This was not what i was expecting in a good way. The beginning promised something else but i like what it delivered. The plot was developed and i liked how it gave nods to the crime novels in the list in the action itself. I was not expecting the killer to be who it was but there were some moments where i recognised what was happening from the novels it references. This is a great read for any fan of crime fiction as this is pretty much a long love letter to it.

As someone who loves reading crime novels, this one ticked all the boxes for me. Even before I got my hands on it and read the blurb, I was utterly hooked. I just hoped it would live up to my expectations.

The book starts with a bookshop owner, Malcolm, being visited by a member of the FBI who has linked recent murders and a blog written by him. The blog is his view on crime novels that feature perfect murders. Malcolm gets involved in the investigation and circumstances of these murders and reads the books to explore more. I liked Malcolm and his quirky bookstore employees and customers. I also enjoyed the book being set during the Winter and the scenes set in the snow and cold. It's an excellent book to curl up with in front of the fire.

There are lots of twists as the book unravels, but I loved the way this was done. At times, it was laid out overtly and gave a wink to the crime genre that made me laugh out loud. But others were hidden, and I didn't see them coming. Is it the best crime novel you're ever likely to read? No, I don't think so, but it is fun and clever and very entertaining. There is a lot to like about it.

It was also quite the coincidence that earlier this year, I'd read Strangers on a Train, by Patricia Highsmith. Having a familiarity with this novel, made this book come even more to life for me and it also made me want to re-read The Secret History by Donna Tartt as well as dip into other books on the blog list. If you've not read the books mentioned, their plots are revealed so if you're precious about that sort of thing, be aware.

Overall, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and I'd recommend it to others, particularly those who enjoy the crime genre. And the answer to my earlier question, did it meet my expectations? Yes, it certainly did.

Thanks to Peter Swanson, the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book.

I was pleasantly surprised to find myself utterly absorbed in Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson. Originally titled "Rules for Perfect Murders" the plot sounded intriguing when I was offered the chance to read an eARC from NetGalley. Malcolm is the owner of a specialist crime/mystery book store in Boston. A widower with two employees, his cat Nero who lives in the book store and a small number of close friends, he lives a quiet life surrounded by books. So Malcolm is surprised when an FBI agent visits him to quiz him on a possible link between a number of recent unsolved murders and an opinion piece blog post titled "Eight Perfect Murders" he'd written years earlier.

There are so many hidden/suggested clues throughout this book and even out-right flags at some points. It is almost a challenge to the reader to pick the narrator's account apart and try to solve the crimes yourself adding that extra little bit of excitement and enjoyment.

Eight Perfect Murders is well-written, well-paced and kept me guessing; it's one of those books that has you questioning each character. A "whodunnit" of Cluedo proportions!

The only slight downfall for me is that Eight Perfect Murders inadvertently gives away the plot of the eight books on Malcolm's list - although our narrator does warn us about this in advance so I guess I can't really complain!

I'd highly recommend this "whodunnit" which is a completely different concept to anything else I've read in a long time. Enjoyable, intriguing and anything where the main character is devoted to books is always going to be a hit with me!!

A big thank you to NetGalley, Peter Swanson and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A modern mystery with a classic feel that pays tribute to some of the best thrillers of the 20th century.

Bookshop owner Malcolm Kershaw once published an entry for the store’s official blog titled ‘Eight Perfect Murders' – a compiled list of his top favourite perfectly executed murders in crime fiction.

Now it appears Malcolm's list is being used as a killer's playbook. Several recent murders committed in the Boston area appear to be eerily similar to twists in two of those mystery novels. And as the body count rises it quickly becomes clear that the murderer intends to reenact all eight.

Psychological suspense coupled with a puzzling, layered mystery, Rules for Perfect Murders is littered with clues, twists, and misdirection. I was utterly hooked in by the intriguing, creepy premise, transfixed while reading, and completely satisfied by the ending. The snowy winter and the bookstore setting added to my sense of foreboding, claustrophobia and the notion of a killer closing in. It goes without saying that I relished every mention of book titles, plots, editions, collections, and love of reading in general.

You need to know that the plot of this book contains massive spoilers for the eight mystery novels mentioned in the blog post; The Red House Mystery – A.A. Milne (1922), Malice Aforethought – Anthony Berkeley Cox (1931), Double Indemnity – James M. Cain (1943), Strangers on a Train – Patricia Highsmith (1950), The Drowner – John D. Macdonald (1963), Deathtrap – Ira Levin (1978), The Secret History – Donna Tartt (1992), and The ABC Murders – Agatha Christie (1936), as well as two other Christie novels, And Then There Were None {1939), and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926). So, if you have plans to read any of these, I advise you to do so beforehand.

The novel is written as a fictitious memoir, narrated in the first person by Malcolm Kershaw. It opens with a ‘Disclaimer' that explicitly states that our protagonist is omitting certain details, so right from the onset we know he's unreliable, but not why, what, and to what extent, he's hiding. A fast-paced, quick read that I ripped through in no time, and you will too.

I now consider Rules for Perfect Murder Peter Swanson's finest. He definitely brought his A-game on this one.

I'd like to thank Netgalley, Faber & Faber, and Peter Swanson for the e-ARC.

Publication Date: 5th March, 2020.
US Title: Eight Perfect Murders. (Out 3rd March, 2020).

This was a really intelligent and well crafted love letter to the mystery novel, but ultimately, it just slightly fell short for me. It tells the story of a bookseller who creates a blog post of the eight perfect murders in crime fiction. Flash forward a few years and the FBI turn up on his doorstep because someone is killing people, following the order and methods of his list.

The Positives: The pacing of this book was incredibly well done, given that I read this in pretty much one sitting! I loved the way that it was written, as a 'memoir' in which the bookseller talks to you as the reader and reveals things about himself and his past in small doses, ensuring that your interest is always piqued. I thought the layering of the narrative and plot was very good - the book starts as one thing and ends as something quite different.

The Negatives: I really felt like a lot of the twists and turns in the narrative were quite predictable and although there was a lot of originality in some aspects of the narrative, the overall plot was quite formulaic. I thought that the conclusion was a little too ridiculous and just didn't really ring true for me.

Overall, this was a compelling book that kept me turning the pages, but it just missed the mark a little bit for me.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

What’s not to enjoy about a book about books? Bookshop owner Malcolm finds himself being questioned by the FBI about a list of books he put on the bookshops blog many years ago about eight perfect murders, he turns detective to see if he can find the identity of the person who is carrying out the murders but not all is as it may seem. A real homage to the thriller genre and has made me want to add a lot of classic reads mentioned to my tbr list.

I've read and enjoyed the majority of Peter Swanson's previous books and have admired how "different" they all are (no group of "friends" stranded on an island or in a remote hotel in the depths of winter here!) from each other. This one is again very different and to my mind a hugely successful homage to the classic crime novels of the past, but also an ingenious update to the genre.

Mr Swanson takes us on a thrilling ride and slowly but logically we reach the destination; I was rather delighted to discover that he'd been toying with us for the duration of the book.

Highly recommended, and my thanks to Faber & Faber and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read "Rules for Perfect Murders"

Note: This book is also known as “Eight Perfect Murders.”

It starts out almost like a cozy mystery with an unassuming, likable bookseller being drawn into a murder case. The murderer seems to be recreating “perfect” murders from classic mysteries. The FBI agent investigating the case goes to our main character Malcolm as an expert on classic literary murders because he owns and works in a bookstore specializing in mystery and crime novels. In the past he even wrote a blog post for the bookstore titled “Eight Perfect Murders” which the murder seems to be following. The FBI going to Malcolm for help seemed a bit tenuous and unlikely but I was willing to go with it as it made for a great setup. Turns out the FBI has good reason to go to Malcolm and as they investigate further it becomes clear that some of the victims had a connection to Malcolm. This is where things get really juicy!

Malcolm is entirely pleasant if a bit introverted. He loves his cat Nero who lives in the bookstore and has a nice, quiet life. It’s all a bit quaint and familiar but hold on to your hats because something is coming that upends everything. The story takes a sharp turn that had my mouth hanging open in shock. I won’t give even a hint about what happened but holy crow it blew my mind!

For me this truly was the “perfect” thriller. The literary premise leading to an absolutely shocking twist was just so darn good. I was lulled by the benign, almost cozy beginning then the rug was pulled out from under my assumptions pretty early on and the story only got better from there. I could not have predicted where this story was going to go. From beginning to end, “Rules for “Perfect Murders” was a fantastic and brilliant book and I can’t recommend it highly enough!

Thank you to Faber & Faber for providing an Electronic Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley for review.

Just a little too smugly clever to be a great read. Didn't really grip me, even though I loved the recommendations about other mystery books. My 'want to read' pile has certainly grown. Although this is a cleverly written book, the characters don't grab you and the plot is terribly unbelievable, even for fiction!

"I truly imagined that my adult existence would be far more booklike than it turned out to be."
A thriller for, and about, thriller book lovers! And I was thrilled to receive an eARC of Rules For Perfect Murders from Faber Books and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review - thank you!
This is the UK title for Peter Swanson's new release, Eight Perfect Murders. Can you actually go wrong with this author? No way.
Malcolm Kershaw is the owner of Old Devils Bookstore in Boston. A blog article he wrote years earlier referencing his favorite murders in crime classics, becomes the basis for a serial murder investigation.
The whodunnit might be pretty straightforward, but it's the how-and-whydunnit that is the crux of the action. Fantastic premise, a reminder why we all anxiously await new Peter Swanson books!
Eight Perfect Murders is for release in North America on March 3, Rules for Perfect Murders in the UK on March 5.

This one had me gripped from the get-go and was not at all what I expected. I expected a plodding story but it was zippy and kept me interested most of the way through. It got a bit confusing/lost about 1/3 of the way through then it regains its direction and pace until the end. Recommended,

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an unbiased review.
Absolutley loved this book.
Very cleverly written and without giving away too much of the plot is has made me go and read some of the books that are referred to within this novel.
Full of twists, just the way I like my books

Malcolm Kershaw was the co-owner and manager of the Old Devils Bookstore on Beacon Hill in Boston. The store specialises in crime novels, but Mal has given up reading crime. His life's been pretty chaotic of late: It's five years since his wife, Claire Mallory, died and he's never really got over it. She was driving whilst inebriated, having just been to see the man with whom Kershaw suspected she was having an affair. His interest in crime fiction comes back when he's approached by Special Agent Gwen Mulvey. She's interested in a blog post he wrote a few years ago: My Eight Perfect Murders.

Her interest had been piqued after the murders of Robin Callahan (notorious news anchor), Jay Bradshaw and Ethan Byrd. There's a bird connection in each of the names and this made her think about Agatha Christie's The ABC Murders. A closer examination of the list brings up other unsolved murders which probably have a connection to books on the list, particularly Patricia Highsmith's Strangers on a Train and The Secret History by Donna Tartt. Is someone using the list as a template, or is there another link to Malcolm Kershaw? Can the killer be stopped before the list is completed?

When I picked this book up I thought that it would be a light-hearted look at various crimes and how they might compare to their fictional equivalents. Surely a story based on this list would be just too contorted? Well, I was wrong on both counts. This isn't light-hearted with the occasional nod to some of the greats of crime fiction - and it's definitely not too contorted.

Malcolm Kershaw makes for a superb lead character. He's introverted and inclined to over-think his relationships with other people. He's also an unreliable narrator: it takes him a long time to tell anyone - even himself - the full truth of what has been happening. There's a neat contrast with special agent Mulvey - who's also hiding her own secrets.

The plot is decidedly twisty and towards the end, you're going to going to have to pay close attention or you'll get lost. I didn't spot whodunnit, despite the fact that all the clues were there.

I have to give a warning about spoilers. The plot makes it impossible not to discuss whodunnit in each of the eight books and you might be better checking these books and Agatha Christie's The Murder of Robert Ackroyd if you're not keen on reading crime novels in the knowledge of the twist that comes at the end. If you've already read them you'll enjoy the trip down memory lane - and you might even be tempted into some rereading.

I'd like to thank the publishers for letting Bookbag see a review copy.

Malcolm is part owner of a bookshop. This particular bookshop is my dream bookshop as it specialises in mysteries and thrillers. Malcolm considers himself an expert in his field. Many years ago he wrote a blogpost on what he considers were the eight perfect murders in books. The post did not take off like he hoped and just got a couple of comments on it. Malcolm forgot all about it until many years later when the FBI contacts him as someone is using his list to commit murders.

First of all I would like to list the books discussed in the fictional blogpost which is the crux of the story:

The Redhouse Mystery by Alan Alexander Milne
Malice Aforethought by Anthony Bernard Cox
The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie
Double Indemnity by James M Cain
Strangers On A Train by Patricia Highsmith
The Drowner by John D MacDonald
Death trap by Ira Levin
The Secret History by Donna Tartt

If you intend to read any of these books then please read that book first as you will get spoilers for some of them.

I absolutely loved so much about this book. A book about books is something I really enjoy. The mystery really did keep me guessing and the ending was a complete surprise to me. The only thing that kept me from giving this five stars is that it was not as fast paced as it could have been.

This was an interesting novel.

It combined so many aspects from different books. It flowed and made sense.

However, it never really captivated me. It was easy to put it down. It wasnt difficult to pick back up but it wasnt easy either.

This book would kill some time and is an interesting read. If you have nothing else, read it, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. If you have something else... Read that first.

A book about murderers who read books about murderers. Yes as trippy as it sounds. A good enjoyable twisty read. 3.5/5 rounded up.

Thanks to NetGalley and The Publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up.

This was a joy to read. Atmospheric and tension building, at the perfect pace.So engrossing, I couldn't put it down. And best of all; now I have added some many more books to my to-read list.

Prefect holiday/cold winter's night reading for mystery and thriller fans

A love letter to the classic crime genre, scattered with delightful literary references and a riveting murder mystery, this is told with an obvious passion for the subject. Narrated by specialist used bookshop owner Mal, we follow a series of murders committed by a copycat villain from a list Mal created for a blog entitled ‘Eight Perfect Murders’. From a classic Agatha Christie to the more obscure, we watch the investigation unfold as Mal becomes more embroiled in the case, and his growing suspicions that the killer may be someone he knows.

This reaffirmed my love for the genre, and was a perfect read to pick up after The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie. This takes the best bits of all the classics, all the twists, and scatters them throughout a fast paced plot. It hooked me right from the start with its easy writing style and entertaining story that never lets up the pace until the end. Being relatively short in length also lends itself well to the story, much like the short classics of the genre, as there was no time for useless bits of information or endless monologues that I see bog down more ‘modern style’ mystery thrillers. The tension never drops and the murders never stop.

Mal, our main protagonist is an interesting character. He’s an introvert who struggles to make friends and hold a conversation, making him isolated and lost to his thoughts. He also has an overactive imagination, leading to thoughts on all the murder mysteries he’s read and overthinking things frequently. This results in some false leads and tangents that throw up questions over how reliable Mal is as a narrator as the paranoia and doubt start to creep in.

I will say that this only gets 4 stars because of the ending. I found it a bit disappointing in its execution with a lot of telling rather than showing, which lessened its emotional impact. I understand why this was, and granted I didn’t get the twists - but I think fans of the classic genre will know where this is heading well in advance of when I caught on. On thinking back, there are some not so subtle hints placed in full view for the reader to find.

A great homage to a genre I’ve newly discovered and love, this managed to remain entertaining and interesting in what could have ended up being overly trope filled and stale in lesser hands. Thoroughly enjoyable.

A mystery murder tale about fans of mystery murder tales, written by a fan of the mystery murder tale... yes, it’s as meta as it sounds, and bloody wonderful!

Rules for Perfect Murders was my second Peter Swanson novel, my first being Before She Knew Him. Rules for Perfect Murders was much different, in the best way possible. I could not put this book down - it was so much fun to read! Fans of mysteries and thrillers will absolutely love this book. Highly recommend!