Kill Your Darlings

PRE-ORDER FOR JUNE 10, 2025

Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson

A Darkly Twisted Psychological Thriller Told in Reverse—Where Marriage, Murder, and Memory Collide
From New York Times bestselling author Peter Swanson comes a chilling, brilliantly structured murder mystery unraveling one couple’s darkest secret—by moving backward in time.

On the surface, Thom and Wendy Graves have it all: a long marriage, a grown son, and a quiet life in their charming Victorian home on the Massachusetts coast. Thom teaches English literature. Wendy is a respected poet. But behind the façade of literary calm, Wendy is quietly plotting her husband’s murder.

In this gripping reverse-chronology thriller, the story begins with deadly intent—and rewinds through the critical moments that built (and broke) their marriage. From their fiftieth birthday party to early parenthood, career struggles, and a shocking death no one dared investigate, each chapter peels back a new layer of deception, betrayal, and twisted loyalty.

At the center of it all is a long-buried secret—a violent act committed in their youth that has bound them ever since. But as time moves backward, their hold on the past begins to slip...and both Thom and Wendy are beginning to wonder: If the truth comes to light, who will survive it?

🖤 Perfect for fans of Gone Girl, The Silent Patient, and Big Little Lies
🖤 Features a reverse timeline, academic setting, dark secrets, and marital suspense
🖤 A masterclass in pacing and structure from a bestselling thriller author

Format: Hardcover
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Domestic Suspense, Literary Mystery
Tropes: Marriage thriller, secret past, dual timelines (in reverse), morally complex characters