The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco Review: A Cozy Mystery That Earns Its Bite

Read time: 5 minutes

🎧 Listened in Audio | ⏱ Duration: 10 hours
📢 Narrated by: Stephanie Nemeth-Parker
🏷️ Publisher: Macmillan Audio & Minotaur Books
📅 Published: September 24, 2024
🧩 Genre: Cozy Mystery

Book Blurb:

In The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco, Michelle Chouinard introduces us to Capri Sanzio, a true crime tour guide who leads tourists through the darker corners of San Francisco. Her life takes a sinister turn when a copycat killer mimics the murders attributed to her grandfather—infamous serial killer William “Overkill Bill” Sanzio. Convinced of his innocence and desperate to clear her family’s name, Capri dives into the case—only to find herself and her daughter thrust into the police’s spotlight as prime suspects. It’s a smart, atmospheric debut blending cozy charm, mother-daughter dynamics, and just enough grit to keep things unnervingly real.

Let’s talk … murder!

Okay, full confession, I almost didn’t read this one. The title had me in a grammatical spiral for longer than I’d like to admit. I kept thinking, shouldn’t it be “A Serial Killer’s Guide?”, and that small, stubborn part of my grammar-obsessed brain nearly made me miss a truly engaging debut. Turns out, I was the one who needed correcting. It wasn’t until my library holds started unfreezing (and desperation met curiosity) that I gave it a chance, and thankfully so. It’s not a serial killer’s guide. It’s a serial killer tour guide. As in, Capri literally takes people on tours of San Francisco’s darkest history. Once that clicked, the whole premise opened up like a fog lifting over the Bay, and I was genuinely hooked.

The layering is what works beautifully for this story. On the surface, you have a smart, sardonic, and slightly chaotic Capri, basically the perfect cozy mystery heroine, who does true crime tours, and a city that practically narrates itself. But underneath, there’s real emotional weight of a woman trying to clear her grandfather’s name while simultaneously protecting her own daughter from a murder charge. The stakes feel personal, and Capri’s drive to untangle decades of family secrets gives the story a wonderful and engaging momentum. When a new wave of killing erupts, echoing “Overkill Bill’s” crimes, especially when Capri’s ex-mother-in-law becomes a victim, the stakes shoot up. The copycat angle was clever, and I genuinely didn’t see the reveal (both of it) coming, which is always a win. The information about internet fraud was enlightening, even for me. Keep alert, you all!

The Audiobook:

The audiobook, narrated by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker, works beautifully. Because the story is told through Capri’s voice, Stephanie’s steady, personable narration makes it feel like you’re walking beside her on one of those eerie true-crime tours. The pacing is tight, and though familiar at first, the plot twist catch you off guard in the right ways. For a debut novel, Michelle Chouinard knocked it out of the park with a very polished and refreshingly voice-driven story. I already have Book 2 on hold at the library, which honestly says everything.

Would I recommend it?

If you love true crime, amateur sleuths, and a mystery that actually keeps you guessing, this one earns its place. Capri’s fierce loyalty, to both her family and the truth, is spectacular. It’s atmospheric, sharp, and unexpectedly heartfelt. A great start to what promises to be a solid new series. A debut worth celebrating. Jesse Q. Sutanto rightly said on the cover page “I devoured every quirky sentence”.

If You Liked This, Try These:

• Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto — It’s only fair that her book be first on the list, after her recommendation on the cover.
  Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy
• Love in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson — For the true crime obsessive who also wants a slow-burn romance and a protagonist figuring out how to let people in.
  Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy
• Death by Beach Read by Eva Gates – small-town charm meets bookish mystery.
  Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy
• A Cryptic Clue by Victoria Gilbert – for anyone who loves bookish sleuths with a side of family secrets.
  Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy
• The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton – quirky, adventurous tone for readers who enjoy unconventional heroines.
  Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy
  

Is Your TBR Ready for a Murder Tour?

I went in skeptical and came out with a library hold on the sequel, if that’s not a glow-up, I don’t know what is. But I want to know: are you a title-judger like me? Have you ever almost skipped a book because the title threw you off, and then loved it anyway? Drop it in the comments. Let’s compare our almost-DNF redemption arcs.

Book Links

Want to purchase this or any of your favourite books while supporting a local bookstore? Consider purchasing using the sites below. These sites work with independent local bookstore owners to fulfil your book orders. #SupportLocal

Indiebookstores.ca | Bookshop.org
Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy
Follow Michelle Chouinard for the latest on Capri’s journey and when the Book 3 is coming out
Check out more books from Macmillan Audio & Minotaur Books