Thank you Libro.fm / Simon & Schuster Audio for the ALC and Galley Books for the advanced copy of The Death Row Club in exchange for my honest review
Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press / Simon & Schuster Audio
Published: July 14, 2026
Summary:
SOME THINGS RUN IN THE BLOOD…
A darkly twisted and wonderfully original debut thriller for fans of Riley Sager and Jessica Knoll – at an annual weekend getaway for the adult children of serial killers, the participants begin to wonder if somebody’s continuing the family tradition when one of their number turns up dead.
Plenty of people have lousy parents, but Nicola Fischer’s father has just been convicted of murdering five young women, including her best friend. Fired from her job and hounded by reporters, Nicola passes the time by doomscrolling and drunk-dialling Greer Woods, the alluring host of the hit show To Catch a Killer, who cracked the case and turned Nicola’s life upside down before disappearing along with her so-called ‘best intentions’.
When an email from Greer finally shows up in Nicola’s inbox, there’s no apology or explanation, just a cryptic invitation. The Death Row Club is an annual weekend getaway for the adult children of serial killers – and Nicola is the newest reluctant member. Desperate to escape her small town, she accepts the offer with barely a second thought, forging tentative bonds with her fellow club members, most of whom seem intriguing, and only slightly unhinged.
But when an uninvited guest shows up at their remote wilderness retreat, everyone is put on high alert, and the next morning paranoia turns to outright fear. Because one of their own is dead, and the rest of them are left with only one question.
If the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, which of them is the bad seed?
My thoughts:
I’m still in awe that this is a debut! I had the chance to spend some time with the author at Thrillerfest earlier this Spring and we spoke about the book a bit and I just knew I would like it…but it totally exceeded all my expectations!
This book takes the serial killer trope and turns it on its head…and I loved it! It was so original…so twisty and tackles themes of nature vs nuture, our moral compass and so much more. This isn’t the story you think it is!! I loved that this book was so unpredictable. It made guessing what was coming next impossible! Add in a locked-room vibe and it had me from the get-go.
I am so excited to see what comes next from this talented author…for sure I will be reading whatever it is!
Audio thoughts:
This was narrated by Meg Price and Stephanie Nemeth-Parker and it was fantastic!! They nailed the pacing & infused just the right amount of tension & emotion into their voice as needed.
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