Rules for Perfect Murders: The 'fiendishly good' Richard and Judy Book Club pick

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I loved the author's book, The Kind Worth Killing. This book has once again made me a fan of Peter Swanson.

MY THOUGHTS: I don't think my heart has ever lurched in my chest before. I have been breathless, actually stopped breathing, had marks in the palms of my hands from my fingernails, and had my heart pound, but never before has it actually lurched. It definitely did in Rules For Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson when the killer revealed himself. The circumstances in which he does so deserves to have a musical score written for it. Overall: This is dark, intense, puzzling, dazzling, exciting, nail biter, hair splitter, heart throbbing, nightmarish, brilliant book and it already became one of my favorite books of the author. Even some revelations still have some small plot holes, I only cut half star and I’m giving my 4.5 rounded up to 5 doubtful, manipulative, mind-bending stars! Is there a connection? Does the killer know Mal or is this individual a stranger who was inspired after reading the books on Mal's murder list? As the book progresses, Mal's past and his relationship with his dead wife also come to light. Is Mal a suspect or is he just an expert in the mystery genre? Are the murders perfect, or will the killer be brought to justice? Maybe,' Agent Mulvey said, and she rubbed a finger along the edge of her nose, up near her left eye. Even her small hands were pale, the fingernails unpainted. She was quiet again. It was a strange interview, full of pauses. She was hoping I'd fill in the silence, I guess. I decided not to say anything. if you're an avid mystery reader, you've probably read at least a few of them, and if you have, you'll be savvy enough to predict a few moves that swanson's book makes, but calling some of them early doesn't diminish the fun of reading it at all; it's like taking a meandering meta journey through mystery's literary history—swanson incorporating elements from several different mystery subgenres before wrapping it all up in one big homage.

The Second Wife

Told from Mal’s perspective, readers are swept along in his narrative as he is approached by an FBI agent, Gwen, and asked for his input regarding a series of murders that seem to be based on a list he once wrote for his bookshop’s blog called Eight Perfect Murders. Let me put it this way: if any one tells you that Rules for Perfect Murders– otherwise known as Eight Perfect Murders – has a brilliant twist you won’t see coming blah blah blah – don’t buy it. It’s so much better than that. Kershaw playing amateur detective made for an interesting read, pulling in favours and following the clues. I liked the way he went about the investigation, particularly with his wariness of Mulvey. Kershaw knows he’s involved and the more I read, the more I understood why he didn’t want to incriminate himself and stay one step ahead of the FBI agent.

Malcolm’s narration is a brilliant touch, as the reader finds themselves caught up in his saga, especially when it becomes clear that he’s gotten himself into a real jam, going from quiet bookstore owner to a man with his own secrets, with danger lurking around every corner... And as we continue to read about the facts Malcolm also the narrator of the story presents us, we realize he keeps secrets to himself and slowly when we get inside of his mind and learn more about his traumatized love story with his ex-wife who died in the car accident, we pity on him but also start to get suspicious about him. Why a killer is obsessed with his article? Could Malcolm get involved with one of the murders? Did FBI agent tell him the truth? Could the killer also be a vigilante who brings the justice by punishing very notorious people because as far as we realize the victims are not angels, they have their own crimes and dirty secrets! Written by Peter Swanson — Anthony Horowitz calls this entertaining new puzzle mystery by Peter Swanson ‘fiendish good fun’, and that really hits the nail on the head. It pulls together some of the best plots from past crime novels and combines them in a deliciously innovative way. Kershaw’s blog post was titled Eight Perfect Murders – cases where the murderer is not and almost certainly cannot be caught. The eight stories in his list will mostly be familiar to crime readers and film buffs: The Red House Mystery by AA Milne, Malice Aforethought by Anthony Berkeley Cox, The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie, Double Indemnity by James M Cain, Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith, The Drowner by John D MacDonald, the play Deathtrap by Ira Levin and The Secret History by Donna Tartt. What’s fun is trying to determine which of these familiar plots (with the aid of the synopses Swanson provides) the events of the novel best parallel. The book certainly brought all the feels, and elements of all characters. Throughout the novel, the story is smooth and generally moves along well. At the end of the day if you are looking for something that you have read similar to this before and don’t mind another, then this will satisfy you. If you are looking for something more than just an average read, that you will want to engage with, then this is also something you will enjoy. Details About Rules for Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson ePubI also really liked the premise of this book. There have been other books and movies also featuring killers replicating the work of others. Copycat killers. Sometimes they’re just psychotic and keen to kill but want to find a clever way to do it. Here, it seems obvious there’s a link – of some sort – to Malcolm. He eventually suspects what it might be, but realises he’ll have to face up to events of his past if he wants to uncover their identity.