A common crime story base with a group of people who are stalked by an unknown killer, is the premise of this recently released Nine Lives by Peter Swanson. An unsolicited letter arrives with a list of nine people, all strangers and no apparent connection. Then, one by one people on the list begin to die and the FBI investigate but struggle to link the people on the list. As the narrative reveals each individual and their lives, the mystery deepens and the body count mounts. A promising puzzle of a crime novel that unfortunately has minimal tension and a swift solution ending that makes for a three-star rating. With thanks to Faber and Faber Ltd and the author, for an uncorrected advanced copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given, without persuasion.

EXCERPT: She opened the wine and poured herself a glass, then looked through her mail. Two catalogues, an Amex bill, and an envelope with no return address. She opened it, curious, and pulled out a single folded sheet of paper, and stared at a list of names.

Matthew Beaumont
Jay Coates
Ethan Dart
Caroline Geddes
Frank Hopkins
Alison Horne
Arthur Kruse
Jack Radebaugh
Jessica Winslow

She frowned and pressed the sheet of paper flat onto the coffee table, telling herself that she'd show it to Jonathan. A shiver went over her skin, and she shook out her limbs to make it stop. There was something vaguely threatening about receiving a list of names with no explanation.

ABOUT 'NINE LIVES': If you're on the list you're marked for death.

The envelope is unremarkable. There is no return address. It contains a single, folded, sheet of white paper.

The envelope drops through the mail slot like any other piece of post. But for the nine complete strangers who receive it - each of them recognising just one name, their own, on the enclosed list - it will be the most life altering letter they ever receive. It could also be the last, as one by one, they start to meet their end.

But why?

MY THOUGHTS: Gripping and fascinating. An avid Christie fan, I have to admit that I greatly prefer Swanson's Nine Lives to Christie's And Then There Were None, which is made reference to often.

Nine Lives is a quick easy read that will give your little grey cells a workout. There is a list of characters complete with a brief bio of each at the beginning of the book, and I bookmarked this for quick reference, although I hardly used it. Swanson has defined his characters well, and they are not easy to confuse.

What is puzzling is the lack of connections between this disparate group of people, none of whom know the others.

The story is told via the points of view of all nine people on the list, plus the investigating officers. Sam is an absolute honey.

The author doesn't scatter many clues about - we are kept largely in the dark, garnering information only as Sam or the
FBI agents discover it. But there is the occasional clue to be found if you look hard enough.

I was greatly entertained and intrigued by Nine Lives, which kept me guessing and theorizing throughout. I enjoyed the ending.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.4

#NineLives #NetGalley

I: @petermswanson @faberbooks

T: @PeterSwanson3 @FaberBooks

#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #murdermystery #mystery #suspense

THE AUTHOR: A graduate of Trinity College, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and Emerson College, Peter Swanson lives in Somerville, Massachusetts with his wife and cat.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Faber and Faber Limited via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Nine Lives by Peter Swanson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

This is a well paced, story that kept me hooked from start to finish. I enjoyed some of the characters and enjoyed hating other characters. The mystery itself is very different, and Swanson does a fantastic job balancing multiple POVs and keeping the reader engaged from one short chapter to the next.

I know a lot of his fans will be wondering if this has a regular Swanson twist. For me, It wasn't my favourite of his . he motive was strange for me anyway. Scratching my head whilst wondering why this is happening? However, even though I wanted something a bit more ta dada , I do have to say it works.

I loved getting to know this bonkers cast of characters and was racing to find out what would happen. There were fabulous moments, and I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next.

The premise of the book is really good and I enjoyed reading it.
When nine random strangers receive a note to say that each one will die it had me hooked, until it didn't.
The characters didn't draw me in at all. They lacked something but I'm not sure what.
Detective Sam Hamilton rescued the book with her unfamible resistance to find the truth.
All in all a good read.

"So here's the thing. There was an envelope at the scene of the crime, addressed to Frank.'.'He had the list?'. 'Exact same list. The one with your name on it.' 'Shit' Jessica said."

Imagine receiving a list of names, including your own, in the post and discovering other names on the list are people being killed. A man, Frank Hopkins, is found drowned on a beach in present day Maine in the USA. His hand is a piece of paper with a list of nine names, including his own. When another name on the list is found dead the FBI get involved, as well as a local Maine detective, Sam Hamilton, working the case alone. They try to track down all the names on the list, to offer police protection, with a couple of agents (including one whose own name is in the list, Jessica Winslow) begin to suspect the connection. Will the killer, and their motive, be discovered in time?

Influenced by Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, which is referenced in the book as being re-read by one Sam Hamilton, the readers is given the perspectives of each of the names on the list, nine people who don't know one another and don't appear to be linked. The readers gets to know and like, or dislike, the eclectic mix of characters and I become invested in seeing them survive, or equally felt it would be no loss to the world for those who are horrible people; there's also the perspectives of the FBI Agent Jessica Winslow and the Maine Police Detective Sam Hamilton, following the killer's trail and trying to protect the names on the list. I found it a fascinating concept and was surprised it held my interest bearing in mind the number of protagonists and how the story moved about between them and different locations, but it's well crafted, fast-paced with short chapters and it worked. An ingenious whodunit for fans of classic and contemporary mysteries.

This was such a delight to read. The idea behind the story was very refreshing and not a plot I had previously come across.

A list of nine names sent to those who are on it. No explanation no return address - none of them know what it means, none of them know the others on the list. But then one by one they are killed.

There is a continuous element of mystery that runs through the book and it takes you all the way to the end of the book where there remains one final twist.

This book kept me guessing - I couldn’t work out the connection between those on the list and I certainly didn’t have even a hunch about the killer until it was finally revealed.

I highly recommend this book. Definitely a five star read for anyone who enjoys a good murder mystery.

WOW! What a book. A unique storyline, intriguing characters and written in the way I like - from many different perspectives…what more could I ask for?! I usually read at night to help me sleep but every now and then a book comes along that lights up my brain rather than chill me our for sleep…this was one of those books. I couldn’t stop reading once I started. It was brilliant. It was the first of this author’s books that I’ve read, I’m now off to look for more of his work.

I’ll keep this short and sweet as if you haven’t realised a Swanson is worth reading by now you’re doing something wrong
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I jumped at the chance of an early read of this novel and it didn’t disappoint. Brilliantly plotted and kept me turning pages till the early hours! Highly recommend
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Thanks to Faber & Faber for the ARC

Really enjoyed this murder mystery. There were plenty of twists and turns in the plot and also interstate characters - not always a given in this type of book.

I always jump at the chance to read a Peter Swanson book and this one didn’t let me down. Fast paced and addictive as it moved between the names on the list, I was shocked and surprised by the very clever ending.

Imagine, if you will, receiving a letter. Not just any letter. All the envelope contains is a single sheet of paper. On which is a list of nine names, yours being one of them. No explanation, no other name is familiar. Nothing. Just that list. Freaky huh!?
And that's what happens to nine strangers. All with mixed reactions. Some worried, some dismissal, some confused... And then, one of the list is drowned. And then another is shot in the back. Luckily (if you can say that) one of the names on the list, one of the recipients, is FBI Agent Jessica Winslow who is determined to get to the bottom of what is happening. Hopefully before any more deaths occur...
And that's all I want to say as you really need to get to know the characters as the author intends. Get to hear their stories, get to guess at why they are on that list. I tried and failed! But I gave it a good go and, when I found out the whole truth. Well, I was a bit flabbergasted!
It's very well plotted and that plot is expertly executed. With an eclectic mix of characters - both main and supporting - who all play their parts very well indeed. And, as the narrative progresses, the methods of death escalate and become rather imaginative. I worry about some authors and the way their minds work sometimes!
Obviously, well it is once you start the book, there are parallels to be drawn with Christie's And Then There Were None, and indeed, that book is mentioned several times herein. But, and this is just my opinion, although a decent enough read in itself, this book does pale alongside the Christie, which is definitely worth a read by the way.
All in all, a solid enough book which satisfied but didn't quite deliver the wow factor. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

3.5 rounded up.

This was a quick but entertaining read.

Matthew Beaumont
Jay Coates
Ethan Dart
Caroline Geddes
Frank Hopkins
Alison Horne
Jack Radebaugh
Jessica Winslow
Arthur Kruse

Between 15 and 18 September these nine people receive a list in the mail with these nine names on it. Nothing else. What does it mean? The names mean nothing to any of them. Suspicion is aroused however when Jessica, who happens to be an FBI agent learns that Frank Hopkins has been killed. Shortly after that Matthew Beaumont is killed. So it’s a hit list.

The FBI tries to locate the others and warn them. They also question each of them to see if there is anything connecting them. There isn’t. There are only three little clues that I could glean from the story which didn’t help much at all. Seven of the people on the list are in their mid-thirties to early- forties and the other two are older. I’m not giving anything else away and you learn this very early in the story.

It’s not a complex plot at all but the story was fun to read because I just had to know - who is killing these folks? And why? This was a buddy read with Jayme, Marilyn, Susan and DeAnn so be sure to check out their great reviews too. Many thanks to Netgalley and Faber and Faber Ltd. for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

I thoroughly enjoy this book which had such a unique storyline. It was very entertaining and kept my attention from start to finish. There were a lot of characters but there was a list at the start which I kept a note of and this was definitely helpful. Great bunch of characters and great storyline. I loved it!

Nine people receive a list of names in the post. One of them is theirs. There is no more information, no reason why this has arrived. At first glance it appears it could be junk male. Then one of them is killed. A co-incidence? An accident? But when there is a second death, FBI agent Jessica Winslow whose own name is on the list, begins to look closer at the remaining individuals, trying to find some connection that would lead her to the person behind this.
This is a totally different read from usual thrillers in that there is no central character driving the story. The reader is introduced to all of those on the list, so we get to know every individual. Some are likeable, other not so much. At the same time, no clues are given as to why or how these people connect. They are all despatched in different ways – drowning, poisoning, shooting. The author managed to keep my interest without giving anything away. In fact I had to wait until right until the end before the motive and the perpetrator was revealed. There’s also an unexpected twist I didn’t see coming.
This may not be everyone’s read, as I’m sure some will find dealing with so many different characters a little confusing at times. I admit to having to check back on a couple of occasions and ended up making a list in order to make things easier. Nevertheless, it’s an intriguing story and one that I really could not put down.
My thanks to Peter Swanson, Faber and Faber and Netgalley for an ARC of Nine Lives in exchange for an honest review.

This is an American murder mystery based loosely on Then There Were None by Agatha Christie which is referenced throughout. The characters are all quite interesting and although there are a number of murders this isn't a particularly ghoulish story. I was caught up from the outset and didn't guess who was responsible for the deaths until very near the end. The murderer's justification was really very sad.

Thank you so much netgalley and publisher for the gifted digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Read this book if you:

-Like a fast paced read
-Are new to the mystery genre and still trying it out
-Love a novel with a lot of characters whose stories interject at some point

Thoughts:

This was my first Peter Swanson read and I expected something mind blowing because I heard great things about his books.

However, the book was pretty bad. The idea of the story was very intriguing and I think it had a lot of potential, which, unfortunately, was not well explored.

There are a lot of characters in this novel and after a few chapters alternating between their stories I became pretty confused about who is who.

The majority of the book revolves around some people who are killed by a mysterious person, but besides all the killing that’s not much else going on.

The mystery reveal came kind of late in the story and it wasn’t jaw-dropping either. In a way, I kind of assumed it. There was an unexpected twist right at the end but I didn’t really see its relevance to the story.

I debated between two and three stars for this one and, honestly, the third star is there just because it was a really quick read.

This gotta be the flattest mystery thriller in the history of mystery thrillers.
Even calling it a thriller is a stretch actually.

I’ve said It before but I’ll say it again: having multiple POVs is not gonna save a boring book from being boring. On the contrary, it makes the book extremely difficult to read and prevents the readers from connecting emotionally and ultimately carrying about any of the characters.
Authors need to FINALLY realize that and and put more energy on better writing. Until then, throw at least a disclaimer so the rest of us who are not enjoying this type of content could at least avoid it.
Just for reference tho, this has at least 11 POVs, I lost count after that. I still cannot understand why nobody said anything to Peter Swanson at the 3-4 POV mark, like "please consider a more clever way to present your vision because that is just not gonna work”.

So to sum up, the chapters are short and the POV is constantly changing. As a result, people are being killed off and you don’t even have an option, it’s just a passive event.
Then time and time again Agatha Christie and Then there were none gets mentioned and we get more inside information about the author and what he attempted to do than any of his characters and that’s never great.

All in all, no shocking factor, not fast paced, surface level characters, and zero twists.
Also the reasoning of it all made no sense but by that point I just wanted it to be over already so yeah whatever.

Thank you NetGalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for the digital ARC.

Nine Lives is a crime fiction book, for lovers of the genre as plays heavily on tropes from the Queen of Crime herself, Agatha Christie.

A group of seemingly unconnected people all receive a list with their name, amongst the others on it and there is a race against time to find out why and who sent it.

This is a brilliant premise for a gripping, albeit slow-building story. The downside of the premise is that the nine names are only briefly on the page so there is a lack of time for the reader to bond with each one before they disappear again.

A clever book and one I'm glad I had the opportunity to read.

I was really intrigued by the description for this book. However, upon starting it I found it confusing to keep up with everything.

Things I didn't like: too many characters and kept swapping Pov. Hard work to keep up. Nearly dnf at 35% but got into it around 50%

I'm glad I stayed with it, although I'm not sure I liked any of the characters or cared about the story by the end. The last chapter was odd and kind of pointless (I'm guessing it's leading to a series)

I read and really enjoyed Peter Swanson's first couple of books but I was a little disappointed by his more recent books, Rules for Perfect Murders and Every Vow You Break so I was little apprehensive starting this one.
I was wrong to be, this was a great read. It immediately pulled me into the story, a proper clever, twisty page turner. Even as the character list began to shrink, I was still left guessing. Well plotted, well written, I raced through this one. A proper return to form for Mr Swanson, recommend, a great page turner.