know… occasionally murdering terrible people. The humor is sharp, the banter is fun, and the whole “serial killers trying to survive normal family life” concept still works ridiculously well. I especially enjoyed all the little domestic chaos moments — school parent drama, therapy sessions, performance anxiety after a failed kill… it’s all so absurd in the best way. My biggest issue was that the story started to feel a little too big for me. I know realism obviously isn’t the point here, but the international hunt/action side of the plot felt a bit out of my depth compared to the first book. I personally preferred the smaller-scale suburban chaos and simpler cat-and-mouse feel from book one. This one occasionally lost me during the larger conspiracy-style moments, and there were parts that dragged a little because of it. That said, it was still a fun, bingeable read with lovable morally questionable characters, dark humor, and enough chaos to keep me entertained. If you enjoyed the first book, I think this sequel is definitely still worth picking up — just go in expecting the story to get a little wilder and more over-the-top this time around.
Hazel and Fox are still wildly entertaining as suburban parents trying to balance raising children with, you know… occasionally murdering terrible people. The humor is sharp, the banter is fun, and the whole “serial killers trying to survive normal family life” concept still works ridiculously well. I especially enjoyed all the little domestic chaos moments — school parent drama, therapy sessions, performance anxiety after a failed kill… it’s all so absurd in the best way. My biggest issue was that the story started to feel a little too big for me. I know realism obviously isn’t the point here, but the international hunt/action side of the plot felt a bit out of my depth compared to the first book. I personally preferred the smaller-scale suburban chaos and simpler cat-and-mouse feel from book one. This one occasionally lost me during the larger conspiracy-style moments, and there were parts that dragged a little because of it. That said, it was still a fun, bingeable read with lovable morally questionable characters, dark humor, and enough chaos to keep me entertained. If you enjoyed the first book, I think this sequel is definitely still worth picking up — just go in expecting the story to get a little wilder and more over-the-top this time around.
September 24, 2026
I enjoyed the first one enough to continue with the series and I liked this one better. There is more tongue-in-cheek humor in this one, where balancing diaper changes and ridding the world of evil people is the norm. The pacing is a little slow to start but when it picks up, it sweeps you away in a tale of protecting your family at all costs, even if you’re not sure who you can trust. The chemistry between them is still there, though it’s mired in everyday mundane tasks. Looking forward to more (hopefully) in the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the review copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the review copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rating: 4.0/5
This was originally intended to be published under the title of "Self-Help for Serial Killers", but there appears to be been a subsequent re-think. Personally, I think the original title would have worked better, so it would be interesting to learn what the thoughts behind the change were. But enough of that and on with my thoughts on "Not Like Other Parents".
This is Asia Mackay's fourth novel and the second in this series, following on from the hugely enjoyable, "A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage." Although this is a sequel, the author takes care to give enough background in the early chapters to allow this to read as a standalone - but I would suggest that it is still preferable to have read book one prior to starting this. The central characters are husband and wife, Fox and Hazel (Haze). They are a young couple with an affluent lifestyle, thanks to Fox's wealthy family background, but their relationship is anything but conventional, because they met and developed their bond through a shared love of killing bad men! However, now, some years later, they have two young children and they are desperately trying to curb their natural instincts (to a degree) and live the life that the world at large would expect them to lead. That is proving to be easier said than done - not least because they seem to have inadvertently stepped on the toes of a major crime organisation that now wants to see Haze and Fox removed from the picture.
For the most part, the story is told alternately from the perspectives of Haze and Fox. We gain insights into the their shared passions, but also the distinct differences in their personas, which are well portrayed by the author. The first book in this series was pacy, gripping and overflowing with wonderfully dark humour, but interspersed with moments of unconventional poignancy. This sequel is a bit more considered. The narrative doesn't rattle along at the same rate of knots, particularly in the first half of the book. There is still dark humour, but this also seems to have been toned down for the most part. The storyline is still flows well enough and is entertaining, but there is greater focus on character development and more day-to-day familial issues than there was first time around. How this shift lands with individual readers will determine which of the two books they prefer. Either way, I enjoy Asia Mackay's style of writing. I have read all four of her books to date and I have little doubt I will be returning for book five too.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.
This was originally intended to be published under the title of "Self-Help for Serial Killers", but there appears to be been a subsequent re-think. Personally, I think the original title would have worked better, so it would be interesting to learn what the thoughts behind the change were. But enough of that and on with my thoughts on "Not Like Other Parents".
This is Asia Mackay's fourth novel and the second in this series, following on from the hugely enjoyable, "A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage." Although this is a sequel, the author takes care to give enough background in the early chapters to allow this to read as a standalone - but I would suggest that it is still preferable to have read book one prior to starting this. The central characters are husband and wife, Fox and Hazel (Haze). They are a young couple with an affluent lifestyle, thanks to Fox's wealthy family background, but their relationship is anything but conventional, because they met and developed their bond through a shared love of killing bad men! However, now, some years later, they have two young children and they are desperately trying to curb their natural instincts (to a degree) and live the life that the world at large would expect them to lead. That is proving to be easier said than done - not least because they seem to have inadvertently stepped on the toes of a major crime organisation that now wants to see Haze and Fox removed from the picture.
For the most part, the story is told alternately from the perspectives of Haze and Fox. We gain insights into the their shared passions, but also the distinct differences in their personas, which are well portrayed by the author. The first book in this series was pacy, gripping and overflowing with wonderfully dark humour, but interspersed with moments of unconventional poignancy. This sequel is a bit more considered. The narrative doesn't rattle along at the same rate of knots, particularly in the first half of the book. There is still dark humour, but this also seems to have been toned down for the most part. The storyline is still flows well enough and is entertaining, but there is greater focus on character development and more day-to-day familial issues than there was first time around. How this shift lands with individual readers will determine which of the two books they prefer. Either way, I enjoy Asia Mackay's style of writing. I have read all four of her books to date and I have little doubt I will be returning for book five too.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.
April 4, 2026
**Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for this ARC.**
When I first started reading this book I thought it had potential to be 5 stars! It was gripping from the start. Kind of a Santa Clarita Diet couple meets Dexter vibe. As the book continued I was a little put off by the fact that we are in 2026 and still hating on men so much. I absolutely am for having fun and making jabs at men for fun, but ultimately most men aren’t bad people. There’s mention of an all men’s club and how “poor men need their safe spaces.” There are clubs for all women too. It’s more of a social norm than meant to be a “safe space” for anyone. Also the fact that MC’s only kill “straight white men,” seemed unnecessary. Again it’s 2026, why not take this out and leave it at “they only kill bad people.” It shouldn’t matter race, gender, or sex, a bad person is a bad person. Besides this, the ending wasn't that shocking or twisty. I was hoping for more excitement or shock with the people involved, but it was just like “yeah okay that makes sense.”
Overall this is a book I wouldn’t discourage anyone from reading. It definitely held my attention, but am I going to flat out recommend it to anyone… not likely.
When I first started reading this book I thought it had potential to be 5 stars! It was gripping from the start. Kind of a Santa Clarita Diet couple meets Dexter vibe. As the book continued I was a little put off by the fact that we are in 2026 and still hating on men so much. I absolutely am for having fun and making jabs at men for fun, but ultimately most men aren’t bad people. There’s mention of an all men’s club and how “poor men need their safe spaces.” There are clubs for all women too. It’s more of a social norm than meant to be a “safe space” for anyone. Also the fact that MC’s only kill “straight white men,” seemed unnecessary. Again it’s 2026, why not take this out and leave it at “they only kill bad people.” It shouldn’t matter race, gender, or sex, a bad person is a bad person. Besides this, the ending wasn't that shocking or twisty. I was hoping for more excitement or shock with the people involved, but it was just like “yeah okay that makes sense.”
Overall this is a book I wouldn’t discourage anyone from reading. It definitely held my attention, but am I going to flat out recommend it to anyone… not likely.
August 19, 2026
Audiobook
This is a solid 4⭐️ read and I would have rated it such, but the acknowledgements were wonderful!
This is a solid 4⭐️ read and I would have rated it such, but the acknowledgements were wonderful!
July 19, 2026
3.75⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine, and PRH Audio for the gifted advance copies. All opinions are my own.
Homework. Housework. Homicide. You can do it all!
How hard can it be to keep all the balls in the air? If you’re Hazel and Fox, you are finding it harder and harder to keep the household running smoothly while ridding the world of bad guys. Hazel is balancing school drop offs, a demanding infant, and the unreasonable expectations put forth by social media influencers. As if that wasn’t enough, someone is threatening her family. Fox is struggling. His roles as husband, father, and finance bro are taking a backseat to worries over performance anxiety. Not that kind, silly! The kind that results from not being able to finish a kill. Problems that are causing stress on the home front.
This follow up to A SERIAL KILLER’S GUIDE TO MARRIAGE is a tongue in cheek look at surviving surburbia while avoiding a contract on your life. It is equal parts humorous and suspenseful with sufficient twists to keep the reader guessing. When the bad guys are good guys and the worse guys after you, it’s impossible to know who to trust.
This dual POV story is narrated by George Blagden and Georgia Tennant and they are perfectly cast as Fox and Hazel.
This book will appeal to readers who enjoy suspense served with a side of snark and satire. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and delivers a good time.
Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine, and PRH Audio for the gifted advance copies. All opinions are my own.
Homework. Housework. Homicide. You can do it all!
How hard can it be to keep all the balls in the air? If you’re Hazel and Fox, you are finding it harder and harder to keep the household running smoothly while ridding the world of bad guys. Hazel is balancing school drop offs, a demanding infant, and the unreasonable expectations put forth by social media influencers. As if that wasn’t enough, someone is threatening her family. Fox is struggling. His roles as husband, father, and finance bro are taking a backseat to worries over performance anxiety. Not that kind, silly! The kind that results from not being able to finish a kill. Problems that are causing stress on the home front.
This follow up to A SERIAL KILLER’S GUIDE TO MARRIAGE is a tongue in cheek look at surviving surburbia while avoiding a contract on your life. It is equal parts humorous and suspenseful with sufficient twists to keep the reader guessing. When the bad guys are good guys and the worse guys after you, it’s impossible to know who to trust.
This dual POV story is narrated by George Blagden and Georgia Tennant and they are perfectly cast as Fox and Hazel.
This book will appeal to readers who enjoy suspense served with a side of snark and satire. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and delivers a good time.
August 2, 2026
I have a wildly specific book for you! Looking for a book with parents adjusting to a second child, a precocious toddler, and vigilante-style murders? Self-Help for Serial Killers by Asia Mackay has all of the above (and more)!
I read A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage last year and found myself completely entranced by Hazel and her absolutely no-nonsense look on life. Hazel has been married to Fox for several years, and they have two darling children. While Hazel has a decent following for her paintings, Fox works as an investor. In addition to sharing financial and parenting responsibilities, Hazel and Fox also share a … hobby. Specifically, they are a serial killer team.
In A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage, Hazel and Fox are working to rediscover their relationship dynamic after becoming a suburban family. In Self-Help for Serial Killers, they are now working to balance two kids (one in kindergarten), some performance issues on Fox’s end, a few vindictive moms on Hazel’s case, and another killer team angry at them for encroaching on their territory.
Overall, both books have a tongue-in-cheek approach to being a serial-killer team. The two share the typical domestic partner squabbles, it’s just that sometimes that includes arguing about who forgot stain remover for the blood-soaked clothes in the wash. The pacing is quick and zippy, keeping you fully invested in every aspect of their lives.
If any of this book's wildly specific traits caught your eye, you should definitely give it a shot! I’d also recommend it if you liked the first book in the series!
Thanks to Netgalley and Bantam for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
I read A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage last year and found myself completely entranced by Hazel and her absolutely no-nonsense look on life. Hazel has been married to Fox for several years, and they have two darling children. While Hazel has a decent following for her paintings, Fox works as an investor. In addition to sharing financial and parenting responsibilities, Hazel and Fox also share a … hobby. Specifically, they are a serial killer team.
In A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage, Hazel and Fox are working to rediscover their relationship dynamic after becoming a suburban family. In Self-Help for Serial Killers, they are now working to balance two kids (one in kindergarten), some performance issues on Fox’s end, a few vindictive moms on Hazel’s case, and another killer team angry at them for encroaching on their territory.
Overall, both books have a tongue-in-cheek approach to being a serial-killer team. The two share the typical domestic partner squabbles, it’s just that sometimes that includes arguing about who forgot stain remover for the blood-soaked clothes in the wash. The pacing is quick and zippy, keeping you fully invested in every aspect of their lives.
If any of this book's wildly specific traits caught your eye, you should definitely give it a shot! I’d also recommend it if you liked the first book in the series!
Thanks to Netgalley and Bantam for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
June 18, 2026
First, let me say I absolutely loved the first book. It was so smart and funny. I was so excited for the sequel. While I did enjoy this one it didn’t have that same magic. It had maybe one or two of those funny moments from the first book. I felt like it was a bit repetitive on Fox’s end. It makes the book drag just a bit. I still think it’s worth reading but it has a lot to live up to. I don’t think you need the first book to understand this book because all of the information is provided in this book but please read the first one. It’s too good to miss. I would continue the series if the author continues it in hopes that it will capture the magic of the first. Also i really loved the MCs Fox and Haze.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 5, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Self Help for Serial Killers was such a unique and entertaining read. The premise is incredibly original, blending dark humor with mystery and suspense in a way that kept me turning the pages. The cast of characters was quirky and memorable, and I enjoyed seeing the story unfold from such an unconventional perspective.
The writing was engaging, and while the pacing slowed a little in the middle, it picked back up with several surprising twists that made the journey worthwhile. I also appreciated the underlying themes about identity, redemption, and whether people are capable of changing, which added more depth than I was expecting.
Overall, this was a fun, darkly humorous thriller that stands out from the typical mystery novel. If you enjoy offbeat stories with plenty of wit and a touch of the bizarre, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a try.
Self Help for Serial Killers was such a unique and entertaining read. The premise is incredibly original, blending dark humor with mystery and suspense in a way that kept me turning the pages. The cast of characters was quirky and memorable, and I enjoyed seeing the story unfold from such an unconventional perspective.
The writing was engaging, and while the pacing slowed a little in the middle, it picked back up with several surprising twists that made the journey worthwhile. I also appreciated the underlying themes about identity, redemption, and whether people are capable of changing, which added more depth than I was expecting.
Overall, this was a fun, darkly humorous thriller that stands out from the typical mystery novel. If you enjoy offbeat stories with plenty of wit and a touch of the bizarre, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a try.
August 6, 2026
Thank you to Net Galley and Ballantine for the ARC of this title. I hate I waited so long to read this one! It was kinda slow in the beginning but once I got into it, I really had a good time with it. This book goes to show you that even serial killers struggle with parenting and marriage. lol
I was shocked when The Chameleon was revealed. Somehow I didn’t see that coming at all. I thought I had it all figured out but I was wrong. I loved this book and how Fox, Haze and even the kids developed through out it. I would recommend this one to people who loved Finlay Donovan. It definitely gives the same vibe. 4 stars!
I was shocked when The Chameleon was revealed. Somehow I didn’t see that coming at all. I thought I had it all figured out but I was wrong. I loved this book and how Fox, Haze and even the kids developed through out it. I would recommend this one to people who loved Finlay Donovan. It definitely gives the same vibe. 4 stars!
August 20, 2026
A big thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for an ARC copy of Self-Help for Serial Killers!
I read A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage last year and really enjoyed it! It was fun and different! I was so excited when I saw there was going to be a second book with Haze and Fox getting up to their crazy antics!
This picked up where book one ended and it was easy to pick it right up! The humor and the sarcasm in this book was so fun! It was a fun little mystery with our serial killer couple! I didn’t see some of the twists coming, so that’s always fun!
The way I cackled at the acknowledgments at the end 😂 sign me up for whatever Asia gives us next!
I read A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage last year and really enjoyed it! It was fun and different! I was so excited when I saw there was going to be a second book with Haze and Fox getting up to their crazy antics!
This picked up where book one ended and it was easy to pick it right up! The humor and the sarcasm in this book was so fun! It was a fun little mystery with our serial killer couple! I didn’t see some of the twists coming, so that’s always fun!
The way I cackled at the acknowledgments at the end 😂 sign me up for whatever Asia gives us next!
October 10, 2026
The book if Mr & Mrs Smith had children. This sequel has married “sort of” reformed serial killers dealing with the mental load of parenting small children and the toll that is taking on their mental health. Each tries to deal with it in different ways and while initially they seem to be drifting apart, a new threat to their family ultimately ends up strengthening their bond. Good on audio, told in dual POV and perfect for fans of serial killer stories with a moral conscience. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
October 20, 2026
SELF HELP FOR SERIAL KILLERS - AUDIOBOOK 9 Hrs
Written By: Asia Mackay
And the fun and murder continues. This is a sequel to
A SERIAL KILLER’S GUIDE TO MURDER which I absolutely
adored. Again, we get a peak inside the lives of Hazel and
Fox and the daily lives of these two serial killers living in
suburbia and raising two adorable children. ( They only
Kill bad people!). How I’d love to be their neighbors!! A fun
and fast paced part funny part thriller novel. Highly
recommend this one 🏆
4/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟’s
Written By: Asia Mackay
And the fun and murder continues. This is a sequel to
A SERIAL KILLER’S GUIDE TO MURDER which I absolutely
adored. Again, we get a peak inside the lives of Hazel and
Fox and the daily lives of these two serial killers living in
suburbia and raising two adorable children. ( They only
Kill bad people!). How I’d love to be their neighbors!! A fun
and fast paced part funny part thriller novel. Highly
recommend this one 🏆
4/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟’s
October 20, 2026
This was really good, but it definitely didn’t have the same spark as the first one! The pacing was pretty slow, and it was missing the wit and sharp sarcasm that made the first book so unique and entertaining. Still a good time, just a different vibe!
I really hope there’s a third book because I’m SO intrigued by Jenny! I feel like there’s so much more to her that we don’t know about, and I really hope she gets her own book!
I really hope there’s a third book because I’m SO intrigued by Jenny! I feel like there’s so much more to her that we don’t know about, and I really hope she gets her own book!
May 15, 2026
Received an ARC via NetGalley.
I found the first one fun and the second equally so. The characters, especially Hazel, are surprisingly likable for.. ya know, serial killers.
I can see that this was sort of trying to stretch out things from the last one and maybe turn it into an ongoing series. But I didn’t mind that it was kind of a stretch. The characters were fun and it’s not every day you find a cozy mystery where the main characters are serial killers (with morals?).
I found the first one fun and the second equally so. The characters, especially Hazel, are surprisingly likable for.. ya know, serial killers.
I can see that this was sort of trying to stretch out things from the last one and maybe turn it into an ongoing series. But I didn’t mind that it was kind of a stretch. The characters were fun and it’s not every day you find a cozy mystery where the main characters are serial killers (with morals?).
August 22, 2026
Picked this up based on the title and cover at the library and got a few chapters in before I realized it was a sequel. Went back and read the first book and then picked this one back up, and I’ve really enjoyed them both. Love the concept, the writing style is fun and there is just enough humor to keep it kind of light. I restarted this one on vacation and read/listened to it most of the way back on the car ride :)
August 29, 2026
More Audiobooks with Georgia Tenant as the narrator!
July 17, 2026
This was a fun and quirky read.
July 29, 2026
I enjoyed this quite a lot! Not only did it keep me guessing but I was rooting for them so bad 😭 im going to miss these characters for sure.
November 6, 2026
Got halfway through the book before I realised it was book 2 in the series 😲 great read
August 11, 2026
This novel has many layers that make it more than just a thriller. It has great commentary on gender roles, and the eradication of self that motherhood can have. It is also about masculinity and how that can be transformed through trauma, therefore, men need to focus on their mental health. It is also about the power of relationships and how important they are in our lives.
May 25, 2026
Haze and Fox and living a typical upper middle class life in a quiet British village. They have Bibi, a sweet and precocious 4 year old and a newborn Reggie who doesn’t sleep through the night so neither do Fox and Haze. From the outside they look like the perfect family but they have a small sideline that sets them apart…they are both serial killers. They target only bad men (rapists, wife abusers) but they both “enjoy” the kill. In this dark comedy/slice of family life story, they are recovering from a big, botched job the year before, sleep deprivation and running from a professional killer who is targeting them. The concept of these books is clever and entertaining. Thanks to #netgalley for the arc of this book.
June 3, 2026
THIS IS AN ADVANCED READING COPY BY NETGALLEY:
As a married couple, Fox and Haze couldn’t be more passionate, complementary, like minded or in love as these two are. They’ve got one daughter named BIBI who just began preschool and a brand new baby Reggie, 4 months old whom Mom is still nursing, Haze is an artist who does very well at a local gallery and Fox has opened his own firm in which he manages money and stocks for others and does very well for himself. These two are extremely business minded and they also have another very committed past time that they’ve been excessively involved in long before marriage and kids. In fact, their lifestyle was one of jet setting around the world, attending the most VIP parties and world traveling together having an absolute blast. They also had a deep connection that they shared together all those years and have still continued to do this yet it’s proven to be beyond hard with the kids in their lives. They believe they’re very much like the people next door in their social status with the one exception that they also like to kill together. There are rules, They only kill men who harm females and children and predators who have it coming. They’ve justified this choice and lifestyle as one where they rid the world of dangerous and cruel evil men. One at a time,
Last year, in Italy on a chase to take down an enormous organization that was far too large and far to expansive for them, they made their very first mistake and nearly almost lost Fox in the process. Because Fox was ultimately saved by his wife Haze and her police detective best friend Jenny for whom they helped her rid her of an abusive and homicidal ex husband to keep her and her son Felix safe she has since jumped into the unconventional lifestyle of Fox and Haze. Their secret lifestyle is kept busy by Jenny providing them with the names of men who are freed by the justice system even though they are guilty as sin. She also keeps a look out for any clues or mistakes they make and covers their tracks, Thus far it’s worked out very well except the organization that they offended in Italy are still coming for them for they’ve been spending their last year with their heads over their shoulders and are now even getting written warnings and when their daughter is taken from her bed when Jenny is watching over her so Haze and Fox can take on the boss of Italian organization called the “Chameleon”, the biggest most shocking surprise is revealed and Haze, Fox and Jenny are all awe struck by the unfolding events yet thrilled that they are no longer suspicious of one another as that’s what the enemy was creating between them.
This is BOOK 2 of 1 and I am HOPING THAT BOOK 3 will be coming SOON! I love the characters the fast paced mystery and thrilling plot that makes me turn pages as fast as possible to get to the answers I’m craving to know!! So well done.
THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY FOR THE ADVANCED COPY READING, to ASIA MCKAY AND BANTAM RANDOM HOUSE!!!!
#AsiaMcKay #Bantam/BALLANTINE #Netgalley #ARC
As a married couple, Fox and Haze couldn’t be more passionate, complementary, like minded or in love as these two are. They’ve got one daughter named BIBI who just began preschool and a brand new baby Reggie, 4 months old whom Mom is still nursing, Haze is an artist who does very well at a local gallery and Fox has opened his own firm in which he manages money and stocks for others and does very well for himself. These two are extremely business minded and they also have another very committed past time that they’ve been excessively involved in long before marriage and kids. In fact, their lifestyle was one of jet setting around the world, attending the most VIP parties and world traveling together having an absolute blast. They also had a deep connection that they shared together all those years and have still continued to do this yet it’s proven to be beyond hard with the kids in their lives. They believe they’re very much like the people next door in their social status with the one exception that they also like to kill together. There are rules, They only kill men who harm females and children and predators who have it coming. They’ve justified this choice and lifestyle as one where they rid the world of dangerous and cruel evil men. One at a time,
Last year, in Italy on a chase to take down an enormous organization that was far too large and far to expansive for them, they made their very first mistake and nearly almost lost Fox in the process. Because Fox was ultimately saved by his wife Haze and her police detective best friend Jenny for whom they helped her rid her of an abusive and homicidal ex husband to keep her and her son Felix safe she has since jumped into the unconventional lifestyle of Fox and Haze. Their secret lifestyle is kept busy by Jenny providing them with the names of men who are freed by the justice system even though they are guilty as sin. She also keeps a look out for any clues or mistakes they make and covers their tracks, Thus far it’s worked out very well except the organization that they offended in Italy are still coming for them for they’ve been spending their last year with their heads over their shoulders and are now even getting written warnings and when their daughter is taken from her bed when Jenny is watching over her so Haze and Fox can take on the boss of Italian organization called the “Chameleon”, the biggest most shocking surprise is revealed and Haze, Fox and Jenny are all awe struck by the unfolding events yet thrilled that they are no longer suspicious of one another as that’s what the enemy was creating between them.
This is BOOK 2 of 1 and I am HOPING THAT BOOK 3 will be coming SOON! I love the characters the fast paced mystery and thrilling plot that makes me turn pages as fast as possible to get to the answers I’m craving to know!! So well done.
THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY FOR THE ADVANCED COPY READING, to ASIA MCKAY AND BANTAM RANDOM HOUSE!!!!
#AsiaMcKay #Bantam/BALLANTINE #Netgalley #ARC
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Fox and Haze Cabot are back, and there's been a new addition to the family... four month old Reggie. Bibi is attending a local private school, and causing her own style of mayhem. Haze's friend Jenny is a valuable assistant to the couple as, being a police officer she can help to find the best places to dispose of a body, and work her magic with CCTV. As the title suggests, Fox and Haze are not like the other parents. Not when their hobby is murder. 🗡️🗡️
In this, the sequel to A Serial Killers Guide to Marriage, Fox seems to have temporarily lost his bloodlust. He's clearly suffering from PTSD following events in Italy. He's having therapy, and learning to play guitar. What he's not doing though, is pulling his weight around the house. The situation isn't helped by the fact that someone wants to kill the couple. Who is The Chameleon, who does he work for, and why do they want Fox and Haze dead? 🗡️🗡️
Once again the story is told from the POVs of Fox and Haze, with some input from Jenny. Plenty of background is provided to refresh memories of events in A Serial Killers Guide to Marriage. Indeed, thanks to this background, it's not necessary to have read the previous book. 🗡️🗡️
Not Like the Other Parents moves along at a steady pace. Although the black humour is still there, there is a more serious tone to the book. 🗡️🗡️
Despite the humour, and some unforgettable characters, I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as its predecessor. It's still worthy of 4 stars though. 🗡️🗡️
Thanks to Headline and Netgalley for the ARC.
In this, the sequel to A Serial Killers Guide to Marriage, Fox seems to have temporarily lost his bloodlust. He's clearly suffering from PTSD following events in Italy. He's having therapy, and learning to play guitar. What he's not doing though, is pulling his weight around the house. The situation isn't helped by the fact that someone wants to kill the couple. Who is The Chameleon, who does he work for, and why do they want Fox and Haze dead? 🗡️🗡️
Once again the story is told from the POVs of Fox and Haze, with some input from Jenny. Plenty of background is provided to refresh memories of events in A Serial Killers Guide to Marriage. Indeed, thanks to this background, it's not necessary to have read the previous book. 🗡️🗡️
Not Like the Other Parents moves along at a steady pace. Although the black humour is still there, there is a more serious tone to the book. 🗡️🗡️
Despite the humour, and some unforgettable characters, I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as its predecessor. It's still worthy of 4 stars though. 🗡️🗡️
Thanks to Headline and Netgalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Review of advanced copy from Netgalley
Fox and Hazel are a crime fighting duo, but whilst their motives are somewhat honourable, their methods aren't exactly legal... and it's hard to teach your kids right from wrong when the world is a mess and you kill people on the side.
This sequel to A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage creates a great juxtaposition of the mundane side of raising children and living family life, with the high octane chase of hunting down bad men, and it does it in a brilliantly fun and silly way. Not going so quite as far as sitcom, there are tense moments as the couple are trying to hide bodies/ weapons/ blood whilst discussing poonamis in a petrol station.
I preferred this to the first as the couple work through these challenges together; though that might be entirely personal as I find stories about tensions in relationships very stressful (something probably to bring up in therapy.) And that also removed the secondary concern I had about the first novel, which was that despite hearing directly from the narrators throughout, some vital plot points were missing. This was a fun read and I'd certainly continue the series if Asia Mackay writes more!
Recommended for any fans of Katy Brent, CJ Skuse, Oyinkan Braithwaite.
Thanks again to Headline and Netgalley for this ARC.
Fox and Hazel are a crime fighting duo, but whilst their motives are somewhat honourable, their methods aren't exactly legal... and it's hard to teach your kids right from wrong when the world is a mess and you kill people on the side.
This sequel to A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage creates a great juxtaposition of the mundane side of raising children and living family life, with the high octane chase of hunting down bad men, and it does it in a brilliantly fun and silly way. Not going so quite as far as sitcom, there are tense moments as the couple are trying to hide bodies/ weapons/ blood whilst discussing poonamis in a petrol station.
I preferred this to the first as the couple work through these challenges together; though that might be entirely personal as I find stories about tensions in relationships very stressful (something probably to bring up in therapy.) And that also removed the secondary concern I had about the first novel, which was that despite hearing directly from the narrators throughout, some vital plot points were missing. This was a fun read and I'd certainly continue the series if Asia Mackay writes more!
Recommended for any fans of Katy Brent, CJ Skuse, Oyinkan Braithwaite.
Thanks again to Headline and Netgalley for this ARC.
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