Release: June 10, 2025
Author: Peter Swanson
Publisher: William Morrow

Rating: 3.25 ★ 

Thom and Wendy Graves seem like a perfectly stable couple—they’ve been married for over 25 years, live in a charming old house in Massachusetts, and have a grown son. On the surface, everything looks fine. But beneath it all, Wendy is secretly contemplating killing her husband.

The story unfolds in a unique way, told in reverse, moving back through the key moments of their life together. From milestone events like birthdays and buying their home to darker moments involving a colleague’s mysterious death, each chapter reveals more about the cracks in their marriage and the terrible secret they’ve shared since their early twenties.

As their long-buried guilt and resentment start to surface, both Wendy and Thom begin to question whether their bond—built on a shared crime—is strong enough to survive, or if one of them will finally turn on the other to protect their own future.

This book was definitely a unique reading experience. The story follows a couple, Thom and Wendy, who are clearly haunted by something from their past—and what makes it stand out is the way it’s told completely in reverse.

We start in the present and move backward through the years, all the way to when they first met, which gives a really interesting look at how their relationship has unraveled over time.

I had mixed feelings about the reverse storytelling. On one hand, it was a bold and creative choice that slowly revealed the characters' secrets in a way that made you reflect on what you'd already read. But at times, it made the plot feel a little hard to follow and took away some of the suspense I usually expect in a psychological thriller.

That said, I found the character development really strong. You get to see how two people go from being young and in love to keeping painful secrets and growing apart. It’s more of a slow-burn character study than a twisty thriller, but if you're open to a different kind of structure and enjoy digging into complicated relationships, it’s worth checking out.

Favorite Quote:
"the past is like a suitcase. Sometimes, it's better to leave it packed and in the corner of the room."

3.5 to this slow, but satisfying, burn of a novel

Although not my favorite of his novels, I can pretty much guarantee at this point that Peter Swanson will write a book I enjoy! The storytelling here is unique as its told in reverse, starting with a marriage that has unraveled and going back in time to reveal the events leading to its downfall (pun intended, iykyk). Since it's told in reverse, you don't get a twist per se, but in true Swanson fashion, the end has a final zinger that I loved.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Listen. I am shocked. I am giving this book my highest rating of 6 stars, which means it's goin on my new favorites list. I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. The story being told in reverse was just brilliant. I know Swanson isn't the first to do this by any means but he did it well. I haven't enjoyed the last two books of his but that surely wasn't the case here. I do not have any complaints about this story but I think some people may. I think people may feel that it's too slow, not shocking enough and maybe too mundane. Those are a large reasons why I loved the book. There are some twists and turns and shocking moments but this isn't a popcorn thriller. That being said, it is very bingeable. I highly recommend reading it in as short of a time as possible. Due to the way the story is told, there is a lot to catch or keep up with as we go backwards in time. Swanson doesn't hold your hand and gives you a lot to think of on your own and connect dots yourself. This felt very refreshing for me as a reader.

Swanson took a lot of time and care to develop small details in this story, details about characters, the plot, time period as we go backward, etc. I truly felt that this book was sooo good. I am shocked I feel this way and pleasantly surprised. I am looking forward to hearing what others say!

I think of this as a “sunlit noir” story. Wendy and Thom, married for 40 years and with a grown son they adore, live in a splendid house in a beautiful seaside town on the Massachusetts north shore. Thom is an English professor at a small college, Wendy is a published poet—albeit of a single book published long ago. But there is a darkness there, a deadly secret from their past that binds them tightly together even as their emotional ties to each other unravel. The past and present crash together on a fateful weekend trip back to Georgetown, where they first kissed as young teenagers.

The story is told in a reverse chronology, from 2023 back 40 years to when Wendy and Thom, first meet as teenagers on a class trip to DC. This technique allows for events described in one chapter to be fleshed out and illuminated by those in a later (though chronologically earlier) chapter. The technique could easily feel gimmicky, but instead feels more revelatory of the two characters’ personalities, and how they came together and fell apart. The last chapters include descriptions of two facts that the pair never share with each other and that will have you rereading the first chapter.

One of Swanson’s best efforts to date.

A psychological thriller told in reverse the novel opens with this line:

“The first attempt at killing her husband was the night of the dinner party.”

Married for 25 years, Wendy is a poet and Thom is a professor of English literature. They are financially secure and have a grown son. Life seems good.

So what went so very wrong?

From here we go back in time to revisit key points and major milestones in their lives to find out what brought them to this point. And the secret that bound them together. The secret, should one of them tell, that will ruin both of them.

This type of storytelling requires some patience but for readers like me who love character-driven stories, especially when the characters are psychopaths, it’s a brilliant and clever way to completely hook the reader.

The tension is high throughout the book with reveals that bring earlier events into sharper focus. By the end, the author has given us a complete picture of the motivations behind the characters actions, leaving no unanswered questions.

It’s difficult to talk about the book without spoilers, so l will just say I found it brilliant and clever. This is exactly the page-turner I needed!

I wish I could say I liked this but alas, my second meh book back to back.

This is my first ever Peter Swanson book and I know how beloved he is by his fans so please don’t come for me. I just didn’t find anything about this book that I enjoyed. I struggled with the execution of messing with time. I typically LOVE books, movies, games that do this but it has to be done right and unfortunately it felt like it wasn’t done with purpose.

I didn’t love the writing, I didn’t find it thrilling, the timelines weren’t done with intention. BUT it wasn’t so bad that I wouldn’t try another book by this authour. Some of my favourites have misses and I think this may be his miss.

Absolutely loved this. A unique and interesting way to write a psychological thriller; I find that (while I love them) most contemporary books in this genre tend to follow the same formula. Not Peter Swanson! Fascinating character study, and very thought-provoking.

I love everything Peter Swanson writes. I lived in Boston for years and currently live in CT so love how he ties in specific New England places into all of his books. This one was great, I really liked the semi twist at the ending - and how he leaves it open ended into what may happen to Wendy. Really felt for the husband/Thom - poor guy haha- all in all this one great and now I am sad I have to wait for his next book to come out. A great summer thriller I will be rec. to my friends!

I’m a fan of Swanson’s novels and this one is no exception. Married couple Thom and Wendy Graves have a secret that is tearing them apart. Thom drinks too much and Wendy has grown to despise the person he has become, all because of an incident buried deep in their past. The novel begins in the present and each chapter goes backward further and further in time all the way to their first meeting, detailing all of their transgressions. 4/5 stars

Told backwards, Kill Your Darlings follows a married couple as they deal with their secrets from the past. I did find it hard to follow told from the reverse. While it was a unique concept, it was hard to follow and kind of took away from the thrill of the story.

You have heard of a marriage made in heaven. Well, this is not one of them.

From the start of the story working backward from their initial meet up in elementary school, Thom and Wendy Graves have been linked together. When they meet up at a writers' conference years later, they realize they are meant for one another and come together to plot and perform an act that set the gears in motion for their psychotic natures. They are together for twenty five years, have a son, and success financially due to the "drowning" of Wendy's first husband.

When the anguish and guilt compels Thom to turn to drink and carousing, Wendy decides it's time for Thom to take a "trip" to their first romantic place, the Exorcist steps, and a writer's conference holds quite the allure. She is also frightened that Thom will crack and reveal their secret which now add up to more than one.

This was a fine psychological deep dive into the characters (or lack thereof) of Thom and Wendy. Both are despicable but Wendy emerges as a soulless individual with so many contradictions that lie within herself, while Thom is the one who seems to carry the guilt hidden through drink and women. This marriage is doomed and in reality so are these people.

This one started out strong, but I have to say as it went on, I really struggled to connect. I did really enjoy the very clever premise of a story told in reverse. I was pulled in immediately, but then things just seemed to become monotonous. Nothing was happening, and I was ready to get to the meat of the story. By the time the mic drop ending did occur (and it was pretty amazing!), I had just really become too distracted to fully connect.

I do really enjoy this author and will continue to read his books, but this one really confused me, I’m sorry to say.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Peter Swanson’s Kill Your Darlings offers an intriguing premise: a long marriage dissected in reverse, revealing how two once-idealistic teenagers became a couple tethered by guilt, secrets, and the creeping urge for escape by any means necessary. The novel opens in 2023 with Wendy plotting to kill her husband Thom and works backward to 1982, when the pair first met at age 14.

Told in reverse chronology, the structure is clever and thematically appropriate. What better way to unravel a failed marriage than by rewinding time? But despite its originality, the format limits emotional payoff. Without a traditional climax, the novel’s tension dissipates gradually rather than building to a satisfying crescendo. Wendy is a well-crafted character, sharp, brooding, and morally complex, but the slow pacing and repetitive chapter transitions made it difficult to stay invested until the very end.

Still, Kill Your Darlings is a bold experiment in form, and while it didn’t quite land for me, it’s a thought-provoking ride worth trying.

I've become a major fan of Swanson's Eddie Flynn series and so I was excited to read this new standalone novel. While not my favorite of his work, I still really enjoyed it. The timeline jumps around a lot throughout the story giving us insight into married couple Thom and Wendy Graves. Which in one way was a bit more challenging to track, but ultimately was the best way for the story to unfold. Perfect for those that love a good marriage psychological thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
Swanson sure knows how to deliver a shocking and bingeworthy read that hooks you in from the first chapter😱🙌🏻🤯 This was a quick, easy, and unique read….however, be warned that it is a bit different from any other books you may have read because this one is told BACKWARDS, starting with present time and as the story unfolds you are taken back in time. This is definitely different than what I am use to, and it took me a while to get used to it, but I did and found it to be unique and a fun twist on Swanson’s part. Also, THAT ENDING🤯😱 had me shook- what a banger! I think that this book will be one that readers either love or hate. I absolutely loved it, and I definitely think that if you are a fan of Swanson’s, his previous work, or love thrillers then you should definitely pick this one up!


𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗘𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆:
✦A shocking, bingeworthy, unique read
✦A book that is told BACKWARDS
✦An explosive, twisted, and shocking ending

𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫4.5/5

I'm not a big reader of Peter Swanson, but I know many who are. After reading in Kill Your Darlings, I can understand why he has a loyal following. The writing of this book is excellent, and I can appreciate his skill in building both character and plot. Unfortunately, the structure of this book wasn't quite as successful for me. I enjoyed it a great deal at the beginning and was fascinated by the craft of putting it all together. However, as the book went on, it became a bit predictable in its tracing back of what happened. The structure (for me) turned this book into a thriller with utterly no suspense. I may recommend this for Swanson fans, but with a bit of a caveat regarding the structure.

Interesting story, I loved the kill for me kill for you vibes but I also felt like it could’ve gone a tad deeper

I usually don’t like books told in reverse but Swanson has a knack for pulling you in.

Wendy and Thom have been married a good long while. They are middle school sweethearts that went their own separate ways for awhile, but found their way back to each other. They have a grown son and are navigating life together as they age. Thom still loves Wendy, but he has affairs. Wendy still loves Thom, but she wants to murder him.

This story told from the end to the beginning unfolds in a way that explains the events that unfolded years before that lead to a dead Thom. So…this book was good. It was fine. I want to love Peter Swanson books because so many of my book lover friends just rave about him. However. Every time I read one of his books, there is just a little something missing that makes me not love it. This was the same. I’m not sorry I read it, but it just came up short for me.

Love the idea of this one…reading the story in reverse but I don’t know if I liked the characters enough! The story was interesting, just didn’t connect with the characters as much as I wanted too!

While I had a fun time with this read….give me an epilogue.

I needed way more closure at the end! I feel like there’s this entire huge aspect to the story that is just missing and I need to know what’s going on. Of course the journey was a fun one and I thought the way it was organized was unique and original. I enjoyed the book. But that end! Epilogue, please.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC