I am thrilled that Steve Cavanagh has U.S. representation for this book from ATRIA! Thank You ATRIA for providing a gifted ARC through NetGalley!

With a nod and a wink 😉 to the original “Murder Swap”-Patricia Highsmith’s “Strangers on a Train” (and Alfred Hitchcock’s movie adaptation of that book) we now have “Kill For Me Kill For You”, a new standalone by Steve Cavanagh who is known best for his legal thrillers featuring quick witted attorney, Eddie Flynn.

So does this murder swap offer anything new?

C’mon-it’s the talented Steve Cavanagh!
So, YES, yes it does!!

The book opens on a train, but this time it isn’t where the “plotting” takes place…….

Amanda and Wendy are two women unable to put the past behind them, having lost loved ones to HORRIFIC crimes!

Each has become fixated on the man who destroyed her family, and each desperately wants revenge.

Over drinks one night, they devise a plan to accomplish their goal-“If you kill for me, I’ll kill for you.”
🥃🥃

Ruth is a VICTIM of a BRUTAL assault in her own home. She is now too afraid to leave the hotel room that she has been staying in since her discharge from the hospital.

How will her story intersect with those of the other two women?

In ways you can’t even imagine!

And, then there is that ending…

At first, I wasn’t sure if I liked the final twist when it first began to play out, BUT once the author brought the twist full circle, I changed my mind! Chef’s kiss!

I LOVED IT!! ❤️

Even if you have read the others in this trope-do yourself a favor, and read this one too!

You won’t regret it!

AVAILABLE MARCH 19, 2024

Wow!! This book was fantastic! I loved the twists. The plot was so unique! I read a lot of suspense and thrillers and this one was so great! I will definitely be checking out the author's past books.

An unputdownable thriller that brings a clever spin to a classic trope! I had my reservations at first because the whole swapping murders premise isn't new, but Steve Cavanagh killed it. I was kept guessing the whole time but nothing could have prepared me for brilliant after brilliant twist.

Not only is this an engrossing page-turner that examines how far we are willing to go when pushed to the brink, it also explores grief and loss so effectively that the characters' pain is palpable. I loved the nods to Patricia Highsmith and Hitchcock.

My only gripe is how unrealistic and hard to believe some parts are e.g. I can pretend the characters are so blinded by grief and rage that they become incredibly naive, but that's not how SEO works...?

Nevertheless, I enjoyed every moment and this is a twisted read not to be missed!

I loved this book so much! I will definitely be recommending this to others and I had so much fun following along the story. I’m so excited to see what comes next from this author!

This story was a quick read. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters so I didn’t love it. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Steve Cavanagh isn’t stingy with the twists. I love that about his books. The plot is definitely what you’re coming for. His novels are also always cinematic, in good ways and bad. You feel like you can watch the action happening, maybe even feel like you’re there, but the setting is a little off. This was a fakey New York City. Fine with me, but be aware if it’s going to bother you.

I wonder if my expectations are forever too high after loving Th1rt3en years ago. I found this plot interesting enough to propel me through the novel, but I wanted a little bit more from the book as a whole.

Amanda is barely moving through her days. She still feels loss so deeply and yet right there on the surface. That is until she meets Wendy. Wendy is in a similar position, grieving a loss. Noth women can not let go of the intense anger like most, forgiveness is not an option. An idea forms between the two, kill for me and I'll kill for you. The problem with this plan, the chain of events that follows.

Ruth is a ghost of her old self. She survived a home invasion but no longer feels safe leaving her hotel room. Every man with blue eyes could be the man that took almost everything from her.

Holy moly, wow! This novel is not explosive, it's absolutely dynamite. Told through multiple perspectives you get to see the trail of breadcrumbs and where it leads. Steve took the classic Strangers on a Train up a notch and left you in shock all the way to the end. Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.

This is my first book by this author, and it did not disappoint. It was an absolute rollercoaster, and I loved every minute of it. I sympathized with all of the main characters at some point In time, and am glad Amanda finally found some peace at the end of the book. 5/5 for me. I will highly recommend this book to everyone.

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope There is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked!

What in the BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP did I just read? This was wild and clearly I jumped in blind, I loved this book. It was twisted and completely kept me guessing .

I just finished this and having stayed up way past my bedtime to know what happens next, my brain is buzzing! Cavanagh writes a gripping, jaw-dropping psychological thriller. There are multiple POVs, multiple storylines, and multiple plot twists to come.

Two strangers with trauma in their past meet and realize they both harbor immense anger, loneliness, pain - and a need for revenge. If you kill for me, I’ll kill for you…

In another area of New York City while her husband is away, a woman is attacked by a man in her own home and all she can recall about his description is that dark hair and those piercing blue eyes.

Meanwhile, we get to know the detectives on this case, Farrow and Hernandez, and they add a whole new element to an already wild ride.

I really enjoyed Steve Cavanagh’s writing style, his quick chapters, and his ability to keep me hooked on the line for hours at a time to find out what happens next. This was a fun, exciting, fast-paced read that will have you so confused and yet making predictions until the very last page.

And now to add every other Steve Cavanagh book to my TBR.
Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, and Steve Cavanagh for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC for an honest review.

Serial Killer Thriller!! I would definitely recommend! It kept me guessing until the very end! Some of the storyline was a little out there but overall great!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

I really loved it, in fact I preordered myself a finished copy.

4.25⭐
Genre ~ psychological thriller
Setting ~ New York City
Publication date ~ March 19, 2024
Est page Count ~ 351 (64 chapters)
Audio length ~ 11 hours
Narrator ~ Stephanie Cannon
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ child death, murder, suicide, revenge

Our 4 narrators are:
Amanda, whose 6 year old daughter was kidnapped and murdered. Days later her husband is so grief stricken that he takes his own life.
Ruth is brutally attacked in her home and thinks every blue eyed man she sees is her attacker.
Farrow is our detective that has a desire to work the cold cases that no one else wants.
Scott is Ruth's husband

The characters are not particularly likable, but I was fine with that. I enjoyed Detective Farrow and his partner, Hernandez. They had a great working relationship and were good at their job.

This is my first time reading this author and I can see why he's so popular. He gives us some nice tension and twists. I was totally taken by surprise, so woo hoo for that. Of course there were a couple of eye rolling moments, but overall a solid thriller.

Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference, which is just as well since it probably would have bugged me that there is only 1 narrator.

Such a pleasant surprise! A twisty, propulsive cat-and-mouse mystery with empathetic characters facing impossible choices in the face of trauma. I truly didn't expect to be as engrossed in this as I was, and though Cavanagh's writing is sometimes too descriptive for its own good (too much internal monologue and overly specific details can sap the energy from a thriller quickly), I had so much fun going along for this ride.

A new spin on Strangers on a Train. This is one of those psychological thrillers that will pull you in and keep you reading with the captivating, interesting characters and a 'what will happen next' plot. I think a lot of writers in this genre love Patricia Highsmith's classic novel and want to find a way to put a new twist into it. I think Steve Cavanagh definitely did it because I didn't expect the twists in this one.

I went into it blind without reading the synopsis, expecting a legal or police procedural, but this was a good diversion from the Eddie Flynn series. It was a bit slow to start with 2 main characters, Ruth and Amanda, having 2 different story lines. It took a while for them to come together, but when it did, I wasn't expecting the outcome. A well done, entertaining thriller!

This one is a bit bonkers. You are definitely going to have to suspend your disbelief for this one! Twisty and with a body count that just keeps growing, it's not a book for HSPs. That being said, I was thoroughly entertained for the last half of the book. It was a bit slow to get started, but then it really started to pick up and I could not put it down.

Cavanagh is really good at his craft. I am thankful for the ARC and the chance to read this one ahead of publication! 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

DNF @ 15%

Too graphic ,purely for shock value no doubt. Pretty slow start. Felt like I was being set up for a lot of twists and turns and wasn't overly immediately invested in the characters to care. Just not for me despite all the other rave reviews.

What a fun and WILD ride! Amanda and Wendy become unexpected allies when they strike a dark deal to help each other with their need for vengeance. Ruth is viciously attacked in her home and feels hopeless that she’ll ever feel safe again. This story kept me up WAY past my bedtime and at around the 50% point, I had to pick up a romcom because it became much too stressful to read before sleeping! Very well written, intricately plotted, with ‘edge of your seat suspense’, this one will definitely be in my top 20 this year. Mr. Cavanaugh, your book entertained me from cover to cover and made me forget my troubles for a few days, per your wish in your Acknowledgements. Thank you Netgalley, Atria, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on March 19, 2024

4.5 stars*

This book was wild !
I had no idea how the storylines would connect but I they all came together so smoothly and the twist at the end was so good!

I was trying to save this book for an upcoming flight but I just flew through it because I had to know what was going on.

I really enjoy everything I’ve read by Steve Cavanagh and this was one of my favorites. It’s been awhile since I was so engaged in a thriller and I was so anxious as the last few chapters unfolded.