Eight Perfect Murders- A Peter Swanson Classic

5 stars

At this point, I'll read anything Peter Swanson writes. He's three out of three right now for me. His storytelling is just my style and I always have a good time.

Now I will say if you don't want to be spoiled for at least the eight books on the list DO NOT READ THE BOOK. He spoils them. However, most of them are classics or older. There are maybe three contemporary novels mentioned and they are not all spoiled.

This story is about Mal, a bookseller, who's list of "Eight Perfect (literary) Murders" inspires a real killer to recreate the murders depicted. Mal is trying to figure out why this killer seems obsessed with his obscure list and seemingly wants him to know it.

Any and all questions I have about motives or "but how" are answered by the end and make sense for our characters. I am always happy to find that Swanson's characters are never boring, mystery self insert types. You feel, and are shown, that Mal has thoughts beyond what we see on the page and I appreciate that in this book as well as the characters, namely Lily, from my other favorite 'The Kind Worth Killing.'

Overall, very fun mystery with twists and turns throughout.