Whoa - what a terrific book! It's always a treat to find one that's this hard to put down and offers so many surprise twists and turns.Actually, the plot itself has a familiar ring; two strangers meet up on an airplane, and, over a few drinks, begin talking about the ups and downs in their lives. For Ted Severson, the biggest "down" is his wife, Miranda; she's cheated on him with the contractor who's building them a mansion overlooking the ocean in Maine, and he's out for revenge. When he mostly jokes that he'd like to kill her, the other stranger. Lily Kintner, doesn't miss a beat. "I'd like to help," she says.
One discussion leads to another, as do the drinks, and before you know it, the wheels of a diabolical plan to get rid of Miranda are put into motion - masterminded by Lily, who - unbeknownst to Ted - has a past filled with more than a few dark secrets. As the plot thickens, readers get glimpses into what's happening (and happened) as each chapter shifts from the perspectives of the three major players and, later on, the detective who's trying to sort things out as he investigates a murder (the name of the victim I shall not reveal).
On a personal note, part of the action takes place in parts of Maine that my husband and I have visited; I was especially happy to see mention of the Kittery Trading Post in Kittery - one of my all-time favorite outdoor stores.
Suffice it to say there are more than a few surprises, and the author is a master at ending each chapter with a hook that made me salivating to learn more only to switch to a different character's perspective in the next one. That's tough to pull off, IMHO; usually, that tactic annoys the heck out of me. Not so here; it meant only that yet again, my long-suffering husband would have to wait a bit longer to get his dinner.
Definitely a winner in my book!
The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson (William Morrow, February 2015); 320 pp.
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