When a newlywed librarian begins to suspect that her husband might be a murderer, the suspenseful and gripping tale of A Talent for Murder unfolds. Written by Peter Swanson, this novel is part of the Lily Kintner/Henry Kimball series, that we fell in love with from the beginning.
A year in and the marriage was good, except for that strange blood streak on the back of one of his shirts he’d worn to a conference in Denver. Her curiosity turning to suspicion, Martha investigates the cities Alan visited over the past year and uncovers a disturbing pattern—five unsolved cases of murdered women.
Is she married to a serial killer? Or could it merely be a coincidence? Unsure what to think, Martha contacts an old friend from graduate school for advice. Lily Kintner once helped Martha out of a jam with an abusive boyfriend and may have some insight. Intrigued, Lily offers to meet Alan to find out what kind of man he really is…but what Lily uncovers is more perplexing and wicked than they ever could have expected.
Peter Swanson truly has a talent for crafting stories that surprise me at every turn. Unique tales that keep me gripped to the pages not wanting to put the book down. With his Lily Kintner/Henry Kimball series, including The Kind Worth Killing and The Kind Worth Saving, this has been even more true. Swanson has kept me captivated with a unique blend of suspense and unexpected twists like not many novels have over the past few years. A Talent for Murder falls into this category, but not as much as the first two books in the series.
A Talent for Murder doesn’t focus as heavily on Lily and Henry as I would’ve liked, but it still manages to deliver an entertaining story with a sprinkle of the characters we have grown to hate and love equally. The rest of the cast of characters seem a bit flatter than the previous novels, but the pacing is spot-on, and the suspense is ever present. Swanson’s innovative storytelling did keep me glued to the pages from start to finish, making this novel a worthwhile addition to the series.
A Talent for Murder by Peter Swanson is a great addition to the Lily Kintner/Henry Kimball series. While it may deviate slightly from its predecessors, it still offers an engaging and suspenseful read that had me hooked until the final page. In the end, Swanson tied up a few loose ends and complete the trilogy in fitting fashion.
A Talent for Murder is available at bookstores everywhere. Check out the audiobook, narrated by Sophie Amoss, Stephen Graybill, Saskia Maarleveld, Graham Halstead, Kathleen Early & Keith Szarabajka, on Libro.fm!
