My Father is a Serial Killer (Twisted Family Mysteries #2)

I want to start off by saying that I'm amazed at the writing growth I've seen from Spencer within the past few months since writing his debut novel! Very impressed!

Now onto the review!

My Father is a Seria£ Ki££er is a gripping and twist-laden thriller that takes readers on a chilling journey into the depths of a daughter's suspicion that her father may be a seria£ ki££er. Filled with suspense, fractured memories, and a constant battle between reality and fiction, this novel will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Venus, is the main character and a complex character on top of it, whose life is shattered by a series of gruesome murders that claim the lives of her mother, aunt, and sister.

As Venus embarks on her mission to uncover the truth, Spencer creates an atmosphere of intense suspense and danger. The story is filled with unexpected twists and turns, challenging Venus and the readers alike to distinguish between truth and deception.

This story will keep readers enthralled, eagerly turning the pages to uncover the identity of the elusive serial killer and the fate of Venus. Prepare for a rollercoaster ride of suspense, danger, and a race against time.

I read this as an ARC and this is my honest review.

My Father is a Serial Killer
- Spencer Guerrero

To start, this is the second book of Guerrero’s I’ve read and I kind of started backwards. I started reading Guerrero with My Mother-in-law Must die (which is outstanding if you have not read it yet) and I can clearly see the growth in writing between the two books. I really wish I had started with his first book as my first read so I could have witnessed the growth as I read along. Instead, I kind of feel like I fell backwards with this one. The overall story of My Father is a Serial Killer has great potential but the entirety of the book kind of fell flat for me – it’s still a great read, it just definitely shows he was in the beginning of his writing journey.

My Father is a Serial Killer is a gripping tale that dives into the dynamics of family relationships. It plunges deep into the broken family narrative with a backdrop of crime and psychological turmoil. There are multiple points of view throughout which helps give depth and realism. Guerrero tells us from the beginning the who, it is up to us to find out all the in-between by following along with the FMC, Venus and her husband, MMC Arthur.

The story is crafted with a blend of suspense and emotional depth, exploring the impactful themes of nature vs nurture, identity vs belonging, love vs betrayal, and trauma vs healing. By exploring these themes, Guerrero offers insight into how a child grapples with loyalty to a parent while trying to understand the monstrous actions they commit. Guerrero successfully balances the disturbing elements of the plot with moments of vulnerability and reflection, allowing readers to empathize with the character’s struggle.

While Guerreros’ main character development is one of the standout aspects of the book, his supporting characters were left a little lackluster leaving you with little to no connection with them as they just die off. The levels of complexity that he built up for the father challenge the reader’s perception of good vs evil as he isn’t merely portrayed as the archetype of evil, he is layered with personality. He shows moments of tenderness and charisma pulling the readers into the questionable duality in which he lives his life. This writing style and alternating pacing - ranging from heart-pounding situations to quieter, thoughtful passages, keeps the reader engaged from start to finish while questioning how much of our identity is shaped by our family and how much our environment is responsible for shaping who we are.

Even though the themes of violence and morality can be distressing, they serve as a mechanism for deeper conversations about nature versus nurture, the effects of trauma, and the search for identity. I love that Guerrero does not shy away from the difficult truths of life, making this an impactful read for those willing to face them.
If you are looking for a book that challenges your understanding of morality while keeping on the edge of your seat, My Father is a Serial Killer is worth reading. You will find a complex psychological thriller dealing with family drama, love and morality that keeps the pages turning. Sometimes the most haunting and chilling monsters are the ones we think we know the best.
As always, all opinions and reviews are of my own volition. I have not been promised any compensation by the author, present or future, for my review.

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The title and blurb really drew me in and made me want to read this book.

It's written from the main characters' perspective. Venus introduces us gradually to her dysfunctional family; in fact, most of the characters within this story seem to be fighting their own demons.

As the story progresses, the timeline jumps back and forth over twenty years, clearly established within the chapter headings so you don't lose track. 

It's quite a unique story, as it's almost like reading diary entries. There are a lot of characters, and the deaths are sudden, not really giving you a chance to get to know them or empathise with what happens to them. 

Venus is an online crime reporter and determined to solve the murders of her family members, often putting her, much to her husband's dismay, in extremely dangerous situations. 

The twists and turns definitely keep up the intrigue and spur you to read on. The penultimate chapters are action packed.

Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Father is a Serial Killer by Spencer Guerrero

First things first: the mandatory Spencer Guerrero warning label.
Murder. Physical and psychological abuse. Child abuse. Beatings. Emotional annihilation. Suicide.
Basically, the entire “things you pray never happen to you or anyone you remotely care about” starter pack.

Looking for festive vibes? Warmth? Love? Cocoa by the fire?
Yeah—no.
If decapitated bodies and soul-level trauma aren’t your idea of a cozy read, close this book, back away slowly, and choose peace.

Now. For the rest of us.

You either love Spencer’s writing or you don’t. There is no neutral ground. I am firmly in the weak-in-the-knees-for-murder-and-family-chaos camp. Give me dysfunction, survival mode, and emotional wreckage served at high speed and I’m in. His books are built for binging—fast, brutal, relentless—with emotional brain damage for dessert.

Once I start, there’s no pausing. No “one more chapter.” It’s a hostage situation.

This book is everything you wouldn’t wish on a family—not even the ones you quietly dislike. It’s ugly, furious, and suffocating in the way only Spencer can pull off. It messed with my head. Just a bit. Just enough to leave a mark. He has a gift for shredding trust issues until you don’t even recognize them anymore—and then making you question why you ever trusted anyone to begin with.

It’s chaotic. It’s gut-wrenching. It’s dripping with anger, revenge, and psychological damage. I devoured it.

Four mentally disturbed stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️—because while this was fast-paced, savage, and emotionally unhinged, it didn’t quite ruin me the way Locked in a Stranger’s Room did.

And honestly?
That’s the only reason it’s not five.