Thrillers & Suspense
![Peter Swanson - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B00E5TKWX2.jpg)
The Kind Worth Killing: A Novel
A devious tale of psychological suspense so irresistible that it prompts Entertainment Weekly to ask, "Is The Kind Worth Killing the next Gone Girl?" From one of the hottest new thriller writers, Peter Swanson, a name you may not know yet (but soon will), this is his breakout novel in the bestselling tradition of Paula Hawkins' The Girl on the Train-and is soon to be a major movie directed by Agnieszka Holland.
In a tantalizing set-up reminiscent of Patricia Highsmith's classic Strangers on a Train… 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.
In a tantalizing set-up reminiscent of Patricia Highsmith's classic Strangers on a Train… 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.
Editorial Reviews
"Chilling and hypnotically suspenseful … could be an instant classic." -- Lee Child, author of Personal
"A fun read, full of switchbacks and double crosses… With classic misdirection, Swanson distracts us from the details - changing up murderers and victims fast enough to keep us reading. And, implausibly, rooting for the cold-blooded killer at this thriller's core." -- Boston Globe
"A twisty tale of warring sociopaths [and] a good companion to similar stories by Laura Lippman and Gillian Flynn." -- Booklist
"Revenge has rarely been served colder than in Swanson's exceptional thriller....With scalpel-sharp prose, Swanson probes the nature of coldblooded evil. Few will be prepared for the crushing climax." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A devilishly twisty plot, with some gasp-inducing moments. And the ending is terrific." -- Bookseller (UK)
"[Lily] becomes my favourite sociopath―and believe me, there are plenty of them in this very convincing, tightly-plotted novel of revenge and betrayal. . . . Very entertaining." -- Daily Mail (UK)
"A work of lovely violence and graceful malevolence, The Kind Worth Killing slips into your life like a stiletto in the ribs. This is a book that launches Peter Swanson straight into the ranks of the killer elite, alongside Tana French and Gillian Flynn. He's the real deal." -- Joe Hill, author of NOS4A2
"Peter Swanson has updated Patricia Highsmith's Strangers on a Train for the new millennium...This is a well written and highly accomplished thriller… You cannot fail to be captivated by this book." -- Tatler (UK)
"A wicked tale full of wicked characters... Sublime writing and more than a few sit-up-straight surprises." -- Huffington Post
"Gripping, elegantly and stylishly written, and extremely hard to put down!" -- Sophie Hannah, author of The Monogram Murders and Kind of Cruel
"Filled with double-timers and double-crossers, cold-eyed stalkers and cold-blooded murderers, The Kind Worth Killing paints a riveting, disturbing picture of marriage gone horribly awry, with no shortage of startling surprises. If you're engaged to get married, by all means read something else." -- Chris Pavone, author of The Expats
"A terrifically hypnotic page-turner that marks Peter Swanson as an exciting new talent." -- Good Housekeeping, Thriller of the Month (UK)
"From its initial nod to Strangers on a Train onwards, this is a homage to Patricia Highsmith, but in some ways it outdoes the queen of queasy in sheer nastiness. . . . [Swanson] continually juggles narrators and pulls off surprises." -- Sunday Times (UK)
"Nothing and no one are as they first appear in this deliciously twisted and devious thriller… A classy, slick and s...
"A fun read, full of switchbacks and double crosses… With classic misdirection, Swanson distracts us from the details - changing up murderers and victims fast enough to keep us reading. And, implausibly, rooting for the cold-blooded killer at this thriller's core." -- Boston Globe
"A twisty tale of warring sociopaths [and] a good companion to similar stories by Laura Lippman and Gillian Flynn." -- Booklist
"Revenge has rarely been served colder than in Swanson's exceptional thriller....With scalpel-sharp prose, Swanson probes the nature of coldblooded evil. Few will be prepared for the crushing climax." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A devilishly twisty plot, with some gasp-inducing moments. And the ending is terrific." -- Bookseller (UK)
"[Lily] becomes my favourite sociopath―and believe me, there are plenty of them in this very convincing, tightly-plotted novel of revenge and betrayal. . . . Very entertaining." -- Daily Mail (UK)
"A work of lovely violence and graceful malevolence, The Kind Worth Killing slips into your life like a stiletto in the ribs. This is a book that launches Peter Swanson straight into the ranks of the killer elite, alongside Tana French and Gillian Flynn. He's the real deal." -- Joe Hill, author of NOS4A2
"Peter Swanson has updated Patricia Highsmith's Strangers on a Train for the new millennium...This is a well written and highly accomplished thriller… You cannot fail to be captivated by this book." -- Tatler (UK)
"A wicked tale full of wicked characters... Sublime writing and more than a few sit-up-straight surprises." -- Huffington Post
"Gripping, elegantly and stylishly written, and extremely hard to put down!" -- Sophie Hannah, author of The Monogram Murders and Kind of Cruel
"Filled with double-timers and double-crossers, cold-eyed stalkers and cold-blooded murderers, The Kind Worth Killing paints a riveting, disturbing picture of marriage gone horribly awry, with no shortage of startling surprises. If you're engaged to get married, by all means read something else." -- Chris Pavone, author of The Expats
"A terrifically hypnotic page-turner that marks Peter Swanson as an exciting new talent." -- Good Housekeeping, Thriller of the Month (UK)
"From its initial nod to Strangers on a Train onwards, this is a homage to Patricia Highsmith, but in some ways it outdoes the queen of queasy in sheer nastiness. . . . [Swanson] continually juggles narrators and pulls off surprises." -- Sunday Times (UK)
"Nothing and no one are as they first appear in this deliciously twisted and devious thriller… A classy, slick and s...
Readers Top Reviews
But for one thing I would have given The Kind Worth Killing four stars. It is well written, very well plotted and is a good, entertaining, solid read. But, Peter Swanson wrote in the first person singular. That format is restrictive at the best of times to characterisation and background information. But Swanson even went further, telling the story from the viewpoint of four different characters, which was brave and interesting but, unfortunatel, the voices of the characters all sounded very similar. Probably because they had similar backgrounds and social behaviour. But Swanson is a good writer and I hope he won't try the impossible again.
Neets
Where do I begin Without giving too much away this was a great book indeed one where the villain was my heroine! Just plot twist after twist and just when you thought oh no it's going to get predictable we hit another turn! This is so well written and grips you from page one. The book is filled with sociopaths, double crosses stalkers and cold blooded killers! Very different
This book is a murder romp, not a psychological thriller so don’t expect three dimensional characters, the whole point is what happens next. It’s written from a variety of points of view, none of them remotely likeable and for such a collection of sociopaths none of them seemed to have made enough of a connection to recognise a fellow traveller. Implausible plot populated with rich men and sexy women, what more can you ask for?
eloise.readsM. E. J.
I decided to try this one after seeing lots of people raving about it and I think this was why I felt a bit disappointed. I’d read too many excellent reviews and expected too much, whilst it was very good - I wasn’t blown away. Ted is drinking in an airport bar when a beautiful woman with long red hair introduces herself and they begin to chat. Her name is Lily and they realise they are waiting for the same flight. They get to talking which leads to Ted admits to wanting to kill his wife for something she has just done. He is surprised when Lily not only doesn’t appear shocked but when she simply agrees to help. We follow them through a cat and mouse type thriller with a lot of twists and turns ahead. I really enjoyed Swanson’s writing style. Short snappy sentences and the perfect balance of description, I was able to flow through the book quite quickly. I also enjoyed how the twists came as early as about 45% through the book so you’re kept on your toes throughout. The reason for the three stars is purely because I found some of it, particularly the ending a little far fetched (I know it’s fiction but still) and the ending was also pretty blunt. However, if you are looking for a fast paced thriller that will keep you hooked and guessing until the end, I do recommend giving it a read.
WiltDurkey
First things first. Very much a page turner, with a massive plot twist around the middle. Definitely keeps you guessing, the characters are well-developed and the situations intriguing. Gone Girl or Basic Instinct are kissing cousins. Are there "good guys"? No, not really, except for the (minor) detective chapters. And... who cares? It's a crime novel, largely written around one, reasonable-sounding and self-justifying, psychopath. Very little gore, some sex. Good, understated, ending. On the less-than-perfect side, I started hitting a bit of disbelief around 2/3rd into the book. Less would probably have been more, it ended up being a bit too sensationalist and contrived. The second issue I had was that each character gets multiple POV chapters, but each expresses herself just like the other characters. I.e. the set up is with a story with 4 largely different people. But they feel the same, even if their circumstances, viewpoints and motivations were different. That wasn't a huge deal to me, but I hope the author runs with his success and hones that part a bit more in his next novel. Overall, a very solid 4 star.
