Book Review: The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Crime, Suspense, Adult, Psychological Thriller
Pages: 325
Format: Ebook | Libby
Rating:

Initial Thoughts

After a month, my Libby hold for The Kind Worth Killing was finally available. Since it had been so long, I completely forgot what the book was about and decided to continue my system of going into books blind. I will never be doing this again. The only thing I remembered was seeing this book on TikTok, where it was hyped up as a really good psychological thriller. My expectations were mid.

The Plot (Spoiler-Free!)

Ted wants to kill his wife. At least, he is thinking about it. And it is not until he is on his way home, sitting at an airport bar, that he voices these thoughts to a woman named Lily Kintner. To his surprise, Lily agrees with him and even offers to help.

After all, Ted’s wife, Miranda, is a cheater, and killing someone if there is a good reason is not necessarily a bad thing. Everyone dies eventually, right?

Together, Ted and Lily begin plotting Miranda’s murder, with Lily promising to reveal who she knows how to kill once it is all over. Enamored by Lily, Ted agrees, and the two come up with a plan to murder his wife.

What I Liked

Even though I found the subject matter disturbing, I liked the book for the most part. I enjoyed the multiple POVs and having access to the perspectives of Ted, Lily, Miranda, and the detective. The story also switches between present day and the past, focusing on Lily’s backstory, which helped with the pacing.

Every single character was morally grey. No one was good, and there was no one you could truly root for, which felt realistic. If this story were told on a Reddit thread, it would absolutely get an ESH (everyone sucks here).

Every time I thought I knew where the plot was going or how the book would end, I was wrong. And I appreciated that, especially because the twists made sense. Sometimes plot twists do not twist enough, but these definitely did.

What Didn’t Work for Me (Some Spoilers)

I cannot really knock the book for its subject matter, since I willingly chose to read and finish it. One issue I had, however, was how openly and publicly Ted and Lily discussed killing Ted’s wife. They talk about it at the airport bar, on the plane, and at least one other location. Not once do I recall the writing indicating that they were speaking quietly, whispering, or showing any awareness that what they were discussing was extremely taboo. It pulled me out of the story and made these scenes feel unrealistic.

I also felt that the way Lily killed her boyfriend was poorly written. It came across as a plot convenience for Eric to suddenly have a nut allergy that Lily could exploit. This detail was never previously mentioned and felt thrown in solely to move the plot forward.

Final Thoughts

This is officially the last time I go into a book blind, and I mean that. I was genuinely disturbed by the subject matter, not just because of what happens, but because of how casually it is treated throughout the story. The normalization of these conversations made it unsettling in a way that did not fully work for me.

This book is part of a series, but not in a traditional sense. The story here is wrapped up, and the second book follows some of the same characters with a different plot. I will not be continuing the series. I have simply had enough.