Welcome to San Francisco, a city with killer charm.

The chill of a San Francisco summer can be deadly. No one knows this better than Capri Sanzio, who makes her living giving serial killer tours of the city. Capri has been interested in the topic since she was a kid, when she discovered she’s the granddaughter of serial killer William ‘Overkill Bill’ Sanzio. She’s always believed in his innocence, though she’s never taken the leap to fully dive into the case.

But now an Overkill Bill copycat has struck in San Francisco. And Capri’s former mother-in-law, Sylvia, just cut off Capri’s daughter’s tuition payments. Needing cash, Capri wonders if this is the time to exonerate her grandfather. The case is back in the news and the police will be looking to understand the past to catch a present-day killer. Capri could finally uncover the truth about Overkill Bill—documenting the process with a podcast and a book—and hopefully earn some money.

Before Capri can get very far, the cops discover the copycat’s latest Sylvia. Capri soon finds herself at the heart of the police’s investigation for an entirely different reason. She and her daughter are prime suspects.

I received an advance galley and ALC of this book courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

When I went into this book I was expecting more of a dark comedy along the lines of “Love Letters to a Serial Killer”, but it’s actually more of a cozy mystery. While I wasn’t totally blown away by it, I enjoyed it and thought the plot was very creative. I also listened to an advance listener copy while reading the ARC which further enhanced the experience for me.

This book follows a middle-aged woman named Capri Sanzio, a tour guide specializing in tours about famous serial killers in San Francisco. Capri has a connection to serial killers, seeing as how her late grandfather was the infamous serial killer dubbed “Overkill Bill” due to the way he murdered his victims. Despite her father’s unwillingness to discuss his father’s alleged sordid past, Capri embraces the family name – not because she is proud of her grandfather’s alleged crimes, but because she has often wondered whether he was the one who actually committed the crimes. The evidence was all suspect, and over the years, Capri has learned a thing or two about serial killers and how they are investigated.

Her knowledge may come in handy when her wealthy ex-mother-in-law suddenly announces that she will no longer pay for her granddaughter’s (Capri’s daughter) college tuition, putting Capri in a bit of a bind. She doesn’t make enough money to also pay for tuition, so maybe it’s time to start diving into her grandfather’s case and document it through a podcast and accompanying Patreon page. But things take a sinister turn when a copycat killer emulating “Overkill Bill” emerges in the city, putting a spotlight on Capri and her family. How convenient that this started up right as she was about to start looking into her grandfather’s case publicly. Now Capri and her daughter are suspects, and she needs to clear their names alongside her grandfather’s before the killer strikes again.

One of the things that makes the book work so well is the characters. I loved Capri. She was strong, determined and no-nonsense. She wasn’t at all surprised when the police honed in on her, but growing up with her grandfather’s shadow looming over her, she knows a thing or two about serial killers, how crime investigations work, and her rights, which allows her to stay just ahead of the police. I also loved that she ran a tour company that took true crime fanatics around San Francisco and showed where some infamous murderers struck around the city. The rest of the cast is also enjoyable, but Capri really made the story.

While I’m typically not one for cozy mysteries (I like the grit, the shocks, and the thrills of a darker thriller), I ended up enjoying this one. Sure, it was lighter than I typically go for, but I enjoyed watching things come together. While I would have liked a little more on the crimes of “Overkill Bill,” (that storyline really took a backseat to the current murders and Capri’s journey to bring them down), I did enjoy how it all played out.

As far as the audiobook goes, I feel that Stephanie Németh-Parker did an excellent job of narrating the book. The novel is told from Capri’s first-person perspective, and I thought she captured her voice and portrayed her perfectly.

While it isn’t the dark and gritty crime thriller I typically go for, I still enjoyed this cozy mystery. Chouinard’s writing is sharp and engaging, and her ability to weave together an exciting mystery with a compelling family drama makes this book all the more enjoyable. If you’re interested in true crime or if serial killers intrigue you but you like your mysteries on the lighter side, this book is definitely for you.