REVIEW: Serial Killer Games by Kate Posey

In Serial Killer Games by Kate Posey, Dolores dela Cruz has been hooked on true crime podcasts for about five years now and is pretty sure she would know a murderer just from a few moments of observing them. Which is why she meticulously watches all of her coworkers. She doesn’t trust them. At all. But Dolores is admittedly interested in the new temp guy, Jake Ripper. Not only does everything about him scream he’s trying to stay under the radar, but he wears leather gloves–strangler gloves–inside during the workday. But as Dolores watches Jack and they play cat and mouse games in the office, she’s not sure they should meet outside of work. Even if she’s so very tempted to find out what Jack is hiding. Her life is complicated enough.

“What’s a reason big enough for murder?”
“Love.”

Jake is used to slipping under the radar at his temp jobs and never calling attention to himself. But from the first day he spies Dolores, dressed in all black with killer red lipstick on, he’s hooked. She seems to have the same morbid sense of humor he does. And she’s a big fan of all things true crime and serial killer related. A woman after his own heart. Too bad Jake has no room in his life at the moment to pursue anything with Dolores. He’d have nothing to offer her given his predicament. But it couldn’t hurt to have a flirtation, right? Except the more he gets to know her, the more Jake realizes they could truly have something special together. Too bad there’s a time limit on their interactions.

“Come out with me tonight,” I say… Her expression is perfectly blank, a masterful poker face.
“To do what? …Serial killer stuff?” she asks. “Or a cozy night at home in your footie pajamas dismembering Barbies?”
And when she says that, it’s all decided for me. She’s every bit as twisted and morbid as me.

Mysterious characters, macabre humor, and heavy subjects dominated SERIAL KILLER GAMES where absolutely nothing was as it seemed–but somehow everything worked out in the best possible way.

‘Even serial killers get their meet-cute.’

CW: View Spoiler »Medically assisted suicide (not detailed), verbal & emotional abuse, grief, depression, accidental death « Hide Spoiler

I will start off by saying SERIAL KILLER GAMES was cleverly written, but it won’t be the type of novel for every reader. It was dark. It was full of quick, super dry banter mostly revolving around true crime podcasts and serial killers. And it had tons of plot twists. But author Kate Posey also based this around two main characters who were in desperate need of friendship and companionship while navigating their serious personal struggles. The addition of found family to the mix, for me, was what pulled it all together. And what managed to give hope and comfort to those in Dolores and Jake’s orbit.

It took me the first third or so of the book to get my bearings and figure out if this was a romance, a thriller, a mystery, or a horror story. And honestly? It was kind of all of those genres to varying degrees. The romance part was very much a slow burn–and way sweeter than I would have assumed from the synopsis. I did have a somewhat difficult time getting a read on Jake and Dolores. At times they seemed like they weren’t necessarily nice people. And then other times they were fairly selfless in how they took care of others.

Throughout their relationship growing and changing, it was this steady back and forth of wondering if they were truly killers–or if Jake was but Dolores wasn’t and vice versa. My opinion changed with nearly every new chapter. But that became part of the draw. To see what Posey threw at them next and what new tidbit would be revealed about the MCs. By the end, I was surprised by how much I wanted to see something good and lasting happen between Dolores and Jake. It might have been an unconventional topsy turvy dark romance, but a romance it most certainly was.

QOTD: Are you a fan of unconventional romance stories?

Book Info:

Publication: Published: April 29th, 2025 | Berkley |

What would you do if you thought your coworker was getting away with murder—literally?

Dolores dela Cruz has been dying to spot one in the wild, and he fits the mold strangler gloves, calculated charm, dashing good looks that give a leg up in any field . . . including fields of unmarked graves.

The new office temp is definitely a serial killer.

Jake Ripper finds a welcome distraction in his combative and enigmatic new coworker. He hasn’t come across anyone as interesting as Dolores in a long time. But when mere curiosity evolves into a darkly romantic flirtation, Jake can’t help but wonder if, finally, he’s found someone who really sees him, skeletons in the closet and all.

Until Dolores asks Jake’s help to dispose of a body . . .

A morbidly funny and emotionally resonant novel about the ways life—and love—can sneak up on us (no matter how much pepper spray we carry).