I didn't realize this book was part of a series I enjoyed in the past, so I was thrilled to once again spend some time with a complicated character I like a lot. Although it's not really a mystery since the reader finds out the murderer halfway through, it is a suspenseful and full of surprising twists.--couldn't put it down! Please write another Lily Kintner book!

Peter Swanson delivers again with a psychological murder mystery that takes the reader into the mind of several killers.

Back at it! Peter, Lily and Henry. Lily and Martha were friends back in college. In college Martha had a boyfriend Ethan that was not good to her and years later Martha suspects her husband is a murderer. Enter Lily who saved her from Ethan and investigates her current husband Alan. The investigation leads to Alan’s misdeeds and Ethan showing back up in their lives. There is murder and lots of juicy twists in this one. Will everyone get what they deserve in the end? Have to read it to uncover.

Peter Swanson does it again! His books get better with each new book. I absolutely could not put this book down. So many twists that I didn't see coming. Looking forward to recommending this book this summer...it will be a great beach read. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

I haven't read Peter Swanson in a while but after reading this, I'm wondering why not! His books always have me on the edge of my seat and this one was no exception. Such a great high concept premise. I devoured it in 2 days. I didn't see any of the plot twists coming and even if I had, it wouldn't matter since the characters were all so fascinating, especially Lily. Swanson does such an excellent job with complex plots and characters you think you know but then you're thrown for a loop again and again. Highly recommend to anyone who loves twisty thrillers, devious characters, and intricate story structure.

Martha, a newlywed librarian, is starting to have suspicions that her traveling salesman spouse may be a serial killer after finding blood on his shirt and learning if murders in the cities where he had recently traveled.
She enlists the aid of a college friend, Lily, who had helped her out of a previous dangerous relationship, to see if her fears are valid or if Martha is wildly overreacting.
What starts out as a hunt for the truth leads Lily down a dangerous path where it seems all is not what it seems and she realizes that the past has a way of surfacing in dangerous and deadly ways.
I loved this book. I read it in one sitting and could not put it down! From the straightforward (I thought!) premise to the insane and incredible finale, I have to say that this is my favorite book by far that I’ve read in a very long time!! Also love how Peter Swanson is bringing back past characters. This is not necessarily a series because the books can definitely stand alone - you learn more about these fascinating characters with each novel and I am here for more!

What would you do if you suspected that your husband was a serial killer? I personally don't know that I'd call up an old friend that I hadn't seen in fifteen years (because … awkward!), but it somehow works in A Talent for Murder. I requested this book from NetGalley not realizing that it was the third in a series, but it ended up being a non-issue. There are some references to previous events and relationships, but overall it works perfectly fine as a stand-alone as long as you don't mind that you're missing some of the backstory.

This is the second novel I've read by Peter Swanson, and it's the second one where the murderer is revealed halfway through the story. I don't know if this is his usual modus operandi, but it's an enjoyable switch-up from the usual mystery format with the big reveal at the end. I can't say that I really enjoyed the chapters from the point of view of the killer since they're (obviously) rather depraved, but it's certainly not a POV that you'd get in most murder mysteries.

And speaking of characters, does anyone else think that Lily is a little ... disturbed? So far no one else has mentioned it in their reviews (granted, there's only six on Goodreads as I write this), but I find her to be unsettling. I think that it's partly her lack of remorse when it comes to murder, but I dunno – perhaps I'd understand her more if I'd read the two previous books. Her personality isn't necessarily a bad thing since it's nice to have a different sort of protagonist every once in awhile, but she's definitely not someone that I'd want to be friends with in real life.

The mystery itself is quite entertaining, and I enjoyed following along with Martha's (and later Lily's) investigations into her husband's suspicious business trips. I didn't see the identity of the killer coming at all, although it made perfect sense once they were revealed.

And the ending? I was in no way expecting what happened, although it's a further example of why Lily freaks me out. She's definitely got some Dexter vibes going on.

Overall, A Talent for Murder was an enjoyable and suspenseful read. I'm obviously not Lily Kintner's biggest fan, but she's an intriguing main character and I definitely need to go back and read the two previous books now. 3.75 stars, rounded up.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.

Another great thrilling mystery from Swanson. It is elaborately plotted, twists and turns that I had never expected. It is tge story of a woman’s suspicions about her husband and we watch as these suspicions spiral out of control. Nobody will ever put all these pieces together. Yet, by the end, the author has provided masterful closure.

I really enjoyed this, thank you Netgalley for this great, chilling read.

WOW.
I absolutely LOVED this book. I genuinely could not put it down. I’d read “The Kind Worth Killing” by Peter Swanson a few years ago and it ended up becoming one of my favorite books. I recently just found out about its sequel but decided to hold off on it. I requested this book due to recognizing the authors name and loving the first couple sentences of the synopsis. When I realized it was the third book in this series, I was bummed because I am never one to skip a book in a series. I decided to keep reading this despite having not read “The Kind Worth Saving” and hoping for the best. and that’s exactly what I got.

This book plays out absolutely seamlessly. It has a cast of characters so unique and ruthless and …. oddly endearing ??? It’s so incredibly complex and messy without being confusing or too much to handle. Peter Swanson has a serious gift for telling a twisty story and satisfying readers. It made my skin crawl and I literally just sat here and finished reading it at 5 AM. It’s been a while since a book has not only kept, but DEMANDED my attention.

It’s that good. I am most certainly going to go back and read what I missed in this series and I look forward to hopefully meeting these characters again sometime soon!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Peter Swanson, and HarperCollins for access to the ARC in return for my honest review :)

Peter Swanson is consistently entertaining. A recommended purchase for collections where crime and thrillers are popular.

I absolutely devoured this book. Told from multiple perspectives and most of the characters are upfront about their issues. I read this in 24 hours because I just had to see how it ended.

Some gore, people taking the law into their own hands-vigilantism-I think this sums up this title. Interesting use of different voices narrating the chapters but all in all a bit too unbelievable and a little too easy to figure out the ending. I’d give this a pass.

Lily Kintner is back as she helps her friend Martha find out if Martha's husband is a serial killer. Martha's husband, Alan, is a traveling salesman and there's a pattern of unsolved murders in some of the towns Alan has visited. Is he a serial killer?
A Talent for Murder is entertaining and twisty. Midway it takes a turn I was not expecting, and I liked the ending.
Recommend if you liked the previous books about Kintner and/or Swanson's other titles. It's helpful to have read the others in the series to get Lily's backstory.

I mean....there is a clear reason why people flock to Peter Swanson's books and "A Talent for Murder" showcases exactly why. WOW!!! Fantastic books!!!!