Love in the Time of Serial Killers

Phoebe Walsh is obsessed with serial killers and she's (mostly) convinced the guy who lives next door to her father's house is one. She and her estranged brother are working together to get their deceased father's house in good enough shape to sell. Phoebe is facing a lot bad memories from her childhood, finishing her dissertation, and avoiding the guy next door. None of these things are going well.
I really enjoyed this. It made me laugh out loud several times, the plot moved along at a good clip and I really, truly loved how Thompson laid out the relationship with Phoebe and Sam.
What I want to read in a novel like this is growth, growth, growth and Phoebe does grow in this story. Not a spoiler, but Phoebe has relationship issues with EVERYONE, not just hotties next door. Parts of this story were messy and charming and realistic. Relationships can be repaired. It just takes work. What a nice message.