I couldn't really get involved in this storyline, not enough going on for me and it wasn't a page turner unfortunately even though it was very well written.

Thank you to Netgalley and Faber & Faber for this ARC I just wish it was more to my taste but I would recommend it.

Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson follows Thom and Wendy Graves, a married couple of over twenty-five years living in a beautiful Victorian house in Massachusetts. Wendy is a published poet and Thom teaches English literature at a local university. Their son, Jason, is grown up and life seems settled — except Wendy wants to murder her husband.

The story moves backwards through time, revealing key moments in their marriage, including their fiftieth birthday party, buying their home, Jason’s birth, and the mysterious death of a colleague. Each event paints a picture of a marriage held together by a terrible secret they shared many years ago.

As the narrative rewinds, the details of this secret unfold. It has bound them through the years, but now its hold is weakening. Both wonder if it would be better to ensure their spouse takes this secret to the grave.

This is not a typical thriller focused on shocking twists or fast-paced suspense. Instead, it is a slow, psychological exploration of a marriage fractured by hidden truths. Swanson’s choice to tell the story in reverse adds intrigue and creates a puzzle-like experience that keeps the reader engaged, even at a measured pace.

If you enjoy slow-burning psychological stories with depth, this will appeal. But if you prefer twists that leave you stunned, this might not be the book for you.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

An ending before the beginning 🤯

This is a cleverly written thriller, with the story moving backwards. I can see this being a ‘marmite’ love it or hate it read, as early on you find out answers and why. Then as the story progresses, it starts to reveal more of the details of married couple Wendy and Thom and their son Jason, their past lives, how they met, when they met and the big why.

I must confess to being a little confused at first, but once I worked out what was happening it was interesting to see how the story came to pass. This was also thought provoking to think how events in life can influence you and why.

The story itself didn’t grip me, but the writing was good and some events more engaging than others which kept you, as the reader, interested. I didn’t really relate to either character, which did not help my connection to the story, Wendy I found quite unlikeable and Thom, appeared quite bland, not doing much other than drinking and having affairs.

There was not a big reveal at the end, but a slight twist which wasn’t really a shock. As a reverse thriller though, this was always going to be the case. It lost a star for me due to the ending but, overall, a change from usual thrillers. In addition, there was 1 plot hole with Annabel which I did not feel was fully explained/explored and I am left wondering about?

Overall, I would still recommend this, a slower read whereby the reader needs to concentrate a little more. A refreshing change.

Thank you to Netgalley, Faber and Faber Ltd and Peter Swanson for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Due to be published on 03 July 2025.

I love Peter Swanson books but felt this was a little slower than his usual. I enjoyed the complex relationship between Wendy and thom but the time lines were a bit hard to follow and felt a bit out of order and I felt it needed a description like before Jason or 1 week before wedding etc

Wendy is planning to murder her husband. What got her to this point? As this time reversed story unfolds we'll soon know how it all started.

I loved this story. I particularly liked the reversal in time element where we start with a murder and then time works backwards to see how books are everything started to go wrong for Wendy and her husband. Peter Swanson novels are always thrilling and gripping and Kill Your Darlings was no exception. I read the entire book in one sitting.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

I was blown away by this novel, and while I hated the characters I was gripped by the story told in reverse.

Thom and Wendy are quarter of a century in to marriage and now Wendy finds herself very tired of who Thom has become. I spent a great deal of my time reading this working out who I disliked more. Who was the one in the wrong?
None of that matters at the end.

This will be a must have for any Swanson fan but I would encourage anyone who likes a different type of story telling to get stuck in.

Married couple Thom and Wendy have a dark past. Promising each other never to speak of the events of August 22 1992, thirty years later Wendy is becoming increasing worried about Thom’s loose lips. Unable to resist more than the occasional drink, Thom often can’t remember what has happened the night before, and his fondness of whispering sweet nothings into the ears of any pretty young woman in his locale makes Wendy nervous. Unable to stop her husband’s drinking, she needs to curb his indiscretions.

A clever, but not gripping read, told in reverse, which is quite a feat in itself. A little slow and boring at times, but the overall plot was well planned and delivered, though the characters were all pretty dire. Good ending though!

Thank you NetGalley and Faber and Faber Ltd.

4-5 stars

This is Thom and Wendy Graves’ story. They’ve been married for 25 years and live in New Essex in Northern Massachusetts. Wendy is a poet and Thom is a Professor of English Literature at a nearby university. Wendy is growing increasingly tired of Thom, his long, dull monologues, his excessive drinking, his philandering and frankly, she wants to murder him. The multiple reasons for this murderous desire are not simple and we learned the truth of their marriage and what lies behind it, in reverse from November 2023 back to Then. The pair have a powerful secret which binds them together, but it appears that Thom is about to blow that to smithereens, if Wendy doesn’t do him in first.

I wonder if the inspiration for this latest novel from one of my favourite authors comes from the brilliant film ‘Memento’ starring Guy Pearce. If so, this “homage” certainly does it justice. I think it’s a very good slow burner psychological thriller which does require concentration which is no bad thing! I thoroughly enjoy the way it’s told in reverse as it goes full circle but the most delicious part for me are the two main characters. Wendy is quite something, she’s tough, strong, incredibly smart and certainly manipulative. Thom is definitely impossible and I get how Wendy feels! For a start, never mind the rest, he talks way, way too much. Their dysfunctional marriage lends itself to some tense and colourful scenes and behind the dysfunction lurks something very ugly. It gets darker and darker as it goes back in time and it’s always full of atmosphere created by their relationship, their personalities and by the places in which it’s set.

It takes a lot of skill to tell a story this way and keep me interested. Inevitably, there’s some repetition but it doesn’t bother me much. As for the ending, it is so so clever, in fact, it’s a cracker of an ending. Very well played sir.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Faber and Faber for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.

Another grippingly unputdownable thriller from the master of the psychological thriller. A fast-paced thrill - perfect for fans of Momento

Thom and Wendy are a married couple with a secret. This is their story, only it is told in reverse, this is a new style of writing to me, and I found it interesting. It begins with the present day, and each chapter goes further back in time. I was intrigued when reading, and for me, there was a little surprise at the end, but there was no twist and turn or thrills in the plot. I did find it rather slow in places, and my attention wandered. I must confess I didn't really engage with Thom or Wendys characters, I didn't find them to be likeable people.
I thought it was a very clever way of writing, and I'm sure many people will love the concept. For me, it was worth reading as it is different, but it is not at the top of my favourites list.

Peter Swanson is a genius. I loved this book and the unique way in which it was written. It goes back in time and the story is told backwards. I really loved this style and as ever the book is gripping and exciting. This is a superb book and will go onto become a sure fire hit.

Another inventive and oh so clever book from Peter Swanson which (unusually) starts at the end and finishes at the beginning. Wendy and Thom meet at High School, forty years later they are still together living what appears to be an enviable life. However they share secrets that can never see the light of day and Wendy has stopped trusting Thom.
I love Peter Swanson’s writing, especially his often unlikable but mesmerizing characters, and all the little twists that the reader doesn’t see coming. I raced through this book desperate to find out the back story, it didn’t disappoint!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Faber & Faber for an e-ARC

I absolutely love Peter Swanson's novels and Kill Your Darlings was no exception. It begins with a dinner party at the home of academics, Wendy and Thom Graves and moves back in time to when they first met as teenagers. It's difficult to review the novel without spoilers, it's an original, clever and compelling read, full of surprises that I was completely immersed in over the course of 24 hours. I loved the structure of the novel and Swanson continues surprising the reader until the last line.
Highly recommended and one of my favourites by the author.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

Delicious Perfection..
Under seemingly perfect surfaces, intense rot may lie. Wendy and Thom Graves lead a seemingly ideal, rather perfect life - scratch a little, not too much, and the real truth will be revealed. In an inverted and cleverly constructed plotline, the truth will out, as the perfectly crafted and credible characters reveal their true selves with twist upon twist of explosive reveals. Delicious perfection.

Wow! Just WOW. This is my first book by this author and let me tell you it won’t be my last! I was completely blown away it was sheer brilliance. I didn’t want to put the book down but life kept getting in the way it was pure awesomeness!

I was hooked from the start and couldn’t stop turning pages long into the night. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me holding on… truly wonderful. Once you pick this book up, you won’t want to put it down!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars!

This was a very clever read, I think Peter Swanson is a very talented writer and I have loved previous books I have read by him. However the story in this one didn’t grip me as much as others have. However, the idea to have the timeline backwards is great!

Kill your darlings is unfortunately quite boring. The premise is pretty interesting, but it falls quite flat. The story is told backwards, and while at times it was a little confusing with all the years,

Kill Your Darlings is the second Peter Swanson novel I've read, and once again, he delivers a gripping, twist-filled thriller that kept me guessing right up to the final page — and even the final line. Swanson has a real talent for crafting stories that unravel in unexpected ways, and this book is no exception.

Told in a refreshingly unusual style, the narrative starts at the end and gradually works its way back through the lives of the two main characters. This reverse storytelling adds a compelling layer of intrigue, allowing the reader to slowly uncover the events and motivations that led to the shocking opening. I really enjoyed this structure — it added depth to the characters and gave the suspense a unique edge.

If you're a fan of psychological thrillers that play with form and keep you thinking, Kill Your Darlings is definitely worth a read.

Very cleverly written plot with almost a unique feel making a trusted genre seem quite refreshing.
Finished in only two sittings which is always a good sign.
Many thanks for an entertaining weekend.

Kill Your Darlings is a slow-burn study of the relationship between Thom and Wendy. Neither of them are likeable characters. The book is written with a reverse timeline from 2023 to 1982 when they first met. The story is well-written and the author conveys a dark and menacing atmosphere. The book is an interesting read but lacks the suspense of a thriller. It is not the jaw-dropping, gripping read I expected.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.