You know that thought, the one you have when you read a book, and you just cannot wait for the author to write the next one? This is Alice Hunter. Welcome to my review of “The Serial Killer Gene.”
The book is a psychological thriller centred around one question. ‘What if violence could be inherited?’
While the book introduces several characters throughout, the focus remains on Lily, a young woman whose world is turned upside down when she discovers she may carry a gene linked to violent and psychopathic behaviour. The discovery leads her to question everything. Angry thoughts. Dark secrets. Everything feels dangerous. Alice Hunter uses this primary idea to explore thoughts such as fear and paranoia, looking at how they affect you and how it questions your own sense of self.
You may think that this book could be a deep dive using police investigations or maybe even graphic crime scenes. It isn’t. This book centres on the psychological unravelling of Lily and the way those around her are affected. Lily is driven by a wonder of whether her life actions are biology or just choice. This introduces an intimacy to the novel. You could almost be sitting on the sofa beside Lily wanting to reach out and comfort her.
The book has strong pacing throughout. It does not let up for a minute and the tension simmers. Domesticity is blended with the psychological dread that makes the book hard to put down. The book enables you to keep an emotional attachment to Lily even as she unravels on the pages.
The “serial killer gene” idea is more speculative than scientifically exact, and if you are looking for a realistic exploration of behavioural genetics, you may find the premise exaggerated. But using it as a metaphor for inherited trauma, family dysfunction, and the fear of becoming like those who came before us, it works extremely well. The novel raises compelling questions about whether people are shaped more by biology or by the choices they make or is it a combination of the two?
While some experienced thriller readers may predict parts of the ending, the twists are still satisfying, and the psychological tension keeps the story engaging. A few supporting characters feel less developed compared to Lily’s intense internal narrative, but the atmosphere and suspense more than make up for it.
Overall, The Serial Killer Gene is a tense and addictive psychological thriller with a clever premise and strong emotional suspense. It is best suited to readers who enjoy dark domestic thrillers, unreliable narrators, and morally complex characters.
