Love in the Time of Serial Killers
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4.3 • 22 Ratings
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
One of Cosmopolitan's Best Romance Novels Ever
Turns out that reading nothing but true crime isn't exactly conducive to modern dating—and one woman is going to have to learn how to give love a chance when she's used to suspecting the worst.
PhD candidate Phoebe Walsh has always been obsessed with true crime. She's even analyzing the genre in her dissertation—if she can manage to finish writing it. It's hard to find the time while she spends the summer in Florida, cleaning out her childhood home, dealing with her obnoxiously good-natured younger brother, and grappling with the complicated feelings of mourning a father she hadn't had a relationship with for years.
It doesn't help that she's low-key convinced that her new neighbor, Sam Dennings, is a serial killer (he may dress business casual by day, but at night he's clearly up to something). It's not long before Phoebe realizes that Sam might be something much scarier—a genuinely nice guy who can pierce her armor to reach her vulnerable heart.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Thompson debuts with a lighthearted but shoddily constructed ode to true crime aficionados. Phoebe Walsh first meets her Sam Dennings while moving back into her childhood home in the middle of the night. Sam's neighborly offer to help raises a red flag for Phoebe, as her lifelong love of true crime has taught her to associate this kind of unsolicited kindness with serial killers. Living alone in her late father's house while writing her dissertation on the genre has her understandably on edge, and as Sam continues to exhibit "suspicious" behavior, she sets out to investigate. This fun premise drops off fairly quickly as Phoebe's motive for putting herself in Sam's path morphs from wary curiosity to attraction. Between fixing up her father's home and helping her brother plan a proposal, the pair spend a lot of time together, forcing them to confront their feelings. There's a lot jammed in here, as, in addition to falling in love, Phoebe grieves her father, bonds with her brother, and reconnects with old friends. The result feels slightly too crowded to hit all the emotional notes it aims for. Still, readers who love true crime and romance in equal measure will find plenty to enjoy. Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary.
Customer Reviews
Romance, true crime and crazy family drama!!
I am a big fan of true crime and I was so excited to read “Love in the Time of Serial Killers.” Ms. Thompson’s creative storyline was funny, emotional and full of surprises. Phoebe is witty, brilliant and made me laugh with her in your face attitude. I loved the family dynamics she has with her brother Conner, and Sam’s shyness made their romance even more enjoyable. Phoebe was her own person whose sole focus was finishing her dissertation and securing a teaching position. She tends to guard her heart when it comes to commitment but meeting Sam definitely changed her mind about love.
Phoebe loves shocking people with her vast knowledge of true crime statistics. Not everyone has the stomach for Ted Bundy photos or crime scene diagrams. Phoebe’s love of true crime keeps her mind occupied with the macabre, dark alleys and strangers in the night, and I found it hilarious that Phoebe thought Sam was a serial killer.
Sam may be as shy as Phoebe, but that didn’t stop him from confessing his feelings and pouring his heart out to her. Sam would do anything or go anywhere for Phoebe, but did she feel the same way about him? Phoebe desperately wanted to find her place in the world. Was it in Florida with Sam, so she could also be close to her brother? Will Phoebe receive an offer she can’t refuse and put her desk back on the roof of her Camry, and ride off into the sunset?