Strangers on a Train with a twist, Kill for Me, Kill for You is very on the nose about its Patricia Highsmith inspiration, but still manages to introduce some surprising elements into the mix—it is a story that starts out decently average, but gets better and better until it reaches the very last word.

The extremely accessible writing style from Steve Cavanagh helps propelling the slower moments in the narrative—when the novel establishing its character / situation before the main 'gimmick' kicks in. While I understand the need for marketing to spotlight the act of 'murder exchange', it does negatively affect the novel's first 30%, as the reader is already aware what the setup is leading up to. But I'm happy to say after getting over that hurdle, the story is smooth sailing with many intense moments, and the last 30% is particularly clever, in a way I'm surprised no thrillers (as far as I'm aware of) have attempted this trick prior.

A more subjective (less critical) side note: After recently read a couple novels authentically capture New York (and as someone who had lived in Manhattan prior), the representation of the city in Kill for Me, Kill for You feels rather superficial; some of the locations choices feel overly 'touristy', more for name-dropping recognizable landmarks in a story rather than common sense for New York locals. Again, to casual readers this is probably barely noticeable, and shouldn't impact to the overall experience.

Kill for Me, Kill for You is a bingeable, mainstream escapist thriller that manages to be familiar, but still offers some genuine thrills. In some way it reminds me of Stay Awake by Megan Goldin; not necessarily in its plot, but the pacing, as well as the selected POVs. Would be curious to see if this become a series starter down the road!

This is a premise that has been many times before, but it’s a fun one.

However, I could not get behind the compulsion to kill “Mr Blue Eyes”. It made my eyes roll.

This was not for me but I do intend to give the author another try,

I am so glad I received this book from NetGalley to review! This is the first I've read from Steve Cavanagh and it will not be the last, I will be marking his entire backlist as "to read"! This was a fast-paced thriller that really keeps you on the edge of your seat with heart-pounding and jaw dropping action and twists!! I absolutely loved this! It might look like it will be the usual "Strangers on a Train" telling, but it most definitely is NOT! Very unique and clever!

I love Steve Cavanagh’s work and this was no exception. I couldn’t put this down. Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review

4.5 stars!

Kill for Me, Kill for You took the strangers on a train trope and really flipped it on its head and brought it into the 21st century. I thought this was such a fun and unique thriller and I read it in almost one sitting because of its breakneck pace. This makes me want to go back to his Eddie Flynn series (I've read Thirteen by him but I honestly don't remember it) because I felt so invested in all of the characters, and genuinely worried by their decisions. Just a half star off because I did guess the final twist but everything was plotted out so well I couldn't be that bothered.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Well this was a fun and twisty thriller. This is told from multiple povs including two women who make a deal to kill for me, i'll kill for you. Inspired from the story "Strangers On a Train", Steve Cavanagh did a fantastic job weaving each characters plot and tying it up at the end. I was able to predict one of the twists half way through but I still very much enjoyed it and I look forward to his future books.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for this arc.

3.75 Stars

I’ve been wanting to read another Steve Cavanagh book for awhile now and I was excited to see him come out with a new standalone. The Strangers on the Train type plot really intrigued me and I wanted to see how it would all pan out.

Things definitely took a different turn than I expected. Since I read a lot of this genre, things don’t often surprise me anymore, but this one managed a couple twists that I didn’t anticipate, which is always fun. I spent a long time trying to figure out how Ruth’s plotline would connect with Amanda’s and I didn’t guess it until it smacked me in the face. I felt a little mad at myself for not figuring it out in advance, actually. I really liked that things weren’t as predictable as I often find them.

Some things did seem a little far-fetched to me, though. And it might have been my mood, but I felt like the plot was pretty slow to develop before things really started picking up in the end. Despite those couple things, this was an enjoyable book and I look forward to reading more from this author.

To me, Kill for Me, Kill for you is a quintessential thriller and I am here for it! Every time I thought I had it all figured out, I didn’t. This story, told from multiple points of view, centers around Amanda and Wendy, two women who have experienced horrible trauma that takes over their lives. They become obsessed with the injustice they feel and through each other come up with a way to get revenge: a murder swap. By the middle of the book the suspense keeps building and I didn’t want to put it down. There is so much to this story that I couldn’t have even imagined! Overall if you love a psychological thriller, read this book—it does not disappoint!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

Best of 2024.
One dark evening on New York City’s Upper West Side, two strangers meet by chance. Over drinks, Amanda and Wendy realize they have much in common, especially loneliness and an intense desire for revenge against the men who destroyed their families. As they talk into the night, they come up with the perfect plan: if you kill for me, I’ll kill for you. In another part of the city, Ruth is home alone when the beautiful brownstone she shares with her husband, Scott, is invaded. She’s attacked by a man with piercing blue eyes, who disappears into the night. Will she ever be able to feel safe again while the blue-eyed stranger is out there?
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for giving me an advance copy.

Really enjoyed this book. This was my first one by this author but I have had his other books on my TBR for a while and after this I’ll be running to pick them up. Really twisty and the twists kept coming through the whole book

my fave thriller of 2023!
this shook me. so well done & well executed, twisty, fast paced, engaging, with interesting characters that you really feel for.

Solid 4.25 stars for me. Thoroughly enjoyed this mystery/thriller by Steve Cavanagh. I have previously read one of his other Eddie Flynn Books and also enjoyed that. Cavanagh does a great job of giving you lots of twists and turns that you don't necessarily see coming. This book is based off Hitchcock's "Strangers on a Train," which is referenced in the story. It is told from the perspective of several key characters in the story, however, you don't really know how all of the characters tie together until the end. I thought he did a great job with the story development, details, and weaving the plot together. Enjoy the plot twists. I will definitely be reading more of his books. Highly recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Kill for Me, Kill for You is a gripping and twisty thriller. The author, Steve Cavanagh, is known for his bestselling Eddie Flynn series, but this standalone novel proves that he can also craft a compelling story with new characters and a different setting.

The premise of the book is simple: two women, Amanda and Wendy, meet by chance in a bar and decide to swap murders. They both have a reason to hate the men who ruined their lives, and they think they can get away with it if they have no connection to their victims. But nothing is as it seems, and soon they find themselves in a web of lies, secrets, and betrayal that will test their loyalty and sanity.

Cavanagh masterfully builds the tension and suspense throughout the book, making the reader question everything and everyone. He also throws in some unexpected twists and turns that will shock and surprise you. The characters are well-developed and complex, each with their own backstory and motivation. You will find yourself sympathizing with some of them, and despising others.

Kill for Me, Kill for You is a brilliant and addictive read that will keep you guessing. If you are a fan of psychological thrillers, you will not want to miss this one. It is a book that will make you think, feel, and wonder: what would you do for revenge?

Ok this one...this one is so GOOD! I was immediately sucked into the action and the setup that would progress the story forward. The heartbreak some of these characters endured was sad, upsetting and just really made me invested in these people. As you could probably guess from the title, this one is a take on "Strangers on a Train". Even though some of what happens is a little predictable, it didn't take away from the story at all for me, it actually enhanced it. It was satisfying to put the pieces together and be right about it. I sped through this one jsut dying to see what would happen next. I think this would be a great choice to get you out of a reading rut. Its easy to get sucked in and is very fast paced. Make sure to add this to your list when it comes out this March.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat!! I loved it! Would def recommend to a friend! Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

5 stars. There's something so exhilarating about the last 50 pages of a thriller book. Where the pace is faster than Usain Bolt at the Olympics. Where a new twist is revealed on every page. And Steve Cavanagh's thrillers? They are EXHILARATING. Ugh, I don't know how he does it? Every thriller I've read from Cavanagh has been unputdownable, and Kill for Me, Kill for You is no exception. It's loosely based off of Strangers on a Train. The idea that 2 strangers agree to murder someone on each other's behalf. But because they're strangers, there's no way they could be tied to the murder. Win/win. This is that, but also so much more. Kill For Me, Kill for You is told in multiple POVs, and the way that Cavanagh wound every POV and story line together was masterful. There is murder and attempted murder and physical assault- so if those are triggers for you, this might not be the book for you. But if you love fast paced thrillers with lots of twists and surprises, give this a read. And if you love thrillers and haven't read Cavanagh yet, what are you doing?

Thank you so much to Cavanagh, Atria and netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love this concept of a murder plot! This book kept me engaged, but it did feel a bit long and repetitive for a bit. The twists were great and I didn’t see some of them coming.

I love that this booked called out how this is more or less a spin off of Strangers on a Train. It drives me crazy when a book pretends that it is a new thing, when it really isn’t. It made this book a great nod to the original.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Wow! Kill For Me, Kill For You by Steve Cavanagh is a total thrill ride! He takes the classic vengeance story and flips it on its head! The female characters are all strong women that I could identify with in some way. I have never read any books by this author but now I will read his whole back catalog for sure. I was in a reading slump, but once I started this I instantly was hooked and could not put it down. I can’t say enough good things about this book! Make sure you read this! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Oh Steve Cavanagh, you have just brought my inner demon to surface…

Kill for Me, Kill for You

Without even realizing it, I just picked up two back to back “revenge” books and all I can tell you is, I like it.

There is nothing scarier than a woman scorned. Maybe that’s why my husband keeps me happy 😉 you know the saying “happy wife, happy life”

What happens when people aren’t what they seem? Well, I’ll tell you, you put on your big girl panties and you handle it.

There is no secret I absolutely adore Steve Cavanagh, I have bookstagram to thank for the introduction. After seeing just about EVERYONE post about Kill for Me, Kill for You. I knew I had to make this one a priority. I pushed aside my plans and took a dive right in.

Hey guys… can you pick my jaw off the floor for me?

What did I just read? Literary gold, that’s what.

I had plans to go see my favorite 80s/90s band tonight. I’ve had these tickets for 3 months. My girlfriends and I had our outfits picked out, wine stocked up and our designated driver assigned.

I bailed

This book right here is going to make you cancel all your plans so be prepared !

I could not move . Picture the scene from Mean Girls “im sorry I can’t come out ::fake cough:: im sick” . Yup, that was me.

Worth It !

I read this book in one sitting . Im ashamed to admit it but I’ll own it, i didnt even shower today! I just couldn’t spare 5 minutes away from this book. I was completely consumed and nothing was going to get in my way.

5 stars

Now, excuse me while I finally take that overdue shower.

Check out this teaser ;

For fans of The Silent Patient and Gone Girl, a razor-sharp and Hitchcock-inspired psychological thriller about two ordinary women who make a dangerous pact to take revenge for each other after being pushed to the brink.

One dark evening on New York City’s Upper West Side, two strangers meet by chance. Over drinks, Amanda and Wendy realize they have much in common, especially loneliness and an intense desire for revenge against the men who destroyed their families. As they talk into the night, they come up with the perfect plan: if you kill for me, I’ll kill for you.

In another part of the city, Ruth is home alone when the beautiful brownstone she shares with her husband, Scott, is invaded. She’s attacked by a man with piercing blue eyes, who disappears into the night. Will she ever be able to feel safe again while the blue-eyed stranger is out there?

This is my second book by Steve Cavanagh and I always hear such great things about his Eddie Flynn series. This definitely kept my interest and had a very "Strangers on a Train" feel. I couldn't stop reading to find out where everything would lead. I definitely would like to read more in the future by Steve Cavanagh.