The Death Row Club

By V. A. Vazquez

About The Book

A dark, dazzlingly original psychological thriller about a woman invited to an annual weekend getaway for the adult children of serial killers...but when one of the participants ends up dead, they begin to wonder if someone among them might be carrying on the family traditions.

When Nicola Fischer’s father is arrested for the murder of five women—including her best friend—the entire world watches it unfold on To Catch a Killer, the hit true crime TV show hosted by Greer Woods. Overnight, Nicola becomes a pariah: fired from her job, drowning in debt, and shunned by everyone she knows. And to make matters worse, Greer—once a budding friend and fellow child of a serial killer—hasn’t returned a single call since the show aired.

Then comes an unexpected invitation to the Death Row Club, a secret retreat for the adult children of serial killers—founded by none other than Greer herself. Desperate for answers and human connection, Nicola agrees to go. At first, it seems like exactly what she needs. The club members are strange but welcoming, and Greer seems eager to mend their fractured friendship.

But when a mysterious girl arrives, claiming her father is a killer too, the club’s fragile peace is shattered, unraveling the buried secrets at its core. By morning, the girl has vanished. By afternoon, one of the club members is dead.

Now everyone is watching Nicola. After all, she’s the daughter of a monster. And monsters raise monsters...don’t they?

Appearances

JUL 13
6:30PM
In Person

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Author's Note
519 Main Street
Medina, NY 14103
JUL 17
7:00PM
In Person

Ashley Winstead and V. A. Vazquez with Jenny L. Howe

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An Unlikely Story
111 South Street
Plainville, MA 02762
AUG 8
12:00AM
In Person

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Framingham Public Library
49 Lexington Street
Framingham, MA 01702
AUG 30
1:00PM
In Person

Moderator for CN Vair (The Devil Knows Her Name)

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Act 4 Books
4 South Main Street
Perry, NY 14530

Reading Group Guide

THE DEATH ROW CLUB: READING GUIDE QUESTIONS

Many of the club members are shaped by their childhood experiences. Which character seems the most profoundly impacted by their parent’s crimes? What aspects of their personality or behavior led you to that conclusion?

At the beginning of the novel, Nicola is ostracized for her father’s crimes and her alleged involvement. Do you think the elementary school was justified in firing her? As a parent, would you feel comfortable having Nicola teach your child?

Greer upends Nicola’s life during the filming of her television show. What ethical responsibilities do you think production crews have to their subjects? Do you think Nicola should have forgiven Greer for her actions?

While most of the club members distance themselves from their parents, others—such as Greer and Zach—choose not to. If someone close to you were convicted of a serious crime, would you maintain a relationship with them or cut ties? How severe would the crime need to be for you to walk away?

The novel offers limited details about the crimes committed by the club members’ parents. Why do you think the author chose to withhold those specifics?

Ros keeps her past, specifically her serial killer father, a secret from her husband and children. Do you believe people have the right to keep parts of themselves hidden from those they love? Under what circumstances, if any, are they morally obligated to disclose the truth?

Kemy and Zach present opposing arguments about the death penalty. Whose position did you find more compelling? Did any character in the novel challenge or change your perspective on capital punishment?

Steffani chooses not to report her abductor to the police. Do you think this was the right decision, or did she have an obligation to come forward? To what extent, if any, is she accountable for the murders that followed?

Greer suggests that Ros has rewritten her childhood memories to include warning signs about her father. Where else in the novel do characters rewrite or reinterpret their pasts? Do you see this revision as protective, harmful, or something in between?

Greer and Nicola end the novel with what appears to be a happy future together. Do you believe their relationship is built to last, or do their personal histories suggest an inevitable breakup?

About The Author

Calvin Thomas
V. A. Vazquez

V. A. Vazquez was born and raised in Buffalo, New York, where she currently teaches English. She received her BA in English from Barnard College and used to live in Scotland in a town inhabited by more sheep than people.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press (July 14, 2026)
  • Length: 336 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781668217627

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Raves and Reviews

"Addictive, smart, and at times terrifying—in the very best way. It's the kind of book that takes a terrific concept and executes it flawlessly. I couldn't, wouldn't put it down. V.A. Vazquez is definitely one to watch." —Clémence Michallon, internationally bestselling author of The Quiet Tenant

“Compelling, provocative, and absorbing. Vazquez thrills with a fresh and unforgettable premise.” –Karin Slaughter, New York Times and #1 international bestselling author

“Dark as sin and voicey as hell, THE DEATH ROW CLUB is one of the most audacious, jaw-dropping, and morbidly funny thrillers I’ve ever read. With her morally gray serial killer progeny in tow, Vazquez streaks onto the scene bright as a comet, one of the freshest and most promising new voices in crime fiction. This twisted delight is bound to be a megahit.” —Ashley Winstead, USA Today-bestselling author of THIS BOOK WILL BURY ME

“The Death Row Club’s fresh, enticing premise is sure to draw you in, but what’ll keep you turning the pages of this brilliant debut novel is V.A. Vazquez’s deft handling of her characters’ complexities and complicities as they grapple with how to forgive their parents, each other, and—most challenging of all—themselves. This is my favorite kind of thriller: nailbiting action mixed with plenty of substance, plus a delicious side dish of sapphic romance!” —Layne Fargo, bestselling author of The Favorites and They Never Learn

"A debut so accomplished and propulsive that it is guaranteed to be the thriller everyone is talking about. Twisty and addictive, I was on the edge of my seat from the first sentence until the last!" –Sian Gilbert, author of She Started It

"Victoria Vazquez has a wicked and wonderful imagination, and a masterful ability to tell a story. I already cannot wait to see what she’ll do next." --May Cobb, bestselling author of The Hunting Wives

"A locked room thriller featuring the adult children of notorious murderers, THE DEATH ROW CLUB delivers on its fascinating premise with a story that’s equal parts tense and twisty. V. A. Vazquez’s nuanced focus on victims—both dead and living—as well as her moody but empathetic prose and diabolically clever plotting make this debut a killer." –Megan Collins, author of Cross My Heart and The Family Plot

“Debut author Vazquez makes a splash with this intense and canny story featuring the distraught daughter of a serial killer . . . [she] makes good on her provocative premise, delivering chills and surprises with aplomb. Readers will be eager to see what the author does next.” --Publishers Weekly 

“Vazquez turns the serial killer trope on its head in this fascinating debut . . . Nicola’s voice grabs the reader on the first page and doesn’t let go.” --Booklist

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The Death Row Club

By V. A. Vazquez
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