The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson is a psychological suspense novel filled deception and murder. With unexpected twists and turns, this book kept me on edge as I quickly read from cover to cover.
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.
Let’s be honest, the characters in The Kind Worth Killing are deeply flawed, intriguing and utterly unlikable. However, even with this characters you want to hate, Peter Swanson masterfully crafts a story that is super enjoyable. The author uses their individual motivations and actions to make them despicable, yet captivating at the same time. Swanson does an excellent job with each chapter focusing around the point-of-view of a specific character, allowing us to try and understand each characters role without getting confused.
Despite the dark subject matter of The Kind Worth Killing, I found the book an entertaining read that kept me guessing until the very end. The author’s writing style works for this type of story, keeping me engaging and drawing me into the characters web of deceit and manipulation. The pacing was spot on with each twist and turn adding new layers of complexity to the plot.
The biggest surprise and success of this novel was the relevance to where I live. Swanson takes us on a journey into Maine, including the very roads I take into the office each morning. Unknown when I first opened the novel, adding places such as Orono, Kittery and Bangor gave the novel so much more of a deeper connection and allowing me to fall in love with the book on a more personal level.
While some may find the ending abrupt or unsatisfying, I read this novel far after it was released and knowing the fact the story somewhat continues in the pages of The Kind Worth Saving was enough to allow me to enjoy the end. The introduction of Henry Kimball and his continuing onto the next novel helpful soften the blow and made me excited to read the next in the series.
The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson is a wild journey into Maine with plenty of twists, turns, murder and complex awful characters. The story is well-written and had me hooked from the beginning, but I will say I am a bit bias with my love towards my home State of Maine. Swanson really nailed his first novel no wonder the Washington Post said “should be a contender for crime fiction’s best first novel of 2014.”
The Kind Worth Killing is available at bookstores everywhere. The audiobook, narrated by Johnny Heller, Karen White, Kathleen Early & Keith Szarabajka, is available at Libro.fm!
