Perpich News
Tasha Lamberto Coryell (Literary Arts 2006) Thrills with Debut Novel “Love Letters to a Serial Killer”

Tasha Lamberto Coryell’s (Literary Arts 2006) debut novel, “Love Letters to a Serial Killer”, was published in June, 2024. Photo: © Emily Covington Photography, LLC
July 24, 2024
Tasha Lamberto Coryell (Literary Arts 2006) lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with her husband, son, and greyhound. She holds an MFA and PhD from the University of Alabama. Her stories, essays, and poems have been featured in a multitude of journals, and her debut novel, Love Letters to a Serial Killer, was published in June, 2024. In her free time, Tasha can be found running, cross-stitching, and watching copious amounts of television.
We caught up with Tasha to learn more about her debut novel and how Perpich impacted her path.
Perpich – What can you tell us about your debut novel?
Coryell – “Love Letters to a Serial Killer is a thriller about a millennial woman who is dissatisfied with her life and starts writing letters to an accused serial killer. Eventually, she falls in love with him and gives up her life in order to attend the trial. When he’s acquitted, she has to figure out whether he committed the crimes he was accused of and whether she wants him to be guilty.”
Perpich – How did you learn about Perpich Arts High School?
Coryell – “I was interested in creative writing from a young age and my mom heard about Perpich. I struggled in a traditional school environment where I found the structure to be stifling and was eager for an education where I could focus more on my interest in writing.”
Perpich – What was the experience like for you?
Coryell – “I loved my time at Perpich. There was a lot more freedom regarding the classes I took, which meant that I was able to take courses I was actually interested in. I went from struggling to complete my homework at a traditional school to a straight A student. Because there was more independence, I was well prepped to handle the transition to college as well. After college, I went on to get both an MFA and a PhD. I credit Perpich with giving me a solid base of skills to help me succeed.”
Perpich – What are the connections to your arts high school experience and your current work?
Coryell – “Perpich was where I learned to appreciate every opportunity to work on my writing. John Colburn, who was my writing instructor during my senior year, frequently reminded us that we would never have more time to work on our art than we did at that moment. For my final project, I wrote a novella and still utilize many of the writing processes I developed during that time in my work today. It was during that project that I learned that I was capable of completing longer genres with the goal of eventually writing and publishing a novel.
Although I was fortunate enough to be able to continue to study writing, John’s words stuck with me and I do my best to take advantage of every opportunity that I’m given to write. During my MFA program, I completed a book of short stories as well as two novels. Later, when I was working fulltime and completing PhD coursework, I utilized every small bit of time possible in order to continue working on novel writing, which was a skill that I first learned while at Perpich.”
Perpich – Are there any people or experiences that were particularly important that you’d like to mention?
Coryell – “I will always be grateful to Shannon Hannigan and John Colburn who were the literary arts teachers when I attended Perpich. Shannon even attended the launch of my novel. I also frequently think about Bob Frey’s Urban Geography class, which continues to impact where I live and how I considered the world around me.”
Tasha Lamberto Coryell (Literary Arts 2006) grew up in St. Paul and attended her local public high school before starting at Perpich.
PRAISE for LOVE LETTERS TO A SERIAL KILLER
“Compulsive, twisted and darkly funny—you’ll gobble this one up.”
—Sally Hepworth, New York Times bestselling author of The Soulmate
“I read this book in a single weekend and have been recommending it to people ever since. Fast-paced and thrilling, Love Letters to a Serial Killer is also a compelling character study of a woman who loves the man who might kill her. Coryell’s fiercely witty, intoxicating prose hooked me on page one and never let go.”
—Ana Reyes, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Pines
“I‘m a particular fan of women narrators who have a voice that‘s sardonic, biting, or just straight up self-absorbed. Hannah, the protagonist of Tasha Coryell’s often-hilarious debut is all three, and her black humor communicates truths about the current millennial ennui through her often outlandish remarks.”
—Glamour
“…[A]n unhinged, humorous nail-biter that meets satirical social commentary for a wild, engrossing thrill ride.”
—Seattle Times
“Tasha Coryell’s debut novel, Love Letters To A Serial Killer, may be this summer’s most relatable and entertaining read for millennials….Darkly comic, fast-paced, and thrilling, this is one book you’ll be hard-pressed not to read in one sitting.”
—Bustle
“What a ride. Arch, dark, original and so witty, Love Letters to a Serial Killer is a remarkable and gripping debut.”
—Sarah Pinborough, New York Times bestselling author of Behind Her Eyes
“…Nancy Drew turned up to 11.”
—Parade
“Coryell expertly renders her protagonist’s uneasy perch between love and suspicion, keeping readers as in the dark as Hannah is about William’s true nature until the very end. This is un-put-downable.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Coryell’s engrossing bent comedy isn’t afraid to delve into scathing and frank analyses of modern dating culture, American classism, and serial killer fixation, while still being a thrilling read with twists throughout….Witty, shocking, and wild, this is a must-have mystery.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
“Oh my god. Utterly brilliant. Hannah is so painfully relatable I didn’t know whether to shake her or hug her, but what I could not do was take my eyes off her. I was glued to the very end and I am begging for a sequel!”
—Jesse Q. Sutanto, author of You Will Never Be Me
“A delightfully dark and deranged romp through the mind of one of ‘those women’—you won’t be able to look away from this high-stakes trainwreck of a relationship between Hannah and William, a match made in heaven for the true-crime obsessed.”
—Rachel Koller Croft, author of Stone Cold Fox
“This thriller will leave you questioning everything from the start. It is funny and twisted and you won’t want to put it down until you get the answers. Once you finish it, you will be wishing for a sequel.”
—Culturess
“Deeply disturbing pals up with darkly comic to create one heck of a morbid ride…But as in all good crime books, nothing is as it seems, and the truth sends Hannah—and the reader—spinning in a completely surprising direction.”
—firstCLUE
“This new book offers a fresh twist on the common true crime phenomenon of serial killers receiving love letters and even getting married to their correspondents while still in prison, even while sometimes facing life sentences for their crimes. It remains to be seen if either character lives to see the end of the book, but what is in store is sure to be a compelling thrill ride.”
—Screen Rant
“A well-written, interesting yarn that is part comedy, part drama and 100% cautionary tale…Highly recommended beach read.”
—Game Vortex