I believe in women’s rights, but more importantly I believe in women’s wrongs. Cordelia Black is both a role model and an inspiration, and the world would be a safer place if she was real. 

Is murder the worst crime you can commit? Are there crimes where you think “I wish they were dead” after you learn about them? Do you believe in the death penalty? Depending on your answer to these questions, you might have the same beliefs as Cordelia Black, hand of justice. (Not murder, she doesn’t like to apply such a label to herself. After all, she’s only cleaning up the streets and making them safer, it’s not like she’s doing anything without a purpose!)

I was sucked into Cordelia’s world from the first hints that her outer appearance was more of a facade to a darker pastime. She’s detail-oriented, efficient, and on top of everything - or she was, until a new boyfriend comes into her best friend’s life. Simon. The worst guy you can think of to date a woman with a teen daughter. Flashy, charming, and kind on the surface - but with just something to make you raise your hackles whenever he’s around. Luckily for her chosen family, Cordelia is there to keep them safe.

I loved getting into Cordelia’s head, and found myself rooting for her during the entire novel. I wanted her to get away with it all, and was at the edge of my seat every time something happened that just hinted that she was about to lose it all. This book is filled with red herrings - both in events and characters - and until it’s resolved you’re never certain how it will shake out for Cordelia. Semi-dating a cop on the case of her own murders, a best friend with a shitty boyfriend that she’s trying to figure out how to dispose of, and the pharmaceutical drug she’s a spokeswoman for launching her into an investigation - there’s a lot that could cause her to trip up and make a mistake. 

While I’ve never watched Dexter myself, I did find myself thinking that some scenes were similar in vibe - intensity and comedic relief - as Santa Clarita Diet.. No, there’s no cannibalism or a couple in this book, but some of the situations felt like they’d fit right on a television show. Answering the door to a cop while you desperately try to cover the blood spatter on yourself, refusing to let him in because there’s a dead body in your kitchen? Opening the freezer to jokingly talk to the head you keep in there until you can find a good location to dump it? Hysterical. This book was both intense and hilarious, and I think it’d make an excellent show or movie if it were expanded upon. I, myself, would love to watch Cordelia Black rid the world of evil men. 

If you’re fans of stories centering around serial killers, bad men getting what’s coming to them, and female empowerment, then look no further than This Girl’s a Killer. Cordelia Black is here to keep the streets safe, if only she can stick to her meticulous and proven safeguards and avoid getting caught.