Wow, this certainly is a great book, from the chilling prologue to the end it's filled with twists and turns. It's classic John Marrs, twisted but entertaining with characters that you don't know whether to love or hate.
On the day that Liv moves into the street, her neighbours Margot and Anna go across to introduce themselves, Liv immediately assesses Margot as a social climber who belittles Anna at every turn.
Each woman has secrets and these are drip fed throughout the novel. There's an anonymous voice interspersed and the identity only becomes obvious during part 2.
It's a wild read and sure to be another big hit

This book was an absolute whirlwind! With so many characters to keep track of, it took a little time to remember who was who and how they connected, but once I got into the flow, I was hooked. The story is packed with deception, dark secrets, and an endless web of lies, making for a tense and gripping read.

Just when you think the characters have done their worst, another shocking twist emerges, keeping the suspense high throughout. The betrayals pile up relentlessly, and it’s fascinating (if not a little terrifying) to see how they all manage to dig up dirt on each other. The way everything unravels is like a domino effect of disaster and Marrs handles it brilliantly.

Fast-paced and utterly compelling, this was a solid read that I devoured quickly. A definite recommendation for fans of dark, twisty thrillers!

I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of this book to read. I love this author and I’m yet to find a book of his that I haven’t liked and this is no exception. This book had me guessing all the way through and I lived the twists and turns. This is a great read, you won’t be disappointed!

You Killed Me First by John Marrs is a fast-paced, gripping psychological thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The story follows two women, both involved in a tangled web of lies, secrets, and deadly consequences. As their lives intersect in dangerous ways, suspense builds with every twist and turn. Marrs' sharp writing and clever plot twists create a chilling atmosphere, making this an intense and captivating read for fans of dark, twisted thrillers. With well-developed characters and an unpredictable storyline, You Killed Me First is a must-read for thriller enthusiasts.

Three women, each concealing secrets from each other. Will they all make it out alive?

The book starts off with a bang, as a woman awakes to find herself trapped in a bonfire. We don't know who she is, or why she's there. The story then rewinds to give us the incredible back story, and then we get to discover what happens next, as a woman trapped in a bonfire is not the only disturbing thing to happen in this incredible rollercoaster ride of a book.

I am a massive John Marr's fan, and in my opinion he has never wrote a bad book. This one is a different type from him though. It was somehow a bit of a slowburn but yet exciting all the way through. I have loved his previous slowburns, but I know other people haven't fully got on board with them. If you're one of these people I strongly recommend giving this one a try. I am really looking forward to seeing how everyone reacts to these characters!

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer publishing for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Holly plot twist!!! This hands down is my favourite John Marrs book to date!!

Think desperate housewives...with secrets and multiple plot twist that will leave you gasping!

It has a supernatural theme to it too which I absolutely loved.

This book releases March 4th and highly recommend. It will also be available on KU.

John Marrs’ You Killed Me First is a pulse-pounding thriller that takes the reader on a harrowing ride through the complexities of revenge, deceit, and morality. Known for his knack for creating twisty, high-stakes narratives, Marrs once again delivers a story that is impossible to put down.

The novel follows an intriguing premise: two strangers find themselves intertwined in a web of violence after a fatal mistake. One is a cold-blooded killer, and the other is the victim’s loved one, driven by the need for vengeance. The tension between these two characters escalates as they chase each other across continents, each determined to outwit the other.

What makes You Killed Me First so compelling is Marrs’ ability to create morally complex characters who are both sympathetic and terrifying. The protagonist’s pursuit of revenge becomes an obsession, and as the narrative flips between perspectives, the reader is kept on edge, unsure of who to trust or what will happen next. Marrs is a master at playing with reader expectations, keeping you guessing until the very last page.

As a millennial I grew up watching Desperate Housewives, and this book gave me all the feels of that show!

This was my first John Marrs book, and it didn't disappoint. It kept me reading from page 1. It was twisty, it was dark and the storyline was amazing.

We follow in three different POV's - three women who all live on the same street - and each of them harboring so many secrets!

The ending had me gasping.

Will post Feb 15th on Instagram.

ARC 📖 Review: You Killed Me First by John Marrs
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love a book with multiple POVs! John Marrs never disappoints when it comes to delivering a twisty psychological thriller. This one was so good. I definitely recommend snagging it when it’s published on March 4th!

Thank you @netgalley and @amazonpublishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

🔥🔪👯‍♀️

It’s 5 November, and a woman awakens to a nightmare. Bound and gagged, she lies trapped in the heart of a towering bonfire. As the smoke thickens, panic sets in – she’s moments away from being engulfed in flames. How did it come to this?

#netgalley #youkilledmefirst #johnmarrs #books #thrillerbooks #arcreader #kindlereader #bookish #booksbooksbooks #reader #readmorethrillers

A new John Marrs book is always something to look forward to but I have to admit I struggled at times with this one and I’m not quite sure why. I think the problem was I kept getting confused with with who was who and what was going on and found myself rereading parts of the story and as I’m having trouble with my concentration maybe it’s me who has a problem and not the book.
Overall I did enjoy the story and did finish it , it was clever and well written just not for me at this time but I’m sure I’m in a minority and others will enjoy reading it.
My thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.5 rounded up to 5

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

You Killed Me First was such a wild ride. I had no idea what was going to happen until the very end. The women were catty with many secrets. The longer the story progressed, the more tangled these webs of deceit became. This was very Desperate Housewives-esque, and I loved every moment. I can't really say much else without giving away too much of the story, but for me this was hard to put down once I started.

Another win for John Marrs!

2.5 stars for a thriller
4 stars for entertainment

If you are on bookish groups on social media then there's a good chance that you know John Marrs already. I have heard of his books only good and super good opinions so of course I had to read his new book. You Killed Me First is my first book by this author.
Being influenced by the hype, I was hoping for fireworks or at least a twisty plot. I didn`t get either. The plot unfolds slowly, there are very few surprises, and it was easy for me to see what was coming next most of the time. There was no thrill, no goosebumps, no tension at all.

And yet I enjoyed reading this book. The three women who are in the center of the story are vivid and realistic. Their dialogues are brilliant! And the progression from being polite to bitchy X (swap x for your favorite adjective) is just fantastic! John Marrs certainly has an ear. It was fun reading this book, it made me laugh and kept me entertained.

Margot, a faded pop star, thinks of herself as top dog in the sleepy village she lives in. Life is turned upside down when Liv becomes her new neighbour.

You Killed Me First is the first book I've read from author John Marrs. I have no idea why I haven't read anything previously by the author as the style is exactly what I like; mystery, thrills, dark humor, twists galore and layers of secrets.

The prologue immediately grabs your attention as we witness a woman waking to find herself inside a bonfire that has just been lit. Tightly bound, she is unable to escape and the noise around makes it impossible for anyone to hear her cries for help. Through a Bluetooth earpiece, she is mocked and informed "You killed me first". Those final words make you desperately want to know more.

The story then jumps back in time almost a year and we slowly learn of the uneasy friendship of Margot, Anna, and newcomer, Liv. Margot was once part of an extremely successful pop group. The split of the group saw her fame decline until she was offered a chance at redemption by taking part in Strictly Come Dancing. Things didn't quite go to plan and she's been vilified by the press and public ever since. Despite keeping a low profile she still flounces around as if she's an A-lister.

Anna is Margot's neighbour and couldn't be more different. Quite, unassuming and meek; she's constantly at Margot's beck and call. New neighbour Liv cannot understand why Anna puts up with the way Margot treats her

Liv has left a job in banking for a quieter life. Liv and Margot immediately dislike each other, they have very similar personalities. I loved the bitchiness between the pair and the way Margot is consumed by jealousy. You just know that this isn't a friendship that will last. Over ten months we learn that all three women are hiding secrets. The pace never lets up thanks to chapters that alternate between the three women over the ten months.

The bitchiness and gloss are all superficial; below the surface, everything is murkier. As the secrets are slowly revealed we learn of despicable acts in this sinister and complex story. The title, combined with a surreal element, makes you question who can be trusted. This uneasiness builds as we get closer and closer to the events in the prologue with added ambiguity every now and again from a nameless voice. Even when secrets are revealed there are still more twists to come in this intricate tale of lies and deceit.

John Marrs does it again! This book was fantastic! We get to know each character in such a unique way with the perfect amount of character building. A true physiological thriller. Just when you think you know what's happening, the perfect twist comes in and knocks you down!!

John Marrs KEEPS YOU ON YOUR TOES. When you expect a zig, you get a zag. When you expect a happy ending, he shocks you instead. John Marrs is DIABOLICAL and a master of his craft. Don't miss this!

I have just been on a journey with Margot, Anna, and Liv....three neighbours in a forced friendship. One of them seems to have everything, one of them seems to have lost everything, and one of them seems to have nothing.. This is a tale about Karma and trauma, and celebrity and authenticity. It is a story about what we do for love, and what we would do for fame.. written in the twisty page turner style of Jonn Marrs that gets you thinking ',what if?'. Full of wit, vengeance and murder...Read it!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy.

What a wild ride! 🚨 John Marrs does it again with You Killed Me First, and honestly, my only regret is waiting so long to read it. This story dives into the lives of Margot, Anna, and Liv—three neighbors who look picture-perfect but are hiding some seriously dark secrets. Think Desperate Housewives meets murder mystery, and you’re spot on.

Told through alternating perspectives, you get to know each woman deeply—and wow, your feelings about them will definitely change along the way. Marrs is a master at crafting characters you’re not sure if you love, hate, or trust, and just when you think you’ve figured them out, BAM—a twist you didn’t see coming.

The drama starts as a slow burn, but once it takes off, it’s pure chaos in the best way. And those cryptic chapters from a mysterious narrator? Chilling and fun to piece together. Oh, and that epilogue? 🤯 What. An. Ending.

If you’re into twisty, fast-paced thrillers with short, cliffhanger chapters and juicy, catty drama, this one’s for you. If you’re already a John Marrs fan, this one will hit all the right notes. Keep an eye out for its release in 2025—it’s 100% worth the hype.

This would be a good book to start on Halloween and finish on Guy Fawkes night, which is where we first meet one of the characters as they wake to find themselves trapped in the middle of bonfire….but who is it and why does someone want them killed in the most grisly way possible?

As with other books from this author, you are right into the heart of the action from the word go. The short and snappy chapters hold your attention hostage as you wince at the level of vitriol and spite between the frenemies.

It’s infinitely readable and entertaining. Yet at times, it feels like a bit much. It sounds like a contradiction, but my experience of reading it was equal parts predicting elements of the plot but equally finding the plot a tad implausible. There is a LOT going on between the characters and within themselves - secrets, betrayals and then a whole other level of psychosis for one person. I felt at times it would have worked just well with less elements to the plot. .

While You Killed Me First is not my favourite read from one of my favourite authors, I did enjoy reading it and would recommend it for fans of the author and thriller books in general.

Thanks for the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to review an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

He’s done it again! Twists and turns that keep you guessing and staying up way past bedtime for “just one more chapter”. Highly recommended for JM fans and those who a looking for a new favourite author!

An insanely good book.
Which is not surprising for John Marrs.

If you have not read any of John Marrs books I highly recommend picking them up!

I will be posting a full review nearer to the publishing date on my socials and blog.

But this was most definitely a 5* read!