Certainly! “Bad Men” by Julie Mae Cohen is a twisty feminist thriller that introduces us to Saffy Huntley-Oliver, an intelligent and glamorous socialite who also happens to be a proficient serial killer. For the past fifteen years, she has hunted down and dispatched rapists, murderers, and domestic abusers—bad men all. However, leading a double life has left her lonely, especially when dating becomes complicated due to the risk that her boyfriend might turn out to be her next victim1.
Main Character
The main characters in “Bad Men” include Saffy Huntley-Oliver, an intelligent and glamorous socialite who moonlights as a proficient serial killer, and the various bad men she targets. The novel delves into her double life, loneliness, and the risks she faces in her quest for justice.
Plot
Setting
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Certainly! “Bad Men” by Julie Mae Cohen is mostly set in the U.K., primarily in London, with some scenes also taking place in America1. The novel revolves around Saffy Huntley-Oliver, an unhinged but methodical socialite in her twenties who doubles as a serial killer. She targets “bad men” and only kills if she believes her reasons are legitimate—essentially acting as a vigilante. We also follow Jon, a true-crime podcaster, as the story unfolds23.
Themes
Certainly! “Bad Men” by Julie Mae Cohen is a twisty feminist thriller that subverts expectations. Here are some key themes:
- Justice and Vengeance: Saffy Huntley-Oliver, the intelligent and glamorous socialite, takes justice into her own hands by hunting down and dispatching rapists, murderers, and domestic abusers. Her actions blur the line between vengeance and justice.
- Double Lives and Loneliness: Saffy’s dual existence as a serial killer and socialite leaves her isolated. Dating becomes complicated when her boyfriend might unknowingly be her next victim.
- Obsession and Desire: Saffy’s crush on Jonathan Desrosiers, a true-crime podcaster, becomes an obsession. She orchestrates a meet-cute and volunteers to help him clear his name when he becomes the chief suspect in a murder case.
- Satirical Take on Genre: “Bad Men” combines elements of romance, horror, and satire. The happy ending is ironic, and the serial killers are not who you’d expect them to be12.
Conclusion
Certainly! In the conclusion of “Bad Men” by Julie Mae Cohen, Saffy Huntley-Oliver’s obsession with Jonathan Desrosiers, a true-crime podcaster, reaches a critical point. When a decapitated body shows up on Jon’s doorstep, he becomes the chief suspect for a murder he insists he didn’t commit. Saffy volunteers to help Jon clear his name, using every trick up her sleeve to find the real killer and get her man—no matter the cost. Darkly comic and addictively readable, the novel subverts expectations and delivers an ironic, unexpected ending .
