Audiobook Review
You Killed Me First by John Marrs

My rating:
3/5
⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love John Marrs. He always does a fantastic job with character development and you never know what the next chapter will bring. Margot was a fantastic “hate to love” character bringing out Desperate Housewives elements. Overall this story was just fine for me which disappoints me because I love this author and his other books. This one just didn’t hook me as much as others as there was so much going on it was hard to keep all the details in line. I did have some audible gasps while some of the twists and turns were revealed but this one was just a little bit too unbelievable for me.
Overall, while it’s not my favorite thriller, if you haven’t read any of John Marrs’ books, I would highly recommend him!

Overall I enjoyed all of the narration. I think that they did well with expressing the emotions of the characters and also capturing just how snobby these characters can be!

Thank you netgalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ARC! You can listen to this one now as it was published in March of 2025!

the setup…
It begins with a November bonfire night where a woman wakes to find herself tied up and in the center of the bonfire. She doesn’t know how she got there but when her phone rings, she’s able to engage through the device in her ear. The voice on the other end, who she recognizes, answers her question of why…”You killed me first.” Now we go back to the preceding months and figure out how she got there.

the heart of the story…
Welcome to the neighborhood! There’s Margot, a former pop star whose fame fizzled in disgrace and who’s married to Nicu, a Romanian professional dancer. She’s rather loathsome but you can’t help but appreciate her snarky wit. Next is Anna, a jewelry maker married to Drew, a delivery man. She’s rather dull but seemingly talented and kind. Lastly is the sophisticated Liv who’s just moved into the neighborhood from London. She and her husband Brandon are raising twins and she’s opening a yoga studio. On the surface, these women seem pretty harmless and we get all three’s points of view. All have serious secrets, some even deadly. My neck got sore from the whiplash coming from the revelations surfacing around every corner! And who ends up in that bonfire?

the narration…
There’s a full cast (eight) led by Elizabeth Knowelden, Moira Quirk and Clare Corbett and they made this story zing! All made you believe their characters and gave outstanding performances.

the bottom line…
There’s a whiff of Wisteria Lane with a Big Little Lies vibe and all the crazy sauce that comes with it. It’s way over the top because it’s supposed to be and you’ll never get your balance. Nothing predictable here so just take the rollercoaster ride and hold on until the end. Loved it!

Full of twists and turns. The secrets and lies were juicy and the pace was fantastic. I loved the development of characters. This book was a quick read.

I wasn’t able to read this digital copy but I did end up buying the book. I will review and post it after I’ve finished reading it.

I did listen to some of the audio and it was fantastic.

I finished listening to John Marr's latest thriller thanks to @Brillianceaudio and @netgalley and as expected - it was amazing!

He has such a way with weaving multiple character's stories into one fantastic book, releasing bombshell details piece by piece.

I would recommend all of his books, but this one is probably one of my favorites!!!

Each character in this audiobook has her own voice, making it easy to distinguish who is speaking. Definitely enjoyed all 3 voices!

I enjoyed this book but it didnt fully grab me until the last fourth so it took me awhile to get through.

Thank you for this early audio copy!

Overall, "You Killed Me First" offers a suspenseful journey filled with unexpected twists, making it a recommended read for fans of dark psychological thrillers.

John Marrs does it again with You Killed Me First! This is another gripping psychological thriller that delivers twist after twist, with secrets and jaw-dropping reveals that had me hooked from the start. It’s a wild ride of justice and revenge, and Marrs masterfully keeps you guessing until the very end.

I listened to this one on audio, and the narration and production were excellent. The narrators brought the characters to life, adding so much tension and emotion to every scene. It made the experience even more immersive and unputdownable.

Marrs’ signature style is all over this—multi-layered characters, unpredictable storytelling, and tension that just doesn’t let up. If you love thrillers that challenge your sense of right and wrong and keep you second-guessing everyone’s motives, this one is a must-listen.

Marrs is back to set the world of psychological thrillers ablaze!

I’m a huge fan of John Marrs’ books, so I don’t say this lightly, but this is hands down his best psychological thriller to date! It blends domestic suspense with an intense psychological thriller plot, whilst layering this with a fantastically scathing humour and delicious sense of bitchiness. It’s simultaneously comical and tense, giving readers every excuse not to put this book down. In fact, it was nigh on impossible to stick to a strict reading schedule as part of this readalong, because it’s a completely addictive read. Told from the three points of view of our female protagonists - Margot, Liv, and Anna - each chapter is compact and impactful. I loved how we ended one woman’s point of view and almost always started the next chapter at the exact point we just left with another woman’s perspective. It gave the book a seamless flow, which really made me feel like I was immersed in their lives and dramas. The pace absolutely crackles from the opening chapter that perfectly sets the scene and immediately puts the reader on edge, right through to the explosive conclusion. These pages are fraught with suspense, deceit, back-stabbing, gaslighting, and deeply buried secrets, which all feed into a narrative that twists and coils like a nest of vipers. I can’t recommend this book enough!

I was also very lucky to receive early access to the audiobook (thank you John!), which is fantastic. The narration is pitch perfect, particularly Margot, whose narrator imbues her performance with exactly the right amount of haughtiness and entitlement. All of the tension and humour is delivered with mastery, making it both a fun and suspenseful listen. If you love domestic noir, this book should move straight to the top of your TBR immediately!

On Bonfire Night, a woman wakes up bound and gagged inside a burning pyre — moments from death. Eleven months earlier, three women with polished exteriors and dark secrets form a fragile friendship. As lies spiral and tensions explode, only one thing is certain: someone’s going up in flames.

I’m keeping this review intentionally vague because this is one of those books you should go into blind. Trust me — it’s worth it.

This book kicks off with a bang — literally. The prologue is downright creepy and intense, and I was hooked from the very first page. John Marrs does a brilliant job pulling you in and then rewinding 11 months to slowly build up to that fateful Bonfire Night. It’s a smart move because it gives you time to really get to know the three main characters — and trust me, you’ll want that backstory.

These women are the kind of characters you just love to hate. They’re catty, manipulative, and at times downright awful — and Marrs writes them to perfection. Some of their lines had me grinning because they were so sharp and biting. Their interactions were everything, and the way their storylines tangled together by the end was so satisfying.

Then there’s the twist. Oh, the twist. I did not see it coming, and it pulled the entire story together in a way that felt both shocking and brilliant. I’ve seen other authors try something similar, and it didn’t always work for me — but when John Marrs does it? It’s a five-star read. That says everything about his skill as a storyteller. I flew through this book in a day because I had to know what was happening, and I can’t recommend it enough.

I’m a sucker for a full-cast narration, and this one was done really well. The only thing that threw me off was one of the main narrators — her voice felt a bit too old for the character she was voicing. That said, it didn’t take away from the overall experience, and I still loved the production.

Thank you to the author, Brilliance Publishing, and NetGalley for advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.

My favourite yet from John Marrs!

Thanks to Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for the ALC.

I will not delve much into the synopsis. It’s best to go in blind, but I will just say Marrs throws in a bunch of women of varied background together as neighbours and as their lives gets mixed up, whole new threads unravel, secrets (and bodies of course) emerge.

Highly highly recommend the audio as the narrators Elizabeth Knowelden and Moira Quirk are top notch as they present this book in an authentic manner that captures all the multitudes of drama and twists it delivers.

First of all - THAT opening!! Goodness, it was simply a stroke of perfection. Mind you, it’s only the start. Backtracking from Marrs’ acknowledgment at the end about how much “fun” he had writing one of his characters, the “fun” is only yet to begin after this literally crackling start.

The plot veers into a pretty dark, eerie territory here and just when it feels a tad bit unrealistic or supernatural to comprehend, the storyline is tuned right back again so that it all fits into the bigger picture.

Some of the situations are so hilarious yet very serious, you are torn between giggling, flinching and inwardly cringing at one of the character’s shenanigans.

As picture perfect façades begin to crumble revealing the ugly foundations, juicy gossip begins to flow freely, infidelity, hidden secrets and incomprehensible levels of blackmail start spilling out of the bag.

These all result in a sort of uncontrollable fiery explosion (pun intended) culminating in an utterly clever ending that you could never in a million years predict - wondering how on earth every character ended up besting the other and some more as your brain plays catch up. The word twist doesn’t even begin to cover it.

I don’t know how, but Marrs pulls it off and I was just there for every bit of it.

What are you waiting for? Do you need more convincing? 😉

I got hooked early with this book. I liked the variety of characters and their perspectives. The narrator ducked me in. Very clever and twisty plot.

John Marrs at his absolute psychological thriller best and I just have to ask…are you okay? Because how do you come up with this stuff?! (Whatever this answer is, don’t do anything to change it)

I love when I’m surprised by a twist I didn’t see coming, but it’s even better when that feeling happens multiple times. You get multiple POV’s, unreliable narrators, neighborhood drama, unlikeable characters, and so much more!

Another amazing book by John Marrs. I mention this in every review I write for his books, but John Marrs has a way of writing flawed characters that feel so believable despite how nasty they are.

You Killed Me First follows three women, each who are deeply flawed with their own dark secrets. We also have a mystery POV which at first may seem confusing but then adds a lot more depth the further into the story you go.

This book was like watching a fire, waiting to see who would come out unscathed, yet you don’t know who you’re rooting for. Some of these plot twist had me audibly gasping/yelling.

Audiobook Review: I have always been a fan of John Marrs audiobooks. The choice of narrators are so spot for the characters, and the creative choices for the personalities of these characters gives so much more depth. I highly recommend picking up the audiobook!

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a wild ride of twists and turns. There are a lot of POV and it takes a bit to get them all straight but it’s worth it as the story unfolds. It’s a page turner until the very end!

John Marrs does it again! You Killed Me First is a masterclass in suspense, packed with unexpected twists that kept me guessing the entire time. Just when I thought I had it figured out, the story took another sharp turn, proving once again that predicting a John Marrs plot is a waste of time. He’s the ultimate thriller writer, and what makes this book even better is the humor woven throughout. That is not something I usually find in thrillers, but it worked so well here! The darkly comedic moments balanced the tension perfectly, making this one of my favorite Marrs books yet.

The audiobook features a full cast, which is always a win for me! The narrators brought the characters to life, each voice distinct enough to differentiate between them. There are some unsettling moments in this book, and the way the narrators' voices quivered during the more intense scenes made them even more terrifying. It truly felt like I was experiencing the story rather than just listening to it. The pacing was spot on—never too slow, never rushed—keeping the suspense at just the right level. If you enjoy audiobooks that fully immerse you in the story, this one absolutely delivers.

The audiobook flows seamlessly, making it easy to stay engaged even as the tension builds. That being said, there are a lot of characters to keep track of, and I did find myself taking notes to keep everything straight. It did not take away from my enjoyment, but if you think that might be a distraction, you may prefer reading a physical or digital copy instead. Still, the narrators’ performances help distinguish the characters, which makes following along easier than it might have been in print.

I originally received this audiobook from NetGalley, but I loved it so much that I am buying a physical copy! If you are a John Marrs fan, this is a must-read (or listen). The story is gripping, the characters—especially the unlikable ones—are so well done, and the audiobook brings everything to life in the best way possible. If you enjoy twisty, unpredictable thrillers with dark humor and outstanding narration, I highly recommend the audio version.

🎧 John Marrs’ brain is so twisted and dark in the best possible way and this book shook me - what have I just read?!!

Margot, Anna and Liv, three suburban women get tangled in a friendship of jealousy, deception, and revenge - and let’s just say things get messy!

The full-cast audiobook makes for a joyous listen, and I loved that each woman has a different narrator. But honestly, they’re distinct enough that the book would be just as awesome in print.

Margo is horrendous in the most entertaining way! She just can’t help being a total bitch! Liv gives as good as she gets and Anna’s just munching on her popcorn - until she’s not!

The anonymous voice chapters initially confused me. Not gonna lie, I had to take notes! But halfway through, things started clicking, and wow, it was so not what I expected.

This book is layered, and every twist had me laughing at how shocked I was. It’s 100% living in my head rent-free.

Don’t expect instant action - this one’s a slow burn with layers of weird. But it’s all worth it and now I’m off to cry because the book hangover is real!!!

At first, I’ll admit, I had a bit of a hard time getting into the story, but once I hit Chapter 39, it was like the entire book shifted into high gear. From that point on, there was no turning back. The pacing picked up, the twists kept coming, and I couldn’t help but keep reading. The audiobook was great, but having the Kindle alongside it helped me keep track of the different timelines and pull everything together.

The book follows three women, each hiding secrets—some big, some small—and each one pulled me deeper into their mysteries. There were moments that completely took me by surprise, and just when I thought I knew what was going to happen next, the story would shift again. The way the author skillfully layered the secrets, the twists, and the characters’ complex motivations kept me riveted. It was a puzzle I couldn’t stop trying to solve.

As the story unfolded, the tension kept rising, and with every chapter, it became clearer that nothing was as simple as it first appeared. The unpredictability of the plot, combined with the strength and vulnerability of the characters, made for a reading experience that lingered long after I turned the final page. By the time I finished, I knew this would definitely be one of my standout thrillers this year.

This audiobook was an absolute thrill! You Killed Me First hooks you from the very first scene and doesn’t let go. The story follows three women, each with dark secrets, leading up to a shocking Bonfire Night. The drama, twists, and betrayals kept me completely engrossed. John Marrs masterfully builds tension, and just when you think you’ve figured it out, another twist hits. The audiobook production was top-notch, with multiple narrators bringing each character to life and making the story even more immersive. The cattiness and suspense gave me Desperate Housewives vibes, making it an addictive listen. At first, the story took a little time to build, but once it picked up, I couldn’t stop listening. Marrs knows how to craft a wild, entertaining thriller, and this one is no exception. If you love fast-paced, twisty suspense, I highly recommend the audiobook version!
Very grateful for my alc to @brilliance audio through NetGalley

I have come to expect greatness every time I pick up a John Marrs book and thankfully, he yet again, did not let me down. This is a must listen full cast audiobook. The narration is outstanding. I went into this one blind and suggest that approach. It's a fast paced murderous thrillride that will have you desperate to finish it in one sitting. There are multiple POV's and I loved the most unlikable of them all the most! You Killed Me First is so far my favorite read of 2025 and I can not recommend it enough!