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Chacune de ses peurs
Échange appartement
contre tranquillité d’esprit…
ou pas !
Lorsque Corbin propose à Kate d’échanger leurs appartements respectifs de Boston et de Londres, Kate, récemment victime d’un ex à la jalousie pathologique, pense que cela l’aidera à remonter la pente et accepte avec joie la proposition de son cousin américain.Malheureusement, à peine arrivée, elle apprend qu’une Voisine, Audrey Marshall, a été assassinée. Troublée, elle se pose aussitôt des questions sur Corbin, d’autant qu’elle s’aperçoit rapidement que ce cousin, locataire fort sympathique au demeurant, se montre très énigmatique sur sa relation avec Audrey… Alors quand l’ex-petit ami de la victime l’accuse clairement à son tour, et que le mystérieux Corbin disparaît brusquement… « Dans ce troisième roman, Peter Swanson
fait sortir un délicieux monstre du placard et,
inexorablement, grâce à des personnages
superbement campés, l’angoisse monte. »
Booklist
contre tranquillité d’esprit…
ou pas !
Lorsque Corbin propose à Kate d’échanger leurs appartements respectifs de Boston et de Londres, Kate, récemment victime d’un ex à la jalousie pathologique, pense que cela l’aidera à remonter la pente et accepte avec joie la proposition de son cousin américain.Malheureusement, à peine arrivée, elle apprend qu’une Voisine, Audrey Marshall, a été assassinée. Troublée, elle se pose aussitôt des questions sur Corbin, d’autant qu’elle s’aperçoit rapidement que ce cousin, locataire fort sympathique au demeurant, se montre très énigmatique sur sa relation avec Audrey… Alors quand l’ex-petit ami de la victime l’accuse clairement à son tour, et que le mystérieux Corbin disparaît brusquement… « Dans ce troisième roman, Peter Swanson
fait sortir un délicieux monstre du placard et,
inexorablement, grâce à des personnages
superbement campés, l’angoisse monte. »
Booklist
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 10, 2017
2214 people are currently reading
38130 people want to read
About the author
Peter Swanson
21 books13.1k 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 4,237 reviews
December 28, 2016
I'm always cautious going into a severely hyped up book these days. It seems those are the ones with the most potential to disappoint, as expectations are at their highest. I'm pleased to announce that this book lived up to the hype, but for me it was in a completely different way. Her Every Fear was an unexpected read for myself based on how it's being marketed. I knew it would be hard to top the author's mega successful thriller The Kind Worth Killing which swept the genre last year, and I'm pleased to say that his goal seemed to be creating a different beast and showing off his talent in writing something with more emotion as opposed to sheer shock value. This is a book that messes more with the mind than with cheap scare tactics; sometimes I feel these are truly the most haunting of all and the hardest to pull off, but Peter Swanson does this with the ease of a writer who has been doing so for decades.
The number one noticeable difference in my expectations vs. the reality of this read is that it is heavily character driven. While this definitely counts as a psychological thriller/domestic suspense, the story was a steady, consistent pace with minimal thrilling action. The meat of this story is getting into the minds and lives of these characters and slowly spiraling down their web of crazy, tragic, and disturbing lifelines. This is not a complaint, just an observation. I felt Swanson did a fantastic job of taking us through this creepy experience, and did so in a different way than most. For example, the reader discovers the murderer(s?) fairly early on at about 40% in. This does take a bit of the mystery factor out of the remainder of the read, but really ramps up the suspense as the heart of this story is the why and how. This was also different in his form of using multiple POVs; the story is told between 4 characters and while most books tend to alternate by picking up and leaving off between various people, this story tells the same scenes from all different viewpoints. I was torn on this method; I really enjoyed getting into the head of each character and feeling like I was tapping into all possible details, but at the same time felt a few parts were repetitive as they didn't really contain varying information. However, the author took a huge chance writing his book this way and for the most part, it works and I applaud him for being so creative and pulling off such a feat.
"From ghoulies and ghosties
And long-leggedy beasties
And other things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord, deliver us"
-childhood prayer
If you want to know how well-written this book is, just appreciate the fact that I had to immediately get up upon finishing and check under my bed for monsters. I can't remember the last time I've read a book with such a stand out villain; the particular one I am thinking of was a dark, violent animal who is 100% likable. Immediately my brain went to envisioning the heart of most politicians. Swanson truly captured the sense of these psychopaths who walk among us; we have been shocked in history at some of the most proficient serial killers as they were some of the least likely suspects based on those who knew them personally. These sly devils hide in plain sight and win us over with their charm and manipulation. This aspect of the story is what set Her Every Fear apart from others of it's kind. Go into this one knowing this is not an action thriller so that you can fully appreciate the finer touches of Swanson's writing and the complex nature it took to pull off a book of this magnitude. I will agree with those who have compared this to a Hitchcock thriller; it does have all the characteristics and I feel like it would make a fine black and white movie. Once again, I'm left even more excited about the next book the author will write and can't wait to see what direction he takes us in! Highly recommended!
*Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing my copy via Goodreads Giveaway; it was my pleasure to provide an honest review.
The number one noticeable difference in my expectations vs. the reality of this read is that it is heavily character driven. While this definitely counts as a psychological thriller/domestic suspense, the story was a steady, consistent pace with minimal thrilling action. The meat of this story is getting into the minds and lives of these characters and slowly spiraling down their web of crazy, tragic, and disturbing lifelines. This is not a complaint, just an observation. I felt Swanson did a fantastic job of taking us through this creepy experience, and did so in a different way than most. For example, the reader discovers the murderer(s?) fairly early on at about 40% in. This does take a bit of the mystery factor out of the remainder of the read, but really ramps up the suspense as the heart of this story is the why and how. This was also different in his form of using multiple POVs; the story is told between 4 characters and while most books tend to alternate by picking up and leaving off between various people, this story tells the same scenes from all different viewpoints. I was torn on this method; I really enjoyed getting into the head of each character and feeling like I was tapping into all possible details, but at the same time felt a few parts were repetitive as they didn't really contain varying information. However, the author took a huge chance writing his book this way and for the most part, it works and I applaud him for being so creative and pulling off such a feat.
"From ghoulies and ghosties
And long-leggedy beasties
And other things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord, deliver us"
-childhood prayer
If you want to know how well-written this book is, just appreciate the fact that I had to immediately get up upon finishing and check under my bed for monsters. I can't remember the last time I've read a book with such a stand out villain; the particular one I am thinking of was a dark, violent animal who is 100% likable. Immediately my brain went to envisioning the heart of most politicians. Swanson truly captured the sense of these psychopaths who walk among us; we have been shocked in history at some of the most proficient serial killers as they were some of the least likely suspects based on those who knew them personally. These sly devils hide in plain sight and win us over with their charm and manipulation. This aspect of the story is what set Her Every Fear apart from others of it's kind. Go into this one knowing this is not an action thriller so that you can fully appreciate the finer touches of Swanson's writing and the complex nature it took to pull off a book of this magnitude. I will agree with those who have compared this to a Hitchcock thriller; it does have all the characteristics and I feel like it would make a fine black and white movie. Once again, I'm left even more excited about the next book the author will write and can't wait to see what direction he takes us in! Highly recommended!
*Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing my copy via Goodreads Giveaway; it was my pleasure to provide an honest review.
May 31, 2017
A good story that could have been great, Her Every Fear is plagued with a mediocre ending and way too much repetition. What I did love about it though was the stalkerish vibe oozing off the pages. Is there anything better than a little creepiness to amp up the suspense? Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to stop me from thinking about what could have been. I just wish it had all culminated in a more exciting way.
If you’ve read The Kind Worth Killing than you know Peter Swanson can write an unexpected and suspense riddled read, while not quite following the traditional arc of a story. He delivered again with this one, but I have to admit, there was something off about the whole thing - especially the characters. Talk about an odd bunch.
This is a character driven novel at it's core. The story opens with Kate, a woman plagued by anxiety and the ability to turn any situation, in her mind, into a terrifying experience. She has a valid reason for it and for agreeing to swap her London flat with her second cousin Corbin’s apartment in Boston for six months. When Corbin’s next door neighbor ends up brutally murdered within days of Kate’s arrival, it becomes a case of whodunnit. There’s a voyeuristic neighbor, an old college classmate and even Corbin himself vying for prime suspect.
Mr. Swanson digs deep and explores the psyche of each of these characters, which I wholeheartedly love as a reader. I want to feel like I know the characters intimately when I’m ensconced in a story. He takes it even a step further and really tries to make the reader understand why these characters are who they are and what makes them tick. Can I just say - this is an awkward bunch. There were a few times they threw me off with their blunt declarations or off the wall questions and antics. I guess it kept things interesting though.
One of my biggest issues with the story stemmed from the change in perspective. Every time this happened, especially in the last half of the book, the character regurgitated a ton of information in telling their side of things. For me, it dragged down the pace and feel of the entire story. Who wants to read the same thing over and over? Had it been done in a more interesting way, added to the plot or skewed the way the reader saw things playing out, maybe it would have worked.
My feelings were bouncing all over the place with this one. Parts of the story had me completely and utterly engaged, others left me bored and then there was my frustration with the disappointing ending. If I’m being honest, it tanked the story for me. For all of the buildup and anticipation in what was to come or what I assumed was to come, it was so lackluster. Blah. Not enough. Weak. Why end things so anticlimactically? And the final few pages were wasted on me - it just didn’t fit the rest of the story. Not one I would consider a new favorite, but still entertaining for the most part.
*Thank you to William Morrow for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
If you’ve read The Kind Worth Killing than you know Peter Swanson can write an unexpected and suspense riddled read, while not quite following the traditional arc of a story. He delivered again with this one, but I have to admit, there was something off about the whole thing - especially the characters. Talk about an odd bunch.
This is a character driven novel at it's core. The story opens with Kate, a woman plagued by anxiety and the ability to turn any situation, in her mind, into a terrifying experience. She has a valid reason for it and for agreeing to swap her London flat with her second cousin Corbin’s apartment in Boston for six months. When Corbin’s next door neighbor ends up brutally murdered within days of Kate’s arrival, it becomes a case of whodunnit. There’s a voyeuristic neighbor, an old college classmate and even Corbin himself vying for prime suspect.
Mr. Swanson digs deep and explores the psyche of each of these characters, which I wholeheartedly love as a reader. I want to feel like I know the characters intimately when I’m ensconced in a story. He takes it even a step further and really tries to make the reader understand why these characters are who they are and what makes them tick. Can I just say - this is an awkward bunch. There were a few times they threw me off with their blunt declarations or off the wall questions and antics. I guess it kept things interesting though.
One of my biggest issues with the story stemmed from the change in perspective. Every time this happened, especially in the last half of the book, the character regurgitated a ton of information in telling their side of things. For me, it dragged down the pace and feel of the entire story. Who wants to read the same thing over and over? Had it been done in a more interesting way, added to the plot or skewed the way the reader saw things playing out, maybe it would have worked.
My feelings were bouncing all over the place with this one. Parts of the story had me completely and utterly engaged, others left me bored and then there was my frustration with the disappointing ending. If I’m being honest, it tanked the story for me. For all of the buildup and anticipation in what was to come or what I assumed was to come, it was so lackluster. Blah. Not enough. Weak. Why end things so anticlimactically? And the final few pages were wasted on me - it just didn’t fit the rest of the story. Not one I would consider a new favorite, but still entertaining for the most part.
*Thank you to William Morrow for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 29, 2017
Ahem. I have a late-breaking year end announcement to make:
THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST-PSYCHOLOGICALLY CREEPY- BOOKS I'VE READ IN 2017!
The story begins with a brilliant set-up. Corbin and Kate have never met, despite being second cousins. Kate lives in London and Corbin resides in Boston. After briefly emailing each other, both late 20-somethings decide to house swap for six months. They still never meet in person, since their crisscrossed flights take off at about the same time.
Kate arrives at Corbin's apartment to find it is large and lavish. She feels a little guilty for receiving the better end of the bargain. After all, her own efficiency flat in London doesn't even compare to this American one. What she soon finds out though, is that there is a dead girl next door. Gee, thanks, Corbin! A murder investigation begins and the cops are not the only ones trying to find out why sweet Audrey next door was brutally mutilated. Kate starts to wonder if her cousin Corbin is a murderer.
All of the characters in this addictive book are richly layered and complex. Each one is over the limit with the amount of baggage they carry. Kate has suffered through a traumatic experience and is convinced she attracts psychos. She may be right. I found her to be an ultimately strong person, she fought through those panic attacks! Since I'm always looking for tough literary females, I also connected to the detective, Roberta James. She was strong and nurturing all the while doing a kick-ass job.
Peter Swanson is a master storyteller. He reminds me of Gillian Flynn the way he just tells the story. It flows from beginning to end. None of that switching back and forth in time with crazy chapters. :-) I loved the flow of this book, I seriously could not stop reading it!
If you are a fan of Patricia Highsmith, I think you will adore this book as well as Swanson's The Kind Worth Killing. Where that book is very much a modern Strangers on a Train, this book reminds me so much of The Talented Mr. Ripley.
I saw some reviews that aren't as crazy happy as mine. I will say this is a character analysis of a psychopath. YOU KNOW I LOVE TO ANALYZE THE CRAZY MURDERER. Most of the action takes place in the thoughts of Kate, Corbin and a couple of other characters. There isn't a "gotcha" twist or a crazy reveal of the killer. You find out what's going on about midway into the book. Then, it's a nail biter as to how this is going to play out. The suspense is intense and creepy!
Think stalkers and smiling sociopaths.
Now, c'mon sweet library! I need that copy of Swanson's first book The Girl with a Clock for a Heart! His new one is due out Spring 2018. I cannot wait to read everything he writes.
THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST-PSYCHOLOGICALLY CREEPY- BOOKS I'VE READ IN 2017!
The story begins with a brilliant set-up. Corbin and Kate have never met, despite being second cousins. Kate lives in London and Corbin resides in Boston. After briefly emailing each other, both late 20-somethings decide to house swap for six months. They still never meet in person, since their crisscrossed flights take off at about the same time.
Kate arrives at Corbin's apartment to find it is large and lavish. She feels a little guilty for receiving the better end of the bargain. After all, her own efficiency flat in London doesn't even compare to this American one. What she soon finds out though, is that there is a dead girl next door. Gee, thanks, Corbin! A murder investigation begins and the cops are not the only ones trying to find out why sweet Audrey next door was brutally mutilated. Kate starts to wonder if her cousin Corbin is a murderer.
All of the characters in this addictive book are richly layered and complex. Each one is over the limit with the amount of baggage they carry. Kate has suffered through a traumatic experience and is convinced she attracts psychos. She may be right. I found her to be an ultimately strong person, she fought through those panic attacks! Since I'm always looking for tough literary females, I also connected to the detective, Roberta James. She was strong and nurturing all the while doing a kick-ass job.
Peter Swanson is a master storyteller. He reminds me of Gillian Flynn the way he just tells the story. It flows from beginning to end. None of that switching back and forth in time with crazy chapters. :-) I loved the flow of this book, I seriously could not stop reading it!
If you are a fan of Patricia Highsmith, I think you will adore this book as well as Swanson's The Kind Worth Killing. Where that book is very much a modern Strangers on a Train, this book reminds me so much of The Talented Mr. Ripley.
I saw some reviews that aren't as crazy happy as mine. I will say this is a character analysis of a psychopath. YOU KNOW I LOVE TO ANALYZE THE CRAZY MURDERER. Most of the action takes place in the thoughts of Kate, Corbin and a couple of other characters. There isn't a "gotcha" twist or a crazy reveal of the killer. You find out what's going on about midway into the book. Then, it's a nail biter as to how this is going to play out. The suspense is intense and creepy!
Think stalkers and smiling sociopaths.
Now, c'mon sweet library! I need that copy of Swanson's first book The Girl with a Clock for a Heart! His new one is due out Spring 2018. I cannot wait to read everything he writes.
September 27, 2020
YES! Peter Swanson for the win again! What took me so long to read this?! This was fantastic!
The plot was...amazing...the details..disturbing...the creepy stalker vibe was...off the chain!
Kate and Corbin are cousins. Yet they have never met. Kate takes Corbin up on his offer to house swap. Is this offer as innocent as it seems or has Corbin used her as an alibi? I begin to wonder when the girl next door turns up murdered.
The creepy vibe was all over the place. People being watched, stalked, here let me move into your home and you don't know it. WHATTT??? How about that Audrey and the guy across the way did a buddy read of Gone Girl...but Audrey didn't know they did. Yeah...that...I seriously got chills just thinking about all this.
I make no secret that this is my very favorite author. Yet for some reason he has two books that I have not read...now I am down to one. I am not sure exactly why but I feel I have been "saving" them for a special treat. I know...weird...I am so excited that it was even better than I had hoped!
Thank you to Javier for buddy reading this with me! It was so much fun to have someone to discuss this with!
The plot was...amazing...the details..disturbing...the creepy stalker vibe was...off the chain!
Kate and Corbin are cousins. Yet they have never met. Kate takes Corbin up on his offer to house swap. Is this offer as innocent as it seems or has Corbin used her as an alibi? I begin to wonder when the girl next door turns up murdered.
The creepy vibe was all over the place. People being watched, stalked, here let me move into your home and you don't know it. WHATTT??? How about that Audrey and the guy across the way did a buddy read of Gone Girl...but Audrey didn't know they did. Yeah...that...I seriously got chills just thinking about all this.
I make no secret that this is my very favorite author. Yet for some reason he has two books that I have not read...now I am down to one. I am not sure exactly why but I feel I have been "saving" them for a special treat. I know...weird...I am so excited that it was even better than I had hoped!
Thank you to Javier for buddy reading this with me! It was so much fun to have someone to discuss this with!
February 8, 2017
3.5 Stars
My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...
I am so far behind on the books I want to read. This is my first read from Peter Swanson. I've been wanting to read "The Kind Worth Killing" for a long time, I just haven't gotten to it. But when this book popped up on NetGalley it sounded like something I needed to read right away!
Kate Priddy lives in London and has decided to switch apartments with her distant cousin Corbin, who is from Boston. The switch will be for six months and after the stress Kate has been under, it sounds like a good idea. She can take classes while staying in Boston as well as do some sightseeing.
However, she's already wondering if this was such a great idea.
As the books opens, Kate is already in Boston, stuck in a tunnel under Boston Harbor. Traffic is blocked and she's starting to panic. Panic attacks are not new to Kate and she tries to deep breath to calm herself...
"Face it. Accept it. Float with it. Let time Pass" is her mantra
The darkness and the smell reminds Kate of being trapped in another dark place after she was kidnapped and held in a closet. Just when she feels like she's headed for a full flown anxiety attack traffic starts moving.
She gets to her cousin's apartment and falls in love with the space and the view. A few moments later she hears noises in the hall. A woman is worried about her friend who has not been answering her messages. Kate has a strange feeling that something awful has happened to the woman.
Now she REALLY feels like she should never have some to America.
The story was told from multiple points of view. Occasionally the different viewpoints of the same event became repetitive, which was a bit annoying. However, I still enjoyed this book. It held my attention and didn't take more than a few sittings to read.
I look forward to reading more from Peter Swanson.
Thank you NetGalley, Faber & Faber, and Peter Swanson for providing an advanced readers copy of this book for me to read in exchange for my honest review.
My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...
I am so far behind on the books I want to read. This is my first read from Peter Swanson. I've been wanting to read "The Kind Worth Killing" for a long time, I just haven't gotten to it. But when this book popped up on NetGalley it sounded like something I needed to read right away!
Kate Priddy lives in London and has decided to switch apartments with her distant cousin Corbin, who is from Boston. The switch will be for six months and after the stress Kate has been under, it sounds like a good idea. She can take classes while staying in Boston as well as do some sightseeing.
However, she's already wondering if this was such a great idea.
As the books opens, Kate is already in Boston, stuck in a tunnel under Boston Harbor. Traffic is blocked and she's starting to panic. Panic attacks are not new to Kate and she tries to deep breath to calm herself...
"Face it. Accept it. Float with it. Let time Pass" is her mantra
The darkness and the smell reminds Kate of being trapped in another dark place after she was kidnapped and held in a closet. Just when she feels like she's headed for a full flown anxiety attack traffic starts moving.
She gets to her cousin's apartment and falls in love with the space and the view. A few moments later she hears noises in the hall. A woman is worried about her friend who has not been answering her messages. Kate has a strange feeling that something awful has happened to the woman.
Now she REALLY feels like she should never have some to America.
The story was told from multiple points of view. Occasionally the different viewpoints of the same event became repetitive, which was a bit annoying. However, I still enjoyed this book. It held my attention and didn't take more than a few sittings to read.
I look forward to reading more from Peter Swanson.
Thank you NetGalley, Faber & Faber, and Peter Swanson for providing an advanced readers copy of this book for me to read in exchange for my honest review.
November 2, 2017
”She had nervous, haunted eyes. Something had happened to her. She was damaged goods, and that was more beautiful to Henry than her lovely bone structure and her plump mouth.”
Fear emanates off victims like a lighthouse beacon to those who prey. Fear kept so close to the surface of the skin makes the blood of a predator sing and their nose tingle with the heady scent of trepidation. Kate Priddy’s last boyfriend, George, turned out to be mentally deranged and was so consumed with her that he couldn’t live without her. When Kate ended the relationship the results were traumatic, to say the least. It wasn’t as if Kate was a stable individual before having the crazy boyfriend from hell. She suffered and still suffers from panic attacks, agoraphobia, and claustrophobia, and after hours upon hours of therapy she has reached a point where she can control some of her worst fears.
But she still smells of fear.
When she gets the chance to exchange apartments with her cousin Corbin Dell for a few months, she surprises herself by agreeing. They pass each other in the air, he on his way to London and she on her way to Beacon Hill in Boston.
She provides him with a small efficiency apartment. He provides her with a beautiful, large apartment with a dead neighbor next door. This isn’t an old lady half eaten by her own cats or an old man who electrocuted himself trying to get a piece of toast out of the toaster. This is a beautiful young woman who has been cut down the middle of her body from her forehead to the parting of her legs.
Corbin leaves her a bottle of champagne, and frankly, he could have stopped there. A murder with so many extra trimmings is simply going over the top. Kate finds herself intrigued more than she is scared. I would have been more scared than intrigued. She is compelled, because she has a lot of time on her hands, to do some amateur investigating.
She meets Alan, who has an apartment that looks into the victim’s apartment. ”With the binoculars in his hand, he hesitated, knowing somehow that there was a genuine difference between simply watching your neighbor through a window and watching her with a pair of binoculars. It will be just for a moment, he told himself. A way to get a really good look at her, maybe even see what book she’s reading.”
Okay, it was just creepy before, but all's fair in love, war, and finding out what book someone is reading, right? It was Wolf Hall by the way, which is an excellent choice.
As we all know the world is always looking.
Corbin has a long, convoluted, demented relationship with a charismatic psychopath named Henry who is rather annoyed with Corbin. ”Henry felt deeply hurt, another new emotional experience. Not just hurt, but shocked. After all, Henry had introduced Corbin to a new and better world. He’d taken him from Kansas to Oz, and now Corbin, for some reason, wanted to go back to Kansas.”
Hey, I live in Kansas, and I’m with Henry on this one.
Needless to say, creeps abound, and each is a perfect suspect for the murder of Audrey Marshall. Kate is a sheep among wolves. She is caught in a world of manipulation, murder, betrayal, and Jimmy Stewartesque Rear Window peeping. She can’t leave, and she can’t stay. She is caught between conflicting fears. If she goes back to London, she may never leave her parent’s house again. If she stays, she could be split in half like an overripe watermelon.
And George keeps whispering to her.
I’ve become a big fan of Peter Swanson’s books. He is bringing noir from the 1940s into the present. He understands suspense and how to build it to a dramatic conclusion with a true Hitchcock flare. In his first two books, the twists were so well done that they left me with my jaw dropped open and the hairs on the back of my neck fully erect and tingling. This one is written differently, with more details known early, so the suspense comes more from can Kate figure out what is going on soon enough to save herself.
I have read and reviewed his first two books as well. The Girl with the Clock from the Heart review is here. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And my favorite The Kind Worth Killing review is here. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at: https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
Fear emanates off victims like a lighthouse beacon to those who prey. Fear kept so close to the surface of the skin makes the blood of a predator sing and their nose tingle with the heady scent of trepidation. Kate Priddy’s last boyfriend, George, turned out to be mentally deranged and was so consumed with her that he couldn’t live without her. When Kate ended the relationship the results were traumatic, to say the least. It wasn’t as if Kate was a stable individual before having the crazy boyfriend from hell. She suffered and still suffers from panic attacks, agoraphobia, and claustrophobia, and after hours upon hours of therapy she has reached a point where she can control some of her worst fears.
But she still smells of fear.
When she gets the chance to exchange apartments with her cousin Corbin Dell for a few months, she surprises herself by agreeing. They pass each other in the air, he on his way to London and she on her way to Beacon Hill in Boston.
She provides him with a small efficiency apartment. He provides her with a beautiful, large apartment with a dead neighbor next door. This isn’t an old lady half eaten by her own cats or an old man who electrocuted himself trying to get a piece of toast out of the toaster. This is a beautiful young woman who has been cut down the middle of her body from her forehead to the parting of her legs.
Corbin leaves her a bottle of champagne, and frankly, he could have stopped there. A murder with so many extra trimmings is simply going over the top. Kate finds herself intrigued more than she is scared. I would have been more scared than intrigued. She is compelled, because she has a lot of time on her hands, to do some amateur investigating.
She meets Alan, who has an apartment that looks into the victim’s apartment. ”With the binoculars in his hand, he hesitated, knowing somehow that there was a genuine difference between simply watching your neighbor through a window and watching her with a pair of binoculars. It will be just for a moment, he told himself. A way to get a really good look at her, maybe even see what book she’s reading.”
Okay, it was just creepy before, but all's fair in love, war, and finding out what book someone is reading, right? It was Wolf Hall by the way, which is an excellent choice.
As we all know the world is always looking.
Corbin has a long, convoluted, demented relationship with a charismatic psychopath named Henry who is rather annoyed with Corbin. ”Henry felt deeply hurt, another new emotional experience. Not just hurt, but shocked. After all, Henry had introduced Corbin to a new and better world. He’d taken him from Kansas to Oz, and now Corbin, for some reason, wanted to go back to Kansas.”
Hey, I live in Kansas, and I’m with Henry on this one.
Needless to say, creeps abound, and each is a perfect suspect for the murder of Audrey Marshall. Kate is a sheep among wolves. She is caught in a world of manipulation, murder, betrayal, and Jimmy Stewartesque Rear Window peeping. She can’t leave, and she can’t stay. She is caught between conflicting fears. If she goes back to London, she may never leave her parent’s house again. If she stays, she could be split in half like an overripe watermelon.
And George keeps whispering to her.
I’ve become a big fan of Peter Swanson’s books. He is bringing noir from the 1940s into the present. He understands suspense and how to build it to a dramatic conclusion with a true Hitchcock flare. In his first two books, the twists were so well done that they left me with my jaw dropped open and the hairs on the back of my neck fully erect and tingling. This one is written differently, with more details known early, so the suspense comes more from can Kate figure out what is going on soon enough to save herself.
I have read and reviewed his first two books as well. The Girl with the Clock from the Heart review is here. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And my favorite The Kind Worth Killing review is here. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at: https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
April 12, 2017
This one took me so much longer than my typical read. I finished nearly 3 other books while reading this one. Kept putting it down thinking that when I got back to it I’d appreciate it more. Well…that didn’t quite happen.
It was supposed to be a fun adventure. Kate and her second cousin Corbin were swapping apartments for six months. Kate would travel to Boston, actually her first time venturing to America. Her cousin Corbin would fly to London to stay in Kate's cozy flat. Fantastic idea! I would jump at the chance in a heartbeat. I mean, what could possibly go wrong? Now add in a sadistic serial killer looking for revenge, a peeping Tom and a white cat named Sanders. Well, you get the gist…the plot thickens!
Told from several povs’ including both Kate and Corbin, the story flowed easily, and I was hooked. Unfortunately it didn't last. I found that at about half way through, the book started becoming somewhat repetitious in its retelling of the story through everyone’s pov. It was overkill, like reading the same chapter over and over.
I was hoping for a few twists along the way but they were lacking. I was hoping for a jaw-dropping moment or two but they weren’t to be found. Almost too straightforward for me. Just felt it was lacking a little bit of...something? Anything? Left me wanting more. I Loved Peter Swanson’s last book The Kind Worth Killing, sadly I just didn’t enjoy this one nearly as much.
It was supposed to be a fun adventure. Kate and her second cousin Corbin were swapping apartments for six months. Kate would travel to Boston, actually her first time venturing to America. Her cousin Corbin would fly to London to stay in Kate's cozy flat. Fantastic idea! I would jump at the chance in a heartbeat. I mean, what could possibly go wrong? Now add in a sadistic serial killer looking for revenge, a peeping Tom and a white cat named Sanders. Well, you get the gist…the plot thickens!
Told from several povs’ including both Kate and Corbin, the story flowed easily, and I was hooked. Unfortunately it didn't last. I found that at about half way through, the book started becoming somewhat repetitious in its retelling of the story through everyone’s pov. It was overkill, like reading the same chapter over and over.
I was hoping for a few twists along the way but they were lacking. I was hoping for a jaw-dropping moment or two but they weren’t to be found. Almost too straightforward for me. Just felt it was lacking a little bit of...something? Anything? Left me wanting more. I Loved Peter Swanson’s last book The Kind Worth Killing, sadly I just didn’t enjoy this one nearly as much.
September 29, 2016
"Life was good" ......or was it?....for Kate Priddy?
Kate had come to Boston - Her cousin Corbin Dell went to London. They exchanged houses for six months. They were cousins, but had never met.
As Kate said herself, "Life was good" . And now that she was outside of the apartment, it suddenly seemed ridiculous how much she'd been obsessing about Audrey Marshall's death and Corbin's part in it. If he had been a genuine suspect, the police would have been back to search the apartment again. Yes, life was good, and Kate was proud of herself. Kate suffered some past trauma --- suffers with anxiety and occasional panic attacks....yet, she is doing better - mindful of situations which trigger panic episodes and has a few breathing and mantra skills which help her cope. Yes... she's doing good. Life is good. Her first trip in America is an opportunity.
Just because a woman named Audrey - who lived next door to Corbin- was murdered just before she arrived - doesn't have to interfere with Kate's well being.
Kate is in Boston on her way to her first day of class on "InDesign". Yep, "Life is Good"....or is it?
Oh yes...
There are other characters who live in the apt. building - Carol Valentine, an older woman who is insistent on inviting Kate over for drinks. There is Bob, the doorman,
Alan Cherney, a quiet, handsome man, and Saunders-the cat who wanders from apt.to apt. Other things to pay attention to: the police, books, windows, draperies, pictures, drawings, relatives....( dead or alive)....friends, bars and pubs. -- and the inner voices of everyone!!!
As for Corbin Dell??? How is he making out since he left for London??? Wow...
He's got a story too. He has a past history too -- makes friends also.....
Is Life Good for Corbin? Hm????
"JUST READ THIS BOOK"! Grab your favorite warm beverage. Snuggle up --do not touch your phone--enjoy the ride!!!!!
THIS MYSTERY CRIME THRILLER IS SOOOOOO GOOD!!!!
IT's GREAT! GREAT! GREAT! GREAT! GREAT! GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!
BEWARE: For those who have been considering exchanging houses with another person in another country --- this novel 'might' have you re-consider those thoughts.
Thank You William Morrow Publishing, and Peter Swanson
Kate had come to Boston - Her cousin Corbin Dell went to London. They exchanged houses for six months. They were cousins, but had never met.
As Kate said herself, "Life was good" . And now that she was outside of the apartment, it suddenly seemed ridiculous how much she'd been obsessing about Audrey Marshall's death and Corbin's part in it. If he had been a genuine suspect, the police would have been back to search the apartment again. Yes, life was good, and Kate was proud of herself. Kate suffered some past trauma --- suffers with anxiety and occasional panic attacks....yet, she is doing better - mindful of situations which trigger panic episodes and has a few breathing and mantra skills which help her cope. Yes... she's doing good. Life is good. Her first trip in America is an opportunity.
Just because a woman named Audrey - who lived next door to Corbin- was murdered just before she arrived - doesn't have to interfere with Kate's well being.
Kate is in Boston on her way to her first day of class on "InDesign". Yep, "Life is Good"....or is it?
Oh yes...
There are other characters who live in the apt. building - Carol Valentine, an older woman who is insistent on inviting Kate over for drinks. There is Bob, the doorman,
Alan Cherney, a quiet, handsome man, and Saunders-the cat who wanders from apt.to apt. Other things to pay attention to: the police, books, windows, draperies, pictures, drawings, relatives....( dead or alive)....friends, bars and pubs. -- and the inner voices of everyone!!!
As for Corbin Dell??? How is he making out since he left for London??? Wow...
He's got a story too. He has a past history too -- makes friends also.....
Is Life Good for Corbin? Hm????
"JUST READ THIS BOOK"! Grab your favorite warm beverage. Snuggle up --do not touch your phone--enjoy the ride!!!!!
THIS MYSTERY CRIME THRILLER IS SOOOOOO GOOD!!!!
IT's GREAT! GREAT! GREAT! GREAT! GREAT! GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!
BEWARE: For those who have been considering exchanging houses with another person in another country --- this novel 'might' have you re-consider those thoughts.
Thank You William Morrow Publishing, and Peter Swanson
October 10, 2017
3.75 ? 4?
Second time reading a book from Peter Swanson. Every time I'm pleasantly surprised but also shocked at how dark it gets!
I would recommend this one but I'm not sure if I like it as much as "The Kind Worth Killing". If you liked that one, you need to read this one too!
Second time reading a book from Peter Swanson. Every time I'm pleasantly surprised but also shocked at how dark it gets!
I would recommend this one but I'm not sure if I like it as much as "The Kind Worth Killing". If you liked that one, you need to read this one too!
February 10, 2017
I finished this book last night and prepared a review in my head. This morning, I think I'm just going to say I thought the book was contrived. It had some plot elements that were too convenient, some things that were just too implausible to be believed, and then rehashed the story from a different character's viewpoint. And I'll let it go at that.
January 15, 2024
This has been on my TBR for awhile, and I needed a page-turner Peter Swanson style.
I've now read ALL of his novels. This might be the most terrifying so far. 😱 It was dark and ominous.
I went in blind and was hooked right away.
I was super invested in Kate's character. When she decides to do an apartment swap with a second cousin (Corbin) in another country, it just might be the worst idea she has ever agreed too!!
Corbin's apartment was like something out of a novel. A huge courtyard with very Italian accents and a friendly doorman. They even have an adorable cat named Sanders that likes to roam the apartments, invited or not! 😺🩷
This could have been a five star, but there is repetition in point of views that I found slowed the overall story.
I was glued to the book even with the repetition. There is a voyeuristic creep, a window peeper that really didn't act normal. Also things that go bump in the night, neighbors with benefits, a missing woman, a few amateur detectives and plenty of breath holding scenes. The ending was perfection.
Thanks to Libby for my kindle copy! This one came out back in 2017 and I'm pending on his newest that publishes in June 2024 🤩📚🤞
I've now read ALL of his novels. This might be the most terrifying so far. 😱 It was dark and ominous.
I went in blind and was hooked right away.
I was super invested in Kate's character. When she decides to do an apartment swap with a second cousin (Corbin) in another country, it just might be the worst idea she has ever agreed too!!
Corbin's apartment was like something out of a novel. A huge courtyard with very Italian accents and a friendly doorman. They even have an adorable cat named Sanders that likes to roam the apartments, invited or not! 😺🩷
This could have been a five star, but there is repetition in point of views that I found slowed the overall story.
I was glued to the book even with the repetition. There is a voyeuristic creep, a window peeper that really didn't act normal. Also things that go bump in the night, neighbors with benefits, a missing woman, a few amateur detectives and plenty of breath holding scenes. The ending was perfection.
Thanks to Libby for my kindle copy! This one came out back in 2017 and I'm pending on his newest that publishes in June 2024 🤩📚🤞
February 7, 2017
So many checkers rolling off this gameboard.
More on that later.
Kate Priddy, a young artist, has made the decision to swap apartments with her second cousin, Corbin Dell. Tricky thing is that Corbin and Kate have never met. Trickier yet, Kate will trade her small London apartment for her cousin's upscale Boston digs. The red squares will be sliding over the black squares.
Trickier even yet, our girl Kate had been held hostage some time before this by a demented boyfriend. Kate trembled and broke down inside a barricaded closet while the boyfriend killed himself outside the door. Since that time, Kate has suffered from severe anxiety attacks and was under the care of a psychiatrist. Just the ticket for deciding to travel way across the pond into the unknown......
The checkers are stacking up even higher when the body of a young female neighbor is found murdered next door to Kate's new abode. Now that would make one desperate to grab that round trip ticket back to London, immediately if not sooner.
Kate goes on to meet a young man who lives in an apartment across the way. Alan seems extremely friendly and they click immediately even though he has a quirky habit. She also runs into a red haired man, Jack, who claims to be a good friend of the dead girl. Kate tries to fit the clues together and even suspects her cousin Corbin because of things that she has found in the apartment. So many checkers on the board and so little time.
If you've read, The Kind Worth Killing, you know that Peter Swanson can spin a good thriller. That book was exceptional. Her Every Fear just didn't cut it for me. Surely there was plenty of the "creep factor" to go around here. Swanson would draw me in with such intense moments and then shut off the valves. There needed to be some plausibility within these characters. It was like being in attendance at a psychopath convention. Ah, those rolling checkers.....and plenty of them.
Many have rated this one higher. I would encourage you to read this one for yourselves. You may have a completely different experience. Being a Peter Swanson fan, I'll be on the lookout for the next one, though. Only let's play poker with Aces wild.....
More on that later.
Kate Priddy, a young artist, has made the decision to swap apartments with her second cousin, Corbin Dell. Tricky thing is that Corbin and Kate have never met. Trickier yet, Kate will trade her small London apartment for her cousin's upscale Boston digs. The red squares will be sliding over the black squares.
Trickier even yet, our girl Kate had been held hostage some time before this by a demented boyfriend. Kate trembled and broke down inside a barricaded closet while the boyfriend killed himself outside the door. Since that time, Kate has suffered from severe anxiety attacks and was under the care of a psychiatrist. Just the ticket for deciding to travel way across the pond into the unknown......
The checkers are stacking up even higher when the body of a young female neighbor is found murdered next door to Kate's new abode. Now that would make one desperate to grab that round trip ticket back to London, immediately if not sooner.
Kate goes on to meet a young man who lives in an apartment across the way. Alan seems extremely friendly and they click immediately even though he has a quirky habit. She also runs into a red haired man, Jack, who claims to be a good friend of the dead girl. Kate tries to fit the clues together and even suspects her cousin Corbin because of things that she has found in the apartment. So many checkers on the board and so little time.
If you've read, The Kind Worth Killing, you know that Peter Swanson can spin a good thriller. That book was exceptional. Her Every Fear just didn't cut it for me. Surely there was plenty of the "creep factor" to go around here. Swanson would draw me in with such intense moments and then shut off the valves. There needed to be some plausibility within these characters. It was like being in attendance at a psychopath convention. Ah, those rolling checkers.....and plenty of them.
Many have rated this one higher. I would encourage you to read this one for yourselves. You may have a completely different experience. Being a Peter Swanson fan, I'll be on the lookout for the next one, though. Only let's play poker with Aces wild.....
December 13, 2016
Kate suffers from crippling anxiety, a disorder that exploded after a terrifying incident at the hands of an ex-boyfriend. After her cousin Corbin, a cousin whom she has never met, takes a job in London , they agree to exchange apartments, which will bring Kate to the states,,and an opportunity for a new start, The night she moves into Corbin's gorgeous apartment, a young woman is found murdered in the apartment next door.
While this book was fast paced, caused me to shudder many times, it also caused me to roll my eyes. I found some this book, implausible, overkill, I mean how many psychopaths can be found in one young woman's life? Plus, I found many of Kate's actions did not make sense for a person suffering a severe anxiety disorder. Still, if you are looking for a creepy read, this one is that. Just leave your inner critic at home.
ARC from publisher.
While this book was fast paced, caused me to shudder many times, it also caused me to roll my eyes. I found some this book, implausible, overkill, I mean how many psychopaths can be found in one young woman's life? Plus, I found many of Kate's actions did not make sense for a person suffering a severe anxiety disorder. Still, if you are looking for a creepy read, this one is that. Just leave your inner critic at home.
ARC from publisher.
April 22, 2021
Londoner Kate Priddy's last romance was a disaster. Her boyfriend George was pathologically jealous, and - after they broke up - showed up at her borrowed cottage with a gun. George terrorized Kate for hours, then locked her in a closet and shot himself. Kate was found two days later, suffering from shock and claustrophobia.
After recovering at her parents' home for months Kate resumed her life, but was plagued by anxiety and panic attacks.
It's now several years later and Kate, a talented art student, gets a tempting offer. Her Boston-based cousin Corbin Dell, whom Kate has never met, is being transferred to London for six months - and offers an apartment exchange.
He'll gladly occupy Kate's small London flat and she can live in his luxurious Beacon Hill digs. With much trepidation, Kate accepts, and temporarily transfers to a Boston art school.
The cousins pass in the air (so to speak), and take up residence in each other's homes. Just as Kate is moving into her new place, she sees a woman pounding on the door of the adjacent apartment - looking for her 'missing' friend.
Kate, who's always expecting the worst, gets a bad feeling.....which turns out to be prophetic.
On the day Kate moves in she meets several of the building's residents as well as Sanders the cat, a congenial feline who regularly calls on the tenants.
The next morning Corbin's next door neighbor - an attractive woman named Audrey Marshall - is found murdered in her apartment.
Corbin, who left town around the time of the killing, naturally becomes a person of interest. Detective Roberta James, who's in charge of the Marshall case, asks Kate about Corbin.....and requests permission to search his home.
Kate agrees, but - before the cops arrive - does her own quick reconnaissance. A couple of days later, Kate looks through Corbin's basement storage unit and makes a shocking discovery.
Long story short, Corbin starts to look like a likely suspect, to both Kate and the police.
While the police are investigating Audrey's murder, Kate - though nervous - gets on with her life. She familiarizes herself with the neighborhood; buys bread, cheese, and wine (the fridge is already stocked with frozen meals from Trader Joe's. LOL); gets ready to attend her new art school; and sketches the people she meets. Kate also becomes friendly with Sanders, who periodically scratches on her door to be allowed in for a visit.
Before long Kate meets two young men: Alan Cherney - who lives on the other side of the building;
and Jack Ludovico - an old friend of Audrey's.
Kate appears to have faulty 'man radar' because - though both of these guys seem a bit off - Kate is quite friendly to them.
Within a couple of days Kate starts to get a creepy feeling in her apartment, and Sanders begins to appear and disappear without her opening the door. Hmmmmm.....food for thought.
The story is told from the points of view of several characters, and the author quietly sneaks in some surprising plot twists. That's all I can say without spoilers.
The book is a well-constructed novel of psychological suspense, but the middle parts are too slow and repetitive for my taste. Moreover, certain plot points don't ring true. I can't believe a normal, intelligent person becomes a homicidal maniac in the blink of an eye.....and then behaves very stupidly. There's more that bothers me but I don't want to give away too much.
Nevertheless, this is an enjoyable thriller, recommended to fans of the genre.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
September 12, 2022
After reading and loving Peter Swanson’s last three books, specially “Eight perfect murders”, I knew it was time to read his earlier work when some of my goodreads friends told me “The kind worth killing” was amazing and had some truly unexpected twists.
As I had also read some people saying “Her every fear” was worse than “TKWK”, I decided to start with that one so as not to be disappointed, and I gotta say that there was not disappointment at all. In fact, I think “Her every fear” was a very decent read and I was hooked from page one. True, it’s not the most fast paced story and it’s more character than plot driven, but the author did a fantastic job taking us in a creepy journey with some Hitchcockian reminiscences.
The story is told through four characters, telling the same scenes from different POVs. I’ve seen this before and always thought it a bit lazy on the author’s part as it was basically a rehashing of the same scenes with even the exact same dialogues written again. But in “Her every fear”, even though there were some scenes repeated it didn’t feel repetitive at all, as there was always some new information added. It was nice getting into the heads of the different characters.
Earlier in the story I chose a theory that ended up being the correct one so, although when things started unraveling I wasn’t surprised, the fantastic writing and atmosphere created kept me biting my nails till the end. The villain was some pretty disturbed individual and when I think about what he did to Kate I get goosebumps (and I don’t mean only the final confrontation).
If I had to point a but in the novel would be the fact that all male characters are presented as some kind of creep, pervert o straight down psycho, and the female ones are presented as gullible and naive. It was surprising their lack of reaction when confronted with some of the guys’ weird behavior.
Very satisfaying psychological/suspense story. If this one was worse than “TKWK”, I guess that one will blow my mind!
This was a buddy read with Kim (my first one!) and it was so much fun discussing theories and the weirdness of the characters... Close your blinds, people!😂
As I had also read some people saying “Her every fear” was worse than “TKWK”, I decided to start with that one so as not to be disappointed, and I gotta say that there was not disappointment at all. In fact, I think “Her every fear” was a very decent read and I was hooked from page one. True, it’s not the most fast paced story and it’s more character than plot driven, but the author did a fantastic job taking us in a creepy journey with some Hitchcockian reminiscences.
The story is told through four characters, telling the same scenes from different POVs. I’ve seen this before and always thought it a bit lazy on the author’s part as it was basically a rehashing of the same scenes with even the exact same dialogues written again. But in “Her every fear”, even though there were some scenes repeated it didn’t feel repetitive at all, as there was always some new information added. It was nice getting into the heads of the different characters.
Earlier in the story I chose a theory that ended up being the correct one so, although when things started unraveling I wasn’t surprised, the fantastic writing and atmosphere created kept me biting my nails till the end. The villain was some pretty disturbed individual and when I think about what he did to Kate I get goosebumps (and I don’t mean only the final confrontation).
If I had to point a but in the novel would be the fact that all male characters are presented as some kind of creep, pervert o straight down psycho, and the female ones are presented as gullible and naive. It was surprising their lack of reaction when confronted with some of the guys’ weird behavior.
Very satisfaying psychological/suspense story. If this one was worse than “TKWK”, I guess that one will blow my mind!
This was a buddy read with Kim (my first one!) and it was so much fun discussing theories and the weirdness of the characters... Close your blinds, people!😂
February 7, 2019
3.5 stars
Good read, nothing significantly wrong with it, but I was hoping for awesome. I've now read all 5 of Peter Swanson's novels, and if I had to rank them I would put this one right in the middle. This is a more character driven novel and feels slightly different than his other books. I highly recommend reading all of the Author's Notes at the end because it really provided some good insight into what exactly he was aiming for in this book.
Given everything that has happened to Kate Priddy, a change of scenery might do her some good. She sets off for Boston where she will be living in the apartment of her distant cousin, Corbin Dell, for 6 months while he lives in her London flat. But before she has even gotten a real chance to settle into her new digs, a neighbor in the apartment complex is found dead. Is it possible Corbin murdered her right before he left or did someone else in the complex have something to do with it?
So obviously there is the mystery of what exactly happened to the neighbor but that's not really the strength of the book nor was it intended to be by the author. This is more of a watch how people react to certain situations type of read. I appreciate what Peter Swanson was going for with this book and I wasn't surprised to find out who he was influenced by, but I don't think he was 100% successful with what he was trying to accomplish. While I did like the different character perspectives, there were a few times I thought it was repetitive and unnecessary and really slowed down the pace of the story.
I did enjoy this book and appreciate the effort of the author but this isn't my favorite of his novels. I don't think there is necessarily anything here that puts it into must read territory. But if you have liked his other books, than maybe give this one a chance.
Good read, nothing significantly wrong with it, but I was hoping for awesome. I've now read all 5 of Peter Swanson's novels, and if I had to rank them I would put this one right in the middle. This is a more character driven novel and feels slightly different than his other books. I highly recommend reading all of the Author's Notes at the end because it really provided some good insight into what exactly he was aiming for in this book.
Given everything that has happened to Kate Priddy, a change of scenery might do her some good. She sets off for Boston where she will be living in the apartment of her distant cousin, Corbin Dell, for 6 months while he lives in her London flat. But before she has even gotten a real chance to settle into her new digs, a neighbor in the apartment complex is found dead. Is it possible Corbin murdered her right before he left or did someone else in the complex have something to do with it?
So obviously there is the mystery of what exactly happened to the neighbor but that's not really the strength of the book nor was it intended to be by the author. This is more of a watch how people react to certain situations type of read. I appreciate what Peter Swanson was going for with this book and I wasn't surprised to find out who he was influenced by, but I don't think he was 100% successful with what he was trying to accomplish. While I did like the different character perspectives, there were a few times I thought it was repetitive and unnecessary and really slowed down the pace of the story.
I did enjoy this book and appreciate the effort of the author but this isn't my favorite of his novels. I don't think there is necessarily anything here that puts it into must read territory. But if you have liked his other books, than maybe give this one a chance.
November 20, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this newest, twisted thriller from Peter Swanson. It’s a well-written tale of voyeurism, obsession and murder. The book blurb compared it to the classic Hitchcock movie, Rear Window…which (I must confess) I’m old enough to remember. Although not as riveting for me, I was reminded of his other suspense novel, The Kind Worth Killing. There are similarities. They both involve sociopathic co-conspirators; and the author uses multiple narrators for different viewpoints of the same event.
I should have been working on my Xmas calendar mailing but I read this book instead. So, if you’re in the mood for a good mystery, I highly recommend this one.
I received an advanced reader’s copy from Goodreads Giveaway. Thank you to William Morrow.
I should have been working on my Xmas calendar mailing but I read this book instead. So, if you’re in the mood for a good mystery, I highly recommend this one.
I received an advanced reader’s copy from Goodreads Giveaway. Thank you to William Morrow.
January 8, 2017
I seem to be in a bit of a reading slump. I have all this glorious literature available from the library but I can't seem to get any traction on it. The last couple of books I've read have been thrillers that have been highly entertaining and diverting - just the jolt of adrenaline I've been needing. So imagine my delight when I found Peter Swanson's new thriller "Her Every Fear" in my mailbox last week! MORE MIND CANDY!!! A sugar buzz in book form! I loved Swanson's last book, "The Kind Worth Killing," so I needed no convincing to put down the tome I had been struggling with to pick up "Her Every Fear."
And - I really enjoyed it. Not quite up to "The Kind Worth Killing," but still very engaging. I hated to put it down and felt a rush of pleasure every time I picked it up to continue. The story centers around Kate, an English young woman who has a rather severe anxiety disorder which has been exacerbated by a terrible incident with a former lover. Her cousin, Corbin, lives in Boston and suggests an apartment swap with Kate so she can get away from England and he can accept a work assignment in London. They swap, bringing Kate to Boston. Kate has scarcely arrived when her next door neighbor is brutally murdered, bringing anxious Kate into the middle of a very complicated tangle.
The story unfolds over a very short timeframe, but because there are several narrators who recount the same events through their point of view, it feels much longer. Lots of back story and events, recounted several times by several people - sometimes gets a little confusing. What day is it? Did we just move back in time again?
For the most part, it worked and I enjoyed it. A solid 3.5 but I will round up to 4 since Swanson successfully got me on the hook and kept me entertained. Just don't think too much and go with it!
Many thanks to Goodreads Giveaways and HarperCollins for an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
And - I really enjoyed it. Not quite up to "The Kind Worth Killing," but still very engaging. I hated to put it down and felt a rush of pleasure every time I picked it up to continue. The story centers around Kate, an English young woman who has a rather severe anxiety disorder which has been exacerbated by a terrible incident with a former lover. Her cousin, Corbin, lives in Boston and suggests an apartment swap with Kate so she can get away from England and he can accept a work assignment in London. They swap, bringing Kate to Boston. Kate has scarcely arrived when her next door neighbor is brutally murdered, bringing anxious Kate into the middle of a very complicated tangle.
The story unfolds over a very short timeframe, but because there are several narrators who recount the same events through their point of view, it feels much longer. Lots of back story and events, recounted several times by several people - sometimes gets a little confusing. What day is it? Did we just move back in time again?
For the most part, it worked and I enjoyed it. A solid 3.5 but I will round up to 4 since Swanson successfully got me on the hook and kept me entertained. Just don't think too much and go with it!
Many thanks to Goodreads Giveaways and HarperCollins for an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
December 21, 2016
3.5 stars. I haven't read Peter Swanson's The Kind Worth Killing, but I know that it was much loved by many GR friends. So I was excited to get access to an advance copy of Swanson's upcoming Her Every Fear. Kate trades her London apartment for her cousin's Boston apartment for six months. When she gets to Boston, it turns out that the young woman next door has just been murdered. Life quickly gets complicated and tense for Kate. For the first half or so, my inner voice was excitedly yelling "brilliant". I was taken by the clever atmosphere Swanson created as Kate tried to understand the situation she had landed in. It felt a bit like a modern Hitchcock movie -- very stilted or stylized, but brilliantly so. And then when the author started revealing what was really going on by telling the story from other points of view, I wasn't feeling it quite so much anymore. It's hard to pull off a good psychopath. It's easy to use psychopathy as license for "anything goes". In this case, the set up was fabulous and the concept was good, but Swanson could have delivered a more intriguing and sharply defined psychopath. I really can't say anything more to avoid spoilers. You'll have to decide for yourself. If you don't like too much violence or blood, no worries because this one isn't particularly graphic -- it's all about what's going on in the characters' heads. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
September 11, 2016
My rating is probably 3.5 out of 5 stars. It was definitely more mystery than thriller; there wasn't as much action or plot twists as I was expecting, having read and loved the author's previous book 'The Kind Worth Killing.' It was still quite engaging, the writing was great, it was just slower than I wanted. I felt like the reveals were done a bit awkwardly; we would find out something and then the timeline would jump backward and we would have to wait for the characters to make the realizations themselves. Overall, a decent and likeable read, but nothing overly impressive.
An early copy was provided by the publisher.
An early copy was provided by the publisher.
August 19, 2017
My wish was so granted when I wanted to read this.
After reading a book by this author before and remembering how quickly I read it because it gripped me, I was eager to see if Peter Swanson could do it again.
I'm excited to say that he did!
When I wasn't reading this I was either thinking about it or talking to my husband about what I'd read so far.
Kate became so real to me.
The trauma she had gone through and the legacy it had left I felt quite emotional for her.
When deciding to do a house swap with a cousin she had never met was plausible and understandable, it meant she could "renew" herself.
That didn't all go to plan. As you read in the write up, her cousins neighbor was found murdered, and much more unravels.
It's a page turner for sure.
I was captured by the quality of the writing, the way the author enspired me to imagine each detail within technicolor in my mind was a sure sign to me how good this is.
I'm someone who easily gets distracted, I'm sure the roof could have caved in on me I was that engrossed.
My thanks to Faber and Faber ltd via Net Galley for granting my wish.
After reading a book by this author before and remembering how quickly I read it because it gripped me, I was eager to see if Peter Swanson could do it again.
I'm excited to say that he did!
When I wasn't reading this I was either thinking about it or talking to my husband about what I'd read so far.
Kate became so real to me.
The trauma she had gone through and the legacy it had left I felt quite emotional for her.
When deciding to do a house swap with a cousin she had never met was plausible and understandable, it meant she could "renew" herself.
That didn't all go to plan. As you read in the write up, her cousins neighbor was found murdered, and much more unravels.
It's a page turner for sure.
I was captured by the quality of the writing, the way the author enspired me to imagine each detail within technicolor in my mind was a sure sign to me how good this is.
I'm someone who easily gets distracted, I'm sure the roof could have caved in on me I was that engrossed.
My thanks to Faber and Faber ltd via Net Galley for granting my wish.
February 7, 2017
This story was full of twists and it was very intricate. I also enjoyed all the different POV's but this book lacked "something", not quite sure what.
April 7, 2017
I don't quite know what it was about Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson that didn't quite do it for me. And I have thought long and hard about it since finishing this book yesterday.
I like Swanson's style of writing - it is very relaxed, soothing almost. And perhaps, therein lies the problem. This book should have oozed tension, creepiness, and it just didn't. There are all the ingredients of a good read. There are panic attacks, murder, stalking and lies. But there is something lacking.....
I haven't read any of this authors other work, although naturally, I have heard of him and his success. Perhaps I had too high an expectation based on this.
I enjoyed the read. I didn't love it, not even close.
Thank you to Faber and Faber via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
I like Swanson's style of writing - it is very relaxed, soothing almost. And perhaps, therein lies the problem. This book should have oozed tension, creepiness, and it just didn't. There are all the ingredients of a good read. There are panic attacks, murder, stalking and lies. But there is something lacking.....
I haven't read any of this authors other work, although naturally, I have heard of him and his success. Perhaps I had too high an expectation based on this.
I enjoyed the read. I didn't love it, not even close.
Thank you to Faber and Faber via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
January 24, 2018
3.5 Star
Kate needs to get away, she needs a break, and needs to make a change. Ever since her ex-boyfriend stalked her, threatened her life, and then swiftly killed himself outside the closet he shoved her in, Kate's been in a bit of a rut. A near death experience can really do that to a girl. Suffering from major PTSD brought on by such a horrific ordeal has made Kate an anxious lady ravished with panic attacks, constantly jumping to the worse possible conclusions, and believing her life to be the movie Final Destination in which death is simply waiting to reclaim her after her narrow escape from her psychotic ex-boyfriend. So no one is more surprise then herself when she agrees to house swap for 6 months with her estrange cousin Corbin. Kate is going to live in Boston for 6 months while Corbin is going to live in London. Is Kate, dare she say it? Moving on with her life. Unfortunately Kate and death go hand in hand and as she shows up at her cousin's luxurious abode she is greeted with terror as she soon finds out that Corbin's next door neighbour has been brutally murdered. Suddenly Kate is thrown into a murder investigation and wondering if her own cousin may have had anything to do with it.... Kate knew she shouldn't have left home.
One of my favourite aspects of a Peter Swanson novel is his character development. I find most writers when writing sociopaths, duplicitous characters, or any character that commits a horrific act can be borderline cheesy with their explanation or overly simplistic. For example writers lately have really leaned heavy on what I call 'the psychopath motive' where the antagonist explains his reasoning with a simple: "I did it cause I wanted to," or "I've always had these dark desires" which I find is just an easy way out on justifying your villain without giving them any needed depth. Peter Swanson on the other hand always dives deep into his characters background so when you find out one of them is a murderer you're able to see the trail of bread crumbs he's laid out and go in your head "ya that makes sense. I see why she had to die."
I adore Peter Swanson. The man can really throw his readers off kilter. I was not surprised after reading his last novel The Kind Worth Killing that he was able to deliver another twisty turn-y dark read. I think going into this book so soon after reading The Kind Worth Killing may have tainted my review. I'd probably of rated this book a 4 if it was any other author but I know Peter Swanson at his best and this book was great but not his best. The biggest disappointment for me was after the first shocking revelation I felt the rest of the novel was predictable and easy to see a mile coming. I found myself waiting for another shocking, rock my world reveal that just never came. It played out exactly how I believed it would, which was well written and still so anxiety ridden, but not as exciting as his last book.
I still am completely in love with Peter Swanson and his writing styles. Cannot wait for his next book. But if anyone asked me for an amazing thriller recommendations I'd probably skip this book and tell them to grab his last one The Kind Worth Killing it truly is a brilliant book that is beginning to look like it's going to be tough for Peter Swanson to top.
Kate needs to get away, she needs a break, and needs to make a change. Ever since her ex-boyfriend stalked her, threatened her life, and then swiftly killed himself outside the closet he shoved her in, Kate's been in a bit of a rut. A near death experience can really do that to a girl. Suffering from major PTSD brought on by such a horrific ordeal has made Kate an anxious lady ravished with panic attacks, constantly jumping to the worse possible conclusions, and believing her life to be the movie Final Destination in which death is simply waiting to reclaim her after her narrow escape from her psychotic ex-boyfriend. So no one is more surprise then herself when she agrees to house swap for 6 months with her estrange cousin Corbin. Kate is going to live in Boston for 6 months while Corbin is going to live in London. Is Kate, dare she say it? Moving on with her life. Unfortunately Kate and death go hand in hand and as she shows up at her cousin's luxurious abode she is greeted with terror as she soon finds out that Corbin's next door neighbour has been brutally murdered. Suddenly Kate is thrown into a murder investigation and wondering if her own cousin may have had anything to do with it.... Kate knew she shouldn't have left home.
One of my favourite aspects of a Peter Swanson novel is his character development. I find most writers when writing sociopaths, duplicitous characters, or any character that commits a horrific act can be borderline cheesy with their explanation or overly simplistic. For example writers lately have really leaned heavy on what I call 'the psychopath motive' where the antagonist explains his reasoning with a simple: "I did it cause I wanted to," or "I've always had these dark desires" which I find is just an easy way out on justifying your villain without giving them any needed depth. Peter Swanson on the other hand always dives deep into his characters background so when you find out one of them is a murderer you're able to see the trail of bread crumbs he's laid out and go in your head "ya that makes sense. I see why she had to die."
I adore Peter Swanson. The man can really throw his readers off kilter. I was not surprised after reading his last novel The Kind Worth Killing that he was able to deliver another twisty turn-y dark read. I think going into this book so soon after reading The Kind Worth Killing may have tainted my review. I'd probably of rated this book a 4 if it was any other author but I know Peter Swanson at his best and this book was great but not his best. The biggest disappointment for me was after the first shocking revelation I felt the rest of the novel was predictable and easy to see a mile coming. I found myself waiting for another shocking, rock my world reveal that just never came. It played out exactly how I believed it would, which was well written and still so anxiety ridden, but not as exciting as his last book.
I still am completely in love with Peter Swanson and his writing styles. Cannot wait for his next book. But if anyone asked me for an amazing thriller recommendations I'd probably skip this book and tell them to grab his last one The Kind Worth Killing it truly is a brilliant book that is beginning to look like it's going to be tough for Peter Swanson to top.
January 21, 2025
This is not an action-packed, twisty mystery. It is more like a character-driven psychological thriller that steadily builds its suspense.
We have a flawed character who is mired in anxiety and panic attacks, moving into her cousin’s flat to recuperate from a personal tragedy.
Instead…She ends up in the middle of a suspicious death of one of her cousin’s neighbors.
With…A villain character who defies the word “monster.” An individual who lacks empathy and whose manipulative skill is chilling.
“He stood in the dark kitchen, breathing the air, remembering…”
And…Those memories that are laid out for readers describes the mind of a killer and their joy in the killing.
Her Every Fear certainly lives up to its title. A page-turner with a vulnerable protagonist.
Oh…It is probably best not to read this one in the dark.
We have a flawed character who is mired in anxiety and panic attacks, moving into her cousin’s flat to recuperate from a personal tragedy.
Instead…She ends up in the middle of a suspicious death of one of her cousin’s neighbors.
With…A villain character who defies the word “monster.” An individual who lacks empathy and whose manipulative skill is chilling.
“He stood in the dark kitchen, breathing the air, remembering…”
And…Those memories that are laid out for readers describes the mind of a killer and their joy in the killing.
Her Every Fear certainly lives up to its title. A page-turner with a vulnerable protagonist.
Oh…It is probably best not to read this one in the dark.
November 29, 2017
4.5 stars
Holy shit aklsjdlakjslkajsda. This was so good. I loved The Kind Worth Killing, also by this author and I was eager to pick up this book too! But then I started reading all these bad reviews and I put off reading it for a while but I finally ordered it off bookoutlet for a cheap price and read it last night and aklsjdlkajslda. It was so FUCKING GOOD. The synopsis literally gives away nothing and there are so many plot twists omg. This is definitely one of my new favorite thrillers and probably one of my favorites of the year!
The story follows Kate, a woman who suffers from anxiety living in London, and she decides to swap apartments with her second cousin Corbin (who she's never met) who lives in Boston for six months. He's going to be working in London so he needs a place to stay and she gets to experience America for the first time for six months. Within the first night she's at his apartment, there is a woman found murdered in the apartment next door - and the story really takes off from there and that's just the beginning. This is such a fucking page turner, I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN. It's been a long time since I have completely devoured a book and became so engrossed in the story I couldn't think about anything else and this story definitely did that for me!
Peter Swanson is so fucking good at crafting amazing mysteries and building suspense! Some of the plot twists I saw coming but were still revealed in such a clever way! Other twists I didn't see coming and I was so shook and excited. The title is so perfect because this novel really plays off of Kate's anxiety and her fears. But I was much more interested in Corbin's story that goes on in this book because it was completely unexpected and surprising! I love the way in this one, just like in The Kind Worth Killing, Peter Swanson changes POV's so often throughout the story, and he does it so effortlessly and every POV has a purpose in the story! And these characters are all so fucking up and so interesting and everything I want and expect from a good thriller!
I'm just so excited because I kind of went in with low expectations and I was so fucking excited when I ended up loving it! Definitely one of my favorite thrillers now and one of my favorite books of 2017. Don't listen to the negative reviews, read this book for yourself.
Holy shit aklsjdlakjslkajsda. This was so good. I loved The Kind Worth Killing, also by this author and I was eager to pick up this book too! But then I started reading all these bad reviews and I put off reading it for a while but I finally ordered it off bookoutlet for a cheap price and read it last night and aklsjdlkajslda. It was so FUCKING GOOD. The synopsis literally gives away nothing and there are so many plot twists omg. This is definitely one of my new favorite thrillers and probably one of my favorites of the year!
The story follows Kate, a woman who suffers from anxiety living in London, and she decides to swap apartments with her second cousin Corbin (who she's never met) who lives in Boston for six months. He's going to be working in London so he needs a place to stay and she gets to experience America for the first time for six months. Within the first night she's at his apartment, there is a woman found murdered in the apartment next door - and the story really takes off from there and that's just the beginning. This is such a fucking page turner, I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN. It's been a long time since I have completely devoured a book and became so engrossed in the story I couldn't think about anything else and this story definitely did that for me!
Peter Swanson is so fucking good at crafting amazing mysteries and building suspense! Some of the plot twists I saw coming but were still revealed in such a clever way! Other twists I didn't see coming and I was so shook and excited. The title is so perfect because this novel really plays off of Kate's anxiety and her fears. But I was much more interested in Corbin's story that goes on in this book because it was completely unexpected and surprising! I love the way in this one, just like in The Kind Worth Killing, Peter Swanson changes POV's so often throughout the story, and he does it so effortlessly and every POV has a purpose in the story! And these characters are all so fucking up and so interesting and everything I want and expect from a good thriller!
I'm just so excited because I kind of went in with low expectations and I was so fucking excited when I ended up loving it! Definitely one of my favorite thrillers now and one of my favorite books of 2017. Don't listen to the negative reviews, read this book for yourself.
May 2, 2017
Not as intense as The Kind Worth Killing, but still very entertaining.
There is something about Peter Swanson's writing style that I really respond to. Maybe it's the subtlety...he isn't one to smack you in the face with big reveals or jaw dropping twists.
They are still there, but the build up is much slower, therefore allowing me time to wonder, guess, predict, or anticipate.
The plot has some holes to it, but overall I found it creative and unique. (read the marketing blurb for more on this as it is very accurate) The main character is flawed yet likable. The protag story line was by far the most enjoyable piece to the whole book.
My only real disappointment has to be with the ending. After all the cat and mouse games, I was hoping for more of a showdown between the 2 adversaries and felt let down that it was over so quickly. There was a lot of potential there to end strong.
Overall, I definitely recommend this to any mystery/suspense lovers. It's one you soon won't forget!
There is something about Peter Swanson's writing style that I really respond to. Maybe it's the subtlety...he isn't one to smack you in the face with big reveals or jaw dropping twists.
They are still there, but the build up is much slower, therefore allowing me time to wonder, guess, predict, or anticipate.
The plot has some holes to it, but overall I found it creative and unique. (read the marketing blurb for more on this as it is very accurate) The main character is flawed yet likable. The protag story line was by far the most enjoyable piece to the whole book.
My only real disappointment has to be with the ending. After all the cat and mouse games, I was hoping for more of a showdown between the 2 adversaries and felt let down that it was over so quickly. There was a lot of potential there to end strong.
Overall, I definitely recommend this to any mystery/suspense lovers. It's one you soon won't forget!
October 10, 2016
3.75 Stars. I received this book through the Goodreads Give-Away. Another good mystery by Peter Swanson. While I didn't enjoy this one as much as his debut, The Kind Worth Killing, I would still highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys psychological mysteries.
February 7, 2017
My review for Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson will be posted here sometime in the near future. Stay tuned!!
September 1, 2016
As much as I liked Swanson's previous books this one fell a bit short of the mark. The last quarter of the novel lacked the twist that these books need to really work. That said, the first three quarters of the book hooked me and I will continue to read Swanson.
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