Okay, I LOVED this!!! I read The Kind Worth Killing years ago and it was hands down, my fav thriller ever. Since then, his books have been more hit or miss for me, but I loved this one and was hooked from the very first chapter. Swanson is the king of thrillers!!!

What really surprised me about this one was the structure—told in reverse, peeling back the layers of a marriage that seems ordinary on the surface but hides something much darker underneath. Starting with a chilling confession and then rewinding through years of shared history, the book builds tension in a unique way that had me constantly reevaluating what I thought I knew about the characters.

The dynamic between Thom and Wendy is unsettling in the best possible way—intimate, complex, and full of unspoken tension. As the story moves backward, Swanson gradually reveals the emotional weight they both carry and the decisions that shaped their lives. It’s less of a high-octane thriller and more of a slow-burn psychological puzzle—and I found myself thinking about it long after I finished.

If you enjoy thrillers that focus on character psychology, buried secrets, and unconventional storytelling, I highly recommend giving this one a try.

Idk, I wanted to like this. Usually Swanson’s books are fairly entertaining if a bit cliché, and this at least had a very intriguing concept - like The Last Five Years but with murder. But it didn’t really go anywhere. You know how the story is going to end from the first chapter because of the format (it’s told in reverse order), and there are no real twists. Well, there are some plot threads that seemed like they could have been fun twists, but they don’t go anywhere and are left largely unexplored. Plus, possibly due to the format as well, the pace lacks urgency so the story feels slow and, well, kind of boring.

Again, cool idea and I thought there were some interesting themes tackled, but the execution was lacking because nothing happens that you don’t know is coming. All in all, a bit of a letdown for me.

Thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Kill Your Darlings is our 6/10.

How can you keep the suspense and tension in a story when you already know the ending? This is the main hurdle for a murder that is told backwards. And, I'd say this one was a success. True the suspense was a little more low key than in many of this author's other books, but as each step backwards unfolded, revealing a new key to the relationship between Thom and Wendy, the genius that is this story was built. I would love love love to see this one as a limited series or something. The character development is tantalizingly wonderful!

I love when authors find a unique way to tell a story and Swanson definitely does that with this outstanding book. This would be an interesting thriller regardless - Thom and Wendy Graves have been married for over 25 years and share a grown son. They first met on a middle school field trip and then reconnected later in life. Their love and a shared secret have kept them together, but now things aren't going well in their marriage. In fact, Wendy actually wants to kill her husband!

Swanson ups the stakes of this intriguing premise by telling the story in reverse chronological order! It starts in the year 2013 and then slowly goes back to 1982. Little details about their life, their marriage, and more than one secret come out as the narrative keeps going back in time. Because of the way the book is structured, I was afraid the ending would be ambiguous and loose ends from the beginning of the book would remain. No spoilers, but I shouldn't have worried. Swanson finds a very clever way in the final chapter to let the reader know how things will turn out. If you're looking for something a little different, I highly recommend this unique thriller.

I received a review copy of this book from William Morrow Books and NetGalley, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

3.5 stars rounded down

Wendy and Thom met in 8th grade, spent some time apart, and then were married for numerous years, raising one successful son along the way. Sure, Thom is a bit of an alcoholic, but they overall seem happy. Then why did Wendy murder Thom?

This is a story told in reverse. We start in present day when the titular event happens and then follow the story of Wendy and Thom all the way back to 8th grade. I thought this was such an interesting concept for a novel but I ended up losing interest about halfway through. I wasn’t a fan of either of our main characters either. It was overall a decent read though and well written. I’d recommend this to thriller fans who are intrigued by the premise!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for access to this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Thom and Wendy Graves have been married for 25 years. They have a son and a complicated history, That history keeps them tied together but Wendy knows that Thom isn’t a reliable secret-keeper and she’s worried. There seems to be only one way to ensure he stays quiet. And that way takes them back to where it all started.

Peter Swanson hits it out of the park again! I loved the format of this book - going backwards from the day in question. It threw me off, don’t get me wrong, since I’m more used to books that go back and forth in time. I struggled sometimes to remember we were still going backwards. But in the end, it was perfect. Thom and Wendy are pretty much unlikable characters but I still found this book extremely enjoyable and couldn’t wait to see how it ended. Or began? Either way, this is a winner.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Available June 10, 2025

This was an interesting story,, but a little confusing to read since it was told backwards. Also the ending wasn't good at all.

A twenty-five-year marriage sure doesn’t come without its fair share of ups and downs and that’s definitely the case for Thom and Wendy Graves. They’ve have a long history between them, and it’s starting to weigh down their present relationship. What I thought was really cool (and totally unique) about this book is how it’s written: the story unfolds backwards! Instead of jumping to random flashbacks, each chapter takes you further back in time, peeling away the layers of their relationship/secrets.

I’ll admit, it took a little bit to get used to reading this way, but once I got into it, I was hooked! I found myself flipping pages well past my bedtime. Peter Swanson did it again with this unique thriller! 5/5 stars for me!!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
I love reading books by Peter Swanson & "Kill Your Darlings" is the 4th book that I have read by him.
I loved the concept of this book,
the story was told in reverse.
The 2 final twists were quite shocking.
I can't wait to read what he decides to write next!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc. Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I may try it on audio at a later date.

Sorry to say this was underwhelming for me. The concept was very intriguing. A couples marriage told in reverse and the secrets they were keeping. It was well executed but it didn’t wow me like of books from this author. It’s fast paced and the writing was good. I guess it’s not fair to compare all other of the authors books to his first, but I can’t help myself.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for a honest opinion. 3.5⭐️

This is definitely a slow burn thriller. I initially thought the idea of telling the story in reverse sounded unique, but ultimately, I didn't enjoy it. I found that just when I was getting invested in a chapter and what was happening, it would end and jump ahead so far and then start building up to the section I just read. It just kept taking me out of the story and it didn't work for me. There is a lot of infidelity in this book, which I'm not a huge fan of, and I didn't really care for any of the characters. Overall, the story was pretty good, but it was just hard to keep track of everything.

Thank you NetGalley & William Morrow for an eARC of this book in exchange of my honest review. #NetGalley #KillYourDarlings

I’m a fan of Peter Swanson but I’m not a fan of slow burn thrillers. I liked the set up with the story being told in reverse but did not like the characters.

This is my first Peter Swanson book and it won't be the last! Kill Your Darlings is a slow-burn psychological mystery that is told in reverse; from 2025-1982. Wendy and Thom are a successful (seemingly) married couple in their 50s with one adult son, Jason. Thom is a professor at a local university in New England and Wendy is a published poet. Money is not a concern, as readers will find soon find out and not due to Thom's tenured salary. Wendy has started to almost loathe her husband (or at least worry he can't live with the secrets that tie them together) after half a lifetime together and has begun to fantasize about killing him, until it's no longer just a fantasy. What led to this pivotal moment in their marriage? With most characters pretty unlikeable Swanson has built a unique story told in chronological reverse-while the middle felt slower than the rest of the novel the last third really sped up. Readers will want to pay attention as certain characters and situations pop up that are very relevant in Wendy and Thom's early history. 3 stars rounded up to 3.5 for that clever ending!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Peter Swanson has become an auto-read for me! I loved how the story is told in reverse, however I didn’t love the characters in this one. It was a bit of a slow burn overall but everything was wrapped up nicely in the end.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Such a unique and thrilling book! It was really interesting to dive into a book that works backwards to reveal the story and how things come to be.

This was a cleverly crafted slow burn thriller that's starts at the end and works its way back to reveal how things came to be. The destruction of a marriage lies in a shared secret, and a connected history together through the years. I enjoy Swanson's thrillers, overall. I was hoping for a faster paced twistier read, but can appreciate the artistry this one takes to craft. I will keep reading this author even if this wasn't my absolute favorite.

What did I just read? Such a unique and riveting thriller! A unhappy wife who just wants her husband un-alive. They were juvenile sweethearts and have gone through so many ups and downs. We see their POV's in this backwards telling drama filled love story. Fairytale or nightmare? I will let you decide. That ending? Standing ovation, clap until your hands hurt!
Thank you NetGalley, Peter Swanson and William Morrow for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you William Morrow and Netgalley for this ARC! This story tells of a couples life in reverse order from their 50th birthday they share to when they met as teenagers and the secrets held throughout their lives. This was a great perspective of telling a story without missing a beat with Incredible writing that you won’t be able to put down and sad to see it end! Fantastic!