If you're on the list you're marked for death.
The envelope is unremarkable. There is no return address. It contains a single, folded, sheet of white paper.
The envelope drops through the mail slot like any other piece of post. But for the nine complete strangers who receive it - each of them recognising just one name, their own, on the enclosed list - it will be the most life altering letter they ever receive. It could also be the last, as one by one, they start to meet their end.
But why?
My Review:
Rating: 4/5 stars
Firstly, I would like to thank Tandem Collective UK and Faber Books for gifting me a copy of Nine Lives for an honest review and to take part in the readalong.
This is my third Peter Swanson book and I have come to know his writing style. I enjoyed the concept of this book and how it linked to the Agatha Christie novels (not that I've read any). Nine people are sent a letter containing nine names but they only recognise their own. One by one they are being killed. By who but most importantly why? I really enjoyed following this story with all nine POVs to follow. I was very grateful for the 'who's who' at the start of the book that I could refer to if I got confused about the different characters. I found it intriguing to follow this case and try and guess what was going on.
I enjoyed that there weren't a lot of hints given about what was going on because it made me read quicker knowing that I would find out by the end. Peter Swanson's books are always very plot driven rather than character driven which did mean that I didn't really connect to any of the characters (which made it easier for me when they died). I thought the ending was done well but also felt the last chapter was a little unnecessary. I think it would have worked better without the last chapter altogether.
I do recommend this to thriller readers and of course mystery readers. I hope to read more Peter Swanson books in the future. I always feel that thriller/mystery writers have it harder because it is seems there is more expectation to surprise their readers than that of other genres.