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A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage

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A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage

By: M. K. Oliver
Narrated by: Perdita Weeks
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About this listen

The witty and gripping new thriller introducing your new favourite murderous heroine: Lalla Rook.

'Lalla Rook is ruthless, unapologetic and shamelessly murderous, you're going to love her' Gillian McAllister

‘A wickedly dark and hilarious debut … witty, wise and wildly entertaining’ Alice Feeney

'Deliciously dark, clever satire. Lalla Rook is a genius creation. I absolutely loved it!' Shari Lapena

-

There’s a dead body in my living room.

I’ve not called the police because it was I who stabbed him. Seven times in all. The truth is, it’s surprisingly difficult to dispatch someone with a vegetable knife.

In case you’re wondering, the dead man is not my husband. I do resent our pitiful sex life and his woeful lack of ambition, but I wouldn’t murder him for it. Not yet, anyway.

Right now, I have far more pressing concerns: scheming to get my daughter into the perfect school; buying my dream home in Hampstead; and disposing of a corpse.

A woman’s work is never done. I’ve created the perfect life – and I’ll kill to keep it.

Praise for A Sociopath's Guide to a Successful Marriage

‘Scintillating … a sardonic social comedy cunningly disguised as a psychological thriller' Sunday Times, Pick of the Month

'This satirical thriller is the perfect antidote to the winter blues' Guardian

'The most wildly entertaining novel you'll read this year: suspenseful but funny, shocking yet stylish' A. J. Finn

‘Big Little Lies meets Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ Booklist

‘A blackly comic delight … sharply sardonic and unputdownable’ Financial Times

‘A witty, propulsive debut with an anti-hero you can't help but root for’ Mirror

‘Hilariously dark, refreshingly honest, and highly entertaining’ Woman’s Weekly

READERS LOVE LALLA ROOK

‘This one is a wild ride, but in the best way possible … What a main character!!!!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Perfection to read … such a good ride’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘An incredibly fun read! A one-of-a-kind main character … I honestly couldn’t get enough of her. Twisty, sharp, and wildly entertaining’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Witty and wild … an unforgettable female protagonist finding her own way through some very bad days’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Totally chaotic and that's why I adored it … chock full of twists and turns’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

©2026 F & D Creative Ltd (P)2026 HarperCollins Publishers
Crime Fiction Crime Thrillers Domestic Thrillers Literature & Fiction Psychological Satire Thriller & Suspense Exciting Funny Witty Marriage

Critic reviews

'Scintillating … a zany guide, not just to marriage but to parenting, friendship, everyday middle-class battles and getting away with crime. It’s really a sardonic social comedy cunningly disguised as a psychological thriller’ Sunday Times

‘A blackly comic delight […] it’s both sharply sardonic and unputdownable' Financial Times

'Told with gusto, plus wonderfully twisty plotting and lashings of lifestyle porn, this satirical thriller is the perfect antidote to the winter blues' Guardian

‘Lalla is a wonderful creation, utterly appalling and wholly irresistible’ Literary Review

'Lalla Rook is ruthless, unapologetic and shamelessly murderous, you're going to love her. This is a gripping and hilarious read, full of razor-sharp wit' Gillian McAllister, Sunday Times bestselling author of Famous Last Words

'Deliciously dark, clever satire. Lalla Rook is a genius creation. I absolutely loved it!!' Shari Lapena, Sunday Times bestselling author of She Didn't See it Coming

'The most wildly entertaining novel you'll read this year: suspenseful but funny, shocking yet stylish… and sophisticated, too – a story with cold blood in its veins and bright ideas in its head' A. J. Finn, #1 bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

‘A wickedly dark and hilarious debut. The writing is witty, wise and wildly entertaining, with well-drawn characters you will love to hate. Motherland meets Killing Eve. An exciting new voice in the genre. Utterly brilliant’ Alice Feeney, author of Beautiful Ugly

'Deliciously dark and hilariously funny; this book is original, unpredictable, and highly entertaining' Jackie Kabler, author of The Revenge Plot

'Amusing… a sly and satirical caper that will leave readers grinning' Publishers Weekly

'Sharp and funny, and the mystery that drives the story is pleasingly twisty … A terrific entertainment for readers who love an unlikable heroine.' Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

All stars
Most relevant
Thoroughly entertaining from start to finish. The action begins at a canter, then gallops along as characters, plots and sub-plots delevop at a racing pace (in a good way). The humour and wit reach into every aspect of life in leafy North London as well as Muswell Hill. Because M.K.Oliver is a truly gifted writer and observer of the human condition, I found myself rooting for the sociopath! A delightful listen, wonderfully read by Perdita Weeks. Had me smiling and laughing in all the wrong places! A treat! I look forward to their next colaboration! Highly recommended.

Thoroughly entertaining from start to finish!

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This was so well written, and I found myself rooting for the devious heroine the whole time. The characters were fantastic — most of them wonderfully hateful, too!

Loved this!

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This falls firmly into my favourite genre ‘female rage’. Yet, interestingly, the author is a man. It’s a great book. Excellent story, not at all predictable, well written, with well drawn characters. The narration is also excellent, the chosen accent is perfect. Highly recommended. I do hope there is a sequel.

Loved this!

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Firstly I so thoroughly enjoyed this book lalla was fantastic I could have stayed in her head for much much longer , don't know what that says about me haha. But she was hilariously funny and witty as well as devious and deadly.
I want to read more from MK Oliver don't leave us waiting too long.

loved this book !!!

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Loved this book, I can’t wait for the next one. Fantastic narrator and laugh out loud funny.

Funny funny funny

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