Before I began reading my Kindle version of Nine Lives, I took a picture of the cast list, with descriptions of the nine people on a very special list. Although I went over it at the beginning of the book I really never had to refer to it again because I was able to keep track of the nine people. I think this is because each chapter of the story is quick and simple and moves on to another character without getting bogged down and allowing me to forget the others in the story.

Another thing that makes the people easy to remember is they quickly start being eliminated. The first person on the list to die is holding his list in his hand when he dies, which gives investigators a starting part to where to look for clues to the man's murder. Because this man was murdered, without a doubt. Then another man on the list dies and his death is clearly a murder, too. Hardly a coincidence, right? All doubt is removed when a third person on the list dies. This is all happening too quickly and there seems to be no connection between the people on the list.

Most of the people are likable, though flawed, although one clearly would leave the world a better place if he wasn't on it. There is even a FBI agent on the list so she is involved in the investigation of the murders. Once the pattern of deaths to members on the list becomes clear, the remaining list members are provided protection but that doesn't stop the murders. Whoever is committing the murders seems to be a fan of Agatha Christie and if you are familiar with her work, especially one of her most famous stories, you know all nine of these people are doomed. But why does the list have just nine people, why not a nice round number of ten, like her book?

This is a quick, easy story to read, and at first I had no idea who would want to do what and why. But eventually some clues come together although there are things taking place that keep us confused and on the wrong foot when trying to ferret out the murderer. There seems to be no hiding from this executioner, no avoiding the doom of being on this list.

Thank you to Scene of the Crime, William Morrow and Custom House, and NetGalley for this ARC.

This was my first Peter Swanson book at it was just okay. Nine Lives follows nine people who all receive a list with their name on it. As police are trying to track down all of the people on the list and find out what links them, the victims are being picked off one by one. Nine Lives is a modern retelling of Agatha Christie's 'And Then There Were None'. What I liked was the way the chapters were set up and the plot twist at the end which I didn't figure out ahead of time. What I disliked was all of the characters and POVs. I have a hard time keeping track of so many characters and found myself copying the list of characters from the front of the book. That being said, I hear great things about Peter Swanson and will be diving into his backlist to read some of his other works.

Peter Swanson is one of my favourite authors. He is such a prolific author and the stories he tells are amazing and 'Nine Lives' hit right home.

Nine strangers receive a list with their names on it in the mail. Nothing else, just a list of names on a single sheet of paper. None of the nine people know or have ever met the others on the list. They dismiss it as junk mail, a fluke - until very, very bad things begin happening to people on the list.
One of the named people who received the list is FBI agent Jessica Winslow, who has a distinctly bad feeling about it, and she begins a search trying to identify the others, trying to find some connection between them all.

The story grabs you from the get-go and one can't wait to see how the nine lives are connected. The story unfolds with multiple points of view of the people involved which keeps you involved and engaged. Once the characters start getting killed the stakes rise and the tightly written plot reaches to a new level of intrigue.

This is a compulsive murder mystery that has you guessing till the end. The author has done a wonderful job with the pacing and characterisations.

Definitely recommend this one to thriller fans. A 4.5 rating rounded up to 5.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Who’s Who.

It’s a list to die for…

When nine people receive a printed list with their name among the other eight, they’re understandably perplexed. There’s no explanation and no tie to the others listed. A few wonder but carelessly toss the paper in the waste.

When the first person dies, it’s not certain that it wasn't an accident. However the second person was most definitely murdered and the FBI and police begin asking questions. Then they take notice.

There are multiple characters in addition to the nine names so I wrote a cheat sheet from the opening page to avoid scrolling back to reference. Flipping pages to the front of a physical book is an easy process, but more arduous in an electronic book because I rarely seem able to find my exact place again.

My compilation came in handy though as I crossed off the protagonists in order of elimination. While searching for answers, one indirect clue to the killer’s identity appeared, but for the life of me (idiom intended) I couldn’t discern how they were all connected.

I would recommend this as a quick escapism. If Beach Read married Thriller, this would be the offspring. While most of the characters were likable and didn’t deserve their fate, we wouldn’t have a story without a killer and victims so it’s not quite the light fare I’m describing. AND I like books with high body counts so this worked for my tastes.

So, live a little. And be happy to have been excluded this time around.

Another fun buddy read and engaging banter with MaryBeth, Pat, DeAnn, Marilyn and Jayme. The analysis and who sussed it out in advance of the conclusion (which I rarely do) is always a good time.

Thank you so much to Peter Swanson, William Morrow, and NetGalley for my electronic copy publishing on March 15, 2022.

P.S. I love idioms and hardly a review escapes me without using one. So just for fun, an alternate title with a nod to the chapter numerations and familiar sayings:

Countdown:

Going down like ninepins.

Behind the eight ball.

7th heaven.

Six feet under.

Five o’clock shadow.

Down on all Fours.

Three strikes and you’re out.

No two ways about it.

The one and only ___.

Ground Zero.

First, let me say that I thoroughly enjoyed Peter Swanson's "Eight Perfect Murders" and had trepidations that he could equal the sustained suspense of that book. I'm happy to report that I had nothing to fear! Not only is "Nine Lives" extremely suspenseful, it is cleverly plotted with just enough twists to keep one guessing about what is coming next.

Nine strangers scattered throughout the country receive a list of nine names that includes their own. There is no explanation,; just a list of names. Some of the recipients regard it as a joke--that's their first mistake. One of the individuals, FBI agent Jessica Winslow not only takes the list seriously, she begins researching the others on the list. She quickly finds that one person is already dead. The FBI takes up the case and attempts to find the people on the list to warn them of their peril and provide security for them. Unfortunately, they are up against a crafty and ruthless killer and as the body count mounts, they are frantic to find out who is behind the list and what those on the list have in common.

This is a terrific psychological thriller that defies the reader to figure out what is happening and why. It is a quick read that packs a punch. If you enjoy a well-written suspenseful mystery, look no further, "Nine Lives" is for you.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for an advance copy of this book. The publication date is March 15, 2022.

This was a really fun book to read. I was so invested in the characters, which ended up hurting over and over again (in a good way). I wasn’t expecting the ending and truly enjoyed what Swanson did with it.

If you have not yet read Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, Nine Lives contains SPOILERS!

I highly recommend reading Christie’s version FIRST!

Nine Lives is a retelling of that classic novel, with Swanson’s own spin on the plot. This time, NINE people receive identical lists of NINE names in the mail. One of those names is their own. No one recognizes any of the other names on the list. When the strangers are progressively murdered, it is up to the FBI to figure out who is behind this evil plot and why.

It is clear that Swanson is a fan of the classic Christie mystery, as he mentions it MANY TIMES throughout the book.

I enjoyed the short, quick chapters but had a very difficult time keeping track of the large cast of characters. None of them are fully fleshed, and by the time I started to get to know them, they were murdered! The list of characters and descriptions included before the first chapter didn’t offer much help.

The plot is VERY PREDICTABLE and the motive was QUESTIONABLE.

Peter Swanson’s books have either been a hit or miss for me and unfortunately this one was underwhelming. Agatha Christie’s version is a CLASSIC for a reason!

However, I did enjoy this book more than Swanson’s last thriller and am still a fan of his writing!

2.5/5 stars rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC of Nine Lives in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you William Morrow & Netgalley for an eARC of Nine Lives by Peter Swanson!

This book was okay for me - I didn't love it but also didn't dislike it. I found the concept of the list with 9 names really interesting, but despite the character key at the beginning I still found myself confused by The who's-who given that each character alternated in POVs. Given the large number of POVs I didn't find myself connecting with any of the characters, even the seemingly important ones.

I did enjoy the twists and found this to be a quick read with short chapters! It reminded me of Eight Perfect Murders which I really enjoyed.

WHO EVER SAID LIFE WAS FAIR??

A sheet of paper listing 9 seemingly unrelated names.
Mailed to 8 of them and hand delivered to just 1-the first to be killed.

The book is broken down into sections beginning with NINE.
We learn what each of the characters are doing when they receive the letter.
And, we meet Detective Sam Hamilton, local police and first on the scene.

The next section is EIGHT.
The FBI gets the case when one of their own, Jessica Winslow from the Albany field office finds out she is one of the NINE…what are the others doing when they are told?

SEVEN-when two have been murdered, things become more urgent.

Sam continues to work the case locally-he cannot help but notice the similarities between this case and the Classic Agatha Christie novel, “And, then there were None”. Ten strangers, who have never met, brought together because they have all been targeted for death.

Why-was also a prevalent theme in that book. He is convinced that it holds the key to this situation if he can just decipher the WHY, of how they were selected, before it’s too late.

All seem like regular people, all imperfect but none deserving to die…except maybe one? 🙄

SIX-FIVE-FOUR-THREE-TWO-ONE-NONE
WHO will be next?
WILL anyone survive?
I was engaged throughout and wanted to know!!

This was a quick read, not very complex, and easy to devour in one sitting. I found it to be entertaining from start to finish! Now about that ending that you are hearing about….

Did my mouth drop open? 🤭 No…

Did our PERP have a good reason to kill? Nope.

But, really, does MURDER ever make sense?

I did like how Detective Hamilton’s knowledge of Christie’s books-delivered us the answers in the end.

If you have been waiting impatiently for your next Peter Swanson fix-as I was-your wait is almost over!
Available March 15, 2022.

Thank You to “Scene of the Crime” for providing an ARC for review! It was truly my pleasure to offer a candid review!

Nine Lives by Peter Swanson is a very clever book. It took me until at least three-quarters in to realize the motive for these murders. Like the intended victims, I had some information, but not enough to understand the why or even if every person on the list would be killed. A very enjoyable read.

I have been waiting for this book to come out since I have read 8 Perfect Murders during the height of the pandemic.
I really don’t want to sugar coat but this wasn’t as riveting as the first book… but, it doesnt mean I didn’t enjoy it.
Peter Swanson has taken me into webs of conversation in this novel that I question myself lile: “who is who again?” “what happened?” “wait, what now?”

This isn’t my fave novel of his but it was really worth the wait.

I enjoyed Nine Lives. It starts with 9 POV's which made it a slow start for me since it took awhile to be introduced to all nine characters on the list and keep them straight. However, I did like getting to meet each character. As the POV's decreased I found the pacing picked up for me. The reveal was unexpected and added a star to my review. Nine Lives was a fun ride & kept me wondering who was next and why.

Nine strangers all receive a mysterious envelope in the mail that contains a single sheet of paper and nothing else. The paper is a list of nine names, including their own. While mysterious, the list seems benign, especially considering none of the recipents recognize any of the other eight names. Things start to take a macabre turn, however, as the recipients all start to be murdered one by one....

I will first say that I having read and loved Peter Swanson before, I was beyond excited to get my hands on his new novel. The concept seemed intriguing, very much along the vein of Agatha Christie. That said, it was a struggle to get into the book simply due to the tremendous cast of characters. See, you meet all nine as well as some folks who are part of their lives, presumably in an effort to create some level of character development. It left me feeling like I couldn't keep things straight and it didn't lure me in and keep me invested. I plugged along anyhow, and found as the pages turned (and subsequently names from the list were killed off), I was less confused and more engaged. As the concept continued to unfold, I liked the premise and the mystery more and more. While it didn't dazzle me completely, I still enjoyed it and would recommend, especially for folks who dig a good old fashioned Agatha Christie type mystery.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4282755815


**3.5 stars but rounded up to 4 **

The premise of this book was really interesting- 9 people receive a blank piece of paper with 9 names on them, one of the names being theirs, and nothing else. Then, one by one, they all start dying

I liked the story , but where it lost me a little was way too many POVs. It made it hard to get into the story, because I was having a hard time keeping everyone straight. That being said, I did like the book. I am
a fan of Peter Swanson’s books and his writing style and enjoyed this book

I went into Peter Swanson’s newest with low expectations as I have NOT enjoyed the last two books I have read by him. However, this one really kept me on my toes and I shockingly really loved it! It’s an addictive little puzzle with twists that left my jaw hanging more than once. I was feeling all kinds of emotions throughout this story.

My only critique is that there are SO many POVs that it got to be a little convoluted at times but not enough that I couldn’t figure out who it was as I kept reading & definitely not enough to make me stop.

So fans of murder mysteries & crime thrillers, you must grab this one when it releases ✨MARCH 15th! ✨

Thanks so much to @netgalley & @williammorrowbooks for my copy I’m exchange for my review!

This is by far the best Peter Swanson book. I read it 1 day. I just couldn’t wait to find out who sent the letters to 9 random people. What was the connection besides the age group? Were they really random? One by one each recipient of the letters are dying, even with police protection. Great mystery from beginning to end. I would definitely recommend to anyone. In fact I have already started to tell the patrons of the library that they definitely need to read this. Nine Lives is definitely up there with Peter Swanson’s 8 Perfect Murders.

3 1/2 stars. This was an entertaining read at the beginning. It kept me going back to the book to find out what was going to happen next. Nine people receive a letter with their name and eight other names on it. And then they start dying. Agatha Christie’s book And Then There Were None is brought to mind and mentioned often in this book. There are many characters and the chapters are told from different points of view. So pay attention!
The ending was a little bit of a disappointment when it had to be explained in a letter. But overall I like Peter Swanson and I would read another of his books.
Thank you to #WilliamMorrow and #NetGalley for my ARC.

Once again, Peter Swanson knocks it out of the park. I loved the idea of the “list” and the play on And Then There Were None.

Nine people receive a list. On this list is all nine of their names. That's it. No particular order. No explanation of it ay all other than they are all strangers to each other. No connection...or is there?

A few are curious, a few are not, and one, Jessica Winslow, wants to figure it out! Being an FBI agent, it would naturally be gnawing at her and she has a bad feeling about it.

When the death of Frank Hopkins occurs, Detective Sam Hamilton is assigned to the case. With Franks age and the location of the body seems like it may be an open and closed case of an accident, until a list of names if found near by and Frank's name is on it. Nine is now eight.

A second death comes and now a more serious look becomes of it. Eight is now seven.

Police protections are being offered to whom remains and the mystery starts becoming more intense. How are they happening and why?

As you read, the characters clues start popping up and when you reach the last life the seem to fall into place of the puzzle.

I had guesses as I read, but wasn't correct, and the twists at the end gave me a "wait a minute...what?!", but also a why.

I want to the Scene of The Crime and William-Marrow for allowing me to read it through Netgalley for an honest review.

This book was fast paced and well written. Like his other books, it was an enjoyable thriller to get through. Agatha Christie vibes with this one!