Title: RULES FOR PERFECT MURDERS
Author: PETER SWANSON
ISBN: 9780571342365
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Pages: 270
Source: Private Copy
If you want to get away with murder, play by the rules
A series of unsolved murders with one thing in common: each of the deaths bears an eerie resemblance to the crimes depicted in classic mystery novels.
The deaths lead FBI Agent Gwen Mulvey to mystery bookshop Old Devils. Owner Malcolm Kershaw had once posted online an article titled ‘My Eight Favourite Murders,’ and there seems to be a deadly link between the deaths and his list – which includes Agatha Christie’s The ABC Murders, Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train and Donna Tartt’s The Secret History.
Can the killer be stopped before all eight of these perfect murders have been re-enacted?
Official Summary
29 January 2026
Rules for Perfect Murders is one of those thrillers that immediately hooked me with its concept alone. A killer recreating murders inspired by classic crime novels? Sign me up. Peter Swanson leans hard into this idea and delivers a dark, twisty story that feels like a love letter to the genre—with a sharp, sinister edge.
Malcolm Kershaw, the prickly owner of the Old Devils bookshop, is a wonderfully unreliable narrator. His dry, slightly superior voice made me question everything he said, which added a constant sense of unease. I really enjoyed how Swanson plays with perspective here; just when you think you understand Malcolm, another layer peels back and things take a far more disturbing turn.
The literary references are a definite highlight. Seeing familiar titles like The ABC Murders and Strangers on a Train woven into the plot was clever and fun, especially for mystery lovers. That said, you don’t need to have read all the books mentioned to enjoy the story—the plot stands firmly on its own.
The pacing is mostly tight, with a steadily building sense of dread as each “rule” is followed and another murder comes into focus. While a few moments felt slightly convenient, the twists more than made up for it, and the final revelations genuinely caught me off guard.
Rules for Perfect Murders is a smart, unsettling and highly entertaining thriller. It’s the kind of book that makes you want to revisit your favourite crime classics… while also eyeing them a little suspiciously. A strong 4-star read that’s perfect for fans of clever, bookish crime with a dark psychological bite.
Also by Peter Swanson
NINE LIVES
Nine strangers receive a list with their names on it in the mail. Nothing else, just a list of names on a single sheet of paper. None of the nine people know or have ever met the others on the list. They dismiss it as junk mail, a fluke – until very, very bad things begin happening to people on the list. First, a well-liked old man is drowned on a beach in the small town of Kennewick, Maine. Then, a father is shot in the back while running through his quiet neighborhood in suburban Massachusetts. A frightening pattern is emerging, but what do these nine people have in common? Their professions range from oncology nurse to aspiring actor.
FBI agent Jessica Winslow, who is on the list herself, is determined to find out. Could there be some dark secret that binds them all together? Or is this the work of a murderous madman? As the mysterious sender stalks these nine strangers, they find themselves constantly looking over their shoulders, wondering who will be crossed off next….
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Peter is the Sunday Times and New York Times best-selling author of 11 novels, including The Kind Worth Killing, winner of the New England Society Book Award, and finalist for the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, Her Every Fear, an NPR book of the year. His books have been translated into over 30 languages, and his stories, poetry, and features have appeared in Asimov’s Science Fiction, The Atlantic Monthly, Measure, The Guardian, The Strand Magazine, and Yankee Magazine.
A graduate of Trinity College, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and Emerson College, he lives on the North Shore of Massachusetts with his wife.
I have wanted to read more Peter Swanson books since reading Nine Lives in 2022 – it’s taken a while….. I picked up a copy of this one at the 2025 Exclusive Books Warehouse Sale, and it has reminded me to look for more Peter Swanson books. Are you a fan? Which is your favourite book? I would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below. Until next time…. Happy Reading!
