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Eight Perfect Murders
8 hours, 3 minutes
From the hugely talented author of Before She Knew Him comes a chilling tale of psychological suspense and an homage to the thriller genre tailor-made for fans: the story of a bookseller who finds himself at the center of an FBI investigation because a very clever killer has started using his list of fiction’s most ingenious murders.
Years ago, bookseller and mystery aficionado Malcolm Kershaw compiled a list of the genre’s most unsolvable murders, those that are almost impossible to crack—which he titled “Eight Perfect Murders”—chosen from among the best of the best including Agatha Christie’s A. B. C. Murders, Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train, and Ira Levin’s Death Trap.
But no one is more surprised than Mal, now the owner of the Old Devils Bookshop in Boston, when an FBI agent comes knocking on his door one snowy day in February. She’s looking for information about a series of unsolved murders that look eerily similar to the killings on Mal’s old list. And the FBI agent isn’t the only one interested in this bookseller who spends almost every night at home reading. There is killer is out there, watching his every move—a diabolical threat who knows way too much about Mal’s personal history, especially the secrets he’s never told anyone, even his recently deceased wife.
To protect himself, Mal begins looking into possible suspects . . . and sees a killer in everyone around him. But Mal doesn’t count on the investigation leaving a trail of death in its wake. Suddenly, a series of shocking twists leaves more victims dead—and the noose around Mal’s neck grows so tight he might never escape.
From the hugely talented author of Before She Knew Him comes a chilling tale of psychological suspense and an homage to the thriller genre tailor-made for fans: the story of a bookseller who finds himself at the center of an FBI investigation because a very clever killer has started using his list of fiction’s most ingenious murders.
Years ago, bookseller and mystery aficionado Malcolm Kershaw compiled a list of the genre’s most unsolvable murders, those that are almost impossible to crack—which he titled “Eight Perfect Murders”—chosen from among the best of the best including Agatha Christie’s A. B. C. Murders, Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train, and Ira Levin’s Death Trap.
But no one is more surprised than Mal, now the owner of the Old Devils Bookshop in Boston, when an FBI agent comes knocking on his door one snowy day in February. She’s looking for information about a series of unsolved murders that look eerily similar to the killings on Mal’s old list. And the FBI agent isn’t the only one interested in this bookseller who spends almost every night at home reading. There is killer is out there, watching his every move—a diabolical threat who knows way too much about Mal’s personal history, especially the secrets he’s never told anyone, even his recently deceased wife.
To protect himself, Mal begins looking into possible suspects . . . and sees a killer in everyone around him. But Mal doesn’t count on the investigation leaving a trail of death in its wake. Suddenly, a series of shocking twists leaves more victims dead—and the noose around Mal’s neck grows so tight he might never escape.
9 pages, Audiobook
Published March 3, 2020
About the author
Peter Swanson
21 books13.3k followersPeter Swanson is the author of six novels including The Kind Worth Killing, winner of the New England Society Book Award, and finalist for the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, Her Every Fear, an NPR book of the year, and his most recent thriller, Eight Perfect Murders. His books have been translated into 30 languages, and his stories, poetry, and features have appeared in Asimov’s Science Fiction, The Atlantic Monthly, Measure, The Guardian, The Strand Magazine, and Yankee Magazine.
A graduate of Trinity College, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and Emerson College, he lives in Somerville, Massachusetts with his wife and cat.
A graduate of Trinity College, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and Emerson College, he lives in Somerville, Massachusetts with his wife and cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 337 reviews
June 22, 2024
Years ago, when he first started working at a local bookstore, Malcolm Kershaw, running the store's online presence, wrote a blog post titled, Eight Perfect Murders.
The mystery aficionado made of a list of what he considered to be the genre's most unsolvable murders. Little did he know that one seemingly inconsequential post would come back to haunt him.
Presently, Malcolm owns his own Boston bookstore and while he still loves books, he hasn't been reading as many mysteries as he used to.
After suffering the loss of his wife, a lot in Malcolm's world changed.
On the day of a terrible snow storm, Mal is in his shop alone when an FBI agent arrives. According to her, she's investigating a serial killer who appears to be using Mal's list to commit his crimes.
Mal's shocked to hear this. How would the killer have even found that old post?
When it starts to appear that the killer not only found the list, but is keeping an eye on Mal as well, Mal begins to think it's personal. So, he takes matters into his own hands and starts to look for suspects.
Y'all know I love an amateur sleuth trope, and a book seller main character! What a fantastic set-up for a Mystery!
I listened to this audiobook on my drive home from Christmas holiday and it kept me thoroughly entertained. It was a great way to pass the hours.
I loved the narration. It had a sort of film noir quality to it that I felt really fit this story. I would definitely recommend the audio if you are planning to read this yourself.
This was my first Swanson novel and I appreciated how he didn't hold back. This was completely wild and over-the-top. It was full of unbelievable things, but that's what made it so fun.
I would definitely be interested in reading more of his work. I know this one had some mixed reviews, but I was pleasantly surprised by it. I think Swanson and I could turn out to have a beautiful friendship.
The mystery aficionado made of a list of what he considered to be the genre's most unsolvable murders. Little did he know that one seemingly inconsequential post would come back to haunt him.
Presently, Malcolm owns his own Boston bookstore and while he still loves books, he hasn't been reading as many mysteries as he used to.
After suffering the loss of his wife, a lot in Malcolm's world changed.
On the day of a terrible snow storm, Mal is in his shop alone when an FBI agent arrives. According to her, she's investigating a serial killer who appears to be using Mal's list to commit his crimes.
Mal's shocked to hear this. How would the killer have even found that old post?
When it starts to appear that the killer not only found the list, but is keeping an eye on Mal as well, Mal begins to think it's personal. So, he takes matters into his own hands and starts to look for suspects.
Y'all know I love an amateur sleuth trope, and a book seller main character! What a fantastic set-up for a Mystery!
I listened to this audiobook on my drive home from Christmas holiday and it kept me thoroughly entertained. It was a great way to pass the hours.
I loved the narration. It had a sort of film noir quality to it that I felt really fit this story. I would definitely recommend the audio if you are planning to read this yourself.
This was my first Swanson novel and I appreciated how he didn't hold back. This was completely wild and over-the-top. It was full of unbelievable things, but that's what made it so fun.
I would definitely be interested in reading more of his work. I know this one had some mixed reviews, but I was pleasantly surprised by it. I think Swanson and I could turn out to have a beautiful friendship.
January 22, 2026
Eight Perfect Murders reaffirms author Peter Swanson's gift for storytelling. His affinity for authors John D. MacDonald and Donna Tartt - two of my all time favorites as well - makes him even more endearing. I will definitely be listening to more of his work in the near future.
Narrator Graham Halstead knocked it out of the park. He gives all - both male and female - characters singularly autonomous voices which I found exceptionally easy to discern. Thank you.
Narrator Graham Halstead knocked it out of the park. He gives all - both male and female - characters singularly autonomous voices which I found exceptionally easy to discern. Thank you.
May 28, 2020
It started with a list...
Malcolm Kershaw owns and operates a bookstore in Boston. His expertise is in the mystery genre and years ago when he was working for another bookseller, he wrote a blogpost where he listed eight books he felt featured the most perfect murders. Now he’s got an FBI agent on his doorstep, asking questions that make him feel like he might be a suspect in several murders that have an eerie connection to the books on his list of eight perfect murders. To make matters even more troubling, it appears Malcolm may have attracted the potential killer’s attention.
Mysteries are my most favorite genre, my fallback when left to my own devices, dating back to my love affair with Nancy Drew as a young girl where I eventually graduated to Agatha Christie. My fear is I cannot be objective in reviewing this story as it was my catnip. I was more than familiar with many of the books on that list, either having read them, seen the movie or both. And, I realized immediately that I might be listening to an unreliable narrator, which I find delicious in the right writer’s hands and I had every reason to trust this one.
I’m not going to share details about the story other than its impact. There are a lot of names, book plots and accompanying spoilers. I didn’t worry about those on my shelf waiting to be read because no way, no how am I going to remember those elements as they were eventually replaced by the specifics of this one. It’s a mystery lover’s smorgasbord of classics and popular titles. They’re not just thrown out there for reference but expertly tied to the plot. I was never on sure footing and had to pay close attention to everything. Still didn’t get it right but I didn’t care.
I listened to the story and the narrator stepped into Malcolm with ease. He added a bit of irreverence to his voice that just worked. If you haven’t already figured it out I very much enjoyed the story and was trying to come to terms with that clever ending when I discovered this is a planned series. I am so hooked and can hardly wait to get clarity on that outcome. Of course I’m recommending this book to anyone that loves the mystery genre, especially the well known writing masters of old.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to HarperAudio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Malcolm Kershaw owns and operates a bookstore in Boston. His expertise is in the mystery genre and years ago when he was working for another bookseller, he wrote a blogpost where he listed eight books he felt featured the most perfect murders. Now he’s got an FBI agent on his doorstep, asking questions that make him feel like he might be a suspect in several murders that have an eerie connection to the books on his list of eight perfect murders. To make matters even more troubling, it appears Malcolm may have attracted the potential killer’s attention.
Mysteries are my most favorite genre, my fallback when left to my own devices, dating back to my love affair with Nancy Drew as a young girl where I eventually graduated to Agatha Christie. My fear is I cannot be objective in reviewing this story as it was my catnip. I was more than familiar with many of the books on that list, either having read them, seen the movie or both. And, I realized immediately that I might be listening to an unreliable narrator, which I find delicious in the right writer’s hands and I had every reason to trust this one.
I’m not going to share details about the story other than its impact. There are a lot of names, book plots and accompanying spoilers. I didn’t worry about those on my shelf waiting to be read because no way, no how am I going to remember those elements as they were eventually replaced by the specifics of this one. It’s a mystery lover’s smorgasbord of classics and popular titles. They’re not just thrown out there for reference but expertly tied to the plot. I was never on sure footing and had to pay close attention to everything. Still didn’t get it right but I didn’t care.
I listened to the story and the narrator stepped into Malcolm with ease. He added a bit of irreverence to his voice that just worked. If you haven’t already figured it out I very much enjoyed the story and was trying to come to terms with that clever ending when I discovered this is a planned series. I am so hooked and can hardly wait to get clarity on that outcome. Of course I’m recommending this book to anyone that loves the mystery genre, especially the well known writing masters of old.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to HarperAudio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
March 18, 2020
What a clever book! A captivating, compelling, and intelligent murder mystery. Peter Swanson has really hit it out of the park with this one. Not a thriller, but a well thought out, refreshing, murder mystery. A nod two classic mysteries of the past. Malcolm Kershaw owns the Old Devils Bookshop in Boston. He is an expert on all things Mystery books, even though he’s not reading them anymore. Mal is approached by an FBI agent who believes that a serial murder is using a list he posted on his blog years ago to commit murders. The blog post was about the eight perfect murders committed in literature. Perfect meaning the killer was almost guaranteed to get away with it. Mal is sucked up into the investigation not only to find out who is using his list, but also to prove his innocence. Tense and addictive I was completely hooked!
Graham Halstead does an exceptional job of narrating this audiobook. He really brought the perfect voice to Mal. His steller delivery and perfect pacing added some extra tension to this already engaging story. I loved all the literary references in this book. The story unfolded so well the perfect amount of twists, turns, and misdirection. I have seen other reviews mention that this book does spoil all the books on the perfect murder list and I suppose it does, but I also think it probably sparked some interest for those books as well. Mal was such a sympathetic yet quirky character who I didn’t quite trust, bu I was definitely rooting for. The secondary characters were all equally interesting and I cannot forget the cat Nero. Another winner from this exceptional author.
this book in emojis. 🔎 📚 ✍🏻 🧩 🐱
*** Big thank you to William Morrow & Harper Audio for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
Graham Halstead does an exceptional job of narrating this audiobook. He really brought the perfect voice to Mal. His steller delivery and perfect pacing added some extra tension to this already engaging story. I loved all the literary references in this book. The story unfolded so well the perfect amount of twists, turns, and misdirection. I have seen other reviews mention that this book does spoil all the books on the perfect murder list and I suppose it does, but I also think it probably sparked some interest for those books as well. Mal was such a sympathetic yet quirky character who I didn’t quite trust, bu I was definitely rooting for. The secondary characters were all equally interesting and I cannot forget the cat Nero. Another winner from this exceptional author.
this book in emojis. 🔎 📚 ✍🏻 🧩 🐱
*** Big thank you to William Morrow & Harper Audio for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
March 25, 2020
I've read a few books by Peter Swanson and although this is a good mystery, it is not my new favorite. Bookseller Malcom Kershaw of Old Devils bookstore wrote a book blog "Eight Perfect Murders" then one day he got a visit from FBI because someone read his blog....
I'm listing his 8 books here (more for my own reference ...I may want to check these out in the future)
- The Red House Mystery (1922) by A.A. Milne
- Malice Aforethought (1931) by Anthony Berkeley Cox
- The A B C Murders (1936) by Agatha Christie
- Double Indemnity (1943) by James M. Caine
- Strangers on a Train (1950) by Patricia Highsmith
- The Drowner (1963) by John D. MacDonald
- Deathtrap (1978) by Ira Levin
- The Secret History (1992) by Donna Tartt
I'm listing his 8 books here (more for my own reference ...I may want to check these out in the future)
- The Red House Mystery (1922) by A.A. Milne
- Malice Aforethought (1931) by Anthony Berkeley Cox
- The A B C Murders (1936) by Agatha Christie
- Double Indemnity (1943) by James M. Caine
- Strangers on a Train (1950) by Patricia Highsmith
- The Drowner (1963) by John D. MacDonald
- Deathtrap (1978) by Ira Levin
- The Secret History (1992) by Donna Tartt
March 15, 2020
2.5 stars
This started really well, the idea of the list of books with perfect murders was really interesting. But as the story progressed, it became a bit repetitive and less exciting. I didn't particularly like the main character, nor any of the side characters, and the resolution was underwhelming for me. The audiobook was good, though.
There are major spoilers for the following books: The Red House Mystery, Malice Aforethought, The A.B.C. Murders, Double Indemnity, Strangers on a Train, The Drowner, Deathtrap and The Secret History. I've read some of them and don't intend to read the others, so I didn't mind.
This started really well, the idea of the list of books with perfect murders was really interesting. But as the story progressed, it became a bit repetitive and less exciting. I didn't particularly like the main character, nor any of the side characters, and the resolution was underwhelming for me. The audiobook was good, though.
There are major spoilers for the following books: The Red House Mystery, Malice Aforethought, The A.B.C. Murders, Double Indemnity, Strangers on a Train, The Drowner, Deathtrap and The Secret History. I've read some of them and don't intend to read the others, so I didn't mind.
October 29, 2020
This was definitely a clever celebration of classic mystery novels of the past. It was fun to listen to and it had some interesting twists that followed the classic mystery formula. It meandered a bit too much at times, but overall I liked it. I figured out whodunnit fairly early on, but that's okay because I was constantly second-guessing myself throughout and that is the mark of a good mystery!
Do not read my spoiler unless you have already read the book:
3.5 stars
One more thing that is really neither here nor there, but nonetheless makes me wonder: why do books reference real businesses and real street names mixed with others that are made up? It's curious.
Do not read my spoiler unless you have already read the book:
3.5 stars
One more thing that is really neither here nor there, but nonetheless makes me wonder: why do books reference real businesses and real street names mixed with others that are made up? It's curious.
March 29, 2020
- legit 1 star lol
- nah man
- the main character was sooooooo fucking weird i cannot even begin to describe this dude and he just continuously got weirder as the book went on
-
- i also didn't feel too invested in the story because it was so clear the main character was hiding information from the reader and i don't think i'm ~supposed~ to feel that way as the reader because shouldn't it be more of a surprise????? idk it just didn't make sense
- i'm very sad i didn't stop reading this book when i started getting a bad feeling
- this book is the perfect example of why i DNF so many books that i'm not feeling or that i don't like and that i shouldn't just push through it for the sake of finishing a book :)
- nah man
- the main character was sooooooo fucking weird i cannot even begin to describe this dude and he just continuously got weirder as the book went on
-
- i also didn't feel too invested in the story because it was so clear the main character was hiding information from the reader and i don't think i'm ~supposed~ to feel that way as the reader because shouldn't it be more of a surprise????? idk it just didn't make sense
- i'm very sad i didn't stop reading this book when i started getting a bad feeling
- this book is the perfect example of why i DNF so many books that i'm not feeling or that i don't like and that i shouldn't just push through it for the sake of finishing a book :)
September 2, 2022
This book was written for me or people like me who grew up reading Agatha Christie and watching movies like Strangers on a Train and Double Indemnity. It was a wonderful trip down Nostalgia Lane, and it came at the perfect time. Also loved how absolutely bookish and atmospheric the entire thing was.
Bookstore owner Malcolm Kershaw is contacted by the FBI because his blog list of fiction's eight seemingly perfect murders seemed to be used as a blueprint for a series of murders occurring over the past few years. Malcolm finds this disturbing and fascinating and vows to find out what is going on, if only to make sure his own secrets are kept hidden.
The eight books, if you haven't already read them or watched the movies, could be spoiled for you, but there were some I had never heard of and I now have already forgotten the spoiler information. I only know that I am going to try to read all of the ones I previously missed, which is most of them.
The Books:
The Red House Mystery, 1922, A.A. Milne
Malice Aforethought, 1931, Anthony Berkeley Cox/Francis Iles
The ABC Murders (Hercule Poirot #13), 1936, Agatha Christie
Double Indemnity, 1943, James M Cain
Strangers on a Train, 1950, Patricia Highsmith
The Drowner, 1963, John D. MacDonald
Deathtrap, 1978, Ira Levin
The Secret History, 1992, Donna Tartt
Bookstore owner Malcolm Kershaw is contacted by the FBI because his blog list of fiction's eight seemingly perfect murders seemed to be used as a blueprint for a series of murders occurring over the past few years. Malcolm finds this disturbing and fascinating and vows to find out what is going on, if only to make sure his own secrets are kept hidden.
The eight books, if you haven't already read them or watched the movies, could be spoiled for you, but there were some I had never heard of and I now have already forgotten the spoiler information. I only know that I am going to try to read all of the ones I previously missed, which is most of them.
The Books:
The Red House Mystery, 1922, A.A. Milne
Malice Aforethought, 1931, Anthony Berkeley Cox/Francis Iles
The ABC Murders (Hercule Poirot #13), 1936, Agatha Christie
Double Indemnity, 1943, James M Cain
Strangers on a Train, 1950, Patricia Highsmith
The Drowner, 1963, John D. MacDonald
Deathtrap, 1978, Ira Levin
The Secret History, 1992, Donna Tartt
April 18, 2020
Não gostei nada dos spoilers que há neste livro. Ainda bem que já tinha lido "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" de Agatha Christie. Além disso, é um pouco repetitivo, sempre a falar nos mesmos livros. Um aspeto positivo é que vou querer ler "Strangers on a Train" de Patricia Highsmith, um dos livros tantas vezes mencionado.
May 5, 2021
It's was ok.
June 24, 2020
Full review here: https://youtu.be/EcLbuG5Y4Ms
Timestamps in the description for quick navigation
Timestamps in the description for quick navigation
March 14, 2021
Story was nice though. Fast paced, which I find it good. However, it didnt grip me enough.
The twist, I kind of saw it coming.
A solid 3 stars.
April 10, 2020
I love bookstore settings, murder-mysteries, and twisted serial killers. In Eight Perfect Murders, Swanson delivers it all. The premise is simple, an FBI Agent questions Malcolm Kershaw, the proprietor of Old Devils Bookshop in Boston about a series of murders. It turns out she believes someone is killing people in the manner of the books Mal compiled in a blog post featuring eight perfect murders. Creepy right?
The Old Devils Bookshop sells used, and rare books in the murder-mystery and thriller genres. Mal himself is a collector of murder-mysteries. I loved the setting from the old books to the bookstore cat.
The investigation involves the books on Mal’s lis. It was eerie and fascinating discusses popular and classic murder-mysteries. It was interesting to see which I read, and I may have added one or two to my list!
Twisted and well paced, I was quickly pulled into the narrative. This was my first soiree with author Peter Swanson, but it won’t be my last. Like Ruth Ware, his story quickly pulled me in and set me on edge as we investigated the clues and learn about our peculiar protagonist.
Graham Halstead was perfect as the narrator for this thriller. He captured Mal, the atmospheric moments and gave voice to secondary characters. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
The Old Devils Bookshop sells used, and rare books in the murder-mystery and thriller genres. Mal himself is a collector of murder-mysteries. I loved the setting from the old books to the bookstore cat.
The investigation involves the books on Mal’s lis. It was eerie and fascinating discusses popular and classic murder-mysteries. It was interesting to see which I read, and I may have added one or two to my list!
Twisted and well paced, I was quickly pulled into the narrative. This was my first soiree with author Peter Swanson, but it won’t be my last. Like Ruth Ware, his story quickly pulled me in and set me on edge as we investigated the clues and learn about our peculiar protagonist.
Graham Halstead was perfect as the narrator for this thriller. He captured Mal, the atmospheric moments and gave voice to secondary characters. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
June 16, 2020
I really, really loved the concept of this book. A killer following a list of crime books compiled by a bookseller to commit Eight Perfect Murders. It sounds genius, i mean it is kind of smart, the beginning of the book got me hooked and i loved the idea of it but like,,,, i knew who the killer was like not even halfway through the book?? So it was pretty predictable and what the hell was that ENDING.
April 11, 2020
“Books are time travel. True readers all 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.”
A bloggers list made years ago is the basis of Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson, an absolutely brilliant murder mystery by one of my favorite authors. When Malcom Kershaw, part owner of The Old Devils Bookshop in Boston specializing in crime/murder mysteries, is approached by an FBI agent who thinks that past and recent murders are a result of Malcom’s blog post, it opens up a sordid tale of murder, deceit, and lies.
The plot is intriguing, a real who-dunnit told in Malcom’s POV. Malcom slowly reveals tidbits throughout the story in periods of reflection, letting the reader know that all is often not as it may seem. The use of murder mystery classics based off of Malcom’s prior blog post made everyone a suspect, at least in my mind. Surrounded by like-minded people who are heavily invested in the literature that Malcom describes as ‘Eight Perfect Murders’ meaning unsolvable crimes, anyone could have been the culprit and this is what I loved most about this story, the constant guessing and wondering who was behind the mysterious murders and what was the connection!
I listened to this on audio and I must say that Mr. Graham Halstead did this novel such justice! His pacing and delivery are extraordinary and as a rule, I’m not a fan of male narrators doing female characters voices – it’s generally cringeworthy in my opinion but Mr. Halstead did a stellar job in this area as well. Once again, Peter Swanson has delivered an original and compelling book, putting him high on my favorite authors list. Well done, Mr. Swanson, well done!
A bloggers list made years ago is the basis of Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson, an absolutely brilliant murder mystery by one of my favorite authors. When Malcom Kershaw, part owner of The Old Devils Bookshop in Boston specializing in crime/murder mysteries, is approached by an FBI agent who thinks that past and recent murders are a result of Malcom’s blog post, it opens up a sordid tale of murder, deceit, and lies.
The plot is intriguing, a real who-dunnit told in Malcom’s POV. Malcom slowly reveals tidbits throughout the story in periods of reflection, letting the reader know that all is often not as it may seem. The use of murder mystery classics based off of Malcom’s prior blog post made everyone a suspect, at least in my mind. Surrounded by like-minded people who are heavily invested in the literature that Malcom describes as ‘Eight Perfect Murders’ meaning unsolvable crimes, anyone could have been the culprit and this is what I loved most about this story, the constant guessing and wondering who was behind the mysterious murders and what was the connection!
I listened to this on audio and I must say that Mr. Graham Halstead did this novel such justice! His pacing and delivery are extraordinary and as a rule, I’m not a fan of male narrators doing female characters voices – it’s generally cringeworthy in my opinion but Mr. Halstead did a stellar job in this area as well. Once again, Peter Swanson has delivered an original and compelling book, putting him high on my favorite authors list. Well done, Mr. Swanson, well done!
May 13, 2020
4-1/2 Stars! This book took a bit to get into. I listened to the first 1/3 and then put it down because I assumed where it was going and who the murderer was. (I mean it seemed sooooo very obvious.) Driving in the car, I needed something to listen to and plugged this back in. Lucky move because in that 40 min. drive the story changed and I was hooked.
If you, like me, think your super-power is being able to identify the murdered early in a book--you will really enjoy being misled by this one. Within the last 1/3 of the book, there are so many twists and turns it had me frantically rethinking who I thought the villain was and trying to solve the ending with the new information I had just been given. My hat is off to Peter Swanson for writing the beginning in such an obvious/not obvious way and then giving you the truth in a brilliant ending. I found it very satisfying to be fooled by this author.
Narrator Graham Halstead did a wonderful job. An excellent narration that matched the main character perfectly.
Final Note: this book cost me some money because as I read the discussions of the eight books on the list I ended up buying several of them and even a DVD of Deathtrap. How fun is it when a book is able to do things like that.
If you, like me, think your super-power is being able to identify the murdered early in a book--you will really enjoy being misled by this one. Within the last 1/3 of the book, there are so many twists and turns it had me frantically rethinking who I thought the villain was and trying to solve the ending with the new information I had just been given. My hat is off to Peter Swanson for writing the beginning in such an obvious/not obvious way and then giving you the truth in a brilliant ending. I found it very satisfying to be fooled by this author.
Narrator Graham Halstead did a wonderful job. An excellent narration that matched the main character perfectly.
Final Note: this book cost me some money because as I read the discussions of the eight books on the list I ended up buying several of them and even a DVD of Deathtrap. How fun is it when a book is able to do things like that.
March 16, 2020
This was entertaining for what it was, but it didn't blow me out of the water or anything. I think the general premise is interesting, and the first portion of the book grabbed my attention. However, this committed a mystery/thriller cardinal sin: I wasn't shocked by the big twist.
Given all the references/tie-ins to other iconic mystery novels, I would say that this book was ambitious. Unfortunately, I think the plot started to get muddled when trying to pull everything together in the end. It wasn't all bad though. It's a fairly easy audiobook to listen to, so I think it's a decent pick for some background noise when you're tinkering around the house. Not my favorite, but it passed the time well enough.
Given all the references/tie-ins to other iconic mystery novels, I would say that this book was ambitious. Unfortunately, I think the plot started to get muddled when trying to pull everything together in the end. It wasn't all bad though. It's a fairly easy audiobook to listen to, so I think it's a decent pick for some background noise when you're tinkering around the house. Not my favorite, but it passed the time well enough.
September 11, 2020
'Eight Perfect Murders' was one of my most anticipated books of the year and I really enjoyed reading it. The main character Malcolm Kershaw is amazing, I love a flawed and broken but not pathetic narrator! You just never know if he’s telling the (entire) truth which makes a crime novel so much more enjoyable in my opinion.
November 22, 2023
I love a book featuring a book seller and store and books and stuff 📚📚📚📚
February 1, 2025
2.5 🌟
Mood/Seasonal Reading: February cold days
This was rough. The concept intrigued me so much I moved it up my tbr list. Having read the ABC murders last year I thought this was a solid next pick. It could have been.
I was anticipating a fast paced, almost Magpie Murders like vibe where a bookshop owner helped solve an interesting case. Instead, I got a very graphic crime novel with an extremely unlikeable and unreliable narrator. Mal was infuriating. As the novel progressed I had less and less sympathy for his character. Even the investigator he was helping wasn’t my cup of tea. To put it plain this novel had not a single character I wanted to cheer for.
As for the mystery, it went in such a direction that I no longer cared who the murder was. I no longer cared who the victims were. I no longer cared in general. When the killer is finally revealed and you need to pause the story and go “who??” You know you’ve hit a dud. I didn’t even remember who they were until I was reminded. I guess almost all the characters in this novel were lacklustre to me to be fair.
The plot threw so many disturbing plot lines (read TWs recommended if needed). This exact thing is what truly lost me. I’ll explain. This taught me what I like in my mysteries. While it’s true I enjoy a good cozy, I can dip my toe into a more serious and realistic thriller. I can have hard hitting topics and mature content and throughly enjoy a book. When it loses me is when it feels like almost every moment of the book is a disturbing situation or traumatic past moment involving one of life’s many sadly true circumstances it felt like it was used for shock value and twists rather than character growth and a general valuable discourse. This had far too many disturbing discussions that I felt did not match what I was anticipating from this book. It was such a tonal difference from the classic murder mysteries it was discussing that it didn’t feel like the right execution for the plot line.
One final criticism: I didn’t take points off for this because it’s to be expected but be aware that this does spoil the plots of many other books. I liked the discussion of other mysteries and found the author’s passion bled into the pages nicely.
I sincerely hope this is my worst rating of the year and that it’s all up from here. I think I need a nice cozy or fantasy to clear my palate after this one.
Mood/Seasonal Reading: February cold days
This was rough. The concept intrigued me so much I moved it up my tbr list. Having read the ABC murders last year I thought this was a solid next pick. It could have been.
I was anticipating a fast paced, almost Magpie Murders like vibe where a bookshop owner helped solve an interesting case. Instead, I got a very graphic crime novel with an extremely unlikeable and unreliable narrator. Mal was infuriating. As the novel progressed I had less and less sympathy for his character. Even the investigator he was helping wasn’t my cup of tea. To put it plain this novel had not a single character I wanted to cheer for.
As for the mystery, it went in such a direction that I no longer cared who the murder was. I no longer cared who the victims were. I no longer cared in general. When the killer is finally revealed and you need to pause the story and go “who??” You know you’ve hit a dud. I didn’t even remember who they were until I was reminded. I guess almost all the characters in this novel were lacklustre to me to be fair.
The plot threw so many disturbing plot lines (read TWs recommended if needed). This exact thing is what truly lost me. I’ll explain. This taught me what I like in my mysteries. While it’s true I enjoy a good cozy, I can dip my toe into a more serious and realistic thriller. I can have hard hitting topics and mature content and throughly enjoy a book. When it loses me is when it feels like almost every moment of the book is a disturbing situation or traumatic past moment involving one of life’s many sadly true circumstances it felt like it was used for shock value and twists rather than character growth and a general valuable discourse. This had far too many disturbing discussions that I felt did not match what I was anticipating from this book. It was such a tonal difference from the classic murder mysteries it was discussing that it didn’t feel like the right execution for the plot line.
One final criticism: I didn’t take points off for this because it’s to be expected but be aware that this does spoil the plots of many other books. I liked the discussion of other mysteries and found the author’s passion bled into the pages nicely.
I sincerely hope this is my worst rating of the year and that it’s all up from here. I think I need a nice cozy or fantasy to clear my palate after this one.
March 26, 2020
3.5 stars rounded up. I want to start this review by saying that I have not read any of the classic mysteries on Malcolm's list. That may be why I didn't enjoy this book as much as many others did. Having said that, it was a well written, twisty mystery/thriller story. Malcolm, who owns a mystery book store, wrote a blog post citing what he felt where Eight Perfect Murders in literature. When it appears that someone is killing people based on the books in this list, the FBI comes calling. One agent actually enlists his help in the investigation.
So, what did I think of this book. I found that it moved quite slowly and there seemed to be a lot of repetition. I liked how the mystery played out and how Mal finally figured out who had been doing the killing, although the reveal did put him at risk. The twists were what kept me listening to this one as I had to find out where Peter Swanson was going with this one. It seems pretty straight forward at the beginning, but oh no, it has a lot of surprises ahead for the reader. There was a lot of dialogue in this story, which might be why it seemed to be so slow. Overall, this one kept me interested to see what was going to happen, but when I was finished, I just thought it was okay. Having said that, this is a mystery lovers book. The eight books Malcolm has listed on his blog are ones that a lot of would be familiar with even if you haven't read them. There are also other books mentioned throughout the book and if you write them all down, you will probably end up adding a lot of books to your TBR.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Graham Halstead. He does a wonderful job narrating this story and as the voice of Malcolm Kershaw. The pacing was great and the tone and inflection used for the voicing was very well done. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
So, what did I think of this book. I found that it moved quite slowly and there seemed to be a lot of repetition. I liked how the mystery played out and how Mal finally figured out who had been doing the killing, although the reveal did put him at risk. The twists were what kept me listening to this one as I had to find out where Peter Swanson was going with this one. It seems pretty straight forward at the beginning, but oh no, it has a lot of surprises ahead for the reader. There was a lot of dialogue in this story, which might be why it seemed to be so slow. Overall, this one kept me interested to see what was going to happen, but when I was finished, I just thought it was okay. Having said that, this is a mystery lovers book. The eight books Malcolm has listed on his blog are ones that a lot of would be familiar with even if you haven't read them. There are also other books mentioned throughout the book and if you write them all down, you will probably end up adding a lot of books to your TBR.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Graham Halstead. He does a wonderful job narrating this story and as the voice of Malcolm Kershaw. The pacing was great and the tone and inflection used for the voicing was very well done. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
July 30, 2022
I didn't think the day would come that I gave Peter Swanson anything less then five stars.
To start I did not like the way the story was told. It started as a memoir and then you spend the rest of the novel trying to figure out if you can trust the protagonist, who is pretentious and unrelatable.
I despised the female detective, she made no sense to me.
The plot and characters were very weak in my opinion and was not worth spoiling 8 other novels.
Things I liked: The cat.
I'm sorry for such a negative review. This book was just not to my personal taste. I am happy for everyone who enjoyed this book and I appreciate all the hard work that went into writing it. I will of course read any future books Peter Swanson writes!
To start I did not like the way the story was told. It started as a memoir and then you spend the rest of the novel trying to figure out if you can trust the protagonist, who is pretentious and unrelatable.
I despised the female detective, she made no sense to me.
The plot and characters were very weak in my opinion and was not worth spoiling 8 other novels.
Things I liked: The cat.
I'm sorry for such a negative review. This book was just not to my personal taste. I am happy for everyone who enjoyed this book and I appreciate all the hard work that went into writing it. I will of course read any future books Peter Swanson writes!
February 26, 2022
A clever mystery with a sympathetic lead character & surprising twists. I enjoyed how classic mysteries figured into the motives & discussions of the players. Entertaining!
March 20, 2020
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Eight Perfect Murders was not exactly what I expected. But that's usually a good thing. The main character ran a book shop in Boston. I enjoyed the bookish things and the different authors and books discussed.
The book shop owner, before he was an owner, and was an employee, wrote his first post for the shop's blog. It was a list of books which had eight perfect murders. He had visions of being a blog star or something but it only got a couple comments and that was the end.
Several years later, Mal is contacted by an FBI agent who thinks someone is using his list to murder people. The agent asks him to consult on the book and the murders as an expert of sorts. It appears the killer is maybe halfway through the list. The investigation is interesting in its examination of the books and whether they fit to the murders.
As they continue to investigate, Mal's personal history including his wife and her death are woven into the background, along with all the people he knows as it becomes more clear the killer must know him somehow. Then new murders start happening on the list and Mal gets increasingly more entangled.
I enjoyed this story which builds adding a creepy detail each step of the way. So it's not really shocking or twisty, as much as a suspenseful climax when each piece is added to the pile. It seemed very Dexterish that the ones killed were bad guys in the first place. But it isn't really the killer's place to judge.
Narration:
The narrator was very easy to understand and sounded appropriate for the characters. I have heard him before in another Peter Swanson audiobook I got from the library. I was very comfortable listening and able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:https://soundcloud.com/harperaudio_us...
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Eight Perfect Murders was not exactly what I expected. But that's usually a good thing. The main character ran a book shop in Boston. I enjoyed the bookish things and the different authors and books discussed.
The book shop owner, before he was an owner, and was an employee, wrote his first post for the shop's blog. It was a list of books which had eight perfect murders. He had visions of being a blog star or something but it only got a couple comments and that was the end.
Several years later, Mal is contacted by an FBI agent who thinks someone is using his list to murder people. The agent asks him to consult on the book and the murders as an expert of sorts. It appears the killer is maybe halfway through the list. The investigation is interesting in its examination of the books and whether they fit to the murders.
As they continue to investigate, Mal's personal history including his wife and her death are woven into the background, along with all the people he knows as it becomes more clear the killer must know him somehow. Then new murders start happening on the list and Mal gets increasingly more entangled.
I enjoyed this story which builds adding a creepy detail each step of the way. So it's not really shocking or twisty, as much as a suspenseful climax when each piece is added to the pile. It seemed very Dexterish that the ones killed were bad guys in the first place. But it isn't really the killer's place to judge.
Narration:
The narrator was very easy to understand and sounded appropriate for the characters. I have heard him before in another Peter Swanson audiobook I got from the library. I was very comfortable listening and able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:https://soundcloud.com/harperaudio_us...
February 19, 2025
Ok, so umm this is my first Peter Swanson experience and I enjoyed it but maybe not as much as this author is hyped up to be. I have high hopes that my next book by this author is going to blow my socks off!!!!!
This was kinda a slow build. I was NOT expecting the plot to take the turns it took! Narrator was a likable character. Story flowed well. I was expecting more than the book gave. That’s all.
This was kinda a slow build. I was NOT expecting the plot to take the turns it took! Narrator was a likable character. Story flowed well. I was expecting more than the book gave. That’s all.
June 11, 2020
What a fun book to read. I love books about books and make it a mystery and I’m sold. Yes there are spoilers, for the 8 books referenced. This is where my poor memory really shines. If spoilers for books written some of them over 80 years ago bother you, you might want to hold off. This is otherwise a very solid read that will definitely add some more books to your TBR
November 2, 2020
Decent mystery - nothing really special, but good for the daily commute as it didn't need my full attention. Couple of neat surprises, which to a fair extent (POSSIBLE SPOILER, BUT NOT REALLY) link back to a pretty messed up marriage. So, y'know...marry well. You're never gonna really change anyone - so choose wisely.
March 26, 2020
Superb ... on the edge of my seat the whole time. A most unexpected ending.
March 11, 2023
I have enjoyed every book that I have read by Swanson. This one may be my new favorite. I enjoyed this so much more than I expected! This is a delight for a thriller book lover like me! Our protagonist, Mal, is owner of Old Devils Bookshop in Boston. There is even a bookshop cat (wait until you get his story!). Mal wrote a blog years ago entitled "Eight Perfect Murders" based on mystery books that he considered to have pulled off the perfect murder in their plots. In the present someone is using his list to commit actual murders in real life. This list of actual published books is given to us very early in the book so I don't feel it's a spoiler to include one of the books from the list that I learned about and now must read! Are you ready for this? Who knew A.A. Milne (Yes, Winnie the Pooh author!) wrote a murder mystery entitled THE RED HOUSE MYSTERY? Well, I sure didn't. So that was an exciting bonus. Back to Swanson's book, though. It has twists and turns, some plot surprises and a chilling ending. Just perfect!
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