A Tour to Die For by Michelle ChouinardSeries: A Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco Mystery #2
Publication Date: September 23, 2025
Pages: 336
Add the Book on:Goodreads
Rating: ★★★½
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Women Sleuths
Publisher: Minotaur Books / Macmillan
Synopsis:
In Michelle Chouinard’s A Tour to Die For, Capri Sanzio is back, giving a true crime tour her guests won’t soon forget.
A USA Today BestsellerA tour guide who specializes in serial killers knows better than most that San Francisco is a city with killer charm.
Capri Sanzio knows that when you give serial killer walking tours for a living, unexpected situations are more common than San Francisco's famous fog. So, when one of her guests claims to see a woman being attacked during a tour, Capri remains unphased. The police search the apartment in question and find no evidence of anything amiss, so they chalk it up to a false report from a true crime fanatic looking to be a part of a case. And Capri thinks they might be right, since lately her tours have been attracting even more obsessives than usual--as it turns out, finding the actual serial killer who committed the "Overkill Bill" murders didn't stop the constant questions about her grandfather's supposed crimes, it only intensified them.
But Capri would never forgive herself if someone is in trouble and she walks away. Plus, something about the whole situation has every one of Capri's investigative journalist instincts going haywire--why would someone lie about seeing an attack? So Capri starts to dig, and when her questions lead to a body, she finds herself at the center of another murder investigation.
REVIEW
Michelle Chouinard’s A Tour to Die For delivers a gripping blend of suspense, atmosphere, and character-driven intrigue, wrapped in the deceptively charming premise of a guided tour gone wrong. From the outset, the novel pulls you into a vividly drawn setting where curiosity quickly edges into danger. Chouinard’s writing is immersive and controlled, building a steady sense of unease as the story unfolds. A line that captures the tone perfectly: “Some stories are better left buried, but those are always the ones people want to hear.”
What sets this novel apart is its layered storytelling and the way it gradually reveals the darker currents beneath its surface. The characters feel nuanced and believable, each carrying motivations and histories that complicate the central mystery. Chouinard excels at pacing; there’s a deliberate, almost methodical build that keeps the tension simmering while allowing emotional depth to take root. As the pieces start to connect, the sense of inevitability grows, making it hard to look away.
Thematically, the novel explores our fascination with the macabre and the stories we tell about the past. It asks subtle questions about truth, exploitation, and the fine line between education and entertainment when it comes to real-life horror. These elements give the story an added richness, elevating it beyond a straightforward mystery into something more reflective and unsettling.
A Tour to Die For is a smart, atmospheric thriller that balances intrigue with insight, offering a compelling read that lingers well after the final page. Perfect for fans of mysteries with a psychological edge and a strong sense of place, this is a journey well worth taking, even if it comes with a few unexpected dangers along the way.
Content and Trigger Warnings
Here are some content and trigger warnings to consider for A Tour to Die For by Michelle Chouinard:
- Murder and references to past violent crimes
- Discussion of serial killers and true crime history
- Suspenseful and potentially threatening situations
- Psychological tension and fear
- Grief, trauma, and emotional distress
- Obsession with crime and dark subject matter
- Deception, secrets, and manipulation
- Occasional descriptions of crime scenes (generally not overly graphic)
The novel leans more on atmosphere and suspense than explicit detail, but its focus on crime and human darkness may feel intense for some readers.
You might also like
Once you’ve finished A Tour to Die For by Michelle Chouinard, here are some excellent reads with similar blends of atmosphere, true crime fascination, and layered mystery:
- The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard – A smart, meta thriller that explores the lingering impact of past crimes and the obsession with uncovering the truth.
- The Night Swim by Megan Goldin – Combines a gripping investigation with true-crime storytelling, focusing on both mystery and emotional aftermath.
- Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica – A suspenseful, character-driven mystery that gradually reveals secrets tied to past disappearances.
- All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers – A journalist revisits a cold case in her hometown, blending true-crime interest with personal stakes.
- The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel – A dark, atmospheric novel dealing with grief and violence, with a strong emotional core.
- I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara – Nonfiction, but shares the same fascination with true crime, obsession, and the pursuit of justice.
These titles capture similar themes of crime, memory, and the pull of dark stories, often with a strong sense of place and psychological depth.
