Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson

Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: March 3, 2020
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
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Book Review

“Books are time travel. True readers know this. But books don’t just take you back to the time in which they were written; they can take you back to different versions of yourself”

I have a confession to make: I didn’t intend to read this book. After Peter Swanson’s last book Before She Knew Him was the first book I did not finish in 2019, I had almost completely sworn off his writing. But when I was able to get a copy of Eight Perfect Murders in a swap I figured I would give it a chance. What I discovered was a thoroughly unique and quietly dramatic story about a bookseller and mystery lover who gets wrapped up in a series of murders.

I couldn’t put this story down. Swanson pulls from classic mystery stories from the likes of Agatha Christie. It has such a unique and different feel than most contemporary mysteries and suspense novels, it almost evokes a cozy feeling. Swanson pulls from all the elements of classic mysteries, down to the multitude of cozy settings: bookstore, mansion, quiet seaside town. I felt like I was in an elaborate game of Clue where you couldn’t trust anyone.

I loved Mal the main character and wanted so badly to trust him. The story is told completely from his perspective as he unfolds more and more about the murders that are happening all around him, as well as his own narratives. You get to know Mal quite well.

I highly recommend Eight Perfect Murders for fans of classic mysteries and contemporary thrillers.