This is a perfect read for fans of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None”. Nine people receive a letter that lists just their names. They don’t know each other and, apparently, have nothing in common. They live all over the US and have a variety of occupations from an FBI agent to a wannabe actor. Eight of them receive the letter in the mail, one of them finds it on his daily walk just before he is murdered. Everything about it was thrilling. The plot holds together, the characters are engaging and there was nothing predictable about it. Nine people are sent a list, nine names on the list, then they start being killed. At the beginning, it’s confusing to have so many characters to deal with but the author does a great job of distinguishing them and creating distinctive personalities. Readers can’t easily figure out who the murderer was, until the end. You are continually wondering who the killer is, and why they have selected these apparently random people to be killed. Every page was full of excitement and surprisingly well developed characters. The uncertainty of not knowing who could die next, kept me on my toes the whole time. I enjoyed how Swanson allows the reader to play investigator, using the information that we slowly learn to narrow down a list of suspects to ultimately find who was responsible and why. Chapters count down from nine to none, lending a sense of urgency to the story as each lower number means another victim. Swanson did an extraordinary job at allowing the reader to be connected to the detective work by offering up multiple points of view. The characters were relatable and I found myself rooting for many of them, even though it was clear what was happening to them. The twist at the end made me audibly gasp and I loved the way it wrapped up. Best mystery I’ve read in a long time!

Peter Swanson is one of my favorite authors and I have read all of his books. Nine Lives was a fantastic read and will keep you on the edge of your seat. I literally didn't put it down until I finished. It was a quick read with many twists. I look forward to recommending this book when it's published in the Spring. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for my opinion.

This was a propulsive thriller that kept me turning the pages. I didn't particularly care for the ending and "reveal." I would recommend it to someone looking for a quick, easy read.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Agatha Christie meets Muriel Spark in this Cobenesque thriller that keeps you guessing. I read it like candy.

Another excellent offering from Peter Swanson. A recommended purchase for collections where thrillers and his previous titles are popular.

So the premise for this was interesting until I realized this is the 2nd book in a couple months that I’ve read that was based on And Then There were None by Agatha Christie and I think this one definitely did better than the last one I read especially with having one of the detectives actually reading the novel while going to interview the sister of one of the people on the list. 9 people receive and list with their name plus eight other names on it and nothing else and they think nothing of it except one of the 9 who receive it is a FBI agent Jessica Winslow who does think it really weird. She starts trying to find the other people on the list when she finds that one of the names on the list has died and then they start getting picked off one by one. This was really interesting and there were chapters from each of the characters on the list and when they get murdered. I didn’t figure out who the killer was until they wanted me to so that was fun because I hate to figure it out too early. The reason for the killings sucked but there was a survivor at the end. So a good read and interesting way to make us care for the individuals on the list by giving us chapters dedicated to their pov and it kept you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out who is going to be next.

Thanks to William Morrow and Custom House and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book in e-book form. All opinions in this review are my own.

Wow! This was a great book to close out the first week of 2022.

I am a huge fan of Peter Swanson. This is his best book in quite some time. I loved all the references to Agatha Christie (be ready to add some of her mysteries to your tbr!).

It's a clever twist to (even as it directly references) And Then There Were None, but it's a fresh story all its own. A lot of characters (at least nine! ha!) with backstories and details. A little tough to keep straight, but it's definitely worth reading. A smart thriller that you won't be able to put down. It will be interesting to see if Swanson continues with the "number" theme (Eight Perfect Murders was a previous novel of his). Either way, I'm always eager to read whatever he produces.

Thank you, Netgalley, for my arc.

Author #PeterSwanson configures this title in a manner that makes it immensely readable. Classic mystery tropes are employed throughout, with multiple nods to #AgathaChristie 's #AndThenThereWereNone. Nine strangers receive a piece of copy paper with their names on it and nothing else in the mail. An FBI agent, Jessica Winslow's name appears on the list and she begins to attempt to locate the others on the list. When one of the other people who's name on the list is reported murdered in Kennewick, Maine, quickly followed by two other names being murdered. In a race to locate the murderer, as well as prevent her own murder, Jessica and the FBI attempt to solve the case. Thank you #NetGalley for allowing me to preview this enjoyable mystery.

Nine strangers each receive a letter in the mail and each envelope contains a single sheet of paper with nine names on it.

All of them are seemingly from different walks of life and have no connection but when one ends up dead the mystery begins. Who created the list and why were their names chosen and who killed them. So many questions left unknown.

Wow did I ever enjoy this one. It was my second book by the author and I thought this one was terrific. The chapters alternative between the nine names on the list and tells their story and experience. The chapters are relatively short which I always enjoy. The mystery was fantastic and the ending was a complete surprise. I strongly recommend you reading this one as soon as possible. This is definitely a 5 star read for me.

QUICK TAKE: another solid Swanson entry, this one about 9 people who all have the same thing in common: their name is on a list of people that are being killed off. Investigators race to track down the killer before it's too late. I liked this one, though I wish the backstory was fleshed out a little bit more and interwoven throughout the story (rather than an exposition dump at the end).

And Then There Were None is by far one of my most favourite Agatha Christie novels, so this contemporary homage to the concept definitely hooked me in! Nine people from across America all receive an identical note in the mail: a list of their names. None of them know the others, and none of them could think of a reason why anyone would hold a grudge against them. Yet, one by one, the people on the list end up getting killed. And the FBI is frantically trying to track down the killer before the next victim.


It's a classic set-up for a thriller, and Swanson does a great job in introducing us to his large cast of characters. He gives us just enough detail to make us care whether a character lives or dies (one person in particular made me actively wishing the killer would move them up the list), without overwhelming us with so much detail we can no longer keep the characters straight.

I had a particular soft spot for two of the characters -- a musician who was inspired by the list to write a love song, and an English teacher who lived with her two cats -- and I absolutely love how the random experience of both being on a murder list led them to find, and semi-fall for, each other. I also must give kudos to Swanson in setting up one of the people on the list, an FBI agent, as the super obvious primary point of view character, only to prove me wrong partway through. While the novel does track the investigation into the series of murders, we mostly see it unfold through the eyes of the characters on the list more than through the FBI agents investigating the deaths. This adds to the classic, Christie-ish feel of the mystery, and just as we root for the characters on the island in And Then There Were None, we also can't help but root for the various ordinary people who are trying to outrun their fates.

It's a testament to Swanson's characterization that some of the deaths made me truly sad. Even with characters who appeared for only a couple of chapters, I could feel the loss of their passing. The murderer's motivation was as convoluted and personal as anything out of Christie, and while part of me figures I really should have seen that reveal coming, I applaud the author for keeping me genuinely in the dark until the final two names. 

The novel isn't perfect -- the overt references to And Then There Were None got a bit too repetitive after a while, and a last minute reveal, while making the ending semi-happy, seemed totally random and unwarranted. But overall, it's a lovely read, and I'd recommend it for fans of classic whodunnits. 

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Thank you to Harper Collins Canada for an e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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This book will go live on my blog on Jan 13, 2022, at 8 am ET.

Peter Swanson has written some of my favorite thriller and suspense books. Nine Lives, his latest, falls under this genre. While it started a little slow, it picked up speed a little over halfway through. Then it moved so quickly that I was surprised when I finished the book!
Nine random people receive a list with their names and eight others. There is no explanation or clues as to who it is from or the significance of those names. One by one, each person is murdered, even when under police surveillance. Who is behind this and why? And while we’re on the subject of murders with numbers in them, you can rest assured that there are plenty of references to Agatha Christie.
At first, I was confused because many of the characters seemed similar, and I could not keep them straight. However, as soon as some of the minor characters were done away with, it was easier to track who was who.
Whether or not you’re a diehard Peter Swanson fan, this will be a satisfying read. It kept me guessing right through to the very end.

I really wanted to read this book because I loved Peter Swanson's last book Eight Perfect Murders. This one was similar, an Agatha Christie like mystery story (inspired by Christie's Ten Little Indians). If you are looking for a fast paced thriller, this is probably not the book for you! But if you are looking for a good old fashioned mystery that slowly unravels into an unpredictable, satisfying conclusion, you will love this book! The way Swanson pulls all the clues together at the end is what changed this from a three star to a four star book for me. Recommended.

This book was very fast pace and was nice to read in one sitting. The author did a great job of bouncing between multiple perspectives without overwhelming the reader. Since there were multiple narrators the chapters felt fast and kept the momentum of the story going. I was surprised by the killer. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a quick who did it murder mystery.

I enjoyed this book and was impressed with how the author played with timing and perspective to lead up to a big reveal, which seems to be a specialty of Swanson's. Very nice sendup of And Then There Were None, although if you're looking for something wholly original this probably isn't it.

This story started off strong and kept me engaged right up to the last few chapters. The end fell completely apart and I was disappointed.

Peter Swanson has been hit-or-miss with me in the past, but the books of his that I love, I love enough to keep coming back for more. And when I read the synopsis for Nine Lives, I knew this would be one more tally in the "love" column. It definitely lived up to my assumptions. Why did nine strangers receive a list with their name on it? Why have the people on that list begun to die in mysterious circumstances? Who will be next? For FBI agent Jessica Winslow, whose name appears on the list, time is running out to find out what these nine people have in common and who could wish them dead. This one is fun and fast-paced, and I highly recommend it for readers who enjoyed Swanson's previous novel, Eight Perfect Murders.

This was an amazing homage to the Queen herself, Agatha Christie. I loved the way the story unfolded and was very surprised with the twist at the end. I also loved how we got to know a little about each of the Nine Lives but not TOO much information. Will be recommending this to customers!

Peter Swanson is in my top 5 favourite authors! So when I saw he had a new book I requested immediately.

I read this a few days ago and have been trying to come up with a review. Unfortunately Nine Lives fell flat for me.

With that being said I will always look forward to what's to come!

Thanks so much for Harper Collins Canada for my gifted copy.

Imagine getting a list of nine names, one being your own. Just names. Nothing else. You might toss it. You might set it aside. But you might not jump to the conclusion that these are Nine Lives to be ended. The latest psychological thriller by Peter Swanson includes one FBI agent on the list, Jessica Winslow, and before long, she starts putting clues together.

The first to die is an old man who retains an aging family inn, which he uses as his personal watering hole. Once a heralded vacation spot for families, the inn is a shell of what it used to be, but it is on the beach in the small town of Kennewick, Maine, which is handy for the killer who drowns the first victim.

Since the list of nine is found near the body, the investigation begins, with the FBI getting involved, deeply involved since one of their own is on the list. Meanwhile, another person on the list is shot in the back. So far, investigators have learned from the listees that none of them even know each other.

What is the connection then? Is it a perfectly random list? Is there some connecting thread all the detectives are missing? Are they looking for a crazed serial killer? Per usual, the author keeps everyone guessing before planting the twist he has come to be known for.

Peter Swanson writes novels, short stories, poetry, and features. His work has been printed in Asimov’s Science Fiction, The Atlantic Monthly, Measure, The Guardian, The Strand Magazine, and Yankee Magazine. The Girl with a Clock for a Heart, his debut novel, is still my personal favorite. Swanson lives in Somerville, Massachusetts, with his wife and their cat.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting December 10, 2021.

I’d like to thank William Morrow and Custom House and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

Another compelling mystery from Peter Swanson. I have snapped up every one of his books since I first read Eight Perfect Murders, and I've never regretted it. He is strongly influenced by classic mystery novels but they never read as dated, or cozy. He is able to create compelling snapshots of characters quickly - essential in a novel with so many characters. It was easy to remember who was who, and I felt something for all of them - be it sympathy or disgust. A great read for anyone looking for a new mystery - especially fans of the classics who have reread Agatha Christie too many times already.