A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage - by Asia MacKay (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Two former serial killers trying to keep their past buried realize that old habits die hard in this "wildly original, razor-sharp thriller" (Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of All the Colors of the Dark).

"An invaluable manual that I return to again and again."―Hugh Grant

I wasn't smashing the patriarchy; I was killing it. Literally.

Hazel and Fox are an ordinary married couple with a baby. Except for one small thing: they're murderers. Well, they used to be. They had it all. An enviable London lifestyle, five-star travels, and plenty of bad men to rid from the world. Then Hazel got pregnant.

Now, they're just another mom-and-dad-and-baby. They gave up vigilante justice for life in the suburbs: arranged play dates instead of body disposals, diapers over daggers, mommy conversations instead of the sweet seduction right before a kill. Hazel finds her new life terribly dull. And the more she forces herself to play her monotonous, predictable role, the more she begins to feel that murderous itch again.

Meanwhile, Fox has really taken to being a father. Always the planner, he loves being five steps ahead of everyone and knowing exactly what's coming around the bend. Plus, if anyone can understand Hazel needing one more kill, it's Fox. But then Hazel kills someone without telling Fox. And when police show up at their door, Hazel realizes it will take everything she has to keep her family together.

Review Quotes

"An invaluable manual that I return to again and again."--Hugh Grant

"Sexy, stylish, thrilling, and funny . . . Asia Mackay rips up the rulebook in this wildly original, razor-sharp tale of marriage and murder, mundanity and mayhem. I loved it."--Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of All the Colors of the Dark

"Certain to be your sassy, twisted must-read of 2025."--Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal

"Murder has never been so funny. If you liked Mr. & Mrs. Smith, you'll love this original and darkly funny thriller."--Clare Mackintosh, New York Times bestselling author of Hostage

"A killer idea! This is a laugh-out-loud page-turner that has insightful things to say about modern motherhood and marriage. A dark, twisted riot--I loved it from cover to cover!"--Ellery Lloyd, New York Times bestselling author of The Club

"Whip-smart and laugh-out-loud funny . . . I loved every page of this slick, witty thriller."--Andrea Mara, author of Someone in the Attic

"I absolutely gobbled up this darkly funny and clever thriller about one of the most dysfunctional marriages to ever make it onto the page. Loved it."--Katy Brent, bestselling author of How to Kill Men and Get Away with It

"So razor sharp, it had me reaching for the plasters. . . . A fresh and original voice in a genre we're all fascinated with."--John Marrs, bestselling author of What Lies Between Us

"Huge fun with a dark beating heart, a game of cat and mouse with sharpened tooth and claw . . . You won't dare to put it down."--Harriet Tyce, bestselling author of Blood Orange

"A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage had me from page one. It was enthralling, exciting, and so totally badass. Mackay's writing is so compelling and engrossing, and she writes characters that continue to live rent free in your head."--Lucy Vine, author of Seven Exes

"Wildly entertaining . . . Mackay brilliantly exaggerates the stifling aspects of parenthood through the eyes of her charismatic killers, wringing both laughs and pathos from her deliciously outlandish premise. This is sensational."―Publishers Weekly, starred review

"A dark comedy indeed . . . As a metaphor for modern family life, it's entertainingly astute. Fans of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, this one's for you."--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Asia Mackay is the author of two novels published in the UK. After a career in television in China, she returned to London, where she worked for Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman on their round-the-world motorbike documentaries. She started writing her debut novel, Killing It, on maternity leave--it was the runner-up in Richard and Judy's Search for a Bestseller competition and runner-up and exceptionally recognized for the Comedy Women In Print Prize. Asia lives in London with her husband, four young children, and two dogs.