Get ready to have your mind blown: What if your worst dating nightmare wasn’t just a bad match, but a literal fight for survival? That’s the thrilling premise of How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates, the debut novel by Shailee Thompson, where horror and romance collide in the most unexpected way. But here’s where it gets controversial: Can a slasher and a rom-com truly coexist in one story? Thompson says yes—and she’s not holding back.
Meet Jamie Prescott, a self-proclaimed cinephile who’s convinced her deep knowledge of slasher films will save her life when a speed-dating event takes a deadly turn. Thompson describes her novel as a ‘killer love story,’ blending the heart-pounding tension of horror with the swoon-worthy charm of a romantic comedy. And yes, the title is a cheeky nod to the iconic rom-com How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days—but don’t expect Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey to show up here. This story is anything but predictable.
And this is the part most people miss: Thompson has never actually been speed dating herself. Instead, she drew inspiration from friends’ experiences and her own time as a high school teacher. ‘Parent-teacher interviews are kind of like speed dating,’ she jokes, explaining how she’d have just 10 minutes to connect with each parent during a marathon night of 28 meetings. ‘You have to make those quick connections, just like in speed dating.’ Still, she did crash a real speed-dating event in New York, where participants got an advance copy of her book. ‘It was surreal,’ she admits.
The idea for the novel sparked from a random Instagram post—yes, social media can inspire genius. Thompson, a millennial, saw a tweet complaining about the lack of Halloween-themed rom-coms. ‘I don’t think they meant a slasher rom-com, but it stuck in my head,’ she says. As a former English, literature, and drama teacher, Thompson has always been fascinated by genre blending. ‘These genres shouldn’t go together,’ she admits, ‘but I wanted to prove they could.’
Here’s the bold part: Thompson isn’t just a writer—she’s a self-proclaimed ‘hopeful romantic,’ inspired by the 1980s film Romancing the Stone, where the protagonist Joan Wilder rejects the label ‘hopeless romantic.’ ‘That’s how I see myself,’ Thompson says. Her novel tackles themes like toxic masculinity and the power of female friendships, but she refuses to pit men and women against each other. Instead, she celebrates the idea that love—even in the face of danger—is worth fighting for.
Thompson’s love for film shines through in every chapter, each opening with a quote from classic romantic movies like When Harry Met Sally or P.S. I Love You. But here’s the twist: she gives these quotes a sinister edge, proving that context and tone can turn even the sweetest line into something chilling. ‘A lot of rom-com quotes could work in a horror film,’ she explains. ‘It’s all about how you frame it.’
So, is How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates a horror novel? A romance? Thompson says it’s both—and neither. It’s a genre-defying adventure that challenges readers to embrace the unexpected. But here’s the question: Can you really fall in love while running for your life? Thompson thinks so—and she’s inviting you to find out. The book is out now, and it’s already sparking debates. What do you think? Is this the mash-up we’ve all been waiting for, or is it a step too far? Let’s discuss in the comments!
