You Killed Me First

Author: John Marrs
Genre: Psychological Thriller
399 pages
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Synopsis
It’s 5 November, and a woman awakens to a nightmare. Bound and gagged, she lies trapped in the heart of a towering bonfire. As the smoke thickens, panic sets in – she’s moments away from being engulfed in flames. How did it come to this?

Rewind eleven months: Margot, a faded TV star, and her long-suffering friend Anna watch as glamorous Liv and her flawless family move into their street. The three women soon fabricate the perfect pretence of friendship, but each harbours her own deadly secret – and newcomer Liv senses something is terribly wrong beneath the polished exteriors.

As cracks widen in the veneer of perfection and lies escalate out of control, tension ignites. Bonfire Night is approaching and someone is set to burn…But who will it be?

My review
You Killed Me First is a psychological thriller by John Marrs that immediately caught my attention with its intriguing title and striking cover. After reading the blurb, I knew I had to dive in over the weekend. And wow, this was one of those “just one more chapter” reads that kept me turning pages late into the night. The three main women? A total conniving mess. Normally, this isn’t the kind of story I gravitate toward, but I just couldn’t put it down. Dark, twisty, and absolutely wild – this one was a thrilling rollercoaster from start to finish!

This book kicks off with a bang. It throws us right into the middle of a nightmare: a woman bound, gagged, and trapped at the center of a massive bonfire. She has no clue how she got there. Flashback to eleven months earlier, and we meet three women: Margot, Anna, and Liv. Margot and Anna have been friends for years, and when Liv moves into the neighborhood, she slides into their circle. Beneath all the polite smiles and small talk, it’s clear these women are harboring secrets, and what follows is pure chaos and drama!

Marrs does a fantastic job crafting his three main characters. They’re diabolical, catty, and full of secrets, yet each one has such a distinct personality that I was instantly pulled into – and honestly a little terrified by -their storylines. The book is mainly told from their alternating POVs, but Marrs also throws in a few extra perspectives that had me completely baffled at first. It felt like they were speaking in some kind of cryptic code. But once everything clicked into place? Mind. Blown. In the best way possible!

I have a feeling Marrs had an absolute blast creating these characters, and honestly, hats off to his wild imagination. The storytelling never slows down – it’s a fast, twisty ride from start to finish, packed with surprises at every turn. I was completely hooked the whole way through, and that ending? So well done!

Huge thanks to John Marrs for an absolutely gripping read – dark, devious, and with just the right amount of levity to keep things balanced. A truly great story sticks with you through its unforgettable characters, steady pacing, and the ability to pull you in from page one, and Marrs nails it on all counts!

My recommendation: definitely worth the read!