WOW! John Marrs is one of my favorite authors and he has once again proven why! I’ve already preordered the physical copy of this book but will probably read the e-book again before March. Every time I thought it was the last twist, there was just one more that came around the corner and slapped me in the face. I read this book in less than 24 hours because I just could not put it down. It held on to me with every single twist and turn until the very end of the book!

This book really was insane and chaotic from the start right to the very end.
I will always read and love every book that John comes out with.

I loved the multiple POV's, it really helped with the mystery and twists,
I absolutely hated most of the main characters but for all the right reasons! They were all toxic and horrible to each other but it was so great to read about.

Thank you to NetGalley and John Marrs for this ARC.

You Killed Me First by John Marrs

Buddy read with @kayleyisreading
Thank you @johnmarrs.author and @netgalley for early access to this! ❤️

10/10 ⭐️

“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

Wow - unhinged desperate housewives. This book was wild. John Marrs delivers on another excellent read and I really don’t wanna spoil anything but wow.
As always this was fast paced, multiple POV of Margot, Anna and Liv, with stories and entries from the past showing us how we got to the beginning. He builds characters that are instantly loveable/hate-able and make you question if you’re wrong for feeling that way!

Me and @kayleyisreading were absolutely reeling with this one sharing thoughts and idea and losing our minds. John Marrs is always an auto-buy author for me and this book demonstrates why. When you think you have it sussed and a straight storyline it bends and twists like the unreliable character he’s builds and heads in a new direction.
I was surprised by his new venture of personality disorders but he presented it amazingly!

Totally recommend this and can’t wait for this to hit the shelves for everyone else to enjoy!! I can see this being all over TikTok/Bookstagram as a must read.

This is my 3rd John Marrs book and my favourite so far.

Three ladies live together on a cul de sac, they become friends. They all have secrets and they will think nothing of stabbing each other in the back.

This was so good, full of twists and turns. I loved the characters and was fully invested in what happened to them.

Highly recommend reading this, you won't regret it.

LOVED it! ALL THE STARS.

Full review will be added to www.instagram.com/kayleyisreading in October.

Well lets talk about some truly hateable characters. Sweet lord. These 3 women are the woooorrssstttttt (sang like Jean-Ralphio from Parks & Rec). But dang was I hooked from the start. It is hard to give a review without giving anything away but I will say the format mad the plot even more intriguing. Multiple POVs. And I really do mean MULTIPLE. I suspected most of the twists but the last chapter PUNCH was crazy. This was a fast paced thriller, with truly despicable people, twists and turns, murder, revenge, and questionable choices.

The synopsis of this one doesn’t make it sound that exciting, but I know John Marrs’ books well…and he did NOT disappoint! Deliciously dark with characters you’ll love or hate…or love to hate. Once I understood the first of MANY twists, it was off to the races. Seriously unputdownable!

Synopsis: Three women. Three smouldering secrets. Who will make it out alive?

It’s 5th 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?

🔥

2024 is the year that I discovered John Marrs and oh boy, am I obsessed.

I was very fortunate to have received the latest thriller by John Marrs on NetGalley, which is out in March 2025 ✨️
This thriller follows three women who live on the same street. They all appear to be friends and happy neighbours but there are deadly secrets looming.

You get to hear from each character and the chapters are short, so it makes it a gripping, easy read.

The best part of books by John Marrs is just when you think you know everything, it unravels and ends with one final twist. Did not see the last twist coming!

If you want a fiery, twisty thriller pick this one up in March! 🔥

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for the ARC copy.

Another amazing book by John Marrs. I loved every second. I started of disliking the characters then feeling sorry for the one I shouldn't! Totally unpredictable, love it! An easy 5 stars.

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Loved this John Marrs book! It was twisty and intriguing. I loved how it all came together in the end. I really don’t want to say too much so I don’t spoil anything. I really think John Marrs fans (like myself) are going to love this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC!

This was super twisty and kept me hooked. I loved the multiple pov’s and I was never too sure which was good/bad/worse as they kept changing in my mind as I read on! Since of the twists really were good and I didn’t see them coming! I have to say that it was the first chapter/prologue that really hooked me in…what a horrific way to start a thriller!

A whirlwind of deceitful, twisted characters, each concealing explosive secrets, You Killed Me First will hook you from the opening chapter!

The story revolves around three women, each prepared to go to dangerous lengths to protect their secrets. On Bonfire Night, one wakes up bound and gagged inside a bonfire moments from being lit—a terrifying start that immediately ratchets up the tension.

Margot and Anna, neighbors, watch as the glamorous Liv moves into their street, and the trio quickly form a friendship. But beneath the surface, their relationships are anything but straightforward.

Marrs’ talent for creating characters you love to hate is on full display here. While he’s known for slow-burn suspense, this novel takes on a faster pace, packed with drama and shocking twists. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, Marrs throws in a jaw-dropping ending that will leave you reeling.

This novel blends domestic suspense with dark secrets, betrayal, and deliciously catty drama. Fans of Marrs will appreciate the faster tempo, but the storytelling remains as layered and intricate as ever. Spanning a year, the timeline lets you watch the characters evolve, unraveling their secrets in an engrossing, character-driven journey.

True to Marrs' style, the plot is meticulously crafted, with twists that still manage to surprise even if you think you’ve guessed them. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to Marrs, You Killed Me First is a thrilling, must-read addition.

John Mars is absolutely one of the best writers out there. This book gripped me on the very first chapter. Part one the story had me a little bit confused. But then part two came and it all came together. I had a love hate relationship with the characters in the book. But it was so entertaining. This book will leave you wanted more. A five out of five stars

John Marrs you did it again! You Killed Me First was full of twists and turns. There were multiple jaw dropping moments all the way to the end that kept me engaged with the story. Great book!

4.75 stars

An absolute whirlwind of toxic and twisted characters, all of whom are hiding big secrets!

As always with John's books I was absolutely hooked from page one, with short gripping chapters it's almost impossible to stop reading. I did predict a few of the twists in this one but that didn't take away from the experience at all thanks to the incredible character work, I always wanted to keep going to find out exactly what was driving the characters and what other layers there were to the story! As for the ending I thought I knew exactly where things were going but as usual with a John Marrs ending my jaw was on the floor!

A big thank you to John Marrs - Author, Thomas and Mercer Publishing, & NetGalley for my first digital ARC.

My Reaction: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
This was a fantastic twisted tale. This trio of women are all over the top flawed characters with glimpses of realism that make each of them likeable in their own way. With each new chapter, I wasn’t sure who was victim or villain and it was an absolute thrill ride to follow the plot and find out. I loved the build up, the twists & turns, shocking reveals, and the development of both characters and plot. So many unpredictable elements, and even the one part I did predict played out in a way that I didn’t see coming. John Marrs has gained a new fan. I would reread this novel and plan to check out more of his works.

The Book Description that originally caught my attention: Three women. Three smouldering secrets. Who will make it out alive?

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?

Rewind eleven months: Margot, a faded TV star, and her long-suffering friend Anna watch as glamorous Liv and her flawless family move into their street. The three women soon fabricate the perfect pretence of friendship, but each harbours her own deadly secret – and newcomer Liv senses something is terribly wrong beneath the polished exteriors.

As cracks widen in the veneer of perfection and lies escalate out of control, tension ignites. Bonfire Night is approaching and someone is set to burn…But who will it be?

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

the first half of the book had no original plot. the same friendship among women who are toxic and hate each other secretly and eye each other husbands blah blah! but the chapters were short so they kept me engaged!
but i liked the plot after the “Bonfire Night” because, from that point, it turned DARKKKK!!
the dissociative identity disorder parts of the book were my favourite! and because of that, even the ending turned out to be good although a bit far-fetched!

thanks to the publisher for the copy!

As a fan of John Marrs’ books, I can confidently say that “You Killed Me First” is hands down my favorite of all his works! Marrs truly outdid himself with this one, blending his signature fast-paced storytelling with such a clever and twisted plot that it kept me on edge from start to finish. The characters are brilliantly developed, each with secrets that unravel in the most shocking ways. Every chapter left me wanting more, and just when I thought I had everything figured out, Marrs threw in another jaw-dropping twist.

The psychological depth and moral dilemmas are brilliantly woven into the narrative, making you question everything about trust and relationships. I’ve read all of Marrs’ books, but You Killed Me First takes the top spot—it’s thrilling, chilling, and utterly unputdownable. A masterpiece in the genre! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you #NetGalley for the #ARC #YouKilledMeFirst #JohnMarrs

No one writes a psychotic character quite like John Marrs! This was a great read, with three lead characters, Margot, Anna and Liv; each despicable in different ways and each hiding a secret or two.

The book starts with an unknown character trapped underneath a bonfire - the action swings into the past as we discover the events leading up to Bonfire night and then the future.

Packed with excellent twists and turns, this is an excellent thriller. Four stars for me as I got slightly confused with some of the ‘ghost’ chapters and this distracted me from the main story.

Thank you to Thomas and Mercer for my review copy

This was my first time reading a book by John Marrs, and he did not disappoint. The story was well-crafted and thoughtfully explored the complexities of female relationships, highlighting how competitive and sometimes harsh they can be. My only critique is that the chapters featuring the ‘dead’ character felt somewhat disconnected from the main narrative at the beginning. However, they did tie up nicely by the end