Rules for Perfect Murders
Paperback Published on: 10/12/2020
Price: £8.99
Synopsis
If you want to get away with murder, play by the rules.
Years ago Malcolm Kershaw wrote a list of his 'Eight Favourite Murders' for his Old Devils mystery bookshop blog. Among others, it included those from Agatha Christie's The ABC Murders, Patricia Highsmith's Strangers on a Train and Donna Tartt's The Secret History. Now, just before Christmas, Malcolm finds himself at the heart of an investigation - as an FBI agent believes someone may be re-enacting each of the murders on his list.
Can the killer be stopped before they get away with eight perfect murders?
Publisher information
- Publisher: Faber & Faber
- ISBN: 9780571342372
- Number of pages: 352
- Dimensions: 198 x 129 x 21 mm
- Weight: 279g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
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Perfect murder or perfect murderer....
What a clever story Peter Swanson has created, this is not only a mundane murder story but also a homage to some of the best classic crime novels of histor... READ MORE
Very intriguing read
Malcolm Kershaw is the co-owner of the Old Devils Bookstore (great name!) in Boston, Mass.. it’s winter and snowing very heavily. Despite the inclement con... READ MORE
Wonderful murder mystery
I stumbled across Peter Swanson's books thanks to my friend Julie and I haven't looked back since, a great thriller / crime writer, so I was delighted to r... READ MORE
Fabulous
WOW
I absolutely loved this book its
Gripping, engrossing, captivating and much more
I found the story fascinating, and the main character intriguing
the p... READ MORE
Kept me guessing
In all honesty I wasn’t expecting to like Rules for Perfect Murders as much as I did. If asked I would say that the Mystery/Crime genre is my least favouri... READ MORE
Almost as good as A Kind Worth Killing
I really think Peter Swanson might be my favourite currently writing thriller writer. Every book he writes, I need to have an I inhale. I could barely find... READ MORE
An homage to classic crime
Reading Rules For Perfect Murders is like reading a love letter to some of the best crime thrillers ever written, and Peter Swanson has used these books as... READ MORE
Murders by the book
Bookshop owner.Malcolm Kershaw is visited by FBI agent Gwen Mulvey, who is investigating a series of murders that appear to be linked to a list of perfect ... READ MORE
It was brilliant and I strongly recommend it
This story was unexpected. Reading the blurb I understood it was a sort of classic whodunnit but it was more complex and completely out of my comfort zone.... READ MORE
Victim or murderer?
After hearing fantastic reviews about this book I requested an ARC through Netgalley which I was lucky enough to be sent. I’m so glad I was as I really enj... READ MORE
Gripping
Who doesn’t enjoy a book about books? I adore them and if you add the suspense and the shocking revelations that you won’t see coming you have the new grip... READ MORE
Good Read.
This book was different. Malcolm Kershaw is co-owner of a bookstore. He enjoys running The Old Devil's Bookstore, his friend being a sleeping partner. The ... READ MORE
Rules for perfect murder
Years ago, Malcolm had compiled a list of mystery books’ most unsolvable murders. He never thought much about it until one day the FBI is at his door. Ther... READ MORE
What are your perfect murders?
I was initially drawn to this book by the fact that the eight perfect murders are in some of my favourite books. I thought the premise was excellent and th... READ MORE
Clever mystery
Any book based around books or a book shop is always a must read and this did not disappoint It was both clever and intriguing with many twists. I found th... READ MORE
I liked it, but didn’t love it.
Through the main character, Malcolm ‘Mal’ Kershaw, who is a self-confessed mystery expert, Rules for Perfect Murders reads like an analysis of the most pop... READ MORE
Entertaining thrill ride. The perfect summer read
REASON TO READ
A list of eight of the most perfect literary murders. A killer on the loose. A formula for the perfect summer thriller.
REVIEW
If you are... READ MORE
A stylish homage to quirks and nuances of mystery books and their fans
Rules For Perfect Murders is narrated by Malcolm (Mal) Kershaw who owns Old Devils; a delightful-sounding bookshop specialising in mystery books. Several ... READ MORE
murder mystery
Unfortunately this left me a little cold , I started reading it and moved on to something else then came back to it and tried again and found it a bit more... READ MORE
Very imaginative!
This is a delight for lovers of classic crime fiction because so many well known titles are intrinsic to the plot itself - very clever! Perhaps at times, ... READ MORE
A Literary guide to a Perfect Murder
The book is an introspective of many of the great murder mystery novels of the past 80 to 90 years. Peter Swanson is obviously a fan of the genre and exhi... READ MORE
Rules for Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson
I received a free ARC of Rules for Perfect Murders but that has in no way influenced my review.
If you haven’t picked up a Peter Swanson novel yet then t... READ MORE
Finally, a true homage to crime thrillers.
Finally, a true homage to crime thrillers. Riveting and totally enthralling. Devilishly clever that on that elusive allusion of the perfect from recent fic... READ MORE
A modern day mystery that pays homage to classics while subverting all of your expectations
Thanks to Faber and Faber for a much appreciated review copy.
Rules for Perfect Murders is a mystery novel set in and around present day Boston. The story... READ MORE
So-so love letter to books about the perfect murder
It’s winter 2015. Widower Malcolm Kershaw is part-owner and manager of the Old Devil’s bookshop in Boston. His co-owner Brian Murray (the author of the b... READ MORE
Amazing
I love this book it’s so gripping it’s hard to put down , plot twists I didn’t see coming and really all over brilliant
A real treat
I’m a big fan of the author so couldn’t wait to read this and it certainly didn’t disappoint. This is an absolute treat for book lovers, especially for fan... READ MORE
A compelling page turner that was a little predictable
This was a really intelligent and well crafted love letter to the mystery novel, but ultimately, it just slightly fell short for me. It tells the story of ... READ MORE
Enjoyable book
This is a murder mystery book with a difference as the focus is pretty much on the investigation as narrated by Malcolm Kershaw a bookseller specialising i... READ MORE
Not just one but EIGHT perfect murders!
I thoroughly enjoyed this clever whodunnit which echoes the golden age of detective fiction. Without giving too much away, the plot revolves around a widow... READ MORE
Very Clever
**This book is also known as Eight Perfect Murders**
Any book-blogging, list-making lovers might want to reconsider, if they are thinking about devising a... READ MORE
A great concept and well delivered
As someone who loves reading crime novels, this one ticked all the boxes for me. Even before I got my hands on it and read the blurb, I was utterly hooked... READ MORE
Twisty and gripping
This is my first Peter Swanson novel and it kept me on the edge of my seat.
Malcolm Kershaw runs a crime bookshop. Years earlier he wrote a blog post on t... READ MORE
Chilling mystery
Rules for Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson is a chilling murder mystery written in the style of some of the classics of the genre. The plot is intricate an... READ MORE
A great read!
This book was different!
Malcolm owned a book store and he previously written a blog about eight perfect murders, and it seems that someone is trying to ... READ MORE
Rules for a Perfect Murder by Peter Swanson
Whilst I read I read this book i thought it was similar to the Agatha Christie novels which seemed to be a deliberate strategy. Whilst it was easy to read ... READ MORE
A Perfect Read
‘The thing is, and maybe I’m biased by all those years I’ve spent in fictional realms built on deceit, I don’t trust narrators any more than I trust the ac... READ MORE
An ending you would never expect.
This was the first Swanson book I read, and I was blown away with his talent. The story, seemingly straightforward, ends up being something no one could su... READ MORE
Clever Plotting
I've been meaning to read Peter Swanson's books for a while and this is a perfect introduction to his clever plotting and unique writing style. Each of hi... READ MORE
Is there such a thing as a perfect murder?
An intriguing murder mystery where nothing is quite as it seems. A bookshop owner compiles a list of what he considers to be the 'perfect fictional murders... READ MORE
Just didn’t think it was that good
I really like Peter Swanson’s books, I was wowed by The Kind Worth Killing, and have always gravitated to his stories as they are easy and entertaining thr... READ MORE
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