By: Peter Swanson
Narrators: Johnny Heller, Karen White, Kathleen Early, Keith Szarabajka
ASIN: B00TGJST8Q
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Publication Date: 02/10/2015
Format: Audio
My Rating: 4 Stars
From the author of the acclaimed The Girl with a Clock for a Heart--hailed by the Washington Post as crime fiction's best first novel of 2014"--a devious tale of psychological suspense involving sex, deception, and an accidental encounter that leads to murder that is a modern reimagining of Patricia Highsmith's classic Strangers on a Train. On a night flight from London to Boston, Ted Severson meets the stunning and mysterious Lily Kintner. Sharing one too many martinis, the strangers begin to play a game of truth, revealing very intimate details about themselves. Ted talks about his marriage that's going stale and his wife Miranda, who he's sure is cheating on him. Ted and his wife were a mismatch from the start--he the rich businessman, she the artistic free spirit--a contrast that once inflamed their passion, but has now become a cliche.
Back in Boston, Ted and Lily's twisted bond grows stronger as they begin to plot Miranda's demise. But there are a few things about Lily's past that she hasn't shared with Ted, namely her experience in the art and craft of murder, a journey that began in her very precocious youth. Suddenly these co-conspirators are embroiled in a chilling game of cat-and-mouse, one they both cannot survive . . . with a shrewd and very determined detective on their tail.
My Review
Oh my . . . reminder to self: Stay clear of this gal, and do not get on her bad side! Pure EVIL. "Beware, of the stranger you meet at the airport and on a plane." The over sharing to the wrong person may kill you. "Keep Epi-Pin close by." Those nasty allergies may cost you. THE KIND WORTH KILLING by Peter Swanson, is a deliciously evil psychological crime thriller. The author did an outstanding job of tying it all together. An entertaining audiobook with some of my favorite performers: Johnny Heller, Karen White, Kathleen Early, Keith Szarabajka. Ted, a prominent wealthy business man is at an airport lounge from London to Boston. A beautiful woman, Lily sits next to him and starts a conversation. After a few cocktails, Ted opens up about his wife Miranda’s infidelity and casually says he would like to murder her. Of course, he was not serious. He has no clue about this woman, thinking she is just a stranger he will never see again. He is unaware of how demented she is, and her past deeds. Thereafter, he sees her again on the plane and picks up the conversation once again, about getting rid of the wife. As the book moves on, Ted begins to suspect his wife is only staying with him for his money, and begins to think more about this girl named Lily. However, he may be in danger, and Lily has a much more evil and complex plot in mind, as their worlds connect. Lily’s evil goes back to her childhood, as we learn about her author dad and his time in prison, and many more twists, turns and surprises. There are many characters connected--a game of cat-and-mouse, in order to keep one step ahead of the other. Not many nice characters here...Swanson adds in some wit and humor, to make it interesting. I think they have a contest running, of who can commit murder the best, and get away with it.
While Ted and Lily hatch their devious scheme back in Boston, police detective Henry Kimball tries to untangle the web of deceit that surrounds Lily. A fast-paced clever, twisted suspense psycho-thriller--highly recommend. My first book by Swanson, and enjoyed it so much, have purchased his previous audiobook, The Girl with a Clock for a Heart.
About the Author
Peter Swanson is the author of two novels, The Girl with a Clock for a Heart, and The Kind Worth Killing, available from William Morrow in the United States and Faber & Faber in the United Kingdom.
His poems, stories and reviews have appeared in such journals as The Atlantic, Asimov’s Science Fiction, Epoch, Measure, Notre Dame Review, Soundings East, and The Vocabula Review. He has won awards in poetry from The Lyric andYankee Magazine, and is currently completing a sonnet sequence on all 53 of Alfred Hitchcock’s films. He lives with his wife and cat in Somerville, Massachusetts. Website
