This book started off well and was working its way towards the top of my favorite Peter Swanson books, but sadly, the beginning was the best part.

KILL YOUR DARLINGS is actually a book told in reverse. We get the end of the book first, and then each chapter after that goes back in time. We get the story of Thom and Wendy throughout all of the stages of their lives from each point where they knew each other and spent time together... but this is no ordinary couple. They have murder in their past.

While I enjoyed the dark, sinister tone in the beginning, it ended up feeling like someone gave Peter Swanson an outline of a really good story and he just couldn't fill it in. Telling the story backwards is a fun and unique concept. I liked the idea and the bones of the plot... but the story just never came together and actually, telling it backwards did not do anything for it. The most exciting things happened in the beginning and too much of the good stuff was revealed too soon.

After about 30-35%, the rest of the book was just boring. We didn't need to go into detail about the rest of their lives because it didn't add anything to the story. We get to know more about the murder that bound them together, but even that was a little boring. The rest of the book was not thrilling and it just kept going downhill instead of building suspense and excitement.

This read was just FINE, but I was disappointed that it went from a 4 star book to 3. The outline of it was the best part, but the story itself was very lacking.

I am such a fan of genre-defying mystery/thriller novels. This one, was such a deviation from what I was expecting, but in a really fun and beautiful way. It's a bit misleading from what it's described as, but I was pleasantly surprised because of my love for character-driven novels. There is mystery and suspense as you travel back in time throughout each chapter, learning more about Wendy and Thom, but it's more to do with who these characters are and how they became that. It's truly such an interesting way to tell a story of a ruined marriage and a murder.
I fell so hard in my empathy for these two, especially seeing how far Thom has fallen. But it's such a lovely exploration of punishment, religion, love, identity, etc. In many ways reminded me of a modern crime and punishment that was both much more enjoyable and very much sad. I was hoping throughout to get a chapter back in the present day, like we had in the first chapter, but I think ultimately the end being their beginning was how it was meant to be. Truly beautifully written.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read quite a few books by this author and usually find them really enjoyable. This one, though, wasn’t quite what I was hoping for.

The idea of telling the story in reverse really intrigued me, and I was genuinely excited to see how it would unfold. I love when authors try something different. That said, it didn’t quite deliver the level of intensity I typically look for in a thriller.

I struggled a bit with the first half. It moved too slowly and I honestly thought about setting it aside. I did stick with it, but then the second half zipped by too quickly IMO! It felt like the story was suddenly racing to get to 1982 without turning this into a 500+ page book. I found the rhythm of the story to be uneven, and that made it harder for me to stay connected.

There was a subtle twist near the end that I thought was clever, and I definitely appreciated that. It just wasn’t enough to really change my overall experience.

I will say, it did earn a bonus point for referencing Withnail and I, the wonderfully strange British film from 1987. My husband and I still quote lines from that movie, so it was a really fun surprise to see it mentioned in the book.

All things considered, this one’s a 3-star read for me. I admire the attempt to do something bold with the structure, but it didn’t quite click the way I’d hoped.

Thank you @netgalley and William Morrow for the eARC, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Not the best but not the worst Swanson book. The primary characters are not at all likeable but it isn't necessary to keep you going.

Thank you NetGalley and William Marrow for the ARC of Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson. I love that the story was told in reverse, Thom and Wendy Graves are the main characters who have known each other since the 8th grade. The story begins with their present life. As you read each chapter their past life unfolds and you understand how they got to where they are now. Very interesting way to write a book. Mary and Thom are actually unlikeable characters and a little on the evil side, but this is a great story and you find out some very interesting things as past secrets are revealed.

I keep trying with this author but I'm starting to think that maybe they just aren't for me. I'm also noticing that recently the thriller genre new releases are largely disappointing for me, and unfortunately this one fell into that category as well. Maybe I'm feeling jaded after reading so many books in this genre? Or perhaps, as I suspect, there just hasn't been much that is new, fresh, and gripping for the genre recently. I thought the concept of this one definitely had potential, but I think the writing style just isn't for me.

I had more expectations from a Peter Swanson book. I loved The Kind Worth Killing and really enjoyed Eight Perfect Muders. This one I didn’t find it thrilling as all. It was really boring. I skimmed through in the end. Both the main characters felt flat. Even the twist in the end felt underwhelming after dragging myself through the book.

Thank you Net Galley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for my honest reivew.

The character of Wendy was whewww. She kept me reading, as did the story in reverse. It did feel a little repetetive at points and I had to read the last chapter twice to make sure I got it.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I’m constantly amazed at Peter Swanson’s ability to dazzle me with plot tricks that seem so simple but have massive impact. And he does this without skimping on character as well. This book was so much fun to read and think about and tell people about.

Love the format of this novel as it is the story of a marriage and a murder mystery told backwards so you can see the foundations that led to the terrible event that happens at the beginning. Wendy and Thom are living a good life with their adult son all grown and their writing careers successful but the book opens with Wendy wanting to kill her husband. Their is a dark secret at the heart of their marriage that gets revealed slowly as the book progresses and travels back in time. The one thing that had me a bit thrown is all the chapter titles are just years and the story bounces around quite a bit from year to year which was a bit confusing until I really settled into the story more. I enjoyed this one and the themes of what happens when you commit a crime but never receive punishment for it. What’s it like to live with that guilt? Interesting, twisty and different. I really enjoyed it. I also love how Peter Swanson always includes lots of book titles that his characters are reading in all his novels.

I had high hopes for this book, but I found the backwards storyline too slow and didn't finish it.

Thank you netgalley for the prerelease ebook

Thom and Wendy Graves have been married for more than twenty years-five years. They’ve had a virtuous life. They have experienced many life altering moments together. They’ve achieved goals within their careers. Had a wonderful son.

But, Wendy is worried the guilt of their sins will be the death of them. Or, should I say of Thom’s.

I will tell you that this is a slow burn thriller. The story is told in reverse. This is their love story.

I enjoyed this one, but, my only quibble is some of the pacing slows down at bit. However, I still loved it and hope you will too!

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I've read a few books by Peter Swanson before and was very interested to read his latest- and it didn't disappoint. The author has a great writing style and this book was very engaging and readable- i read it over the course of less than 2 days, and that's pretty rare for me. The story definitely kept me hooked. It opens with present day and builds over the course of only the first couple of chapters to what will be the last event (chronologically) in the book. Then the chapters start working their way back in time. Past events are referred to or implied and then you eventually actually read about them happening. The main characters are a married couple who (when the book starts) are in their 50s, Wendy and Thom. You learn early on that they have something of a dark past and then you learn more details as the book progresses back through their history.
The ending felt a bit abrupt but then the other shoe dropped for me and it did seem a fitting ending. One thing I will say about the book is you don't necessarily learn too much in depth about the characters in terms of why they are the way they are and do some of the things they do but it some ways that makes it more interesting.
The only criticism I really have is the chapters do start to get a little repetitive- as they get further back in time there is more covering a shorter span of time and some could have been condensed without losing much. However, very engaging, readable book that i definitely recommend! It's not full of twists or tension the way a typical "thriller" is, but it certainly kept me hooked.

Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson.
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Thank you Netgalley, author ,William Morrow Books for the ARC.

Behind the doors of a charming Victorian home in Massachusetts live Thom, a literature professor, and Wendy, a published poet. On the outside, they’re the picture of a perfect, enduring marriage — 25 years strong, a beloved son, and a life built on words, intellect, and routine.

But scratch the surface, and you’ll find tension simmering beneath the poetry.
Because one of them is planning the other’s murder.
.
Swanson is my go-to author for cerebral, Hitchcockian thrillers with layers of homage to classic noir. So when I received an ARC of Kill Your Darlings, I was ready for a dark descent into obsession and betrayal — and he delivered.

The author takes the classic domestic noir and flips it on its head by telling the story in reverse. It takes us back — year by year — not only through their marital years, but all the way to when Thom and Wendy first met in middle school.

Each chapter deepens the mystery, not through chase scenes or whodunits, but through sharp observations, restrained emotion, and an atmosphere thick with unspoken resentment. This isn’t just a thriller — it’s a slow, psychological unraveling.

If you’re the kind of reader who loves when a book makes you think more than it makes you gasp, this one’s for you. Think movies Double Indemnity, Body Heat, (it's also referred in the book) and every good noir that ever whispered: "it was always going to end this way".

Swanson’s signature love for classic thrillers is felt throughout — but this time, it’s quieter, more introspective, and laced with melancholy.

It's a 3.5/5 ⭐ read for me — A cerebral descent into the anatomy of a marriage, with a final twist that feels both shocking, clever and inevitable.

I love me some Peter Swanson. Kill Your Darlings was unique in the way it was written, it started from the present and went back in time to the past when they met. This is a meltdown of a failing marriage that gives you pause and makes you question is it all worth it. I enjoyed this but it did take a bit to get with the plot being told in reverse, Gave this one 3 stars and would recommend to friends.

I don't know if I loved the reverse timeline and reading backwards, but it was unique and the ending was perfect. Very bingeworthy, though I wouldn't say overly twisty or thrilling. There were little details from the beginning of their story that made this entertaining, because it did feel repetitive at times.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

The newest mystery by Peter Swanson will leave you wondering what in the world you just read. I love the way Swanson crafted the story by telling it in reverse chronological order. That's a clever form of storytelling that had me a bit confused at first but then really liking it as I got to see the true origins of this long-married couple and the secrets they've harbored. This is a quick read with plenty of action. Read and enjoy!

The ultimate tale of demise told from the end back to the beginning. It’s quite slow, but don’t let that deter you from picking it up because by the end you are applauding the masterpiece that this was.

I couldn’t get into it- I actually ended up DNF about 60% through. I think just the pace and I felt like I didn’t love the structure of kind of being told the story backwards. Just didn’t hold my attention

Another great story by Peter Swanson. I had to get used to the way the timeline flowed, but once I did the slow burn ramped up to a fiery ending!