Zo vermoord je een man in tien dates

by Shailee Thompson

In 'Zo vermoord je een man in tien dates' van Shailee Thompson, een romcom met een bloederig randje, verwacht Jamie Prescott hooguit wat saaie gesprekken en een snack tijdens een speeddatingavond.

Maar als tijdens een stroomstoring een van haar dates wordt vermoord en de dode lichamen zich die avond opstapelen, verandert flirten in overleven. Met alleen wat geïmproviseerde wapens en haar kennis van slasherfilms tot haar beschikking, strijdt Jamie tegen een gemaskerde moordenaar én tegen haar gevoelens in een onverwachte liefdesdriehoek.

Genres: Romance, Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Contemporary

368 pages, Paperback

First published February 3, 2026

About the author

Shailee Thompson is an author who writes women with smart mouths, soft hearts and strong wills... then she puts them in the deepest of sh*t. Her debut novel, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates (Out February 2026!), is a Slasher Rom-Com that proves all is fair in love and gore.

When not writing or talking about her characters like they’re real people, you can find her kidnapping her friends' dogs or competing with the person next to her at the gym (...yes, Pilates can be competitive).

Reviews

[Lala BooksandLala]

immediately topping the list of anticipated 2026 books

[joni ౨ৎ - busy · Rating 4 out of 5]

𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── 4.25 stars
this kept me hooked!!

↪ started jan 18
↪ finished jan 21

i think this was such a fun, and unique book! i've never watched a horror movie so don't count me on that part - romcoms tho 🙂‍↕️ our fmc, jamie is a huge horror/slasher - romcom nerd. she's literally writing her thesis on slashers.

this was such a different take on the romance genre and i had a blast! i can't look at meat cleavers the same anymore 🥲

i was literally suspicious of everyone, considering the gaps where we'd see one characters and not another made everyone possibly be the killer. in the end i was kind of shocked considering prior events regarding everything.

if you love thrillers & romance give this a try! it does have horror elements (like people dying .... a lot of people) but it was so fun and fresh!

out feb 3 2025!

thanks simon & schuster canada for the ARC!

[ClaudiaTalksFilm · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a slasher romcom YES a SLASHER is taking place while two people fall in LOVE amidst a KILLER HUNTING THEM DOWN and it’s fucking hot and addictive and I thoroughly enjoyed it this shit HITTTTT

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun read. I loved how it combined our main character's love for romcoms and slashers. I also loved at the beginning of each chapter started with a quote from a romcom but made it slasher style.
If you want a fun horror book that feels like a movie be sure to check this out!

[❋ Booked Out Today ❋ · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson
★★★★

Jamie and her best friend Laurie are trapped in a locked speed-dating event turned murder spree and must use her horror-movie know-how to survive as a real-life Final Girl. A swoony, darkly funny horror romance where flirting can be fatal.

This was a lot of fun to read. I was especially loved the beginning of this book. It was extremely captivating. I must say the momentum of the story dropped off mid way through. The setting of this book was the same place the whole way through which I found challenging. It would have been interesting to get an insight to what was happening on the outside or even get a POV from Laurie.

I really liked Shailee’s writing style and wouldn’t hesitate to pick up another book from her in the future. This was overall a great read but just missed the mark for me at the end.

💭 Have you been on a speed date before?

Thank you @netgalley and @simonschusterau for the opportunity to review this book.

[megan ◡̈ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ish???? this was fine. fun in some parts, mostly entertaining and also simultaneously boring

[Dallas Strawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

How To Kill A Guy in Ten Dates is set to blast onto the scene and firmly establish Shailee Thompson as a writer to watch. This debut novel, a slasher rom-com (yes, you read that right) is one of the most unique and refreshingly told stories I’ve read in quite some time. Thompson’s voice is sharp, clever, and utterly original; I’ve truly never read anything quite like it.

The story follows certified movie lover Jamie and her best friend Laurie as they reluctantly sign up for a speed-dating experiment. Jamie, a devoted fan of both romantic comedies and horror films, expects an awkward night of small talk — not a blood-soaked mystery. But when the lights suddenly go out and the man across from her ends up with his throat slashed, Jamie finds herself living out a twisted mash-up of her favorite genres.

As the surviving daters realize they’re trapped inside with a killer, alliances form, tensions rise, and even a spark of romance flickers amid the chaos. Jamie might just find her perfect match… if she can make it out alive!

How To Kill A Guy in Ten Dates is a bloody good time; a smart, fast-paced, and wickedly fun read that will delight movie lovers and anyone looking for a Valentine’s story with a killer twist. Don’t miss this one when it hits shelves from Gallery Books in February!

Thanks to Gallery Books for an ARC!

[Cortney - Bookworm & Vine · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 big bloody hearts!

I LOVED this book. Fun, funny, gory, suspenseful, with just a hint of romance, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates had it all! Definitely tops my list of favorite reads of the year. 💗🩸🔪☠️

[hailee · Rating 4 out of 5]

as a huge fan of both slashers & romance, this was a lot of fun

[Nicola Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jamie is a film buff who loves two very different genres: horror/slashers and rom-coms. She’s even writing a thesis on how the two are more similar than people think. So when a killer goes on a spree at a speed-dating event she’s attending, Jamie finds herself trapped inside the venue — and suddenly living out a real-life slasher and rom-com at the same time.

I really enjoyed this book. It was so different from anything I’ve read before. I never would’ve thought a slasher/rom-com could work, but it absolutely does.

Jamie was such a fun, relatable main character. She’s down-to-earth, self-deprecating, and her thoughts on dating felt very real. I loved how she mentally runs everything that happens through her back catalogue of movies, using film tropes and references to make sense of the situation. Picking up on all the movie references made me feel even more connected to her — and as a long-time Swiftie, I also appreciated the Taylor Swift mentions.

I loved Jamie’s friendship with her best friend Laurie, and I couldn’t help noticing how many character names referenced well-known horror actors and characters, which was a fun extra layer.

The setting was great too — one night in an old nightclub with hidden VIP areas, dark corridors, and lots of places for things to go wrong. The map at the front really helped with visualising it all.

Clever, funny, and genuinely tense in the scarier moments. It was well paced, and the further I got, the harder it was to put down. It kept me guessing right until the end.

[Blaiz Ferrel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this book,
Scream it from the rooftops loved it!

From the very first page, it had me hooked with the details: the map, the hilarious quotes, the clever play on names, Jamie, Billie, Stu, Wes, Prescott, Carpenter, Laurie… the list goes on.
Every reference felt like a wink to horror fans—Scream, She’s All That, and yes… frosting ourselves 💎 (IYKYK).
This wasn’t just fan service—it was a love letter to the greats, wrapped in blood, banter, and heart-pounding suspense.
This story is a genuinely intense slasher and a laugh out loud, root for true love rom-com.
One minute my heart was racing, the next I was grinning like an idiot. Shailee either did her homework or is a certified thriller/rom-com junkie—because the balance here is chef’s kiss.

When Jamie Prescott and her best friend Laurie attend a speed-dating event, they expect awkward conversations and late-night food—not a blackout, a murder at their table, and a masked killer stalking the room. Armed with slasher-movie knowledge and makeshift weapons, the surviving daters must escape while navigating mounting body counts, growing suspicion, and an unexpected love triangle.
Razor-sharp humor, relentless pacing, and espresso martinis 🍸 (my personal love language), and I was DONE for.

Did I write this book? Is Shailee Thompson my twin flame? I may never know—but what I do know is that this is one of the most fun, clever, and addictive reads I’ve had in a long time.

If you love slashers, rom-com chaos, Final Girls, and stories that don’t take themselves too seriously while still delivering real stakes—add this to your TBR immediately. 🔪🖤📚

[Paige- TheBookandtheBoston · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are normally a horror girly but want to try a romance for Valentine’s Day, this is the perfect book for you. Or maybe you’re in a different boat, and you love romcoms but want to mix in some gore- this one is for you, too! Being a lover of most horrors, I didn’t think this book was too gory. It falls under the “slasher” subgenre, so you get your (seemingly) typical masked unaliver on the loose. But mashing this genre up with a romcom, and the murder and mayhem is balanced with a funny love story, too.

I loved our FMC Jaime, and her love of both horror movies and romantic comedies. This book had me laughing, swooning, and turning all the lights on in our house at night 😆. Each chapter starts with a quote from a romcom, but edited slightly to fit the horror genre instead. The most impressive thing about this book, too, was that it was a DEBUT! If this is Thompson’s first book, I CANNOT wait to see what she puts out next!

𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝑰'𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐:
Lovers of both horrors and romances alike! Thriller and mystery lovers will like this, too!

[EmG ReadsDaily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this entertaining cinematic slasher rom-com story!

I was so immersed in the clever story, that follows cinephile Jamie Prescott, who becomes trapped in the centre of a murder spree at a speed-dating event. Armed with her extensive knowledge of what not to do in a slasher, she is forced to figure out how to avoid becoming a Final Girl.

I love how each chapter begins with a misquote from a romantic comedy, with a horrifying meaning. The humour in the story is what makes it such an enjoyable read, as well as the many pop culture references. It also has a map, which I love!

'You have to decide how you want the movie to end. You have to decide what role you're going to take in it. Because Final Girls and Leading Ladies aren't born. They're made. They're a culmination of their choices.'

This was an immersive read for me, listening to the audio while following along in the book. I loved the audiobook narration by Stefanie Kay and Patrick Zellerand, as well as the quality audio production!

This is an incredible debut and I am very keen to read more from Aussie author Shailee Thompson.

With thanks to Simon & Schuster (Australia) for an ARC of the book, and Simon & Schuster Audio (Australia) for the audio listening copy, via NetGalley.

"If you find yourself in a situation where it seems like you are surrounded by an unusually high number of bitches, there's a really good chance you are probably being an asshole."

4.5 stars (rounded up)

[monica • · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was overall a very entertaining experience! it’s fun and intense and a lot of it shocked me. some of the references kind of took me out of the story and felt repetitive but I had a good time!

[Chloe Pryor · Rating 2 out of 5]

sometimes i think if i was a taylor swift, girlboss, millennial i would enjoy things more

[Karen | karentalksbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS WAS AMAZING!!!! SO UNIQUE AND INTRIGUING — i never ever thought id read a slasher romance with a smile on my face, but here we are!!!!

laurie & jamie’s relationship is the pinnacle of girlhood; i could so easily picture this being my best friend and me. the speed dating aspect was a fantastic choice for the plot. it moved quickly and set the scene for the horror and chaos.

YALL ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS ONE!!!!

thank you gallery books for the advance reading copy!

[Lia Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I went in completely blind and loved the slasher meets rom com vibes. I would say there wasn’t much comedy and definitely had some gorey parts but I loved the story. It kept me guessing and although I had some suspicions I didn’t guess the ending which is rare for me!

Highly recommend

[Kate E A · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

❤️ It’s a really fun read and the second half had me hooked
❤️Neat little twists and despite the many murderS, warm and fuzzy (best of both worlds)
❤️Really likeable characters.
❤️I like horror and rom-coms so this felt like a no brainer. Just a really fun play on movie tropes throughout. You can tell the author loves both too.

💔The meta commentary from the leading lady/final girl was a bit much at times. I think the target audience understands how these stories work and can pick up on it without being spoon fed. But I guess that’s also her character..
❤️‍🩹Also at no point did I understand the layout of the club. Felt like that was over explained for some reason and I didn’t get it. That might just be me though! Someone draw me a map.

[Lindsay Olivera · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I loved the concept! Speed dating, a blackout, and a murder right at the table. I was immediately intrigued, and as someone who loves slashers and scary movies, this premise felt made for me.
The book absolutely delivers on its concept: a slasher romcom packed with genre awareness, horror tropes, and pop culture references. Jamie, our main character, is a cinephile with encyclopedic knowledge of romcoms and horror films, and that knowledge plays a major role in how the story unfolds. Unfortunately, for me, this became one of the book’s biggest drawbacks. The constant references to real life movies and repeated explanations of “what happens in slashers” quickly felt overwhelming and repetitive rather than clever. At a certain point, it pulled me out of the story instead of enhancing it.
Another challenge was the pacing and structure. The entire novel takes place inside the same nightclub as the characters attempt to escape the killer. A single setting stretched across nearly 370 pages. What initially felt tense and claustrophobic eventually became exhausting. The club itself is so maze like and complex that it grew difficult to visualize, and even with a map included, I stopped trying to fully understand the layout. The tension dulled as the story continued to circle the same space without enough progression to justify the length.
Tonally, the book felt conflicted. It starts off playful and fun, leaning into its slasher romcom identity, but then shifts into something more serious and intense. That blend didn’t quite work for me, especially when romantic elements were layered in while characters were actively running for their lives. The romance and supposed love triangle never fully landed, and instead felt awkwardly placed given the circumstances.
That said, the concept itself is strong, and I appreciate the ambition behind combining horror, romance, and humor into one story. The setup is genuinely clever, and I can see how this book could work for readers who love heavy pop culture commentary and meta takes on horror tropes. While the execution wasn’t for me, the idea at the heart of the story is creative and memorable.

[Anna (annasbookstacks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was wild!! I normally don’t read anything remotely close to horror so this slasher romcom was wayyy out of my comfort zone, but im so glad i did!! This was so addictive, so fast paced, so STRESSFUL that I couldn’t put it down. I was entertained from start to finish. It was gory and unsettling but as someone with a very weak stomach, I didn’t think it was too terribly much. The romance aspect was cute but I was honestly more into the slasher story of it all!! I kinda guessed who was behind it all based on a few things said but I didn’t predict another twist so I’m glad that was in there. I was seriously on the edge of my seat the whole time, so stressed out for our characters. Overall a really entertaining read and I’m glad I went out of my comfort zone to read it. Thank you to the publisher for the arc 😋

[Nina The Wandering Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

“For the Leading Ladies and the Final Girls. Have you guys met? I think you’ll be the best of friends.”

This has to be one of my favorite dedications in a book! I had such a fun time reading this--an ode to the women who split their love between rom-coms and bloody slashers!

[Casey Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literally obsessed! I absolutely loved this book SO much! Easy 5 stars, and will totally appeal to a wide variety of readers! And the references…killer! 

This is a debut novel that is going to put Shailee Thompson on everyone's radar! It is a slasher AND a rom-com. That's right! What a mashup! I cannot even begin to tell you how much I loved this. Jamie is a movie fanatic. She and her roomie/bestie Laurie attend a speed-dating night. What's the worst that could happen, right? When the lights go out and Jamie's current date gets his throat slashed, the worst that can happen, happens. Jamie finds herself stuck in a real-life slasher, but also a rom-com, as she falls for leading man Wes, who seems to be determined to save as many lives as he can while finding a way out. No one knows the blueprints for these types of movies better than Jamie does, and she is determined to be the final girl and the leading lady in the end! 

This book is delightfully fun, witty, and fast-paced. Thompson doesn't shy away from gore, but also writes a cute romance! I had so much fun reading this book. I think it's going to be incredibly popular! Book releases 2/3/26. Just in time for a bloody Valentine! 

Thank you so much to Gallery Books for sending me a physical ARC!

[ᴄᴀᴛ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4☆ | This was an incredibly fun book, mixing both slashers and a rom-com. I haven't ever before read anything mixing the two and I loved the concept.

𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔:
This book was really one that pulls you in and keeps you intrigued. Though I feel like after awhile (even though not every kill is the same) it just started to feel a bit boring. Potentially because of the setting and his they were stuck in one building the whole time.

I thought all the names for the characters were a nice touch, as they're all characters in slasher movies as well (Stu, Prescott, Laurie, Jamie, Wes, etc.)

I also loved that each chapter started with a quote from a rom-com but had a few words changed up a bit to make it fit into the slasher/horror category.

I had my guesses as to who the killer(s) were and..I was wrong , but I loved finding out who it actually was because I didn't guess that at all.

My main thing was that there were 𝘯𝘰𝘵 ten dates💔 I 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 there wasn't going to be ten dates here because of the blurb. It makes it clear that Jamie is stuck in the middle of a murder spree at a speed dating even but like..

This is another book that I wish I had actually read instead of listening to the audiobook. Because there's a map and I would've loved to see that as I was reading, ebook or physical.

𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍:
This was a really well done debut novel. I would absolutely love to read anything more Shailee Thompson writes as her writing style was so engaging.
Audiobook - 1.5🌶 - 4☆

[Delaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of reading at least the first 50 pages in one sitting when beginning a new book, and I highly encourage you to do that with this one. The story takes off 50 pages in and from there it’s a wild ride. A cross between a romcom and a thriller, you have to suspend a bit of reality here to enjoy this crazy tale. I did very nearly take a star off for the…excessive romance in the midst of a horrifying encounter which was just entirely unrealistic but. It was a fun read.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC

[Medollga · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars 💘

the premise intrigued me, and there were things i enjoyed, like the friendship between the heroine and her best friend, the somewhat realistic epilogue and the guy she ended up with🫶🏼

this book mixes a romcom with a slasher movie, and while this was a good idea, all the talk about those movies and rules that must be followed in that formulaic plotlines started to distract from the plot of the book and felt disingenuous after the first two or three mentions.

sometimes the pacing felt slow, which is a crazy thing to say about such a premise 🤷🏼‍♀️🤣

i guessed the killer, so in that regard it wasn't shocking, but at least logical!

[menna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not normally a horror or slasher girlie but a rom-com-slasher girlie? that i might be.

This wass such a fun book!!! The idea itself is BRILLIANT, starting with the slasher twist to the popular rom com quotes (which i LOVED) to the great execution of everything!!! It gripped me from start to finish, always kept me on the edge of me seat and i can admit that it even scared me during some scenes.

Also the mystery element to me was the perfect balance between giving you enough hints to piece things together while also keep you guessing and make it intriguing! I was so excited for the idea and im happy to say i have NOT BEEN LET DOWNNN YAAYY.

[Abbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Admittedly, I am fresh off of binge reading this in under 24 hours, so there is likely some recency bias influencing my rating… but damn this was so campy and fun!!! The balance of 70% slasher to 30% rom com really worked and kept me hooked from the second the first body hit the floor. I could probably nitpick and find some flaws, but I don’t want to, so I won’t 🙂‍↔️🔪🩸❤️‍🔥

[Nadieh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Het feit dat het mij 50% van het boek heeft gekost om erin te komen was niet best, maar het einde was leuk genoeg om het boek uiteindelijk 3 sterren te geven! ⭐️

[The Bookish Elf · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's something deliciously unhinged about a book that opens with speed dating and closes with a body count. How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson throws you into a blood-soaked nightmare where rom-com meets slasher, and somehow, against all odds, makes you root for love amidst the carnage. This debut novel doesn't just blend genres—it dissects them with the precision of a horror movie buff wielding a scalpel.

The Setup: Speed Dating Meets Serial Killing

Jamie Prescott isn't looking for love when she walks into a Brooklyn speed-dating event. She's looking for a distraction from her film theory dissertation, maybe some decent conversation, and definitely street food afterward with her best friend Laurie. What she gets instead is a front-row seat to a massacre orchestrated by someone who's watched one too many slasher films—and learned all the wrong lessons.

The premise is deceptively simple: ten dates, ten minutes each, and one killer who's turned the entire evening into his twisted romantic gesture. But Thompson elevates this beyond simple genre mashup through Jamie's encyclopedic knowledge of horror tropes. Our protagonist isn't just a Final Girl in training—she's a woman who's studied every Final Girl who came before her, and she's determined to write her own ending.

The Meta Commentary That Actually Works

What makes How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson stand out in the crowded horror-romance landscape is its self-awareness. Jamie constantly references horror movie rules, rom-com conventions, and the ways real life refuses to follow either script. This could easily become exhausting or pretentious, but Thompson walks the tightrope with the confidence of someone who genuinely loves these genres.

When Jamie mentally catalogs which horror movie "don't" she's about to break, or analyzes whether she's living through a slasher or a romantic comedy, it doesn't pull you out of the tension—it amplifies it. You're watching someone try to survive by using fictional blueprints that don't quite map onto reality, and that gap between theory and practice becomes the source of both humor and genuine terror.

The book's greatest strength lies in how it honors genre conventions while simultaneously interrogating them. Jamie knows she's "too old to be a Final Girl and too young to be a Leading Lady," yet she refuses to let someone else's narrative dictate her role. This meta-awareness never overshadows the visceral horror of people dying around her or the genuine chemistry developing between her and potential love interests.

The Romance(s) That Complicate Everything

Let's address the love triangle—because yes, there's romance blooming while bodies drop. Jamie finds herself caught between two very different men during the night's chaos, and Thompson somehow makes this work without trivializing the horror surrounding them. The "attraction under aversive conditions" (a real psychological phenomenon the book cleverly references) adds layers to relationships formed in extremis.

Wes Carpenter, the detective with hero complex and devastating eye contact, becomes Jamie's unlikely partner in survival. Their chemistry crackles from their disastrous first speed date—where Jamie's horror movie knowledge sends him running—through increasingly dangerous encounters with a masked killer. The slow-burn romance develops through shared trauma, quick wit, and mutual respect that feels earned rather than manufactured.

The romantic elements never undercut the horror; instead, they raise the stakes. When Jamie realizes the killer sees their blood-soaked evening as the ultimate romantic gesture, the intersection of love and violence becomes genuinely disturbing rather than purely metaphorical.

Where the Knife Dulls: Pacing and Character Development

How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson doesn't escape all genre pitfalls. The middle section occasionally stalls as the group splinters and reunites in ways that feel more formula-adherent than organic. Some secondary characters, particularly among the speed-dating attendees, remain underdeveloped before meeting their grisly ends. When the body count climbs, it's hard to mourn characters we barely knew beyond their ten-minute speed dates.

The killer's motivation, while creative in its twisted rom-com logic, requires significant suspension of disbelief. The elaborate planning needed to transform an entire nightclub into a death trap feels almost too meticulous for someone driven by romantic obsession. Some readers might find the villain's grand romantic gesture veering into implausible territory, even within the heightened reality of horror-romance.

Additionally, the book's constant genre commentary, while generally effective, occasionally tips into over-explanation. Jamie's internal monologues sometimes spell out connections that sharper readers have already made, slightly dulling the cleverness of Thompson's construction.

The Writing: Sharp, Witty, Self-Aware

Thompson's prose moves with the propulsive energy of someone who's mainlined every horror movie and rom-com ever made and is eager to share why they matter. The first-person narration captures Jamie's voice perfectly—she's whip-smart without being insufferable, scared without being helpless, romantic without being naive.

The author excels at balancing tones. One moment you're laughing at Jamie's internal commentary about which horror movie rule she's breaking; the next, you're genuinely unsettled by the killer's pink heart-shaped mask appearing in the darkness. The violence is visceral without being gratuitous, and the romance develops with emotional authenticity despite the extreme circumstances.

Cultural references pepper the narrative naturally, from While You Were Sleeping to Scream, from Taylor Swift to slasher movie final acts. These aren't just name-drops—they're the lens through which Jamie understands her world. For readers who share her genre fluency, it's catnip. For those less steeped in horror and rom-com lore, it might occasionally feel exclusionary.

The Feminist Edge Beneath the Blood

Beneath the genre play and romantic tension, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson offers sharp commentary on gendered expectations. Jamie's struggle to be both Final Girl and Leading Lady mirrors the impossible standards women navigate daily—be strong but not threatening, be independent but still desirable, survive but stay pretty doing it.

The book examines how women are forced into narrow narrative roles, whether in fiction or life, and how breaking those roles requires conscious choice. Jamie doesn't accidentally become a survivor; she deliberately crafts her own story from the pieces of every movie she's studied. This agency transforms what could be simple genre exercise into something more substantive.

The Verdict: A Bloody Good Time with Heart

How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson is that rare hybrid that respects both its genres without being enslaved to either. It's funny without undermining its horror, romantic without trivializing its violence, and meta without disappearing up its own clever premise. Thompson has crafted a debut that feels both like loving homage and fresh take—no small feat in well-trodden genre territory.

This isn't a perfect book. The pacing falters, some characters deserved more development before their demises, and the killer's elaborate scheme requires generous suspension of disbelief. But it's a wildly entertaining one that understands why we love both horror and romance: because they're both about the choices we make when everything's on the line.

For readers who've ever wondered what would happen if someone who'd studied every horror movie trope found themselves living one, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson delivers bloody, swoony satisfaction. Just maybe don't read it right before your next dating app meet-up.

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I can excuse murder but I usually draw the line at a love interest being a cop.

Like, girl, you can do WAY better. But, I’m willing to make an exception here—because it makes sense plot wise and he’s actually a detective. That requires a college degree, I think.

Anyway.

This was very FUN. Like, a stupid good amount of fun. I genuinely enjoyed reading this book—even when it was a little cliche or cliche adjacent. I was having too much fun to care.

So, kudos off the bat for this being an entertaining book above all else.

If you are a horror or a rom-com fan, I think the sheer amount of references and cameos of prominent works in both genres will keep you engaged just as much as the story.

Speaking of—how is the plot here?

Somewhat predictable, if I’m being honest. I clocked out killer situation early on (because I have developed reading comprehension skills) and the man that Jamie would pick was pretty obvious 50 pages in but that didn’t detract from my reading experience. I still WANTED to see how these things would be revealed and unfold. Nothing about this story dragged.

For a debut novel, I think it’s pretty good.

There are WAY worse debuts out there that aren’t a horror/rom-com blast.

Anyway, anyway.

Check out some of the horror movie references I tracked while I was reading. I’m sure I missed a few but I did my best to note anything horror-related that wasn’t directly stated in the text.

Horror cameos I noted:
* Jamie Lee Curtis
* Laurie Strode
* Red dresses are “Carrie” coded
* Wes Craven
* John Carpenter
* Dani (Midsommar)
* Jennifer (Jennifer’s Body)
* Stu (Scream)
* (Bruce) Campbell
* (Heather) Langenkamp (Nightmare on Elm Street)
* (Sidney) Prescott
* Billie/Billy (SO many things but probably Billy Loomis?)
* Michael & Jasen
* Ari Aster—weird mom relationship mention too
* Colette (Hereditary?)
* Heart Eyes (Dexter meme maybe)
* Marion Crane
* Nia DaCosta
* Do you think the maze element of the club was a reference to the hedge maze from “The Shining”?
* Campbell’s body displayed like a “Hannibal” tableau (maybe)
* “Psycho” bathroom scene with a romantic twist

Did I miss anything? These are pretty obvious ones, tbh. But, let me know~