Catching a killer is dangerous—especially if he lives next doorFrom the hugely talented author of The Kind Worth Killing comes an exquisitely chilling tale of a young suburban wife with a history of psychological instability whose fears about her new neighbor could lead them both to murder . . .Hen and her husband Lloyd have settled into a quiet life in a new house outside of Boston, … quiet life in a new house outside of Boston, Massachusetts. Hen (short for Henrietta) is an illustrator and works out of a studio nearby, and has found the right meds to control her bipolar disorder. Finally, she’s found some stability and peace.
But when they meet the neighbors next door, that calm begins to erode as she spots a familiar object displayed on the husband’s office shelf. The sports trophy looks exactly like one that went missing from the home of a young man who was killed two years ago. Hen knows because she’s long had a fascination with this unsolved murder—an obsession she doesn’t talk about anymore, but can’t fully shake either.
Could her neighbor, Matthew, be a killer? Or is this the beginning of another psychotic episode like the one she suffered back in college, when she became so consumed with proving a fellow student guilty that she ended up hurting a classmate?
The more Hen observes Matthew, the more she suspects he’s planning something truly terrifying. Yet no one will believe her. Then one night, when she comes face to face with Matthew in a dark parking lot, she realizes that he knows she’s been watching him, that she’s really on to him. And that this is the beginning of a horrifying nightmare she may not live to escape. . .
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I do not know what it says about me that I absolutely love twisted psychological thrillers! This one did not disappoint me. However, I did guess what the twist would be, and I was correct. I did enjoy how the book played out and the final chapter was quite interesting as well, adding another layer to the book.
Hen is an artist of dark etchings. When she and her husband Lloyd are invited to their neighbors for dinner, Hen notices something in their house that causes her to believe that the husband of the neighbor couple is a murderer. She is correct, but what happens next is not what you would expect. Not for the faint of heart, as this book has some pretty graphic gory scenes.
#BeforeSheKnewHim #PeterSwanson
Hen knows her next door neighbor, Matthew, is a killer. But then she sees him kill and no one believes her. The story flowed, the characters were likable. First book I have read by this author, and I was not disappointed. There were some good, strong twists and turns I didn’t see coming. I would definitely recommend.
By far one of the best books I have ever read! If you like Gillian Flynn’s style with multiple unreliable narrators then you will love this author!
/ 5
Before She Knew Him is the first book I have read by Peter Swanson, and I can definitely see why everyone loves him so much!
What it’s about: Hen and her husband Lloyd have just moved to a new home in Massachusetts, and seem to be happy enough. Hen is an artist and children’s book illustrator and she just opened a small studio walking distance from their home. But things take a turn when they meet their new neighbors Mira and Matthew. While in their home, Hen spots a fencing trophy that she thinks belonged to a man that she had lived in the same neighborhood as who was murdered. Is she living next door to a killer? She tries to tell the police her concerns but she isn’t deemed as very credible since she is bipolar and had a manic episode where she attacked a girl at her school. Hen is determined to figure out the truth, and what she finds just might kill her….
Soooo many triggers in this book so be aware; abuse is a big theme and while it isn’t terribly descriptive, it is still disturbing. Mix that in with the twists in this book and you have a very crazy ride that will make you want to read this all in one day. I was glued to the pages and found the pacing fantastic.
There is a different mystery from what you would expect in Before She Knew Him, and I am honestly surprised I didn’t figure it out. This story has been done before, but not with quite so many triggers. Even if you do figure out what is going on though, Swanson’s writing still deserves a high rating in my opinion. I loved the multiple viewpoints in this novel and short chapters, both of which helped the book move fast for me.
Final Thought: If you like gritty, disturbing books and don’t mind triggers, Before She Knew Him is the perfect choice. There is so much going on that you shouldn’t be bored, and I dare you not to like the way Swanson writes a story. I officially can’t wait to read his other books!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book!
Full disclosure: Peter Swanson can write the instructions to assemble a vacuum cleaner and I would devour it.
If you are a fan of psychological thrillers you will find it nearly impossible to put this down. With dynamic characters and edge of your seat twists and turns you will be left breathless!
Imagine moving into a new house and meeting your new neighbors, only to discover that one of them may be a killer. This what happens to Hen and her husband Lloyd in Before She Knew Him. Hen suspects that her neighbor Matthew killed a young college student few years ago. But because Hen has a mental illness and a history of erratic behavior in the past, the police does not take her suspicions seriously. Hen decides to uncover the truth about Matthew herself even if it kills her (pun intended).
I thoroughly enjoyed Before She Knew Him. It was sinister and suspenseful, with unreliable narrators and unpredictable twists and turns. I did guess one major twist but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. I was invested in Hen’s investigation from start to finish. Peter Swanson definitely knows how to pull the reader into the story and keep them in suspense. This is the first book I’ve read from this author but it won’t be my last.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Peter Swanson is a masterful storyteller and I am here to tell you that he has done it again with Before She Knew Him. While The Kind Worth Killing continues to be my favorite book by him so far, this one is definitely up there at #2. And by now, it is a given that if Peter Swanson writes it, I will read it.
The story is fast paced and oh-so-twisty and I read it in 2 sittings. I had to know what was going on. The developing relationship between Matthew and Hen was magnetic; and just like Hen, I couldn’t get enough. I was flipping the virtual pages (Kindle) at lightning speed and kept on reading “Just 1 more chapter”.
I started to get the vibe of where the twist was going towards the end of the book and I had 2 possible scenarios in my mind (one of them was correct), but I will tell you, I DID. NOT. SEE. THE. CLUES. It wasn’t until things were starting to reach the crescendo that I started think “maybe???” That is how GOOD Swanson is. Because I read a lot of books in this genre, and by a lot, I mean 85% of the books I read are psychological thrillers or mystery/suspense/thrillers, and this one definitely took me by surprise.
I highly recommend this book to all fans of psychological thrillers, mystery and suspense.
Thank you to William Morrow for my copy of this book via Edelweiss
This is starting out to be an amazing year for books! I won an ARC of this book. It is the first book I have read by Peter Swanson. I want to go read every book he has written now.
Before She Knew Him was one of the best games of cat and mouse I have read. If you have read the synopsis then you know what the book is about. I’m not going to rewrite it here. Nor am I going to tell you much other than do not miss out on reading this book! I want you, my book loving friend, to enjoy every twist and turn just as I did. I want you to feel your heart pound and your mouth go dry. I want you to enjoy every moment of discovery. Go find the giveaways and enter for the ARC’s. Go talk to your librarian and request a copy. Put your name on the list early. Preorder the book if you can. Circle March 2019 and write a note on it to remind yourself to buy it, if you can’t preorder. Then buy your favorite drink and snacks. Prepare yourself for an entire day of reading, (how I wish I had known to do this). Once you start reading you won’t be able to stop. It will transport you and hold you captive until the final page. You really don’t want to miss this one.
You might not want to read this alone, especially at night. You might find yourself thinking over your neighbors and exactly how well you know them. You might find yourself staring a bit into your friends faces for awhile. Book hazards. *shrug*
This was an advanced read. From the start, the story grabbed me and I didn’t want to put the book down. Totally unexpected ending.
very dark, even creepy, obsessive. journy into twisted soouls. no one comes clean.