Martha never thought she’d find a romantic partner but then she found Alan. He’s a little plain and boring, and travels a lot, but he makes a nice companion. After the first year, she begins to suspect there’s more to him than she knows.

Peter Swanson is definitely one of my favorite thriller authors. While this is part of a series, you can definitely read it as a stand alone. I read his past books but it’s been a while. I recognized characters, Lily and Henry, but don’t remember their stories much. I loved both of them again. This is a great, engaging story that immediately hooks you with a frightening first chapter. There’s much more to come, including a few surprising twists; even a last minute one I was not expecting at all.

“Maybe he was always pretending with her. Every action and every word simply a way to hide the inhuman thing that he really was.”

A Talent for Murder comes out 6/11.

This was an interesting mystery and the story was told in 3 parts/POVs starting with Martha who thinks her husband Alan is a serial killer, 2nd part is killers pov and 3rd part is the killer kidnapping Lily and Henry looking for her and then just 1 last chapter about Alan to wrap the whole plot up. So while this style was a really interesting read and I liked getting more of an insight in the killer’s background and motivations from the 1st person they killed to now. I really love the suspense of not knowing more and I just hate waiting for the characters to catch up and finally figure out where/who the killer is when you know already. I have really enjoyed the other books I have read from this author and he is a great writer. It is just that this one wasn’t my cup of tea but it was a fast read.

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

Yes, we are back to the book magic that was The Kind Worth Killing! This is my favorite thriller of the year so far. I am a librarian with a nice, unassuming husband, so I found the plot very intriguing. 😜 There were several twists along the way that kept me enthralled. I am not a fan of series, and The Kind Worth Saving was just OK for me, but this one was every bit worth the read.

I did not realize that A Talent For Murder was novel 3 in the Henry Kimball/Lily Kintner crime series. However, not having read the first 2 novels in this series, which I now want to read, was not a problem. A Talent For Murder is an easy stand-alone novel. The plotting of Peter Swanson's newest novel, is easy to follow, with a couple of huge plot twists that took me by surprise. I doubt I will be the only reader, who was taken aback, by these unexpected plot twists. In addition to Henry and Lily, readers meet Martha, Alan, and Ethan, who fill out the plot quite nicely.

Trust and deception are big elements of the plot in A Talent For Murder. Both plot and characters are multilayered and interesting. A psychopath contributes to this dark plot. This novel is a thriller and not a cozy mystery. Readers will be surprised but will also enjoy where the plot of A Talent For Murder takes them. I know I enjoyed it.

A Talent For Murder is a novel that is tough to put down. Cook meals? Sleep? Clean house? Wash clothing? Nope. Readers will want to finish A Talent For Murder.

Thank you to publisher Willian Morrow and to NetGalley. I did enjoy this novel.

Note: I did not realize that this was book three in a series when requesting, and haven’t read the first two books. This one worked well as a standalone, but I may have enjoyed it more if I had the background on the main characters.

Martha’s husband is a traveling salesman, and when Martha finds blood on one of his shirts after a trip and hears about a death at the trip location, she begins to suspect that her husband is a killer. She calls on an old college friend named Lily to help Martha investigate, and the pair dig up some wild secrets.

This is a dual POV story, with one of the viewpoints being told in third person. I always struggle with third person, and this one was no exception. Those chapters felt clinical and detached, and I felt absolutely zero connection to the characters or the story in those parts. I liked the other POV more, but it still felt like the author was telling us the whole story without showing anything. I’ve enjoyed his books in the past, but this one was not my favorite.

I did find the killer’s mindset to be fascinating and horrifying, and the psychological aspects of that were definitely intriguing to me.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC. All opinions are my own,

**Pick this up if you like:** Psychological thrillers, dark mysteries, and complex characters.

*The Kind Worth Killing* and "before she knew him" sit on my all-time favorites shelf, so I was thrilled to see Peter Swanson again, this time, with a 3rd book for TKWK.

The novel hooks you from the start with its intriguing premise. Martha's profession as a librarian adds a unique touch, making her instantly relatable to book lovers. The first half of the book is full of curiosity and suspense, pulling you in as the mystery unfolds. The second half delivers intense twists, although the conclusion could have been a bit stronger.

I loved the multiple POVs and timelines, which are executed flawlessly, making it easy to follow and deeply engaging. Martha, with her background and suspicions, is a well-developed character. Lily Kintner's involvement adds another layer of intrigue, making the story even more compelling.

While the pacing was a bit slow at times, the suspense and thrills kept me invested. Swanson's ability to weave complex characters and dark plots continues to impress, making him an auto-buy author for me. *A Talent for Murder* is dark and gripping, perfect for fans of psychological thrillers.

**Pros:**
- Intriguing premise
- Complex characters
- Multiple POVs and timelines
- Satisfying ending

**Cons:**
- Occasional slow pacing
- Slightly weaker conclusion

Overall, *A Talent for Murder* is an entertaining and classic Swanson read. It’s a multilayered thriller that keeps you invested, despite its occasional slow moments—highly recommended for anyone who loves a good thriller.

Martha was ready to spend her life alone when she met Alan. He isn’t a guy that fills every single checkmark on her list, but he is good enough and the two end up married. He travels a lot for work which she is just fine with, until he comes home with blood on his shirt. Martha checks the locations he has been to and it seems he leaves dead bodies in his wake. Could her husband be killing women while on his work trips?

So this is technically the third book in the series, but honestly, I don’t remember much of anything from the first two and I really enjoyed this so I think it can be read standalone! I had a for sure idea of how this book was going to go down, but I am glad to say it threw me off at several different points! I loved getting the point of view from several people, including the killer, I always find that extra fascinating to read! If you loved The Kind Worth Killing (I loved it but don’t ask me to tell you what happened in it!) you will really love this book!

Thank you to @williammorrowbooks for my gifted copy of this book!

I enjoyed "A talent for Murder" about Martha and her husband Alan. We also get to read about Lily and Henry from past books in this series. If you liked the first 2 books in the series, you'll also love this one.

With a chilling premise and his signature storytelling prowess, Peter Swanson dares you to imagine what you'd do if you suspected your spouse was guilty of murder. For newlywed Martha Ratliff, the answer lies in her old grad school friend Lily Kintner. When Martha discovers that murders seem to crop up wherever her traveling salesman husband goes, she and Lily investigate only to learn they aren't the only ones interested in Alan's movements. This bold exploration of the urge to kill is the third book in the Henry Kimball/Lily Kintner series, but can easily be read as a standalone. I loved every page.

Peter Swanson has a penchant for coming up with dark twists. Once again, I was not expecting what happened. The first part of the book was tense, as the reader wonders if Martha’s suspicions about Alan are true, but the reality was even darker. I enjoyed Henry and Lily, but the pacing of the book was a little off for me.

✨A Talent for Murder by Peter Swanson (Out June 11)✨
We’re back with Henry Kimball and Lily Kintner, one of my favorite thriller characters of all time. I enjoyed this book and am glad I read it, but I was disappointed when the incredibly promising first part of the book was drastically derailed by a twist that sent the book in a weird direction. I still recommend this for fans of The Kind Worth Killing!

As with the other books in the series I loved the story. Lily is one of my favorite anti-heroes. She is smart and wily. I wasn't sure how I felt about the last chapter though. It almost didn't seem to fit with the rest of the story.

Loved this latest thriller featuring Lily Kintner and Henry Kimball. They are such compelling and conflicted characters and this was another great page turner. I loved the setting, the pace, and the tension.

So happy to have a sneak peek at this #ARC that releases on June 11th. Highly recommend, though it is helpful if you’ve read the first two in the series.

3.5 stars
It was great to revisit Lily and Henry, but this one felt a little lackluster compared to the previous book. 
Martha is convinced that her husband, Alan, is a serial killer after coming across some strange information after his conference trips. She enlists the help of an old friend to see if her suspicions are true or if she is reading into things. What she finds is not what she expects. 
Lily is such an interesting character, so I enjoyed seeing her in another book and seeing what she has been up to. I really enjoyed the first half of the book, but I felt like the intensity dropped off in the second half. I just didn't feel the tension in the same way. 
In this series, the author has given us great twists halfway through the book. This book does not disappoint there and I did love the twist. There are a few other twists that happen that were enjoyable as well. 
I don't believe you need to read the other books to understand this story, but they do provide a nice background to who Lily and Henry are.

Martha isn't wildly in love with her husband Alan. Having accepted the fact that she'd never marry, she was surprised when she hit it off with Alan. Martha is a librarian and Alan sells novelty items at teacher conferences. They have a calm, pleasant relationship. That is, until it comes to Martha's attention that when Alan is away attending conferences, women are found dead in the same cities he's visiting. She becomes convinced something strange is happening, but at the same time can't believe Alan could be a serial killer. Could he? With no one she can confide in, she turns to the one person who has helped her out of sticky situations in the past: her college best friend Lily. Lily is the daughter of a famous author and is only too eager to help Martha once again. She agrees to investigate Alan and find the truth. But the truth will end up stretching back farther than either woman could have imagined and bring with it danger. Good thing Lily is a bit of a psychopath herself.

I really enjoyed all the twists and turns of this book. I was settling in for a long cat-and-mouse adventure with Lily slowly building a case against Alan, but that wasn't what happened at all! I really liked Lily's determination to get to the truth, no matter what that requires.

I received an advanced reader copy from Netgalley prior to publication! Thank you Netgalley!

A Talent for Murder is-- from what I understand-- a part of a larger series, but can be read as a stand alone novel. I have other Peter Swanson books on my shelf that I haven't gotten to just yet., so this was my first entrance into the 'Lily Kitner' universe.
This was such a funny, cozy mystery. I tore threw this one, and I really enjoyed the characters. (Saying something, given that it is written by a man, lolll)
In this one we have Martha, recently married to Alan, who starts to notice some odd coincidences about her new husband. There's blood on a shirt collar, lots of business trips, and a mysterious trail of missing and murdered women in his wake. Does she know the man she married? Is it possible that he could be a heinous murderer? Martha, paranoid and fearful, calls an old friend from college who, once upon a time, saved her from a terrible relationship that almost destroyed her. Lilly, a committed friend and a private investigator, goes on the hunt to help Martha find out the truth about her husband, no matter the risk.
About halfway through, I was afraid that they had already revealed the twist to us. Fear not-- there is plenty left in the book to shock you!
I'm excited to get to the next books in this series, because I really enjoyed it!

Lily Kintner is back and this time she's helping a friend from grad school.

Martha has been married to Alan for around a year. He is a traveling salesman, and she enjoys the time to herself while he is gone. One day he returns from a trip with a bloodstain on the back of a shirt and Martha starts to wonder. She researches murders in each of the towns that he visited and has found a string of suspicious deaths that occur at each location while he is there. Is Martha overly suspicious or is she married to a serial killer? While she hasn't spoken with her in years, she reaches out to an old friend Lily to see if she could help. After all, she helped her end a toxic relationship 20 years ago.

Lily is one of my favorite heroines around and I love that she is one of the leading characters in this book.

Thank you to Peter Swanson, William Morrow, and NetGalley for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

Martha Ratliff conceded long ago that she’d likely spend her life alone. She was fine with it, happy with her solo existence, stimulated by her job as an archival librarian, constantly surrounded by thought-provoking ideas and the books she loved. But then she met Alan, a charming and sweet-natured divorcee with a job that took him on the road for half the year. When he asked her to marry him, she said yes, even though he still felt a little bit like a stranger.

A year in and the marriage was good, except for that strange blood streak on the back of one of his shirts he’d worn to a conference in Denver. Her curiosity turning to suspicion, Martha investigates the cities Alan visited over the past year and uncovers a disturbing pattern—five unsolved cases of murdered women.

Is she married to a serial killer? Or could it merely be a coincidence? Unsure what to think, Martha contacts an old friend from graduate school for advice. Lily Kintner once helped Martha out of a jam with an abusive boyfriend and may have some insight. Intrigued, Lily offers to meet Alan to find out what kind of man he really is . . . but what Lily uncovers is more perplexing and wicked than they ever could have expected.


This is the third in a series and I have read the other two, but felt like this could easily be a stand alone. I liked The Kind Worth Killing more than The Kind Worth Saving, so I wasn't sure which way this one was going to go. The story piqued my interest right away and if I've learned anything from Peter Swanson's other books, it's to trust the process. A shocking twist was revealed midway and had my jaw completely open! One of my favorite parts was getting the killer's POV as one of the three perspectives. I loved being able to get in the thoughts of this psychopath's depraved mind. Lily was an outstanding, well developed character, and although I could see where there are blurred lines of sociopathic behavior, I viewed her more as a modern day vigilante. There are red-herrings, smokescreens, twists and turns and completely unexpected shocking reveal at the end. It had me flying through page by page until I reached the ending. For me, this book completely redeemed my disappointment from book #2 in the series. A Talent for Murder publishes June 11, 2024 and has proven to be an entertaining ride!

Peter Swanson is back and he gave us another Lily Kimball book. I love to see it

Martha believing that she has a love curse has been unlucky in love and always ends up heartbroken until she meets Alan. She may not give her butterflies but he makes her feel stable and cared for. At least until she notices a host of murders in the cities that he has visited. Not knowing what to do she calls up her friend from grad school Lily.

This story has layers, many murders, and you don't know who is being watched and whom is doing the watching.

This was a good one in terms of twists that were realistic and a good healthy layer of characters that are psychopaths. Quick read that I couldn't put down.

AVAILABLE June 11, 2024

Thank You to William Morrow for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley.

Lily Kintner and Henry Kimball are back! I was so excited when this book was announced because I loved The Kind Worth Killing and the sequel, The Kind Worth Saving. I enjoyed this one but the first book will always be my favorite. The first chapter was gripping and the last chapter was shocking though!!

I knew going into this one that Swanson would throw curveballs at me with his twists, but I was still shocked when they were revealed. He leads you on to where you think you know who is who and where things are going then NOPE WRONG. The multiple POVs and unreliable narrator makes the book so much more entertaining because you can't trust anyone! I did hate that the chapters didn't tell you whose POV it was so you had to read into it before figuring out who was talking.

I recommend reading the first two books before diving into this one. There are references to past characters and events, so I highly recommend getting through the other books so you better understand the circumstances in this book.