A Talent for Murder - by Peter Swanson (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Martha Ratliff conceded long ago that she'd likely spend her life alone. She was fine with it, happy with her solo existence, stimulated by her job as an archival librarian, constantly surrounded by thought-provoking ideas and the books she loved. But then she met Alan, a charming and sweet-natured divorcee with a job that took him on the road for half the year. When he asked her to marry him, she said yes, even though he still felt a little bit like a stranger. A year in and the marriage was good, except for that strange blood streak on the back of one of his shirts he'd worn to a conference in Denver. Her curiosity turning to suspicion, Martha investigates the cities Alan visited over the past year and uncovers a disturbing pattern -- five unsolved cases of murdered women. Is she married to a serial killer? Or could it merely be a coincidence? Unsure what to think, Martha contacts an old friend from graduate school for advice. Lily Kintner once helped Martha out of a jam with an abusive boyfriend and may have some insight. Intrigued, Lily offers to meet Alan to find out what kind of man he really is . . . but what Lily uncovers is more perplexing and wicked than they ever could have expected."--

Book Synopsis

"What a killer read! A Talent For Murder is the thrilling tale of a woman who suspects her husband is a serial killer. As the bodies stack up, so does the paranoid tension until I was feverishly turning pages in the dark, desperate to know what happens next. A fast, exciting read with twist after twist." -- Janice Hallett, Internationally bestselling author of The Appeal

A newlywed librarian begins to suspect the man she married might be a murderer--in this spectacularly twisty and deviously clever psychological thriller by Peter Swanson, New York Times bestselling author of The Kind Worth Killing and Eight Perfect Murders.

Martha Ratliff conceded long ago that she'd likely spend her life alone. She was fine with it, happy with her solo existence, stimulated by her work as a librarian in Maine. But then she met Alan, a charming and sweet-natured salesman whose job took him on the road for half the year. When he asked her to marry him, she said yes, even though he still felt a little bit like a stranger.

A year in and the marriage was good, except for that strange blood streak on the back of one of his shirts he'd worn to a conference in Denver. Her curiosity turning to suspicion, Martha investigates the cities Alan visited over the past year and uncovers a disturbing pattern--five unsolved cases of murdered women.

Is she married to a serial killer? Or could it merely be a coincidence? Unsure what to think, Martha contacts an old friend from graduate school for advice. Lily Kintner once helped Martha out of a jam with an abusive boyfriend and may have some insight. Intrigued, Lily offers to meet Alan to find out what kind of man he really is . . .but what Lily uncovers in this page-turner is more perplexing and wicked than they ever could have expected.

Review Quotes

"A tense psychological thriller teeming with deliciously complex characters, unsettling plot twists, and several harrowing scenes that will move readers to the edge of their seat. This bird's-eye view into the mind of a killer is definitely not for the faint of heart." - Library Journal

"A twisty chiller." - Parade

"A topsy-turvy story that speeds toward its grim destination. The author's devoted fans will not be disappointed by this tale of karmic comeuppance." - Wall Street Journal

"If you love crime fiction, author Peter Swanson never disappoints. . . [He] always manages to upend readers' expectations." - NPR

"Peter Swanson has such a knack for getting readers to root for the most complicated characters, and A Talent for Murder is no exception. This time, Lily Kintner is back with another game of cat-and-mouse as she helps her long-lost friend determine if her husband is a serial killer. The stakes are high, the body count is higher, and yet I would still follow Lily anywhere." - Stacy Willingham, New York Times bestselling author of Only If You're Lucky

"Peter Swanson never disappoints! A Talent for Murder is a clever, ingenious, edge-of-your-seat thriller that will flip your expectations upside down. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to reach the jaw-dropping conclusion." - Liv Constantine, bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish

"Brilliant. . . Swanson's gift for well-earned yet seismic reveals is on full display, and he fortifies them with unexpected heart. . . This is a masterpiece of misdirection." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"This seems like a fairly straightforward is-he-or-isn't-he story until, in a rather startling fashion, Swanson reveals what the book is really about (and it's probably safe to say that the reader will not see it coming). Swanson has written many excellent novels, but this one is certainly his most shocking." - Booklist

"What a killer read! A Talent For Murder is the thrilling tale of a woman who suspects her husband is a serial killer. As the bodies stack up, so does the paranoid tension until I was feverishly turning pages in the dark, desperate to know what happens next. A fast, exciting read with twist after twist." - Janice Hallett, Internationally bestselling author of The Appeal

"Swanson always delivers perfectly calibrated suspense alongside the thrills of a truly clever mystery. In his newest. . . [he] drives the story to a smart conclusion that will keep readers guessing to the end." - CrimeReads

"Smart, surprising, cool and fun, with a deeply satisfying ending. I loved it!" - Gillian McAllister, New York Times bestselling author, on The Kind Worth Saving

"A complex tale of multiple killings over many years involving at least one, and possibly more, murderous psychopaths. The story is told in alternating timelines. . . How those two stories converge, and the shocking sleight-of-hand twist that is, trust me, impossible to predict, are just two of the many balls that Swanson juggles in this entertaining story." - Sarah Lyall, New York Times Book Review, on The Kind Worth Saving

"The inventive Mr. Swanson never lets the willing reader down. With The Kind Worth Saving, he surpasses his own high standard." - Tom Nolan, Wall Street Journal