When 9 strangers receive a plain envelope in the mail, with a list of 9 names on it and nothing else, they’re confused. Their confusion turns to concern as the FBI start asking questions, then fear as people on the list start to die in mysterious circumstances. The race to figure out what the link between the 9 people could possibly be, and who’s killing them, is on.

I really enjoy books that bring together seemingly unrelated people and unravel a story that connects the dots. I sometimes do have trouble keeping each person and their corresponding back story in line though and that was the case here. I kept forgetting which person each name was connected to 🙈 However, that didn’t really dull my enjoyment of finding out how the puzzle pieces fit.

Nine Lives was intriguing and had plenty of twists along the way. Each of the character deaths felt like a shock to me - even though I knew that was the point of the book! The story was told from multiple points of view, giving us real insight into each of them and their story. But just when I felt like I’d properly get to know one of them, they’d be the next on the list to die 🙊 The whole book was quite cleverly written and I’m looking forward to picking up more books by this author.

Nine strangers receive a list of names, nine names including their own names. Their characters are described well, and the mystery remains to be solved. This was a real page turner and I couldn't put it down until I had finished the novel. A great author and a fabulous storyline.

A lost of 9 names - a list of 9 people who are going to die without pain.
This is a simple 'who did it' with many references to the Agatha Christie book ;And then there were none'.
The characters on the list are very well described and the book kept me interested .
This is an acceptable interpretation of an Agatha Christrie type novel; some have been really rubbish.

Going by the blurb, this book is the goods as far as a mystery is concerned. Great concept, intrigue surrounding the letters and their origin.

However, as the title suggests, there are Nine Lives - or characters - that are telling this story.
To be perfectly honest here, there’s only 1 author I have come across who has successfully managed to follow more than 6 main characters in a work of fiction. George R R Martin, take a bow. But also don’t because you STILL haven’t finished the series!

For every other story I’ve read with multiple characters, it just doesn’t work for me. Too much gets lost in the moving between large numbers of characters. The effort to ensure that each gets enough ‘air time’ means that it leaves little room for deeper exploration of the story.
Unfortunately Nine Lives is in the latter category for me too. I also found that I couldn’t gel with the writing style, and slow progression of the story.

I guess it wasn’t for me.

Many thanks to Peter Swanson, Faber and Faber Ltd, and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am very grateful to Faber and Faber, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review of Nine Lives.

I loved this book! I read it over three nights as it gripped me from start to finish. The concept of the story is clever; A list of nine people, apparently unrelated, contacted anonymously and targeted for murder.

Set in many varied scenarios, Swanson has brilliantly crafted the primary and supporting characters, and the book flows brilliantly from one setting to another.

The book's pace is excellent, and wondering who will be next to die and how keeps the sense of anticipation high, while the ending may surprise you! It did me.

I highly recommend this book, and I will be looking for more from Peter Swanson.

I’ve read a number of books by this author and they have always been entertaining and cleverly plotted. He has recently used classic crime novels to inspire his books paying homage to some of our literary giants. In “ Nine Lives” he takes his inspiration from Agatha Christie and particularly “ Ten Little Indians”.now known as “And Then There Were None”
The Nine Lives of the title are nine complete strangers who receive a list of nine names in the post. Each list includes their own name too and gradually one by one they are being murdered,
It is left to one of the people on the list, FBI agent, Jessica Winslow and a Police detective investigating the first murder, to try and work out what is happening and why.
The story is told from nine different view points which takes a bit of getting used to at first but once the characters are established it becomes a very clever plot device. I did not guess who the murderer was or why these people had been chosen. It was difficult to get attached to the characters as one normally does in a novel as there were so many and it was clear from early on each was going to be murdered.
I was rooting for Jessica but but with her being on the list I wasn’t sure what was going to happen to her or whether she would be able to solve the mystery in time.
All in all a clever and compelling read which I whizzed through fairly quickly. It’s a lot of fun too.
Definitely recommended and you don’t need to be an Agatha Christie fan to enjoy it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Faber and Faber for my arc.

Not only did I like the sound of this book but I had also heard good things about this author so I was keen to read Nine Lives. However I was a little disappointed, although the storyline was ok I just struggled to keep up with all of the different characters storylines. The fact I kept losing track of the 'nine' lives distracted me from the mystery unfolding. I don't think it will put me off trying another of this author's books but for me this was only an average thriller.
Thanks to Netgalley and Faber & Faber Ltd for the opportunity to read and review this ARC

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Nine Lives but that has in no way influenced my review.

I've said this before and I'll say it again (and again, and again I expect), I am officially Peter Swanson's biggest fan. I ADORE his books. It started when I read A Kind Worth Killing many moons ago (pre-blog) and my love for his work has grown with each new release. Rules for Perfect Murders shot straight to the top of 'my favourite books ever list' in 2020 and every new book is the highlight of my reading year. Nine Lives has been on my radar for a while now, and based purely on the synopsis, I knew I was going to enjoy every second of it. And oh boy, I really did!

An envelope drops through the door and lands on the mat. Upon opening it you see a list of names, including yours. You think nothing of it and toss the letter in the bin. But then you hear of an unfortunate death and the name rings a bell. It's a name from the list. A coincidence, you think to yourself. That is until the same thing happens to another name on the list. Nine complete strangers, all marked for death. Can the authorities connect the dots and discover who is killing the nine seemingly random people and why, before they all perish...

Absolutely flipping marvellous! It's so easy to lose yourself within the pages of a Swanson novel and Nine Lives is no exception. I read this book over the course of 24 hours, taking only necessary breaks and ignoring pretty much everything else that was happening around me. I love the premise of the book. With an enthusiastic nod to Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None (which is my favourite of her novels) Nine Lives effortlessly hooked me and kept me rapt until the very last word.

The book is told from multiple points of view which could have been confusing but the author has skilfully managed to keep the characters from overlapping and blending into each other. Hearing from nine different characters, getting nine different points of view would, in some other books, mean only skimming the surface and not really getting any real depth of character. But the author gives the nine enough backstory along with an opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings about their situation, to create a connection with the reader. You know deep down that they're most likely doomed but I found myself hoping that perhaps one or two, five or six might make it to the end.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. I loved the concept of Nine Lives before I'd even cracked the cover and it did not disappoint one jot! Twisty, unexpectedly emotional, chock full of delicious intrigue and very entertaining. Add to that Swanson's unmistakable suspense-laden style, glimpses of the author's passion for classic crime, a cast of fascinating characters and a compelling whodunit, all of which make Nine Lives a must read for all crime fiction fans. I remain Swanson's number one fan and I will fight* anyone who says otherwise, lol! Highly recommended.

*Obviously I won't. I'm against all forms of violence. But I will 'grrrrrr' in your general direction if you disagree

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Nine Lives. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

Good mystery referring to the famous book by Agatha Christie And Then There Were None. Nine people get a letter with their names on it. The whole thrill begins when the people on the list start dying one by one.

This book has a really good pace. Short chapters keep the tension through the whole book. Even though I usually don't like too many POVs, this time it didn't bother me at all. We have like a dozen POVs – for each of the people on the list, plus a policeman and an FBI agent. The short chapters provide a good rhythm to the story and make us wonder who will be next. At the same time, the book is really easy and fast to read.

I like how the author in these short chapters managed to build a group of expressive characters. There is something unique in each of them. Each person on the list reacts differently to the situation. You hope some of them will survive because they seem really decent, innocent people. But as more people on your list are killed, you realize more and more that their chances of survival are close to zero.

This book is, in my opinion, one great tribute to Agatha Christie. Even the ending fits perfectly into something that the queen of crime herself would have written. And I mean both the murderer's motives and the way the police discovers them. Also, this book begins with a poem by Wisława Szymborska, which I like very much. I also believe it fits pretty well with this story.

A good, simple idea leads to a complex plot with a group of well-written characters. I definitely recommend this book to everyone who likes good mystery, not just Agatha Christie fans.

You received a letter. A list. A list with nine names on it, including your own. You don't recognise anyone else's name. This is the intrigue that starts Peter Swanson's latest thriller Nine Lives.. and then the murders begin.. If you are on the list, you are marked for death.

I love Peter Swanson's thrillers and this one is no different! The book is hard to put down and the shorter chapter lengths, makes you utter "just one more chapter!!!" quite alot!

Each chapter is alternating character perspective, building the suspense and pace with every page. This book is a great read, and keeps you guessing until the end!

Nine Lives by Peter Swanson

Imagine getting a list of nine names in the mail. You don’t know any of the other eight people but the ninth name is yours. This is what happened to nine of the characters in this book. No one thought much about the list, some even threw it out, until each person started being killed one by one.

I loved this book! Truly one of Peter Swanson’s many best novels!

The story is fast and interesting. There are many characters to keep track of but you are able to follow who is who even if you are terrible with names like me.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Faber and Faber Ltd for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This was fast paced and kept my interest all the way through.
The plot is a great one although sometimes it can get a little confusing keeping up with all the different POVs.
All in all, a great read!

Nine complete strangers all receive an envelope in the post. It's unremarkable, there's no return address and contains just a single sheet of folded paper. There's nine names on the enclosed list, each recipient recognising just one name, their own- 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 death.

This was so much fun! Peter Swanson really knows how to write something that grabs your attention and his latest novel is no different. This is fast paced, driven by its short chapters and shifting POVs. There's no filler, or asides, constantly driving towards the conclusion. Even though I knew everyone was destined to die it was impossible to see each one coming. Although this isn't my favourite Peter Swanson novel that I've read its still a great read! Definitely one to get you out of a reading slump.

Thanks Faber and Faber for sending me a copy to review! It publishes on 3rd March in the UK.

This is the second Peter Swanson book that I have read and I absolutely loved it! The synopsis is that nine people get sent a list of nine names, one of them being their own. Why? How are they connected? The pace and size of chapters in my opinion was just right. It was easy to follow even though there were many characters and kept me guessing the outcome right to the end. At some points I struggled to put it down! Very cleverly written and will definitely be looking out for more of Peter Swanson’s books. Thank you to Netgalley and Faber and Faber for the opportunity to read this ARC.

A quirky story of a list of nine unrelated people sent to each of them with nothing else. When the oldest one is discovered dead in suspicious circumstances the hunt for the other names begins especially as one is an FBI agent. More deaths follow and the hunt intensifies but with no apparent relationship to anyone on the list the mystery deepens. The deaths continue throughout until the strange revelation at the end. Intriguing!

Nine letters, a single sheet of paper in an envelope with no return address or a single clue as to who sent them. Nine names, including your own name. But none of the nine recipients knows one another. Most of them dismiss the letter as junk mail or a computer error. Until… One of the nine is found dead, and then another.

Frank Hopkins, Jessica Winslow, Jack Radebaugh, Caroline Geddes, Matthiew Beaumont, Alison Horne, Ethan Dart, Arthur Kruse and Jay Coates don’t appear to have anything in common – their professions range from Oncology to an aspiring actor. Their ages range from thirties to seventies and they are all dotted around the country. Jessica Winslow who happens to be an FBI agent is determined to find out – have they been chosen at random? Or is there a more sinister reason for each of their names being on the list? And more importantly, who is the mysterious sender and why are they doing this?

As each of the nine are stalked, they find themselves under police protection and looking over their shoulders. But will it be enough to keep their name from being crossed off of the list?

This is the fifth Peter Swanson book that I’ve read, and the first one that I haven’t really enjoyed. A few things in this book bothered me. For instance, the multiple POV’s didn’t quite work, the pace was a bit off – verging on boring at times. The pace did pick up a bit towards the end, but then the reveal was a bit – meh! I didn’t feel like I got to really know any of the characters or care about what happened to them. There wasn’t much character or plot progression throughout the book and the many references to Agatha Christie and her very popular And Then There Were None, just made it all that much clearer that unfortunately, this book wasn’t anywhere near as good. All in all, it was a disappointment and it seems to be a common theme for some of my favourite authors of late. It’s like Covid and lock-down zapped some of the creativity and talent! Here’s to their next book’s… hopefully. And a better next one for Peter Swanson. I’ll be waiting…

Excellent! Nine people receive a letter in the post which basically consists of a list of the names of those nine people and other than their own, they have never heard of any of them. The people on the list then begin to be murdered, one by one to the point where the remaining ones are put under police protection, but that isn’t enough to spare them their fate.
The tension is immense during the story as we’re very aware, as are the victims of what might come next but we do not know yet the reasons or what the connections are.
There are parallels with a very famous Agatha Christie book which the plot mentions which very much feels like homage rather than a copy, besides there are other levels to this story which twists it away from the original as the details emerge.
Very enjoyable and cleverly written, I’d recommend this.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 great stars

I enjoyed this book - it had an interesting premise with a list of seemingly unrelated people, marked for death.

As the story unfolds we learn who the bad guy is, why he does it, and also of course some kills.

Worth a read.

Nine Lives by Peter Swanson is built around an interesting premise, nine seemingly random people receive a list of nine names, including their own, with no return address and no apparent connections between them. There is a range of ages, genders and professions but they include a retired author, a college professor, a down on his luck songwriter and an FBI agent, and they are scattered across the USA. Nobody is taking it very seriously until one of the people on the list turns up dead, drowned in a shallow tidal pool on the beach outside the bar he owned. When more bodies start turning up, it becomes clear that there must be some connection, but it is proving far from easy to figure it out, even with the FBI desperate to protect one of their own, and as names are crossed off the list it is clear that time is running out.
This was a gripping thriller, it certainly kept me turning the pages as the story unfolded. Each of the nine characters from the list was an interesting character in their own right, some I felt more sympathy for than others, but they all felt well crafted and fleshed out. Their voices were distinctive enough that there was no difficulty in keeping them clear. The author references Agatha Christie, and in particular And Then There Were None several times in the course of the book, and it is clear that he intends this as something of an homage to that classic of the genre. I found the ending wrapped up just a little too neatly for my taste and the epilogue like last chapter was unnecessary but overall I found it a very entertaining and enjoyable read.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Nine lives, nine letters, nine names. No explanation.
I really liked the pace of this, I read it in two sittings as it was very compelling.
At first it is quite confusing as you are hit with so many names and just a short paragraph about each character. The first murder happens pretty quickly.
We, the reader are not given any clues as to why these people need to die.
I found myself liking some of the characters and hoping that they would escape. There are definitely a couple that deserve it.
Overall a very enjoyable read with a touch of Agatha Christie's( which is mentioned)Then There Were None.
The reason for the list? Well I can see why but didn't think it fair to pick on these particular people.
Thanks to Netgalley and Faber and Faber for the ARC in return for an honest review.