Peter Swanson has done it again with another addictive read. This time, however, he outdid himself, cleverly starting at the end and going backwards to the beginning. I loved this and thought he did an amazing writing job to keep the reader from getting confused.

Wendy and Thom are married, have good jobs in the academic field, live in a dream home by the sea and are rich, and should be blissfully happy but something is seriously lacking in their lives. What once started as a marriage of love has turned into a marriage that is bound by a secret. Neither one seems to be happy and they are both keeping secrets from eachother. Thom is a self centered cheater and drunk while Wendy fantasizes about killing Thom. Starting from 2023 going back to 1982 we see all the layers that brought them together and kept them together.

Though neither main character was likeable, I loved getting to know why they turned out the way they were. Swanson managed to seamlessly pull the story together from end to beginning and explained all the necessary details to form a complete picture of Wendy and Thom's lives.

Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for the advanced copy

Peter Swanson is a gifted writer, no doubt. And I usually devour his books in under 48 hrs. I wasn’t as crazy about this one. The concept was different & interesting, had no trouble keeping track of the narrators or timeline but I think the reveal coming in the first portion of the book kinda left the rest a bit underwhelming for me. There is a surprise/ twist the last 20-25% of the book, though, which was awesome & shocking. Of course the writing was great, I just didn’t feel that invested. I’ll definitely still look forward to reading Swanson’s next read. This was probably only a one-off, for me.

I gave this boojk the whole 5 stars! I could not wait to devour this one. Almost as soon as I gor approved I had to read. I was hooked from page one. I was not bored at any part of the story. I found Thom and Wendy both interesting and suspicious. I tried to guess where this was headed but I was way off. You will not regret giving Peter Swanson or this book a try!

Thank you, #Partner @williammorrowbooks @harpercollins and @netgalley, for my #gifted (free) copy. Pub date 6/10/25.

Slow burn psychological thrillers are my favorite type of thriller because I feel like they are not over the top. #peterswanson did a unique concept with KILL YOUR DARLINGS as he told the story in reverse. I can see how some people may not like it, but I loved it and thought he did an amazing job. I want to reread this again and find things that I missed. I usually write my own short synopsis, but I'm not going to since this book is so different it's best to just go in blind. I will tell you that you have to use your brain for this one since we are so used to reading in chronological order. The ending was brilliant, although it went over my head at first, and I had to reread it. I can already tell this will be a very talked about book for the summer, so pre-order and add this one to your TBR list! 4.5 stars!

I’m a forever fan of Peter Swanson’s work and his fearlessness in trying new things.

This novel felt slightly different from many of his previous books in that it was more of a slow-burn familial drama than a true thriller.

By the end, it all came together brilliantly, and telling the story in reverse felt fresh, but it was DARK.

The two MCs are terrible human beings, and I prefer a story with at least one person to connect to or root for. I didn’t find that in this book. And yet, it was intriguing enough to finish within two days.

If you’re a longtime Swanson fan, pick this one up, but if you’re new to his work, I’d start with one of his more classic thrillers like Nine Lives or the Kind Worth Killing (series).

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

Wendy and Thom are a couple married for 25 years. Both have secrets and elude to a what happened to Wendy’s rich ex- husband. The story starts with a bang and then moves back in time to see how their story laid out thought out the years ending when they first met on a school trip to DC. I enjoyed the picking apart of the story thought out the years. And how the marriage came to what happened in the beginning which was current day. I was expecting some big reveal at the end which didn’t come but I did enjoy the slow burn and seeing how piece by piece the story came together.

Kill your Darlings is the story of Thom and Wendy, a couple who have been married for over 25 years and known each other for over 40. They're not a typical couple, as they have numerous skeletons in their closets, including actual bodies. Told in reverse, their story unfolds of how they got to where they are today and the secrets they've shared for decades.
The premise of the story was very interesting, the reader knowing certain villainous things about the characters early on, and eventually having the details of what happened and what led up to those incidents filled in in reverse. However, the longer the story went backwards, the less intriguing I found it, and the more a lot of the every day details felt like nothing more than filler. I think had this been a novella of maybe have its length it would have been way more effective. Swanson's writing was solid as ever, but the plot lost its gusto going backwards.

Kill Your Darlings, by Peter Swanson, has an interesting plot mechanism: it tells the story of Wendy and Thom in reverse. The couple does not get along and both have murder on their minds, but how did they get there? Beginning in 2023, and finishing in 1982, the reader will eventually uncover the mysterious deed that brought them to their misery.

I learned (thanks Google) that the phrase kill your darlings is essentially about ruthless editing—to remove characters or extraneous elements that don’t further your story. Clocking in at a slim 288 pages, it would seem that Swanson definitely attempted to kill his darlings here. Was he successful? For the most part, yes. Told by switching the two protagonist’s narration back and forth, Swanson handily lays down this slow-burn thriller. I found the characters well developed and believable and the ending satisfying. 3.75 stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

This was totally a mind-bender, and I’m kind of here for it! It’s a psychological thriller that’s super clever, with this wild reverse timeline that takes you through Thom and Wendy’s relationship, showing their past backwards. It’s a little confusing at first, but it’s like, kinda genius in how it builds suspense by revealing all these juicy little secrets step by step.

The vibe is definitely slow-burn, though, so don’t expect a big “OMG” moment. It’s more about getting into the messy layers of their toxic marriage, and just when you think you know what’s going on, bam – you’re back a little further, piecing it all together. The tension is real, and while I wasn’t blown away by the big reveal, it still totally made sense and tied everything together in this, like, whoa kinda way. But, like, not in an “I need to scream” way. More like a “this is a solid, satisfying ending” kinda way.

Anyway, it was a fun ride with a touch of noir and a fascinating twist on the classic thriller structure. If you’re into psychological deep dives and not just twisty, turny surprises, you’re gonna be hooked!

Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Swanson delivers a unique take of perspective in this highly engaging mystery-in-reverse. Instead of waiting until the end of the story, the climax occurs within the first chapter, and we are then led backwards through the years that led up to this event. The story was brilliantly written with a fast pace and slow burn reveals. It was slightly confusing for me to keep track of the order of things within each year, but eventually I was able to grasp all the details. I wouldn't classify this as a twisty thriller, since the secrets are foreshadowed in previous chapters...but that ending! As I was reaching the final pages, I didn't think that the author had anything left to give. Boy, I was wrong! That ending was sublime! This book was so much fun to read. I highly recommend to all the mystery lovers out there!

Thank you to William Morrow for granting me digital access via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

(3.5 rounded up) I’ve now read four books of Peter Swanson’s and this one slotted right in with my prior reads - a thriller more than a mystery with a lot of great atmosphere and not a ton of twists. I actually really enjoyed reading this and sped through it (it’s also under 300 pages, which I greatly appreciate in my mystery/thrillers). The pacing is good and the structure of the story is interesting - it’s told backwards from present day to the past and focuses on a married couple who are hiding a secret only they know about. The secret is pretty heavily telegraphed by the time the reveal happens, but I still enjoyed the build-up and looking at this unusual marriage dynamic in a reversed timeline. I feel like Peter Swanson has found his wheelhouse and writes extremely well within that niche.

I am a big Peter Swanson fan so I was very excited to read his newest. The book begins at the end and has alternating characters, timelines and years. So it literally starts at the end and goes backwards. It did take me a little bit of time to get used to what was happening but there were several twists and turns and the ending was quite satisfying.

Peter Swanson has been a favorite author of mine for quite some time and this book did not disappoint.
Told from the present to the past, we see the story of Wendy and Thom. They met as teenagers and eventually married and raised a son.
However, a lot happens throughout the time period of their story.
The book starts with a murder and as you traverse backwards through time and their story, you discover secrets each has kept along the way including one major secret revealed in the final pages that affects the beginning.
A five-star read for me.

Kill Your Darlings is a mystery told with an original twist, it’s told in reverse chronological order . The book is centered around the love story of Thom and Wendy, starting in their middle age and ending at the first day they met. This is a clever mystery that kept me interested until the very last twist at the end.

Engaging and entertaining. A recommended purchase for collections where crime and thrillers are popular.

I love Peter Swanson’s books, and as usual with his work, I was hooked from the very first chapter. This is such a well-written, well-paced thriller. In the beginning, I thought there was just one mystery, but the story gets more and more complex and intriguing as the chapters go on. This was such a unique premise and it was really fun to watch all of the pieces fall into place. As soon as I finished it, I wanted to go back to the beginning and re-read, to see if I’d missed anything. I will say that if you go into this expecting a super twisty triller, you may be disappointed. While I’d definitely classify it as a thriller (with reveals throughout), and I was glued to my seat throughout, it’s also a portrait of relationships and how they can go wrong. I really enjoyed the ending!

It’s unusual to experience something new (at least different) in a thriller — usually it’s just the surprising twist at the end. But Peter Swanson has done something very different and thrilling — he’s telling the story of Wendy and Thom (married 25 years, bound by some devastating secret, and hating each other now) backwards “Memento” style. We start in 2023 and year by year (some jumps in between) we go back to end up back in 1982, 41 years ago when the two were eighth graders on a field trip to DC. By the end of the 2023 chapter, we basically know the ending of their relationship (sans consequences), but how things devolved between Wendy and Thom is revealed slowly.

There are more than enough sudden twinges of subtle information that make you almost want to re-read the previous chapters in chronological order. Are you remembering the clues in the previous (really the future) vignettes that foreshadowed (probably not the right term) the incidents of the current chapter? Swanson definitely keeps the reader immersed. The book might not have been as interesting if the story was told in order; reversing it made a story of murder and dying love far more propelling. The question in the reverse telling that is always overshadowing the story: what if a crime is never punished?

Oh, thank goodness for the “search” function in ebooks. You’ll understand.

And, when we get to the end of the book and the beginning of Thom and Wendy’s story, there’s a surprise from 41 years ago.

Chilling and mesmerizing— probably the best book book I’ve read by Peter Swanson. 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO A green vomit reference (Exorcist theme) but no green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Wendy admittedly has no interest in flowers or plants.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson Suspense filled drama told in reverse from Thom and Wendy have been married for 25 years to their first meeting when they were in middle school.. Many twists and turns and there was really no way that I guessed where the story was going. Had some theories but Mr. Swanson blew them totally out of the water. First book by Mr Swanson that have read but definitely will be looking for his future books and back-list.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and William Morrow for opportunity to preview the book.

I will read anything by Peter Swanson , this novel was Brilliant! Wendy and Thoms (love) story is Told in reverse chronological order. The ending is so So ironic and poetic... ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Kill Your Darlings is the first book I’ve read in the mystery and thriller genre that executed the start at the end and trace back to the beginning concept perfectly. Part of the success comes from the fact that the very beginning of our story (structurally at the end) tied with a bow the otherwise loose end that may have left readers feeling unsatisfied at the start of the book. I love when a writer masterfully pulls off something that keeps the genre fresh, and for Peter Swanson to do this while throwing in plenty of Easter eggs for the reader is nothing short of a high level of talent. Bar set, I hope others try to top it.

The story itself is served well by the structure as it focuses on Thom and Wendy, successful in their fields and enjoying their old(er) age in comfort, both adoring their son. But they don’t seem to adore each other as Wendy is trying to kill Thom and Thom is cheating and drinking himself to an early death (if only Wendy were more patient). But why does Wendy think murder is the only solution for cleanly getting out of her marriage, and what is Thom trying to drown out with alcohol? Reading back to the beginning of the story reveals all, and the perfect ‘twist’ is that everyone gets their just desserts.

Highly recommend, especially if you’re somewhat numb to the usual mystery and thriller formulaic stories!