A review by ajnel
A Talent for Murder by Peter Swanson

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Happily married librarian, Martha Ratliff, stumbles upon a suspicious stain on one of her salesman husband, Alan's, shirts after one of his business trip. This ignites a spark of doubt, leading Martha to investigate Alan's past visits. As she digs deeper, she uncovers a disturbing pattern in the cities he's traveled to - a series of unsolved murders. Consumed by fear and suspicion, Martha wonders if she's married a serial killer. To find the truth, she seeks help from an old friend, and together they delve into a dangerous web of secrets.  The third novel in the "Lilly" series builds ever so slightly on the previous novels, but this despite, the odd twist and turn plays out against a very decent pace.  The unfold could have been a bit less straightforward, but the final reveal provided some solace for the lack of a whodunnit.  Unfortunately, as is often the case, character development to further the series took over much of the novelm. This let more to a catch a killer finale than a classic Swanson whodunnit.  Still, a very well written novel.