Michelle Chouinard: The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco

In her debut novel (under this name), Michelle Chouinard not only takes on a serial killer but San Francisco:

San Francisco is such a nice city, but boy is it one with a history and no one knows this better than Capri Sanzio who's grandfather was the serial killer known as OverKill Bill, and who now leads serial and crime themed tours around San Francisco. But when an OverKill Bill copycat surfaces, Capri wonders if this is the time to bring out her own family's history and reinvestigate the Overkill Bill murders, as her grandfather said he was innocent till the end. When a Overkill Bill murder happens close to home, Capri finds herself and family the targets of the investigation and now she has two generations of Overkill murders to solve.

I knew as soon as i saw the title of this book i was going to pick it up. Not only did i visit San Francisco for the first time this year, I also did a murder, mayhem and music walking tour while I was there. It was great to revisit San Fransico and actually know a bit of the area that Chouinard was talking about and there was even some cross over with the murder aspect. I mean if you want to talk a history of serial killers and crime you cannot go wrong with choosing San Francisco. I loved the little serial killer facts that Chouinard shares throughout the book and were one of the highlights for me.

Although Chouinard has written novels under a different pen name, I think for the most part this book reads like a debut novel, it was missing a bit of the polish of a more seasoned author by trying to take on a lot in this book. But at the same time, I really enjoyed the approach that Chouinard took with the past and present family drama. I think that Chouinard was able to keep the suspects alive in the book.

Capri is quite a lot in this book, her brain and life are going in so many different directions. She seems like lovely person but man her brain needs a break several times in the book and as a reader I wish I had a break from her every now and then. Do i know which character Chouinard could have given a chapter or two to, No, but I just think there needed to be a break from her.

I liked that Chouinard brought in the white-collar aspect in the book and the nuances of friendships and money with the upper elite. Money and appearance is everything to people in power or people who have money.

I enjoyed this book, Capri is a bit cooky at times, but I enjoyed the twists that Chouinard kept coming even if she tries to do a lot with this book. I would read another book by Chouinard.

Enjoy!!!

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