In Katy Brent’s razor-sharp debut novel, How to Kill Men and Get Away With It, we’re introduced to Kitty Collins—Instagram influencer by day, accidental vigilante by night. Set against the glittering backdrop of London’s Chelsea, this wickedly entertaining thriller asks a provocative question: what happens when a privileged young woman decides that some men simply don’t deserve to live?
What begins as self-defense quickly spirals into an addictive pattern of calculated retribution, leaving readers both appalled and oddly satisfied as Kitty, armed with her collection of Japanese kitchen knives and family-owned meat processing facilities, carves her way through London’s most despicable men. Brent’s novel is equal parts black comedy, feminist rage, and psychological thriller—a concoction as intoxicating as the expensive champagne her protagonist so regularly consumes.
The Perfect Anti-Heroine
Kitty Collins is the epitome of privilege—heiress to a meat processing fortune, living in a luxury Chelsea apartment, and making her living as an Instagram influencer with millions of followers. But beneath her perfectly curated exterior lies a traumatic past and a simmering rage that fuels her vigilante justice.
What makes her so compelling is her utter self-awareness. She knows her wealth and lifestyle are ridiculous, but she embraces it while harboring darker secrets. After accidentally killing a man who threatened her, Kitty discovers she has both the means and the taste for eliminating predatory men. With access to family-owned slaughterhouses, she even has convenient body disposal systems at her fingertips.
Brent brilliantly constructs Kitty’s morality: she targets rapists, abusers, and misogynists, creating a vigilante code that readers may find themselves reluctantly approving. Her internal monologue is deliciously sardonic, inviting us to both judge and understand her actions. As she puts it: “I’m killing men, but only men who deserve it.” This moral ambiguity keeps readers tangled in an ethical web throughout.
Dark Comedy Meets Sharp Social Commentary
What elevates How to Kill Men beyond a simple revenge fantasy is Brent’s razor-sharp social commentary. The novel skewers influencer culture, toxic masculinity, and the privilege of Chelsea’s elite with equal fervor:
- The Hollow World of Influencers: Through Kitty and her friends, Brent exposes the performative emptiness behind the perfect Instagram posts and the psychological toll of maintaining appearances.
- Male Entitlement: From dating app predators to music moguls who abuse their power, the novel expertly captures the spectrum of toxic masculinity that women regularly face.
- Wealth and Privilege: The stark contrasts between Chelsea’s ultra-wealthy and the rest of London create a charged backdrop for exploring how power corrupts.
The dark humor running through these themes prevents the novel from becoming too heavy-handed, with Kitty’s deadpan observations providing laugh-out-loud moments even during the most disturbing scenes.
Plot That Keeps You Guessing
The narrative begins with accidental murder but quickly escalates as Kitty develops her taste for vigilante justice. What complicates matters is a mysterious stalker who seems to know everything about her crimes, a budding romance with the genuinely decent Charlie, and increasingly complex relationships with her inner circle.
The second half of the novel takes several unexpected turns, particularly when Kitty’s best friend Hen reveals shocking secrets that upend everything we thought we knew. Without spoiling the climactic revelation, Brent masterfully crafts a third-act twist that recontextualizes the entire story and leaves readers reeling.
The novel’s structure maintains a perfect balance between Kitty’s killings and the development of her personal life, creating a page-turning rhythm that makes it nearly impossible to put down. Each new target introduces higher stakes and deeper moral questions, culminating in a finale that’s both satisfying and tantalizingly open-ended.
Strengths and Weaknesses
What Works Brilliantly:
- Kitty’s voice: Her mordant wit and unflinching honesty make her an irresistible narrator despite her morally questionable actions
- The setting: Chelsea’s exclusive world of privilege creates the perfect playground for exploring themes of power and justice
- The pacing: Brent expertly balances moments of tension with dark comedy
- Social commentary: The novel has plenty to say about gender politics without becoming preachy
Room for Improvement:
- Supporting characters: While Kitty is fully realized, some of her friends initially feel more like archetypes than individuals
- Plausibility stretches: The ease with which Kitty disposes of bodies requires some suspension of disbelief
- Moral complexity: While Brent raises fascinating questions about vigilante justice, some readers might wish for deeper ethical exploration
Comparisons and Context
How to Kill Men and Get Away With It joins a growing subgenre of feminist revenge thrillers that includes works like Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister, The Serial Killer and Bella Mackie’s How to Kill Your Family. It also shares DNA with the television sensation Killing Eve in its exploration of female violence and complex morality.
What distinguishes Brent’s debut is its distinctive balance of social media satire and vigilante justice, along with its unflinching willingness to let its protagonist be both hero and villain. The novel’s exploration of wealth, privilege, and gender makes it both timely and timeless.
Looking Ahead to “I Bet You’d Look Good in a Coffin“
The ending of How to Kill Men and Get Away With It cleverly sets up the sequel, I Bet You’d Look Good in a Coffin, which continues Kitty’s journey. The epilogue suggests that despite her attempts to reform, Kitty’s taste for vigilante justice might be reawakening—teasing readers with the promise of more darkly satisfying adventures to come in the second installment of the Kitty Collins series.
Given the strength of this debut, readers will eagerly anticipate how Brent further develops Kitty’s character and moral dilemmas in the sequel, potentially exploring the consequences of her past actions catching up with her.
Final Verdict
How to Kill Men and Get Away With It is a good read for its addictive blend of dark humor, social commentary, and psychological thrills. Katy Brent has created an unforgettable anti-heroine in Kitty Collins—someone we shouldn’t root for but can’t help admiring.
The novel isn’t perfect—it occasionally sacrifices plausibility for plot momentum, and some moral complexities remain unexplored—but its flaws are easily forgiven in light of its many strengths. Brent’s writing crackles with wit and insight, making even the most disturbing scenes compelling.
This debut announces Brent as a bold new voice in crime fiction who isn’t afraid to push boundaries while entertaining readers. For fans of darkly comic thrillers with complicated female protagonists, How to Kill Men and Get Away With It is an absolute must-read, and the Kitty Collins series promises to be one worth following.
Whether you’re drawn to the social satire, the revenge fantasy, or the psychological complexity, Kitty’s world will pull you in and leave you questioning your own moral compass. Just don’t be surprised if you find yourself cheering for a serial killer—that’s precisely the ethical rollercoaster Brent has designed for her readers to ride.
Perfect for fans of: Killing Eve, My Sister the Serial Killer, How to Kill Your Family, and Sweetpea.