Before She Knew Him

A Novel

By: Peter Swanson

Narrated by: Sophie Amoss, Graham Halstead

Length: 10 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's 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 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....

©2019 Peter Swanson (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers

Almost as good as "The Kind worth Killing"

I was a little hesitant to get a book whose main protagonist has bipolar disorder; too many bad authors use mental illness to make excuses for stupid, irrational, and unbelievable characters. But this is not one of those. The characters are very believable and relatable. The mental illness is cleverly used. Overall plot is good although not superb.

Great Book and fabulous narration! The sample doesn’t do it justice!!!

This was an extremely dark, twisted and creepy novel! I loved it! Just as good as “A Kind Worth Killing”.

Eh

I didn’t love this book. The narrator was just ok and the storyline was slightly boring.

There was a twist at the end but not too exciting.

I could have skipped this one.

Predictable

The narrator was good but maybe not for this book. If many murders is what you're going for, this is kind of fun.

Very entertaining

I enjoyed the story and narration. Definitely didn’t see the ending coming. This story definitely kept me on the edge of my seat from the very first chapter.

Entertaining but predictable

I listen to several audible books per month, usually two a week. The narration can make a difference and this narrator did a great job.

However, this story line is quite predictable and I finished it more out a sense of hoping it got more interesting than being intrigued.

It was okay to burn through while commuting.

Very, very good but....

This was a very good read. While I figured out the twist half way through, I still enjoyed the book and it's ending. Only complaint would be that I would have liked to hear the wife's POV regarding her husband. and brother-in-law.

My New Favorite Author!

Peter Swanson has a genius for telling a suspenseful story, built on a twist. Where most Crime novels have a twist or two, this is NOT that! What sets Swanson apart is that the readers know immediately that the characters have an unusual, “twisted” past. We are let in on who the killer is, and why. But the suspense skyrockets from there. Swanson’s previous novel “The Kind Worth Killing” had a similar, spellbinding premise; I was elated to know he had written a new novel. If you like crime and suspense novels, read Peter Swanson!

As good as The Kind Worth Killing.

Great suspense novel. As good as The.Kind Worth Killing I wasn't sure what was coming next. Great group of warped characters. One of best credits I've spent.

My first Peter Swanson book...

This book was fantastic! Really enjoyed the story and was blown away at the end. Highly recommend.