The Death Row Club by V.A. Vazquez
Debut Author Interview + Book & Author Info + Author Pet Corner!
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The Death Row Club
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?
To purchase your copy of The Death Row Club, click any of the following links: Bookshop.org, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, BAM! & Audible
The Death Row Club Author Interview
The Death Row Club centers on the children of serial killers. What prompted such a wild premise for your debut?
First and foremost, neither of my parents are serial killers—or at least that’s what they told me when I asked! However, The Death Row Club actually grew out of a real experience from my own life.
In high school, I had a really close relationship with my English teacher. He ignited my love of literature, encouraged me to enter writing competitions, and ultimately inspired me to become an English teacher myself. After graduation, however, he was exposed as a dangerous predator and convicted of multiple crimes. I was completely blindsided and struggled to reconcile this horrifying new information with recollections of a mentor who’d shaped so much of my life.
When I returned to my hometown for my twentieth high school reunion, I found myself revisiting those memories, searching for clues that might have revealed the truth. I started wondering, if I was so shaken by this revelation about my teacher, how must it feel for the children of serial killers when the police come knocking on their door?
The Death Row Club meets for a retreat. Tell us about the location:
I traveled to Washington State to visit some friends and rented a little cabin on Whidbey Island for a week. It was buried deep in the woods (about a forty-minute trek from the main road) with a woodshed beside it, an axe mounted to the outside. The whole thing was straight out of an eighties horror film, and I knew that was where I wanted to set The Death Row Club’s retreat. The novel uses a fictionalized version of the area, because I like having the ability to reshape the geography to fit the story, but the retreat is loosely inspired by that cabin.
The Death Row Club’s protagonist, Nicola Fischer, becomes a pariah when her father’s story goes public on a hit true crime show. I love how you’re integrating popular culture (true crime TV) with your fiction. Are you a true crime fan? If so, what are some of your favorite shows, podcasts, or books?
I’m actually not a huge true crime fan, but I have read almost every memoir written by the child or partner of a serial killer. The two classics in this very niche subgenre are Kerri Rawson’s A Serial Killer’s Daughter and Elizabeth Kendall’s The Phantom Prince, both of which absolutely live up to the hype.
Rawson’s stories about her father (BTK Killer Dennis Rader) are poignant, and she handles the situation with empathy, insight, and small moments of much-needed humor. The epilogue to Kendall’s book, penned by her daughter, demonstrates how two women can view the same relationship in completely different ways. That dynamic became a major inspiration for The Death Row Club.
I also want to recommend Raised by a Serial Killer by April Balascio, who reported her suspicions about her father to the police, leading to his arrest. Fun fact: The editor of Raised by a Serial Killer also edited The Death Row Club, making her an expert on the children of serial killers!
Tell us about your road to publication with The Death Row Club:
Growing up, I spent a lot of time writing but never seriously considered it as a career. It wasn’t until I moved abroad and was waiting for the background check paperwork to clear so I could apply for teaching jobs that my husband suggested I try writing a novel.
I started with the dream of self-publishing or maybe signing with a digital-first press. Querying literary agents never even crossed my mind. Then, in a moment of reckless insanity, I decided to apply for Pitch Wars and was accepted under the mentorship of Ashley Winstead. Ashley convinced me that I was dreaming way too small and helped whip my current manuscript into shape. After the Pitch Wars showcase, I signed with my dream agent, Victoria Sanders. While that manuscript didn’t sell, my next one, The Death Row Club, went to auction within a week of going on submission.
My life completely changed overnight, thanks to Victoria’s tireless advocacy (there’s no one better to have in your corner) and Ashley’s refusal to let me sell myself short.
You spent five years in Scotland, one of my favorite countries to visit. What did you love most about your time there?
The universal healthcare. I never realized how important it was to decouple healthcare from employment until I moved abroad. It gave me the freedom to pursue artistic work full-time, and I accomplished so much during those years. Many thanks to the NHS for everything they do—and here’s hoping we get universal healthcare in the U.S. someday soon!
If you want a less public policy-oriented answer, I loved the hiking culture in the U.K.. Almost every weekend, I would hop on a train to a different trailhead and spend the day wandering the hills while listening to audiobooks. My personal favorites were the Grey Mare’s Tail, Steall Falls (complete with its wonderfully terrifying wire suspension bridge), and Bruar Falls. As you can probably tell, I’ve never met a waterfall hike I didn’t love.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on my second novel, about a freelance executioner who travels to states with capital punishment to oversee lethal injection procedures. During what should be a routine execution in Alabama, she begins to suspect that the condemned man is innocent. Now she has one week to do the impossible: prove his innocence—or execute him herself.
Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers:
Every book you write is a lottery ticket. No one knows for sure what will make a manuscript sell or what will generate buzz. The only thing you can control is writing the best book possible. Read craft books, seek feedback from trusted sources, and tell the story that excites you most.
Great interview! Thank you for joining us.
Author Pet Corner!
Chewy (d. 2026) was with me when I first started seriously writing and remained by my side through nearly my entire journey to publication. We suspect he may have murdered several neighborhood terriers and buried them in the backyard, but officially, their disappearances remain unsolved. Known as Chewcifer, he evaded capture largely thanks to his debonair appearance. (Just look at that bow tie.)
Rest in peace sweet Chewy. You may have been a terrier killer, but you have stolen my heart.
The Death Row Club Author V.A. Vazquez
V. A. (Victoria) Vazquez was born and raised in Buffalo, New York, where she currently teaches English. She received her BA in English from Barnard College and her MS in Teaching from Fordham University.
She’s currently pursuing an MFA in Fiction from Spalding University.
A former Fulbright Distinguished Teacher at the University of Glasgow, she spent five years living in Scotland, in a town inhabited by countless baby sheep.
To learn more about Victoria, click any of the following links: Instagram, Facebook & Website
Elena Hartwell | Elena Taylor
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