No one is supposed to know harmless office worker Gwen Tanner is the vanished daughter of serial killer Abel Haggerty. But a low profile and a new name aren’t going to cut it when an obsessive new killer starts targeting her, in this lively and propulsive thriller with a standout voice.

Marin Haggerty, the daughter of a notorious serial killer, was only a child when they arrested her father. Ripped from her home and given a new identity, Marin disappeared.

Twenty years later, Gwen Tanner keeps everyone at a distance, preferring to satirize the world around her than participate in it. It’s for her safety—and theirs. But when someone starts sending body parts to her front door, the message is I Know Who You Are.

To preserve her secrets, Gwen must hunt down the killer, a journey which immerses her in the twisted world of true crime fandom and makes her confront her past once and for all. Maybe she is capable of deep, human connections, but she’s not the only one keeping secrets. Will opening herself up to others help her find the killer, or remind her why it was necessary she hide her true self in the first place?

The apple never falls too far, after all.

I received a free audiobook of this title courtesy of the publisher. All thoughts are my own.

This is the type of thriller that I really enjoy. It was fast, darkly funny, twisty without being ridiculous, and filled with characters who are just the right amount of morally gray. I flew through this one.

Gwen Tanner lives a quiet life, keeping everyone at arm’s length. What no one knows is that she’s actually Marin Haggerty, the daughter of a notorious serial killer who was caught when she was a child. For two decades, she’s been hiding under a new name, trying to pretend her life is normal. Then, someone finds out who she is and starts sending her pieces of human bodies.

From there, the story becomes a cat-and-mouse chase full of tension, secrets, and dark humor. The killer knows Gwen’s real identity and seems to be taunting her, forcing her to confront her father’s crimes and her own past. You really don’t know who you can trust and there were just the right amount of twists without it feeling overcooked.

I loved Gwen (or Marin, depending on which name you prefer). She’s messy, defensive, and deeply human. She has a biting sense of humor that keeps the story from getting too grim. She’s cynical but not heartless, and even when she makes questionable choices, you get why. She’s carrying decades of trauma and trying to outrun a past that refuses to stay buried. It’s compelling, and it gives her more emotional weight than most thriller protagonists get.

The supporting cast is another strong point. Every side character feels distinct and purposeful. No one is wasted here; and yes, I suspected nearly every single one of them at some point, which is exactly how a good mystery should go.

The book also pokes fun at true-crime culture in a way that feels both clever and unsettling. Gwen’s forced to navigate a world full of people obsessed with her father’s crimes, people who treat serial killers like celebrities. It’s meta without being preachy, and it gives the book an extra layer of bite.

As for the twists—there are plenty. Normally, too many surprises can make a story feel like it’s tripping over itself, but in this case, each reveal fits within the logic of the plot. I wasn’t completely sold on the final reveal at first, but the more I thought about it, the more it clicked. It’s ambitious and a little wild, but it works.

I listened to most of this one on audio, and Stephanie Nemeth-Parker’s narration is spot-on. She captures Gwen’s voice perfectly and gives just enough distinction to the other characters to make the story easy to follow. It’s one of those audiobooks that feels perfectly matched to the material.

If you like your thrillers sharp, character-driven, and a little unhinged, this one is worth adding to your list. It has all the ingredients: a fascinating main character, a killer hook, and a story that’s both tense and weirdly fun. It’s a nice reminder that twisty mysteries can be a blast when they’re done well.

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