DINNER PARTIES often give way to thoughts of murderous intent. Red-faced, wild eyed cries of homicidal frustration aimed towards the cat as it runs under foot while you’re holding a steaming saucepan of sauce are par for the course. You’d want to kill the chicken that’s slithering around in its pot instead of staying still while you stuffed it, if it weren’t already dead.

But these fleeting thoughts are more than often formed as a means of letting off steam amid a stressful situation and not really to be taken seriously. The cat is forgiven, the chicken eaten, the spouse that was been drinking heavily, as usual, and acting with impropriety, with rising frequency, put to bed with a pint glass of water on the nightstand and a tender kiss to the forehead.

Not if you’re Wendy Graves, whose mounting hatred for her husband Thom reaches a crescendo the night of a dinner she hosts for Thom’s colleagues in the English department of a New England university.

The invited guests are all well known to each other, apart from an administrative new hire. They lightly gossip about absent colleagues and exchange barbs about this and that and Wendy also notices her husband’s tipsy attention being directed towards new addition Emily, the behaviour of which comes as no surprise to her.

We know from the opening sentence that Wendy has decided to do away with Thom, and in the first chapter we follow her hatch her plan and execute it without a second thought.

But instead of moving forward, the narrative scoots back to a few years earlier, after the revelation that Thom’s department head has been found dead in a local swimming spot, presumed accidentally drowned. Here’s where the little suggestions of sociopathy dropped in over the previous section start to come together, continuing a delightfully surprising tale of morals, money, marriage and doing what it takes to lead the life you think you deserve.

Having read two previous novels and a short story by Peter Swanson, I wasn’t expecting this level of narrative confidence. The other books that I read by the author were more formulaic offerings, not bad but not exactly anything to display with pride on one’s sitting room shelf.

They knowingly borrowed from the likes of Agatha Christie and were homages of sort to golden era detective novels, but Kill Your Darlings is original and innovative, successfully employing elements of noir as well as darkly comic irreverence. It is in a league of its own amid the bibliography of its writer, audacious in its delivery and assured in its prose.

Wendy is a brilliant anti-hero, a level-headed, pragmatic realist, rational to a fault, whose third person narrative alternates from chapter to chapter with Thom’s. Thom is weaker and more prone to selfishness but whose romantic tendencies humanise him, especially as the story goes on and the pair’s formative experiences intertwine.

They are both extremely well-realised characters, whose personalities and motivations are all the more intriguing as read from the present day to the past. The opening section, with the couple in their fifties, sees a jaded husband and wife who have spent years slowly growing apart, gaining antipathy towards each-other and reaching a junction of major decisions now that they are empty nesters.

The backwards storytelling device allows a soulfulness to drift in, as the reader reads their love story in reverse. What has ended in a whimper began as a sweet meet-cute spanning decades, with passion, yearning and a shared ideology binding them together.

What the couple fails to register is the secrets that they keep from each other, which prove one and the other’s undoing. The coming together of the parts, filling in of the jigsaw pieces, although satisfying, is secondary to the larger narrative; it is less plot driven than it is an observational meditation on a highly unusual, ultimately destructive, marriage.

The final twist would have been better if the novel had been set earlier than in our society of surveillance, and points at an unbelievable failing of Wendy’s to plan for every eventuality, but overall it is a very slick domestic noir.

Peppered with literary references – the title itself referring to the advice given to authors to do away with favoured phrases, imagery, even characters – Kill Your Darlings is appropriately bookended with the origin and the demise of the couple’s romance. It would make a great book-club choice and a worthy addition to any bookshelf.

Definitely an unusual read this. I've read a couple of books that have had a similar style wherein the story unfolds backwards. You start at the conclusion and then the remainder of the book - all the way through to the end - goes progressively further backwards in time to fill in the back story.
It's an unusual, albeit not unique, storyline.
I quite enjoyed it for a change.

It follows a couple as they are married and how they came to be situation they find themselves in.

Difficult to review properly without spoilers on this one. Safe to say it was an enjoyable read although I felt you didn't really get a good feel of either of the main characters despite the book revolving on them throughout.

I was expecting an explosive finish but was slightly let down by that (a little). I kept thinking it would go back top the current time events to conclude but alas no.

Overall 4 stars from me.

ive just seen this is to be turned into a film starring Julia Roberts. oh wow this is going to be epic and welcome news after reading this book. im not often sure of how i feel when i love a book, for it then to be mentioned for film. but i can see how this could come alive in a different but delicious way from page to film.
but back to the book itself. what a corker of a read.
the beginning of the end. or the end of the beginning. or was the beginning the start of the end? confused, dont worry you wont be as Peter does a wonderful job of making it all make sense. this story starts us with where they are now and then unravels their story right back to where they got to meet. and this meeting is of our couple Thom and Wendy. and from there we learn from the very moments that defined their lives (although id argue in the small moments it can often be what defines our relationships and we dont often realise this until its gone,over) but for our couple there is one definite that binds them. perhaps not for the best of reasons. and in the long run the wife Wendy might start to feel that the til death part of their vows is becoming a bit too long in the waiting...
i love how this book didn't rush it. and in not doing that it became even more tense. and actually you care and develop more of the intrigue to know where this is going. and the pace and telling almost brings you in to how the couple are feeling themselves. you can feel the heaviness of it.
and if any couple deserved each other...
i also liked how the reveal of how we got to where we are is done in a way of almost piecing together this couples timeline. so we start to see the cracks, the events, the moments that all lead us to chapter one.
oh and then end. come on! brilliant stuff, absolutely top tier ending.
i loved this book. and as always Peters way of writing just has a way to bring me in. i love opening his books and knowing exactly that its HIS words and his way of writing.

Peter Swanson does it again! Kill Your Darlings is a gripping psychological thriller with a clever twist, the story unfolds in reverse. It starts at the end of Thom and Wendy's long, complicated marriage and as you move back in time, the secrets they’ve buried, and the choices they’ve made, come to light.
I really enjoyed the structure, the reverse chronology isn’t just a gimmick, it actually deepens the suspense and makes you reconsider everything you think you know about the characters. Each chapter peels back another layer and by the time you reach the beginning, you have a much darker view of what brought Thom and Wendy to that point.
The writing is sharp and observant, especially when it comes to the psychology of long-term relationships and how people rationalize bad decisions. Thom is deeply flawed, drinking, cheating, emotionally distant, but never one-note. Wendy, too, is far more complex than she first appears.
That said, the reverse structure may not work for everyone. It takes a little patience, especially early on, to orient yourself and connect emotionally with characters you’re essentially watching unravel in reverse. But if you stick with it, the payoff is worth it.
If you like your thrillers smart, introspective and a little unconventional, this one’s for you. Recommended for fans of slow-burn psychological thrillers, unique narrative structures and morally gray characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for an advanced copy in exchange for my review.

Hmmm. Kill Your Darlings is one of those books I found thoroughly entertaining while reading, but now that I’ve finished it, I’m left wondering if it’ll stay with me at all. The structure is what initially hooked me—it’s quite unique in that it moves backwards through time. The book starts with what is essentially the conclusion and slowly takes you back to the beginning, peeling back the layers chapter by chapter. I appreciated the novelty of that approach, and it definitely kept me turning the pages. It felt like I was solving a puzzle in reverse, which added a different kind of suspense than your usual whodunnit.
As I went along, I kept expecting something big—something to shake the narrative and reframe everything I’d read. The plot hinted at something darker, something brewing under the surface, especially because past events were constantly alluded to in the earlier chapters. But when the ending (or should I say the beginning) finally arrived, it just didn’t pack the punch I was hoping for. There was a mildly unsettling moment right at the end, but it was more of a quiet “Oh dear, that’s not good” than a gasp-out-loud revelation. It felt like it needed one final twist or unsettling detail to make all that slow unravelling really pay off.
While reading, I tried to recall the other Peter Swanson books I’ve read. I know I’ve enjoyed his work before—he’s definitely got a flair for writing clean, compelling thrillers—but frustratingly, I couldn’t remember the plots or characters of any of them. And I fear this one will meet the same fate. Enjoyable in the moment, clever in places, but ultimately forgettable. I didn’t dislike it by any means; it passed the time nicely and gave me that familiar sense of being absorbed in someone else’s world. But once I closed the book, that world slipped away too easily.
If you’re looking for a solid read that tries something stylistically different, this could be a good pick. Just don’t expect it to leave much of a mark once you’ve finished. It’s a decent filler between more gripping reads—engaging while it lasts but unlikely to linger.

The way the story is told, in reverse, is different to the usual books I read.
But I think its why I didn't fully love this.
The story is interesting. Seeing the reasons for the choices made. But only after seeing the outcome.
But it also took some of the build away which lowered my enjoyment

This is the story of Thom and Wendy Graves who have been married for forty years, and were childhood sweethearts for a while too. They share some terrible secrets from their younger years, but also have secrets from each other. The book starts at the end, when Wendy is fed up with Thom and tries to kill him. It then goes backwards through their life in stages, showing how they have come to this point. It took me a while to realise this, and I had to go back to previous chapters that were later chronologically when I noticed events which had caused later actions. It is so well done, like a puzzle.
The writing and the pace of the story is excellent, and the ending is absolutely brilliant, completely throws the whole story up in the air.
I really enjoyed this. Highly recommended.

A clever psychological thriller in that it is written in reverse order. The study of a marital breakdown is written well though the two protagonists are dislkable and toxic toward each other. Thom in particular comes across as narcissistic even as a youth whilst Wendy is a cold fish. I love Peter Swansons novels and in the surface I enjoyed this one, though not one of his best.

A good thriller but didn't really grab me with the characters. I wasn't a fan of either Thom (alcoholic, womanising) or Wendy ( hates Thom but shares a secret). I found the timeline a bit confusing until I worked out what was when. I found there were a lot of auxiliary characters.

Wendy Graves is fed up with her husband Thom. And who can blame her? Between his alcohol problems and potential infidelities, she is already spoiled for choice when it comes to reasons to resent her husband.

But perhaps even worst than those things is the fact that any indiscreet behaviour from Thom - whether via pillow talk or drunken confessions - could have serious consequences for Wendy as well.

Because Wendy and Thom have a secret. And she is determined to prevent him from letting it out - whatever the cost...

Peter Swanson can always be relied upon to deliver an absorbing story, and this novel is no exception. Weaving together the peculiarities and tensions inherent in most long term relationships, he gives us a story of how unthinkably far someone can go - depending on how much they have to lose. It easily gets 3.5 stars.

Peter Swanson never disappoints. Kill Your Darlings is the latest of his brilliant thrillers. Well written, dark, clever and twisty - his usual trademarks come off every page. Characters that feel unsettlingly real and the unusual original structure of this book sets it apart from countless others in the genre. The creepy and satisfying ending just pulls everything perfectly together. This is a masterclass in thriller writing. Thrust me you will not forget this one anytime soon.

This one had an interesting concept—told in reverse order, starting at the end and moving backward through time. That structure definitely made it a different kind of read, and I appreciated the ambition behind it.

Unfortunately, it didn’t quite land for me. The pacing felt a bit slow in places, and the story never really pulled me in. I kept waiting for that moment where everything would click or pick up, but it never fully delivered.

While the reverse timeline was unique, the overall read fell a little flat. Not the gripping, twisty book I was hoping for.
Thanks to Netgalley and Faber and Faber for the ARC

Kill You r Darlings is an interesting thriller with a really interesting set-up, with the novel beginning in the modern day (2023) and working backwards to 1982. Apart from that I found the rest of the book a bit cliche, I predicted a lot of the 'reveals'/twists and turns and the overall plot didn't really wow me. Saying that, the writing was good but it just didn't blow me away as much as I wish it did.

I loved this book. Swanson takes you deep into a marriage with dark secrets and by travelling backwards from the violent endpoint, shows l the actions and thoughts that led up to it. Characters that are complex, but draw you along despite their questionable decisions. I will go back and reread as the way we access their thought processes really intrigued me.

This one definitely messed with my head! Probably the first book I’ve read which is formatted in reverse order- beginning in 2023 and working back to 1982. It took me a while to click into the mindset that I would not be finding out what happens next when I turned a page, but what happened before.

On the surface, Wendy and Thom live ordinary lives as an ordinary married couple & we follow a lot of their mundane routines. Underneath however, there’s a whole lot more going down! We do know from the beginning that they have a dark secret and as we go back through the years that secret, and more, are revealed.

Very cleverly put together & I needed to keep reading to find out how it all concluded but I did find it a little tedious around the middle when it seemed a little laborious & waffly. The more I read the more I felt like the format was actually a big part of the plot.

Good ending though I felt it could have had a bigger build up. I would read more by this author.

Thank you Net Galley.

As others have said, this book is interesting in the way that it begins at the end and slowly works its way backwards in time. Beginning in 2023 at the end of marriage, going right back to 1982.

Whilst there were a couple of ‘reveals’ peppered throughout, they felt a bit predictable, which I guess is unavoidable when you’ve started the story with the ending.

Whilst the ‘psychological thriller’ aspect of the storyline was a bit average, I did find the inspection of the break down of a marriage very interesting (whilst also depressing!), in this aspect starting at the end of the story was really impactful as we went back in time to see the breakdown in reverse.

Overall, I would recommend this for the analysis of interpersonal relationships and the different effects that even shared events can have on people. But if you are looking for an unpredictable psychological thriller with twists and turns that will keep you guessing, this is likely not for you.

This was the first book I’ve read by this author. It started off well but the writing took me a bit to get in to; then, it got confusing as there was no rhyme nor reason as to the chapter dates. It took me a good while to realise we were going backwards, literally. Some parts I felt drawn into the story whereas in other parts it felt very drawn out and repetitive. Both Wendy and Thom are horrible vindictive characters, it was like a downward spiral as I got into their back stories! I’ll be honest and say that at 60%, I was very close to marking this as DNF. I’m glad I pushed through to the end as it came full circle. I liked how he cleverly finished it off. I needed to know how it would end and had no clue throughout. You need to concentrate on this one and remember what happens in previous chapters! I found this easier to read in bigger chunks, it’s too confusing if you have little time for short bursts.

Peter Swanson ha crafted a clever plot spanning from the present day to the past. The story unfolding backwards in time to moments and events of great importance in Thom and Wendy’s lives and relationship.
The notion of would you do anything for love is explored in its entirety and quite frankly Thom and Wendy deserve each other and everything that goes their way.

I’m a big Peter Swanson fan and very excited to get an early copy of his new book. The backwards time line is a different take on a love story or the demise of one and is a very slow burn, the best twist is the final page! I have always loved how well the author writes strong cunning women and Wendy was no exception. it’s a clever story it just didn’t dazzle me. Overall a 3.5 stars

Well now, that was a little bit different. I started reading Kill Your Darlings expecting a good old fashioned murder mystery. I got the murder, but it was far from old fashioned, and there was no mystery about whodunnit. 🔎
Allow me to introduce Thom and Wendy Graves, high school sweethearts who broke up when Wendy's family moved to a different state, but meet up again a few years later and eventually marry, until one of them decides to murder the other. 💔
The story begins in 2023, with events leading up to, and including, the murder. From there the timeline moves backwards, slowly revealing various the secrets held by the couple. We are taken all the way back to their first meeting, on a school trip when they were in 8th grade. 🔎
Thom and Wendy are not particularly likeable people, and it's hard to feel any empathy, or indeed sympathy, for either of them. 😈
This is a very slow burn, but it's worth it for that reveal at the very end. 🔎
Thanks to Faber and Faber, and Netgalley for the digital ARC.