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The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco #3
A Map to Murder
Beloved true crime tour guide Capri Sanzio returns in Michelle Chouinard’s A Map to Murder, the next book in the USA Today bestselling Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco Mysteries.
True crime tour guide and serial killer aficionado Capri Sanzio knows how central the Summer of Love is to San Francisco’s identity—even if she’s always had conflicted feelings about it. She’s used to weaving feel-good hippie culture and music into her Haight-Ashbury true crime tales, centering her tours around what happens when a revolution looking to lift up the best ideals humanity has to offer clashes with the darkest souls hidden among humanity’s shadows. But what she’s not used to is a guest stepping out from those shadows to drop a murder investigation directly into her lap.
A woman has gone missing in San Francisco after trying to solve her aunt’s murder: a cold case from the Summer of Love. Capri sees herself in the missing woman—both were unable to find the answers they desperately wanted as kids—and sees her own daughter in the tour guest begging for her help. Unable to turn the case away, Capri finds herself following a trail of flower-power footprints turned deadly—straight to a killer who has her in their sights.
True crime tour guide and serial killer aficionado Capri Sanzio knows how central the Summer of Love is to San Francisco’s identity—even if she’s always had conflicted feelings about it. She’s used to weaving feel-good hippie culture and music into her Haight-Ashbury true crime tales, centering her tours around what happens when a revolution looking to lift up the best ideals humanity has to offer clashes with the darkest souls hidden among humanity’s shadows. But what she’s not used to is a guest stepping out from those shadows to drop a murder investigation directly into her lap.
A woman has gone missing in San Francisco after trying to solve her aunt’s murder: a cold case from the Summer of Love. Capri sees herself in the missing woman—both were unable to find the answers they desperately wanted as kids—and sees her own daughter in the tour guest begging for her help. Unable to turn the case away, Capri finds herself following a trail of flower-power footprints turned deadly—straight to a killer who has her in their sights.
311 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2026
About the author
Michelle Chouinard
4 books212 followersMICHELLE CHOUINARD is the Mary Higgins Clark Award–nominated, USA Today bestselling author of the Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco Mysteries, and, under M.M. Chouinard, the USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of nine previous mysteries. Michelle has a PhD in developmental psychology from Stanford University and was one of UC Merced’s founding faculty members. She lives in the Bay Area, where she’s held together by caffeine and dry shampoo.
source: Amazon
source: Amazon
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Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco #3
A Map to Murder by Michelle Chouinard
True crime tour guide Capri Sanzio is back for the third time. She's seen it all, is the granddaughter of a serial killer, is the ex wife of a lying failure to succeed creep, and runs her own successful tour guide business. Along with her tours of serial killer haunts and locations, she's doing a tour of Haight-Ashbury, with true crime tales, and serial killer stories abound. The last time a woman in her tour group needed help, things went very badly. Now Capri is asked for help by the daughter of a woman who came to San Francisco to investigate the murder of her aunt during The Summer of Love. Jennifer, is missing now, and maybe she got too close those who might have killed her aunt, despite the fact that the killer must be very old by this time. Or maybe others have a chance of being found out if the woman pushed for information too hard.
Of course, Capri can't leave this alone, especially having been accused of murder in the past and having a serial killer grandfather. Who needs a nice, calm, non dangerous life, Capri is all about going where she shouldn't go, doing what she shouldn't do, and poking those who might be the most likely to harm her. Her boyfriend, Detective Petito (always Detective Potato, in my head), wishes Capri would be less adventuresome but that's not going to happen and as along as they can have their pizza and sleep overs together, he's along for the ride, while telling her "I told you so", after Capri gets herself in more trouble.
I'll be there for the next tour and we know that Capri will find more trouble. But she's a good friend and will do her best to employ friends in need or help strangers who have a killing in the background. You can read this story as a standalone although starting at the beginning of the series really fleshes Capri's background and the San Francisco serial killer scene. Another great buddy read with Jayme who has gone on all these San Francisco tours with me.
Publication September 22, 2026
Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, SMP Early Readers, and NetGalley for this ARC
A Map to Murder by Michelle Chouinard
True crime tour guide Capri Sanzio is back for the third time. She's seen it all, is the granddaughter of a serial killer, is the ex wife of a lying failure to succeed creep, and runs her own successful tour guide business. Along with her tours of serial killer haunts and locations, she's doing a tour of Haight-Ashbury, with true crime tales, and serial killer stories abound. The last time a woman in her tour group needed help, things went very badly. Now Capri is asked for help by the daughter of a woman who came to San Francisco to investigate the murder of her aunt during The Summer of Love. Jennifer, is missing now, and maybe she got too close those who might have killed her aunt, despite the fact that the killer must be very old by this time. Or maybe others have a chance of being found out if the woman pushed for information too hard.
Of course, Capri can't leave this alone, especially having been accused of murder in the past and having a serial killer grandfather. Who needs a nice, calm, non dangerous life, Capri is all about going where she shouldn't go, doing what she shouldn't do, and poking those who might be the most likely to harm her. Her boyfriend, Detective Petito (always Detective Potato, in my head), wishes Capri would be less adventuresome but that's not going to happen and as along as they can have their pizza and sleep overs together, he's along for the ride, while telling her "I told you so", after Capri gets herself in more trouble.
I'll be there for the next tour and we know that Capri will find more trouble. But she's a good friend and will do her best to employ friends in need or help strangers who have a killing in the background. You can read this story as a standalone although starting at the beginning of the series really fleshes Capri's background and the San Francisco serial killer scene. Another great buddy read with Jayme who has gone on all these San Francisco tours with me.
Publication September 22, 2026
Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, SMP Early Readers, and NetGalley for this ARC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was one of my most anticipated books this year, but I held off on reading it, because I was hoping to do an immersion read-as Stephanie Nemeth-Parker’s narration of these books adds another layer of enjoyment to the series. But, since one is still not available, it was time to return to San Francisco to see what our lead has been up to since we last left off, and we do pick up the story about 6 months later…
Investigative journalist/Pod Caster and True Crime Tour guide Capri Sanzio knows how important the “Summer of Love” was to San Francisco’s identity—after all, her full name is Capricorn, and her own mother was part of that movement. She even incorporates feel-good “hippie” culture and music into her Haight-Ashbury tours. But, on her latest tour, a young woman named Haley seems to be asking some pretty pointed questions…
Apparently Haley’s mother Jenny has gone missing after coming to San Francisco to try and solve her Aunt Marilyn’s murder: a cold case from the “Summer of Love”. Capri feels for Haley, as she was a child who desperately wanted answers about her Grandfather-a man accused of being a Serial Killer. (The story from book one) and that compels her to take the case.
Armed with her trusty Moleskin notebook, and often a cup of coffee, our likable leading lady Capri sets out to investigate.
The book unfolds in two alternating timelines, Marilyn’s from 1967 during the LSD fogged “Summer of Love” with its Communes, Music and free LOVE. and the Present Day Investigation. And, we again have italicized chapters which add flavor to both timelines by sharing the TRUE HISTORY of the fascinating city of San Francisco.
The author does a great job of reintroducing the supporting cast of characters without dropping spoilers, which includes her daughter Morgan, Detective Petito, her best friend and business partner Heather, and her tour guide assistant Ryan, allowing you to read this as a standalone, although with all series, relationships build and evolve from one book to the next.
These COZY MYSTERIES (crimes occur off page) are HIGHLY ENTERTAINING and perfect for fans of the Stephanie Plum or Finlay Donovan books. I am always captivated from the FIRST PAGE to the LAST and hope that we will see more of Capri in future books-which SPEAKS VOLUMES as I am not one who chooses to follow many series!!
A buddy read with Marilyn-be sure to see if she wants MORE of this series by watching for her review!
AVAILABLE NOW!
The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A Tour To Die For: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!
Investigative journalist/Pod Caster and True Crime Tour guide Capri Sanzio knows how important the “Summer of Love” was to San Francisco’s identity—after all, her full name is Capricorn, and her own mother was part of that movement. She even incorporates feel-good “hippie” culture and music into her Haight-Ashbury tours. But, on her latest tour, a young woman named Haley seems to be asking some pretty pointed questions…
Apparently Haley’s mother Jenny has gone missing after coming to San Francisco to try and solve her Aunt Marilyn’s murder: a cold case from the “Summer of Love”. Capri feels for Haley, as she was a child who desperately wanted answers about her Grandfather-a man accused of being a Serial Killer. (The story from book one) and that compels her to take the case.
Armed with her trusty Moleskin notebook, and often a cup of coffee, our likable leading lady Capri sets out to investigate.
The book unfolds in two alternating timelines, Marilyn’s from 1967 during the LSD fogged “Summer of Love” with its Communes, Music and free LOVE. and the Present Day Investigation. And, we again have italicized chapters which add flavor to both timelines by sharing the TRUE HISTORY of the fascinating city of San Francisco.
The author does a great job of reintroducing the supporting cast of characters without dropping spoilers, which includes her daughter Morgan, Detective Petito, her best friend and business partner Heather, and her tour guide assistant Ryan, allowing you to read this as a standalone, although with all series, relationships build and evolve from one book to the next.
These COZY MYSTERIES (crimes occur off page) are HIGHLY ENTERTAINING and perfect for fans of the Stephanie Plum or Finlay Donovan books. I am always captivated from the FIRST PAGE to the LAST and hope that we will see more of Capri in future books-which SPEAKS VOLUMES as I am not one who chooses to follow many series!!
A buddy read with Marilyn-be sure to see if she wants MORE of this series by watching for her review!
AVAILABLE NOW!
The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A Tour To Die For: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A woman really looked at Capri during a walking tour and basically said, "Hi, my mom disappeared while investigating my aunt's murder from the Summer of Love. Can you help?" And Capri's internal response was essentially, "Yeah, I can squeeze that in." This woman collects murder investigations the way normal people collect coffee loyalty cards. At some point I'd stop making eye contact with strangers.
This was my first trip into the Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco Mysteries, and I spent maybe three chapters wondering if I'd accidentally walked into the third season of a TV show where everyone else already knew the cast. Then something magical happened. I got comfortable. Suddenly I was fully invested in Capri, her daughter, her very patient boyfriend Petito, her found family, and this absolutely terrible habit she has of hearing the words "dangerous cold case" as a personal invitation.
The mystery itself grabbed me because it isn't just one missing woman. It's one missing woman chasing answers about another woman who was murdered almost sixty years ago, back when everyone was preaching peace, love, and harmony while apparently some people were also committing murder and hoping history would eventually misplace the paperwork. The contrast between flower crowns and buried secrets worked way better than I expected. Every time we slipped back into 1967 I found myself thinking, "Oh... these people have been making questionable life choices for generations."
Capri is exactly my kind of amateur sleuth because she isn't trying to prove she's the smartest person in every room. She's just deeply incapable of letting something go once it gets under her skin. She sees a daughter desperate to find her mother and suddenly this isn't just another mystery. It becomes personal. Maybe too personal. Meanwhile Petito has the energy of someone who knows the woman he's dating is absolutely going to chase a killer, so his only option is to lovingly sigh and make sure she comes home alive. Honestly, relationship goals.
I also really loved how San Francisco isn't just sitting in the background looking pretty. The city feels like that one friend who keeps interrupting the conversation with, "Oh, you think that's wild? Wait until I tell you what happened here in 1967." Haight-Ashbury, the Victorian houses, all the layers of history, it made me want to book Capri's tour while simultaneously wondering if I'd survive being anywhere near her because murders seem to find her with alarming efficiency.
There was one moment where everything clicked emotionally, and it wasn't because of some huge dramatic speech. It was realizing how many lives stay frozen after an unsolved murder. Decades pass. Families grow up. People get older. But unanswered questions just keep sitting there, quietly taking up space. That landed. Then the book immediately threw me back into trying to figure out who was lying, which I appreciated because I was busy accusing literally everyone.
The funniest part is that I was so convinced I'd solved it. I had my suspect. I had my imaginary detective badge polished and ready. Then the book politely looked me in the eye and said, "That's adorable." I love when a mystery lets me feel clever right before pulling the rug out from under me without making me feel cheated.
I ended this one at 4 stars, and now I have a brand new problem because I absolutely need to go back and read the first two books. Apparently I've stumbled into one of those series where spending time with the characters is just as much fun as untangling the mystery, and now I need to know what nonsense Capri has been getting herself into before this.
Whodunity Award: For Turning a True Crime Walking Tour into the Most Stressful Sightseeing Experience Imaginable
And thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC. You handed me a walking tour through San Francisco and somehow convinced me that every charming Victorian house is hiding at least one deeply suspicious person. I will now be side-eyeing historic neighborhoods forever.
This was my first trip into the Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco Mysteries, and I spent maybe three chapters wondering if I'd accidentally walked into the third season of a TV show where everyone else already knew the cast. Then something magical happened. I got comfortable. Suddenly I was fully invested in Capri, her daughter, her very patient boyfriend Petito, her found family, and this absolutely terrible habit she has of hearing the words "dangerous cold case" as a personal invitation.
The mystery itself grabbed me because it isn't just one missing woman. It's one missing woman chasing answers about another woman who was murdered almost sixty years ago, back when everyone was preaching peace, love, and harmony while apparently some people were also committing murder and hoping history would eventually misplace the paperwork. The contrast between flower crowns and buried secrets worked way better than I expected. Every time we slipped back into 1967 I found myself thinking, "Oh... these people have been making questionable life choices for generations."
Capri is exactly my kind of amateur sleuth because she isn't trying to prove she's the smartest person in every room. She's just deeply incapable of letting something go once it gets under her skin. She sees a daughter desperate to find her mother and suddenly this isn't just another mystery. It becomes personal. Maybe too personal. Meanwhile Petito has the energy of someone who knows the woman he's dating is absolutely going to chase a killer, so his only option is to lovingly sigh and make sure she comes home alive. Honestly, relationship goals.
I also really loved how San Francisco isn't just sitting in the background looking pretty. The city feels like that one friend who keeps interrupting the conversation with, "Oh, you think that's wild? Wait until I tell you what happened here in 1967." Haight-Ashbury, the Victorian houses, all the layers of history, it made me want to book Capri's tour while simultaneously wondering if I'd survive being anywhere near her because murders seem to find her with alarming efficiency.
There was one moment where everything clicked emotionally, and it wasn't because of some huge dramatic speech. It was realizing how many lives stay frozen after an unsolved murder. Decades pass. Families grow up. People get older. But unanswered questions just keep sitting there, quietly taking up space. That landed. Then the book immediately threw me back into trying to figure out who was lying, which I appreciated because I was busy accusing literally everyone.
The funniest part is that I was so convinced I'd solved it. I had my suspect. I had my imaginary detective badge polished and ready. Then the book politely looked me in the eye and said, "That's adorable." I love when a mystery lets me feel clever right before pulling the rug out from under me without making me feel cheated.
I ended this one at 4 stars, and now I have a brand new problem because I absolutely need to go back and read the first two books. Apparently I've stumbled into one of those series where spending time with the characters is just as much fun as untangling the mystery, and now I need to know what nonsense Capri has been getting herself into before this.
Whodunity Award: For Turning a True Crime Walking Tour into the Most Stressful Sightseeing Experience Imaginable
And thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC. You handed me a walking tour through San Francisco and somehow convinced me that every charming Victorian house is hiding at least one deeply suspicious person. I will now be side-eyeing historic neighborhoods forever.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This Cozy-Mystery packs a lot into this plot. The history lesson about the 1967 San Francisco Summer of Love was just fantastic. The case of a murdered teenage runaway from 1967 was skillfully woven into a contemporary time missing persons case. Both cases had Carpi spinning with little solid to go on.
Capri Sanzio has built a successful tour business on the color and history of San Francisco focusing on making each tour an experience. After her tour of the Haight-Ashbury District a young woman approaches Capri seeking her help in finding her missing mother, Jennifer.
In 1967 seventeen-year-old Marilyn ran away from her abusive home leaving behind her sister and beloved niece, Jennifer. What Marilyn found was not the better side of humanity and unfortunately, she was murdered during the Summer of Love, her killer never found.
Now Marilyn's niece, Jennifer, has come to San Francisco to get answers as to what happened to her aunt and ends up missing. Now Jennifer's daughter wants Capri to help find her. Capri is instantly drawn to this girl and determined to find Jennifer. But to do that she must dig into the almost 60-year-old mystery of Marilyn's murder.
Capri Sanzio has built a successful tour business on the color and history of San Francisco focusing on making each tour an experience. After her tour of the Haight-Ashbury District a young woman approaches Capri seeking her help in finding her missing mother, Jennifer.
In 1967 seventeen-year-old Marilyn ran away from her abusive home leaving behind her sister and beloved niece, Jennifer. What Marilyn found was not the better side of humanity and unfortunately, she was murdered during the Summer of Love, her killer never found.
Now Marilyn's niece, Jennifer, has come to San Francisco to get answers as to what happened to her aunt and ends up missing. Now Jennifer's daughter wants Capri to help find her. Capri is instantly drawn to this girl and determined to find Jennifer. But to do that she must dig into the almost 60-year-old mystery of Marilyn's murder.
September 25, 2026
Capri Sanzio runs a successful San Francisco tour business specializing in the city’s true-crime history. After helping solve two murders, detailing the events in a book and podcast has earned her some attention. So, when Jennifer Torres disappears while investigating the unsolved 1967 murder of her aunt Marilyn, Jennifer’s daughter asks Capri to help find her.
Capri digs into Marilyn’s murder, hoping to retrace Jennifer’s steps. Finding people who knew Marilyn nearly sixty years ago isn’t easy, but a threatening phone call shows Capri is on the right track.
A Map to Murder was an engrossing mystery! I loved Capri’s determination and ingenuity in searching for answers, and I was especially happy she had Detective Petito as a resource and for support. I’m really enjoying their pairing, as well as the precautions he encourages Capri to take.
I thought I had the mystery figured out, but I was wrong, and I loved being surprised by how everything came together. Things got tense, but Capri kept her head!
As with the previous books, I also enjoyed the bits of San Francisco history woven into the story. I didn’t know much about the 1967 “Summer of Love” or the hippie movement surrounding it, so I found that especially interesting.
This is the third book in the series, but it could be read as a standalone since the central mystery is resolved by the end. That said, I’d recommend reading the series in order to fully appreciate the relationships and previous cases. I hope we get another book in the series! I voluntarily read a copy courtesy of the publisher. These are my thoughts and opinions.
Capri digs into Marilyn’s murder, hoping to retrace Jennifer’s steps. Finding people who knew Marilyn nearly sixty years ago isn’t easy, but a threatening phone call shows Capri is on the right track.
A Map to Murder was an engrossing mystery! I loved Capri’s determination and ingenuity in searching for answers, and I was especially happy she had Detective Petito as a resource and for support. I’m really enjoying their pairing, as well as the precautions he encourages Capri to take.
I thought I had the mystery figured out, but I was wrong, and I loved being surprised by how everything came together. Things got tense, but Capri kept her head!
As with the previous books, I also enjoyed the bits of San Francisco history woven into the story. I didn’t know much about the 1967 “Summer of Love” or the hippie movement surrounding it, so I found that especially interesting.
This is the third book in the series, but it could be read as a standalone since the central mystery is resolved by the end. That said, I’d recommend reading the series in order to fully appreciate the relationships and previous cases. I hope we get another book in the series! I voluntarily read a copy courtesy of the publisher. These are my thoughts and opinions.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 stars | The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco series—bk 3
🌼☮️🕵🏻♀️🌁 True-crime tour guide Capri Sanzio is leading guests through San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury when Haley asks for her help. Haley’s mother, Jennifer, has disappeared while investigating the unsolved murder of her aunt Marilyn during the Summer of Love—and Capri, being a gal to NEVER leave a mystery alone, can’t resist digging into BOTH mysteries.
I love the sixties era and after reading a blurb on this, I knew I had to request the next installment. Turned out, this just might be my favorite of the series. The San Francisco 60s setting, flower-power history + cold case immediately pulled me in, while the missing woman and multiple suspects kept me guessing. It was clever, fast-paced + full of secrets with just the right amount of danger to keep me invested. I’m really enjoying Chouinard’s writing with its mash-up of fascinating history, likable characters + twisty mysteries, and would most definitely recommend this series. Pub. 9/22/26
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
🌼☮️🕵🏻♀️🌁 True-crime tour guide Capri Sanzio is leading guests through San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury when Haley asks for her help. Haley’s mother, Jennifer, has disappeared while investigating the unsolved murder of her aunt Marilyn during the Summer of Love—and Capri, being a gal to NEVER leave a mystery alone, can’t resist digging into BOTH mysteries.
I love the sixties era and after reading a blurb on this, I knew I had to request the next installment. Turned out, this just might be my favorite of the series. The San Francisco 60s setting, flower-power history + cold case immediately pulled me in, while the missing woman and multiple suspects kept me guessing. It was clever, fast-paced + full of secrets with just the right amount of danger to keep me invested. I’m really enjoying Chouinard’s writing with its mash-up of fascinating history, likable characters + twisty mysteries, and would most definitely recommend this series. Pub. 9/22/26
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 10, 2026
Just when life is getting back to normal, Capri's next tour turns into a missing-person case.
A distracted tour guest named Haley pulls Capri aside with an unusual request: find her mother, Jennifer, who vanished while digging into the disappearance of her own aunt, Marilyn, decades ago. When Haley threatens to investigate alone, Capri knows it's too dangerous and steps in.
The story moves between two timelines: Marilyn arriving in San Francisco during the Summer of Love, and Capri chasing answers in the present. The back-and-forth kept me hooked.
I worried book three couldn't top the first two. I was wrong. I never saw the solution coming, and when it was revealed, it felt believable rather than far-fetched. The little bits of San Francisco history woven in are my favorite part, and they brought back memories of tagging along on my husband's trips there.
It works as a standalone, and the earlier storylines are handled so lightly that even reading out of order wouldn't spoil much.
Perfect for: cozy mystery fans who like picking up a little history along the way.
I'm loving this series and have my fingers crossed for another book!
Thank you to St. Martin's Minotaur for the advance reader's copy. This review reflects my own opinion.
A distracted tour guest named Haley pulls Capri aside with an unusual request: find her mother, Jennifer, who vanished while digging into the disappearance of her own aunt, Marilyn, decades ago. When Haley threatens to investigate alone, Capri knows it's too dangerous and steps in.
The story moves between two timelines: Marilyn arriving in San Francisco during the Summer of Love, and Capri chasing answers in the present. The back-and-forth kept me hooked.
I worried book three couldn't top the first two. I was wrong. I never saw the solution coming, and when it was revealed, it felt believable rather than far-fetched. The little bits of San Francisco history woven in are my favorite part, and they brought back memories of tagging along on my husband's trips there.
It works as a standalone, and the earlier storylines are handled so lightly that even reading out of order wouldn't spoil much.
Perfect for: cozy mystery fans who like picking up a little history along the way.
I'm loving this series and have my fingers crossed for another book!
Thank you to St. Martin's Minotaur for the advance reader's copy. This review reflects my own opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I enjoyed the first two books in the A Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco series, so I was excited to read this newest, upcoming installment. A MAP TO MURDER revolves around a crime that took place during the Summer of Love in the titular city. I didn't know much about that era, so it was interesting to learn more about the hippie movement, and how it unfolded (for good and ill) in San Francisco. Chouinard offers a gentle and objective view of the whole movement, allowing the reader to make up their own mind about the Summer of Love. The then-and-now look at the city makes the backdrop especially vibrant and compelling.
Like the previous two books in this series, A MAP TO MURDER features likable characters, an engrossing storyline, a twisty plot (I was surprised by the killer's identity since I had someone else pegged for the job), an engaging narrative style, and an upbeat tone (in spite of some disturbing subject matter). This is another entertaining installment in a very diverting series. I enjoyed it.
If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for language (a couple of F-bombs, plus milder invectives), violence, mild sexual content, disturbing subject matter, and references to illegal drug use
Like the previous two books in this series, A MAP TO MURDER features likable characters, an engrossing storyline, a twisty plot (I was surprised by the killer's identity since I had someone else pegged for the job), an engaging narrative style, and an upbeat tone (in spite of some disturbing subject matter). This is another entertaining installment in a very diverting series. I enjoyed it.
If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for language (a couple of F-bombs, plus milder invectives), violence, mild sexual content, disturbing subject matter, and references to illegal drug use
October 19, 2026
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for this gifted copy
I didn't realize this was part of a series, and while you can definitely read it as a standalone, there were a few references and bits of backstory that took me a while to piece together (or make assumptions about for the sake of my sanity).
Capri Sanzio is a true-crime tour guide in San Francisco who also runs a true-crime podcast investigating cold cases. In this book, the case takes us back to the Summer of Love, with a missing woman, an unsolved murder from nearly sixty years ago, and a desperate family looking for answers.
I enjoyed the connection between the past and present timelines. The writing kept me hooked, and the switches between the two never gave away too much of the mystery. Instead, it felt like we were uncovering the facts right alongside Capri. If you're from San Francisco or a history nerd, this book is right up your alley. I knew very little about the Summer of Love, and I learned so much without feeling like I was sitting through a history lecture.
I was expecting it to be a cozy mystery, but this had a lot more history and detail than I anticipated, which made it a slower read for me as I tried to absorb everything. I also loved having an adult MC who actually communicates like a sensible human being. Her approach to investigating and dealing with people is something other detectives could learn from. Not once did I find myself yelling at her to stop making stupid decisions, which was honestly such a relief. The side characters and their dynamics were also well written and added to the overall story.
The mystery took a little while to fully grab my attention, but nevertheless, this was a well-written mystery with an interesting historical backdrop.
I didn't realize this was part of a series, and while you can definitely read it as a standalone, there were a few references and bits of backstory that took me a while to piece together (or make assumptions about for the sake of my sanity).
Capri Sanzio is a true-crime tour guide in San Francisco who also runs a true-crime podcast investigating cold cases. In this book, the case takes us back to the Summer of Love, with a missing woman, an unsolved murder from nearly sixty years ago, and a desperate family looking for answers.
I enjoyed the connection between the past and present timelines. The writing kept me hooked, and the switches between the two never gave away too much of the mystery. Instead, it felt like we were uncovering the facts right alongside Capri. If you're from San Francisco or a history nerd, this book is right up your alley. I knew very little about the Summer of Love, and I learned so much without feeling like I was sitting through a history lecture.
I was expecting it to be a cozy mystery, but this had a lot more history and detail than I anticipated, which made it a slower read for me as I tried to absorb everything. I also loved having an adult MC who actually communicates like a sensible human being. Her approach to investigating and dealing with people is something other detectives could learn from. Not once did I find myself yelling at her to stop making stupid decisions, which was honestly such a relief. The side characters and their dynamics were also well written and added to the overall story.
The mystery took a little while to fully grab my attention, but nevertheless, this was a well-written mystery with an interesting historical backdrop.
September 23, 2026
👏🏻 What a way to end a series! Wait… is this really the end, or are we getting more?! Because I’m definitely not ready to say goodbye to Capri and this crew!
We’re back in San Francisco with Capri, who is still running her true crime tours and producing her podcast, but now she’s also added an investigative journalist to the mix. When a guest on one of her tours asks for Capri’s help finding her missing mother, things quickly turn into something much bigger.
Jennifer had traveled to San Francisco to investigate the murder of her aunt, Marilyn, which happened during the Summer of Love in 1967. Now Jennifer has disappeared, and Capri finds herself digging into Marilyn’s past; and uncovering a tangled web of drugs, violence, secrets, and people who clearly don’t want the truth coming to light.
I absolutely loved the twists and turns in this mystery! The flashbacks to 1967 were one of my favorite parts, giving us a glimpse into Marilyn’s life as she tried to escape her abusive father and find a new life for herself in San Francisco.
Michelle Chouinard once again delivered a fun, twisty mystery with characters I’ve grown attached to, a fascinating historical thread, and plenty of secrets to uncover. I was completely invested in figuring out what happened and I definitely didn’t see all of the twists coming!
A fantastic addition to the series and a 5-star read for me! 🔎
If this really is the end, I’m going to need Capri to find another case ASAP.
We’re back in San Francisco with Capri, who is still running her true crime tours and producing her podcast, but now she’s also added an investigative journalist to the mix. When a guest on one of her tours asks for Capri’s help finding her missing mother, things quickly turn into something much bigger.
Jennifer had traveled to San Francisco to investigate the murder of her aunt, Marilyn, which happened during the Summer of Love in 1967. Now Jennifer has disappeared, and Capri finds herself digging into Marilyn’s past; and uncovering a tangled web of drugs, violence, secrets, and people who clearly don’t want the truth coming to light.
I absolutely loved the twists and turns in this mystery! The flashbacks to 1967 were one of my favorite parts, giving us a glimpse into Marilyn’s life as she tried to escape her abusive father and find a new life for herself in San Francisco.
Michelle Chouinard once again delivered a fun, twisty mystery with characters I’ve grown attached to, a fascinating historical thread, and plenty of secrets to uncover. I was completely invested in figuring out what happened and I definitely didn’t see all of the twists coming!
A fantastic addition to the series and a 5-star read for me! 🔎
If this really is the end, I’m going to need Capri to find another case ASAP.
September 18, 2026
I really enjoyed the first 2 books in the A Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco series & the third book, A Map to Murder, is my favorite so far! You can read this book as a standalone, though, since any information needed from past books is mentioned & you won’t be confused.
Capri is back, still running her SF true crime tour & happy in her relationship with Detective Petito. After her Haight-Ashbury tour, Hailey, one of the guests, asks for her help. Her mother, Jennifer, came to San Francisco looking for information on her aunt’s murder during the Summer of Love in 1967. Jennifer is now missing & Hailey is worried the 2 things are connected. She knows Capri has experience looking into this from her podcast, and Capri agrees to help.
The book is dual timeline, with us also following Marilyn in 1967. I really loved learning about the Haight during that time period, everything there was described so well. Marilyn was just a teenager, but she was such a fast learner and strong character. The way the 2 storylines intertwined was so well done.
As always, I absolutely love Capri! She is the perfect character for this cozy mystery series. She’s intelligent & doesn’t back down to find the answer, even when there are risks. I also was glad to learn more about Capri’s best friend, Heather, & spend more time with her & her wife. I’m really looking forward to seeing more of these characters in future books!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing the ARC, this is my honest review!
Capri is back, still running her SF true crime tour & happy in her relationship with Detective Petito. After her Haight-Ashbury tour, Hailey, one of the guests, asks for her help. Her mother, Jennifer, came to San Francisco looking for information on her aunt’s murder during the Summer of Love in 1967. Jennifer is now missing & Hailey is worried the 2 things are connected. She knows Capri has experience looking into this from her podcast, and Capri agrees to help.
The book is dual timeline, with us also following Marilyn in 1967. I really loved learning about the Haight during that time period, everything there was described so well. Marilyn was just a teenager, but she was such a fast learner and strong character. The way the 2 storylines intertwined was so well done.
As always, I absolutely love Capri! She is the perfect character for this cozy mystery series. She’s intelligent & doesn’t back down to find the answer, even when there are risks. I also was glad to learn more about Capri’s best friend, Heather, & spend more time with her & her wife. I’m really looking forward to seeing more of these characters in future books!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing the ARC, this is my honest review!
October 7, 2026
A Map to Murder, although the third book in The Serial Killer Guide to San Fransico Mysteries which FYI I had not read any of the previous books was exciting, enjoyable and extremely thrilling. The story revolves around a popular serial killer tour guide in San Fransico who ends up agreeing to help a young girl whose mother is missing after she pleads for help when the tour is over. But the story evolves into a more complex murder mystery which encapsulates a cold case murder from the 1970's and now the missing aunt of the victim who came to solve the murder.
The story which travels between the 1970's-time frame where free love and communes were popular and where we meet the young girl who was killed who came to the area to get away from a bad home situation to try and become a writer. She is there to make money so she can bring her sister there. Unfortunately, she ends up living in a commune where drugs were made. But when she was found dead, she just becomes another statistic of the times.
Present day finds Capri Sanzio who owns a serial killer tour company is shocked when a young girl comes to her after a tour and pleads with her to help find her mother who came to San Fransico a few weeks ago to investigate the cold case of her sister, the young girl's aunt. But no one in the family has heard from her in days and they all fear the worst. Capri reluctantly agrees and with the help of her police officer boyfriend they begin the task of attempting to follow the mother's footsteps as well as look into the unsolved murder from years ago.
What follows are a series of clues, many witnesses from years ago no longer alive, some who seem to be hiding information and an abundance of possible suspects. And suddenly Capri finds herself being threatened. And so is her daughter. Clearly not everybody wants her to figure this out! But she seems to be getting close to something. Capris learns in order to solve this case she must figure out the crossover of what happened in the 1970's with the latest missing person.
A Map to Murder is a wonderfully engrossing can't put down story with an incredible surprising ending you won't see coming!
Thank you #NetGalley #MinotaurBooks #MichelleChouinard #AMapToMurder for the advanced copy.
The story which travels between the 1970's-time frame where free love and communes were popular and where we meet the young girl who was killed who came to the area to get away from a bad home situation to try and become a writer. She is there to make money so she can bring her sister there. Unfortunately, she ends up living in a commune where drugs were made. But when she was found dead, she just becomes another statistic of the times.
Present day finds Capri Sanzio who owns a serial killer tour company is shocked when a young girl comes to her after a tour and pleads with her to help find her mother who came to San Fransico a few weeks ago to investigate the cold case of her sister, the young girl's aunt. But no one in the family has heard from her in days and they all fear the worst. Capri reluctantly agrees and with the help of her police officer boyfriend they begin the task of attempting to follow the mother's footsteps as well as look into the unsolved murder from years ago.
What follows are a series of clues, many witnesses from years ago no longer alive, some who seem to be hiding information and an abundance of possible suspects. And suddenly Capri finds herself being threatened. And so is her daughter. Clearly not everybody wants her to figure this out! But she seems to be getting close to something. Capris learns in order to solve this case she must figure out the crossover of what happened in the 1970's with the latest missing person.
A Map to Murder is a wonderfully engrossing can't put down story with an incredible surprising ending you won't see coming!
Thank you #NetGalley #MinotaurBooks #MichelleChouinard #AMapToMurder for the advanced copy.
September 26, 2026
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I have really been enjoying this The Serial Killer's Guide to San Francisco Mysteries series. It has the right combination for me of solid mysteries, found family and family, and a bit of romance. Our main point of view and teller of the story is Capri. She is a divorced mother of a graduate student daughter, Morgan. At the time of her divorce, she had to develop a way to support them and came up with running a tour company about serial killers in San Francisco. It's been successful. She is also doing a true crime type podcast, as well as writing a book about the famous murders solved in the first book.
Capri is a smart investigator. She has developed a relationship with Petito, the police detective from her first case. She seems to have a real feel and ability with cold cases. With both luck and skill, she tracks down people adjacent to the woman, Marilyn, murdered back in 1967 and her now missing niece, Jennifer. Capri finds the commune house Marilyn lived in sold drugs to finance their lives. She finds out about her roommate who went missing after she died, and that Marilyn wanted to write for an underground paper.
While she is working her regular tour job, and her best friend is having a marital crisis with her partner, and her daughter may be in trouble again with her dad being involved in her business, she works the cold case and has some nice moments with Petito. She also trains to use a firearm since her last case was very dangerous.
The storytelling alternates between Capri's point of view and thoughts to Marilyn's historical point of view and thoughts, weaving past with Capri finding out the information in the present. I enjoyed the colorful feel and characters of the Summer of Love on Haight-Ashbury. I won't spoil the details or the suspenseful conclusions.
I read A Map to Murder. The previous books I read on audio, so I had the voices in my head as there doesn't seem to be an audiobook at this time. I found so many things fun and interesting, including that Capri drives a Volt. I really hope we get more of these stories in either format.
Review copy was received from Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I have really been enjoying this The Serial Killer's Guide to San Francisco Mysteries series. It has the right combination for me of solid mysteries, found family and family, and a bit of romance. Our main point of view and teller of the story is Capri. She is a divorced mother of a graduate student daughter, Morgan. At the time of her divorce, she had to develop a way to support them and came up with running a tour company about serial killers in San Francisco. It's been successful. She is also doing a true crime type podcast, as well as writing a book about the famous murders solved in the first book.
Capri is a smart investigator. She has developed a relationship with Petito, the police detective from her first case. She seems to have a real feel and ability with cold cases. With both luck and skill, she tracks down people adjacent to the woman, Marilyn, murdered back in 1967 and her now missing niece, Jennifer. Capri finds the commune house Marilyn lived in sold drugs to finance their lives. She finds out about her roommate who went missing after she died, and that Marilyn wanted to write for an underground paper.
While she is working her regular tour job, and her best friend is having a marital crisis with her partner, and her daughter may be in trouble again with her dad being involved in her business, she works the cold case and has some nice moments with Petito. She also trains to use a firearm since her last case was very dangerous.
The storytelling alternates between Capri's point of view and thoughts to Marilyn's historical point of view and thoughts, weaving past with Capri finding out the information in the present. I enjoyed the colorful feel and characters of the Summer of Love on Haight-Ashbury. I won't spoil the details or the suspenseful conclusions.
I read A Map to Murder. The previous books I read on audio, so I had the voices in my head as there doesn't seem to be an audiobook at this time. I found so many things fun and interesting, including that Capri drives a Volt. I really hope we get more of these stories in either format.
September 23, 2026
A Map To Murder is the third book in A Serial Killers Guide To San Francisco Mysteries by Michelle Chouinard, Capri is wrapping up one of her Haight-Ashburry tour’s, when a young girl named Haley Torres ask her and Ryan if they’ve seen her grandmother Jennifer. already feeling maternal about Haley Capri wants to hear her out, but there’s something else she must do and has to set up a time to meet at a local coffee shop. While this is going on we learn about a girl named Marilyn who in 1968 decided she was going to run away to Haight-Ashbury. through her sparce letters it seems everything is going pretty good for the runaway until her letters stop coming. Little does Capri know but in listening to this missing person story will lead her to solve two crimes but first she has to live through it. I usually do not like starting a book series multiple books in but I didn’t know this was that and he said that I still totally enjoyed this book and didn’t feel like there was much to catch up on there are so many things that’s great about this book the characters Caprise relationship with the detective her found family just everything I loved it and would definitely be up to read another and I think I’m going to do that today. This is a great book for anyone who loves cozy mysteries where the mystery feels authentically solved then you’ll love this book I didn’t feel like they were jumping pegs to get to the end but plotting out a great story instead and I loved it. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview,
October 4, 2026
‘A Map to Murder,’ the third installment in Michelle Chouinard’s ‘A Serial Killer’s Guide to San Francisco,’ is a FIVE STAR delight! It was funny, it was suspenseful, and it was so smartly written! This one might be my favorite of the series so far.
Perhaps my most favorite element, however, is the idea that, over time and as we grow into ourselves, family becomes the people we want in our life; not just those who share the same blood.
With this being the third installment, I also really enjoyed learning more about Capri’s childhood best friend, Heather, and Heather’s wife, Rose. And I enjoy the return to the characters who are central to Capri’s life - her adult daughter Morgan; her boyfriend Officer Petito; and Capri and Heather’s coworker Ryan.
I’ve come to expect the humor embedded in Chouinard’s novels and I appreciate her having a strong female lead who is an empty nester! We need more novels whose characters and heroines are 45+!
Due to this being a series, I would recommend reading the other two books first. I mean, they’re great so you might as well binge the series! However, as with most series, there are brief overviews that skim the surface of the previous books so I think you’d be okay picking up with this one.
Released in September, ‘A Map to Murder’ is available now!
Thank you NetGalley, Michelle Chouinard, and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for a review. Twas a groovy delight ✌🏼☮️
Perhaps my most favorite element, however, is the idea that, over time and as we grow into ourselves, family becomes the people we want in our life; not just those who share the same blood.
With this being the third installment, I also really enjoyed learning more about Capri’s childhood best friend, Heather, and Heather’s wife, Rose. And I enjoy the return to the characters who are central to Capri’s life - her adult daughter Morgan; her boyfriend Officer Petito; and Capri and Heather’s coworker Ryan.
I’ve come to expect the humor embedded in Chouinard’s novels and I appreciate her having a strong female lead who is an empty nester! We need more novels whose characters and heroines are 45+!
Due to this being a series, I would recommend reading the other two books first. I mean, they’re great so you might as well binge the series! However, as with most series, there are brief overviews that skim the surface of the previous books so I think you’d be okay picking up with this one.
Released in September, ‘A Map to Murder’ is available now!
Thank you NetGalley, Michelle Chouinard, and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for a review. Twas a groovy delight ✌🏼☮️
September 28, 2026
This has got to be one of my favorite books in this series!
Capri was actually taken seriously and even she started to understand how annoying she could be to cops when others were messing with the cases she was trying to investigate 🤭
This one had a tad less San Francisco lore than the others but it was still fascinating and had that same nod to the city as the rest. This time though, Capri wasnt just caught up in a cold case but in one that was currently ongoing in the city.
I loved how the two tied in and how all the pieces fit. Chouinard is a genius with words and I was hooked throughout wanting to know.....WHO did it?! The motive was the hardest to guess but we get answers in the very thrillery intense ending 🫢
I cant wait for more of Capri and SF in the next book 🤩
Capri was actually taken seriously and even she started to understand how annoying she could be to cops when others were messing with the cases she was trying to investigate 🤭
This one had a tad less San Francisco lore than the others but it was still fascinating and had that same nod to the city as the rest. This time though, Capri wasnt just caught up in a cold case but in one that was currently ongoing in the city.
I loved how the two tied in and how all the pieces fit. Chouinard is a genius with words and I was hooked throughout wanting to know.....WHO did it?! The motive was the hardest to guess but we get answers in the very thrillery intense ending 🫢
I cant wait for more of Capri and SF in the next book 🤩
September 18, 2026
𝘏𝘶𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘶𝘳 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘙𝘊. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.
NEW FAVE IN THE SERIES ALERT!
This one had everything I loved: cold case, missing woman, Summer of Love era AND dual timelines. It almost felt like a mix of historical fiction and a dual timeline mystery, which was SUCH a fun time.
I also loved getting more time with Capri’s people. At this point I’m obviously here for the murder and chaos, but I’m also so invested in everyone around her.
The mystery itself was wrapped up perfectly. I do wish we got a little more confirmation about one person/family who was investigated because I’m very nosey and didn’t love where they left off.
Definitely my favorite in the series so far and I can’t wait to see where Capri goes next!!
NEW FAVE IN THE SERIES ALERT!
This one had everything I loved: cold case, missing woman, Summer of Love era AND dual timelines. It almost felt like a mix of historical fiction and a dual timeline mystery, which was SUCH a fun time.
I also loved getting more time with Capri’s people. At this point I’m obviously here for the murder and chaos, but I’m also so invested in everyone around her.
The mystery itself was wrapped up perfectly. I do wish we got a little more confirmation about one person/family who was investigated because I’m very nosey and didn’t love where they left off.
Definitely my favorite in the series so far and I can’t wait to see where Capri goes next!!
Read
September 27, 2026This is such an enjoyable series! It isn’t absolutely necessary to have read previous books in the series, but character relationships and secondary story arcs do carry over. The San Francisco tours focused on serial killers and other infamous murders is a unique story premise. The blend of past and present storylines, along with snippets of San Francisco history, creates an interesting reading experience that pulls readers into the story. Great characters, unique series premise and well crafted storylines make this such a fun series! A quick, fast paced, entertaining read!
October 4, 2026
Capri Sanzio returns in the third installment of The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco series. This time, she is drawn into a high-stakes mystery after a young woman approaches her, searching for her long-lost mother. As Capri investigates, she discovers that San Francisco’s Summer of Love was far from the peaceful era it was advertised to be. Can she solve a cold case that has remained buried for decades before the killer turns their sights on her? I had a blast joining Capri on another adventure and seeing her cozy relationship blossom.
Advanced copy provided by Minotaur Books. All opinions are my own.
Advanced copy provided by Minotaur Books. All opinions are my own.
September 7, 2026
Book Review
A Map to Murder by Michelle Chouinard
(The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco series)
Vibes
✔️San Francisco
✔️Summer of love
✔️Communes and cults
✔️Sex, drugs and rock n roll
✔️Freedom to choose
✔️True crime
✔️Murder and missing people
Thoughts
I love seeing all the main and side characters evolve throughout the series - their interwoven storylines give them depth and complexity AND keep the reader entertained
Interspersed throughout are brief news articles covering San Francisco’s seedier past, providing the reader a glimpse into the life of Capri, an investigative journalist
I love cozy mysteries/police procedural/ detective type books where as a reader I get to tease out possible connections and clues- Chouinard’s latest is a perfect read for anyone who likes to ask questions and play detective
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my digital review copy in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.
A Map to Murder by Michelle Chouinard
(The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco series)
Vibes
✔️San Francisco
✔️Summer of love
✔️Communes and cults
✔️Sex, drugs and rock n roll
✔️Freedom to choose
✔️True crime
✔️Murder and missing people
Thoughts
I love seeing all the main and side characters evolve throughout the series - their interwoven storylines give them depth and complexity AND keep the reader entertained
Interspersed throughout are brief news articles covering San Francisco’s seedier past, providing the reader a glimpse into the life of Capri, an investigative journalist
I love cozy mysteries/police procedural/ detective type books where as a reader I get to tease out possible connections and clues- Chouinard’s latest is a perfect read for anyone who likes to ask questions and play detective
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my digital review copy in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for a free review copy.
This is the third book in the Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco series that follows Capri Sanzio who operates a tour business that focuses on visiting places famous for murders around San Francisco. Plus, she also has a podcast. The mysteries in this series are self-contained, so you could read this story without the prior books, but there are supporting character relationships and a romance that builds across the series.
This story splits into a partial dual timeline when a young tour guest that reminds Capri of her daughter asks for her help to find her mother who recently went missing while investigating the disappearance of a relative during the “summer of love” in 1967. The chapters are also interspersed with historical information from Capri’s tours.
This is a solid addition to this series, which has become one of my favorites in recent years. Capri is a mature and intelligent character surrounded by a cast of lovely supporting characters. The mystery captured my interest quickly, and I especially enjoyed the historical aspect of this mystery and learning about the “summer of love”.
Recommended to mystery lovers who enjoy a little history and a romantic element.
This is the third book in the Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco series that follows Capri Sanzio who operates a tour business that focuses on visiting places famous for murders around San Francisco. Plus, she also has a podcast. The mysteries in this series are self-contained, so you could read this story without the prior books, but there are supporting character relationships and a romance that builds across the series.
This story splits into a partial dual timeline when a young tour guest that reminds Capri of her daughter asks for her help to find her mother who recently went missing while investigating the disappearance of a relative during the “summer of love” in 1967. The chapters are also interspersed with historical information from Capri’s tours.
This is a solid addition to this series, which has become one of my favorites in recent years. Capri is a mature and intelligent character surrounded by a cast of lovely supporting characters. The mystery captured my interest quickly, and I especially enjoyed the historical aspect of this mystery and learning about the “summer of love”.
Recommended to mystery lovers who enjoy a little history and a romantic element.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Loved it!
I loved all the history about the Haight-Ashbury section.
I also admired that Capri is packing heat!!
I must have inhaled too much patchouli because I didn’t figure out the bad person until it was revealed.
I was too caught up in the haze of the Haight!!
Thanks NetGalley, Minotaur, and FreshFiction.com for the advance copy.
Find my full review here: https://freshfiction.com/review.php?i...
I loved all the history about the Haight-Ashbury section.
I also admired that Capri is packing heat!!
I must have inhaled too much patchouli because I didn’t figure out the bad person until it was revealed.
I was too caught up in the haze of the Haight!!
Thanks NetGalley, Minotaur, and FreshFiction.com for the advance copy.
Find my full review here: https://freshfiction.com/review.php?i...
September 13, 2026
This is a fun series.
We are following Capri where is still doing her San Francisco tours and her podcast while also finding time to solve murders.
This was a little different then the other two books as we got POVs from the 1960s and how the two timelines twined together.
I like Capri she is not afraid to get herself into trouble. I enjoyed the storyline but not as much as the other two books.
Genre: Mystery
APK: Ebook
Pages: 311
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Series or Standalone: Book 3 in The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco Mysteries Series
We are following Capri where is still doing her San Francisco tours and her podcast while also finding time to solve murders.
This was a little different then the other two books as we got POVs from the 1960s and how the two timelines twined together.
I like Capri she is not afraid to get herself into trouble. I enjoyed the storyline but not as much as the other two books.
Genre: Mystery
APK: Ebook
Pages: 311
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Series or Standalone: Book 3 in The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco Mysteries Series
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.25⭐️ I really liked the first two books in this series so I was excited to get an ARC for this. It followed the same storyline and setup as the previous two books where the main character is trying to solve a murder while also balancing her personal life and career. There is also always flashbacks/background information about an earlier period in time that links with the main story. I enjoyed the mystery in this one more than the first two and I think that’s because of the time period it was based around - the 60s. It was a quick read for me and kept me engaged the entire time. I recommend going and reading the first two if you haven’t already before this one. I will definitely continue to read this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing a free digital ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing a free digital ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
✦⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆✦
✧｡･ﾟﾟ･☾ Review ☾･ﾟﾟ･｡✧
★★★★ ½(Rounded up to 5)
THANK YOU NETGALLEY & MICHELLE CHOUINARD!
💚🌁🔪🗺️💛
I looove these books. By the third one, it's easily become my favorite because the characters are so well developed that I feel like I actually know them. Capri especially really grew on me, and I loved seeing how much she's come into her own throughout the series. The story itself kept me engaged from beginning to end, and I had such a fun time reading it. I really enjoyed the murder investigation and the way someone specifically sought Capri out to solve it; it made for a fresh and entertaining storyline. These books are the definition of a low stakes, cozy mystery. They're smooth, comforting reads that never feel too heavy, making them the perfect palate cleanser between more emotionally intense books.
✧｡･ﾟﾟ･☾ Review ☾･ﾟﾟ･｡✧
★★★★ ½(Rounded up to 5)
THANK YOU NETGALLEY & MICHELLE CHOUINARD!
💚🌁🔪🗺️💛
I looove these books. By the third one, it's easily become my favorite because the characters are so well developed that I feel like I actually know them. Capri especially really grew on me, and I loved seeing how much she's come into her own throughout the series. The story itself kept me engaged from beginning to end, and I had such a fun time reading it. I really enjoyed the murder investigation and the way someone specifically sought Capri out to solve it; it made for a fresh and entertaining storyline. These books are the definition of a low stakes, cozy mystery. They're smooth, comforting reads that never feel too heavy, making them the perfect palate cleanser between more emotionally intense books.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I'm going to give this 3.5 stars.
This was a cute book. Full disclosure, I haven't read the other 2 books in the series, but I'm always intrigued by the covers. For someone who hasn't read the first two, this book did a good job of not dropping me off in the middle of nowhere, but also providing enough information to get me up to speed enough without spoiling anything.
This was a very fun and cute cozy mystery that also had some intense moments. The idea of a city tour around infamous San Francisco crime sites sounds interesting and like something I'd love, honestly. I enjoyed the plot and the characters. The mystery was entertaining and kept me guessing. If you like San Francisco and cozy mysteries then I'd read this book.
Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur for the ARC of this book!
This was a cute book. Full disclosure, I haven't read the other 2 books in the series, but I'm always intrigued by the covers. For someone who hasn't read the first two, this book did a good job of not dropping me off in the middle of nowhere, but also providing enough information to get me up to speed enough without spoiling anything.
This was a very fun and cute cozy mystery that also had some intense moments. The idea of a city tour around infamous San Francisco crime sites sounds interesting and like something I'd love, honestly. I enjoyed the plot and the characters. The mystery was entertaining and kept me guessing. If you like San Francisco and cozy mysteries then I'd read this book.
Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur for the ARC of this book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
1967 - the Summer of Love and ... murder
San Francisco tour guide extraordinaire and true-crime journalist/podcaster Capri gets pulled into searching for Jenny Torres. Jenny came to town to find out all that she could about the death of her aunt Marilyn, who was killed in 1967. Hailey, Jenny's daughter, sought out Capri to help her find her mom, who has been radio silent for several days. Hailey listens to Capri's podcast and joins a tour in an effort to vet Capri. If you haven't read book 1, The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco, and book 2, A Tour to Die For, you won't be lost. This can be read as a standalone. However, I recommend you give them a read as well. The style of the book is to intersperse chapters of historical notes related to the tour and investigation. I haven't fact-checked them, and whether or not true is irrelevant to me; their existence does what I think the author intended - they pull me into Capri's world.
With thoughts of her close calls in the last investigation, Capri is being cautious in wading into the death of Marilyn. As the story unfolds, so many dead ends and so many secrets make it seem like this may just go unsolved, especially given the number of years that have passed. How can Capri find answers when many of the people and places no longer exist? Lots of legwork and searching keep Capri busy while she continues to give tours and support her friends and family. The podcast was less prevalent in this book, and I am not sure how I feel about that.
Capri has ongoing family concerns that cause a couple of sleepless nights. Given how they were woven in, I suspect it may be a book or two before they are resolved. Given Capri's name is Capricorn, fitting for the time period she was investigating, I was disappointed that it took her so long to speak with her mother about the case. Marilyn ran away from home and stayed true to herself. She did not get swept into sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll that she was surrounded by. There were some things I would have liked more details about, but the lack of them did not detract from the story or my enjoyment of it. There were a few "obvious" things, but they too didn't detract from the story for me.
Overall, I think this was a great story. I am looking forward to what's next for Capri and her crew.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #MinotaurBooks for the early read and chance to share my thoughts.
Happy Reading!
San Francisco tour guide extraordinaire and true-crime journalist/podcaster Capri gets pulled into searching for Jenny Torres. Jenny came to town to find out all that she could about the death of her aunt Marilyn, who was killed in 1967. Hailey, Jenny's daughter, sought out Capri to help her find her mom, who has been radio silent for several days. Hailey listens to Capri's podcast and joins a tour in an effort to vet Capri. If you haven't read book 1, The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco, and book 2, A Tour to Die For, you won't be lost. This can be read as a standalone. However, I recommend you give them a read as well. The style of the book is to intersperse chapters of historical notes related to the tour and investigation. I haven't fact-checked them, and whether or not true is irrelevant to me; their existence does what I think the author intended - they pull me into Capri's world.
With thoughts of her close calls in the last investigation, Capri is being cautious in wading into the death of Marilyn. As the story unfolds, so many dead ends and so many secrets make it seem like this may just go unsolved, especially given the number of years that have passed. How can Capri find answers when many of the people and places no longer exist? Lots of legwork and searching keep Capri busy while she continues to give tours and support her friends and family. The podcast was less prevalent in this book, and I am not sure how I feel about that.
Capri has ongoing family concerns that cause a couple of sleepless nights. Given how they were woven in, I suspect it may be a book or two before they are resolved. Given Capri's name is Capricorn, fitting for the time period she was investigating, I was disappointed that it took her so long to speak with her mother about the case. Marilyn ran away from home and stayed true to herself. She did not get swept into sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll that she was surrounded by. There were some things I would have liked more details about, but the lack of them did not detract from the story or my enjoyment of it. There were a few "obvious" things, but they too didn't detract from the story for me.
Overall, I think this was a great story. I am looking forward to what's next for Capri and her crew.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #MinotaurBooks for the early read and chance to share my thoughts.
Happy Reading!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and to St. Martin's Press for the ARC of A Map to Murder by Michelle Chouinard.
This is the third book in the series, and I would recommend reading the previous two first to have the best understanding of the story.
A month ago I had the opportunity to travel to San Francisco for work, and part of the reason I was excited was because of all the historical drops from this series that make the city feel so alive and like its own character. Chouinard continues that in A Map to Murder, and there is much to learn about the Summer of Love, and the ways its mission has been portrayed and distorted in the past fifty years, both for good and for bad.
The book description very accurately sets up the mystery so I won't recap it or expand on it to avoid any spoilers. I do think fans of the series will see a lot of growth in Capri since the first book - her investigative skills are more defined, and she looks before she leaps. It's a positive change for both her own safety and for those she cares about, and it makes her feel more real on the page because she's recognizing the reality of the danger she's pursuing and the actions that must be taken.
Capri and Petito continue their cute romance, though his family history is still shrouded in mystery (maybe for a later book?), and we do see some small and minor developments around Capri's ex husband and her daughter's new attempts at being a landlord. I think it was okay to move the ex-husband arc more to the background of this book because of how consuming Capri's personal life had to be in the first two books and those mysteries - here we see her to start to feel more settled and more willing to ask for help and think critically, and so I think having her further develop before that storyline runs back around is a smart choice.
The mystery was interesting, both because of the historical facts about the Summer of Love and some of its darker history, but also because of the way that Capri is following the leads of someone she has never met based on another person she has never met where most of the contacts are now deceased. It was layered with multiple red herrings, and had a lot of depth by cozy mystery standards. While some people may figure out who the murderer is before the big reveal, I think it's the way that Capri handles it that make this my favorite in the series so far.
This is the third book in the series, and I would recommend reading the previous two first to have the best understanding of the story.
A month ago I had the opportunity to travel to San Francisco for work, and part of the reason I was excited was because of all the historical drops from this series that make the city feel so alive and like its own character. Chouinard continues that in A Map to Murder, and there is much to learn about the Summer of Love, and the ways its mission has been portrayed and distorted in the past fifty years, both for good and for bad.
The book description very accurately sets up the mystery so I won't recap it or expand on it to avoid any spoilers. I do think fans of the series will see a lot of growth in Capri since the first book - her investigative skills are more defined, and she looks before she leaps. It's a positive change for both her own safety and for those she cares about, and it makes her feel more real on the page because she's recognizing the reality of the danger she's pursuing and the actions that must be taken.
Capri and Petito continue their cute romance, though his family history is still shrouded in mystery (maybe for a later book?), and we do see some small and minor developments around Capri's ex husband and her daughter's new attempts at being a landlord. I think it was okay to move the ex-husband arc more to the background of this book because of how consuming Capri's personal life had to be in the first two books and those mysteries - here we see her to start to feel more settled and more willing to ask for help and think critically, and so I think having her further develop before that storyline runs back around is a smart choice.
The mystery was interesting, both because of the historical facts about the Summer of Love and some of its darker history, but also because of the way that Capri is following the leads of someone she has never met based on another person she has never met where most of the contacts are now deceased. It was layered with multiple red herrings, and had a lot of depth by cozy mystery standards. While some people may figure out who the murderer is before the big reveal, I think it's the way that Capri handles it that make this my favorite in the series so far.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Michelle Chouinard’s A Map to Murder was my patio-before-sunrise read this week, and San Francisco during the Summer of Love turned out to be a pretty irresistible place to disappear into while my coffee went cold. Thank you Minotaur Books for the gifted advance copy. Tell me I’m not the only one who hears “decades-old cold case” and immediately decides I’m qualified to solve it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is the third book in The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco series, and I think this may be my favorite one yet. Capri Sanzio is once again doing what Capri does best: giving true-crime tours, asking a lot of questions, and getting herself involved in a case that most sensible people would probably leave to the professionals.
This time, a young woman approaches Capri looking for help finding her missing mother. Her mother had come to San Francisco searching for answers about her aunt Marilyn, who was murdered during the Summer of Love in 1967. A current disappearance tied to an unsolved murder almost sixty years earlier? Yep. I was in.
I especially loved how Michelle brought 1967 Haight-Ashbury into the story. The flower power, communes, Victorian houses, idealism, drugs, runaways, and darker side of the era gave the mystery so much atmosphere without making me feel like I was sitting through a history lesson. The glimpses into Marilyn’s life also made the cold case feel personal.
And Capri has definitely learned a few things after three investigations. She’s still curious enough to walk toward trouble, because apparently we can’t fix everything, but she’s smarter about it now. I also loved catching up with Petito, her daughter, and the people who have become Capri’s little found family.
There were plenty of people for me to side-eye, and I loved watching clues from the past slowly connect with the present. But San Francisco may have stolen the whole book for me. Three books into this series and I’m still wishing Capri’s true-crime tours were real because I would absolutely buy a ticket.
Which decade or historical moment would you love to see at the center of a modern-day mystery?
#AMapToMurder #MichelleChouinard #MinotaurBooks #CozyMystery #MysteryBooks #SanFranciscoBooks #HistoricalMystery #Bookstagram #BookReview
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is the third book in The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco series, and I think this may be my favorite one yet. Capri Sanzio is once again doing what Capri does best: giving true-crime tours, asking a lot of questions, and getting herself involved in a case that most sensible people would probably leave to the professionals.
This time, a young woman approaches Capri looking for help finding her missing mother. Her mother had come to San Francisco searching for answers about her aunt Marilyn, who was murdered during the Summer of Love in 1967. A current disappearance tied to an unsolved murder almost sixty years earlier? Yep. I was in.
I especially loved how Michelle brought 1967 Haight-Ashbury into the story. The flower power, communes, Victorian houses, idealism, drugs, runaways, and darker side of the era gave the mystery so much atmosphere without making me feel like I was sitting through a history lesson. The glimpses into Marilyn’s life also made the cold case feel personal.
And Capri has definitely learned a few things after three investigations. She’s still curious enough to walk toward trouble, because apparently we can’t fix everything, but she’s smarter about it now. I also loved catching up with Petito, her daughter, and the people who have become Capri’s little found family.
There were plenty of people for me to side-eye, and I loved watching clues from the past slowly connect with the present. But San Francisco may have stolen the whole book for me. Three books into this series and I’m still wishing Capri’s true-crime tours were real because I would absolutely buy a ticket.
Which decade or historical moment would you love to see at the center of a modern-day mystery?
#AMapToMurder #MichelleChouinard #MinotaurBooks #CozyMystery #MysteryBooks #SanFranciscoBooks #HistoricalMystery #Bookstagram #BookReview
October 16, 2026
The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco #3
A Map to Murder by Michelle Chouinard
True crime tour guide Capri Sanzio is back for the third time. She's seen it all, is the granddaughter of a serial killer, is the ex wife of a lying failure to succeed creep, and runs her own successful tour guide business. Along with her tours of serial killer haunts and locations, she's doing a tour of Haight-Ashbury, with true crime tales, and serial killer stories abound. The last time a woman in her tour group needed help, things went very badly. Now Capri is asked for help by the daughter of a woman who came to San Francisco to investigate the murder of her aunt during The Summer of Love. Jennifer, is missing now, and maybe she got too close those who might have killed her aunt, despite the fact that the killer must be very old by this time. Or maybe others have a chance of being found out if the woman pushed for information too hard.
Of course, Capri can't leave this alone, especially having been accused of murder in the past and having a serial killer grandfather. Who needs a nice, calm, non dangerous life, Capri is all about going where she shouldn't go, doing what she shouldn't do, and poking those who might be the most likely to harm her. Her boyfriend, Detective Petito (always Detective Potato, in my head), wishes Capri would be less adventuresome but that's not going to happen and as along as they can have their pizza and sleep overs together, he's along for the ride, while telling her "I told you so", after Capri gets herself in more trouble.
I'll be there for the next tour and we know that Capri will find more trouble. But she's a good friend and will do her best to employ friends in need or help strangers who have a killing in the background. You can read this story as a standalone although starting at the beginning of the series really fleshes Capri's background and the San Francisco serial killer scene. Another great buddy read with Jayme who has gone on all these San Francisco tours with me.
Publication September 22, 2026
Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, SMP Early Readers, and NetGalley for this ARC
A Map to Murder by Michelle Chouinard
True crime tour guide Capri Sanzio is back for the third time. She's seen it all, is the granddaughter of a serial killer, is the ex wife of a lying failure to succeed creep, and runs her own successful tour guide business. Along with her tours of serial killer haunts and locations, she's doing a tour of Haight-Ashbury, with true crime tales, and serial killer stories abound. The last time a woman in her tour group needed help, things went very badly. Now Capri is asked for help by the daughter of a woman who came to San Francisco to investigate the murder of her aunt during The Summer of Love. Jennifer, is missing now, and maybe she got too close those who might have killed her aunt, despite the fact that the killer must be very old by this time. Or maybe others have a chance of being found out if the woman pushed for information too hard.
Of course, Capri can't leave this alone, especially having been accused of murder in the past and having a serial killer grandfather. Who needs a nice, calm, non dangerous life, Capri is all about going where she shouldn't go, doing what she shouldn't do, and poking those who might be the most likely to harm her. Her boyfriend, Detective Petito (always Detective Potato, in my head), wishes Capri would be less adventuresome but that's not going to happen and as along as they can have their pizza and sleep overs together, he's along for the ride, while telling her "I told you so", after Capri gets herself in more trouble.
I'll be there for the next tour and we know that Capri will find more trouble. But she's a good friend and will do her best to employ friends in need or help strangers who have a killing in the background. You can read this story as a standalone although starting at the beginning of the series really fleshes Capri's background and the San Francisco serial killer scene. Another great buddy read with Jayme who has gone on all these San Francisco tours with me.
Publication September 22, 2026
Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, SMP Early Readers, and NetGalley for this ARC
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