Review: Before She Knew Him by Peter Swanson

Title: Before She Knew Him by Peter Swanson
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

Catching a killer is dangerous—especially if he lives next door

From the hugely talented author of The Kind Worth Killing comes an exquisitely chilling tale of a young suburban wife with a history of psychological instability whose fears about her new neighbor could lead them both to murder . . .

Hen and her husband Lloyd have settled into a quiet life in a new house outside of Boston, Massachusetts. Hen (short for Henrietta) is an illustrator and works out of a studio nearby, and has found the right meds to control her bipolar disorder. Finally, she’s found some stability and peace.

But when they meet the neighbors next door, that calm begins to erode as she spots a familiar object displayed on the husband’s office shelf. The sports trophy looks exactly like one that went missing from the home of a young man who was killed two years ago. Hen knows because she’s long had a fascination with this unsolved murder—an obsession she doesn’t talk about anymore, but can’t fully shake either.

Could her neighbor, Matthew, be a killer? Or is this the beginning of another psychotic episode like the one she suffered back in college, when she became so consumed with proving a fellow student guilty that she ended up hurting a classmate?

The more Hen observes Matthew, the more she suspects he’s planning something truly terrifying. Yet no one will believe her. Then one night, when she comes face to face with Matthew in a dark parking lot, she realizes that he knows she’s been watching him, that she’s really on to him. And that this is the beginning of a horrifying nightmare she may not live to escape. .

Review:

Before She Knew Him by Peter Swanson is a twisty-turny, suspenseful mystery.

Henrietta “Hen” Mazur and her husband, Lloyd Harding, have recently moved into a new house in the suburbs. Hen is an artist whose bipolar disorder is finally under control and Lloyd commutes into Boston for his job. During a dinner party with their new neighbors, Matthew and Mira Dolamore, Hen notices something that convinces her that Matthew murdered Dustin Miller, whose case remains unsolved.  She goes to the police with her concerns and they question Matthew but there is no evidence to link him to the crime. Lloyd is worried about her mental health but Hen cannot shake her conviction that Matthew is a killer. Is Lloyd right be worried that Hen’s mental illness is no longer under control? Or could Hen be right in her assumption that Matthew is a murderer?

Although Hen is a bit obsessive about Matthew, she continues her day to day life.  She has a little trouble focusing on her projects so she is surprised when inspiration for a new piece strikes. Hen is somewhat irritated that Lloyd is not taking her seriously, but she understands why he is concerned. She does not let this stop her from keeping an eye on Matthew, but what does Hen hope to uncover by spying on him?

Matthew knows right away that Hen is the reason the police question him about Dustin’s murder. He then tries to turn the tables on her by digging into her background. He learns unexpected information that convinces him she is not a threat. Deciding he has nothing to lose, Matthew makes a surprising decision where Hen is concerned.

Despite a bit of a slow start, Before She Knew Him is a clever mystery that is very engaging. The storyline is well-developed and compelling. The characters are multi-faceted with interesting back stories. With a few stunning revelations, Peter Swanson brings the novel to an absolutely twist-filled and jaw-dropping conclusion. A riveting mystery that I highly recommend to fans of the genre.