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.

This was my first read by Steve Cavanaugh, but it won't be my last! This author weaves a story which is both vivid and immersive and filled with red herrings. A sharp and insightful character study, mixed with an edgy and unpredictable mystery. Chefs kiss. Five stars. Can't wait for its release! Thank you to netgally and the publisher for a chance to read this ARC!!!!!

This was quite a ride! Great story--lots of ACTION and plot twists. If you prefer that to a slow-burn domestic thriller, you will love this one! Five-star action thriller. Interesting characters who all inspire some empathy or at least show a side that makes you wonder about the complexities of humanity. Loved the way the threads came together in the end; it did take a long time and I was getting frustrated for a little while, but obviously it wouldn't work otherwise. But I felt like I was reading two different stories for 80% of the book. I am sure other people will whine, "Oh, I figured it out so early." That always drives me crazy in reviews. Obviously, in any thriller with limited characters, we could all sit down and plot the possibilities and say we figured it out--but I like to let the story come to me. Embarking on the journey constructed by the author is more enjoyable (to me) than trying to prove something. SPOILERS: I loved the ending, arguably just what I needed (and contributes to the themes of justice and revenge and the journey through grief and the justification of actions), but not sure . . . ? This guy goes to all this trouble to to get rid of a loose end that wouldn't ever come back to him, but he creates a loose end with Amanda and gives her physical evidence and everybody wins? What he did for her makes total sense--bad guys ranking each other--but does he give up such an easy mark? Does her particular suffering remove her from consideration (Ruth's suffering didn't.) Does her trust in him take away the thrill? Does everyone need a connection, and she becomes his? Maybe I read too fast at the end and missed it . . . all these are interesting questions. I kind of like the last one. Highly recommend.

This book has two story lines which the reader goes back and forth between. In one, two strangers meet and realize they both have a strong desire for revenge and plot to fill for each other. Will they ever have a "normal" life again? Meanwhile, a third person is brutally attacked in her home while her husband is out for the night. His piercing blue eyes haunt her. Will she ever have peace?
I did enjoy this title and the plot twists throughout the book. Going back and forth between the two story lines which included four points of view didn't help the book get off to a great start for me, but then it made me not want to put the book down! I wanted to get back to the other story line and see what came next! If I could rate this book higher, I would.

Parts of the book include possible triggers from some readers.

Strangers on a Train with a twist, Kill for Me, Kill for You is very on the nose about its Patricia Highsmith inspiration, but still manages to introduce some surprising elements into the mix—it is a story that starts out decently average, but gets better and better until it reaches the very last word.

The extremely accessible writing style from Steve Cavanagh helps propelling the slower moments in the narrative—when the novel establishing its character / situation before the main 'gimmick' kicks in. While I understand the need for marketing to spotlight the act of 'murder exchange', it does negatively affect the novel's first 30%, as the reader is already aware what the setup is leading up to. But I'm happy to say after getting over that hurdle, the story is smooth sailing with many intense moments, and the last 30% is particularly clever, in a way I'm surprised no thrillers (as far as I'm aware of) have attempted this trick prior.

A more subjective (less critical) side note: After recently read a couple novels authentically capture New York (and as someone who had lived in Manhattan prior), the representation of the city in Kill for Me, Kill for You feels rather superficial; some of the locations choices feel overly 'touristy', more for name-dropping recognizable landmarks in a story rather than common sense for New York locals. Again, to casual readers this is probably barely noticeable, and shouldn't impact to the overall experience.

Kill for Me, Kill for You is a bingeable, mainstream escapist thriller that manages to be familiar, but still offers some genuine thrills. In some way it reminds me of Stay Awake by Megan Goldin; not necessarily in its plot, but the pacing, as well as the selected POVs. Would be curious to see if this become a series starter down the road!

This is a premise that has been many times before, but it’s a fun one.

However, I could not get behind the compulsion to kill “Mr Blue Eyes”. It made my eyes roll.

This was not for me but I do intend to give the author another try,

I am so glad I received this book from NetGalley to review! This is the first I've read from Steve Cavanagh and it will not be the last, I will be marking his entire backlist as "to read"! This was a fast-paced thriller that really keeps you on the edge of your seat with heart-pounding and jaw dropping action and twists!! I absolutely loved this! It might look like it will be the usual "Strangers on a Train" telling, but it most definitely is NOT! Very unique and clever!

I love Steve Cavanagh’s work and this was no exception. I couldn’t put this down. Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review

4.5 stars!

Kill for Me, Kill for You took the strangers on a train trope and really flipped it on its head and brought it into the 21st century. I thought this was such a fun and unique thriller and I read it in almost one sitting because of its breakneck pace. This makes me want to go back to his Eddie Flynn series (I've read Thirteen by him but I honestly don't remember it) because I felt so invested in all of the characters, and genuinely worried by their decisions. Just a half star off because I did guess the final twist but everything was plotted out so well I couldn't be that bothered.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Well this was a fun and twisty thriller. This is told from multiple povs including two women who make a deal to kill for me, i'll kill for you. Inspired from the story "Strangers On a Train", Steve Cavanagh did a fantastic job weaving each characters plot and tying it up at the end. I was able to predict one of the twists half way through but I still very much enjoyed it and I look forward to his future books.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for this arc.

3.75 Stars

I’ve been wanting to read another Steve Cavanagh book for awhile now and I was excited to see him come out with a new standalone. The Strangers on the Train type plot really intrigued me and I wanted to see how it would all pan out.

Things definitely took a different turn than I expected. Since I read a lot of this genre, things don’t often surprise me anymore, but this one managed a couple twists that I didn’t anticipate, which is always fun. I spent a long time trying to figure out how Ruth’s plotline would connect with Amanda’s and I didn’t guess it until it smacked me in the face. I felt a little mad at myself for not figuring it out in advance, actually. I really liked that things weren’t as predictable as I often find them.

Some things did seem a little far-fetched to me, though. And it might have been my mood, but I felt like the plot was pretty slow to develop before things really started picking up in the end. Despite those couple things, this was an enjoyable book and I look forward to reading more from this author.

To me, Kill for Me, Kill for you is a quintessential thriller and I am here for it! Every time I thought I had it all figured out, I didn’t. This story, told from multiple points of view, centers around Amanda and Wendy, two women who have experienced horrible trauma that takes over their lives. They become obsessed with the injustice they feel and through each other come up with a way to get revenge: a murder swap. By the middle of the book the suspense keeps building and I didn’t want to put it down. There is so much to this story that I couldn’t have even imagined! Overall if you love a psychological thriller, read this book—it does not disappoint!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

Best of 2024.
One dark evening on New York City’s Upper West Side, two strangers meet by chance. Over drinks, Amanda and Wendy realize they have much in common, especially loneliness and an intense desire for revenge against the men who destroyed their families. As they talk into the night, they come up with the perfect plan: if you kill for me, I’ll kill for you. 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?
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for giving me an advance copy.

Really enjoyed this book. This was my first one by this author but I have had his other books on my TBR for a while and after this I’ll be running to pick them up. Really twisty and the twists kept coming through the whole book

my fave thriller of 2023!
this shook me. so well done & well executed, twisty, fast paced, engaging, with interesting characters that you really feel for.

Solid 4.25 stars for me. Thoroughly enjoyed this mystery/thriller by Steve Cavanagh. I have previously read one of his other Eddie Flynn Books and also enjoyed that. Cavanagh does a great job of giving you lots of twists and turns that you don't necessarily see coming. This book is based off Hitchcock's "Strangers on a Train," which is referenced in the story. It is told from the perspective of several key characters in the story, however, you don't really know how all of the characters tie together until the end. I thought he did a great job with the story development, details, and weaving the plot together. Enjoy the plot twists. I will definitely be reading more of his books. Highly recommend.