Peter Swanson has delivered an exceptional thriller in the form of A Talent For Murder which is the 3rd book to feature Lily Kintner and Henry Kimball (The Kind Worth Killing, The Kind Worth Saving).

The opening details the last hours and minutes of a primary school teacher who is currently attending a teachers conference. She’s enjoying the talks and the chance to interact with fellow teachers. But she also meets up with a man just before she’s thrown off the balcony of her hotel suite.

Martha is a quiet librarian married to Alan, a salesman who specialises in following educational conferences around the country selling novelty educational items. She becomes suspicious of her husband’s behaviour after he arrives home from the latest conference. The presence of a blood stain on his shirt and a secret look on his face as he gets out of his car prompts her to do a bit of digging. What she finds heightens her fears significantly.

She can only think of one person who might be able to help her with what to do next and that’s her former college friend, Lily Kintner.

Lily immediately jumps onto Alan’s trail to try to work out whether the man is a killer and how he’s going about it. Her investigation takes her to the town of Saratoga Springs and another teacher’s conference where Alan is indeed working his magic. The result is a showdown with one of the more evil serial killers you would ever find. Peter Swanson has dreamt up a despicable man and the perfect killing field in which to operate.

For the most part, this is a Lily Kintner story allowing us to get to know her far more intimately than in the earlier books. Her first person account of what’s happening enables us to get an insight into her feelings and motivations as she chases down her quarry, not to mention her opinion of her old friend Martha.

Kimball’s brought into the action around two-thirds of the way in and is largely kept at arm’s length while he’s very much acting as the epitome of a private detective. Be that as it may, their interactions are as easy going as they were in the earlier books.

I thought the mood of the book was handled very well with the tension being built steadily throughout the story as we raced towards an inevitable showdown. I was hoping for a little more ingenuity and planning on the part of Lily than was actually used but then, even the cleverest criminals and smug bastards alike overlook something along the journey and smart people like Lily are going to take advantage.

An enthralling serial killer thriller that races along at a strong pace, A Talent For Murder is a welcome addition to the Kimball and Kintner series that ensured I was totally entertained.

A Talent for Murder is the third in the Lily Kintner series, which started with The Kind Worth Killing in 2015, and continued with last year's The Kind Worth Saving, but would also work reasonably well as a standalone (although as so often with series, I do think you would get more from reading in order). When Lily is approached by an old college classmate who has developed suspicions about her new husband, she finds herself drawn into a complex web of violence and murder.

As with all Swanson novels, I enjoyed A Talent for Murder a great deal. My only complaint (and this is possible an odd one, given the genre) is that at times it felt somewhat too fast-paced - I would have appreciated more time spent with the characters and the mystery. Swanson's writing is so good, and the character of Lily so complex, that more of a slow-burn approach would have worked well. But this is, obviously, a minor complaint and I will be recommending A Talent for Murder this summer to all fans of intelligent thrillers.

Lily Kintner and Henry Kimball make for an unusual duo of investigators and it’s great to see them back in a third outing, this time investigating a string of crimes.

Lily has been called up by Martha Ratliff, an old college friend. Lily once helped Martha get out of a bad relationship and she’s the only one who Lily thinks she can trust to help her with her current problem. Lily is married to Alan Peralta, a seemingly kind, mild mannered man who works as a travelling salesman selling T-shirts and teaching memorabilia at education conferences. However, Martha begins to suspect that that is not all he is doing when he’s away and she really needs someone to help find out if her suspicions are true.

This is a very suspenseful read. Lily and Henry are great characters and work well together. They will unwittingly put themselves in the sights of a very clever and dangerous man, who has been working under the radar for years. Totally gripping and very entertaining!

Martha has begun to consider the risk that her husband of two years is a serial killer. As she tracks his business trips against reports of murders in the areas she decides to call in her college friend Lily to work out if there is any reality in this. But she doesn't know Lily comes with secrets of her own. Pacy and taut plotting, this is a part of the Kimball series but works just as well as a standalone. Excellent read.

The third book in the Henry Kimball and Lily Kintner series and this time Lily is called upon to help an old college friend. Martha, a librarian, is happy with her single life until she meets Alan, a salesman who travels to teacher conferences across America. It appears to be a comfortable marriage until one day Martha spots some blood on his shirt when he gets home. Written from multiple POV’s, those of Martha, Lily and the killer this is a tense and exciting read.

Briefly, with her suspicions aroused Martha starts investigating the locations he has attended and discovers a series of unexplained deaths in the same areas. Now wondering if he is a killer, Martha contacts Lily for advice and between them they decide to look into Alan’s travels in more detail. Then an old fling of Martha’s, Ethan, reappears to further muddy the waters.

With a number of threads from the past and present all gradually revealed we are dripped fed the horrific and startling truth about some of our characters. Henry takes a bit of a backstage roll this time with Lily centre stage - she is such a complex character uber intelligent but very dark and dangerous - I really like her. Some good twists and turns and a humdinger at the end. Very entertaining.

This is the third book in the ‘Henry Kimball & Lily Kintner’ series by author Peter Swanson. These books can be read as standalones although there are some references to the other novels, but why miss out.

Martha Ratliff is happy with her life a librarian, surrounded by books. She is also enjoying an unexpected romance with a divorcee Alan who is showing her another side of life she has not previously seen. Doubts and suspicion are raised when Martha discovers a bloodstain on one of Alan’s shirts. Alan spends a lot of time travelling in his job and Martha begins to look deeper into his travel history and uncovers a disturbing pattern of unsolved murders.

Lily Kintner is one of Martha’s old friends from school and she helps her investigate Alan to find out the truth. They discover secrets and the tension is turned up to maximum as the answers to the questions start to appear building up to an unexpecting climax.

An exciting psychological thriller that is well crafted and gripping full of strong characters. A well thought out plot with the customary twists to keep you guessing.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Faber & Faber Ltd for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

A Talent for Murder by Peter Swanson.

Crime Thriller | 255 Pages
Publication Date: 11 June 2024.

Okay so I may have gone in to this one extremely blind and didn't realise this was part of a series. Don't hold that against me.

Book three in the series follows the story of Martha and her husband Alan. Martha Ratliff is a librarian by day and also a newlywed. She becomes very suspicious of Alan when he came home with blood on his shirt and starts to investigate. What she finds is shocking. Five unsolved cases of murdered women. Could Martha be married to a serial killer? Or is it just a huge coincidence. She gets her friend Lily involved and this is when things start to become interesting.

I must say I really enjoyed this one (even though I didn't read book one and two in the series). It had me gripped like a good thriller does and being only 255 pages long it was a rather quick read. I'm looking forward to reading more about both Lily and Henry in the future.

Thank you Faber and Faber Ltd and Netgalley for a gifted copy of this book for my honest book review.

A Talent for Murder is the third in the Lily Kimball series from esteemed crime writer Peter Swanson and another gripping read with a multitude of twists along the way!

We meet quiet librarian Martha, who believes that she was cursed as a teenager never to find true love. In her 30s, she meets equally introspected Alan, and the two marry and settle into a quiet content life. But Martha's never quite sure that she knows who Alan actually is or what makes him tick. He is a conference salesman, selling gimmicky souvenirs at teachers' conferences up and down America. Martha notices that there have been some unexplained deaths that coincide with the time and location of Alan's conferences, and cant help but think that he might be involved somehow.

She confides in an old college friend Lily; she trusts Lily's judgement after Lily helped her out of an abusive relationship at college years earlier. Lily's insights are hugely helpful and help Martha plan a way to investigate Alan without alerting him to her suspicions. However, Martha and Lily's investigations into Alan's whereabouts soon throw up something a lot more alarming...

I really enjoyed the breakneck speed of 'A Talent for Murder', the twists kept coming and the story kept its pace from start to finish. It is the third in a series with Lily Kimball - it works well as a standalone but there are spoilers for previous books so if you prefer to keep the suspense, definitely worth reading in order.

Peter Swanson is a go to author for me and so I couldn’t wait to read A Talent for Murder.
When librarian Martha marries Alan she feels that although he is a nice man he still feels like a stranger to her. She becomes suspicious when his visits to educational conferences as a stall holder begin to coincide with murders of women- is the man she married a serial killer ?
Martha contacts Lily Kitner, a university friend who she hasn’t seen for a decade to help her uncover the truth.
This is another excellent thriller from Peter Swanson. I loved how the first half builds up the tension and draws the reader into the story until the unexpected twist. I read this part of the novel holding my breath and raced through it over a few hours. The second half has more action as we follow Lily’s quest to solve the murders and we meet Henry Kimball who fans will remember from previous novels.
Peter Swanson is a hugely talented writer who is the master of twists, turns and evil characterisation. This is the third in the Lily Kitner series but easily read as a standalone. Recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC,

The book opens with a young woman eager and scared about what she views as real adult life. She did not see what happened to her coming. The book then turns to other characters and finishes with a solution.
This was an easy crime read and at the same time I had to concentrate a bit to remember the characters and how they linked together.

I devoured this book in almostt one sitting it was so good. It kept me engrossed from first to the last page. Interactions between the characters brilliant, the storyline blew me out of the water! Wow!

A Talent for Murder by Peter Swanson is the third in a (loosely linked) series. I hadn't realised that and - as I've read eight of Swanson's usually-twisted books - I only discovered belatedly I'd read the previous book in the series (The Kind Worth Saving) though not remembered the series's namesakes in any detail.

Despite knowing of his proclivity for twisty-ness I was thrown a little in the early stages of this book as Swanson puts us in the heads of several characters he then wantonly kills off. It was a little disconcerting as I'd identified with them, not realising they weren't going to be our main narrators.

I liked Lily and her eccentric parents so I really must go back and read the first book in this series as I'm keen to get a bit more backstory as I enjoyed the banter and relationship the father and daughter (in particular) shared here. I'm also intrigued by the relationship between Lily and Henry though the latter only appears in this novel towards the end (and it seems it was the opposite in book two with Henry leading the show).

There's a bit of finger-pointing and suspicious behaviour though Swanson shares the whodunnit about halfway through (which he also did in book two). Time is then spent explaining the why, and that was important here as the motive (well, the killer's agenda) felt kinda weak. And then their end goal is thwarted (they act prematurely when I'd expect them to savour the moment) making the killings redundant anyway. I think I would have preferred they just stick to their original killing game rather than deviate on this side project motivated by old anger.

That aside, I liked Lily and enjoyed Swanson's storytelling and need to go back and read the first book in this series and Lily's 'origin story'. 

3.5 stars

A Talent For Murder is the 3rd book in the Henry Kimball/Lily Kintner series. When I first received an ARC of this book, I didn't realize it was part of a series. However, once I found out, I moved "The Kind Worth Killing" up my reading list and finished books 1 and 2 before diving into this one. Although you can read them separately, I believe you'll have the best experience if you read them in order.

I found great enjoyment in this book, despite its predictability at times. The continuation of the series brought me immense pleasure. What truly captivates me about Peter Swanson is his talent for leading readers to believe they understand the story, only to surprise them with unexpected plot twists. "The Kind Worth Killing" remains my favorite work by this author.

Really intriguing book, with lots of twists and turns. Love that the story is told from multiple different viewpoints. Enjoyable book to read, modern day America with a murder or two! thrown into the mix. Id recommend a read.

This is #3 in the Kimball Kintner series by Peter Swanson.

Martha believed she had a love curse put on her in highschool, meaning she would never find love. Her relationships thus far supported that, but then she met Alan.

Newly married to Alan, believing all is well with their relationship, she finds one of his shirts with blood on it. Alan, a travelling salesman, spends a lot of time out of town. Martha has no idea what he gets up to while he's gone.

This was an interesting, twisty read, with a lot going on. We follow several main characters in the storyline, and I enjoyed each of their POVs. There were enough twists to keep it exciting, and hold my attention. It was a quick read for me because I wanted to know what happened next after every chapter.

I would love another sequel to this book.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Before I review this book there are two things I should probably mention.
1: Prior to this, I had never read anything by this author. Am I likely to read anything else by this author? You bet I am.
2: I didn't realise A Talent For Murder is the third book in a series. Obviously, I haven't read its predecessors (see above), but this in no way impeded my enjoyment of the book.
And so to my review. A Talent For Murder is enthralling. I was hooked from the very start. Swanson knows how to keep the reader turning the pages, as he ramps up the tension. A thoroughly engaging read.
Thanks to Faber and Faber, and Netgalley for the digital ARC.
Publication date: 04/07/2024

This was the first Peter Swanson book I have read and although it is part of a series I think it stands on its own. A fast paced all action book that you can read in a day. I only received my copy two days before publication. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

A Talent for Murder was gripping stuff!

First came A Kind Worth Killing, then A Kind Worth Saving, and now we have A Talent for Murder, and all three have totally and utterly bowled me over with their shocking and unpredictable twists, and fast-paced, edge-of-my-seat plots. Just like the first two books in the series this suspenseful domestic noir thriller can be enjoyed as a standalone, but you'd be missing out on some screwed up, mind boggling character histories if you intend to skip them.

I recommend going into this one blind, so I've decided to skip a synopsis in order not to give a thing away. All I'll say is that one page in and I was already engrossed in Josie's story. In this series pretty much all of the characters are unlikable, and untrustworthy, but their predicaments suck you in, and some of them you just can't help caring if they live or die. There was quite a bit of ‘tell’ rather than ‘show' backstories included, but they were exciting, tense, and interesting enough for it not to bother me.

I have no hesitation in recommending A Talent for Murder. Just don't get too attached to anyone, as you never know what direction the story is going to take.

I’d like to thank Netgalley UK, Faber & Faber, and Peter Swanson for the e-ARC.

UK Release Date: 4th July 2024.

Martha and Alan got married after a whirlwind romance. Martha is a librarian, while Alan travels around to teaching conferences. But Martha is starting to question how much she really knows her husband. On returning from a conference one night, she sees his mask slip briefly. Who exactly is she married to? And what exactly has been going on at these conferences?

Peter Swanson is one of those authors that I've heard a lot about, but never actually got around to reading. This is book #3 of the Henry Kimball/Lily Kintner series. It can definitely be read as a standalone though. There were only a couple of mentions of past incidents.

As someone who reads a lot of thrillers, they can get very predictable after a while. Not so with this book. There were at least 2 genuine jaw-dropping moments that I never saw coming. I also really enjoyed Swansons writing style. The character of Ethan is truly disturbing, which I love to see in a thriller. The characters of Henry and Lily came across really well, even though I'd not read the first 2 books. I am really looking forward to going back and finding out there backstory.

I highly recommend this book to all thriller lovers, whether familiar with Swanson's previous works or not. Thank you very much to NetGalley and Faber for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After a short time dating, Martha says ‘yes’ to Alan’s wedding proposal. He’s a safe pair of hands at the end of the day.

Until that is, Martha discovers another side to him. As Alan travels for conferences, Martha grows suspicious and enlists her old college friend, Lily, to uncover the truth.

Together, they are determined to find out what's really happening, but Martha needs proof before confronting Alan and risking their marriage.

This is my third Swanson novel, and like the others, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Swanson’s writing style is captivating, keeping me hooked from the start.

The plot twists were truly unexpected, and the well-crafted, complex characters kept me reading way past my bedtime! I particularly enjoyed Lily’s character and plan to read the rest of the series.

The multi POV narrative and short chapters added to the tension and helped flesh out the characters.

If you're in the mood for a dark, twisty thriller, I highly recommend this one!

A huge thanks to Faber and Faber and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book for review consideration.  All opinions are my own.