You Killed Me First

by John Marrs

• Thriller
• Psychological Thriller
• Mystery

You Killed Me First is an easy-to-read mystery thriller told from three different perspectives. It follows suburban neighbours Margot, Liv and Anna, three women who each have their own dark, violent and rather sordid past.

The opening scene immediately grabs your attention. The novel begins on November 5th (Bonfire Night), with a woman bound and gagged inside a towering bonfire. Her soon-to-be killer contacts her through an earpiece they planted while she was unconscious, leaving you with plenty of questions about who she is, how she ended up there and, most importantly, why. It’s a brilliant hook that makes you want to keep reading.

Following this opening, the story gradually introduces us to the three women, their lives and, more importantly, their pasts. As the layers begin to unravel, it’s clear that these seemingly ordinary neighbours are hiding some very dark secrets and that things are far from what they first appear.

However, I did find that I wasn’t particularly surprised by many of the revelations. I managed to guess quite a few things well in advance, which took away some of the mystery. Just when I thought the story was reaching its conclusion, it continued for what felt like another half of the book, taking things in a completely different direction. Normally, I enjoy a twist that turns everything on its head, but here it felt rather disjointed, almost as though the story had reached its natural ending and then an entirely new section had been added. Unfortunately, this affected the overall flow of the novel for me.

The characters are another interesting aspect. They are all deeply flawed, unlikeable and, quite frankly, completely messed up. None of them are particularly easy to sympathise with, and some of the lengths they go to feel rather far-fetched. In many ways, they’re all as bad as each other, making it difficult to find yourself rooting for anyone.

One thing I did particularly enjoy, though, was the suburban setting. There’s something entertaining about a seemingly ordinary street where ‘nothing ever happens’, especially when you discover just how much is going on behind closed doors. It certainly makes you look at your own neighbours a little differently!

Overall, You Killed Me First is a straightforward, easy-to-follow thriller that doesn’t require too much concentration to get into. It has an intriguing opening and some seriously questionable characters. However, the predictable revelations and rather disjointed second half stopped it from being a standout read for me. If you’re looking for an uncomplicated thriller to pick up and enjoy without expecting a masterpiece of mystery, this could be one for you.