How I’ll Kill You by Ren DeStefano
Published: March 21, 2023
Berkley
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pages: 352
KKECReads Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Ren DeStefano lives in Connecticut, where she was born and raised. When she’s not writing thrillers, she’s listening to true crime podcasts and crocheting way too many blankets.
Make him love you.
Make him dead.
Sissy has an…interesting family. Always the careful one, always the cautious one, she has handled the cleanup while her serial killer sisters have carved a path of carnage across the U.S. Now, as they arrive in the Arizona heat, Sissy must step up and embrace the family pastime of making a man fall in love and then murdering him. Her first target? A young widower named Edison—and their mutual attraction is instant. While their relationship progresses, and most couples would be thinking about picking out china patterns and moving in together, Sissy’s family is reminding her to think about picking out burial sites and moving on.
Then something happens that Sissy never anticipated: She begins to feel protective of Edison, and before she can help it, she’s fallen in love. But the clock is ticking, and her sisters are growing restless. It becomes clear that the gravesite she chooses will hide a body no matter what happens; but if she betrays her family, will it be hers?
“The only predator in those four walls last night was me.”
Sissy knows that her life is unorthodox. She knows what she and her sisters do is not normal or alright. But it’s her turn, and she is excited. Moody and Iris are nervous about Sissy’s feelings, so they must continuously test her. Edison is a work in progress but is also fairly fragile.
I loved how this book was written. It was such a neat way to tell a story, and I enjoyed it. This was a hard book to put down. I didn’t want to sleep or focus the next day!
The characters are unique, being that they are triplets. But Sissy is our main character and I kind of love her. She really tried to be everything for everyone, but ultimately her heart won, and I love that. Moody was sneaky and bossy, much like I imagine an “older” sister would be. Iris was my least favorite triplet; she just seemed violent and angry.
Edison was flawed but trying, and I loved him for it. I love how he saw Sissy, and even when he was unaware of the plan, he loved her.
This book was intense. It would make an excellent series if done correctly. The plot was wild, and the characters were all well-defined. I was hooked from the first page.
I enjoyed the build-up; just when you think things can’t get any worse, they do. Because, of course, they do! This was such a powerful story of head versus heart and standing alone, even against the family.