Book Review: The Kind Worth Killing

THE KIND WORTH KILLING | Peter Swanson
02.13.2015 | William Morrow
Rating: 5/5 stars

On a night flight from London to Boston, Ted Severson meets the stunning and mysterious Lily Kitner. Over one too many martinis, the strangers decide to play a game of truth, revealing very intimate details about themselves. Ted shares about his marriage and how his wife, Miranda, is cheating on him. Ted is a rich businessman and Miranda is an artistic free spirit. The differences used to be intriguing for the relationship, but now they are the cause of tension. When Ted jokes that he could kill Miranda for cheating on him, Lily responds by saying she would like to help. Back in Boston, Ted and Lily plot Miranda’s demise, but there are dark secrets to Lily’s past that she didn’t share during their game. This isn’t her first experience with murder.

Earlier this year I read Patricia Highsmith’s STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, which Swanson has called his inspiration behind THE KIND WORTH KILLING. Naturally this book bumped itself up on my TBR and became a must read. I’ve read several other books from Swanson and like those other reads, I found THE KIND WORTH KILLING to be an engrossing and twisty story. While the inspiration is obvious for those who have read Highsmith’s book, this is not a retelling. Swanson has created his own devious game of murder for our characters. 

THE KIND WORTH KILLING is told through alternating narratives that allow for the reader to understand the present day plotting of Ted and Lily, while also getting an equally intriguing backstory plotline about Lily. I love when alternating timelines and narratives combine for a revelation or two that truly blow your mind, which is exactly what happened in this book. THE KIND WORTH KILLING is perfect for those who have long loved crime fiction, as well as those looking to dip their toes into the genre.

This book is available to buy from: Amazon | Book Depository

Disclosure: What Jess Reads is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This in no way influences my opinion of the above book.