The Death Row Club

by V.A. Vazquez

A dark, dazzlingly original psychological thriller about a woman invited to an annual weekend getaway for the adult children of serial killers...but when one of the participants ends up dead, they begin to wonder if someone among them might be carrying on the family traditions.

When Nicola Fischer’s father is arrested for the murder of five women—including her best friend—the entire world watches it unfold on To Catch a Killer, the hit true crime TV show hosted by Greer Woods. Overnight, Nicola becomes a fired from her job, drowning in debt, and shunned by everyone she knows. And to make matters worse, Greer—once a budding friend and fellow child of a serial killer—hasn’t returned a single call since the show aired.

Then comes an unexpected invitation to the Death Row Club, a secret retreat for the adult children of serial killers—founded by none other than Greer herself. Desperate for answers and human connection, Nicola agrees to go. At first, it seems like exactly what she needs. The club members are strange but welcoming, and Greer seems eager to mend their fractured friendship.

But when a mysterious girl arrives, claiming her father is a killer too, the club’s fragile peace is shattered, unraveling the buried secrets at its core. By morning, the girl has vanished. By afternoon, one of the club members is dead.

Now everyone is watching Nicola. After all, she’s the daughter of a monster. And monsters raise monsters...don’t they?

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Horror, Adult, Suspense

Audible Audio

Expected publication July 14, 2026

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

The locked-room mystery surrounding a strangers' retreat in this fictional world—consisting of serial killers' children whose lives have been completely ruined—orchestrated by a true crime producer/lawyer and her team, is one of the most brilliant concepts I've read recently! The premise alone had me hooked from the start.

The story unfolds through two POVs. One belongs to Nicola Fischer, whose life falls to pieces after discovering that her father—the man who raised her single-handedly, her hero—is not who she thought he was. He's actually a brutal killer responsible for murdering five women, including her best friend Claire. The revelation destroys everything. She's outcasted by her inner circle, abandoned by her friends, fired from her job, and unable to pay her mortgage. To make matters infinitely worse, the person who revealed the ugly truth about her father is Greer Woods, host of the crime show "Catch A Killer." Greer pretended to be Nicola's best friend, but as soon as she uncovered evidence that Nicola's father was a killer, she exploited the crime for ratings and completely ghosted Nicola. Even more damaging, the show implied that Nicola might have helped her father commit these murders. That was the final nail in her coffin.

When Nicola drunkenly calls Greer in desperation, she receives a text shortly after, informing her that she's been invited to the Death Row Club—an all-expenses-paid retreat designed as a gathering place for serial killers' children. She accepts the invitation, seeing it as her chance to finally confront Greer and discover why she was punished by having the facts about her father's crimes twisted and sensationalized. But what Nicola doesn't realize is that at this retreat—the place she's hoping will offer escape from the outside world's hatred—she may find herself in far more danger than she ever imagined. Because when one of the invitees turns up dead, she could be next.

The other POV belongs to Steffanie, who honestly captured my interest even more. She's a young woman desperately trying to escape her abusive father, who always manages to find her no matter how many times she runs away. There's no one who can help her—even the police don't take her seriously. She's completely alone. When she hitchhikes one last time in the middle of nowhere, she finds herself in a complicated and even more threatening situation that may change her life forever.

I absolutely loved the concept and the locked-room execution. The only issue I had was that I didn't get as attached to Nicola's character as I did to Steffanie. Steffanie's storyline completely stole the show for me. The twist was expertly played, and the wrap-up felt satisfying. I'll definitely be excited to read more from this author in the future. The only thing that held me back from giving this five stars was that the mystery surrounding the murder at the retreat didn't pique my interest as much as I'd hoped. But as a slow-burn psychological mystery, this is still a great book to pick up!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for sharing this psychological thriller's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

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[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Memories surge through me—not mine, but my father's. What I imagine my father's memories look like. The rustling of garbage bags as they're dragged through the mud. The rippling shimmer of head lights on the creek. The frigid water spilling into his boots as he steps deeper into the current.”

What if your dad was a serial killer… and the only people who truly understood were the children of other serial killers?

The Death Row Club is one of those thrillers that takes a familiar genre and gives it a genuinely fresh twist. Nicola’s life implodes when her father is exposed as a serial killer, and an invitation to a secret retreat for the adult children of murderers feels like her chance to finally find people who understand. Naturally, things go very, very wrong.

This book leans heavily into questions of nature versus nurture, inherited guilt, identity, and whether we’re doomed to repeat the sins of our parents. It’s packed with suspicion, secrets, and enough red herrings to keep you second guessing everyone.

The atmosphere was one of my favourite parts, isolated, tense, and just a little bit creepy. Every character seems to be hiding something, and the story does a great job of making you wonder who can be trusted.

I went into this expecting a thriller and came out with plenty to think about. The concept is fantastic, the pacing keeps things moving, and I was constantly trying (and failing) to work out what was really going on.

A killer premise, plenty of twists, and a dark exploration of whether monsters are made or born.

I Highly Recommend.

Thank you Simon & Schuster for my advanced readers copy.

Available Now!

[MagretFume · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it a lot. The plot is really engaging and kept my attention until the very end. 

The twists and misdirections were good, and the characters and relationships were interesting. 

It's a very solid thriller and I would definitely recommend it.
Thank you Gallery Books for this ARC!

[SJARR ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty tame story, given the plot. I think if you are into lighter mystery/thrillers, this could be a good one to go for. 3.5 rounded up!

There was a focus here that I can’t believe I have never considered before. The lives of the children of murderers.
Genuinely I have never once given thought to what things must be like for them on a personal and social level.
I mean, people are always judging others based on the people they are close to- so people like Nicola are probably experiencing that times 10.
I can always appreciate a book that brings something new to my attention, food for thought. So I really liked that aspect.

I also really liked some of the complex feelings and emotions that the characters experienced regarding how they view their parents.
It wasn’t a black and white “my parent is a bad person, so I hate them” type of situation for everyone.
There was still some reminiscing on special childhood moments and positive memories. It also touched on how they feel about still having some level of positive associations with their parents.
I think this is probably pretty realistic.

I feel like the real selling point here was obviously that everyone had a serial killer parent.
This was such an interesting, unique concept and I was really excited about it. It did turn out to be cool, though in the end I left wanting a bit more from it.
Perhaps more backstories, more descriptive scenes, and just more information about their parents in general.

I also wish that things were a bit more intense.
As I said at the beginning, this is pretty light. It’s not super crazy or descriptive, which is good if you like that. It’s not a YA, but it has those vibes.

The plot twists are twisting, which i think is an absolute necessity for this kind of book.
There’s several throughout the story- some of which I loved, some of which left me… confused. I’m still a little bit confused. But it’s okay.

Overall it was good! I think a few small changes could take it to a new level, but it is still enjoyable as is.

Thank you to Netgalley, Gallery books and author V.A. Vazquez for providing me with the eARC of “The Death Row Club” in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: July 14, 2026

[Liana Gold]

Mystery and thrillers & couldn’t say no to that cover!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Gallery Books and the author, V.A. Vazquez for the early eARC!

Publication date: July 14, 2026

[Miranda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you #NetGalley, V.A. Vazquez, and Gallery books for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book sounded so GOOD. I was looking forward to reading this one. I thought the plot was different and unlike any thriller I’ve read before.

I will say, this is a VERY SLOW BURN. Super slow. Most of the time I don’t feel like much really happened in the book.


I wish the flashbacks and real time were distinguished more. I kept getting confused when/what was a flashback and what was real time. I did like the split timeline and multiple POVs.

Overall, wouldn’t recommend this book. I found it confusing, slow, and lacking much thrill or action.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicola gets invited to a retreat for the children of serial killers after her father's arrest. One of them ends up dead and it sets up for a perfect locked-room mystery as they try to figure out who did it. This was so twisty and I did not see the ending coming! This was such an original concept and I had a great time reading it.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book that I cannot believe is a debut. A unique plot and so cleverly executed. A serial killer story that focuses on the victims and the families of the killers.

After a slowish start, the story begins to ramp up and by the halfway mark it is impossible to put down. A children of serial killers on a weekend away without any access to the outside world, hidden away in a remote area where they can escape from their reality of being talked about, pointed at and accused of knowing more. Nobody knows where they are, so when one of them ends up dead the drama begins.

A thought provoking and emotional story. We get in the minds of thief’s kids, the regrets, the guilt, feelings of betrayal, the sadness and the love that they have for their parents. Nobody else can understand their complex feelings and relationships, and together they are not judged.

Thanks to Gallery Books for my early copy of this fantastic debut to read. . Publishes on July 14th and well worth adding to your TBR.

[Jessa Layne • readwithjessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicola Fischer's life is already falling apart after her father is convicted of murdering five young women, including her best friend. When she receives a mysterious invitation from Greer Woods, the true crime host who helped put her father behind bars, she finds herself attending The Death Row Club, a weekend retreat for the adult children of serial killers. Hoping for an escape and maybe some understanding, Nicola heads to the remote wilderness gathering and begins forming connections with the other members. But when an unexpected guest arrives and one of the attendees ends up dead, the retreat quickly turns into a nightmare filled with suspicion, secrets, and fear.

I loved this twisty and unique take on a serial killer story, especially for a debut novel! The multiple POVs and timelines were woven together so well and kept me completely invested in what was happening. The locked room mystery aspect is one of my favorites and it worked perfectly here!! Every character seemed to be hiding something, and their secrets created so much angst throughout the story. There were several twists that caught me completely off guard! Overall, this was a great debut that will give you plenty of suspense and surprises.

This book is out July 14, 2026. Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery/Scout Press for the gifted copy!

[Ainsley Deeble · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️ this is my bi-annual triller and it was a bloody good time

[✨Poppy✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this.

The concept alone had me hooked, a secret retreat for the adult children of serial killers is dark, unsettling, and brilliantly original. But it’s the execution that really shines. The story is packed with twists on twists, and every time I thought I had things figured out, I was proven wrong.

Nicola is such a compelling protagonist: constantly judged, deeply flawed, and living under the shadow of her father’s crimes. The tension is relentless, the group dynamics are fascinating, and the true crime angle adds an extra layer of unease that kept me glued to the pages.

I loved how this book explores guilt, identity, and whether monstrosity can be inherited. The atmosphere is claustrophobic, the pacing sharp, and the final stretch was impossible to put down.

Dark, twisty, and wildly original, I couldn’t put it down.
Thank you netGalley & Gallery Books | Gallery/Scout Press for the ARC!

[RoosBookReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐, rounding up to 4

the premise of this book is fascinating, because of course the children of these serial killers are affected by what happened. It made me think of the unknown child of Ted Bundy, did that child ever find out? how would you live a normal life with this information out there and the fear that you may grow into your parent?
despite the intriguing premise not a lot actually happens in the book. The most significant thing up until close to the end is that people are constantly trying to get information about the identities and culpability about the offspring of said murderers. oftentimes the information presented was also very confusing and I had to reread carefully and still not fully grasp everything.

thank you to NetGalley, the author V.A. Vasquez, and Gallery Books for my ARC of this book.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first ARC thanks to Goodreads Giveaways!

This book has a very unique premise and approaches the topic of Death Row from many thought provoking angles. While I did love the writing style, and I appreciated the twist at the end, there were times where it was a struggle to keep the plot straight. Looking back, I also think the fellow Death Row Club members besides Greer and Nicola lacked a bit of depth. They all had a lot of potential for interesting backstories and greater involvement in the main plot points, but I guess that would've doubled the length of the book. Would love to see spin offs of this book about the other members' stories!

Overall, I will definitely read more of V.A Vazquez, and I'm very grateful to have gotten a sneak peek at this book!

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't always love books about serial killers but this one was excellent! Nicola's. father is arrested for being a serial killer--one of whose victims was her best friend, Claire. Now she's invited to a retreat, The Death Row Club, for the children of serial killers. But what she discovers there is even wilder than her imagination as it's creepy and she doesn't know who she can trust. Why??? Read it and you won't be disappointed!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Meg Fulmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley & Gallery books for providing this ARC.


The Death Row Club by V.A. Vazquez is what happens when tension, trauma, and razor wire sit down at a table and decide to play poker with your sanity.

This book does not tiptoe. It strides straight into the gray areas and makes itself comfortable. The concept alone had me hooked, but Vazquez takes it further, layering moral ambiguity, sharp dialogue, and characters who feel like they’ve lived ten lifetimes before page one. Nobody here is polished. Nobody is safe. And that’s exactly the point.

The atmosphere is thick, almost claustrophobic in the best way. You can practically hear the fluorescent lights buzzing overhead. The emotional stakes are high, the twists land hard, and just when you think you’ve figured out where things are headed, the story pivots and dares you to keep up.

Why not a full five stars? A few moments felt slightly rushed, and I wanted just a touch more depth in certain backstories. But honestly, that’s me being greedy. I was invested.

If you like morally complex characters, sharp tension, and stories that make you question where the line between justice and vengeance actually lives, The Death Row Club deserves a spot on your shelf. It’s gritty, it’s bold, and it lingers long after the final page closes.

[Emma Marsden · Rating 4 out of 5]

The death row club

Wow, what a wild ride that was! Split POV following Steffanie and Nicola, daughters of very bad men… Nicola is invited to a secret club for children of serial killers where she meets up with none other than the woman who put her father behind bars, What could possibly go wrong… when one of the club turn up dead in the isolated cabin in the woods… you can’t help but wander does the Apple really fall far from the tree? And what relevance does Steffanie have to this story as a runaway daughter fleeing her abusive father … the stories intertwine in such an unexpected crash of chaos… you won’t be disappointed.
This is a twisty fun debut novel with unguessable twists and turns, face paced and intriguing right to the very end.
4 stars for me as the ‘murderer’ unveiled in the cabin felt a little lackluster, I also thought for an adult novel it could have been a bit more thrilling, gritty and emotional in places, but that’s personal preference, it’s a very easy read without any gore… a wee bit of unexpected smut in there tho ;)
All in all would recommend to a friend and excited to see what comes next!

Thank you to NetGalley For this ARC copy.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicola’s life has been turned upside down when her father became the subject of a true crime documentary and was arrested for the murders of 5 women, including her best friend. Her finances are a mess, she’s been fired from her job, and she’s being hounded by reporters. Finally, the host from the true crime show messages her back and invites her to a weekend getaway for adult children of serial killers. Of course there’s secrets, a house in the middle of nowhere, and murder.

This was incredible, the premise, the characters the layered back stories and the twist. I loved every second of it and could not put it down!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

[Ciera (Bookedinperpetuity) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A secret club for the adult children of serial killers… what could go wrong? 👀

Did I immediately drop everything to read this? Yes.
Did that include ignoring my kids? Also yes 🤭

I was hooked from the premise alone and absolutely inhaled this book. I won’t give any spoilers, but I audibly gasped at that twist…and once the rest start unraveling??

Huge thank you to @gallerybooks and @vavazquezwrites for the gifted ARC 🖤

[Chapters&Chaos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a unique thriller.

The Death Row Club follows a group of adult children of serial killers invited to a remote estate. What starts as an unusual gathering quickly turns into a twisty mystery full of secrets, suspicion, and questions about who can actually be trusted.

I really enjoyed the premise and thought it was one of the most original thriller concepts I’ve come across in a while. The mystery kept me engaged, and once the story hit the halfway point, the twists started coming fast. From about 50% onward, I was flying through it trying to figure out what was really going on.

That said, the pacing wasn’t perfect for me. The first half felt a little slow, and while the middle section was incredibly entertaining, the ending dragged slightly longer than I wanted it to. It wasn’t enough to ruin the experience, but it did make the book feel longer than necessary.

Overall, this was a fun, twisty summer thriller with a fresh concept, a solid mystery, and an ending I didn’t fully predict. If you enjoy locked-room style mysteries, isolated settings, and trying to piece together everyone’s secrets before the truth comes out, this one is worth picking up!

[Annalise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay🤷‍♀️ definitely really slow with the reveals and plot progress to the point where it goes from “Oh the suspense is killing me!” to “Oh my god put me out of my misery.” The storytelling for me was also really passive. We were told a lot of the story through info dumps rather and inner monologue rather than through character conversations, which in most cases made sense, but also left much to be desired🥸 Also, the Death Row Club are actually the minute-est of characters even though that’s what the book is supposed to be about, which was disappointing bc I thought that aspect was going to be a lot more interesting. But shout out to this book for keeping me entertained during a 12-hour power outage during a heat wave😀

[Gabby Hurley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

Very grateful to be given this ARC to review! “The Death Row Club List” is V.A. Vazquez’s debut novel and for a first book I think it was done very well! I look forward to seeing what else she releases in the future.

Liked:

-kids of serial killers meeting up in a remote cabin once of year to talk about how much childhood trauma they now have to go to therapy for…uh yes please. Loved the different representation of serial killers (thrill seekers, mission-oriented, and power/control). I liked that everyone had varying emotions regarding their parent’s crimes and their own relationship with them, made it feel more realistic.

-the second major twist was done well in my opinion (not going to give much detail just to save spoiling people)

Disliked:

-Nicola was a bit too childish for me during parts of the book. Like she was way too trusting and was feeling betrayed by certain characters who at that point she’d only know for maybe 24 hours. Like I get you guys have a shared connection but let’s not just trust random strangers.

-I wanted more of a build up to the murder. I think the pacing was a bit too fast for me with that. I wanted Nicola to spend more time with the other members and build that friendship before someone got murked but 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Kaitlyn Whinery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! I loved it! It kept me guessing until the end!

[bookswithpaulette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one! Read it in 2 sittings solid 4 stars - full review to come

[Gales Tales70 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A darkly twisted debut thriller for fans of Riley Sager and Jessica Knoll. At an annual retreat for the adult children of serial killers, paranoia turns deadly when one of the guests is murdered.

Nicola Fischer’s father has just been convicted of killing five women - including her best friend. Shunned by her town and obsessed with the true-crime host who exposed him, Nicola jumps at the chance to join the Death Row Club: a secretive weekend getaway for people exactly like her.

But when an unexpected guest arrives at their remote wilderness retreat, tensions flare. By morning, one of them is dead.

And everyone is asking the same question:

If the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree…which one of them is a killer?

Some family traditions run in the blood

No surnames
No photos
No judgement
No talking about what happened…

Are you ready to join the Death Row Club?

Pretty good for a debut thriller. An interesting concept from the view of the children’s serial killers. I don’t think I’ve read one like this before

Various POVs and as I listened to this rather than read, there were times it was difficult to separate the narration for a couple of the female characters but all in all an excellent narration and fab storyline

Well paced, good plot and some really cool twists towards the end. I can see (or hope) for some good material from this author

Thanks to Netgalley, Simon & Schuster and the author for advance review copy. These are my own opinions

[Alora Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I was hooked on the idea of this novel before I got to the end of the description. Locked room mystery involving a retreat of children of serial killers? Yes, please and thank you. I thought it was funny, and the characters were good. I also think that I was expecting this to be a lot darker than it was. This was pretty light and tame. There weren't a lot of murders, but there is still some mystery. Thanks to Netgalley for the copy of this ARC. This will be out in July of 2026.

[Wendy(Wendyreadsbooks) Robey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twisty and dark, this is one gripping debut from VA Vacquez. Never sure who to trust, this is a story that weaves through horrific stories about broken characters and their unlikely links to eachother.
Cleverly told, the story of Nicola and Greer is opened up in front of us with the impact of their father’s crimes laid bare.
Secrets, lies and maybe misplaced loyalty fill the pages as we’re taken on a thrill ride of such a dark nature.

[Tabetha (tabsbooknook) · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review: The Death Row Club by V.A Vazquez published by @simonschusterau and supplied by @netgalley
Release date: 30 June 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
I enjoyed the premise of this one, a secret weekend retreat where children of convicted serial killers could decompress together and perhaps mend their traumas that regular people wouldn’t understand.
Nicola is the newest member to The Death Row Club, with her identity be publicly outed during a true crime documentary series that was the basis of her father being arrestee for 5 murders.
This is also a locked room mystery, as a murder occurs during the retreat - could one of the club members have killed another?
I enjoyed the concept of this story and the differing POVs. It was an enjoyable read but not a massive standout for me.

[T. · Rating 2 out of 5]

For the first 35% or so, I thought this would be great. But the ultimate plot ended up so convoluted and nonsensical that it just didn’t work. None of the characters’ motivations felt authentic.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley.

[Audrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

The unique premise is what initially had me hooked. I've honestly never heard of a book like it before and was excited to dive in. I thought Nicola was a decent character and I enjoyed learning a lot about her backstory. I think the retreat itself was an interesting concept, though I was surprised to see how small it was. However, overall this story left me feeling disappointed. There was no reason or explanation for Nicola's dad being a serial killer. It seemed like he did it just because, if he was keeping trophies there should have been a motive. I felt the romance was a really odd part of the story it didn't add anything to the plot or help with character development. The pace was also up and down as well, but got especially slow during the middle and end. Even with all of the twists the story felt slow to me. The twists weren't shocking and there was no build up to them. The side characters felt really underdeveloped, I ended up forgetting who some of them even were. If you don't mind any of these things then you would probably really enjoy the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Isis · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a debut thriller, this game me everything I needed! I loved the concept of a getaway for the children of serial killers. It gave a different perspective on how the damage doesn’t end when they get caught and taken to prison. I enjoyed Nicola’s character, she went through it after her dad was caught but I didn’t see those plot twists coming. I mean what the actual f. Greer totally threw me for a loop, along with Zach! I had my own theories on who was behind the murder but was completely wrong, I’m still not over it. This kept me wanting more, I needed to understand!! Highly recommend