“Justice will be served…

Therapy just got deadly

When Jess Pendle agrees to attend a support group to meet other women who have lived similar experiences, she doesn’t expect much.

The group has been set up for like-minded women to come together . . .

. . . but when their therapist leaves, they close the blinds and find a new, and altogether more deadly way to support each other . . . “

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of The Serial Killer Support Group by D.B. Stephens. The Serial Killer Support Group is published by One More Chapter today (that’s Thursday 8th May 2025) and is available in paperback, audio and digital formats. I chose to read a free eARC of The Serial Killer Support Group but that has in no way influenced my review.

When Jess Pendle arrives at A&E with her boyfriend, Lewis, by her side she realises that they, as a couple, have reached a new low. Lewis has gradually become aggressive, domineering and violent over the course of their relationship, finally hurting her so badly that she needs have her face stitched back together. The well trained hospital staff read between the lines and offer Jess help. She’s unsure at first, fearing the repercussions, terrified she’ll never be able to escape Lewis’s clutches. But she soon comes to realise that if she doesn’t report Lewis to the police, the next time he could kill her. Returning to her flat, Jess makes the decision to not let Lewis and his intimidating ways win so she reaches out to a local support group for survivors of domestic violence. Unsure what to expect, she arrives late and flustered but the group members are warm and welcoming. Jess comes to rely on the other women in the group, and looks forward to seeing them every Friday, and in return they take her into their confidence. Because this support group is like no other. This support group take matters in their own hands. Dishing out their own deadly version of revenge…

The Serial Killer Support Group is an engaging, revenge-filled thriller that really makes you think. It made for uncomfortable reading at times and rightly so. Not enough is done for the survivors of domestic abuse and here, the author shines a light on the limited resources put into a DV investigation, with victim blaming rife and very few legal restrictions put on the perpetrators. There was also a strong lack of empathy from some of the investigating officers which made my blood boil. I really felt for Jess. The opening chapters are harrowing and upsetting. My heart broke for her as she was led into the hospital whilst being forced to repeat to her bully of a boyfriend the story HE had come up with for her injuries. I willed the medical staff to see through the lie and act, which thankfully they do. However, the system that should be supporting Jess almost immediately lets her down. Days later Lewis is outside her house, threatening her, intimidating her and making empty promises to change. She doesn’t feel safe, she can’t bring herself to leave the house, which is where the support group comes in.

Alongside Jess’s point of view we also hear from DS Sophie Salam. Before long a concerning pattern is noticed. The abusers of the support group women, their husbands, boyfriends and ex’s, are meeting horrible maimings and even death. Horrible, grisly, violent deaths. Sophie is part of the team who initially make the link back to the support group but the police are blinkered. There is a lot of time spent focussing on Sophie’s home life. How she is torn between being the best mother she can be to her young autistic daughter, whilst also doing her demanding job to the best of her ability. My heart again broke for the character. It’s impossible to get the balance right when your child isn’t on the spectrum, so this look into life with an autistic child and their complex needs really highlighted how tough life is for Salam. Particularly with Salam’s own mother, Daya, struggling to cope with Lottie’s sudden changes in mood.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Serial Killer Support Group is a compelling tale. I enjoyed watching Jess change over the course of the book and go from fearful to fearless (well, not quite fearless but she does change and gain a confidence that isn’t there at the start of the book). Lewis’s character was written so well. He gave me the creeps with his multiple ways of intimidating Jess. The things he does are just abhorrent. Chills all over. The other members of the Support Group are interesting but I would have liked to get to know them a little more. Again, I’m hoping this is something the author will build upon in the next book. As a serial killer thriller fan, I thought the ways the Caretaker dispatched of his victims was imaginative, really quite ingenious! Some scenes within the book are quite gory but not excessively so. There is a lot of rage, anger and fury. Revenge is a dish best served… Full stop. Hot or cold, it doesn’t really matter. All in all, I enjoyed the first outing of the Secret Vigilante series and look forward to reading more in the future. An emotional thriller that’s full of rage and violent, unflinching revenge. The perfect book club read as it raises so many interesting questions. Recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Serial Killer Support Group. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

The Serial Killer Support Group by D.B. Stephens was published in the UK by One More Chapter on 8th May 2025 and is available in paperback, audio and digital formats (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | bookshop.org | Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop | damppebbles amazon.co.uk shop | damppebbles amazon.com shop |

DB Stephens is a pseudonym for crime and thriller writer, Darren O’Sullivan.

THE SERIAL KILLER SUPPORT GROUP is the first in the secret vigilante series.

Darren loves nothing more than to talk to readers, it’s a lovely distraction from, you know, the job.