How to Get Away with Murder

by Tam Barnett

A delightfully twisty and darkly comic crime thriller, for fans of My Sister, the Serial Killer and How to Kill Your Family I'm obsessed with true crime. All the podcasts, the documentaries... I can't get enough.

And now there's a murderer on the loose where I live. What a rush!

Of course, some people might wonder if it's me. Am I an innocent soul with an unhealthy fascination, or a deadly psychopath?

It's the killer question. After all, I would love to know how to get away with murder…

Tam Barnett's debut novel is perfect for readers of Katy Brent, CJ Skuse or Bella Mackie.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Adult, Contemporary, Psychological Thriller

282 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 27, 2025

Reviews

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐
Genre ~ crime fiction
Setting ~ UK
Publication date ~ January 27, 2025
Publisher ~ Boldwood Books
Est Page Count ~ 274 (p+ 40 chapters)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 3 minutes
Narrator ~ Imogen Church
POV ~ single 1st, present tense
Featuring ~ debut, unreliable narrator, serial killer obsession

Kelli has always been fascinated with serial killers. Not a serial killer himself, but her own father was convicted of killing a man when she was young, so her obsession goes far back. Recently she’s famous for helping catch the notorious The White Widowerer. She even frequently visits him in prison as she pens a book based on him. They have quite the odd relationship. When new bodies begin to turn up in her own back woods she’s on the hunt to figure out who The Nailer is.

Kelli is as unreliable and unlikable as they come. She thinks she’s the cat’s meow and she’s anything but. Speaking of cats she poisons one, which I didn’t care for. She seems to know alot about US killers, which was great and showed research, but she does quite a bit of name dropping. Pretty much all characters were unlikable.

There’s a nice amount of humorous one liners throughout. I really liked this one ~ ‘I’d never hit you, he says, turning to look at me. Bless his innocent cotton socks. ⬅️ that sentence cracked me up!

One thing that bothered me a little is that she barely acknowledged her mother, but when she received a sad diagnosis all of the sudden it seemed like finally she had time to spend with her.

Overall, I liked the concept and the pace was pretty steady. I was surprised about the killer, so that was nice. The author already has his sophomore book coming out this year, so I’ll probably give it a whirl.

Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference.

Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ X

[Aya ☕︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐

I don't know how to feel about this book I really don't like it. I can't excuse cheating for one. No, actually, I hate this book. There are a lot of things that I don't understand, why would she write that note? Why confess your actions to a literal murderer and a psychopath? He's unreliable, you can't trust him or predict his actions. I have a feeling that I can't describe but it absolutely isn't good

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

I got this book a while ago but forgot to read it anyway huge thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the eARC 💕

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[Catherine Victor Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was highly enjoyable!
Even though this was a shorter book at only 274 pages there was a lot of storyline in there.
The story follows journalist Kellie who rose to fame by actually catching a serial Killer 6 years earlier. With her career now dwindling she frantically works on her book about the serial Killer she helped catch who she has now come to befriend. Kellie harbours a deep, dark secret. She is obsessed with serial killers and often wonders could she murder someone? Then all of a sudden several murders occur right in her area and Kellie finds she's too closely involved in this case.
The book is clever enough to keep you guessing and on your toes throughout with just enough twists thrown in to keep the momentum. A fun and quirky read with a good atmospheric dose of eerieness. I did not know what to expect from this but I was pleasantly surprised. I would recommend this one!
Many thanks to Boldworld books for providing me with a copy for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25!
That was so good! Keeps you hooked from the beginning! Some great twists and the ending was crazyyyyy.
I did kinda HATE the main character with all my heart but it's always kinda interesting when the narrator is not the hero and you kinda hate every thought they have haha. Also pretty much all the characters are unlikable in some way but because the plot is so engaging it felt it made up for that.
Its deffo the kind of book you don't put down and read in one sitting - would deffo recommend if you want a good freaky mystery!!

[Vicky Chapman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Initially I loved the first few chapters, and thought it was going to be my kind of book - but sadly it quickly went downhill after that.
I felt the story got so muddy thanks to an unreliable narrator plus a host of unlikable characters, then the plot itself just got silly.
It could have been promising, but this just wasn't for me.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc ebook.

[Barbara Behring · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel was definitely unusual for the fact that almost all the characters were unreliable and you were never sure who did what until the very end.

[Bea (beansbookshelves) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley.

DNF at 65%. Deep down I knew this turn of events would happen, and I didn't like it at all. I never really connected with the main character, but I decided to give her a chance. But as I kept reading, it became more of a chore than reading for pleasure. It just wasn't the right book for me.

[Jessica Huntley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love love loved this book. Right up my street and immediately got sucked into the action. But can we talk about that ending...seriously!? 😭😭😭 Why would you do that to me?

I loved the true crime aspect of this and how the MC was addicted to it. The questions remains: if you knew you could get away with it ... would you commit murdèr? 🤔

[Kayley Cossey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a sick and twisted book but so gripping!
Twists and turns the whole way through & the ending was 😱

[Artemisthepinkreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book for free and I am writing this review voluntarily.

Readers should know before they pick up this book that there are many triggers in the book and it can upset readers. Please check the trigger warnings.

How to Get Away With Murder is for mystery/thriller lovers who want to read a fast paced novel that could be finished in one day.

There is single point of view in the novel. We get to learn her life, her strange addiction to true crime and her relationships from Kelli. Kelli is a crime journalist, and it is safe to conclude that she has an obsession, true crime. She lives with her boyfriend Ben, has two good friends and her mother lives close to her. She also has an enemy, Grayson, which we almost immediately meet at the beginning of the novel.

Kelli has found one serial killer and hopes this is not her last. When killings start in the forest next to her house, she is thrilled (yes, I know it sounds weird). She wants to get the killer first. But things get complicated as the circle around the killer gets smaller.

Did I like this book? Yes. Would I recommend this novel? If you are fine with the triggers and like mysteries, then yes. It is a fast paced novel and everything eventually adds up. It is like a whirlpool with many things are revealed mostly towards the end but if you follow the clues then you might be able to find out before.

[Kelly.M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This grabbed me from the get-go. The minute I finished the prologue with its talk about doing a 'psychopathy checklist', I knew this was a book I was going to enjoy. Although I found the story slow to start, it certainly starts to pick up the pace halfway through. I read the last 60% in an evening.

The story follows the pov of Kelli, a journalist with an obsession for all things true crime that stems from witnessing her dad being sent down for manslaughter. After helping to capture the notorious serial killer known as ' The White Widower', she finds herself a bit lost in life with no real direction insight. When a dead body is discovered close to where she lives, something ignites within Kelli, and she can't help but get herself entangled with another killer on the loose.

As the story progresses, you realise that kelli isn't all she seems, and you realise how unreliable and a little unhinged she is. I've read a few books now with this format, and I really enjoy how it makes you question and doubt everything you think is going on with the plot. Her back story is interesting, and we learn how it has moulded her into the person she is today. I can't say I liked her. She makes you uncomfortable.

I really enjoyed the plot and how it cleverly played out. It is full of unpredictable twists and misdirection. It kept me guessing. What an ending. It didn't even cross my mind. It was one of those OMG moments for me.

It's dark, witty, and clever with a satisfyingly good ending. A killer of a debut to add to your tbr this year!

Thank you to Tam Barnett for my advanced copy through Boldwood Books and Netgalley.

My opinions are my own

[Meghna · Rating 5 out of 5]

5🌟

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Tam Barnett's debut novel is simply brilliant! I really liked this book, the pacing is perfect, keeps you guessing till the very end. It features an unreliable narrator and twists you won't see coming. It's a page-turner, perfect for fans who love serial killer tropes. Some might not love the ending, but for me, it was perfect. I love it when authors surprise me, especially when I think I've figured it all out.

[NrsKelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book seemed to be having an identity crisis. I thought the premise sounded good but the book struggled. The first half showed glimmers of the dark humor promised, but by the second half the book seemed to just be a bit messy…..and predictable.
Perhaps this book should have been titled how NOT to get away with murder…..

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s always said that you should write about what you know but still allow for the imagination.
I think it stretches it too far when men write as women and lately, horrifyingly, neurotypical people writing very badly as neurodivergents.
Here again we have a man writing pretty unbelievably as a woman. I suspect it is because it would simply make the book too dark if the lead character was male. As it is, it tries to lighten what is essentially too much. I like this genre of writing usually but it’s all just too jokey, too cold and it feels like it’s written without empathy.
Aside from it all being rather obvious -he can write and I finished it in two hours. Maybe he should stick to describing the locality he knows ( which he does well) but as a male narrator next time ,in order to add some much needed authenticity.

[Jordyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received this book as an Arc reader in exchange for an honest review. The start of this book had me very interested and captured me, I wasn’t sure where the story was going to go or what plot twists were going to happen. I felt once we hit the halfway point, things seemed to just get quite messy and there was lots of different stories being told and I found it hard to keep track of what the actual plot was meant to be. There was a lot of things from the past being brought up but felt like they didn’t add much to the story. I loved the true crime references though. I felt like the first half of the book is very very good but after that it started to go downhill for me so the rating was 3 stars for me

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read. Which seems like a weird thing to say when you're talking about a book about a serial killer, but what can I say? Tam Barnett made it easy to feel that maybe Kellie's insecurity about whether she was capable of murder was something that grew because of her obsession with serial killers. And she was very obsessed. She could name almost all of the most historical killers in Europe and the US.

Kellie is edgy in all the right ways. She's friends with a prisoner. She lives in her boyfriend's mansion, but despite listening to all the true crime podcasts (or maybe because of them) she's afraid to go up the stairs in the dark. She's got a hate/hate relationship with a fellow news reporter ("...you're a runt with a capital 'C'."). She can't cook ("It's not that I can't cook, but I do often end up using the smoke alarm as a timer." - a girl after my own heart!).

There are some clever twists and witty repartee as the book careens toward the inevitable ending. This was a solid debut thriller by Barnett.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advance reader's copy.

[Kaileigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is perfect for fans of true crime!
Pretty detailed/gory 👀
I think it was well written. I seen a couple things coming, had some guesses that were wrong! 😅
Overall, I enjoyed the book and the ending.

[Miranda Blomberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Försöker komma tillbaka från the mother of all reading slumps så hörde kanske hälften av denna… men det jag hörde var spännande🙃

[Jessica Wilczynski · Rating 2 out of 5]

2⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advanced copy of How To Get Away With Murder.

Kelli has always had a fascination with serial killers and she actually helped find a serial killer. But ever since then she has been different and her fascination has turned into an obsession. Murders start happening near her home and she is concerned that the combination of pills she takes has made her lose time and commit murder. But she would remember right?

I really wanted to like this book but I could not get invested. I did not like any of the characters and none of them were reliable narrators. The plot just got more ridiculous as the book went on. I was not a fan.

[Dominique Kruger-Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I want to thank #NetGalley, #boldwoodbooks and #tambarnett for the opportunity to review this ARC (#HowtoGetAwaywithMurder ) in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This story follows crime journalist Kelli Amari who is a self proclaimed true crime enthusiast. However this is a borderline obsession that she appears to struggle with.

The prologue immediately started with Kelli doing a test “Are you a clinical psychopath?”. This part was brilliant for me because who hasn’t sat and done numerous quizzes completely convinced that it is you. This felt very relatable and likened me to her character. Did this feeling continue the whole book? Not quite- she is a character that you as the reader don’t necessarily like but you want to know what is going to happen with her so you continue her story.

I did not see all of the twists coming, I was surprised by who was actually guilty. However due to some of Kelli's actions I did predict some aspects because I feel there were a few suggestions leading up to some aspects in particular.

My favorite part of this book was the various references to serial killers and their crimes. The book was incredibly well researched and these little facts were worked so well into the book that it flowed and didn’t slow the story but rather added to it.

Initially I did find the book a bit slow to start because I just wasn’t completely sure about it. In the end I managed to read over 50% in one afternoon because I just could not stop reading!

This was definitely a 5⭐️ read for me that I thoroughly enjoyed and would definitely read again and recommend to others!

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not actually related to the tv show of the same name

[evie ✧˖ ° · Rating 3 out of 5]

i have no clue how to feel about this ...

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

How To Get Away With Murder by Tam Barnett, Kelly is a credited with solving the white widow murders a serial killer who she also named. Even after he’s been tried and convicted she is still visiting him and is the only person he’ll speak to about his crimes. There is someone however who holds a grudge over all of Kelly‘s success and that was her prior coworker Rob, who was investigating the white widow case with her. After her 15 minutes of success however her career has taken a downturn until recently when the white widow is now going to be a documentary on Netflix, and to add to that there’s new strange murders happening in the woods close to her home someone is using a nail gun to embed nails into the eyes and esophagus of the victims and Kelly seems hell-bent on breaking the case but so is Rob. Kelly only gets a leg up on the competition when she becomes part of the investigation when the killer starts leaving notes and other things outside of the home she shares with boyfriend Ben. Ever since Kelly’s dad went to jail for manslaughter she’s been obsessed with True Crime his incarceration and death soon after has caused her and her mom to have issues and to make matters worse she thinks her best friend Paula is being beaten by her boyfriend. So many things to worry about and when it’s all said and done those problems will look like recess at a preschool and the winner of the best reporter will definitely be determined. I found this book to be so good but couldn’t decide if I loved or hated her but either way she was definitely entertaining. I do want to say I was shocked when the first thing that was said after all of the violence and debauchery was an acknowledgment to Jesus Christ. I mean he is my Lord and Savior I just had to chuckle that that was the first person she acknowledged. I loved this book and anyone who loves a good mystery with a very original character as theMC you will definitely love this as much as I did or at least I hope you do. #NetGalley, #BoldwoodBooks, #HowToGetAwayWithMurder, #TamBarnett,

[Chloe ˚୨୧⋆｡ 🦢 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Release Date- 27th January 2025.
thank you to NetGalley & ps published for gifting and allowing me to read an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest rating and review.

˚୨୧⋆｡ 4 ☆

Our main character in this novel is Kelli, and similar to Pip from aggtm she is a small town journalist that is obsessed with true crime and documentaries. in this novel we learn that Kelli had caught a prolific serial killer and had her section of fame through being featured in a documentary. Kelli wants more from the criminal action for her to get stuck into, so when there is a murder close to her home, Kelli can’t refuse this chance.

Through most of this book I was thinking “this is a nice cozy comedy mystery” and then bam! we get to the second half of the novel (150 pages+) and we got into thriller territory. I personally did not see any of the twists coming and I absolutely love thrillers and it’s so fun to try and discover who it is, and like per usual I was incorrect. I was completely shocked by the correct and guilty perpetrator. Some of Kelli’s actions I did predict as she was subtle and I feel like there were many suggestions leading up to that.

Overall, this was such an enjoyable and fun arc read and I loved it.
First book of 2025 💫🎊

[Tini · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I guess rule number one of committing the perfect murder would be convincing everyone you weren't contemplating murder at all."

So says Kelli Amari, obsessed with serial killers, a journalist who rose to fame when she herself caught a serial killer. Now firmly back in her small town in the British countryside, having fallen short of the meteoric career she was hoping for after her big break, Kelli is frustrated and more than a little bitter with her life's trajectory, So, when a body is found in the woods behind her house, Kelli is understandably delighted. This could be, after all, her second chance to prove herself, her redemption!

"How to Get Away with Murder" was on the shorter side and fast-paced, which made it an easy, quick read. And props for a shockingly high number of twists in relatively short a book - though most of them were predictable, including the red herrings, I appreciated their placement in the story and thought they were well done.

That being said, while the book started out strong and with some of the dark humor promised in the blurb, it did not live up to its promise for me. Let's start with our unreliable narrator Kelli, who is not only absolutely unlikeable, but - much worse in a book such as this - not nearly as clever as she thinks she is. She constantly makes stupid decisions, one of them being to continue a disturbing relationship with the murderer she "caught" (no thanks to her own skills, though), another one being binging on seriously dark serial killer materials instead of going to therapy, and then being too afraid to go upstairs to bed. And don't even get me started on her actions during the actual murder investigation. That is all well and good - not all characters have to be likeable and/or clever, after all - until, in the second half of the book, we are suddenly told something about Kelli's background that seems meant to not just make her more likeable, but also explain her actions (spoiler alert: it didn't, and it only made me dislike her more, because whyyyyyy was there such a weird cover story that just dragged someone else into the mess?). Something traumatic was made to feel like a cheap plot twist, which really irritated me, even more so because it felt both entirely unnecessary to the plot and ineffective. A redemption arc for Kelli, this was not!

The book itself seemed like it was equally confused about what it was going to be - a darkly comedic take on our society's obsession with murder and true crime, or an intense, suspenseful thriller? While the first half of the book is somewhat humorous, the second half takes itself much too seriously, and by trying to be both, "How to Get Away with Murder" fell flat for me. Finally, it was so procedurally frustrating (not just filled with inept police, which is almost a mandatory requirement in stories like these, but there was no understanding of criminal procedure), it took me right out of the book.

Overall, this would have been closer to a 2.5 star read for me, but the final twists - though not unexpected - were satisfying enough to elevate my rating to 3 stars. This was a debut novel, and it definitely felt like one at times, but I would read more books by this author.

TW: murder (duh), torture, domestic abuse, substance abuse, child sexual abuse, attempted rape.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"How to Get Away with Murder" is slated to be released on January 27, 2025.

[Lata · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kelli is OBSESSED with murder, and doesn't just spend all her time reading and listening to true crime stories, but also covers murder for the paper, and visits a serial killer, whom she helped catch, regularly to discuss murder with him. Her father was convicted of manslaughter years earlier, and she figures her obsession stems from this.

When new bodies begin turning up in her town, Kelly, who has trouble sleeping and takes drugs to help her, fears she's actually killing people. Then her boyfriend is arrested.

So….I did not enjoy this much. I could appreciate the humour Kelli employs in her narration, and I could even enjoy her unreliability as a narrator. But I could just not get into this book. I liked the concept, but the implementation left me cold.

2.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Boldwood Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Boldwood books for providing me to read on Netgalley in advance.
It was a really nicely done thriller with twists, turns and an amazing ending. The book was a delightful thriller read.
The story hooks you from very early on and doesn't let go. Tam Barnett lets us guess along the way who the killer might be and is it even the Kelli herself which is falling apart on her own?
The atmosphere was great - sometimes a little eerie and then quirky and lighter but again tense.
All-in-all a great debut by Tam Barnett.
Looking forward reading more from the author.

[Cara bunnypop_bookstagram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this was one I didn’t want to put down. Hence why I started it yesterday and finished it today!

Does it mean I’m a psychopath that I rather liked Kelli?! 🤣
I mean I do love me some true crime documentaries and serial killer books/shows!

I thoroughly enjoyed this and thought the twists were good and certainly had my suspects along the way!

The research behind some of famous serial killers was great and I very much enjoyed that aspect of the book.

I liked how the book touched on various elements of a few of the characters lives such as domestic violence, depression, abuse, loss and grief.

The chapters were the right length with some good cliff hangers in places!

I have to say I wanted a different ending but again, I didn’t see it coming!! 😳😳

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

[Ky · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded to 4 for GR

First of all, I’d like to thank the publisher, author, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I ate this book UP! The writing flowed well and it had a good pace and made it easy to consume. I thought the storyline was well done, and by the end my jaw was dropped!

I would recommend this to anyone whose into true crime documentaries and has wondered how to get away with murder 👀

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very entertaining book and I gleaned a few ideas.
The list of possible victims keeps growing.............
Strangely enough people tend to leave you alone on public transport when they notice the title of this book.
I liked the author's style of writing and it flowed very easily, even with the relatively short chapters.
There's a good mix of main characters, each with their own flaws.
I shall certainly look out for further books by this author.