A Kirkus Best Fiction Book of the year“Swanson rips us from one startling plot twist to the next… A true tour de force.” —Lisa Gardner“Fiendish good fun.” —Anthony HorowitzFrom the hugely talented author of Before She Knew Him comes a chilling tale of psychological suspense and an homage to the thriller genre tailor-made for fans: the story of a bookseller who finds himself at the center of an … and an homage to the thriller genre tailor-made for fans: the story of a bookseller who finds himself at the center of an FBI investigation because a very clever killer has started using his list of fiction’s most ingenious murders.
Years ago, bookseller and mystery aficionado Malcolm Kershaw compiled a list of the genre’s most unsolvable murders, those that are almost impossible to crack—which he titled “Eight Perfect Murders”—chosen from among the best of the best including Agatha Christie’s A. B. C. Murders, Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train, Ira Levin’s Deathtrap, A. A. Milne’s The Red House Mystery, Anthony Berkeley Cox’s Malice Aforethought, James M. Cain’s Double Indemnity, John D. MacDonald’s The Drowner, and Donna Tartt’s The Secret History.
But no one is more surprised than Mal, now the owner of the Old Devils Bookstore in Boston, when an FBI agent comes knocking on his door one snowy day in February. She’s looking for information about a series of unsolved murders that look eerily similar to the killings on Mal’s old list. And the FBI agent isn’t the only one interested in this bookseller who spends almost every night at home reading. The killer is out there, watching his every move—a diabolical threat who knows way too much about Mal’s personal history, especially the secrets he’s never told anyone, even his recently deceased wife.
To protect himself, Mal begins looking into possible suspects . . . and sees a killer in everyone around him. But Mal doesn’t count on the investigation leaving a trail of death in its wake. Suddenly, a series of shocking twists leaves more victims dead—and the noose around Mal’s neck grows so tight he might never escape.
more
Clever and surprising… Swanson rips us from one startling plot twist to the next. A marriage that may not be what it seems [and] friends who may not be what they seem… With mounting tension and fraying nerves, it careens to the final stunning conclusion. A true tour de force.
There’s something of the Agatha Christie about this for me, which is fitting given that one of Christie’s books features in it. What’s not to like? A bookseller with an obsession with crime books, a deeply hidden secret, the inevitable “list” which helps pump the suspense, and Peter Swanson’s always excellent writing. This is the definition of a page turner, brilliantly constructed. Stretches the credibility for those who like their crime novels super realistic, but this is a great read – my advice is surrender to it, indulge yourself, and you’ll love it!
A clever story with lots of twists. This murder mystery keeps you guessing till the end. I enjoyed this book.
This was definitely a departure for me. I usually pick sunny books. But, whoa! So good! The bookstore-owner main character was wonderfully nerdy. Anyone who grew up reading mysteries will find a lot to love, here.
I am a big fan of Peter Swanson. I love the Alfred Hitchcock vibe that pops its head up in his books. I love that you never really know what will happen and they are not your typical, predictable, mystery/thrillers. I have had this one on my reading list just waiting on it to come out, so when it did I scooped it up.
I was not disappointed. There were moments that I was reminded of the old Alfred Hitchcock thriller, Rope. A Jimmy Stewert classic that is among the lesser-known of his movies, and it’s awesome. One of my favorites. Murder just because, murder to get attention. But is that really the reason? And in the end, you are left wondering just what is real and you don’t know for sure, which I think worked just perfectly. No complaints. I loved every minute of it.
SO much fun! Clever clever clever so amazingly clever! Peter Swanson is such a master of intelligent, twisty, and even hilarious books. Mystery lovers will DEVOUR this!
I tried to love this as much as I have loved some other Peter Swanson books but in the end, I think it was just three stars.
Here’s why…
1. Spoilers. Holy crap!! The books he references are some of the best I’ve ever read and if I had read this book before I’d read some of those? Wow, I’d be murderous.
2. Too much talk and not enough action for long stretches. C’mon, c’mon, c’monnnnnnnn!
3. I like a tidy, wrapped up ending with no lingering questions.
Bravo for some great twists, it was still a great book but, yeah…..3 stars.
This clever mystery draws on the “perfect” murders committed in some classic mystery novels. If you’re a true mystery fan, you’ll love the references and relish decoding the clues!
Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson was a soft read for me. I don’t know a better word to use. I kept reading because I was enjoying it and finished it quickly, but I wasn’t rushing to find out what was going to happen next like in some suspense and a lot of thrillers. In a way this felt like an ode to Swanson’s love for mysteries.
I think if people are also fans of the classic mysteries and authors that Swanson includes in his list then the mystery in Eight Perfect Murders should be easy for them to figure out early on. I felt like Swanson had joined me with a glass of brandy next to a roaring fire and he was telling me a story of his past, not worried about the consequences when the reveal happened.
He does give away the endings to the mysteries in his list, so if you haven’t read them and are planning to do so, you may want to read them before Eight Perfect Murders. This didn’t bother me too much because I had read most of them already and the ones that I hadn’t, I already knew the endings either because I had watched the movie or I was told the endings before because people refer to them so much while making lists and writing articles.
The one thing that really stuck out to me and I felt was odd, not really needing to be in the book, was the way his partner’s wife was coming on to him at the end. It just felt like it was meant for a different story. I don’t see how it added anything and it didn’t need to happen for the reveal.
I was a bit sad that it wasn’t a situation where he was being messed with by one of the other characters. I really thought it would have been a cool hook and I do love a female serial killer.
This is the first book I’ve read by Peter Swanson, but I’ve heard great things about his other books so someday I’ll get to some of them. Life is too short and there are way too many books!
“Eight Perfect Murders” by Peter Swanson is destined to become a classic crime fiction book. Its premise? If a person wanted to commit the perfect murder what better guide than murders in classic literature?
In a first person narrative, Malcolm Kershaw introduces himself as a bookseller, good at it, and that is enough. He talks directly to readers in astonishing and intriguing ways, surmising that readers might guess that he knows more about the crimes than he is disclosing. He also talks to himself, wondering if he has made a mistake.
Swanson creates a tale right out of Agatha Christie’s classic playbook. A series of unsolved murders have occurred that follow the plots of classic books, books from Kershaw’s blog titled “Eight Perfect Murders.” Someone is using Kershaw’s list as a guide. Readers become part the narrative with page after page of clues, names from great mystery books, and references to countless mystery writers. Evidence is everywhere, and hints are revealed quietly, mysteriously, and casually. Signs point directly to the plots of the mystery books, and yet every revelation is a surprise. In a classic final scenario, just when readers think it is all over, it is not.
“Eight Perfect Murders” is joy for readers. Just reading the books mentioned in the narrative could provide months of perfect mystery reading. (Of course, after finishing this book.) I enjoyed Swanson’s previous books, but “Eight Perfect Murders” stands far above the rest. He has demonstrated that his books are worthy of a place next to the great classics he referenced. I purchased my signed copy of “Eight Perfect Murders” at my local independent bookstore, and I am not letting anyone borrow it.
Fiendish good fun.
Malcolm Kershaw is a bookseller and years ago wrote a blog of “Eight Perfect Murders”. He took 8 books and wrote about how they were the perfect murder. Years later, someone is murdering people and using Malcolm’s list as a guide. When an FBI agent contacts Mal, he is now helping her try to find the killer. I really enjoyed this book, the characters are super well written, and the twists and turns are phenomenal. I was completely shocked at the ending! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.
Well-crafted and creative story.
This book was so good! I really enjoyed it. At the beginning, I felt like I had already read it. It was so familiar. I would definitely recommend this book!
What a hugely entertaining thriller. Had no idea where this one was leading at all. It was also very “educational.” I finally learned what was so clever about Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd!
entertaining, but far from his best
The narrator of rhe book owns a bookstore with a partner. He isn’t even really reading the books he reviews…maybe he’s depressed. After all his wife was killed in a car crash and he has become a lone man with few friends except for the cat keeps in the bookstore and his two loyal employees. Business is slow but he tells himself he is content, he is Malcom or just Mal.
Mal meets an FBI agent looking into murders that are all different, no witnesses, no motives, and maybe just accidents. But she involves Mal in an unprofessional way and uses him to bounce her ideas off. It seems, years ago he listed 8 books with murders that seened perfect, including “Strangers on a Train” and Christie’s book “The ABC murders”.
It is a slow thoughtful book about murder but I couldn’t get connected to Mal any way…..I didn’t dislike him or like him….he’s the narrator but is he also involved in crimes? Or more?
Books are discussed and cases are fitted to the books for weapon or scenes from the books. The only clue is all the victims were hated. Really.
This book and Mal should remind you of a certain doctor in a Christie book. You’ll find mire about Mak, his wife, their lives, customers abd perfect strangers. But what intelligent mzn goes into his computer and contacts a killer to have a conversation? And the ending was not provoking, it just ended.
Reviewers raved about this book, but I can’t…borrow the book or read it in psoerback later on. The idea for the plot was interesting but one can make evidence fit a case by picking and choosing, something cops and lawyers are to be aware of…ans Mal had no personality for me to grab onto to keep me involved in his decisions. 3.0
Tedious story telling.
Great book. Started a little slow but wow does it build. By the end of it, you don’t trust anybody. Good story, original plot.
This one isn’t quite a wow, but I really enjoyed it just the same. What’s not to like a book about mysteries? Oddly the title is a misnomer, how can the murders be perfect if the suspects are all caught?
The story is told in first person which in this book really worked, though the author does do a little cheat by not telling use everything that the character knows. The plot is complicated but in the more than competent hands of Swanson I was never lost. The author does break the forth wall is several places coming out of the story and talking to the reader. Cool. It burst the ever sought after, Fictive Dream but in this case blended in with the voice and was almost expected. What I thought truly brilliant about this story is how the author disguises an old trope that has yet again risen in popularity, the plot in Strangers on a Train where strangers kill for each other to mire the motive and opportunity. The character is alive and three dimensional and I was with him all the way. The book starts a little slow and continues to spin up in suspense. I thought I knew what was happening and was reassured when the author broke the fourth wall and asked the reader if he/she/they caught the clues given and listed them. Nice.
I believe one reason Stephen King has been so popular was the way he connects with the reader, relates to them. The main character in this book owns and runs a used bookstore in Boston. Readers read a lot of books and Eight Perfect Murders constantly talks about many different books. The author also gave the main character the name of a real life and prominent book seller. A book seller I used when I sold my book collection. He flew out from Indiana. Just so you know I would never have sold my books, but I retired from southern California law enforcement and was going to work for the real-life Hawaii Five O. Books don’t weather well in Hawaii the humidity ruins almost overnight and I too many to pay for climate control. I digress. This is well worth the read and I highly recommend it.
David Putnam author of The Bruno Johnson series.