Perhaps I read too many mystery/thrillers/suspense books in a row but this book didn't quite captivate me like I thought it would. There were too many characters with their POV and the information on each of these characters was very superficial and the ending lacked a punch.

More of a 2.5

Listen, this book was a totally standard thriller. It's super fast paced, you can figured out what's happening before the reveal if you're paying close enough attention - and that was satisfying, but it fell kind of flat for me.

I really enjoyed the first two Peter Swanson books I read, but the second two have been lackluster for sure. This book, like his last, had a few things that left a bad taste in my mouth. There were several scenes with slurs that didn't further the story at all and just felt like Swanson wanted a pass to use those words. The preoccupation with a specific book didn't really come back around either - and felt like it was trying to play off the success of "8 Perfect Murders".

Additionally, the characters all kind of sucked. Like the reasoning behind the list is just so ridiculous and like truly men would rather kill nine people than go to therapy.

Nine Lives by Peter Swanson was so much fun to read! Nine people all over the country receive an envelope in mail. Inside there is a piece of paper with nine names on it. One of them is theirs, the other eight names are people they’ve never heard of. There’s no explanation, no return address, nothing. One of the people who receives this envelope is Jessica, an FBI agent. This is what gets the attention of law-enforcement. Soon people on that list are being killed. Why? Are they connected? Who is doing this?
We get to know each of the nine people on the list. As the book goes on, clues are given and secrets come out. This book is classic Peter Swanson. I love his depictions of New England and Maine especially. I don’t know any other way to describe it other than his books just have a certain feel to them that other books don’t. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

A fun book of suspense and who done it. I adored Peter Swanson's previous book, The Kind Worth Killing, and although this was not as good as that one, in my opinion, I would still recommend it. I did not guess the killer ahead of time, and it was obviously based on my favorite Agatha Christie novel: And Then There Were None. Peter Swanson is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, and I will gladly read anything he writes. Give me all the Swanson novels. He is such a talented writer.

Nine Lives is a twisty murder mystery that introduces you to nine people who are on a list. None of them know each other and have no idea why they are on the list--are they in danger? Yes, they are! The murderer was inventive with each individual murder and left no traces behind, with a satisfying resolution at the end of the how, why and who, I am looking forward to reading more from this author as I couldn't put this book down!

I enjoyed the suspense in this novel. I had an idea of what was going to happen toward the end of the book, but I wasn't definitely sure. It was a stumper. With several characters, it's usually hard to do too much character development without losing the audience. Swanson does well with giving us just enough information about the characters. I didn't connect with any of them, but there were several who I didn't care much for. I think that was what Swanson was trying to accomplish though.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a free and unbiased review.

I was very excited for the reading of this book. I love mysteries and the idea of having 9, seemingly, random strangers being sent a list is a great direction for a mystery! However upon reading the book I found myself being more and more let down. The ways in which the antagonist takes out the people on the list was a little lackluster and the characters you thought would play a larger role in finding the person responsible for the list end up not. The ending ,while not seen coming, did have something to do with what I had assumed after the first couple of chapters. Not a terrible read but I feel the book as a whole could have had a lot better direction and storyline.

What would you do if you received a piece of paper with a list with nine names (including your own)? Probably nothing. What if you found out people on that list were being killed one by one? That might get you a bit more panicked. That's exactly the premise of Peter Swanson's latest thriller, Nine Lives.

I had never read a Peter Swanson book before, but this one definitely won't be my last. I loved that there was no real set up, you're just dropped right into the story as the characters receive the letter and watch as it plays out - some go on with their lives as if nothing happened, some try to hide from the killer, some try to live out their last days in the best way they can. I really enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more from Swanson :)

A story that is a great tribute to Agatha Christie And then there were none. I loved the multiple points of view, the slowly unfolding story, and the great ending that had me saying WHAT?! I loved this suspenseful read. A fun summer read that would be devoured in just a day. Highly recommend.

Another thriller that I could not put down by Peter Swanson! He remains one of my absolute favourite thriller authors and Nine Lives is in my top 3 of his books.

When nine complete strangers receive a mysterious list of names in the mail (theirs included on it) they don’t know what to think. But when those people on the list start dying under unusual circumstances, both the receivers of the list and the police become concerned.

With short chapters and a long list of characters, this one was a very quick page turner for me! Swanson makes it feel like a countdown with the pressure on to find the killer so needless to say it had me hooked after each chapter. The books vibe was very reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s classic “And then there were None”.

A solid twist along side a few surprises that shocked me, the book leaves little room for fluff and is a straight to the point thriller. Highly recommend!

Loved the story it was very suspenseful Did remind me of an Agatha Christy novel. Would recommend this book to friends.

Nine Lives is Peter Swanson at his best 🙌

I was immediately intrigued with the storyline as everyone began receiving their letters. I was a little worried I would keep the characters straight or forget their descriptors given at the beginning. Thankfully that didn't end up being an issue at all.

The story moved at such a fast pace with so many interesting characters that I didn't have time to consider who could be behind it all. I loved the old-school mystery feeling of it all. There's something so comforting about a cozy mystery unravelling in New England.

There were quite a few characters I didn't really care about but others, let me tell you I was sad to see some of them go. But the ending 👌 My jaw was on the floor. This definitely is my new favorite.

This is my first mystery/thriller by icon Peter Swanson and It was definitely interesting!

You guys know I love a good murder mystery! Sooo when nine seemly unconnected strangers receive a list in the mail with their names on it and start dying one by one I AM TAPPED IN…

When I tell you every single person had a POV in this novel, I literally mean that there were 10 different POVs…… The fact that I wasn’t as confused as I should have been with all of these people was actually pleasantly surprising.

While I enjoyed getting the POVs of all of the very flawed characters (some more flawed than others), my introduction to them felt very brief and surface level making it hard to connect with any of them.

There are a few clues that we’re given throughout the novel but enough confusion to keep me guessing about the ending

I’m honestly awful at checking my mail (I honestly only check my mail when I know a package is coming) soooooo If I was a character in this story I would probably be dead long before I even had a chance to open this letter

A fast-paced and modern spin on the Agatha Christie classic, Swanson’s latest book does not disappoint! Crazy plot twists and the suspenseful buildup to each murder kept me turning the pages late into the night. I thoroughly enjoyed the way in which the author developed each character, and how the perceptions of each character evolved as more details emerged. This book stands apart from other recent thrillers with its unique premise and intriguing plot. I’m excited to see what Peter Swanson comes up with next!

4 1/2 stars

I forget when there’s been a while between book just how much I enjoy Peter Swanson’s writing. This book quickly reminded me what a skillful author he truly is. This book is a riff on Agatha Christie’s classic tale, And Then There Were None. Nine names appear on a list. Those nine people receive that list, but the only name they recognize is their own. Most discount the list as junk and seek to ignore it. But when they’re tracked down by the police and FBI, it’s a different a matter.

The plot of this book is intricate and does justice to Ms. Christie’s original. It slowly works it’s way through the nine people, allowing you to learn about their backgrounds as you try to figure out if there are any connections. The end comes with a major surprise. Of all the characters in this book, I especially loved the dogged Sam Hamilton.

This book is a page turner. It will keep you wondering why these nine people. In the end, you will understand all of the reasons. I will say that at times I wanted the story to hurry a bit more, but it didn't deter my interest.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I thank all involved for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.

Really enjoyed this book for about 75% of it but the ending didn't really live up to the mystery throughout the book. The murderer was made obvious soon enough and then after that the drama and tension decreased and you could already guess why the murders occurred. The cast of characters were interesting but ultimately didn't get enough development. If you have not read And Then There Were None, I'd recommend reading that first before this as it does spoil the ending of the book although indirectly.

It may only be April, but I've fully shifted into summer reading mode. It probably helps that most of my go-to authors have been releasing thrillers that sound too good to pass up. After being disappointed with author Peter Swanson's last novel, I was eager to see if his latest effort would be a return to form. I decided that Nine Lives would be the perfect book to read as I set sail for a celebratory birthday cruise this week. His publisher was kind enough to send an advanced copy of the novel my way last month, but I knew I wanted to save reading it for the perfect occasion. I should have known better! A couple of days ago I allowed myself to read just the first chapter, and that was it. I couldn't stop reading!

Nine people, each with vastly different lives, have just received a mysterious envelope. The contents of this envelope are identical. Inside, they find a single sheet of typewritten paper containing their name and the names of eight strangers. There is no context for the list. The recipients recognize their own names but not the names of the others. At first, they mostly ignore the list. Why worry about something so inconsequential? But then the first person from the list is murdered. Shortly thereafter, another name is killed. For the seven remaining strangers, one thing is clear. Any one of them could be the next to die.

Peter Swanson has devoted his career to writing stand-alone thrillers. His ability to deliver a read that has compelling characters, an original plot and an unputdownable pace has made him one of my favorites. Nine Lives takes its inspiration from Agatha Christie's classic tale And Then There Were None. Swanson adds to the challenge of Christie's locked room mystery by placing his victims at different locations across the world. So intriguing was the setup of this mystery that I couldn't help but read the entire thing in a single sitting. My only complaint was the short length and large cast of the novel made the characters little more than surface-level stereotypes. There wasn't a single person whom I could latch on to. Character depth aside, I thoroughly enjoyed this modern take on a literary classic. The only problem now is that I have to pick a different book to read on my vacation!

Nine strangers receive a list with their names on it through the mail, no postage or connection to one another. Most of them simply disregard the letter, until one by one they start dying. FBI agent Jessica Winslow is on the list, and determined to solve the case.

This is basically a retelling of Agatha Christie’s classic novel And Then There Were None. Easy to read with short chapters, I liked meeting all nine of the characters and looking for the similarities between them. There was some suspense wondering who would survive.

It was entertaining, but I wanted more clues and trails to follow. You don’t get to know the characters well so it was hard to connect or care about them, and I thought the epilogue should have been left out. Although this wasn’t my favorite by Peter Swanson, I’m still a big fan and love his writing style.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for sending me an ARC!

Peter Swanson is one of my auto buy authors so I always look forward to a new read by him!

“Nine Lives” was such an interesting concept and storyline, I really enjoyed it!

This book kept me guessing, which is needed for a great thriller!

This is the second Peter Swanson book that also mentions Agatha Christie novels, which as a thriller lover I am shocked to say I have never read one of her books, so I am going to take this as a sign and read one soon!

There were a lot of characters in this book and it took me till about halfway through to get them all straight! Luckily there is a character list at the front and I was constantly flipping back to it for reference.

Overall it was another great read from Swanson! 💛

Thank you HarperCollins Canada for the advanced copy! Nine Lives is out now!

This book was a wild ride, as nine names appear on a seemingly random list that has put them into someone's target. I wish we had gotten a little more development on some of the characters, but the central mystery was fantastic as it slowly unraveled.