“After a whirlwind romance, quiet librarian Martha married Alan. But when she thinks she sees his mask slip, she starts to fear that his frequent travels might be a cover for something far more sinister.

As she secretly starts to map his movements she unearths a string of dead women, but could these two things really be linked? Unsure of her own instincts, Martha turns to an old friend, Lily Kintner, who once helped her escape a toxic relationship in grad school. But what Martha doesn’t know is that Lily has a dark side of her own . . .”

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of A Talent for Murder by Peter Swanson. A Talent for Murder was published by Faber & Faber on 4th July 2024 and is available in hardcover, audio and digital formats with the paperback to follow next month. I chose to read a free ARC of A Talent for Murder but that has in no way influenced my review. My grateful thanks to Tara at Faber Books for sending me a proof copy.

Peter Swanson is one of my go-to must-read authors. I’m a huge fan of psychological suspense fiction and Swanson creates intrigue and foreboding exceptionally well! I love this author’s books and will always be front of the queue when a new book is published. Unfortunately, A Talent for Murder was published around the time of my six-month unplanned, unexpected hiatus last year following shoulder surgery. I was still reading like a crazy woman, but my review writing/blogging mojo just upped and left. At some point into those six months, I stopped reading as well. It was a dark and lonely time. But that was then and this is now. It would be a huge disservice to this brilliant book, its talented author and its generous publisher if I didn’t review/feature A Talent for Murder on damppebbles. I thoroughly enjoyed this third instalment of the Henry Kimball/Lily Kintner series. Definitely more Lily than Henry this time around but that doesn’t matter one jot. For those not familiar with this series, Henry and Lily first crossed paths in The Kind Worth Killing (2015) which still, to this day, is one of my all-time favourite books. But their story wasn’t done. A second book featuring the characters was published in 2023, that was The Kind Worth Saving and it was the most perfect sequel to the first book. So, I was delighted, nay over the moon to discover that a third book was heading our way. And what an absolute corker of a read it was.

However, I don’t think you need to have read any of the earlier books to enjoy this latest instalment. I mean, I don’t really know WHY you wouldn’t read them first. They’re superb and give you a better feel for some of the characters. But I do believe you will be fine just cracking on with A Talent for Murder.

Would I recommend this book? Of course I would, it’s a Peter Swanson novel! The twists and turns, as I have come to expect from this author, are sublime. The pacing is masterful, keeping the reader fully immersed in the story and wondering what is going to happen next. The plotting is intricate and takes you in directions you could never predict. There is so much more to this book than is detailed in the synopsis. The blurb contains only a mere fraction of the story! With red herrings galore, fascinating, well-drawn characters and multiple shocks and surprises along the way, this is another outstanding thriller from a true talent. I cannot wait for more from Peter Swanson in the not-too-distant future. Highly recommended.

I chose to read and review a free ARC of A Talent for Murder. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

A Talent for Murder by Peter Swanson was published in the UK by Faber & Faber on 4th July 2024 and is available in hardcover, audio and digital formats with the paperback to follow (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | bookshop.org | Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop | damppebbles amazon.co.uk shop | damppebbles amazon.com shop |

Peter Swanson is the author of nine novels, including The Kind Worth Killing, winner of the New England Society Book Award, and finalist for the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, and Her Every Fear, an NPR book of the year. His books have been translated into 30 languages, and his stories, poetry, and features have appeared in Asimov’s Science Fiction, The Atlantic Monthly, Measure, The Guardian, The Strand Magazine, and Yankee Magazine.

A graduate of Trinity College, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and Emerson College, he lives on the North Shore of Massachusetts with his wife and cat.