A Talent for Murder is the third novel by Peter Swanson featuring Kimball & Kintner. Released 11th June 2024 by HarperCollins on their William Morrow imprint, it's 272 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. (Paperback due out from the same publisher in late May 2025). It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a cleverly constructed atmospheric and highly character driven mystery/thriller. Although the actual plot works fine as a standalone, the main characters' relationship and background setup are spoiled for the earlier books if read out of order. They're fairly quick reads, so this would be a good choice for a long weekend binge read.

The pacing is taut and the story moves at an engaging pace at least in the first 50% of the book (which certainly isn't always the case with psychological thrillers). The second half does have some minor pacing issues with a surprising amount of re-hashing and characters evaluating earlier content, but overall, it's not too obtrusive.

The denouement and resolution are a trifle predictable but satisfying and complete. The author is undeniably talented and writes very coherently, readably, and well. It's a murder thriller, so there is graphic content and descriptions of violence (and sexual violence).

Four stars. It would be an excellent choice for public library acquisition, thriller fans, or a binge/buddy read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

A Talent for Murder by Peter Swanson was an exhilarating ride from start to finish. The novel centers on Martha Ratliff, a librarian who begins to suspect that her seemingly perfect husband, Alan, might be connected to a series of unsolved murders. Swanson masterfully builds tension as Martha’s curiosity leads her to uncover disturbing patterns, making me question every character’s motive.

What I found particularly engaging was the reintroduction of Lily Kintner, a character from Swanson’s earlier works. Lily’s involvement adds depth and complexity to the narrative, especially as she collaborates with Martha to uncover the truth. The dynamic between these two strong female characters kept me hooked, and I appreciated how their perspectives were interwoven throughout the story.

Swanson’s writing is sharp and concise, with each chapter ending on a note that compelled me to keep reading. The plot twists were unexpected yet believable, and the psychological depth of the characters added a layer of realism that made the story even more gripping.

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

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of A Talent for Murder by Peter Swanson!

Thank you, Netgalley, the author, and William Morrow for the gifted e-book! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

This was a good read. I do want to read the previous ones. This book dragged a bit, for being so short. It was quite interesting.

4.5 stars. I loved this! Really engaging and fast paced, and very different having a twist revealed midway through the book with a main character change. The ending felt a little rushed and slightly unsatisfying because of that, but overall still very much enjoyed this one.

Excellent addition to the series but could easily be read as a stand-alone. Page-turning thriller was just what I needed. Fans of Swanson's other titles will not be disappointed.

Apt description of librarians- strongly suggest you return your books on time.

A Talent for Murder Review!

I love me a librarian main character, that’s the main reason I picked this one up! 😄 A Talent for Murder was a 4/5 ⭐️ for me! I loved the thrill of this one, but the characters were a little monotone. Also, Swanson didn’t label each chapter with the switched characters pov, so I didn’t realize until about half way through that there were multiple povs. Maybe it was suppose to be like that? But it just left me confused and I had to go back a lot. Overall, a fun domestic thriller!

I loved this series and this book was no exception. I enjoyed how short the book was and that Lily was back with a leading role. I highly recommend reading the previous two in the series, although I think this also serves as a stand-alone. I was hooked from the start right to the end. Very quick and entertaining read!

Thank you William Morrow and Netgalley for my advanced copy in exchange for a review.

Newly married librarian Martha begins to suspect her traveling salesman husband, Alan, in not all that he seems, that in fact he might be a serial killer? Overwhelmed with the direction her thoughts are taking her she reached out to old college friend Lily Kintner for advice and assistance and what they discover is much more unexpected!

I was incredibly excited to dive back into the world of Lily and and Henry for another thriller/murder mystery and this latest novel did not disappoint. Full of twists and turns and intriguing characters, A Talent For Murder delivered!

Yet another great installment of the Henry Kimball/Lily Kintner series! I enjoy most of Swanson's books but this series is probably one of my favorites!

Great read and addition to this series! I have always enjoyed the way the two main characters interact with one another. So good and couldn't put this one down until the very end.

Excellent mystery. I loved the premise and the surprises throughout. Great character building and plot development.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it to others.

I have loved this series by Peter Swanson! It's thrilling, twisty, and makes you almost justify murder!

If you like twisted, revenge filled thrillers, pick this book up!

Thank you to @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for my eARC of this book!

I enjoyed The Kind Worth Killing and The Kind Worth Saving, so I jumped at the opportunity to read book #3 in the series. Before getting to read my eARC, I ordered this from BOTM because I already knew I enjoy Swanson’s books and was looking forward to adding it to my shelves. This is not my favorite book by Swanson, but I will definitely continue reading his work. This book was a quick read of only 255 pages.

Lily Kintner is an interesting and entertaining main character and her relationship with Henry Kimball still both fascinates and confuses me to want to keep reading. In this book, I feel that the plot was promising but I didn’t love the execution of either the storyline or the writing. It felt almost too dumbed-down at times as if the author needed to tell the reader rather than show them, if that makes sense. I was a bit confused in the beginning with the switches between third and first person POVs, but after a few chapters figured out what was going on. The one twist about halfway through did shock me and I did not anticipate it at all- it sucked me back into the book all the way through the ending.

This was a great addition to the series. I thoroughly enjoy Swanson's writing style. This book was a mess, not an awful mess but a crazy mess you couldn't look away from. As with the rest of the series it was an easily bingeable read.

A woman thinks her husband may be a serial killer and gets other people involved to help her figure it out. These characters are fantastic. The heros in the story aren't your typical heros. I love the personalities it's what kept me hooked.

You really can't go wrong with this one!

This thriller was a gripping, fast-paced ride where nothing was as it seemed. Each twist and turn came out of nowhere, keeping me hooked and on edge. The unpredictability of the plot made it all the more exciting, and just when you thought you had things figured out, it flipped everything upside down again. The pacing was spot-on, moving quickly without ever feeling rushed, making it hard to put down.

What really stood out was the atmosphere. It had this subtle, melancholy tone that added to the tension without overwhelming the excitement. It wasn't sad, but there was a certain weight to the story that made it feel deeper, heightening the suspense. It’s tough to say much more without giving away the surprises, but the way it all unfolded left me completely satisfied. If you're looking for a thrilling read that keeps you guessing, this one delivers in every way.

✨Book Review✨
A Talent for Muder by Peter Swanson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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This book was really more of a 3.75. Pretty standard thriller. Kept my attention and made me want to keep reading. I already don't remember much about it so I don't think it will stick, but if you have liked Swanson's other works I think you would enjoy this one, too. I listened to the audio and liked that there were multiple voices.

3.75 out of 5 stars
Pros: I love the character of Lily. She’s a freak, dispensing justice as she sees fit. Her attitude is refreshing- in her eyes some people don’t deserve to live. She’s fine with giving out some vigilante justice. I like her and her odd parents. I also enjoy the relationship between Lily and Henry. I read the first book in this series and enjoyed it. It was nice to see these characters again. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this as an ARC.

Henry Kimball and Lily Kintner take on another case in this latest from Peter Swanson. A serial killer is on the loose and the two join forces to find him. There are an abundance of twists and turns and a lot of suspense as the killer wreaks havoc both physically and psychologically. This was an absolute delight to read. For fans of Michael Robotham and J. T. Ellison.