Swanson delivers a unique take of perspective in this highly engaging mystery-in-reverse. Instead of waiting until the end of the story, the climax occurs within the first chapter, and we are then led backwards through the years that led up to this event. The story was brilliantly written with a fast pace and slow burn reveals. It was slightly confusing for me to keep track of the order of things within each year, but eventually I was able to grasp all the details. I wouldn't classify this as a twisty thriller, since the secrets are foreshadowed in previous chapters...but that ending! As I was reaching the final pages, I didn't think that the author had anything left to give. Boy, I was wrong! That ending was sublime! This book was so much fun to read. I highly recommend to all the mystery lovers out there!

Thank you to William Morrow for granting me digital access via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

(3.5 rounded up) I’ve now read four books of Peter Swanson’s and this one slotted right in with my prior reads - a thriller more than a mystery with a lot of great atmosphere and not a ton of twists. I actually really enjoyed reading this and sped through it (it’s also under 300 pages, which I greatly appreciate in my mystery/thrillers). The pacing is good and the structure of the story is interesting - it’s told backwards from present day to the past and focuses on a married couple who are hiding a secret only they know about. The secret is pretty heavily telegraphed by the time the reveal happens, but I still enjoyed the build-up and looking at this unusual marriage dynamic in a reversed timeline. I feel like Peter Swanson has found his wheelhouse and writes extremely well within that niche.

I am a big Peter Swanson fan so I was very excited to read his newest. The book begins at the end and has alternating characters, timelines and years. So it literally starts at the end and goes backwards. It did take me a little bit of time to get used to what was happening but there were several twists and turns and the ending was quite satisfying.

Peter Swanson has been a favorite author of mine for quite some time and this book did not disappoint.
Told from the present to the past, we see the story of Wendy and Thom. They met as teenagers and eventually married and raised a son.
However, a lot happens throughout the time period of their story.
The book starts with a murder and as you traverse backwards through time and their story, you discover secrets each has kept along the way including one major secret revealed in the final pages that affects the beginning.
A five-star read for me.

Kill Your Darlings is a mystery told with an original twist, it’s told in reverse chronological order . The book is centered around the love story of Thom and Wendy, starting in their middle age and ending at the first day they met. This is a clever mystery that kept me interested until the very last twist at the end.

Engaging and entertaining. A recommended purchase for collections where crime and thrillers are popular.

I love Peter Swanson’s books, and as usual with his work, I was hooked from the very first chapter. This is such a well-written, well-paced thriller. In the beginning, I thought there was just one mystery, but the story gets more and more complex and intriguing as the chapters go on. This was such a unique premise and it was really fun to watch all of the pieces fall into place. As soon as I finished it, I wanted to go back to the beginning and re-read, to see if I’d missed anything. I will say that if you go into this expecting a super twisty triller, you may be disappointed. While I’d definitely classify it as a thriller (with reveals throughout), and I was glued to my seat throughout, it’s also a portrait of relationships and how they can go wrong. I really enjoyed the ending!

It’s unusual to experience something new (at least different) in a thriller — usually it’s just the surprising twist at the end. But Peter Swanson has done something very different and thrilling — he’s telling the story of Wendy and Thom (married 25 years, bound by some devastating secret, and hating each other now) backwards “Memento” style. We start in 2023 and year by year (some jumps in between) we go back to end up back in 1982, 41 years ago when the two were eighth graders on a field trip to DC. By the end of the 2023 chapter, we basically know the ending of their relationship (sans consequences), but how things devolved between Wendy and Thom is revealed slowly.

There are more than enough sudden twinges of subtle information that make you almost want to re-read the previous chapters in chronological order. Are you remembering the clues in the previous (really the future) vignettes that foreshadowed (probably not the right term) the incidents of the current chapter? Swanson definitely keeps the reader immersed. The book might not have been as interesting if the story was told in order; reversing it made a story of murder and dying love far more propelling. The question in the reverse telling that is always overshadowing the story: what if a crime is never punished?

Oh, thank goodness for the “search” function in ebooks. You’ll understand.

And, when we get to the end of the book and the beginning of Thom and Wendy’s story, there’s a surprise from 41 years ago.

Chilling and mesmerizing— probably the best book book I’ve read by Peter Swanson. 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO A green vomit reference (Exorcist theme) but no green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Wendy admittedly has no interest in flowers or plants.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson Suspense filled drama told in reverse from Thom and Wendy have been married for 25 years to their first meeting when they were in middle school.. Many twists and turns and there was really no way that I guessed where the story was going. Had some theories but Mr. Swanson blew them totally out of the water. First book by Mr Swanson that have read but definitely will be looking for his future books and back-list.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and William Morrow for opportunity to preview the book.

I will read anything by Peter Swanson , this novel was Brilliant! Wendy and Thoms (love) story is Told in reverse chronological order. The ending is so So ironic and poetic... ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Kill Your Darlings is the first book I’ve read in the mystery and thriller genre that executed the start at the end and trace back to the beginning concept perfectly. Part of the success comes from the fact that the very beginning of our story (structurally at the end) tied with a bow the otherwise loose end that may have left readers feeling unsatisfied at the start of the book. I love when a writer masterfully pulls off something that keeps the genre fresh, and for Peter Swanson to do this while throwing in plenty of Easter eggs for the reader is nothing short of a high level of talent. Bar set, I hope others try to top it.

The story itself is served well by the structure as it focuses on Thom and Wendy, successful in their fields and enjoying their old(er) age in comfort, both adoring their son. But they don’t seem to adore each other as Wendy is trying to kill Thom and Thom is cheating and drinking himself to an early death (if only Wendy were more patient). But why does Wendy think murder is the only solution for cleanly getting out of her marriage, and what is Thom trying to drown out with alcohol? Reading back to the beginning of the story reveals all, and the perfect ‘twist’ is that everyone gets their just desserts.

Highly recommend, especially if you’re somewhat numb to the usual mystery and thriller formulaic stories!

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for an advanced reader copy of Kill Your Darlings in exchange for my honest review.

I'll read anything Peter Swanson writes and The Kind Worth Killing is at the top of my list of favorite books EVER so it sets the bar high!

But I loved the format of Kill Your Darlings where the story is told in reverse chronological order. I had no idea how he'd wrap up the story given the format, but I liked the ending!

Well done.

Peter Swanson's latest book, "Kill Your Darlings" is a great, suspense filled drama that doesn't let up. You are hooked and in for a ride with this one.

Where it all began and where it all went wrong.

This is Thom and Wendy’s origin story. A story of a toxic and loving marriage told in reverse. We first meet the couple after 25 years of marriage and travel back to the day they met on an eighth-grade field trip to D.C. Present day, Thom and Wendy seem to have it all. Wealth, careers, friends and family. Problem is, Wendy wants to murder Thom. Peel back the layers of their relationship filled with joy, sadness, infidelity and of course secrets.

Kill Your Darlings is filled with dark secrets and tasty twists than only Peter Swanson knows how to deliver. Captivating and unforgettable to the final gasp worthy twist at the end…or is it the beginning?

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

As a massive fan of The Kind Worth Killing, I'll request just about every ARC from Swanson that I see. I am VERY glad I requested this one, as this book was so incredibly inventive and well-written. I devoured it in less than 24 hours. I loved the concept of the story of the couple being told in reverse after you initially meet them, and it builds to the secrets that have bound them together and kept them complacent for all these years.

Bonus points as always for Swanson when he writes about New England - there's just something about being able to identify the towns, landmarks and places when an author references them because it's home. Five stars.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐦, 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝. 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐠𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫, 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚 𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭.

Oh, I wanted so much to love this book! The premise sounded amazing, but for me, the unusual execution was a calculated risk that unfortunately fell a little flat as it's a story told in reverse.

Thom and Wendy Graves have been married for a quarter of a century. They live a comfortable life, each one boasting some level of success in academia. Their only child is an adult, and all appears serene, except for the fact that Wendy wants to murder her husband.

But what unravels has everything to do with what came 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆. The reader watches the story of this couple's life together unravel in reverse time, going through every milestone until we're brought to a single incredible act they plotted together so many years before that would keep them bound to each other forever...or so they thought.

My main issue with the book is how detached I felt while I was reading it. I was not able to immerse myself in the story, and I'm not sure if that's because the characters didn't have the depth I was hoping for or because I was confused by the ending that was too abrupt for my liking.

Overall, I did enjoy the story and will probably read it again because I feel like I missed some small details. I just wish I had been able to completely immerse myself in the story. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the early copy. At the time this review was written, this title was expected to publish on June 10, 2025.

I’m a fan of this book! The reverse storytelling was super unique and, honestly, “made” the story. It was definitely one of the most clever ways to tell a story that I have seen in a while- and I read a lot of books! This is not a super twisty read so may not be for everyone, but I actually appreciate that about it.

I love that the ending (or is it the beginning?) doesn’t straight up tell you what happened in “the future,” but leads the reader to interpret it for themselves. I went back and reread the first chapter after I finished the book and it is filled with so many Easter eggs! I feel like if Taylor Swift wrote a book, it would be like this.

My only dislikes: the cover didn’t seem to match the vibe of the story/author and the chapters were loooong! But it still gets 5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an ARC of this novel.

I hate that I spent so much time on this book, but I really thought the ending would really wrap it all up nicely. This fell so so flat for me. It was told in a reverse chronological order and i truly did not see the point of that.

Wendy and Thom murder Wendy’s husband so she can have his money. They get away with it. It’s such an easy thing for Thom to do. And he murdered a woman the same night and never was a suspect. Again, I felt like I just kept waiting for the twist. It NEVER came. The story was so dry and drawn out at some points.

There was a lot of infidelity to the story as well. Wendy “knew” and was apparently unphased, meanwhile, Thom was so riddled with guilt he drank himself stupid every night. Wendy despised him for it and ended up murdering him in the beginning of the book (again because it was told in reverse). I, again, thought it would end with the present to tie it all together? Nope.

Really disappointed, because I truly have enjoyed Swanson’s stories in the past. This one was not it for me.

I have read everything by this author and love his writing. Huge fan. Thank you netgalley and the publishers or this ARC of this book. This was a thriller that had me hooked with plot twists that I didn’t see coming. The character development was what hooked me, and the story’s plot kept me engaged. The pacing and themes throughout the story were well developed and I definitely will be recommending this to my book club in 2025.

3.5 ⭐
Kill Your Darlings was such a fun concept. Wendy and Thom's story begins in 1982, but the book is told in reverse. From 2023 back to 1982, we discover the secrets they have kept for decades.

The book started strong, but I was able to foreshadow everything, so the ending felt a little uneventful. I wish their secrets had been a little more scandalous. Overall, Peter Swanson delivered another twisty, quick thriller.