Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson

-


Malcolm ‘Mal’ Kershaw is the owner of the Old Devil’s Bookstore. Mal started the bookstore with the idea that he would help his customers find the right book. He researched his books well and always had enough information to give to his customers. He even wrote blogs like lists we find on various social media platforms these days - top 10 books you have to read this summer or best books to read this Halloween or even the best crime fiction you should have read. One such blog post would change the course of Mal’s life, isn’t something he was expecting. He was contacted by an FBI agent for a murder investigation and was informed that someone was using his blog post and had committed 8 perfect murders - ones without a trace; murders that were brilliantly executed and would remain unsolved.

What started off as an innocent book, took form of a memoir. Mal writes this book, which he would have liked to call “The Whole Truth”, recounting about what really the story was. It led me to assume one character was responsible for a murder or string of murders, but this turned out to be a wild goose chase until, suddenly, the truth was in front of me. I kept rewinding the chapters to understand if I had actually heard it right! Mal had many secrets tucked away in his mind’s closet leaving you with an eyebrow raise.
The unique thing about this book is the mention of various other books that are entwined in the story. It may seem a bit of a spoiler that the murders were based on books you may or may not have read, but it definitely piques one’s interest to revisit these crime novels which were the basis of the Eight Perfect Murders. You may want to (re)read:
The A.B.C Murders
Strangers on a Train
The Red House Mystery
Malice Aforethought
Double Indemnity
The Drowner
The Secret History and
Deathtrap
Superb narration by Graham Halstead and cleverly written by Peter Swanson. Definitely worthy of a read or listening time.
You would want to search up the internet to view the list of all the books that are mentioned in this book - enough to let that TBR pile tumble to a crash!
Picture courtesy: Internet/Blogpost

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden

-
Image
Dating apps. Marriage sites. Online data about people you are free to meet. As much as I want to be liberal in my thoughts and open minded, I somehow don't like the sound of these sites that host people to further their relationships. Most often than not, you bump into someone who will change your life forever. For good or for bad! The story is cleverly divided between a Before and Now timeline. The Before timeline talks of youngsters Tom and Daisy who were high school sweethearts. Tom comes from a fragile and volatile family background. His father often beats up his mother. Daisy's best friend does not want Tom to be close to Daisy; she does not trust him one bit. What has Tom done that is so bad? Or does he have bad company who do bad things? In the Now timeline, there is Sydney , just another person, on the look out for a date/life partner. The people she is currently meeting on the dating app are pathetic. She met a Kevin online and after one date,   Sydney realizes  that ...
Read more

Homecoming - Podcast by Gimlet Media

-
Image
  Gimlet Media on Spotify presents Homecoming -  A Psychological and thrilling series. Homecoming is the story of a case worker/counsellor who tends to soldiers who have returned from war, to help them join back civilian life. She has been appointed to run this facility in Tampa. The series is a lot of dialogue - phone calls and conversations - between different sets of characters, that helps progress the story.  It is also one recording in particular, of conversations that happen between a Walter Cruz, a soldier and this  case worker/counsellor , Heidi Bergman.  In one set of conversations you will hear: - Heidi either wanting to forget or feigning any memory of anything she had to do with the Homecoming project.  - It is also possible that Heidi has at memory loss or has convinced herself to disengage or forget this phase of life.  - Heidi has risked her relationships to be part of this facility and its workings. - Colin, Heidi's boss (played by Davi...
Read more

The Therapy Room by OMJ Ryan

-
Image
  Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned. - William Congreve Now this is what I call a "psychological" thriller. I am so glad I chose this book from NetGalley to read and review. I will definitely be reading more of this author. This wonderful story is about two women - Olivia and Shelly. Typical of perspective of a person who seems to have lost everything, will find another person having everything they needed and deserved in life. Olivia believed with a vengeance that Shelly had murdered her brother when they were just teens. This memory was locked in the deep recesses of her heart until the day she bumped into Shelly. She now has to take her revenge and close this matter once and for all.  On tracking Shelly, Olivia finds out that she has been visiting this therapy group. She scoffs at this information that someone like Shelly, who has it all - a job, a great marriage, good looking husband, gorgeous little baby - should be visit...
Read more