A Serial Killer's Guide To Marriage by Asia Mackay

 

Haze and Fox, a prolific serial killer duo, have given up their life of crime to settle down and raise a family. While Fox seems to have adapted well, Haze is struggling to come to terms with being a stay-at-home mother.

I love a quirky title and A Serial Killer's Guide To Marriage is certainly quirky. Author Asia Mackay has managed to strike the perfect tone in this satirical take on suburban life.

The vast majority of the story is told from the point of view of Hazel "Haze" Matthews, wife of Nathaniel "Fox" Cobb. The pair see themselves as "good" serial killers because they only murder men who have committed crimes against women, a drastic solution to some of the #MeToo accusations.

If you take away the serial killer element this is really a story about a marriage that's in a rut. While the husband goes out to work daily, the wife is left at home and resentment festers. The precious together time after a child has been put to bed is filled with mundane chatter. We see how having a child changes your whole perspective on life, but it's not always enough to hold a marriage together.

When the storyline switches to Fox we see someone who is handling the radical change in lifestyle far better. Just getting out of the house is a release, however, Fox has other ways of venting his pent-up feelings.

The marriage begins to crumble when Haze accidentally kills a man while out jogging. As she tries to cover up her crime and hide it from her husband along the way, we see frustration and mistrust begin to grow between the pair.

There are a number of sub-plots that really add spice to the story, particularly when Haze unexpectedly makes a female friend at a playgroup. The book opens with a face-off between the pair, so you know where the conclusion is heading. The author manages to keep the reader in suspense, adding a few glorious twists into the mix along the way.

A Serial Killer's Guide To Marriage by Asia Mackay will be published on 14th January 2025 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Headline for a review copy.

Author Details

Asia Mackay is a Chinese Scottish author and mother of four based in London. Asia studied Anthropology at Durham University and began her career in television. She moved to China, presented and produced lifestyle programmes in Shanghai before returning to London where she worked for the likes of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, and subsequently completed a Faber Academy course. Her debut novel Killing It was the Runner Up in Richard and Judy’s Search for a Bestseller competition and Runner Up/ Exceptionally Recognised for the Comedy Women In Print prize.