'Before She Knew Him' by Peter Swanson

Book Review — February 2022

I found this novel to be thrilling yet frustrating. It kept me at the edge of my seat, but at what cost? I think to succeed in the type of plot twist Swanson attempted, one has to give the audience something of a clue. I'm not wishing I could've predicted the big reveal- I wouldn't have wanted to- I'm simply asking for foreshadowing I could've recognized in hindsight. Annoyance aside, I love love love how Matthew was written. I found myself sympathizing with his cause the majority of the time, and thought the continual referencing to his childhood provided ample context for his behavior- but maybe that's just me playing devil's advocate. All in all, I thought the humanity of all Swanson's characters was written quite well and I enjoyed this quick, riveting tale.