Dexter meets Killing Eve in this sapphic psychological suspense when a woman contemplating suicide posts an online ad for a serial killer.
Being a killer comes easy to Dani. So easy it’s getting boring, in fact. But this girl isn’t taking orders from anybody, not even fate. If she’s going to keep up with the stab-and-shovel work, she’s going to create her own code for who deserves a medal or a bullet. When she happens across a Help Wanted ad that would allow her to do just that…she’s intrigued.
Jeika wants to die. Preferably, before the cops who are on her tail find the evidence to prove what she did. Except the only one who can help her do that is also the one who’s starting to make her life interesting again.
The last thing Dani expects is to fall for her next victim through the secret emails they share. But before they can decide if their new love is enough to change their very opposite fates, a twisted vigilante starts stalking them both.
They may not be ready to fight for themselves, but how far will they go to save each other?
With heart-pounding twists and deadpan snark, Serial Killer Wanted is a breathless binge-read for fans of They Never Learn and Butcher and Blackbird.
What an intriguing premise, brimming with dark humor and a sense of desperation that would put Dexter in the corner! Not a bad effort for a debut in a new genre! I was thoroughly entertained!
The story unfolds through several points of view, primarily from Dani and Jeika, with emails exchanged between them adding depth to the narrative. What do you do when you feel you've committed a terrible act and wish to escape it all? Naturally, you post an ad online! The best way to go about this seems to be hiring a serial killer. After all, you'll get what you want, and the killer gets their fix, right? But what happens when two killers respond? Do you interview them? How do you make your decision? Doesn’t that sound fascinating?
Dani and Jeika are flawed characters, harboring secrets that slowly surface, ultimately drawing them closer together. I found both characters enjoyable; despite their ambiguity, you can’t help but root for them. Dani is clever—she leaves nothing to chance and adheres to her moral code even when it comes to killing. Jeika, on the other hand, is desperate to escape before the law catches up to her, willing to involve a third-party killer to achieve her goal.
The author’s writing feels confident, and I enjoyed how she weaves a touch of romance and a hint of a happy ending into such a dark scenario. I believe this will satisfy many readers, especially those looking to dip their toes into the thriller genre while sticking to their favorite author. You always know what’s happening; there are no hidden surprises, but the way it all unravels keeps you hooked, and the ending was definitely unexpected. What a great conclusion to this debut!
This was a moderately paced, light, and entertaining read that kept me engaged until the last page. If you enjoy flawed characters with complicated pasts and current dilemmas, clever minds, and a story that makes you both laugh and sit on the edge of your seat, then this is for you. You know me, I don’t usually read blurbs, so I was pleasantly surprised. This could easily turn into a fun series. I’d love to find out what the two of them get up to next! Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to take my pups out, all while keeping Cooper in mind! Ha!
Thank you, Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley, for the DRC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is one of those rare thrillers that manages to hold two completely opposing things at once: grief… and something almost dangerously fun.
At its core, this story is about loss, connection, and the messy, complicated ways people try to make sense of both. But instead of weighing the narrative down, it somehow carries a surprising lightness…an energy that keeps you engaged even as it explores darker, more complex themes.
The characters are where this book really shines. They’re flawed, raw, and deeply human — the kind that don’t just exist on the page, but linger long after you’ve put the book down. You understand them, even when you shouldn’t. Maybe especially then.
There’s a real emotional undercurrent running through every decision they make. You can feel the grief, the anger, the need for connection and the way those things blur the line between right and wrong.
The writing is vivid and immersive, pulling you straight into the chaos of it all. It’s fast-paced, action-driven, and incredibly easy to get swept up in. The kind of book where you tell yourself “just one more chapter”… and suddenly you’re at the end, wondering how it went by so quickly.
And at the heart of it all is this sharp, compelling edge of vigilante justice — wrapped in a story that feels both entertaining and a little bit dangerous.
If you’re looking for something that balances emotion with momentum, and darkness with just enough bite to keep it fun you’re going to want to pick this one up.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity and the ARC!
This one had me immediately with the premise—like, say less. A woman posts an ad for someone to kill her, and a serial killer answers it? I was all in.
And honestly… I liked it, but I didn’t love it.
This leans way more character-driven than I expected. You’ve got Dani, who’s a killer but almost bored with it at this point, trying to create her own moral code. Then there’s Jeika, who’s spiraling and convinced her story only ends one way. Their connection builds through emails, and that part was actually my favorite. It’s tense, a little chaotic, and you can feel something shifting between them even when you know it shouldn’t.
The emotional side of this book really worked for me. It digs into grief, guilt, depression, and that stuck feeling where you don’t know how to move forward. That part felt real, even when the plot itself got a little out there.
But as a thriller, I wanted more. More tension, more edge, more of that can’t-put-it-down feeling. It had moments, but it didn’t fully sustain it. The pacing felt uneven, and there were parts where I found myself losing momentum.
Also, the characters aren’t exactly likable—which I get, that’s kind of the point—but it did make it harder to fully connect. I was curious enough to keep going, but not completely invested.
Overall, this is definitely a darker, more unconventional read with a really strong concept. It just didn’t hit as hard as I wanted it to.
When I read the blurb, I was convinced this would be exactly my kind of book. The premise sounded intense and intriguing — Dani, a killer, responding to an ad from Jeika, who wants to die. That alone set my expectations high.
The chapters from Dani’s perspective were by far the strongest for me. Her internal dialogue was fascinating, unsettling, and incredibly insightful. Those moments really pulled me into her mind and helped me understand her reasoning and motivations.
Jeika’s chapters, however, didn’t work as well for me. Being inside her head felt long-winded, and her thought process didn’t manage to hold my interest. Those sections dragged a bit and slowed down the pacing.
The love story also felt somewhat weak. It was present, but it lacked depth — I would’ve liked to see it explored more fully.
What the author did do very well were the twists. Some of them were so well‑built and tense that I genuinely found myself on the edge of my seat. Those moments made the book hard to put down.
But then the ending… It felt abrupt and confusing, as if something was missing or the story wrapped up too quickly.
Overall: it’s an engaging and original read with strong suspense and a compelling main character. But because of the less captivating chapters from Jeika, the shallow love story, and the sudden ending, it didn’t fully live up to my expectations
I'm so glad I had the chance to read an early copy of this book, the first I've read by this author. I was immediately intrigued by the premise (sapphic serial killer!), and then held fast by the rich characters and the thoughtful progression of growth and connection that felt genuine at every turn. It was balanced so nicely with the tension and danger that kept me reading 'just one more chapter' until I'd read them all.
Nika Grace writes so vividly, I feel like I've just been tearing across the deserts of Arizona in a sturdy old Chevelle. I've fallen in love with Dani, who is just so real and flawed and fierce. I loved getting to know both of these uniquely scarred women with unexpected common ground, and really appreciated the way the author handled the characters' grief. There is heavy subject matter here, but this is not trauma porn. It's a beautiful exploration of what gives life value that is both heartbreaking and hopeful, and the light that continually shines through is still on my mind now.
A woman named Jeika posts an online ad searching for a serial killer. When Dani responds, she quickly realizes Jeika isn’t looking for someone to hurt another person…she wants someone to kill her. Haunted by a dark past, Jeika believes death is the only way to escape her guilt.
This book had such an interesting premise, and I was genuinely excited going into it, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. The pacing felt slow, and I found myself bored through most of the story.
Dani constantly talks about being this skilled serial killer, but her actions never really matched that reputation. Instead of feeling calculated and methodical, she came across as sloppy, uncertain, and inconsistent, which made it hard for me to fully buy into her character.
The twist also didn’t land the way I hoped it would. I had already guessed where the story was heading about halfway through, so the ending lacked the shock factor the book seemed to be building toward.
Overall, Serial Killer Wanted had a strong concept but the execution just didn’t work for me.
This book was kinda weird. It is about two young women going through existential crisis, but like on steroids. One is a killer that believes that's her calling, and the other believes she's supposed to be dead. When they meet and start to get to know each other, their beliefs start being challenged. Will the killer kill the willing victim or there is another outcome they couldn't have predicted?
The feelings explored in this book were the best thing for me. The guilt, hopelessness, despair, depression and the feeling of being trapped. I think every, or at least most of the people go through some of them and I loved how well written and real they felt, even though the plot wasn't so realistic. The story wasn't so gripping as I expected, and not dramatic or suspenseful enough, but I was still curious to learn what will happen in the end. And I was happy that everyone got what they deserved.
Many thank to NetGalley, Nika Grace and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC!
The premise is catchy, and the story really delivered on a bunch of plot twists! It always felt unexpected but made perfect sense with the narrative and characters, which kept me on the edge of my seat.
I thought the author took full advantage of this slightly nuts idea to explore much deeper themes of loss, purpose and love. The internal dialogue, especially Dani's, was visceral and rang true. Dani was a strong and unusual protagonist, and I enjoyed her chapters most.
I personally feel like the epilogue was unnecessary. It was an awkward shift in tone from the rest of the book. I understand it's a tough story to close, but this wasn't a satisfying ending for me. Overall, this was a great debut!
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the arc!
Dani is killing it, but quite bored when it comes to doing so- and she seems to give herself a ton of anxiety and mental anguish when it comes to who deserves it and doesn't. When she comes across a Craigslist of sorts ad seeking out someone to take an individual out, she is intrigued and takes the stranger up on her offer. Another serial killer gets thrown into the mix somehow, and chaos ensues. I LOVE the wacky premise of this, and could not wait to see it all unravel. In some spots the buildup was worth it, and not so much in others. The snarky tone displayed in serial killer books lately was certainly shown here, and done quite well at that. The cat and mouse aspect was cute, but unfortunately some got muddled to me in the process. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.
2⭐️ I was really hopeful that I would love this book after reading the premise and it started strong. I was really into it and then I felt like it took a weird turn and just didn’t feel like the same book anymore. I felt like it strayed so far from that main serial killer for hire storyline for a lot of the book. I didn’t really like either of the main characters as well. One who was supposed to have no feelings and be snarky and then days later she all of sudden cares way too much to even function and willing to die for someone. And the other who is constantly throwing a pity party for herself and thinks if she just ignores the police they’ll just forgot about her and go away…and they do. Just way too far into the unbelievable especially the ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Dani’s a serial killer with a muddy moral code, Jeika wants to die but can’t do it herself.
Serial Killer Wanted follows two women with a tragic past that brought them both to where they are today.
Jeika puts up an ad looking for someone to end her life, Dani answers but isn’t so sure this is what Jeika really needs. Peter also answers Jeika’s ad but has his own motive.
The premise of this book really pulled me in and while the characters are generally likeable it just didn’t fully do it for me. I did enjoy the read but I think Peter’s part pulled away from watching J & D’s characters develop further.
I did mostly enjoy the ending! Loved Jane’s little part in everything.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the arc!
This was a pretty easy read and I can see a lot of people liking this, but it wasn't my cup of tea. I'm not sure if there is a version of the Bechdel test where two female characters talk to each other and don't only make it about another outside character but I don't think this book passes that. I got to the end of the book with its hopecore speech and thought,, I don't really understand how we got here? I was searching for some more internal conflict or some growing and sharing (non trauma/killing) btw the two main characters and it didn't get there for me. Also was a bit insta-love.
4.75 stars - I had such a fun time with this. A female serial answers an online ad posted by a suicidal person looking for someone to end their life - what a premise! Fast paced, high stakes, enjoyed the twists and turns. There was also some emotional heft to it as well - and my 0.25 stars off was because maybe it got a smidge too Hallmark/Lifetime Movie in a couple spots, but overall - recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC for this book from NetGalley for free.
The energy the author's writing gave in the beginning was very much “I’m not like other girls. I have a deep black heart and I KILL people. Watch out.” Just way too edgy. I also found a lot of the characters' actions and choices frustrating. This slowly won me over the longer I kept reading and in the end I didn’t mind this, but this is far from my favorite reads of the year.
Overall this is certainly a book with words on a page. Enough said.
If it's any indication, I read this book from an advance copy a while ago and I still think about it at least once a week. Absolutely phenomenal writing, character development, a plot that pulls the rug out from under you when you least expect it and leave you reeling -- I will ALWAYS recommend this book and I can't wait to own a copy or three of my own!
This book had all the twists, the feels, the voice, and the HOLY SHIT WAIT WHAT? The premise alone made me want to read the book, but it was the emotional core wrapped up in dark humor that made me stay. I was rooting for these weirdo humans the whole way through and I was all in from page one. If you like Killing Eve, this is your jam.
The book really drew me in at first, and I was so excited to see what all would happen. Unfortunately though, the further I got into the book the less interested I became. It isn’t a bad book, just not really what I was expecting. There were some intense and dark moments, but I guess I was wanting more.
The premise was genuinely interesting and felt like a great setup for a darker, more memorable story. It kept me engaged enough to finish it, but overall it was just… fine. Nothing about it really stood out after I was done reading, and it’s not something I’d ever pick up again. Not bad, not amazing.. just an okay read with a strong idea behind it.
ARC Review: Serial Killer Wanted has a great premise and some genuinely tense scenes. There are moments of clever twists and there are moments where the story really shines. Some scenes fly by with high-stakes tension, while others slow down.
Unique and bold and utterly enthralling. The type of addictive read that has you calling in sick for work and hiding at home until the last page is turned.
had high hopes reading the description of this book, the premise was good the story just didn't do it for me. I would like to try other books from this author.
Dexter meets Killing Eve” sold me instantly—I binged it the same day. Engaging, but light on suspense. A dark dynamic between two flawed characters: one hunting, the other unraveling.