Amber was born to drifter parents and she’s finally (almost) getting her life together. Except then she’s kidnapped by the Pikachu killer, saved by a random lady with a cattle prod, and then skips town when FBI agent Cabot starts sniffing around her apartment. All in all, starting a new life isn’t easy and definitely not what she was expecting to have to do again. What better place though to start a new life, or at least lay the groundwork for one than Las Vegas, Nevada?

As Amber finally takes time to take in what’s happened to her in the past few days, the woman who saved her life starts sending her cryptic messages. When that woman ends up half dead in front of her hotel room, Amber realizes she maybe in more danger than she originally thought.

Character wise, I loved the characters in this book. Amber is street smart, witty, and overall, a likable character that even has some self-awareness of her current predicament. Meaning, she knows what’s going on is crazy, and isn’t afraid to mention that to the reader. Our supporting cast of characters is fabulous. Marcella and Dot are completely engaging, and I love how they end up taking care of Amber. Grace is a little prickly, but she has her appeal.

The pacing of the story is really what took this down to 3 stars for me. I felt there were a few areas that dragged on and make this 322-page story feel longer than it was. But the sass and banter between the characters, the absurdness of the situation, and the writing still make this a fun read.

I went in expecting Finlay Donovan vibes, and while I got those, it was darker and not quite as funny as I anticipated. Filled with plenty of sarcasm and definitely a unique take on the serial killer theme, this was a fairly enjoyable read. Was the ending a bit predictable? Yes. Was it perfect? No. So 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. It’s a fun read and I’d definitely read more from Gagnon in the future.

AMAZON | GOODREADS |★★★★

Killing Me comes out May 16, 2023. Huge thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.  If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof.books.