The Kind Worth Killing: A Novel

4.2 | 32,602 ratings

Price: 14.99

Last update: 10-19-2024

About this item

A devious tale of psychological suspense perfect for fans of Paula Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train—and is soon to be a major movie directed by Agnieszka Holland.

In a tantalizing set-up reminiscent of Patricia Highsmith’s classic Strangers on a Train… On a night flight from London to Boston, Ted Severson meets the stunning and mysterious Lily Kintner. Sharing one too many martinis, the strangers begin to play a game of truth, revealing very intimate details about themselves. Ted talks about his marriage that’s going stale and his wife Miranda, who he’s sure is cheating on him. Ted and his wife were a mismatch from the start—he the rich businessman, she the artistic free spirit—a contrast that once inflamed their passion, but has now become a cliché.

But their game turns a little darker when Ted jokes that he could kill Miranda for what she’s done. Lily, without missing a beat, says calmly, “I’d like to help.” After all, some people are the kind worth killing, like a lying, stinking, cheating spouse. . . .

Back in Boston, Ted and Lily’s twisted bond grows stronger as they begin to plot Miranda's demise. But there are a few things about Lily’s past that she hasn’t shared with Ted, namely her experience in the art and craft of murder, a journey that began in her very precocious youth.

Suddenly these co-conspirators are embroiled in a chilling game of cat-and-mouse, one they both cannot survive . . . with a shrewd and very determined detective on their tail.


	A Talent for Murder	The Kind Worth Saving	Nine Lives	Every Vow You Break	The Kind Worth Killing	Eight Perfect Murders

Customer Reviews	185	4,488	4,365	4,702	31,234	4,653
Price	$22.92	$14.99	$9.32	$9.69	$15.66	$10.99

Top reviews from the United States

Victoria Elizabeth

Worth the Hype!

Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2024

I had heard so many good things about this book, and it did not disappoint! This book started off strong, and I love thrillers that jump right in. It was also full of twists and turns that kept me guessing. I love the way Peter Swanson wrote the characters, because it had me rooting for them despite their morally-questionable decisions. I strongly recommend this to fans of thrillers and book lovers in general!

Book Worm

Spooky Season Activated

Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2023

A twisted tale of deception, lies, and murder. The story begins with charming & rich, Ted Severson meets beautiful redhead, Lily Kintner, at an airport bar while they’re waiting to board their delayed flight. It’s here that Ted decides to be 100% honest and tell Lily about his cheating wife and his overwhelming desire to kill her. Only instead of being scared by his admission, Lily agrees that his wife should be killed and she’ll be the one to help him!

The book follows Lily, Ted, Ted’s wife Miranda, and the contractor on Ted’s new house, Brad. The story is multiple pov and each chapter is another piece to the puzzle. It’s an intense read and many twists that will leave you shocked! It’s gives the perfect edge of your seat, what happens next vibes which are perfect for spooky season and I guarantee every guess you make will be wrong (as it was for me) The only issue I had was with the ending.. it ended kind of abruptly but left the door open for the next book. Super fun, enjoyable, thrilling story!! I definitely recommend!

Gypo Nolan

Fabulous twists!

Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2024

Definitely unputdownable, but you have to suspend your disbelief to think there are so many homicidal types running around. It's a clever roller coaster ride of a book (although maybe too many twists and turns), and I'd read others by this author. He's no Ruth Rendell or Kate Atkinson, but I don't think he's trying to be.

Regina Niesen

Compelling read of psychological suspese that was an absolute thrill ride to read. An absolute must read!

Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2015

The story is about Ted Severson and Lily Kitner, who meet on a flight back to the US from London. Ted is distraught because he had recently caught his gorgeous wife, Miranda, cheating on him with their general contractor, Brad. Ted and Miranda live in Boston but are building a luxury home on the coast of southern Maine. Ted was going to surprise Miranda for a visit because she spends a great deal of time in Maine supervising the building of the house while it is being built. On his surprise visit, as he is approaching the home, he sees Miranda and Brad through the windows having sex in the kitchen. On the flight, Ted is drunkenly telling the story to Lily, a complete stranger (he thinks-which adds so much suspense to the story later) and in his inebriated state says he is so mad that he wants to kill Miranda. To his utter surprise, Lily responds by saying something along the lines of "Well why don't you just kill her then?" At first Ted is shocked but as Lily talks openly about her thoughts of people with morals like Miranda and of murdering people, Ted becomes convinced that he should kill Miranda. He doesn't want to divorce her and let her have half of his fortune after what she has done to him and Lily has put forth a pretty solid plan on murdering both Miranda and Brad to make it look like Brad is the killer. Lily would be Ted's alibi and, to Ted, it looks like all should go as planned.

Ted and Lily meet a few times to make plans and then the plan should be put into action. However, things go awry. And I mean they ago crazy and the story goes all over the place, but not in a way that the reader can't follow the story. The author just does an excellent job of taking the storyline and flipping it on its head. This story goes everywhere. I can honestly say I had no idea what was going to happen next. I was compelled to keep listening because I had to know what was going to happen. I couldn't believe what I was reading! I kept saying to myself "Is this really happening?" and "Are they nuts?" I was all over the place with my feelings. It really got in my head because I just couldn't stop thinking about it. When I started this book, I really didn't have time to read it so I listened in pieces and then had to start over, but when I re-started it again a few days ago, I got hooked and listened to it pretty much straight through and got to a point where I just couldn't listen to it in my car anymore. So I brought it inside and listened until very late into the evening to the very end and had everything figured out.

The chapters switch voices between Ted and Lily at first and then some major twists and turns take place and in the following two parts of the book, Lily and two other voices take over in the telling of the story. I don't want to say whose voices take over because that may lead into spoiler land. It was very well written and the major characters; Ted, Lily, and Miranda; were very well developed and I felt like I knew everything about them and what made each of them tick. The storyline flowed well but like I said, there were a few times that it was literally flipped on it's head. However, the twists and turns didn't make the story confusing, it added more suspense. This was a pure thrill ride that got into your head like an earworm and made you keep thinking about it over and over until you just couldn't stop and you had to know what was happening and just finish the darn story.

This was one of the most thrilling/suspenseful novels that I have read in awhile! And I read a lot of mysteries! For a mystery to get 5 stars from me it really has to stand out. The author, Peter Swanson, is literally killing it in this novel of psychological suspense! I highly recommend it to any fan of this genre. In fact it is up for a Goodreads Choice Award. Definitely 5 stars!! READ THIS BOOK!

Kindle Customer

great book but that ending

Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2024

So many twists in this book! I loved it but the end…not sure about that. I still enjoyed it though

jewelry maven

Yipee

Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2024

What a wonderful book. Loved it. Great insane plot. Fabulous insane characters. Twists and twists and twists galore! Madness personified. As I said, "Yipee".

Heather N Dean

my first read from Peter Swanson

Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2024

His imagery is so wonderful I really enjoy the way he writes. This book kept me wanting to read more. This book is unlike any others with things I have never read or seen in a movie happen. Pretty cool. Only thing I will say that didn’t make me give it 5 stars is the characters are all pretty unlikable terrible people lol

Easy Reader not Rider

Facinated Amoral Lady

Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2024

Enjoyed story of a gal who had no concern or guilt about killing other people from the age of 13 until in her mid~twenties she tried to kill a detective with a knife. Fascinating reading her thoughts through her life, knowing she still had much of her life before her.

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The Kind Worth Killing: A Novel

About this item

From the Publisher

Top reviews from the United States

Best Sellers in

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