This is the first book I have finished in 2020 and if they continue in this vein it is going to be a promising year! This used classic crime as it’s base and twists it into a modern chiller of a novel.
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As an avid crime fiction reader, I have actually thought that I have learnt enough about forensics, motives, police procedures to commit a murder and get away with it! Come on my fellow bloggers you have all thought the same! Therefore, I found the premise of the story ring true. I am going to state here though that I am a Buddhist and a pacifist so I would never commit murder 😂😂😂.
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Malcolm is the narrator of the story and because of this the story runs at his pace and the revelations come as he discovers plot points rather than the frantic race to uncover ’Charlie’. I will admit that I didn't figure out who ’Charlie’ was - I thought it was going to be a woman. Kinda bummed I didn't figure it out.
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This book is an homage to the classic crime era of Christie and her peers. For true lovers of crime fiction this book celebrates this era and tries to put those tricks and literary narratives into this novel. Swanson does this with success and it was a pleasure to read this book.
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I kept wanting to rush this book as I was desperate to read to the end but I stopped myself as I didn't want to miss all the clues that were hidden throughout the story. I loved this book. I can't talk about it any more though as then I will end up giving away spoilers and I don't want to do that!

Rules for Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson is the perfect novel with which to close out an epic year of reading. Many thanks to the publisher, Faber and Faber Ltd, who graciously granted my wish for this one, making the enjoyment derived twice as sweet. Having read Mr Swanson's previous novel, Before She Knew Him, I could not wait to get my hands on this one, and it did not disappoint.

Malcolm Kershaw is at his Boston bookshop, Old Devils Books, when he is contacted by FBI agent Gwen Mulvey, who is tasked with investigating a spate of murders in the area. Back in 2004, Mal had written a blog titled 'Eight Perfect Murders' which, essentially, paid homage to past classics of the murder mystery genre. Fast forward to the present, and it appears that each 'perfect' murder is being replicated by a potential serial killer. I will not give too much away here, but suffice to say that Mal Kershaw is as complex and unreliable a narrator as you will ever meet, and the plot twists will have both your skin crawling and your head spinning in equal measure. If you are looking for the perfect thriller with which to usher in a brand new decade, make this one it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for granting my wish with this ARC.

Having loved Swanson's The Kind Worth Killing but finding myself massively underwhelmed by the follow-ups, it was such a pleasant surprise to enjoy Rules For Perfect Murders as much as I did. Following Malcolm, who co-owns a Boston bookstore specialising in mystery and crime, as he is drawn into an FBI investigation into a series of murders that seem to echo the plots of famous mystery novels (novels, moreover, that he wrote a blogpost about entitled Eight Perfect Murders a few years previous) this is a quick, absorbing, intelligent read that fans of classic crime fiction will especially appreciate. Reminding me in tone somewhat of Laura Lippman's Tess Monoghan novels (the highest praise from me, FYI) mixed with the recent murder mystery film Knives Out, there was something of a sense of camp to the proceedings, especially in the nods to Agatha Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Very much recommended for connoisseurs of crime fiction.

This was an ok thriller but it didn't stand out for me. I'm a rather picky reader so I'm convinced many readers will love this new book!

Finally a true homage to crime thrillers. Riveting and totally enthralling. Devilishly clever that on that elusive allusion of the perfect from recent fiction.
Told in the first person by a young bookseller in Boston. The world of books; the stories and fictional accounts becomes uncomfortably real when someone starts to draw attention to bookshop.
Malcolm Kershaw the part owner of the store is approached one day by a FBI agent who has seemingly uncovered a bizarre connection between a blog Kershaw wrote some years earlier detailing a list of books where Eight Perfect Murders are enacted.
When presented with the evidence Mal quickly discerns that his blog has inspired someone to kill others, seemingly deserving of the sanction, along similar lines, following the plots of the books.
This is a tour de force. A clever and crime fiction orientated mystery that has many layers to be peeled back before any semblance of truth is seen.
I loved the characters. The joy of reading, blogging, attending author seminars and promoting books.
It is the world for a fan of crime and the special relationship with authors, characters and plotting.
The novel remains true to its theme throughout and calls out a number of classic examples of this art. The titles many will have read and are familiar with and authors we all adore and admire in this field.
There are also many references to books and poetry that bring depth and shade to the story.
It appears initially a collaboration between the FBI agent and Mal’s experience and greater knowledge of the books in the pursuit of a deranged reader out to undermine and subvert this Boston bookseller.
It quickly becomes darker and more personal as we become aware of Kershaw’s own past and grief while the FBI agent, Gwen Mulvey, is not fully open towards Malcolm about the extent of her investigation.
A book you will want to read; that will seems both familiar but fresh and creatively stimulating.

Firstly thanks to @netgalley for giving me access to this e-book. This was my first time reading Peter Swanson and I am planning to read more after this one.
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The book is about a man named Malcom, who owns a book store in Boston and has an obsession with murder mystery books (I think I can relate) One day he is costed by an FBI agent who wants to question him about a blog he wrote which discussed Eight Perfect Murders in books.
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The FBI agent has a theory that someone is committing copycat murders following the format of the Eight Perfect Murders describes in Malcoms blog.
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As soon as I read the description of the book I immediately was hooked and was praying I would get to read this as the premise sounded sooo interesting. First off I would say for all us bookies this story talks about a ton of classic books some of which I will probably add to my TBR. Second, the story is really well written and the format is somewhat different from what I’m use to but actually enjoyed a lot. I was really never sure of the suspect and kept guessing at who it could be but never quite figured it out. Anyways If you into murder mysteries then you will love the book. It will be coming out in March 2020.

Rules for Perfect Murders is an interesting read. It’s got an unreliable narrator, interesting plot and some twists and turns. It sounds like the kind of book I love, but I just couldn’t get fully into it. Which is odd, because I’ve loved this authors books in the past. Rules for Perfect Murders will appeal to thriller and mystery fans alike, definitely one to watch out for if that’s your cup of tea!

I thought this was a clever book and unlike other crime fiction novels. Someone starts committing murders based on a list of 8 crime fiction novels with the perfect murders. The ending let me down a bit, but otherwise I really enjoyed it!

“Books are time travel. True readers all know this. But books don’t just take you back to the time in which they were written, they take you back to different versions of yourself”

This was a fabulous murder mystery! Mal becomes involved with trying to solve murders that seemed to be based on famous literary murders. We couldn’t put this one down; very well-written, and we loved the references to some of our other favourite reads! This is definitely a “must-read” for any fans of mystery novels.

Malcolm Kershaw is the owner of the Old Devils Bookshop in Boston, Massachusetts, which specialises in murder mysteries. In the early days of the store Kershaw compiled a list of what he considered 8 perfect murders from the books of Agatha Christie, Patricia Highsmith, Donna Tartt and others. He's surprised to receive a visit from FBI Agent Gwen Mulvey who found Kershaw's list while investigating a murder and has come to the conclusion that the murderer is working his way through the list,despite it only existing on a fairly obscure blog .
Mulvey's idea intrigues Kershaw,for very good reason as becomes apparent, and he launches his own unofficial investigation.
As with all of Peter Swanson's books things are not as they appear and from the reader wondering why the seemingly rather boring Kershaw is lying to to the FBI and a whole different side to him begins to emerge. things just get more complicated as the plots unrolls. The seemingly rather neat conclusion to events leaves the reader a bit puzzled as there are still several pages to go,several pages in which things are turned upside down again and a totally different story emerges. All very clever and hugely entertaining. I'm sure Peter Swanson had great fun writing this ,there are various character's asides into the qualities...or not...of various other authors, which may or may not be those of Mr Swanson, and comments on the various styles of murder mystery ,with the observation by Kershaw at one point that that many modern best-sellers use the "unreliable narrator" as a device, quite.
If I hadn't seen Peter Swanson's name on this book I'd have guessed straight away that Anthony Horowitz had written it, very much written in his style .
There were times when the whole thing stretched credulity but it's a great read with plenty of twists and turns,another big hit for Peter Swanson I suspect.

Big thanks to Peter Swanson, Faber & Faber and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

A must read for all crime aficionados.

Firstly, you will find yourselves making a mental list to re-read all of the books mentioned; secondly, you will find a plot with many twists and turns, as if straight from the pages of said books; and finally, you will find yourself googling to see if "... only the names have been changed, etc etc".

Have not read Swanson before .. most certainly will now. This one's a keeper!


(note: also entitled as Rule for Perfect Murders)

Disclaimer: ARC provided by publisher for an honest review

While I enjoyed this novel, I couldn't help but feel like it tried to be a little too clever. There were a lot of coincidences and twists that were just too superficial, and the killer reveal fell flat. BUT I can see how this novel would work for other readers, which is why I gave it a three.

And lest I sound too harsh, it had a good set of characters, and the interactions between them were well written. The pacing was good, and if you ignored all the coincidences, the twists worked.

Clever, original and inventive. This book has certainly been a fresh breath of air, and unlike any other thriller that I have read. Bringing other mystery novels into the mix was such a smart way to go about introducing the idea of this novel. A true standout for me.

WOW
I absolutely loved this book its
Gripping, engrossing, captivating and much more
I found the story fascinating, and the main character intriguing
the plot unravels at a steady pace and holds your attention throughout
plenty of twists and turns, you think your going one way and end up in a completely different direction
Fabulous

Thank you Netgalley, Peter Swanson, and Faber and Faber ltd for allowing me to read and review this book.

A new author for me though I’m aware of his other books! A different read that had many twists and turns, just when I thought I was on the right track it twisted again.... an easy read but kept me on my toes throughout! Will read this author again

Pretty much as anyone who reads a lot would be fascinated with a story involving books and murders, amazing books store and adorable ginger cat.. and I couldn't put it down, however I didn't find the story all that good. Towards the end it started getting messier and less interesting. Ending was just disappointing and left too many questions unanswered. Sadly it turned out to be nowhere as good as expected..

A very easy and fast moving book which kept my interest to the end, unfortunately for me it was also predictable. Having said that the story line was presented a little differently that usual, and it was very hard to put down - I really enjoyed the twists and turns that the characters provided and the story was well told in the first person - loved the connections.

This was absolutely delightful. If you are a lover of crime fiction and have read some of the classics of the genre, you are in for a treat. Even if you don't really know the classics this is still a great book. The unreliable narrator has been the linchpin of many a crime novel and Peter Swanson gives the reader a bit of a new take on this. I don't want to give anything away about the story. Suffice it to stay it keeps you guessing almost to the very end. With echoes of Agatha Christie, Horowitz and other great crime writers, this will keep you hooked!

I'm a big fan of Peter Swanson, normally devouring his every word, but for whatever reason Rules for Perfect Murders didn't do it for me. True, it's a wonderful homage to the mystery thrillers of Agatha Christie and authors of her ilk and that era - on that basis I won't go into detail for fear of dropping spoilers - but the plot was unrealistic. A la Swanson, the writing was stylish and intelligent but the struggle for this reader was the implausible plot and FBI characters. It won't deter me from picking up another Swanson offering but this one wasn't up there with his others. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mal Kershaw lives an ordinary and somewhat lonely life. The owner of a small bookstore that specializes in a murder mystery in Boston. No one is more surprised than Mal when one morning he finds himself at the centre of an FBI investigation. Years ago, Mal made a blog on his website titled 'Eight Perfect Murders', chosen from classic murder mystery stories, detailing the perfect way to commit a murder and get away with it. The FBI are looking into a series of unsolved murders that are looking more and more likely to be connected to his list. And to Mal himself. Does the killer know more about Mal than anyone else? And what secrets is he hiding?


Where do I even begin? I am a huge fan of Peter Swanson, he is up in my top five favorite authors of all time. This book was incredible. A thriller lover’s dream come true. Set in a book shop, our main protagonist is a mystery/thriller aficionado and it was an absolute pleasure to read. Mal is an amazing main character and we are drawn into the dark world of a twisted serial killer, whom Mal may know. I thought I had it all figured out, but in classic Peter Swanson style, I was blown away by the ending. Incredible. A truly clever homage to the classic murder mystery. Highly recommended.