The title alone promises something wild, and I was in the mood for a thriller that’d keep me up past my bedtime. It’s got this premise that hooks you right away—imagine a therapy group gone rogue, filled with women who’ve been wronged, turning their pain into something dark and vengeful.

But while it had its moments, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me the way I’d hoped. The concept initially intrigued me—the “you kill for me, I kill for you” dynamic teased in the blurb, reminiscent of the film Kill For Me (2013) and probably a couple of Lifetime movies, the execution left me with mixed feelings.

Jess Pendle joins a Domestic Violence support group after her boyfriend lands her in the hospital needing stitches. She’s expecting to connect with other women who’ve been through hell. 

I love the idea of these women flipping the script—there’s something satisfying about seeing the underdog bite back. I enjoy a good read or movie in where a woman gets her lick. 

Til about the fifty percent mark, it was starting to read a little Frieda McFadden: here, look this shiny gimmick, so you won’t look at the purse snatcher making off with your wallet. The limp thing with Geoff and The Caretakers POV being he/him had me had me second guessing the blurb. 

Where it stumbled for me was pacing and depth. The buildup was tense, but then it felt like Stephens hit the gas too hard toward the end—everything wrapped up faster than my attempt to assemble a desk (which, trust me, was a disaster). I wanted more time with the characters, especially the group members. They’re a fierce bunch, and you root for them, but I didn’t know them as well as I’d have liked…. At all. Just that they hate abusers because they’re survivors of abuse. Which, yeah. But that’s pretty much a golem of a character in a DV  support group. 

The writing’s easy, though, and there’s a dark humor that sneaks in, which I appreciated. It’s gory at times, but not gratuitous; it fits the tone. Fans of fast-paced thrillers will probably eat this up, especially if you’re into that “justice served cold” vibe. Definitely worth a read if you’re curious, just don’t expect it to linger with you too long after the last page.