This story was bananas in the best way!

The first twist totally caught me off guard! The second twist was a little bit too convenient for me, but with all thrillers, I suspended my belief and let myself have fun with it. I was hoping to get a little more resolution and answers to my questions by the end, but overall the plot was strong.

I read this so quickly and found myself thinking about the plot and wishing I was reading it. Will definitely read more by this author!

Wow,! What a fun roller coaster of a read! I loved the Strangers on a Train high octave revamp filled with suspense and crazy twists, as well as the stellar ending.. Cavanagh weaves an intricate and well plotted story with the use of duel timelines and multiple POVs, and well developed characters who readers champion for despite their moral and murderous intentions. I appreciate a good revenge story complete with somewhat sympathetic serial killers, and I particularly enjoyed the unique spin on it. I could feel the all consuming grief and rage of these characters and it made me question what depths I would go if in their situation. I highly recommend this twisty revenge thriller which grips you from the first page and keeps you engaged until the satisfying ending.

My rating: 5 out of 5

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this eARC that will be published Mar 19 2024.

Strangers on the Train but...women seeking vengeance.

Amanda is devastated after the death of her daughter and the suicide of her husband. She's barely hanging on. Her only focus is revenge on the man who caused it all. She's planned everything down to the second.

When her plan goes array, she is ordered to a group dedicated to parents who lost children. She meets Wendy, a woman who lost a daughter. The two women connect and soon become friends. During a drunken night, they hatch a plan to kill the other suspect/murderer.

But...everything is not as it seems.
---
This was ... a lot. It's harrowing and terrifying...but then putters out towards the end. I lost interest in the connections and really had to push myself to finish. The overall story is good, but I struggled to care about any of the characters.

Overall, it's a great thriller, but it wasn't for me.

Man, I would love to live inside Cavanagh's mind for a day! Then again, maybe not. I'm sure it's a scary place 😱

This was fascinating and riveting. From the first chapter, I was gripping my Kindle and couldn't swipe fast enough and again read another book in one sitting.
It's a multi-POV crime thriller, and with Cavanagh, you can always expect a cleverly plotted storyline.
He's penned characters who are almost impossible not to feel empathy for and has built a story around a moral dilemma.
He's a master storyteller, and my heart was beating out of my chest in suspense. I loved it!
And recommend this book 💯 percent.

Thank you to the author,, Netgally and Atria Books for the complimentary copy.
All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC.

This was an absolutely wild ride. First, the descriptions of grief throughout this novel are so intense. I was so anxious for these characters throughout the entire book. The first of the two big twists in this novel I was taken aback by and thought "oh wow, that's a great twist!" Assuming there were no more, I went on my merry way to finish this book. And then - bam. The OTHER twist comes in. Wow.

This book is such a unique and wild ride and will make you think about what you would do for revenge, how far would you go? How do you move past loss without rage consuming you?

4.5 stars for me. Stellar.

Wow, wow, wow!! What a thrilling ride!! I. COULD. NOT. PUT. THIS. DOWN. Two women meet each other in a support group and become fast friends, bonding over the tragic murder of their loved ones. No one has been charged in these cases and it is eating them up alive. They make a pact, I'll kill for you and you kill for me. This was such an amazingly put together story. Lots of twist and turns, yet so easy to follow along. A great take on Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train.

What a wild ride this book was!! I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, I went in blind after seeing reliable sources saying it was a must read. Scaredstraightreads compared it to books by Peter Swanson and David Ellis and that was really all I needed to hear! Also the Goodreads star rating in 4.35, which is pretty impressive! I couldn’t get my hands on it fast enough. And then I tore through it! At first I thought it would be a bit predictable, the title says it all right?? But the way Steven Cavanagh throws twists into this book is unparalleled. Getting close to one twist, I predicted it, but was still shocked! The other twists, I could not have seen coming. I found myself cheering for the bad guy in the end! I loved the multiple POVs and at the core, bad ass women and a story of revenge. This is a book that will get a lot of buzz in March and Cavanagh will be an author to watch in the future!

I've never read Strangers on a Train, but I am familiar with the concept it introduced of strangers doing favor killings for each other in order not to be caught. And that's the main premise here, as you might guess from the title. But of course, things never go as planned...

The story features several characters, but I did not find it confusing to follow along. Amanda and Wendy are both grieving and angry mothers, having lost children in horrible ways, and their child's killer was allowed to go free. They meet each other in a grief group, and despite the fact that it's meant to be anonymous, they recognize a kindred spirit and a need for justice in each other, and start meeting outside of the grief group. One thing leads to another, and they decide to kill each other's tormentor. What could go wrong? Well...so very much. We also follow along with married couple Ruth and Scott, as they deal with the aftermath of Ruth's survival of a violent home invasion, and the crippling fear she faces knowing her blue-eyed attacker is still out there. And we also have the viewpoint of Detective Farrow, who worked on both Amanda and Ruth's crimes.

This story is fast paced and fun, with a few twists throughout (one or two I guessed at, and a couple that truly shocked me), and I hated to put it down. There are definitely a few coincidences that were unlikely, and you may have to dispend believability here and there...but I didn't mind that because I was thoroughly entertained. I think it would make an excellent movie. 4 1/2 stars rounded up to 5 because I enjoyed it so much.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Atria for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Edge of my seat, couldn’t put it down! I stayed up late several nights unable to stop reading to find out what had happened. An homage to the old movie Strangers on a Train, this modernizes the movie with a twist. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Kill for me, kill for you is a fast-paced thriller. I was really excited for this one but some parts of the plot were too far fetched. The main characters were kind of annoying. The only character I felt bad for was Scott. He did not deserve that ending.

The ending had me in shock, something I was not expecting. Overall it’s a quick read, my first book by Steve Cavanagh but definitely not the last.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this advance copy. This was my first book from this popular author. I found the writing style to be more tell than show, which just isn’t to my personal taste, but I know this book will find huge success. It was very suspenseful as far as the plot.

This book is an absolute BANGER!! I found myself ripping through the pages and reading until the small hours of the morning - simply not being able to put my kindle down!

Easily handing over 5 unforgettable and thrilling stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


✨ For fans of The Silent Patient and Gone Girl, a razor-sharp and Hitchcock-inspired psychological thriller about two ordinary women who make a dangerous pact to take revenge for each other after being pushed to the brink.✨

╰┈➤ 𝓠𝓾𝓲𝓬𝓴 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂

Amanda has recently lost her young daughter in an extremely tragic way - she was murdered and she knows who has done it but due to his father being a very rich and very powerful man in NYC as well as the perp being careful in his crimes, nothing has stuck and he's a free man just living his life. Shortly after the death of her daughter, he husband who blames himself entirely for her death commits suicide.

Completely alone and with her life utterly shattered... Amanda now has to participate in a court ordered group therapy for grieving parents due to violating the restraining order placed on her for stalking the man she believes killed her daughter.

In group therapy she meets a mother of a young girl who was r@ped and murdered by her school teacher. After getting to know one another over the course of a few days, many drinks and bonding conversations- a plan is hatched. They will swap murder- Amanda will kill the man who r@ped and killed Naomi's daughter and Naomi will in turn kill the man who killed Amanda's daughter... nothing better than revenge to get these grieving mothers the closure they need...

While in another part of the city, Ruth is home alone when the beautiful brownstone she shares with her husband, Scott, is invaded. She’s attacked by a man with piercing blue eyes, who disappears into the night. Will she ever be able to feel safe again while the blue-eyed stranger is out there?


╰┈➤ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼

I'm blown away, I'm speechless, I'm so freaking impressed how these twists crept up on me and I had no clue until the author wanted me to know!

I love thrillers, always have... but to be honest. In recent years, I have really struggled to find some good ones. This story is hands down - extraordinary, cunning, and suspenseful - laced with apprehension and anticipation. Leaving the reader full of fear and anxiety, but NEEDING to know what happens.

I honestly had my heart beating out of my chest as I read as fast as I could while these characters were putting themselves in harms way to do unthinkable things - or to find out the truth to other things. You know what I'm talking about - that feeling of omg don't go there, don't do that- you're going to get caught... omg. I was on the edge of my seat, biting my actual nails!

The story is told in third person with alternating POV's- the main ones being Amanda and Ruth. Sprinkled in are also, Scott's - husband to Ruth as well as the detective working both cases - Farrow.

I would say that right from the first page, the pace is a little slower than I would have expected but still very enjoyable. Once you get to around 25% in - it's off to the races. Plan to stay up until you finish the book!

╰┈➤ 🗣️ 𝓗𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓵𝔂 𝓡𝓮𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓕𝓸𝓻 𝓕𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓞𝓯:

✔️ Thrillers/Psych Thrillers
✔️ Detectives
✔️ Edge of your seat story telling
✔️ Unexpected twists and turns
✔️Very satisfying conclusion




Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books and Steve Cavanagh for the complementary copy in exchange for my honest review. 🌺💗

Earlier this year, I was excited to discover Steve Cavanagh would be releasing a new novel. About 2 years ago, I read one of the novels in his Eddie Flynn series and was very pleasantly surprised. However, I found that Kill for Me, Kill for You did not work as well as Th1rt3en. That being said, I think it will be a super popular book that a lot of people love.

Kill for Me, Kill for You is a psychological thriller that starts with the concept of Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train. Two grieving women meet and decide to swap murders in revenge of their murdered children. But fear not, Steve Cavanagh puts a new spin on the old tale and still keeps readers guessing.

Kill for Me, Kill for You is primarily told from two perspectives – that of Ruth, a woman who is the victim of a home invasion, and Amanda, a woman whose spouse and daughter have died. Sprinkled here and there are two additional perspectives from Ruth’s husband, Scott, and the detective on the cases, Farrow. Cavanagh keeps you guessing on how all of these perspectives will converge.

Based upon my previous experience with Cavanagh’s novels, I expected Kill for Me, Kill for You to be faster-paced and pull me in quickly. However, nothing substantial occurs until about 20 percent into the story. That first fifth of narrative is filled with background about the women and the crimes experienced. Once Amanda goes to group therapy, the narrative begins to pick up in pace.

Perhaps I read too many thrillers and watch too many procedurals, but the fact that these two women thought the authorities would be unable to connect them seems naïve. This is particularly so when you consider the knowledge Detective Farrow already possesses about their lives. I typically do not complain about believability in thrillers, but the fact the women are so easily convinced their plot will work seemed a bit ludicrous.

I may have been more accepting of their plan if the two women were more fleshed out characters who felt real. However, all the women in this book felt one-dimensional. While I thought Cavanagh had ample opportunity to develop the novel’s characters, it was readily apparent that he was unsuccessful at embodying a woman’s voice, thoughts, and POV. Consequently, the entire narrative became less believable.

Finally, while the final twist is a fun one, it did not sit well with me. I think the main character’s lack of reaction is what bothers me most. The plausibility of that reaction seems extremely unlikely, and so, I am left sitting uncomfortably with the ending. Every time I think of it, I realize a little more how it does not quite fit.

Overall, I did not love nor did I hate Kill for Me, Kill for You. I found some of the twists super predictable and others I met with mediocre reception. The writing and short chapters propelled the story forward, but the women’s voice and development fell short. I think this novel will have an audience with those that love domestic thrillers with a lot of twists and who do not need everything to be plausible.

Note: I received an electronic advanced reader’s copy of this book from its publisher, Atria Books. Regardless, I always provide a fair and honest review.

📜Kill For Me, Kill For You
✍️Steve Cavanagh
📠Atria Books
📚Mystery/Thriller, Fiction
🗓️Pub date: March 19, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️

✨Thank you @NetGalley and @atriabooks for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

✨Revenge comes in many different forms. When two women, Amanda and Wendy, meet by chance, they decide to take revenge to the max by killing the men responsible for murdering their kids.

✨However, knowing the police would turn to them if the men end up dead, the women devise a plan. Have an airtight alibi and I’ll kill for you, if you kill for me.

✨Meanwhile across town, another woman, Ruth, is brutally assaulted in the middle of the night in a violent home invasion. How are these crimes connected? Is anyone safe?

✨I thought I would like this more than I actually did. I had a hard time with the dual crimes and different killers and trying to keep the characters straight. It was entertaining, thrilling, and well written, however, maybe only two POVs would have been easier to follow.

#netgalley #killformekillforyou #stevecavanagh #atriabooks #springreleases #advancedreadercopy #arc #bookreview #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #ivegotbooks #killmewithwords #idratherbereading #thrillerfiction

Two women meet through tragedy in a support group and become fast friends. What would make them able to get on with their lives? Easy, revenge. This seems like the only answer to their pain and their newfound relationship is so intense they are willing to do this for each other.
A high intensity book with believability that two strangers could actually carry this out for each other. But knowing first hand of how they are haunted by their common trauma makes it easy for them to make it happen.
As expected, there are twists that have you turning the pages waiting for the next improbability. You’ll never see it coming!

Thank you to Atria and Netgalley for the e-ARC. I've started Steve Cavanagh's Eddie Flynn series many moons ago. However, I've never felt as hooked as I have reading Kill for Me, Kill for You. Our main POV's of the story are Amanda, Ruth and Farrow. Scott (Ruth's husband) has a few chapters, but I considered him as a side. Farrow is the detective who was assigned to work on Ruth and Amanda's cases. One night, Scott left Ruth at home to go hangout with some friends. Around 11:30 that night, Ruth woke to some glass shattering and assumed her husband came home drunk and dropped a glass. When she came downstairs to help, Ruth ended up being attacked and almost left for dead.

Amanda's case is a bit different. Her little girl is murdered and her husband took his own life. Amanda regularly would stalk her daughter's murderer to see if she can just catch him herself. Farrow is trying to help Amanda and Ruth with both of their cases. Amanda goes to a parental bereavement group where she meets another woman Wendy where her daughters killer was never caught. In this case, they decide to swap murders where Wendy will kill Amanda's daughters killer and vise versa.

***SPOILERS***









The twist. WOW. The turning point in the book when we realize Ruth was attacked in 2008 (her chapters are in the past) and Amanda is in 2018. That's when it hit and I had to put my kindle down to process that Ruth was Wendy/Naomi in the bereavement group. Ruth wanted justice for herself when her husband murdered the wrong blue eyed man who attacked Ruth. In the process, Ruth created all these different identities for herself and would con people on murdering men who looked like her attacker in exchange for her "murdering" the others who were conned. Come to find out, Ruth never murdered any of them and the murders she enlisted were of innocent victims. Now that wasn't even the main twist of the book. I'm leaving that out of this review. However, I'm so glad I gave this author another chance as I absolutely loved this book and I am glad Amanda finally found peace in the end.

This was such a good book! I loved the characters, and their story. The dialogue was realistic and enjoyable. I was very surprised by the ending!

wow I loved this! we follow two main narrators, Amanda and Ruth. Amanda is struggling in the aftermath of her daughter’s murder and husband’s suicide. Amanda meets Wendy in a support group & they form a quick friendship, bonded by their mutual desire for revenge on the men responsible for ruining their lives. so how about a murder swap? Meanwhile, Ruth is struggling to hold on after she was attacked in her own home and nearly killed while her husband was out playing poker with the guys.

I was sucked in immediately to this story. this was fast paced and had me on the edge of my seat. I love twists, especially twists I don’t see coming. 5 star read for me, no question about it. READ THIS BOOK.

thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Ruth is viciously attacked in her own home by a mysterious blue eyed serial killer. Amanda’s family has been destroyed by a murderer as well. She meets a stranger at grief group and they agree to help each other out in the vein of Strangers on a Train. They will each kill for the other for vigilante justice. What could possibly go wrong, and how do these stories relate? You’ve got to read to find out!

This book takes a classic Hitchcock premise of Strangers on a Train and completely upends it. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, found myself completely obsessed with this story, and needing to know what would happen next. That’s truly the mark of a five star thriller for me! Although I ended up guessing one twist, there were several others that took me completely by surprise. I loved the multiple narrators, the separate storylines that left me wondering how they’d converge, and the crazy twists. This book had me completely enthralled from the first pages to the shocking conclusion.

Thank you to Steve Cavanagh and Atria books for sending me this arc in exchange for my honest review.

🚨 NEW FAVORITE THRILLER ALERT

Thank you @atriabooks for my #gifted copy!

Run 🏃🏻‍♀️🏃🏻‍♀️ do not walk to preorder this book! It’s been awhile since I have been so invested, engaged, and enthralled by a thriller, and @sscav does a fantastic job in his new book.

One day, Amanda and Wendy meet up and agree to k*ll for one another after they learn they have much in common. Another woman, Ruth, is trying to recover from an attack.

Told in alternating POVs and with short chapters, you will not want to put this one down. I binged this one in around 4 hours and stayed up later than I should’ve to finish it. I just could not stop reading.

I loved the plot and how quick it was. Yes, it’s an out there story, but it’s done so well that I had no trouble suspending all disbelief.

The twists in this one were also done very well, and I was surprised by the ending. I really hope there’s a follow up to this book so I can read more!

I highly recommend this one (DM for CW/TW) and suggest setting aside several hours/a day to read it because you’ll want to read it in one sitting.

Out March 19!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#litbylillireviews