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Your next favorite book
is waiting.
by Amy K. Green
No one is supposed to know harmless office worker Gwen Tanner is the vanished daughter of serial killer Abel Haggerty. But a low profile and a new name aren't going to cut it when an obsessive new killer starts targeting her, in this lively and propulsive thriller with a standout voice.
Marin Haggerty, the daughter of a notorious serial killer, was only a child when they arrested her father. Ripped from her home and given a new identity, Marin disappeared.
Twenty years later, Gwen Tanner keeps everyone at a distance, preferring to satirize the world around her than participate in it. It's for her safety—and theirs. But when someone starts sending body parts to her front door, the message is clear: I Know Who You Are.
To preserve her secrets, Gwen must hunt down the killer, a journey which immerses her in the twisted world of true crime fandom and makes her confront her past once and for all. Maybe she is capable of deep, human connections, but she's not the only one keeping secrets. Will opening herself up to others help her find the killer, or remind her why it was necessary she hide her true self in the first place?
The apple never falls too far, after all.
Gwen states very early on that she tries to be normal (e.g., in the way she dresses, in her work, in the men she dates) but that she doesn’t really think she is, given her past. What do you think? Is she normal, or has she been warped by events?
There is no way she can be normal,not from her upbringing. It would have affected her in some way.
-Brenda_Wychock
Dominic’s business is hosting “Abel Haggerty Murder Tours,” taking people to sites associated with Haggerty’s crimes. What’s your opinion of this profession? Have you heard of anything like it in real life? Would you go on such a tour?
Certain people are fascinated by the macabre, the gruesome.Hence the popularity of zombie movies and TV shows. Haunted House tours, in Savannah, for example. It's a way for people who thrive on fear but don't really want to be in any actual danger
-Carol_B
To what audience would you recommend Haven’t Killed in Years? Is there another book or author you feel has a similar theme or style?
For those who enjoy crime/mystery books, this would be a good option. I think some would be putt off with the killing/horrific nature of the story.
-Carol_Reedstrom
Gwen wonders if her infatuation with Elyse is due to “the idea that our lives were both shaped so significantly by [Abel], yet so different. What do you think of her perspective here? In what ways do you think Abel “created” each of the girls?
Their lives were essentially defined by a horrific event. I don't think you could ever not be connected. It changed both of their lives forever.
-Carol_Reedstrom
The book begins: “On the day my mother was released from prison I stubbed my toe four times. Same toe. Four times. It was a statistical anomaly and, in hindsight, a warning that bad things were coming my way.” What did you think of this opening?
I always look forward to the beginning sentence in a new book. Some are very clever but simple and others might make a shocking revelation of what is to come. In this case, it was a great hook.
-Carol_Reedstrom
Gwen tells us that her father was abusive – he cut symbols into her side, sometimes wouldn’t let her eat for days, killed in front of her – yet she bonded with him as a child (p.55). Why do you believe that was?
I think every child wants to be loved by their parents. They will do anything to get acceptance. As a child, Gwen didn't realize the way her family operated was completely wrong.
-Misty_G
Overall, what did you think of Haven’t Killed in Years? (no spoilers, please!)
It was just okay for me. I felt so much more could've been done with the premise. It drags at times.
-Misty_G
Gwen states that “Cody had had the best chance out of all of us. He’d been sent to a loving home with no memories of what had happened. Elyse and I should have been the crazy ones.” Why do you suppose the three’s lives turned out as they did?
I also agree with Joe and Alyssa. I firmly feel that nurture sometimes plays a big part in someone's life and nature.
-Kathleen_Quirk
Gwen finds a dismembered arm in a box at her door and opts to move it to another location to by found by someone else. Why do you suppose she takes this course of action? In her circumstances, do you think her actions were reasonable?
She was trying to maintain her secret identity and keep that life as far away from her as possible
-Kathleen_Quirk
Dominic says, “It feels like there’s a key to life and death, and if I can figure it out, I can transcend it.” Gwen responds, “I think it’s about accepting…that you’re just another thing on this planet.” What’s your take on this conversation?
A thing on the planet has no past or future, no need to think deep thoughts. She has a very practical way of dealing with her life right now. She wants her identity and her past to remain secret. She wants to do her simple job and avoid social situations. She comes up with for her is a practical ...
-Carol_B
At the end of the book, Gwen tells Elyse she knows what happened to Elyse’s family was her fault, and Elyse concurs. Do you think Elyse forgives Gwen? Do you think Gwen forgives herself?
There's a difference between forgiveness and choosing anger over choosing acceptance. I doubt that either character can truly forgive the other. But, in learning the truth about the past events, they may at least find some degree of acceptance of their roles. A person can choose to forgive or not...
-Carol_B
Why do you think Gwen is so protective of Porter, and why she never suspects that he’s involved in the crimes? Did you suspect him at any point?
I was not sure what to make of Porter; to me, he was neither here nor there. Gwen seemed to believe they were true friends, and she would do anything to help him, while he was supportive of her no matter what. I did not suspect Porter, maybe because I thought it would be too obvious.
-Anke_V
Did you read Green’s previous novel, The Prized Girl, and if so, how did it compare to this one?
I did not, but it makes me want to read it now!
-Tracey_S
Who did you suspect of being the person stalking Gwen? Did your opinion shift as you read, or were you pretty sure you knew what was going on throughout?
I agree. It never crossed my mind that it was Natalie.
-Rebecca_Gaulton
Why do you suppose Natalie was able to stalk Gwen for eight years, but Gwen never picked up on her presence?
As Mari_A, Jill, and Carol_N wrote, I think Gwen wasn't anticipating this (at least until she started receiving arms at her door), and Natalie had what it took to be a good stalker. Most of us don't have that ability, but it became her main focus.
-Nathan_G
After Natalie claims to be Marin, Gwen feels partially responsible and thinks, “I had created Natalie all by myself.” What do you think she means? Do you agree with her? What responsibility do you think she bears for Natalie’s behavior?
I think she "created" Natalie in that during their time together she gave Natalie many bits of "wisdom", just as her father did for her. And she helped Natalie in many ways to hide, suppress, or alter some of her worst behaviors. She also gave her ideas (e.g. the poison). But Gwen may be giving h...
-Nathan_G
Why do you think Gwen felt she needed to see Declan Harris after the events of the book? Did she find what she was looking for, in your opinion?
I did not like this scene. I felt like the book should have ended before this. I think she also felt tied to Declan, since she, Natalie, and he all went through the same neglectful/abusive institution as children. But, I don't think that she (or we the readers) gained anything from this. I feel l...
-Alisa_C
Gwen recalls her father telling her, “You cannot assume everyone is out to get you; you have to assume they want something from you…and their want is their weakness.” What’s your opinion about this advice? Do you think it served Gwen well?
Ooh. Didn't think of this. Good forshadowning on the author's part.
-Alisa_C
What did you think of the narrative shift to Natalie’s point of view in Part 2?
I liked the narrative shift, but I love books written from multiple perspectives and/or multiple timelines. And this shift gave me both.
-Alisa_C
What plot twist surprised you the most?
That the boy was still alive. I also did not care for how this was done. I like twists, so long as they seem believable in the logic of the story, but this did not to me.
-Alisa_C
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (11/13/2025)
First this week was https://www.bookbrowse.com/bb_briefs/detail/index.cfm/ezine_preview_number/23280/havent-killed-in-years Haven't Killed in Years by Amy K. Green for the online discussion coming up, which opens tomorrow. I had a little bit of trouble getting into the narrator at first but I ended up thinking i...
-kim.kovacs
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (11/6/2025)
...able I've encountered. Today I'll be starting https://www.bookbrowse.com/bb_briefs/detail/index.cfm/ezine_preview_number/23280/havent-killed-in-years Haven't Killed in Years by Amy K. Green for the online discussion coming up next week, then probably https://www.bookbrowse.com/bb_briefs/detail/index.cfm/ezine_preview_number/23610/theo-of...
-kim.kovacs
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (10/30/2025)
I just finished Hazelthorn, a gothic horror novel, by C.G. Drews and thought it was magnificent. It's strange but hauntingly beautiful. I love when I find a new author. I'm reading Haven't Killed in Years, by Amy K. Green, and I'm enjoying it so far. I am starting the audiobook, The Emperor of Gl...
-jillg
About the Haven't Killed in Years by Amy K. Green Discussion category
...oin BookBrowse in our book club discussion of https://www.bookbrowse.com/bb_briefs/detail/index.cfm/ezine_preview_number/23280/havent-killed-in-years Haven't Killed in Years by Amy K. Green.
-kim.kovacs
"Green ropes readers in with a canny premise and a tantalizing mystery, but the narrative quickly becomes unwieldy, with the relentless pile-on of potential suspects slowing momentum to a crawl. It's a mixed bag." —Publishers Weekly
"The twists and turns of the mystery are revealed at a satisfying pace, keeping readers intrigued." —Library Journal
"Haven't Killed in Years is funny, dark, and captures the loneliness of being the child of a notorious serial killer. Every time I thought I'd figured out the identity of the murderer, a new potential killer revealed themselves on the page. In a book filled with suspects, there was a surprising amount of empathy and friendship to be found." —Tasha Coryell, author of Love Letters to a Serial Killer
This information about Haven't Killed in Years was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Amy K. Green lives on the South Shore in Massachusetts where she works as an accountant on films. She has two plants that haven't died yet.
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