Kate Posey’s debut novel Serial Killer Games delivers a wickedly entertaining concoction that defies easy categorization. Part workplace thriller, part macabre romantic comedy, and part heartfelt exploration of family and connection, this book establishes Posey as a distinctive new voice in contemporary fiction.
At its core, Serial Killer Games is about two damaged people finding each other through an unconventional courtship of murder jokes, Halloween decorations, and dismembered dolls. But beneath its gleefully twisted premise lies surprising emotional depth and genuine warmth that elevates it beyond mere shock value.
Plot: Office Cubicles and Body Disposal
The story begins with Dolores dela Cruz, a taciturn office worker who suspects her new coworker, Jake Ripper, of being a serial killer. Jake, meanwhile, is equally intrigued by Dolores, adding her name to a mysterious list of people to “terminate.” What follows is an elaborate game of cat and mouse—though it’s never entirely clear who’s the cat and who’s the mouse.
Their peculiar courtship escalates through increasingly bizarre encounters: dismembered Ken dolls left as gifts, a rooftop almost-confession, and eventually a memorable “date” involving the disposal of a hyperrealistic sex doll belonging to Jake’s roommate. As they circle each other through pranks and provocations, deeper truths about both characters emerge, revealing pasts marred by loss and secrets that bind them together in unexpected ways.
The narrative takes a significant turn when a spontaneous trip to Las Vegas illuminates Dolores’s history as the “Blackjack Widow,” suspected of assisting her terminally ill husband’s suicide years earlier. The revelation coincides with Jake’s disclosure of his own presumed terminal diagnosis, setting up a poignant exploration of mortality, responsibility, and the question of how to construct a future when you believe your time is limited.
The final act deftly brings together threads of workplace subterfuge, family revelations, and a genuinely surprising twist about Jake’s health condition, culminating in a rooftop confrontation that is equal parts hilarious and harrowing.
Characters: Alluringly Broken Protagonists
Serial Killer Games succeeds largely on the strength of its two lead characters.
- Dolores “Dodi” dela Cruz is a magnificent creation—sharp, sardonic, and heavily armored against life’s disappointments. Her caustic exterior belies fierce protective instincts toward her eccentric daughter, Cat. Posey excels at gradually peeling back Dodi’s layers to reveal her vulnerabilities, particularly regarding her late husband’s illness and death.
- Jake Ripper initially appears to be exactly what his name suggests—a potential murderer lurking in corporate camouflage. But Jake’s complexities unfold throughout the narrative, revealing a man who has constructed elaborate coping mechanisms to deal with his presumed terminal diagnosis and dysfunctional family dynamics.
The supporting cast is equally memorable:
- Cat – Dodi’s macabre six-year-old daughter whose Wednesday Addams demeanor masks a child hungry for family connection
- Grant – Jake’s narcissistic roommate with his bizarre collection of sex dolls
- Laura – Jake’s warm-hearted aunt who brings Christmas cheer wherever she goes
- Bill – The curmudgeonly grandfather figure harboring significant secrets
- Cynthia – The HR consultant whose true motivations provide one of the book’s most satisfying twists
Writing Style: Darkly Comedic with Emotional Punch
Posey’s prose is snappy and sardonic, perfectly suited to the book’s twisted premise. Her dialogue crackles with dark humor and sexual tension, while her descriptive passages effectively convey both the sterile corporate environment and the characters’ inner emotional landscapes.
Consider this exchange, typical of the protagonists’ barbed banter:
“Are you kidnapping me? You can tell me the truth,” Cat says.
“I’m not kidnapping you.”
“Oh.” She sounds disappointed, but she rallies bravely.
Or this observation about Dodi’s defensive personality:
“Her sharpness is from all the jagged edges left from every time she’s been bumped and dropped and knocked around, when each trauma sprouted protective shards, poking out like spines.”
What elevates Posey’s writing beyond mere cleverness is her ability to surprise the reader with moments of genuine emotional resonance. Just when you think you’re reading a purely satirical novel, she delivers insights about love, loss, and family that hit with unexpected force.
Themes: Finding Connection Through Shared Darkness
For all its macabre humor, Serial Killer Games ultimately explores deeply human themes:
- The masks we wear – Both protagonists hide behind carefully constructed personas, afraid to reveal their true selves.
- Family as choice – The novel repeatedly interrogates what makes a family, ultimately suggesting that chosen connections can be as meaningful as biological ones.
- Control and mortality – Jake’s presumed diagnosis and Dodi’s experience with her husband’s illness explore how we respond to life’s most uncontrollable aspect: its ending.
- Workplace alienation – The corporate setting provides a perfect backdrop for exploring disconnection in modern life.
- The healing power of honesty – The protagonists’ happiness ultimately depends on their willingness to stop playing games and embrace vulnerability.
Strengths: Where the Novel Excels
- Genre-bending originality – Posey fearlessly combines elements of romance, thriller, workplace comedy, and family drama without losing coherence.
- Perfectly balanced tone – Despite its dark premise, the book maintains an exceptional balance between macabre humor and genuine emotional depth.
- Christmas sequence – The extended holiday section where Jake orchestrates a surprise Christmas for Dodi and Cat showcases Posey’s ability to blend the tender and the twisted.
- Satisfying payoffs – Plot threads established early (like Jake’s mysterious list) are resolved in surprising but logical ways.
- Unconventional love story – Beneath the murder jokes and sex doll dismemberment lies a genuinely touching romance about two damaged people finding acceptance.
Weaknesses: Room for Improvement
Despite its considerable strengths, Serial Killer Games isn’t without flaws:
- Pacing issues – The middle section occasionally meanders, particularly during some of Grant’s more repetitive scenes.
- Suspension of disbelief – While the corporate subterfuge driving Dodi’s work situation is amusing, it occasionally stretches credibility, even within the novel’s heightened reality.
- Some underdeveloped side characters – A few supporting players, particularly in the office setting, remain thinly sketched.
- Abrupt resolution – The climactic rooftop confrontation, while thrilling, wraps up some significant character arcs rather quickly.
Final Verdict: A Wickedly Entertaining Debut
Serial Killer Games marks Kate Posey as an author to watch. Her ability to balance dark humor with genuine emotional stakes creates a reading experience that’s both entertaining and surprisingly moving. The novel’s central relationship between Jake and Dodi evolves from mutual suspicion to real connection in a way that feels earned despite its unconventional trajectory.
While not perfect, the book’s originality and emotional intelligence more than compensate for its occasional missteps. Posey has crafted characters whose broken edges fit together in satisfying ways, and whose journey toward connection feels authentic despite the heightened circumstances.
For readers seeking something outside conventional genre boundaries—something that can make you laugh, gasp, and occasionally tear up—Serial Killer Games delivers an experience as unique as its protagonists.
Who Should Read This Book
Serial Killer Games will particularly appeal to fans of:
- Dark romantic comedies like Caroline Kepnes’s You series
- Workplace satires with teeth, such as Chandler Baker’s Whisper Network
- Unconventional love stories like Sally Rooney’s work, but with a macabre twist
- Character-driven thrillers that prioritize psychological complexity over procedural elements
Readers who appreciate sharp dialogue, morally complex characters, and narratives that blend humor with genuine emotional stakes will find much to love in Posey’s debut. Those seeking purely cozy romances or straightforward procedural thrillers might want to look elsewhere.
The Verdict
Serial Killer Games earns a strong recommendation for its originality, memorable characters, and Posey’s distinctive voice. While not flawless, it’s the kind of debut that signals the arrival of a significant new talent—one who isn’t afraid to push boundaries while still delivering emotional satisfaction.
As strange as it might sound for a book featuring dismembered dolls and rooftop confrontations, what lingers most after finishing Serial Killer Games is its surprisingly tender heart. Beneath all the murder jokes and workplace espionage beats a story about finding someone who sees your darkness and loves you anyway—skeletons in the closet and all.