The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson
Mystery/Thriller
2015 Blackstone Audio
Read by Johnny Heller, Karen White, Kathleen Early, Keith Szarabajka
Finished on June 6, 2020
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)
Publisher's Blurb:
A devious tale of psychological suspense involving sex, deception, and an accidental encounter that leads to murder. Fans of Paula Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train will love this modern reimagining of Patricia Highsmith’s classic Strangers on a Train from the author of the acclaimed The Girl with a Clock for a Heart—which the Washington Post said “should be a contender for crime fiction’s best first novel of 2014.”
On a night flight from London to Boston, Ted Severson meets the stunning and mysterious Lily Kintner. Sharing one too many martinis, the strangers begin to play a game of truth, revealing very intimate details about themselves. Ted talks about his marriage that’s going stale and his wife Miranda, who he’s sure is cheating on him. Ted and his wife were a mismatch from the start—he the rich businessman, she the artistic free spirit—a contrast that once inflamed their passion, but has now become a cliché.
But their game turns a little darker when Ted jokes that he could kill Miranda for what she’s done. Lily, without missing a beat, says calmly, “I’d like to help.” After all, some people are the kind worth killing, like a lying, stinking, cheating spouse. . . .
Back in Boston, Ted and Lily’s twisted bond grows stronger as they begin to plot Miranda's demise. But there are a few things about Lily’s past that she hasn’t shared with Ted, namely her experience in the art and craft of murder, a journey that began in her very precocious youth.
Suddenly these co-conspirators are embroiled in a chilling game of cat-and-mouse, one they both cannot survive . . . with a shrewd and very determined detective on their tail.
After I read Swanson's thriller Her Every Fear a few years ago, several friends suggested I read his early book The Kind Worth Killing. Many of those bloggers said it was better than Her Every Fear and now that I've read this one, I have to agree. I didn't like any of the characters, but thoroughly enjoyed this noir thriller, which is full of twists and turns that kept me guessing up until the very end. The audiobook is well done with a strong performance by four narrators, although there were a couple of times when I wasn't sure if I was hearing from Lily or Miranda's point of view. Other than that one minor complaint, this is a compelling, tautly crafted story. Highly recommend!
I am in a place where I cannot get enough of a good thriller! I believe mysteries/thrillers are my absolute favorite, or at least neck and neck with translated literature from which I am now taking a (brief) hiatus. I have just discovered Don Winslow, who has been writing since we began blogging, and now I am devouring everything our library has which he has written. His themes are violent, many evolve around drugs and police, but the dialogue is some of the best I’ve ever read. So many psychological thrillers can disappoint, in that I have felt manipulated by the author, or am reading the same kind of story over and over. I look forward to trying this author of whom you wrote; I have never read him before.
ReplyDeleteHasn’t this pandemic/quarantine been bizarre? And all the protesting afterward, turned violent ...our town was ransacked June 1, and even Barnes and Noble had its windows crushed, while a jeweler ha $30,000 in damages. I am recovering from a surgery on my neck, removing a “pathological node” which is now having a biopsy done, so the world seems to spinning very quickly out of control in several places. Thank goodness for books, since I can’t even go to church! xoxo
Meredith, I read a lot of thrillers a few years ago and eventually got burned out on that genre. I'm currently enjoying Louise Penny's mysteries, which feel more cozy than psychological thrillers, but this book by Swanson came up in my audio queue, so I felt it was time to give it a try. I've not read anything by Don Winslow, and to be honest, I'm not sure they're for me, but my husband might enjoy them, so I'll get one from the library once it's open for business.
DeleteYes, this pandemic/quarantine has been bizarre! We've been sheltering in place for over 80 days and I have a feeling it's going to last quite a while longer, at least in our area. We went from 15 confirmed cases in our county (just shy of 50,000 residents) on June 1st to 161 as of today. There was an outbreak in our bordering town of Newport, so everyone is concerned since it involved a significant portion of the employees at a seafood company. We can't but wonder how many of those employees, who were asymptomatic, went shopping in our grocery store, got takeout from local restaurants, bought gas and used the ATMs, to name just a few places where they could have spread the virus. We have no plans to do any traveling in our RV until at least September. Thank goodness we live in a beautiful spot and are pretty content staying where we are for the time being.
I'm sorry to hear about your neck surgery. I hope you hear nothing but encouraging news about that biopsy! Stay well and be safe! xoxo
This was an excellent read. I don't know why I haven't read any of his other books. Too many books I guess :)
ReplyDeleteIliana, wasn't it good?! I need to look into more of his books, too.
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