Solid thriller that kept me guessing. You'll wonder exactly how the lives of these individuals is interconnected and the answer was satisfying.

I loved Peter Swanson's latest offering, paritally because it is an homage to my favorite mystery ever, And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. I don’t know if I would recommend this book to readers who haven’t read Christie’s classic because it would spoil the story for them.

Nine Lives is a tightly plotted, fast-paced mystery that starts with 9 people receiving a letter with 9 names, one of which is their own.

The story is told from the perspective of all nine of these characters plus the police, which was a lot of characters to keep track of at first- especially reading a digital copy of the book where it wasn’t easy to flip back to the list of characters at the beginning of the story. I ended up taking a screenshot of the list on my phone, and that helped immensely.

Overall, this book is great for mystery fans, especially those that enjoy the classics.

A thank you to Netgalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

While I have not enjoyed all of Swanson's book (really kind of was not a fan of Before She Knew Him) I did fall in love with his style and panache for creating a just shy of demented storyline when introduced with a Kind Worth Killing. Still love that one and also truly enjoyed Eight Perfect Murders, which was very obviously inspired by Agatha Christie. Swanson is obviously a fan of the great dame as this was also the case here, coupled with something a little Hitchcockian, which gave it an almost cinematic sweep (it would make a good movie.) Can't say that I loved it as much as the two above mentioned older titles, but I did enjoy it a lot, and give kudos to the author for being a pretty consistent, go- to author guy of mine. Will continue to read him voraciously obviously.

Nine total strangers open their mail and find a single sheet of paper in the mail with a list of names on it which include their own. They don’t recognize any of the name and just toss the list aside and assume it’s just junk mail. FBI agent Jessica Winslow is one of the names on the list and the list immediately grabs her attention, who are these people and why is her name on the list. As she begins to dig into the names, she soon sees things have started happening to the recipients, it’s starts with one man who is found drowned on a beach in the small town of Kennewick Maine, and he’s holding the list with his name on it, and its immediately a murder investigation. While running in his neighborhood in Massachusetts a father another recipient of the list is found shot in the back. What is the connection of these nine names, they are different genders, jobs and locations not even a pattern to the deaths. Will they uncover the mystery before they are all murdered.

Nine lives was an amazing thriller! I’ve read a lot of books in the genre, but I never saw the ending of this one coming. It was a quick read that was hard to put down. I loved the references to Agatha Christie novels as well!
The ending was perfect in how it tied everyone together. Highly recommend

LOVED LOVED LOVED. I am a huge Peter Swanson fan. I have read everything and he writes solid gold for me with every book. This one was no different. His writing style in his books is always a bit different and this was no exception. It was just a fantastic way to tell the story. You never had any idea what was coming next or why or how. I absolutely love it. I will rave about it to anyone who will listen.

This is the exact kind of thriller I love! It reminded me of Saw in the way that there were specific people chosen and at the beginning, you had no way of knowing their connection to each other. I liked the way the book was broken into parts Nine through Zero as one person on the list was killed off, and then each part had a chapter dedicated to someone on the list or Sam Hamilton, the detective. It was a very enjoyable read and I didn't see the end coming.

Nine people living in different parts of the country receive a list of names in the mail. Jessica Winslow, an FBI agent working out of the Albany, New York office, is the only recipient who is mildly intrigued by the list. Winslow begins a half-hearted search for more information about each name on the list. Her interest spikes when one of the people on the list, an elderly resort owner living in Maine, is found face down in a shallow pool of water. The list of names is found near his body. When a second person on the list, a young investment banker is shot in the back during his morning run, the FBI begins an official investigation, and the race is on to find the remaining people on the list before they become victims of a serial killer. This fast-paced, intricately plotted thriller is a tribute to Agatha Christie's, And Then There were None. Swanson even includes a police detective living in Maine who grew up reading Agatha Christie's stories and who secretly aspires to be Jessica Fletcher, the amateur sleuth. Swanson weaves in clever plot twists, along with his trademark psychological suspense and morally ambiguous male and female characters. The back story of each character will fascinate the reader. Mystery fans will have a hard time guessing who the murderer is until the very end. I could not put this one down. Terrific read!

As soon as I read the premise for this one, I was immediately intrigued! I’d seen some mixed reviews and was hesitant, but it definitely worked for me!

At first the multiple POVs were slightly confusing to keep track of but once you grasp them, I certainly enjoyed them and loved how Swanson utilized them and and the countdown approach.

I have yet to read Agatha Christie’s And Then There We’re Now but it’s now absolutely on my list!

Overall, I found this to be clever and fun mystery that I was surely invested in!

NINE LIVES, Peter Swanson’s latest murder mystery/crime fiction novel, is a clever and intriguing story with a spin similar to Agatha Christie’s classic mystery, And Then There Were None. Nine strangers from all over the country each receive a cryptic piece of mail. In each envelope is a single sheet of paper with nine names listed on it, including their own. The recipients don’t know anyone else on the list. But soon, one by one, people on the list are being murdered. FBI agent Jessica Winslow is determined to find out the connection between them especially since her name is on the list, too. Told from multiple points of view of the nine characters on the list as well as Detective Sam Hamilton from the Kennewick, Maine police department investigating the first murder, the mystery unfolds as the police and FBI race the clock to identify the killer and prevent more deaths. The short chapters keep the tension high and the pacing quick right up to the surprising ending. I enjoyed this entertaining murder mystery and look forward to reading more from Peter Swanson.

One list, nine people....a bunch of good twists. This book is a nod to Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None"...and I really liked it. Gripping me right from the get-go, I found myself quickly invested in both the characters and the plot. I found myself wishing for some of them to get taken out...while hoping for others to somehow make it through despite the odds. The ending fell a little flat for me, but overall I still really enjoyed the read. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Well, this was an interesting read! In the vein of And Then There We’re None by Agatha Christie (which is referred to many times in the novel) this story takes out nine lives, one by one.

I was worried that I would get all the characters confused (there is a character list at the beginning but it is not easy to go back and forth on a kindle), however Swanson made it easy for me to remember the characters early on in each chapter. That was one BIG pro!

I really enjoyed the short chapters and no nonsense writing. It was a simple story, but with many layers. It made for a quick and intriguing page-turner of a book.

I enjoyed the “twist” and had no idea it was even coming. That doesn’t happen often for me.

My only con was the letter near the end. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I don’t like too much explanation at the end of the book. It just feels like a really non-creative way to wrap things up neatly. I’d rather have questions than a big explanation of everything at the end.

Other than that, it was fun to read and definitely worth it!

In an homage to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, author Peter Swanson introduces us to nine people who have their names on a list. No details, no explanation – just a list of names. Each person is mailed a copy of the exact same list. There seems to be no connection between them. One of the people on the list is FBI agent Jessica Winslow who immediately starts to investigate while no one else on the list seems concerned. When one of the people listed is murdered, the FBI and most of the remaining people start to pay serious attention. Someone appears to be out to kill every one of them. But why?

Nine Lives provides the backstory for each of the potential victims. Some are people worth caring about and a few are people who are less than admirable. This is a tense thriller as time is running out for the mystery to be solved. Swanson's clever, fast-paced book kept me guessing until the very end. I’m betting most people won’t figure this one out.

This is an insanely good book!!!!! In my opinion one of Peter Swanson's best!!! The twists and turns will blow your mind. A must read for thriller fans

9️⃣ BOOK / REVIEW 9️⃣

Sadly, I have an unpopular opinion coming your way this Saturday...

I have a love / hate relationship with Peter Swanson's books. He is an author that everyone is so hyped up about, so I get a serious case of fomo anytime one of my bookish friends get an #ARC of his novels. I was honestly floored when I got a copy of Nine Lives and put everything aside to dive right in.

The premise of this is awesome - 9 "seemingly" strangers are sent a letter with names on it. No one has any clue why and then people start dying. Normally, this would be a plot I would love, but something just did not work for me with this book. I was bored. And there were so many story lines / characters to keep up with 😫. I will say the ending redeemed this a bit. Not a terrible read, just need to be OK with not loving this author for future books. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

NINE LIVES is my favorite Peter Swanson novel since A KIND WORTH KILLING.

Nine unconnected strangers each receive a list containing all their names. Some view it as a database error; others as proof of a spouse’s wrongdoing. None of them know it’s a death sentence until one of the oldest men on the list is killed on a beach in Kennewick, Maine. Days later, outside Boston, a businessman and father from on the list is shot in the back while on his morning run.

FBI Agent Jennifer Winslow takes a particular interest in the investigation. After all, she is on the list herself. Though she’s not allowed on the case, she still desperately attempts to find the bind among the nine lives. (Swanson helpfully includes a character guide at the beginning of the book.)

With nine characters as potential—and likely victims—it’s a tense read. Some of them are very likable, some despicable, but it’s unclear if or (probably) when they’ll be killed and in what order, so the plot is fast-paced and nail-biting.

While this is inspired by and draws from the structure of AND THEN THERE WERE NONE by Agatha Christie (my favorite of her novels), Swanson, of course, makes it his own.

Peter Swanson dives head first into the lives of nine individuals whose names are written on a list. Nine Lives uncovers a mystery not so far from the infamous Agatha Christie's mind. Nine lists are being delivered and then you die. As the FBI scrambles to find out who these individuals are and the connection that brings them all together, people just keep dying.
It did take me a while to get into Nine Lives but I did come to enjoy the story and mystery of who done it? And Peter Swanson definitely knows how to keep a mystery going until the very end.
Special thanks to NetGalley, Peter Swanson, William Morrow - Custom House publishing for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 4 stars for me.
#NineLives #NetGalley

One list, nine names!

All random. No one knows who the other names belong to. Or for that matter, why their own name is on that list. And trust me folks…this is one list you don’t want to be on!

One-by-one, people on the list are systematically singled out. Never knowing when their number would be up. So who is behind this list? And what is their end-game?

The storyline unfolds from the perspective of all nine characters as well as the police. Yikes! The thought of keeping all those POV’s straight had me shaking in my shoes!

But….at the very beginning of the book the author gives us a list of all the main characters (thank goodness)! I actually made screenshots for Susanne and myself. And found myself referring back to them until the characters developed more and I could keep them all straight.

I’ve always been hit or miss with Peter Swanson’s books. Glad to report this latest one was definitely a hit. Loved the heavy suspense as each character was picked off, hoping the police would solve this murderous case before my favorite was taken out!🙈

A fun buddy read with Susanne as we both rooted for our favorite characters survival!🤣

Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

Thank you to Sam Glatt at Scene of the Crime and William Morrow and Custom House

Intriguing!

Nine random people receive an identical list in the mail with nine names, including their own. No other information is included. One of the nine names is FBI agent Jessica Winslow - she is the only one to give the list pause. As soon as one of the nine individuals is murdered a few of the others begin to take notice. And so it goes.

Will anyone survive? That is the question!

Tense, taut and suspenseful, Nine Lives is a highly entertaining, character driven mystery.

While the ending left a tiny bit to be desired, I was still entertained.

A buddy read with Kaceey that we both enjoyed.

Thanks to Sam Glatt at Scene of the Crime and William Morrow and Custom House for the arc.

A decent rendition and homage to Agatha Christie's And Then Their Were None. When a list of 9 people show up on 9 people's doorsteps, those 9 people start to die. I didn't guess the twist at the end, and was just along for the ride. A decent and enjoyable mystery. Thanks William Morrow for the e-arc.