Many thanks to the publisher, Faber and Faber Ltd and Netgalley for granting my wish to read HER EVERY FEAR by Peter Swanson. I was really looking forward to reading this book. I have to admit this is the first book I have read by this author, but I have his debut book “The Kind Worth Killing”, still to read.

The story follows Kate Priddy, an English girl who has swapped apartments with Corbin Dell, her distant cousin, and has moved to America for six months. Following a brutal attack by her ex-boyfriend, and an abusive relationship, Kate needs a new start. She still suffers from anxiety and panic attacks. But a change of scenery living abroad and taking a university course is a positive set in the right direction…or was it?

“I should never have left the country. I should never have left my parents’ house. Not to go to university, not to go on holiday in the Lake District, not to go to London and definitely not to travel to Boston. Bad things happen to me. Bad people happen to me.”

But soon after her arrival Kate, Corbin's next-door neighbour, a young woman named Audrey Marshall, has been murdered.

“A murderer had stood outside Audrey Marshall’s apartment…and planned to kill her. Then he went inside and killed/mutilated her with a knife.”

But Kate was intrigued with the murder and plays detective in learning more about the crime. The police begin asking Kate questions about Corbin's relationship with Audrey, and his neighbours have their own thoughts on the killing!

This story is an eerie story told by multiple points of view, including Corbin, a man of many secrets! What is Corbin hiding? Why is a neighbour Alan watching both Kate and Audrey’s apartment? Is Kate safe?

This is a well-written murder-mystery, in comparison to a Hitchcock thriller, where the characters are well-developed and creepy in nature, increasing the level of suspense. But one of my observations with the story is with every point of view change and perspective, there was a replay of information, which I felt slowed down the pace of the novel. For that reason my rating for this novel is 3.5.

I Highly recommend this novel and now look forward to reading his debut novel, The Kind Worth Killing.

This book just failed to live up to expectations for me. It had suspense, stalker, creepy characters but a disappointing ending. It is a creepy read but how many odd male characters can a woman meet in her life? A bit repetitive and uninspiring for me. Many thanks to Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Goodreads.

Living quietly in London but still traumatised by being brutally attacked by her ex-boyfriend years earlier, Kate Priddy makes an uncharacteristically bold decision after her cousin, Corbin, suggests a temporary apartment swap - and she moves from London to Boston. However, arriving at his building she finds that his neighbour, Audrey, has been brutally murdered, and her unease grows as discovers more about the circumstances surrounding the death, her anxiety kicks into higher gear.

Comparisons to Hitchcock - and particularly Rear Window - abound in reviews of Her Every Fear, and the similarities are obvious as the plot, to some extent, revolves around a peeping tom. And this, for me, was one of the key problems with the book: the peeping tom character is presented as almost wholly unproblematic and (SPOILER) a good romantic choice for Kate. Because girls just love an obsessive stalker as a love interest, amirite ladies?

More importantly, Her Every Fear felt derivative and predictable. As the plot developed, I found myself skimming pages until I reached the dénouement, which unfolded exactly as I'd forseen. This came as a disappointment after his wonderfully plotted and genuinely shocking The Kind Worth Killing: if you are looking for a truly unique and well written thriller, look to that book rather than Her Every Fear.

I had to read this suspenseful mystery in one go! I was captivated by the characters and their varied stories. I loved how it was told from many perspectives adding to the richness of the story.

A medical thriller with futuristic overtones. Creepy to think advances in technology might allow others to get into your head and determine your thoughts and actions. Many robotic advances in the medical field have occurred but the human touch is still vital. Doctor Wu was an interesting character. Like so many woman in this field strong and determined but often something gives in their lives. Loved the character of Spencer and Sebastian and Finney was a true villain . Lots of technical and medical jargon but still worth the read. Ending is fast and furious.Thanks for book netgalley.

I absolutely loved this book! I sunk into this beautifully dark and atmospheric story immediately, and felt like I was watching an old Alfred Hitchcock film play out in front of my eyes. This mystery set in Boston was one of the most macabre and suspenseful reads I've had in a long time. Peter Swanson's previous novel The Kind Worth Killing left quite an impression on me so I was eager to devour this one as soon as I received a copy.

Our main protagonist Kate suffers from crippling anxiety and paranoia, compounded by a traumatic event involving her ex-boyfriend. Kate looking for a calm place to re-adjust agrees to the flat swap with a cousin she has never even met. Her new plush Boston apartment is dreamy. Spacious and stylish Kate thinks her luck might have changed, then her next door neighbour's body is found and Kate can't shake the feeling that haunting feeling that something is about to go terribly wrong.

I was taken by the character Kate straight away, I got into her head and she got into mine till I couldn't tell where Kate ended and I began. I felt her every fear, her every anxiety and imagined her every thought. Was she a paranoid unreliable narrator, or were the sinister goings on real? The story was not narrated exclusively by Kate, there were the points of view of other main characters, sometimes recounting the same event but with very different interpretations. Her neighbour on the opposite side of the building Alan, who had an obsession with watching the murdered woman Audrey through the window, in true Rear Window fashion, and that of Corbin her cousin. As the story progresses both characters become suspects in the murder. The reader cannot decide who the guilty party is, and I found myself changing my mind many times.

I adore stories set in New England, a place I would love to visit one day, so Her Every Fear being in Boston only intensified the hold this book had over me. I wanted to be there sitting with them in the Irish American bars drinking cocktails and eating lobster rolls, I wanted to smell the salty air, and look across the Boston skyline whilst sipping champagne in Kate's luxurious apartment. This book is quite hypnotic.

The plot is carefully thought out to the last detail, well crafted, and moved at a steady pace. The prose is written in such a suspenseful way I could not help but have a tight feeling of unease creep over me, feeling myself jumping at every little noise in the house. If you are feeling slightly nervous do not read this in the house alone!

Overall rating five stars, I want to read this all over again to savour every eerie and sinister moment. Thanks to Peter Swanson, William Morrow Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

Initially I found this hard to gt into, a slow starter, but then all of a sudden it has you hooked! the story is told from different perspectives according to which character i s narrating at the time, and while I am not usually keen on this style of storytelling, my goodness, it works for this! I cant really say anything about the plot, without giving something away, but just read this book!!!

HER EVERY FEAR by Peter Swanson is a harrowing, terrifying tale that will keep you on tenterhooks to the very end. Kate Priddy has cheated death once when her ex-boyfriend locked her in a cupboard and threatened to kill her but committed suicide instead. Trying desperately to move on with her life, she impulsively agrees to house swap with a cousin she has never met, who lives in Boston. She understands that this will not be easy but it is only when she arrives in America that she realises how tough it will actually be. For Kate, panic attacks, anxiety, and believing the worst will always happen, are the norm. But she hopes to find some way to combat her problems. However, Kate's life is about to take another terrifying turn when the girl in the apartment next door is found murdered. As the days pass, Kate cannot help but wonder if her cousin could have had anything to do with it? Add in a neighbour who also had a fascination with the victim, and a stranger who seems to be hanging around, and Kate's nerves are stretched to the limits. But the truth is so much worse than what you could imagine, and this evil killer will stop at nothing to get what he wants. HER EVERY FEAR by Peter Swanson had me squirming in my seat as I tried to figure out how the story would end. Completely gripping and so creepy, this book really is a psychological thriller that will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck! An excellent read.

This is a truly dark read the author has a grip on the sinister and twisted. I enjoyed reading it and it kept me hooked. It reminded me of a couple of old black and white movies, and I can see this hitting the big screen. I do reserve my 5 star reviews for books that have a real impact on me and this one, whilst entertaining, just fell a little short for me. Firstly, I thought the threat could've been more apparent, it's there but so much more could have been made of it. Secondly, i couldn't see the point of the minor characters, they were a little pointless to the story. Corbin was definitely my favourite character, which is worryingly strange!.....I may need to dwell on why that was.!

On the positive side, this author can tell a tale. It's an enjoyable read and it's well written. The story is told from differing perspective which is a real plus for me. I will definitely read more from this author. If you enjoy murder, mayhem and a psychological thriller then read it. Oh and if you start and think it's slow, hang in there because it does build in pace.

Another great page turner from Swanson. this one is told from many perspectives and this choice helps move the story along with nice plot reveals along the way. the pages turned quickly as I wanted to know what would happen next. Swanson has a great writing style that flows easily and paints the scenes well without overdoing it. it is a good mystery, but once the story entered the third act there were not too many surprises left as I could guess how it would turn out, however it was executed very well. I would rank this book as not as good as The Kind Worth Killing as that had a great plot and villain that is hard to top, and with all the points of view in this one, you do not get as attached to any one character as you do in his very good debut The Girl With a Clock for a Heart. that being said, this is a very good page turner with a fast paced plot featuring some decent twists that I definitely recommend. thanks to NetGalley for an advanced review copy, much appreciated.

Her Every Fear is a wonderful book which is full of suspense and intrigue. Having never read anything by Peter Swanson before I didn't know what to expect but thought it was compelling. It is written in a multi-person narrative and moves around timelines, which are both things that I love in a novel, it could have easily been confusing or 'jumpy' but Peter Swanson handles it deftly and it was a smooth read. The same events are seen from a few different viewpoints which may sound repetitive but the plot is unfolded gradually and as each viewpoint adds a different layer it feels fresh each time.

There is a real aura of suspense and distrust within the novel which had me hooked. Kate is an unreliable narrator as she is confused and off-balance and we also don't know if the other narrators are trustworthy which added to the general sense of unease.

I really loved this book, it had me gripped from the first page and I loved the storytelling and charcaterisation.

This book was so good! The synopsis is only the tip of the iceberg and gives no real indication of what the reader is getting into.
The book starts off with Kate moving to Boston to live in her cousin Corbin's apartment while he is living in hers in London. Then a woman is murdered in the apartment next to Kate's new home and she wakes up to police at her door on her first morning in the apartment. After this the story spins out into places I was definitely not expecting. Kind of hard to review without giving things away.
I will say that, for a while, I thought Kate's anxiety was leading to a complete breakdown and I wasn't really sure what to think. I certainly sympathized with her but realized that she is a totally unreliable character.
The reader gets some of Corbin's viewpoint and learns more about him that way. The story gets a bit more mysterious with his viewpoint. There are things that make him a prime suspect in the murder.
Alan is somewhat of a creep and looks like a good suspect as well. Another character that the reader is never really sure of.
Peter Swanson has a great gift of writing very suspenseful and twisty stories and I would say that this one is just as twisted as The Kind Worth Killing. His ability to create such a tense atmosphere, one that lasts throughout the story, is amazing. I was on pins and needles.
I feel like I'm not explaining things very well, but suffice it to say that this is a book that merits the 4 stars I gave it and I probably would have given more but I was a wee bit disappointed with the mediocre ending.

Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson

Kate Priddy has had a terrible, traumatic experience but now she is ready to seize back her life, leave her parents’ house and their protection and venture back out into the world. A golden opportunity comes from a cousin she has never met. Corbin Dell wants to visit London for six months and so he proposes a flat swap – while he stays in Kate’s small London flat, Kate can live in his grand apartment on Beacon Hill in Boston. Kate welcomes the opportunity to return to her art studies, this time in a new and exciting location, and so, despite the misgivings of her anxious parents, Kate sets off to start a new life.

But if anyone could be described as unlucky it’s Kate Priddy. On arrival in the apartment block, she sees someone pounding on a neighbour’s door. And the next day the police turn up, announcing that the unimaginable has happened – Kate’s neighbour Audrey Marshall has been murdered and mutilated. The whole building is thrown into turmoil and, when it is discovered that Kate’s cousin Corbin was having a secret relationship with Audrey, Kate begins to fear the worst. Did Corbin murder Audrey and then flee to London? But this is an apartment block full of secrets, dark corners and prying eyes. And Kate has caught their attention.

I read Peter Swanson’s previous novel, The Kind Worth Killing, while on holiday last year and I could not put it down. It stands out as being one of the most twisted, dark and compelling reads I had in 2015. As a result, I had high hopes for Her Every Fear.

While I didn’t find it quite as addictive as The Kind Worth Killing, there is a lot going for Her Every Fear. It has an extremely clever plot and, as in its predecessor, the author skilfully moves between perspectives, giving more than one interpretation or viewing of a scene. The result is often extremely and deliciously creepy as we (and the main character) are lulled into a false sense of security before we are faced with the stark reality of what is actually happening. The difference between appearance and reality is brilliantly dealt with by Peter Swanson and the shocks really do shock.

The mood of the novel is grim and there is true evil walking through these pages, hiding among the normal, and I think I did feel rather oppressed by it at times. But that is most definitely my fault rather than the book’s. This is the type of crime thriller to make you suspicious of everyone, to find evil everywhere – even the cat acts guilty. Peter Swanson is such an original and gifted writer of dark and twisty tales, of worlds in which evil stands right before our eyes and dares us to recognise it.

The scene is set in Her Every Fear with Karen Priddy, a woman who had been subjected to a traumatic attack by her ex-boyfriend arranging to swap her flat in London for Corbin Dell’s apartment in Boston. Karen has been beset by anxiety ever since the attack and it is almost on a whim that she decides that the swap could be just what she needs, she can study illustration at the college there, and move away from the well-meaning but coddled existence she is living. Corbin Dell is a cousin, albeit one she’s never met before but they’ve exchanged emails in the run-up to the swap and almost before she knows it Karen is on the plane and into a fancy-pants apartment complete with a welcoming bottle of champagne.
Unfortunately for Karen, since she’s understandably of a nervous disposition a dead body has been found in a neighbouring apartment. Not ideal. but having come so far Karen is not about to turn tail, anyway a nice neighbour has introduced himself as has a former boyfriend of the deceased woman who turns up full of anguish make Karen curious and she begins to do some investigating of her own. With the police being in touch and there a few doubts about how well Corbin knew the deceased, Audrey, Karen has no qualms to prevent her snooping through Corbin’s cupboards and drawers to find out more about this secretive man.
Using four different points of view to examine the major scenes the reader is able to piece together much about each of the characters including how they appear to the others, and of course determine where exactly the truth lies. This is a clever method however it runs the risk that by the time the reader is onto the last person, the story is becoming a little repetitive in places, and as often as not, there are few surprises left. This device however does mean that this is a psychological thriller in what I like to think is the original meaning, this is about the psyche of a number of characters, guilty and innocent, rather than a reaction to a single event.
Peter Swanson is not one to shy away from complexity in his novels so not only do we have the multiple viewpoints we also have two major time periods with one section of the story stretching back to when Corbin was a student in London and of course he also throws in a mix of locations to ensure that he has all the major scene shifting arrangements fully in place. Being an exceptionally confident writer none of this complexity results in a muddled reading experience, all is crystal clear and clearly signposted and I suspect the repetition of parts of the tale actually help in keeping all the events in a clear time-line with the location and key characters fixed in the reader’s mind.
With the identity of the murderer pretty much confirmed before the half-way point you’d imagine that this book would lack some of the tension – not so, this is a seriously creepy book, more because of the characters and what the reader knows they are capable of which in turn actually ramps up the tension, sometimes to unbearable heights, as the drama unfolds.
This is principally a book about how psychopath’s operate, the real ones that live amongst us disguised as your neighbour, colleague or local MP and it is executed incredibly well. I’m not easily spooked but more than one of the people who walk among the pages of Her Every Fear had me feeling decidedly uneasy.
I’d like to thank the publishers Faber and Faber who granted my wish on NetGalley to read Her Every Fear which will be published on 12 January 2017.

I was really looking forward to reading Her Every Fear but sadly it fell a bit flat for me. While I liked the premise, I found the characters to be highly irritating and I found it all a bit rushed. Especially towards the end of the book. I really wanted to love this book, but unfortunately it wasn't for me.

Ahhh!!! Peter Swanson does it again! I LOVED "The Kind worth killing" so so much and this new book was equally as great. I had no idea who to trust and I loved every minute of it. 5 stars! Already anticipating the next Swanson story!!!

My wish was so granted when I wanted to read this.
After reading a book by this author before and remembering how quickly I read it because it gripped me, I was eager to see if Peter Swanson could do it again.

I'm excited to say that he did!
When I wasn't reading this I was either thinking about it or talking to my husband about what I'd read so far.

Kate became so real to me.

The trauma she had gone through and the legacy it had left I felt quite emotional for her.

When deciding to do a house swap with a cousin she had never met was plausible and understandable, it meant she could "renew" herself.

That didn't all go to plan. As you read in the write up, her cousins neighbor was found murdered, and much more unravels.

It's a page turner for sure.

I was captured by the quality of the writing, the way the author enspired me to imagine each detail within technicolor in my mind was a sure sign to me how good this is.

I'm someone who easily gets distracted, I'm sure the roof could have caved in on me I was that engrossed.


My thanks to Faber and Faber ltd via Net Galley for granting my wish.

Kate Priddy has had a rough couple of years. A horrific experience at the hands of an old boyfriend left her borderline panophobic with a dash of OCD. After a lot of therapy & support, she’s finally living a quiet life in her tiny London flat.

She’s never met her 2nd cousin Corbin Dell so it’s surprising when he gets in touch with a proposition. He’s coming to London for 6 months, leaving behind an opulent apartment in Boston’s Beacon Hill. Would she be interested in doing a swap?

Despite (and because of) her parents’ reservations, Kate enrols for classes at a small Boston art college & takes the plunge. But she barely makes it to her new front door before her nightmares come to life. Corbin’s neighbour Audrey Marshall has been violently murdered & Kate soon finds herself at the centre of the investigation.

This is one of those book where the less you know going in, the better. Over the next few days, we are introduced to other characters central to the plot as Kate reluctantly leaves the safety of her apartment. She meets Alan Cherney who lives directly across from Audrey & Jack Ludovico, the victim’s old boyfriend who is desperate for any news Kate can provide.

And then there’s Corbin who flew to London the same day Audrey died. He spends the bulk of the book across the pond but we get to know him as he recalls the first time he went to London & the events that would end up shaping his life. Kate has never met him but as they email back & forth about the investigation, she begins to wonder if he knows more than he’s telling.

They all take turns narrating their own stories, sometimes recounting the same event but with very different interpretations. The result is we are privy to their private agendas but don’t know who to believe. They are all unreliable including Kate. This was supposed to be a fresh start but her fragile psyche is taking a beating. Her slippery grasp on reality doesn’t exactly make her the poster child for mental health & even she doubts her spotty memory.

The style of the narrative leaves you feeling vaguely uneasy & a little jumpy about what/who may pop up on the next page. It cleverly brings your own preconceptions into play as you try to suss who is telling the “best” truth. Characters that struck you as shady become sympathetic & you start reexamining those you thought were in the clear. One of these people is lying & as the tension slowly builds, we become as paranoid as Kate & begin to cut her some slack for all her neuroses.

This is a full on psychological thriller that will mess with your head (I flatly refuse to compare it to any book with “girl” in the title). The author carefully doles out information & it’s up to you to decide what’s significant. And I genuinely appreciated that the clues are all there so you can look back & see where you may have taken a wrong turn. By the time the killer is revealed, it’s clear this was never just about Audrey but you’ll have to make it through the chilling final chapters before the whole story is told.

Once you start, it becomes compulsive reading so to save time turn on all the lights & check the locks before you crack the cover.

This thriller led the reader up so many different paths and the finale was certainly not expected. At times it felt a little on the overkill and out of the realms of the real world which is why I only gave it 4 not 5 stars. Having said that it was a book that I did not want to put down asi wanted to see how the author would bring it all together. Unlike most thrillers the murderer is obvious almost from the start but the plot surrounding him was incredible. I liked the contrast of living in the UK and the USA where homes are so different. In the UK no-one would have an entry door that could be reached from the outside through the basement, far less be that is kept unlocked at times. In the USA they seem to have no fears or think in the same way. The story based on Kate's present day goes back across the time to piece the story together very well. I loved the descriptions of the main characters as they all seemed so real, the author certainly has a great way with both character descriptions and location descriptions. The story progresses at a steady pace, keeping the reader enthralled at all times. I loved the book.